Outdoor

In the future, there will be no excuse for becoming the next Aron Ralston. Within the past few months alone, we've seen survival watches, tablet computers and satellite phones built specifically for adventure use. Add to that the latest BMW, which isn't a car but a collaborative mobile phone project with mobile company Adaia. The phone will offer both business and adventure modes and will include advanced emergency communications capabilities.  Read More

A number of companies have been working on modular backpacks and messenger bags that can grow and adjust around different trips and purposes. One designer seems to feel they haven't been taking things far enough. The new RukSak hangs 10 different modules on a multi-day backpack, making for dozens of different configurations and uses.  Read More

Most of us take water for granted. If we want a drink, we turn a tap or twist a cap and there it is. But if you find yourself off the beaten track in triple-digit heat without it, locating some can mean the difference between life and death. Finding a pool of water in the shade of a rock may seem like a godsend, but then the question of waterborne diseases raises its head. That’s where the NDūR Survival Straw comes in.  Read More

Launched last year, the Suunto Ambit brought a new level of functionality to the GPS watch market. Not only could its GPS keep tabs on your speed, distance and vertical, but it allowed for full navigation functions, routing you in and out of the great outdoors. Suunto has now revealed the second generation of Ambit watches with something for both explorers and athletes.  Read More

No matter how many different suitcases, backpacks, carry-ons, purses, man-satchels and such that you own, you can still find yourself lugging the wrong type of bag and thinking "man, I need some new luggage." A number of manufacturers are attempting to make your jet-setting a little easier by designing modular luggage pieces that can grow, shrink and shift shapes to suit a variety of situations. This new generation of modular luggage should make everything from overnighters to multi-year pilgrimages a little easier for travelers of all types and stripes.  Read More

Treehouses are one of those childhood obsessions that never lose their appeal for many people, even after making their way into adulthood. Unfortunately, society frowns upon grown-ups messing around in treehouses, but Cacoon could possibly make the form factor acceptable for everyone, regardless of their age or level of maturity.  Read More

Tasked with creating something that "generates social or economic value" using a 2-liter soda bottle, students from Alberta College of Art & Design have designed "When Nature Calls" – a simple, waterproof toilet paper dispenser for use in the great outdoors.  Read More

Working on arctic oil rigs and similar sites doesn't just mean putting on a jumper and a scarf. It’s arduous, exhausting and dangerous, and requires careful judgment at all times to deal with the hostile frozen environment. To make this a bit less hazardous, the Scandinavian research organization SINTEF is developing clothing equipped with sensors to monitor temperature and activity, with an eye on helping supervisors to determine when it's time for workers to stop work and return inside.  Read More

The modular, build-it-yourself Teal camper is officially available for purchase. Teal debuted its first model, the Tail Feather, at the Colorado RV, Sports, Boat and Travel Show last week and has begun production on the camper, which features a few structural changes from when we last saw it.  Read More