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Outdoors
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
Beach Pockets secures your sun umbrella
By Emily Clark
03:19 July 24, 2008 PDT
We've encountered solutions to the problem of runaway sun umbrellas before, but there's a practical simplicity about this one. Beach Pockets from Seebreeze is a simple way to secure your umbrella by using sand on the beach to weight it down and prevent it from blowing away. Read More
Garmin's waterproof nuvi 500 / 550 GPS for the explorer
By Tim Hanlon
20:08 July 22, 2008 PDT
July 23, 2008 If you're the kind of explorer who tackles driving, cycling, boating and hiking in the space of a day or weekend, Garmin's new nuvi 500 series is the GPS you shouldn't leave home without. Read More
Banana Guard – protecting your banana
By Mike Hanlon
00:08 July 4, 2008 PDT
Bananas have been one of the world’s staple foods for at least 7000 years and remain popular due to their nutritional value and instant energy boost. Sadly, for all their virtues, bananas don’t travel well and just aren’t as appetizing when they’re squashed. Now you can carry and store your banana safely in a backpack, pocket, school bag or sports bag. Read More
The Grab-it Pack
By Mike Hanlon
20:17 July 2, 2008 PDT
With the plethora of digital cameras, PDS, phones, digital media players adding to the physical burden we carry every day, sometimes it gets to be a real problem just dealing with the load. Fanny packs and back packs are potential answers to the problem, as was the Quickdraw Clip System we covered earlier this week, but now there’s another player in the mix that is worthy of consideration – the GRABIT PACK. It’s a simple but ingenious invention and the work of former stuntman Louis Kiss who recognised the need for carrying capacity that offers “fast access while not getting in the way”. It’s more accessible than a sling bag and ideal for the user Louis envisaged - photographers, carpenters, plumbers, electricians, Police Officers, Paramedics, messengers, landscapers, and Film Industry “grips” and makeup artists. Read More
Buzzball gets things rolling
By Darren Quick
00:07 June 30, 2008 PDT
Looking like the next evolutionary step for Zorbing - but without the need for a downhill slope - the Buzzball is a giant sphere from New Zealand based promotional concepts company Evento which allows the pilot to create their own wild ride. The motion and direction of the Buzzball are controlled by a pilot inside the sphere via left and right control triggers which provide power to the driving wheels. These inner wheels in turn spin the 'pod' on its axis around the inside of the ball. Read More
WASP Injector Knife
By Loz Blain
19:51 June 16, 2008 PDT
No matter how far personal weaponry advances, the last line of defence has remained the same. If a threat gets really up close and personal, divers, soldiers, campers and hunters all have to rely on their trusty knife when all else has failed. The trouble is, if your shark, elephant or enemy combatant is close enough for you to stab them, they're well within range to lay some serious hurt on you if your knife aim isn't true - and there's plenty of angry animals out there capable of disposing of you even with a blade hanging out of them. That's why WASP have created the Injector Knife, which forces a massive charge of freezing compressed air into the stab wound. WASP claims the shock and tissue freezing can stop the largest of land predators in its tracks, and it's even more effective on underwater predators. Read More
Flaik snowsports tracking device
By Emily Clark
00:18 June 2, 2008 PDT
Flaik is a personal tracking device for skiers and snowboarders that fuses GPS & GSM/GPRS technologies to monitor personal performance criteria including speed, distance, altitude and airtime. Read More
Outdoor solar workstation
By Emily Clark
23:09 May 18, 2008 PDT
If you are having trouble getting out of the office, maybe it's time to get the office out. This eco-friendly workspace by Mathias Schnyder is designed as a calming haven where office dwellers or uni students can escape to the great outdoors. Read More
The PLB – risk mitigation for adventurous people
By Mike Hanlon
00:37 April 11, 2008 PDT
Boating, camping, four-wheel driving, hiking, off-road motorcycling, snowmobiling – they’re all fun to do, and they all carry considerably more risk if you’re on your own – break a leg, sprain an ankle, get bitten by a snake or a spider, and suddenly you may not be able to get out without assistance. The availability of the Personal Locator Beacon (PLB) changes that – it’s risk mitigation for adventurous people. Set off your PLB and it transmits your location (GPS coordinates) on internationally recognized distress frequencies monitored by the likes of NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) and the Search and Rescue Satellite-Aided Tracking System (SARSAT). In the event you’re under the canopy and GPS isn’t acquired, they can still calculate your position through Doppler Shift. Read More
Pepper-spray may deter bears better than guns
21:24 March 26, 2008 PDT
March 27, 2008 New analysis from Brigham Young University suggests that those traveling in bear territory may be better off leaving the guns at home and packing pepper-spray instead. The bears, we expect, agree. Read More
Solar gadgets for the great outdoors
By Emily Clark
19:19 March 26, 2008 PDT
A couple of nifty solar gadgets for the outdoors: the Solar Mosquito Guard and Solar-Powered Fan are a steal at just US$10. And the best bit, 10% of all proceeds help send inner-city kids to Earth Day for Kids at the nonprofit Solar Living Institute. Read More
Rex Alfie Lee
- November 9, 2009 @ 12:19 UTC
