Tag: outdoors

Categories
Camping Cooking

Tegstove helps to keep bellies, cell phones full while camping

While some people like to go camping in the great outdoors to get away from it all, and away from electronic devices in particular, the idea of “roughing it” certainly isn’t appealing to everyone. For many, completely doing away with modern conveniences is too much of a hassle.

The Tegstove presents a nice solution to that dilemma. The Tegstove is a multifaceted camping stove designed for folks who like to camp but still want to keep the ease of modern day living within reach. The stove lets users cook meals via butane gas, store energy via a thermoelectric generator, and perhaps most importantly, charge their electronic devices.

Overall, the Tegstove seems like an interesting product worth checking out. Camping lovers might also want to check out Campfire in a Can, Charby, Mini-E Camping Stove and Propane Porter. This campaign seeks to raise $50,000 by May 6, 2015.  Early backers can get one stove for $99 with an expected delivery of September 2015.

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

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
Fishing

Alive Lure tricks fish into coming over to your place for dinner

Whether it’s a day trip to one’s favorite lake, a weekend adventure, or a week-long vacation, fishing can be one of the most relaxing activities when enjoying the great outdoors. That is, until one has been waiting for several hours for the fish to bite and one’s stomach is making enough noise to scare off even the bears.

Such a scenario was something of the situation for the creator of Alive Lure. If his pride wasn’t already injured from not getting a single bite, it may have added salt to the wound when a winged insect landed on the water and a fish snapped it up in a matter of seconds. But in that moment of annoyance, an idea for his battery-operated fish lure was born. The insect shaped fish trickster is activated as soon as it comes into contact with the water and begins buzzing and flailing in such a way as to attract the fish and persuade them to bite, thereby allowing the user to enjoy some dinner. Alive Lure works best when fishing for freshwater fish and seems to be reusable provided one wants to clean it after being swallowed by the fish.

This product will be appreciated by outdoor enthusiasts, especially those who like to camp. Interested backers may also want to check out LureViewer, CampCaddy, and Campfire in a Can. This campaign seeks to raise $11,000 by February 10, 2015. Backers get one product for $25 with an expected delivery of February 2015.

Categories
Camping

Cinch tents shed light on those dark campsite nights

One of the most relaxing ways to destress and recharge is to spend some time in the great outdoors. And having the right tent is highly important. Cinch is a pop-up tent that sets up and folds down quickly. It comes in two, three, and four person capacity, and is double-skinned to protect from wet weather.

The convenience of two entrances and storage areas are a nice touch, but the one feature that really sets it apart is that each tent comes with a solar pack so that gadgets can remain charged, and tents can provide LED light at night. There are charging ports for up to two mobile devices. The dimensions for the two person tent are 2.8m long x 2.2m wide x 1.3m high. Though this doesn’t really provide much room for an adult to stand upright, the solar power capacity certainly makes this tent worth some serious consideration.

Backers may also be interested in POD tents and CampCaddy. This campaign seeks to raise £50,000 (~$77,800). For £110 (~$170), backers get one tent with an expected delivery of April 2015.

Categories
Tools

Loopy multitools clips to belt loops, give them a job beyond belt guiding

Multitool gadgets are convenient items to have when cycling or hiking and enjoying the great outdoors. There are quite a few of these around these days. Loopy is one of the newest to try to push its way into a crowded marketplace. One thing that makes this product a little different is that it attaches to a belt loop. Loopy is 1.5 inches in height and claims to provide 12 tools in one, including a bottle opener, wrench, bike tools and more. Because it’s made of stainless steel and titanium, it is washing machine safe and doesn’t have to be removed from one’s jeans belt loop – as long as one can remember to which pair of jeans one attached it last.

Loopy is one of the more minimalist of these types of tools, honing the discretion of the Swiss Army knife. It’ll definitely find its place on the belt loops of the types of guys who still carry their cellphones around on belt holders. Other interesting multitool options that backers might want to check out include My Task and TrackBelt360. This campaign seeks to raise $27,000. Early bird backers can get one Loopy for $7, with an expected delivery of May 2015.

Categories
Running

Bionic Runner blends safe running training with great outdoors

One of the best things about running is being able to enjoy the outdoors and still do something healthy for one’s body. But training outside can mean an increased chance of injury from awkward foot strides, over-extension or impact fatigue. So Bionic Runner was specifically made for runners who prefer being outdoors. This bike has an eight speed gear hub that allows runners to perform advanced training techniques such as resistance, intervals, and threshold. While it duplicates the motion of running and is a great cardiovascular workout, it significantly reduces the chance of getting injured. In addition, it’s foldable for maximum convenience and portability.

Since the high risk training techniques running usually presents are transferred to the bike, runners can spend more time focusing on their gate when they do actually run. Interested backers may also want to check out the Hamtoner, Go Kin, Spyder 360, and Most Fit campaigns. This campaign seeks to raise $40,000 AUD (~$33,300 USD). For $965 AUD (~$800 USD) backers can have their very own Bionic Runner with an expected delivery of April 2015.

Categories
Aquatics

Trekkayak blows up your wilderness water transportation

When doing some of that extreme wilderness hiking in the great outdoors, a good boat or kayak is important, but inconvenient to carry around. A kayak that’s lightweight, durable and especially portable can mean the difference between conquering that raging river verses having to find a way around it.

The demand for kayaks that can either be easily assembled without tools or are inflatable is growing among outdoor enthusiasts. And the creators of Trekkayak are working to get their product paddling along in a market that is gaining some momentum. This inflatable kayak is designed to fit in a backpack when not in use, and is small, light, and durable as a tent at about 6.5 pounds. The product has two hulls and a two-layer design, as well as a detachable trampolin that’s above the waterline to help keep users remain dry and warm when using the product in cold water. The maximum weight that this kayak can hold is not clearly indicated.

This product seems to have been designed with the more experienced in mind given the choice to use Cordura fabric for the hull and light thermoplastics for the bladder, but these things also add greatly to the lightweight aspect of the product. Backers may also want to check out the Folbot kayak campaign, as well as the All Terrain Cover, and Funnell campaigns. This campaign seeks to raise kr70,000 ($11,600). For kr223 ($37), backers get one product with an expected delivery of March 2015.

Categories
Home Pets

Feed-n-See Holder invites hummingbirds to stay, keeps ants away

Watching hummingbirds enjoy nectar from a feeder can be a great way to wake up if one is an early riser, or a wonderful way to relax as the day comes to a close. Though they usually prefer natural nectar, they can be drawn by a feeder such as the Feed-n-See Holder. Moats around the nectar keep ants away, and a plant below the feeder can catch any nectar that falls and also get the benefit of bird droppings to keep the plant fertilized. The feeder is made of UV resistant nylon plastic and can be attached to a post or tree using zip ties, or screwed to a house outside of the kitchen window for easy refilling and enjoyment of watching the hummingbirds come to visit.

Though this product offers the option of a single or double feeder, hummingbirds are usually territorial. So if the idea is to attract more than one bird, it’s best to have the feeders out of sight of one another. This campaign seeks to raise $125,000 by December 19, 2014. For $25, backers get one product with an expected delivery of February 2015.

Categories
Camping

All Terrain Cover offers basic shelter designed for fast, easy setup

For those who like camping excursions of the extreme kind, here is a portable shelter that is designed to withstand snow, sleet, rain and the pounding sun. The All Terrain Cover (or ATC) is made of carbon fiber or aluminum poles connected by a 550 pound paracord. This military-minded covering is designed to stand up to the harsh weather typical of the tundra and wilderness area mountains that are far, far away from the nearest gas station or convenience store. The covers are touted as offering living-off-the-land enthusiasts a shelter with flexibility, as well as being freestanding and blending well into the environment. They’re also very lightweight, making for easier hiking with gear.

Based on the fairly open design, it appears that a tent would still be needed when it’s time to settle down for the night, but this product will likely be appreciated by hunters, nature photographers and others who spend a great deal of time during the day in the great outdoors. This campaign seeks to raise $12,000 by December 9, 2014. For $150, backers get one product with an expected delivery of April 2015.