10 Cool Gadgets You Need to Bring on Your Next Outdoor Adventure
Tent, sleeping bag… crazy camera drone?! It’s time to seriously re-think the way you pack for a weekend in the wilderness. The latest gizmos on the market are designed to take your hiking, camping and extreme sporting trips to the next level. To help you become the Inspector Gadget of the Great Outdoors, we’ve compiled 10 of our favorites below.
1. Lily Drone ($719): This cool camera drone is controlled by a tracking device that you wear. Toss it in the air and it can capture views from all directions (front, back, parallel or above). Lily is also waterproof and lasts up to 20 minutes on a charge (with a range of up to 100 feet). We suggest using it to grab aerial vids of your next boarding run.
2. Bose SoundSport Headphones ($135): These sweat- and weather-resistant headphones come with multiple sized StayHear tips to fit into anyone’s ears. These high-tech ear buds are also tonally balanced so you get fantastic sound quality. They’re the ideal companion for mountaintop “Eye of the Tiger” plays.
3. Power + Solar Charger + Light ($79): This solar recharging kit is a must for any avid nature photographer. It’s got USB and solar charging and is ideal for phones, tablets and your DSLR. It charges a smartphone in about two hours so you can keep the selfies coming.
4. GoPro Hero4 Camera ($500): Every traveler, adventurer and camera enthusiast has heard of GoPro by now, but this ultra-HD video and photography camera is the ideal companion for life. Plus, built-in Wi-Fi capabilities mean you can share your videos and photos on your smartphone directly from the camera.
5. Altec Lansing LifeJacket2 Bluetooth Speaker ($150): To get your summer camping trip in full swing, you’ll need some music. The LifeJacket2 speaker features voice confirmation and onboard mic for handsfree communication with your speaker. This speaker was built for the outdoors — it’s waterproof, dirt proof and it even floats!
6. MPowered Luci Inflatable Portable Lantern Light ($15): Need to set up camp after dark? This handy, lightweight lantern uses solar-powered LED lights to illuminate. Come morning, simply deflate and stash in your pack.
7. Optrix by Body Glove Pro 4-Lens Camera Kit ($170): This camera kit turns your smartphone into a badass adventure camera. The mountable case waterproofs your phone (hello, snorkeling shots) and the interchangeable lenses make photos and vids look super profesh. No one would guess you took it with your cell phone!
8. Earl Backcountry Survival Tablet ($299): This incredible little tablet is going to save lives someday and is an absolute must if you’re a backcountry camping junkie. It has a built-in GPS, provides weather forecasting, charges by solar power, acts as a walkie talkie and has an emergency radio.
9. BioLite Camp Stove ($130): This ultra-nifty little stove will not only cook your dinner and boil water in minutes, but it’ll also charge your phone. The high-powered stove burns wood, so it’s gas free, and will convert heat from the fire into electricity. Talk about a multi-tasker!
10. CamelBak All Clear Bottle ($99): On longer trips, having a reliable water purification system is a must for survival. CamelBak’s All Clear Bottle cleans tap or natural water using UV light and turns it into potable water in 60 seconds. An LCD screen on the lid will give you an easy-to-read indication that your water is good for drinking.
Do you have any favorite tech items that you like to bring outdoors? Share with us in the comments below!
