Outdoors
Critter portable kitchen - the sous chef for outdoor cooking
When you’re looking for more “portable” and less "kitchen," you go with something like the My Camp Kitchen camp box – or a trunk-full of camp stoves, grills, charcoal and propane tanks. On the other hand, if you lean more “kitchen” and less “portable,” you might want to look into the Critter, an elaborate portable kitchen designed for serious cookouts. Read More
Alpine Hammock lets you sleep in the air or on the ground
Tent manufacturers have become so obsessed with cutting weight that we have US$1,800 tents that weigh little more than a pair of sneakers. Backpackers that really want to cut weight to near-nill would rarely choose a tent, however. Instead, they’d use a lighter option like a bivouac sack. The Alpine Hammock packages the light weight of a bivouac with the comfort of a hammock tent, creating one light, versatile wilderness accommodation. Read More
X-Bionic: High-tech pants tailored to mountaineering
When you're trekking, roping, scrambling and climbing up the world's tallest mountains, you can't be worrying about your clothing failing. X-Bionic Mountaineering Pants are designed to work in mountain environments and include key features that keep you lithe and comfortable for the trip ahead ... but such technologically advanced trousers don't come cheap. Read More
Most tents still use solid metal, fiberglass and composite poles, but a few manufacturers, including Nemo, have experimented with inflatable poles to limit packed size and make set-up easier. Now Colorado-based Kelty can be added to their number with its AirPitch tents that leave the irritation of bendy, shock-corded poles in the past. The tents use inflatable poles, which Kelty claims guarantee quick, easy set-up and tear-down. Less time hacking together your shelter means more time spent with your family ... or knocking back a cold one while enjoying the views. Read More
Water-resistant down appears to be one of the next great materials of the outdoors. Last year and earlier this year, a handful of outdoor apparel manufacturers announced garments built around the material. More recently, the number of manufacturers has multiplied and plans to release a variety of water-resistant-down sleeping bags have surfaced. Read More
O-range is an Italian design studio-turned-manufacturer that builds a line of distinctive backpacks and bags. Its new Connector Vest strips the straps off the backpack and replaces them with a vest. It's designed to be a more ergonomic, comfortable solution for outdoor enthusiasts. Read More
It may read like a Scandinavian misspelling of a common tree, but the Fikkes is actually an innovative piece of gear that combines two staples of the outdoors. This pole will help you fish distant bodies of water of all kinds. Read More
Best known for its Swiss Army knives and watches, Wenger has been expanding into other types of gear and accessories, including tents, shoes and sunglasses. Portable solar chargers are some of the latest additions to this expanded line. Read More
Looking not unlike a plastic Popsicle stick, the Flamestick from Germany's AceCamp is a firestarter made from recycled thermoplastic that measures 3.5 inches (8.9 cm) long by 1/4 inch (6.4 mm) wide. While plastic may sound like a strange way to start a fire, the Flamestick offers several advantages over more traditional materials. Read More
Look quickly at the Snow Peak Lapel Torch and you could easily mistake it for an iPod Shuffle with an earbud hanging off. The "Shuffle" is actually a battery pack and the earbud is an LED light. A sort of headlamp alternative, the Lapel Torch is a hands-free lighting solution. Read More
