Tag: Camping

Categories
Lighting

Luminoodle sees the lights, strings them up

After a slow ramp, LEDs have been taking over more and more lighting needs. They’ve shown up in light bulbs, flashlights, lanterns, desk lamps and even the running lights on cars. On addition to their low energy consumption, their small size allows them to be shaped in many granular configurations.

Luminoodle takes advantage of this by stringing together LEDs in a waterproof rope-like enclosure that includes a number of ways to connect to various surfaces, including loops and magnets. In addition, the whole thing can be coiled up in a bag and used as a lantern. The standard product measures five feet long, but also comes in an XL version twice that length.

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Categories
Camping Connected Objects Cycling Running

TrekAce points you in the right direction, keeps your hands free

Handheld navigation devices, which include smartphones these days, have been around for a long time. But one of their disadvantages is that they have to be held in the hand, or at least mounted to something. That can be a hassle when one wants to use their hands to hold walking poles, binoculars, bike handles and other staples of outdoor activity.

TrekAce takes another approach to navigating. The water-resistant starfish-like object wraps itself around one’s forearm. A touch screen provides the usual bits of GPS-related info. But what really sets TrekAce apart is how it can use its appendages to indicate which direction one should turn. Vibrations in its different extensions can communicate going straight ahead, 90-degree and 45-degree turns and reversing. A combination can indicate moving between multiple angles. For example, if the “straight ahead” and 45-degree signals buzz, that means to take a 22-degree turn.

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Categories
Furniture

Leano props you up, covers your butt anyplace you want to sit

Summer concerts, picnics and just reading in a field are all great activities that provide a few choices for enjoyment. One can drag along a big beach chair or camping chair or bring a small blanket and seek out a tree or something else to lean on for support.

A cross between a mat and a chair, Leano is about as minimal a seat as one can develop. It fits easily in a backpacknd weighs almost nothing. The entire constriction is a long sheet of fabric (which appears to be about 80″ long) draping off a rod and two 19″ long stakes that prop up one end. The fabric protects the backside and legs from grass, dirt or sand while the poles prop up the back.

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Categories
Camping Cooking

GoBQ Grill uses fireproof fabric to tote grill around

Summertime is coming, which means grilling time is coming. There’s nothing like a dinner prepared on a grill. Not only is it delicious, but it also carries the added bonus of cooking outside. Most grills, however, are hefty and can’t easily be moved around.

patent-claimedThe GoBQ Grill is a different kind of grill. Not only does it burn charcoal and produce delicious food (according to its campaign), but it’s also completely portable. The grill itself can easily fold up into a duffel-like bag. Notably, the metal is flexible and the fabric of the bag is completely fireproof. The grill comes complete with a foldable stand so that you’re not stuck cooking on the ground.

The GoBQ Grill takes portable camping grills like Campfire in a Can and ups the ante. With the ultra convenience of portability and foldability, the GoBQ Grill makes camping all the more delicious, easy, and enticing. One will cost backers $120 for delivery in August. This product is looking to raise $30,000 in funding on Indiegogo by May 2.

Categories
Camping Cell Phone Accessories Chargers/Batteries Sensors/IoT Tools

The FOGO Adventure Gadget is a digital Swiss Army knife for outdoorsy types

Exploring the wilds of nature can be a truly rewarding experience. Trails leading to new discoveries alongside the pleasant musk of nature helps foster memorable experiences. Until, of course, someone needs to pull out a flashlight or some other tool from deep within a backpack for some reason — nothing ruins a quaint ambience like the sound of a befuddled hiker looking for their GPS device.

While many would prefer using a smartphone as an aid during such excursions, most smartphones, on account of their poor battery life and dainty construction, can’t ably survive the rigors of outdoor exploration. The FOGO Adventure Gadget solves this problem by incorporating a GPS, walkie talkie, and a 1000 lumen LED flashlight into one rugged device. The FOGO Adventure Gadget includes an embedded digital compass which can help guide users to points of interest and other FOGO users. Further, the device’s walkie talkie feature combines voice and text messaging functionality, thereby allowing users to effectively communicate with others.  Additionally, the device’s LED flashlight sports dynamic light control which adjusts the level of brightness based on the object being illuminated and, in some cases, how fast the object (presumably an animal) is moving).

The FOGO employs some neat tricks with SmartCaps, interchangeable pieces of hardware that add different capabilities. For now, the only SmartCap available is the Digital Walkie-Talkie. Notably, a satellite modem and laser range finder  are both in the works.  With an app based OS, an open SDK, 128MB of flash memory, and a Bluetooth LE connection, FOGO can also act as a fitness monitor along with anything else the developer community can come up with. And its 6800mAh backup battery will ensure it will stay useful and operational for much longer than a smartphone. The $200 FOGO is expected to ship in November 2015 if the $125,000 campaign is successful by March 24, 2015.

New concepts for outdoor gear are always welcome, especially when the product in question does so much to lessen the burden for outdoor explorers. The FOGO Adventure Gadget, along with the All Terrain Cover and WakaWaka, is therefore an ideal product for nature enthusiasts everywhere.

Categories
Camping

Back to the Backers: Campfire in a Can comes roaring back to life

For those who thought that Campfire in a Can was a great idea the first time around and were disappointed when that campaign goal wasn’t met, the heat is on this time. The results are looking good.

Campfire in a Can allows the user to be able to start a cooking fire outdoors without having to rely on finding wood. While wood is an option, the product also works with charcoal and propane. The really nice thing here is that it’s all contained in one canister so that it transports easily to one’s favorite campsite or picnic area. Even in times of burning bans outside, Campfire in a Can can still be used because the design is classified as a contained fire.

Great product? Or potential lawsuit? Campfire in a Can is designed with safety in mind and the perfect addition to any campsite. This campaign seeks to raise $48,000 by March 6. For $144, backers get one product (including propane-burning capability) with an expected delivery in June of this year.

Categories
Automotive

Tail Gater Plus lets you attach stuff to your truck with one hitch

Everyone wants to be friends with the person who has the truck. Not only do trucks offer the convenience of being able to haul stuff from place to place, but the right attachment can provide seating at a tailgate party, or a quick and easy work station when building or camping.

The Tail Gater Plus is a hitch attachment that is working toward being a multi-functional item with the potential to include future attachments for a multitude of tasks and leisure activities. There isn’t a great deal of information about this product as of yet, and it seems that it is really still in progress.

Backers might also like to check out Alltera and Rapid Hut. This campaign seeks to raise $25,000 CAD (~$20,100 USD) by March 1 of this year. For $500 CAD (~$400 USD), backers bet the Tail Gater Plus Base Model with one seat, with an expected delivery in June.

Categories
Camping

CaraClaw keeps campers, hikers sharp when it matters most

Hiking and camping excursions always seem to go better when one knows that the right tools are available. Whether it’s to make setting up camp easier, or make hiking safer and more enjoyable, there are certain tools that one should always have on hand.

A quality knife is one such item. CaraClaw is a knife option that shows some potential. The blade is made of stainless steel, locks out, and has a side release button. The handle is textured rubber for easy griping.

While this product has a very sleek look, nice design, and seems very ideal for camping and hiking enthusiasts, it will find some pretty heavy competition among the many Carabiner knives that are already out there. Interested backers might also like to check out Loopy, Redtail Slackline Set, and WakaWaka. This campaign seeks to raise $5,000 in funding. For $26, backers get one product with an expected delivery of March of this year.

Categories
Camping

Propane Porter keeps grill masters safely fueled while camping

Getting a propane tank from store to home is one thing. Transporting it to one’s favorite campsite is quite another. Propane Porter is designed to help those who love grilling and camping to transport this important item safely, and with some added organization conveniences for good measure. The product will be made of a double walled, polyethylene plastic, with two notches (an upper and lower) for appropriate restraining devices. It will be sturdy enough to use as a stool when flipped over, able to be used as a cooler, and there will be a spot for storing and toting cooking utensils for the grill.

This seems like a product that will work well. It will especially have great appeal to outdoor enthusiasts. And when it comes time to hook that tank up to the grill, backers might also appreciate having Loopy on hand. Other potentially useful items at the campsite include TrackBelt360, Ulta-Mitt and POD tents. This campaign seeks to raise $47,000 on Kickstarter. Backers get one product for $35, with an expected delivery of October 2015.

Categories
Camping

Intra-nets form a web of supersized elevation in the wilderness

While camping in the great outdoors can be a wonderfully relaxing experience, the bumpy, hard ground under a tent and sleeping bag can sometimes provide a not-so-subtle reminder to the notion of roughing it. One alternative to an air mattress is an Intra-net.

The product weighs about seven pounds. It could be considered a super-sized hammock in that it can comfortably sleep two. However, if one’s camping excursion includes the kids, there is plenty of room for them as well. Intra-net can expand to about seven feet by seven feet for the heavy duty version and can hold about 450 pounds total. It can also function as a platform that elevates a pup tent. String it between a couple trees at dinner time and it can provide seating as an air couch.

An interesting idea, to be sure, with lots of versatility. However, one only really appealing to avid campers. Camping loving backers might also like to check out Adventurers Hammock, Air Hammock, and Bungalow Beach Chair. This campaign seeks to raise $12,000 on Kickstarter. For $470, backers get one product with an expected delivery of July 2015.