Outdoors

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Ski resort safety and personal performance tracking system

April 26, 2007 Keep track of your kids on the slopes - or compete for top-speed snowboard bragging rights with a tiny and very affordable device in your pocket. Snowsports Interactive is perfecting their Flaik GPS-based safety, performance and asset management platform for ski resorts, and will launch the system in Australia and Canada with the start of each hemisphere's 2007 ski season. Read More

Honda’s Next Generation EU6500 Portable Generator

By Mike Hanlon

March 9, 2007 If most of your life turns to mud without electricity, and you don’t have a Plan B in case the electricity runs out, consider Honda’s new EU6500is portable generator. The EU6500is is the latest evolution of the EU generator model series and benefits from development in the areas of output, noise, size and fuel consumption. Producing 6,500 volt amperes (watts) of power, the EU6500is is the perfect solution to a variety of power needs. Due to its large power output, exceptional fuel efficiency, clean power output and super quiet operation, it is perfectly suited to provide crucial home back-up power during a blackout or other power emergency. The EU6500is is equally at home on a worksite, campsite or for RV camping and tailgating due to its excellent portability and compact design. Read More

City Chase Urban Adventure Racing going global

By Mike Hanlon

March 8, 2007 One of the more interesting developments of improved communications via the internet is the way in which new sports become viable because geographically-disparate but like-minded people can be formed into a community. One such phenomena is the urban adventure racing - a part urban obstacle course, part scavenger hunt race that is open to anyone over the age of 18, and features teams of two racing around a major city to complete a series of unique physical, mental, and humorous challenges and return to the finish line in the fastest time. City Chase was created and launched in Canada in 2004 and made an immediate impact, expanding to a national event series with a national prime-time TV series covering events in Canada’s nine largest cities in 2005. It was named Canada’s best sporting event in 2005 and 2006 and last year the first world championships were held in Chicago. This year CityChase kicks off on March 17 in Sydney (Australia), where 500 teams are expected to compete, followed by events in Portugal, Spain, France, Singapore, England, the USA and Canada. Teams typically consist of seasoned runners who don’t mind doing the hard yards – check out the Chicago world championship course which covered 30 kilometres and required the fastest team 33 hours to complete. Read More

Hotjugz portable hot shower

By Mike Hanlon

March 8, 2007 Simple and effective and incredibly useful. The US$60 HOT JUGZ portable shower offers a hot, long-lasting, portable shower. As it uses human power, it can be operated anywhere, and because it weighs just 4lb, it’s easy to get it there. Hot Jugz Showers will run for over two minutes on just 15-20 pumps and with over two gallons capacity, the shower can last up to 16 minutes. The idea is that you fill up the insulated jug with hot water and it will remain warm for extended periods of time (six hours for the Commando unit and four hours for the cheaper US$50 unit). This makes it ideal for sports, camping, hunting, giving the dog a wash before it gets in the car and will even serve as a car or boat wash. It’s a kinda cool and very useful promotional item to boot, as they can be ordered in a variety of colours with your company's logo. Via Gizmodo Read More

The Titanium and Carbon Fibre Gatling Pocket Flashlight

By Mike Hanlon

March 7, 2007 Named after that famous weapon of war, the Gatling Gun, the GatLight is part objet d’art, part tactile companion and almost coincidentally is one of the most powerful, compact and functional flashlights available. Lumencraft specialises in designing and manufacturing high end pocket flashlights and their latest evolution of their flagship product, the GatLight V3, made of aerospace grade titanium and carbon fibre composites is just a joy to look at. Since every GatLight is custom made to order, the Gatlight V3 has an estimated delivery time of 3 months with pricing between US$295 and US$370 for the all-titanium version. Read More

BRP launches new ultra-light REV-XP platform for Ski-Doo

By Mike Hanlon

February 28, 2007 BRP has launched a new ultra-light REV-XP platform for its Ski-Doo snowmobiles which were already the lightest on the market. The new platform yields a snowmobile that is 10-15% lighter (about 50 lbs/23 kg) than its current REV-based models, while the chassis is 37% stronger. Every element of the platform was redesigned for lighter weight without compromising durability and the result is that the 2008 MX Z Adrenaline 600 H.O. SDI will weigh in at just 194 kilograms, compared to the 2007 model which weighs 217 kilograms with all other comparable machinery from competitors running between 220 and 242 kilograms. The new platform made its public debut last weekend as an Open Mod race sled at the WPSA Grand Prix de Valcourt sno-cross race, where it won both the Pro and Semi-Pro Open classes. Racing was a critical part of the development process, with Sno-cross racer Blair Morgan proclaiming, "the change is an even bigger one than the first REV platform.” Read More

The ingenious AySystem mobile alarm

By Mike Hanlon

February 28, 2007 German Telecommunications giant Siemens is preparing to market a diminutive multi-purpose device that can be used as a mobile alarm, a fitness trainer and an emergency call system for the elderly and disabled. The functionality of the multi-sensor, modularly constructed AySystem can be expanded to include a camera and a GPS positioning module. The GSM/GPRS-based device (Ay) is about the size of a pack of cards, and has a dedicated Web interface (AyPilot.com). It features integrated motion, sound and temperature sensors, as well as a loudspeaker, and also enables two-way voice communication. If the threshold of a programmed sensor setting is exceeded, the device immediately notifies the user (e.g. by sounding an alarm, sending a text message or opening a voice call). This first-of-its-kind security, personal safety and monitoring solution provides users continuous real-time status updates on anyone or anything anywhere in the world – all of the time. The device can be remotely controlled via the dedicated Web interface for a broad range of uses, both private (e.g. child, elderly and handicapped care, room monitoring and protection of personal belongings) as well as business-related (e.g. tracking and tracing goods and delivery vehicles, providing personal security for employees, and optimizing business processes). The AySystem literally serves as an extension of yourself and your business – as a sensory protective presence. Read More

The Atlas Rope Ascender – a significant new enabling technology

By Mike Hanlon

February 15, 2007 Atlas Devices’ Rope Ascender is a remarkable new tool that enables "reverse rappelling" up buildings and other vertical surfaces at unprecedented speeds. The device, which is the size of a hand-held power tool, can lift a 250-pound load more than 600 feet into the air at nearly 10 ft/sec, all on a single battery charge. Using a patented rope interaction design, the Rope Ascender can pull a fully-loaded soldier up a rappelling line, tow vehicles and even remotely move equipment and casualties. Giving soldiers the ability to scale a building or cliff in only seconds is obviously a capability designed perfectly for Special Opps, and will also find application with the police, fire, rescue and many other endeavours. A fully loaded firefighter could use the Ascender to reach the top of a 30-story building in only 30 seconds, compared to the six minutes or more it often takes to trudge up stairs with 80 to 100 pounds of equipment … just think of all the ways this high-torque pocket power pack can be used. Very exciting! Read More

Bungee-Powered Backpack Can Lighten Your Load

By Mike Hanlon

December 30, 2006 Biologists at the University of Pennsylvania have announced details for a suspended-load ergonomic backpack that reduces the force of a backpacks load on the wearer by 86%, allowing wearers to run far more comfortably with heavy loads. The backpack was created with soldiers and emergency workers in mind and could prevent the sort of muscle and joint injuries associated with running while carrying heavy items. The backpack will also benefit schoolchildren, since heavy school bags have been linked to muscle and orthopedic injury. "For the same energetic cost, you can either carry 48 pounds in a normal backpack or 60 pounds in a suspended-load ergonomic backpack," Larry Rome, a professor in Penn's Department of Biology, said. "It is like carrying an extra 12 pounds for 'free.'" Read More

KTRAK converts a mountain bike into a snow toy

By Mike Hanlon

December 19, 2006 The KTRAK Cycle is an interesting step in the evolution of the mountain bike, in that the retrofit Ktrak rear drive kit and ski transform an ordinary mountain bike into a snow toy. The rear drive is a universal attachment that will fit any mountain bike and prvide traction on previously unrideable surfaces. Scheduled for release in January, the initial price will be in the vicinity of US$300. Via Engadget Read More

The highly-efficient Wovel wheeled snow shovel

By Mike Hanlon

November 19, 2006 Replace the intricate wheel casting with wooden spokes and it’s possible to believe that the Wovel was designed and built a thousand years ago – it has an air of elegant simplicity that belies the amount of thought and science which went into its design. The Wovel is a wheeled snow shovel and it’s much safer and reduces exertion by as much as 80% compared to traditional shoveling. Just how dangerous is snow shovelling? Well, the Consumer Product Safety Commission estimates that 72,000 medical emergency room visits occur in the U.S. annually due to snow removal injuries including over exertion, heart attacks, strokes, back, muscle, joint and snow blower injuries. The Wovel also outperforms snow blowers and is 2-3 times faster than shovelling. The unique design of the Wovel allows the user to multiply mechanical force and throw snow into piles over four feet high with ease. Read More

The ColdHeat cordless, lightweight, portable and heated seat

By Mike Hanlon

November 17, 2006 Nothing detracts more from the spectacle of a sporting event more than exposing one's nether regions to excruciating cold (apart from getting beaten, of course). ColdHeat is best known for its Soldering Tools and Freestyle Cordless Glue Gun, but may well become a household name for non-handyman types with the release of the ColdHeat Cordless Heated Seat, a microprocessor-controlled system that will warm the seat to 115 degrees (Fahrenheit) in less than 60 seconds and extend the heat delivery for up to six hours. The seat weighs three pounds and comes with a handle, shoulder strap and rechargeable battery pack that provides up to 3,000 hours of use - roughly the equivalent of 60 pro football seasons. Read More

Waterproof hands-free 30 FPS US$130 stunt cam

By Mike Hanlon

November 17, 2006 With the value of compelling video content on the rise, the ability to record what you do if you’re a thrillseeker might just make you rich. At very least, if you record your devil-may-care exploits you’ll be able to look back on them in your dotage. Now you can play hard and record everything as long time gadget impresario Oregon Scientific has released the next generation of its action camera line-up. Weighing in at less than a pound (with batteries), the US$130 hands-free, self-contained ATC2K records full colour video in 640 X 480 VGA at 30 frames per second. Expandable up to 2GB, with a built-in SD card slot and 32MB of internal memory, the shock-resistant ATC2K mounts easily on helmets, bikes, race cars, dirt bikes even three meters underwater for the duration of the battery life. Read More

Husqvarna's Quiet Blower

By Mike Hanlon

November 10, 2006 The internal combustion engine which we thought was one of the saviour technologies of mankind may one day be judged by history as the infernal combustion engine thanks to its dual drawbacks of noise and pollution. Whilst almost everyone can see the world is drowning in exhaust gasses (except the United States and Australian Governments), on a more immediate level communities across the world are placing an ever higher priority on minimizing noise pollution and outdoor equipment such as gas-powered blowers has been at the center of that push. So we laud , Husqvarna’s new 356BT Quiet Blower which integrates high blower capacity, low noise levels, and an ergonomic design into a backpack, so it can be used at times and places that a conventional blower cannot (such as in this beautiful image), resulting in increased productivity and usefulness for both professional users and homeowners. Read More

Ruggedised GPS Solution for the car and outdoors

By Mike Hanlon

November 2, 2006 We just love ruggedised electronics that can take a bit of rough and tumble and the odd dousing in water so the new US$550 Magellan CrossoverGPS introduced at SEMA was a natural. The rugged, IPX-4-waterproof device is designed to provide navigation for both driving and outdoor adventures. Available in December, the traffic-ready CrossoverGPS is a cross between two products, delivering a quality car navigation experience plus the functionality of handheld GPS receivers for the outdoors from the company that first brought the technology to the consumer market. Preloaded with both street maps and topographic contour maps, the CrossoverGPS guides users from door-to-door in a car - and from point-to-point where the road ends - so they can enjoy driving, off-roading, hiking, geocaching, boating, fishing and more, all with one GPS device! Read More

Merrell Sports sandal

By Mike Hanlon

October 25, 2006 A new shoe from Merrell caught our attention the other day and to say we were blown away with the look of the shoe is an understatement – somewhere between a sandal and a sports shoe, it’s a sandal with hiking boot support and the on-demand advantage of an athletic construction. Beyond that, the Chameleon II web is aimed at a target consumer “with multi-ambitious outdoor aims, who frequently shifts speed, sites and steepness of terrain.” Not much more is known at this stage other than a US$90 price. Read More

The FreeCharge Weza portable energy source and the Indigo self-sufficient lantern

By Mike Hanlon

October 24, 2006 We’ve always thought that wind-up energy makes sense but wind-up energy pioneer Freeplay is now taking things to a whole new level. The company’s wind-up radio offers telecommunications in a single package – turn the handle a few times and you can radio where even electricity didn’t exist before. The allure of 20th century technology is immense and in 2002 this was demonstrated when thousands of people in Niger traded their guns for Freeplay radios in a ground breaking initiative of the Government of Niger, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Freeplay Foundation to encourage peace and stability in the region. Freeplay specialises in delivering electric power to self-powered devices such as radios, torches and mobile phone chargers, and two ingenious new human-powered products from the company are the Freecharge Weza portable energy source and the Indigo self-sufficient lantern. The lantern burns for three hours for a modicum of work and is a wonderful invention belonging in every home for a myriad of reasons. The Weza is however, a category buster – it is a small, foot-powered energy source that generates electricity at up to 40-watts to charge its own internal battery for direct 12-volt power. To charge it, pump the pedal and the generator spins. Combine the Weza with the Xantrex XPower Powerpack 400 Plus and you can run emergency lights, small power tools, a computer system or watch a mid-size TV for hours while burning a few calories. It will also juice-up from a cigarette lighter adapter in a car, serve as an emergency power source for home or a backup generator for not-at-home. An absolute must-have accessory for any self-respecting technophile who refuses to stop having fun when there’s no readily available electricity supply! Read More

The Firefly – handy if you never use it

By Mike Hanlon

October 19, 2006 This product is simple, cheap and effective. Guyot Designs’ Firefly costs US$22 and converts any standard wide mouth bottle into a lantern. It's perfect for any outdoor adventure, whether in the backyard or in the backcountry. The Firefly's unique design allows it to be used right side up, upside down, or hanging from the nearest handy branch. The lid contains an LED light which creates a warm glow throughout the bottle and as light levels can be varied, it can double as a low level night light for those nights when the moon is obscured yet it’s bright enough at its highest setting to read by. The electronics are sealed, so you can even turn it upside down or let it swing in the breeze from a nearby tree branch without fear that the electrons and water will fizzle it all out. The good thing about having kit like this is that you still win if you never use it, cos it means you’ve never been stuck without a ready supply of electrons. Read More

The Quickup camper, and mobile office

By Mike Hanlon

UPDATED September 28, 2006 A few weeks ago we reported on the Innovan which fits to a 4WD chassis to turn it into a campervan, and can also be dropped off the flatbed and serve as a stand-alone unit. The key aspect of the Innovan’s engenuity is the folding design which enables it to cheat the wind by folding down when driving, and open up to offer a spacious interior when parked. Now we’ve seen another variation on the same theme and it’s equally worth a look as it is even more aerodynamic than the Innovan. Read More

XRT Fuel Cell for Emergency Responders

By Mike Hanlon

September 13, 2006 Making its debut at the Fire Rescue International Expo 2006, which opens Friday in Dallas, Texas, the Jadoo XRT is a powerful new addition to the lineup of fuel cells and accessories available from Jadoo. The XRT has the power density demanded by the emergency preparedness market delivering 2200 Watt-hours (180 Amp-hours) for emergency radio and laptop battery Recharge, Emergency Lighting, Portable Satellite Phones and Modems and offers critical support power when the grid is either unavailable or unreliable. Supporting Jadoo’s N-Gen fuel cell power unit and N-Stor fuel storage canisters, the Jadoo XRT weighs only 50 pounds, but provides the energy of four 45 Amp-hour batteries weighing over 100 pounds. A mobile, rugged fuel cell power package, the XRT can be configured to deliver application runtimes well beyond that of standard deep-cycle, marine batteries. Read More

Ingenious 4WD campervan

By Mike Hanlon

August 23, 2006 We’ve written about massive all-modern-convenience off-road motorhomes such as the DRACO and Wothahellizat but we’ve never seen anything quite like the Innovan for efficiency. The fibreglass camper shell is light (about 500 kgs unladen), extremely strong and very versatile. It can be fitted to any conventional tray-back ute or modified dual and king cab chassis and will open out like a Swiss Army Knife (movie) inside 30 seconds (movie here). When configured for travel, the aerodynamic shape of the camper minimises wind drag and the cross-wind problems usually associated with campers and vans, and the light weight means that when attached to a four wheel drive, it can go just about anywhere (pics inside the story prove this). The ingenious design offers one of the most versatile rigs we’ve ever seen, because you just jack up the air suspension, put some legs in place once the van is off the tray, you have the convenience of a normal ute. Innovan is seeking international distributors and licensees for the design. Read More

BRP BV2S Snowmobile Helmet Concept

By Mike Hanlon

August 11, 2006 In the beginning, snowmobile helmets were motorcycle helmets, often failing to meet the injury protection standards of the day, and invariably quite unsuitable for the severe winter conditions encountered snowmobiling. In addition to the extreme windchill factor, the most pressing problem with adapting a motorcycle helmet to snowmobiling is the fogging of the visor, which caused many a heart palpitation as riders attempted to lift the visor to defog it or risked the inevitable of riding with partially obscured vision in what is essentially a sight-response sport. Bombardier Recreational Products has been working in the recreational product field for a long time now and in recent times its inspired recreational machine concepts for 2025 have been a huge hit with Gizmag fans, most notably in the form of the Embrio One-Wheel Concept and recreational watercraft. The BV2S is a helmet system designed to offer an improved experience when riding a snowmobile and represents the best effort so far to tackle the issues of breathing out and maintaining a crystal clear visor. Read More

New SecurePack computer backpack with anti-theft features

By Mike Hanlon

August 9, 2006 Now here’s a good idea for people who use backpacks and travel on public transport where exposed zippers and pockets pushed in the faces of potential thieves could result in the loss of valuable electronic gear or potentially even more valuable data. The SecurePack has no exposed zippers or exterior pockets which prevents access to the interior of the pack while it is being worn. This unique design ensures that would-be thieves cannot steal anything from the pack, even when maneuvering through crowded streets, subways, airports, or other vulnerable situations. Read More

Promotional V8 BBQ that brands the food it cooks

By Mike Hanlon

August 7, 2006 Almost exactly a year after the 345 horsepower, 5.7-liter HEMI V-8 engine powered Barbeque which became an all-time Gizmag favourite (read more than 500,000 times) comes another custom V8 BBQ from Muscle Car BBQ Grills with several significant differences for companies wishing to show some promotional flair: it uses genuine parts to create a very authentic final result (your choice of Chevrolet, Ford, Oldsmobile or Hemi valve covers), it comes with the pistons of your choice as the controls, and you can have your logo fashioned into the surface of the grill at regular intervals so you can quite literally brand all the food cooked on the BBQ with your distinctive trademark. Read More

Lightweight cot doubles as backpack

By Mike Hanlon

July 27, 2006 Birmingham Design has developed an innovative cot that weighs less than 10 lbs and doubles as a normal backpack with 5000 cubic inches of storage - enough for a 10 day trip. The cot portion is 74”x21”x17” (1.9m x 53 cm x 43cm) and 16cm above ground at its highest point and 10cm at the lowest - just enough to suspend a person in some degree of comfort. Being easily carried and filled with anything else you might need, Fotias pack ‘n sleep is highly adaptable for a multitude of purposes and can be used as a back pack, day traveler, as part of the gear for a car or as a spare bed when unexpected guests decide to stay the night. As it sets up inside three minutes, it has great potential for backpackers wishing to wait comfortably in airports, bus stations, indeed, anywhere, but its most likely use though, is for someone who wishes to camp or backpack without sacrificing their sleeping comfort. Read More

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