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Outdoors
The dual purpose Cool Bar – cooler by day, cocktail table by night
By Darren Quick
01:38 July 1, 2009 PDT
Coolers might keep things cold at a picnic or party, but if you’re looking to keep some drinks on ice with an extra touch of class the Cool Bar could be just the thing. Designed to serve the dual purposes of cooler and cocktail table, we can see the how the Cool Bar might be handy at a barbecue or while camping - keep drinks cool by day and when night rolls in, just lift the lid and you have yourself a cocktail table. Read More
Garmin's handy GPS navigators
By Paul Ridden
21:50 June 22, 2009 PDT
Whether you're just out for a leisurely stroll, out on the piste or on patrol in some remote tundra, Garmin's new personal navigation systems promise to make sure you know everything you need to know to get where you want to be. The Foretrex 401 and Foretrex 301 GPS navigators don't get lost thanks to new technology that allows them to lock on and keep track of positioning satellites even in the most testing of conditions, making these go-anywhere, do-anything, tough, waterproof personal travel gadgets much more than just big wristwatches. Read More
Husqvarna's electric Panthera Leo concept ride-on mower
By Loz Blain
16:17 June 18, 2009 PDT
Just when you thought that wildly overdone, highfalutin concept vehicles were the sole preserve of the automotive market, Husqvarna has dropped a lawnmowing bomb with its majestically named Panthera Leo concept ride-on mower. Using five inbuilt electric engines, it lets you quietly go about your lawn maintenance in the knowledge that you've brought a Gatling gun to a knife fight. Three individually suspended cutting heads can be spaced to your liking, there's an LCD dashboard with speed, cutting height, width and battery maintenance readouts and an object collision avoidance system - and it can rotate completely on the spot for total mowing precision. Read More
Dooit: sports trailer converts to lightweight camper
By David Greig
19:39 June 7, 2009 PDT
Packing your favorite toys and making for the great outdoors doesn't have to mean firing up the gas-guzzling 4WD and hitching a dual-axle trailer. Light-weight trailers make sense - they save fuel, eliminate the need for roof racks and you don't need a monster truck to tow them. Designs like the Dooit sports trailer from Activity Trailers also offer a highly versatile platform that can accommodate a long list of outdoor gear - kayaks, cargo boxes, bikes - and in this case, there's even the option of a fold out tent. Read More
Everything AND the kitchen sink
By David Greig
01:09 June 3, 2009 PDT
If you're the kind of person who likes to over-pack when you head out to the great outdoors, now you can say you've brought everything and the kitchen sink. The Kitchen Sink by Sea to Summit simply pops out ready for the washing up. It holds five liters of water and tucks up snugly in a convenient carry pouch that can be attached to your belt. Read More
Lacoste and Zaha Hadid launch exclusive limited edition footwear collection
By Mike Hanlon
17:30 May 27, 2009 PDT
It's always fascinating to see a set of fresh eyes tackle an ancient art. Though humans have used leather shoes of some form for at least 20,000 years, the last half century has seen such advances in materials technology that footwear design has entered a renaissance period with radical new thought in abundance. Now prolific designer and architect Zaha Hadid has turned her hand to footwear design, creating a footwear collection for Lacoste. The designs are original, stunning, limited edition (only 850 pairs), exclusive and expensive. Most remarkable of all, given the shapes and textures, they're made from non-synthetic kid leather. Read More
Energizer Hard Case Tactical flashlight helps you find your car keys behind enemy lines
By Alan Brandon
19:05 May 26, 2009 PDT
Whether you need a flashlight that can withstand the rigors of the battlefield or if you’re just a bit clumsy, Energizer's second generation Hard Case Tactical rugged flashlight could be the answer. Featuring military-grade construction, the Hard Case Tactical 2AA flashlight is designed to withstand a 15 foot (4.5m) drop and immersion in water. The swiveling head allows you to position the light where you need it and the flat base accommodates hands-free operation. Read More
Garmin's new Oregon 550 and Oregon 550t GPS for in-car or outdoors
By Mick Webb
19:03 May 19, 2009 PDT
Garmin's latest handheld GPS offering for explorers who like to hit the open road - as well as veer completely off it on foot - crams a 3-axis compass, 850MB of on-board memory and a 3.2 megapixel, 4X optical zoom digital camera into a 6.8 oz., water and weatherproof package with a 3-inch touchscreen interface. Read More
MSpa - the portable spa for four or more
By Mike Hanlon
02:18 May 14, 2009 PDT
If you're one of those people who insist on luxury wherever you go, the MSpa is probably ideal for you. MSpa is a portable, lightweight, inflatable large and robust 210 gallon spa that weighs just 36 kg in portable form yet self-inflates in a few minutes. The MSpa will provide a complete 38 degree spa experience at just AUD$1200 (USD$922) and it's specifically designed to be energy efficient with foil insulation throughout and a lockable insulated cover. Read More
Toy haulers all the go for big kids
By Paul Best
19:29 May 12, 2009 PDT
Toy Haulers are like giant toy boxes on wheels for grown-ups looking to get away to the great outdoors with their all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), dirt bikes, bicycles, snowmobiles, jet skis, boats or any other recreational toy you can think of. Read More
The True Utility TripodLite – 30 hours on three AAA batteries
By Mike Hanlon
03:46 April 24, 2009 PDT
Now this will come in handy if you never use it. British True Utility has built an awesome reputation over the last decade for creating practical pocket minimalist pocket tools and one sure to be in demand when it goes on sale in June is the TripodLite – a powerful 21 LED pocket torch with flexible tripod. The TripodLite can stand alone or wrap around whatever is handy to give you a hands free light, that'll run all night! Running on just 3 AAA batteries, it will burn for over 30 hours on just one set of batteries. Camping just got a hell of a lot easier… Read More
TentLED helps avert common camping mishap
By Jamilah Le
22:30 April 1, 2009 PDT
Tripping over tent ropes - it's a problem regular campers understand only too well and apparently around 3000 people seek first-aid from this kind of mishap every year in the Netherlands alone. This solution created by VAN BERLO in the Netherlands, is an LED light for guy lines that are attached to the rope so you can see them at night. Read More
Ortovox Grizzly multifunctional avalanche shovel
00:17 April 1, 2009 PDT
A shovel for snow that shovels snow. Nothing too out of the ordinary there, but look a little closer and the cleverness of this multifunctional design becomes apparent. Designed for both avalanche rescue and more mundane tasks on the mountain like digging out beleaguered motorists, the ORTOVOX Grizzly sports a large, sharp aluminum blade designed to shift compact snow quickly, but the clever bit is the folding mechanism that transforms the shovel into a pick when fixed at a right angle, or collapses fully for convenient transportation. Read More
Outside the box: Sylvan Sports GO multi-mode trailer/camper
By David Greig
14:31 February 18, 2009 PST
Use the right tool for the job. So goes the old adage, but in our multi-purpose, multi-tasking modern world, if you can find one tool that can do two or more jobs, and do them well, so much the better. Mobile adventure gear designer and manufacturer Sylvan Sport has applied this principle to the world of trailers with the “GO Mobile Adventure Gear”, a multi-mode system that readily morphs from a low profile trailer to a heavy recreational hauler to a comfortable camper, catering for the adrenaline-fueled adventurer through to the family in need of a light weight trailer for weekend getaways. Add to this the fuel saving attributes of a trailer that weighs just 700lbs and the ability to be pulled behind almost any vehicle and you have a versatile product with the potential to carve out a new niche in the RV market. Read More
Kubota Drop-in Fire Suppression Unit for RTV900
By Mike Hanlon
18:18 February 11, 2009 PST
With Mother Nature currently demonstrating unprecedented wildfire power in the Australian state of Victoria, cost-efficient firefighting solutions will come increasingly into focus over the coming months. One seemingly viable solution emanating from Kubota Tractor is a drop-in high pressure fire suppression system, which is performance-matched and hydraulically-powered by Kubota’s RTV900 Worksite Utility model. The new “Assault Force 70” is designed to provide a low-cost quick-response unit for a diverse range of fire situations. Read More
The first new Swiss Army soldier knife since 1961
22:16 January 22, 2009 PST
Swiss Army Knives have not been left behind by the advent of modern technology with the inclusion of Flash drives, MP3 players, laser pointers, recently even biometric security into the 200 strong model range to compliment the traditional offerings which began when the first Swiss-developed Soldier Knife arrived back in 1891. These knives are still part of standard kit for the Swiss Army and, following the issue of the first new specification since 1961, Victorinox has produced a new take on an old favorite. Read More
The Xip3 transformer jacket
00:41 December 9, 2008 PST
Here's an article of smart clothing that doesn't involve bio-sensors, solar panels or built-in Bluetooth - just clever design. CoreGear's three-in-one Xip3 is a water repellent, fleece lined jacket that quickly morphs into a backpack and (our favorite) a pillow for grabbing a quick nap in comfort. Read More
Volute – premium wine in single-serve aluminum bottles
By Mike Hanlon
17:15 November 25, 2008 PST
Now here’s a simple but very clever idea we’re sure will catch on, through sheer necessity. Volute is a new premium wine brand producing red, white and rosé wines in a single-serve aluminum container. As the bottle is made from recyclable, unbreakable, lightweight aluminum, it can be safely taken where no premium wine has gone before – everywhere ! Concerts and sporting events ban glass bottles for safety reasons, and their use at the beach, camping, hiking ad infinitum is also impractical. The wine has no artificial additives, is sourced from small, independent Bordeaux wineries and is AOC-rated, signifying the highest quality of French wine. The single-serve bottles hold exactly one quarter of a standard 750ml bottle of wine - 187.5ml (6.3 oz). Available on-line, a three-bottle taster pack of all three varieties costs US$12 and a case of 12 costs US$49 – basically, four bucks a glass. Read More
Traveler's GPS receiver stores up to 32,000 way-points
By Gizmag Team
20:20 October 30, 2008 PDT
A travel diary and a pen have long been the technologies of choice when it comes to remembering exactly where you got to on your last holiday, but it seems this just won't cut it in the digital age. Products like Sony's GPS-CS1KA image tracker have been on the market for some time and cameras like the recently released Nikon COOLPIX P6000 offer in-built GPS for geotagging. Hama's solution is the i-gotU, a matchbox-sized GPS receiver that displays your holiday route on a computer and catalogues any photos taken on the way. Read More
PepperBall's FlashLauncher torch illuminates, hurts things
By Kyle Sherer
16:44 October 28, 2008 PDT
PepperBall Technologies has released a 100-lumen flashlight that doubles as a semi-automatic PepperBall launcher. The 2.2-pound FlashLauncher can fire up to five projectiles that, in addition to stinging like hell, release a hot pepper powder designed to subdue any assailant. Read More
Sollight's portable and environmentally friendly lighting systems
By Jude Garvey
22:33 September 14, 2008 PDT
Sollight's LightCap and LightShip solar-powered lights are designed for camping, boating holidays or to use around the home. The LightCap fits on to a standard water bottle and turns it into a portable lantern whilst the LightShip can be conveniently attached just about anywhere for charging during the day and becomes a portable flashlight at night. Both products are perfect in an emergency situation, are weather-proof and importantly, environmentally friendly. Read More
Cy-Fi Bluetooth wireless sports speaker
00:25 September 11, 2008 PDT
There's nothing like strapping on the earphones and cranking up your favorite tunes to help you through a serious bout of exercise, but in many outdoor scenarios, especially cycling, this can become a major safety risk by preventing you from hearing traffic noise and other potential hazards that might not be visible. This is the thinking that inspired Los Angeles entrepreneur Jeff Lotman to invent the Cy-Fi Bluetooth wireless sports speaker, a palm-sized unit that attaches to a bike or backpack and wirelessly transmits music and phone calls from Bluetooth enabled devices. Read More
Lotus deploys unique Concept Ice Vehicle to the Antarctic
By Loz Blain
09:28 August 24, 2008 PDT
August 24, 2008 Look closely and you'll see a Lotus badge on the side of this fascinating device. Built to act as a scout to plan routes for heavier vehicles on flat, hard-packed ice, the Concept Ice Vehicle (CIV) is set to perform its first tour of duty in Antarctica with the Moon Regan Transarctic Expedition. Three oversize, suspended skis give the ultra-light CIV a low friction contact patch, and handle the steering as the biofuel-powered propeller drives the vehicle forward. Braking is another issue - a large, spiked metal arm is forced down into the smooth ice, dragging the CIV to a halt - and it comes equipped with a radar to detect hidden ice crevasses that could spell trouble for the rest of the team. Read More
Suunto X10 GPS wristop computer
By Emily Clark
14:05 August 12, 2008 PDT
Suunto has unveiled an upgrade to its X9i flagship outdoor GPS wristop computer. The more powerful X10 model features improved tracking, longer battery life and faster performance, including the ability to track better in difficult conditions such as heavy foliage. Read More
Leatherman Argentum collection
By Darren Quick
03:39 August 5, 2008 PDT
In the spirit of finding any excuse to bling up just about anything, Leatherman are celebrating their 25th anniversary with the release of the Argentum Collection – a line of limited edition leatherman tools hand crafted by silversmith Adrian Pallarols that range in price from US$240 to US$40,000. Read More
Celeste H Calabro
- July 5, 2009 @ 22:20 UTC
