Small innovations make big impact on the trail

In some situations the simplest ideas can make a big difference and these innovations from Guyot Designs are a case in point. The SplashGuard and Squishy Bowls are convenient, low cost solutions that make spending time on the trail that little bit easier.

The SplashGuard inserts into the mouth of your drink bottle to create a drinking opening and avoid spillage. The idea was born after an avid skier became frustrated with spilling drinking water everywhere during a trip through the Sierra’s in a bumpy old Jeep. Three months later, the product went to market. SplashGuard comes in three models: Original (USD$2.00) fits most wide mouth water bottles; Mini (USD$3.25) specifically designed to fit the smaller opening of the Nalgene N-Gen bottle; and Universal (USD$3.25) made from food grade silicone making it flexible and able to fit in all wide mouth bottles.

As with the Universal SplashGuard, Squishy Bowls are made from flexible food grade silicone. These bowls are collapsible making them easy to pack and save space - a critical factor when you leave the vehicle behind to spend extended periods on the hiking trail - and they look much more chic than traditional tin camping bowls. Being made from silicone means they retain their shape so no matter how much you “squish” them into your pack, when you need to use them they will bounce right back into shape. The bowls come in a range of size and colors (USD$10.95-15.95) and matching cups are available. Squishy Bowls are temperature resistant to 400˚F and can be cleaned using soap and water.

Guyot Designs has several other handy products that focus on innovation and space saving including drink bottle grips, utensils and the Firefly, which turns your drink bottle into a lantern. The Firefly's unique lid design contains an integrated LED light which spreads a warm glow throughout the bottle.