Camping

Thermacell Mosquito Repellent review

Thermacell Mosquito Repellent 1

When you are concerned with mosquito-borne illnesses like the West Nile virus present here in Texas, finding effective ways to repel mosquitoes in addition to the standard repellent sprays (containing DEET) is of great importance. The Thermacell Mosquito Repellent appliance is an outdoor device used to repel mosquitos within a 15′ x 15′ area. I found […]

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Bomber & Company is back with the Firestarter Paracord Bracelet and Keychain

bomber keychain

Last October Andy Jacobs told us about Bomber & Company’s Bomber Barrel duffel bag which is still Kickstarter’s most successful campaign for a bag. The backers of this campaign kept asking for a keychain to go with the duffel bag and Bomber & Company have answered that request. Their latest crowdfunding campaign is for Bomber

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REI Mini MultiTowel review

REI minimultitowel 051

In the worlds of rucking, backpacking, hiking and travel, there is an axiom: “Ounces become pounds.” This is loosely translated as, “Even small, lightweight items can add up to a lot of extra weight when walking around carrying that weight for miles.”  That’s one reason why absorbent microfiber towels have become popular among folks who participate in

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The rEvolve is the Cadillac of outdoor chairs

revolve chair with speakers

This is not the typical folding outdoor chair!  Although the rEvolve chair does fold up into a carry bag, that’s where the similarities end with most outdoor chairs.  The rEvolve has a swivel base, so you can turn from side and side – even a full 3600 – and never miss the action of a game.

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Safely enjoy a campfire anywhere

big red campfire 2

With the Camco “Big Red Campfire” Propane Camp Fire, you can have a fire without having to gather firewood first.  It uses standard LP gas and has a built-in gas regulator with a 10-ft hose.  Camco says the “realistic log pieces and full ring burner help create the natural look and ambiance of wood log

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Never trip over your tent’s guy lines at night again

stakelight tent poles 2

These tent stakes are made of 6000 series aluminum, so they are built to last.  The UCO StakeLights also have an LED light that marks the perimeter of your tent with light and makes the location of the guy lines clearly visible.  The LED is encased in a highly water-resistant TPE housing (IPX 6), and it uses

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The Nokero bulb is the “world’s only solar light bulb”

nokero solar bulb 2

I don’t know if this is the world’s only solar light bulb, but the Nokero Solar Light Bulb certainly looks useful for off-grid situations.  It charges its AA-sized NiMH batteries with a high-efficiency solar panel, and it can provide 6+ hours of 13.5 lumens of light from its four LEDs.  The bulb has a shatter-resistant polycarbonate globe,

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If you own a pickup truck, you’ll have a dry, covered place to sleep in case of emergency with this Rightline Gear tent

rightline gear truck tents 2

Well, the title says it all.  This Rightline Gear tent is bottomless, so you can set it up without emptying the bed of the truck.  It’s made of gray and orange water-resistant polyester fabric with tape-sealed seams (PU 2000mm), and it has fiberglass poles.  It has two gear pockets, a lantern hanging hook, glow-in-the-dark zipper pulls,

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Be ready for zombies or the hunger games with this folding bow

primal bow2

Whether you’re preparing for the apocalypse, want to become the next Katniss Everdeen, rob from the rich like Robin Hood or just enjoy shooting arrows with a bow, the Compact Folding Survival Bow is a bow that takes up very little space when it’s not in use. Folded down it’s only 23″ long x 1.5

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Buck Knives 941 Travelmate Kit review

buck travelmate 1

The next time I go camping will be never, but if you love that activity, the Buck Knives 941 Travelmate kit is a nifty addition you should consider adding to your camping kitchen gear. It packs a knife, fork and other tools in a convenient sheath that even prevents the spread of bacteria. Let’s take a

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Stay alive and pop open a brew with SlideBelts Survival Belt

slidebelts survivalbelt

I’ve watched the TV show Survivorman enough to know that in a survival situation, sometimes having the right tool can mean the difference between life and death. The folks at SlideBelts know this too. They took their already innovative no-hole belt design and are amping it up with new survival-type features in a crowdfunded Kickstarter campaign. In addition to

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Tailgate or camp with the comforts of home

picnic time reflex travel couch 2

It hardly seems possible, but it’s only a few weeks until my daughter leaves for college – and that means football and tailgating season isn’t far behind.  And of course, it’s still summer, so it’s still camping season.  Why should you have to rough it while participating in either outdoor activity when you can take

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When they call this cooler The Coolest, they aren’t kidding around!

the coolest cooler 2

Picnic coolers are just simple insulated boxes that hold ice to keep your drinks and food cold, right?  Wrong!  This Kickstarter project for what has to be the most functional cooler ever just started on July 8, but already they have far exceeded their original goal of $50,000 by raising more than $4.5 million dollars

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You’ll be ready for a cookout anywhere with this portable grill

cookout crusader portable grill

Summer’s here, and it’s time for camping, tailgating, and picnicking.  If you want to cook your food at your destination, you’ll have to hope there’s some sort of grill there or that open fires are allowed.  If you take along the Cookout Crusader Portable Grill, you won’t worry about the cooking situation.  The stainless steel

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Serious about grilling? The Airlighter will have charcoal ready in 5 mins without lighter fluid

bison airlighter1

Winter is gone and that means it’s time to get outdoors and fire up the grill for some burgers and hotdogs. I’m not sure about you, but it always makes me a little queasy when I have to squirt lighter fluid on charcoal. I know most of it burns away once the charcoal comes up

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Charge your devices while you recharge yourself in the great outdoors

bang bang solar powered tent 2

The Bang Bang Solar Tent incorporates a solar charging panel so you can keep your devices charged in the great outdoors.  After all, you don’t want to rough it too much!  The 5W solar panel charges a lithium storage battery, which can then be used to charge phones, cameras, LED lights, and other low-voltage devices.

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