Outdoor Gear

News, reviews and articles about outdoor gear and accessories.

True Utility TrueLite Maxi 3W Flashlight review

True Utility TrueLite Maxi 3W 1

I must admit that I have not, until this review, really joined the LED flashlight revolution. I do have a pen knife and other little knickknacks with LED lights incorporated into them, but they are not what I would call full-fledged utility flashlights. So getting a chance to review the True Utility TrueLite Maxi 3W

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Philips compact fluorescent bulbs with built-in photocell automatically turn on your porch lights

Screen Shot 2013 07 31 at 10.51.45 AM

I recently reviewed the Belkin WeMo Switch and said it was one of the steps I was taking to automate my home and increase its security. The Switches work great to control lamps plugged into outlets inside my house, but my porch lights don’t plug in to an outlet. I had first thought that I

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The Summit AUTOSEAL Insulated Stainless Steel Water Bottle keeps its cool when it’s hot

AVEX Summit Water Botle

If you are like me, you are always looking for ways to be a good steward to Mother Earth. One way I do this is by using a water bottle instead of buying bottled water. The issue I have with most water bottles (and bottled waters for that matter) is that they don’t keep my

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Dopper Original and Steel water bottles review

dopper 5

If you’ve decided to stop buying bottled water in favor of refilling an existing water bottle, Dopper bottles could be your next purchase. Designed by a Dutch designer Rinke van Remortel, Dopper bottles are available in an original plastic version and a steel version. Both are BPA free, easy to clean and dishwasher safe. Water bottles aren’t

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Carry an ultralight camping stove in your backpack

ultralight backpacking camp stove

If open fires aren’t allowed where you camp, you’ll need some sort of stove to prepare your food.  The Ultralight Backpacking Canister Camp Stove with Piezo Ignition, plus a canister of gas, is all you’ll need for cooking.  The stove itself folds up into a small package, as seen in the upper left and right images.

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SkyTrix combines your favorite flying toys into one

SkyTrix from Daydream Toy is an all in one flying toy that combines some aspects of a paper airplane, kite, frisbee, boomerang and yo-yo into one battery-free waterproof toy. It can glide like an airplane (up to 200 feet), soar like a kite, performs tricks like a yo-yo and plays catch like a frisbee. You don’t

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Stash the power of the sun with SunStash

gomadic sunstash01

Since I reviewed the Gomadic SunVolt Solar Power Station and Solar Cache High Capacity Battery Pack, I’ve often wondered what would happen if I needed to charge something more demanding, such as a laptop? Now there’s a new Kickstarter project for a neat “upgrade”:  A thin, light and powerful battery companion called the SunStash.

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The Knife Fork & Spoon – a new take on an old problem

Knife Fork Spoon

How do you improve upon the basic knife, fork, and spoon concept, something that has been around for years? How do you make that item into a tool for your on-the-go-everyday lifestyle? I recently came across an interesting take on this dilemma in a current project on Kickstarter. The Knife Fork & Spoon by John-Paul

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Bring on the adventure with the Ti2 Sentinel X Aluminum Cache

Ti2 Setinel X Aluminum Cache

Hiking, fishing, white water rafting, geocaching – these are all things I do not do on a regular basis. I do travel a bit though, and when I do I am always looking for neat, multi-purpose, rugged, functional products to take with me on my adventures. The Ti2 Sentinel X Aluminum Cache, a Kickstarter project

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Geomate.jr – GPS preloaded with geocaching info

geomatejr

If you’ve ever had an interest in geocaching but thought it would be too expensive to buy a handheld GPS and then too hard figure out how to load cache coordinates into it, here’s a GPS device for you. The Geomate.jr from Brand 44 Colorado comes preloaded with 250,000 geocaches covering all 50 states (or

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Un-invite mosquitoes from your next outdoor activity

terminix allclear tabletop mosquito repeller

I think most states joke about mosquitoes being their state bird, and North Carolina is certainly a state that could make the insect their official bird.  It’s been warm here for a while, and I’ve already gotten bites.  Terminix has a line of AllClear mosquito “solutions” that looks interesting.  Instead of using light to attract

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Make Dad the true King of the Grill!

five cooking methods grill

Does your Dad (or your hubby) fancy himself the lord of the BBQ?  Father’s Day is coming soon, and here’s a gift that could make him the true king of the grill.  This Five Cooking Method Grill from Hammacher Schlemmer puts five cooking methods at his fingertips.  (Click the photo for a larger image.)  This

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Etón BoostSolar now available

eton boostsolar

The BoostSolar splash-proof solar-powered backup battery pack from Etón provides power to hand-held devices with its interchangeable, rechargeable lithium battery (5000 mAh). The BoostSolar features an LED battery charge indicator, rugged rubberized and IPX-4-rated splash-proof exterior in addition to fastener holes and straps to hook to a backpack for portability. This solar charger can be fully

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Trongs – Eat with your fingers, skip the mess

trongs

If you dislike the greasy, sticky fingers that go along with eating BBQ ribs, wings, corn on the cob and other foods, consider using a pair of Trongs next time. Trongs are made of food-safe polypropylene and have been  designed to help you grab food with your fingers, without actually touching it. These one-size-fits-all flexible

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