The Wackiest Camping Gear

Sunday, September 6th, 2009

Getting into the Great Outdoors is about adventure, exploration, safety, and fun. For you “indoorsy” types: yes, it’s possible to have fun on a camping or hiking trip. It just takes a little creative imagination and the desire to make it happen.

And, of course, the best and wackiest camping gear you can find.

If you’re going to make your camping or hiking trip and enjoyable – and a memorable one – you’d do well to try out some wacky camping gear that takes you out of your element, even while bringing some of civilization with you into a rustic setting.

If your kids aren’t used to the great outdoors, it can be helpful to find some wacky camping gear and gadgets to help them make the adjustment – or to just have a simple camping experience in the backyard. Here are some of the wackiest camping products you’ll find:

• Progressive International Microwavable S’Mores Maker – Okay, maybe a camping trip to the backyard might be right for this microwavable item, but you can’t deny the tempting idea of fresh, quickly-warmed S’mores made in your microwave with none of the mess. The Progressive International S’Mores maker allows you to make S’mores the way they were meant to be made – in between two graham crackers without the marshmallows spilling out.
• Play with Me Tent and Tunnel – The Play With Me tent and tunnel works as a tent and as a small, portable playground that lets kids do camping their way. With a sleep-room tent as well as a tunnel coming out through a side door, this tent makes a quick distraction for kids that don’t want the “adult” camping experience.Bringing a Play With Me tent on a camping trip, or simply for some fun in the backyard, can help you and your kids enjoy the camping trip a little better.
• Eastman Outdoors Big Kahuna Burner – The Big Kahuna Burner takes the stress work out of building a camping fire and allows you to simply start your own fire – when you want. For some who enjoy a more rustic experience, building the fire is more ideal, but if you’ve got other things on your mind, bringing along a Big Kahuna Burner is ideal for making the experience simpler and more enjoyable.

  This is especially helpful if you’re camping with friends and family and have a larger group that needs a stable fire for cooking a larger quantity of foods.

• Texsport Non-Stick Popcorn Popper – The Popcorn Popper from Texsport is a folding popper tha tallows you to cook popcorn over an open flame – much like roasting a marshmallow. Simply bring some popcorn seeds and oil and you’ll have a handy camping snack that is clean, easy-to-use, and brings a taste of indoor living.

Remember that camping and hiking are about moving through the world at your pace, and at the level of comfort you want. If you want to live of the land and try the rustic alternatives, feel free – but even just one of these gadgets will give you something to look forward to on your next camping trip.

Solar-Powered Camping Products

Tuesday, August 18th, 2009

Let’s face it: if you’re going to be taking an extended trip into the woods, nature doesn’t exactly provide power outlets with every tree. The more rustic your camping experience will be, the more you’re going to depend on unusual sources for power and energy.

Luckily, we have solar technology that allows us to harness the constant-burning power of the sun as it beams its rays down on us. Solar technology can recharge batteries, light lamps, and help provide for camping showers when nothing else will power you.

Here are some solar-powered camping products that should make your camping trip easier – and even more fun:

• Real Goods Solar Lantern – At $79.99, this puppy is expensive, but you get wha tyou pay for: a lantern that doesn’t require any special powering up, or even batteries. Using the power of the sun throughout the day, it can light things up on your campsight during the night, almost as if you stored some of the sunlight itself in a little box. Instead of struggling with batteries, you can simply let the solar lantern rest at night – which is the whole point of night anyway – and worry about other camping logistics if need be. Solar power is easy, virtually automatic and will provide light for you even when the sun is gone.
• Real Goods Solar Flashlight – Like the lantern, this will become useful pretty much only at night, but therei s a slight difference: this sunlight you can take with you. And you can point it at things. The solar flashlight is ideal for the explorer who wants to keep some of the sun’s energy blasting even through the night. Like the lantern, it is easy to use – as many solar products tend to be – and you don’t have to worry about charging any batteries.
• The Sun Oven – When it’s daytime again and you need something hot for breakfast, the Sun Oven uses the natural heat and energy of the sun to cook group-sized meals. Have you ever heard the phrase, “it’s so hot out here, you could fry an egg?” Well, with the Sun Oven, you actually can. At over $200, this oven isn’t cheap, but on hot summer days is the ideal way to cook without consuming energy you might otherwise need to use. A lighter edition is also available that you can use as a personal cooker on your own hiking trips.
• The BatterySaver – A small PV cell can recharge four AA batteries at a time – this is just one example of the work solar energy can do for you. Even if you can’t find other sources of power for your camping gadgets, you can use solar power to keep yourself independent of civilization’s grid and continually power up your equipment on the go.