Sleeping on the streets has to be a horrible experience.  We’ve never had to resort to such activity but if we did we’d probably try and make the best of it.  Perhaps the best way to look at this circumstance is to consider it an extended camping trip (our hearts and thoughts are with the homeless).  So building a shelter, carrying a can of sterno for cooking and water filter are just a few of the necessities that you’d find in our backpack.  But carrying around a full on tent isn’t a practical means of shelter in today’s urban jungle.  That’s why Tony Clark’s charity, Swag for Homeless, distributes these Backpack Beds to Australia’s homeless.

It’s made from a lightweight, fire-retardant, weatherproof, mildew-repelling UltTrex Lite fabric that covers a 6-foot 2-inch insulated foam mattress that sports a space blanket backing for added warmth.  For rainy days, or burning hot sunlight, there is a cover that can be tied up to create a shelter and it’s waterproof up to “5500+ mmH2O,” which is the equivalent of 5+ meters of water resting on it.  All of this quickly and conveniently rolls up into the included backpack, weighing a total of no more than 4KG (about 9lbs).

If you want one, you can purchase the Backpack Bed, which won the German 2011 Red Dot “Best of the Best” award, for $68 AUS on the Swag for Homeless website.  All the proceeds go to helping those without a home.

Sure, you could just toss the good old camping pot onto the fire and heat up some water, but that would be so darn pedestrian.  Plus, the water would hardly stay hot after removing it from the heat source.

The Pack-away Kettle is fully collapsible and as a result can fit into the tiniest of spaces.  The bottom is made of stainless steel so it shouldn’t wear over time, though we do have our concerns about the flexible portion since it looks like it could melt if placed into an overzealous fire.

The Pack-away Kettle comes in a variety of colors (red, blue and green) and costs 29 UK ($46).

When we go camping, which we assure you is far and few between, we’re seeking a departure from technology and all the things that distract us from what’s important in life.  What that is has yet to be determined.  However, we’d never leave our iPhone at home for fear of getting lost or not being able to call in an emergency air lift.

That’s why every Bear Grills and those alike need the Pan Charger.  A small element in the base of the pan converts the heat into energy, called thermoelectric energy.  That energy is transferred to the handle and an attached USB plug that subsequently connects to your smartphone.  In our case, and in most, that will be either an Android or iPhone, so output is maxed to 5V.  If it is actually real – yes, we’re a bit skeptical – than it’s a brilliant idea since inevitably a fire will be lit and water or something will be need to be cooked whilst in the wilderness.  We’re not sure how long it would take to charge an iPhone to maximum capacity, but it’s safe to assume this device should be used in a pinch, though a solar charger or backup battery might be a tad more practical.

Via: Werd

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Gone camping?  That probably means your caffeine fix will have to come by way of a fire, boiling pot of water and scorched hands.  Unless of course you’re willing to plunk down $90 for the Coleman Propane Coffeemaker.  If you haven’t figured it out yet based on the name this thing brews coffee using a built-in propane tank that can produce up to 15 cups.  The coffee maker is good for up to 10 cups in one sitting, so you’ll get 1.5 uses out of the handy tool before you need a propane tank replacement.  Chances are, though, you don’t drink 15 cups in one day, so in theory you should be good for the better part of your camping trip, right?  One 10 cup pot – it’s made of stainless steel -takes 18 minutes to brew, which means by the time the fire gets going and breakfast is cooked your morning joe is waiting for you to be consumed.

Via: Gearpatrol

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S’mores without a doubt are a camp fire favorite, but getting the chocolate to melt with the marshmallow is a conundrum even the best Eagle Scouts can’t resolve.  That’s why every good boyscout needs the S’More To Love STL-600 S’More Maker.  It’s been molded to fit up to six s’more stacks and will hopefully achieve chocolatey, gooey bliss.  We’re just wondering how you stop the graham crackers from over cooking, but maybe they sit on a solid plate of metal (we can’t tell from the pics).

You can grab one from Amazon for $19.

Via: Gearpatrol

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3 out of 5 stars

Pros:

• Multiple light options, including red LEDs for night vision
• Converts from headlamp to lantern in minutes
• 2 AA batteries = 72 hours

Cons:

• A bit cheap feeling, especially the lantern portion
• No padding on battery compartment

Joby’s Gorilla Switchback isn’t exactly what anyone would call a must have product. Sure, it boasts utilitarian value, but unless you’re a camper who is tight on backspace and is into novel gadgets, you’re probably gonna pass on this one.

As with all of Joby’s flashlight products before the Switchback, it too uses Joby’s bendy legs and universal tripod mount, which is included in the box for those looking to add this tripod to their line of camera accessories.

The Switchback takes two AA batteries (included in the box) and literally straps around your head. The portion that holds the batteries, which sits at the back of the skull, is devoid of padding. So I can only imagine that it could become a bit uncomfortable after long term use, although after 15 minutes of wearing it I didn’t find the case to be such.

The front portion of the device, the headlamp, contains three different LED lights: a 130-lumen Bright CREE LED spotlight, 2 white led flood lights and 2 red LED flood lights – the last are intended to provide light without impairing night vision.  Controls on the battery pack allow you to cycle through the different light choices as well as vary the intensity of the main lamp.

What makes this device unique is the included lantern portion, which effectively acts like a lamp shade. You simply stuff the head lamp and all its contents into the plastic casing, snap the base into place – it took me a few minutes to get it to all fit – and attach the tripod legs. Then with a slight tug you expand the casing to the reveal the translucent portion of the casing (the lamp shade) and walla, soft light spills out over a wide area.

My first attempt at installing the lantern took me about 5 minutes, since it took a few tries to get all the wires neatly in place and the base locked in. I also managed to rip the top portion of the lantern from the base since it didn’t smoothly slide open – no breakage, though.

Joby says you’ll get 72 hours of use from two AA batteries, though that time will probably vary since you can increase the brightness of the main lamp. The design, while a bit cheap, is light weight, water resistant (IPX4) and does provide enough light for the two campers sharing a tent and is plenty bright for night time exploration.  It just doesn’t exude the same confidence and build quality as the Joby Blade.

You can buy the Joby Gorilla Switchback at Amazon for $59.95.

The Aerobed Pakmat solves a lot of issues for those that like camping in the great outdoors, but don’t have tons of space in their car for a tent and other gear. It inflates in only sixty seconds, and when you’re done with it, it stores itself in the same air pump that blew it up, keeping it safe from wear and tear. What’s that mean for you? A lot of space saving, and a lot less stress so you can enjoy your trip more. Which is the point of new gadgets, don’t you think? It’s available now for $99.99.

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Some things were meant to go together.  Peanut butter and chocolate is a prime example.  Other things, while sounding good on paper, just don’t work as well when it comes to the final product.  The JakPak Tent Jacket is one of those products.  Extremely niche’ in its approach, the JakPak is really more novelty than practical in all reality.

To start things off, the JakPak is a nice looking jacket.  Bare bones when it come to pockets and features it is largely a shell in its most basic form.  The tent portion is stuffed into the back of the jacket on the outside in a large pouch.  The sleeping bag portion is packed into the inside back of the jacket.  Setting the tent up is pretty simple but I found it difficult to repack smoothly into the jacket.  From there it felt uncomfortable as I could easily feel the tent pole pieces against my back.

Sleeping inside the tent required you to pretend you were a vampire inside a coffin.  I know that being a sexy vampire is all the rage these days, but I tend to roll and shuffle about when I sleep, allowing for maximum “comfortability”.  Since you are basically wearing the tent, moving about doesn’t really work.  There’s room inside the tent-bed for a sleeping bag and as a tent, it is pretty cool, but also really small.  There’s also a little bug netting and if you are ok with sleeping coffin style you may really enjoy the JakPak and what it has to offer.

My main issue with the JakPak is that I don’t understand who it’s really aimed at.  Priced at $250, I don’t see who is going to buy this.  You can get a really nice tent for that price and if you are an outdoor enthusiast you probably already have a decent jacket to begin with.  The other thing is that if you are setting off to go camping you will definitely be bringing other gear with you, presumably in another backpack.

Squashing another backpack against the tent and your back doesn’t sound like a good idea unless you have a really soft fleece to shelter some of the baggage.  Homeless people could use the shit out of this thing since they usually have a cart for the rest of their belongings but they’d obviously never have the funds to buy one.

My best vision for the JakPak is for an organization like FEMA to buy a whole bunch and hand them out in disaster stricken areas.  That or make the JakPak way, way cheaper.  Good idea by all means but the execution is questionable at best.

You can buy one now at the JakPak website and supplies are limited as this product is brand new.  You can get one in two different colors and several sizes.  From the looks of the website, their is a new version that adds some new features that will definitely make this product more appealing.

Pros:

• Interesting concept
• Waterproof, breathable

Cons:

• Hard to repack with accuracy
• Confined
• Way too pricey

Buy the JakPak here for $250!

EZ Grill, easy review.  So even though America is wholly embracing this green revolution for the most part, throwing stuff away is still a huge part of our culture.  To add to this national pastime comes the EZ Grill, a portable and disposable solution for those looking to grill on the go.

The whole set-up of the grill is painfully simple in the “why didn’t I think out that” way.  In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if the idea didn’t originate from some serial griller’s DIY project.

The EZ Grill has four parts.  It takes an aluminum foil pan with primed charcoal dipped in mineral oil with an ignition cloth inside, and covers it with a metal grate.  That’s it.  EZ really can’t be spelled in any other way in this case.

I brought the EZ Grill on a rafting trip down the Clackamas River in Oregon, outside of Portland.  We used it to cook shrimp and chicken kabobs and they tasted great.  The only thing I can say is that like any other grill you have to give the charcoals enough time to get appropriately hot before you try a cook food over them.

The grill itself is designed to last up to an hour and a half of total charcoal burn time.  We used ours for about an hour.  What would make this grill better would be if it was somehow totally biodegradable.  I know that the makers of EZ grill have gone to great lengths to eco-friendly as possible but some effort still must be had to dispose of the EZ Grill properly.  We did manage to find a trash can alongside the river but not everyone will be as responsible as we were.

At a really low price I can recommend this grill for anyone who doesn’t own a small gas or charcoal grill.  This would work well for small one night camping trips or other type scenarios such as tailgaiting.

EZ Grill is now available at your local retailer and you can also purchase them in bulk at EZ Grill’s Website.

Pros:

• It’s an easy grill
• Long burn time
• Eco-Friendly
• Cheap

Cons:

• Not Biodegradable

Buy them here!

If you’re a camper, or you just hold a paranoiac’s distrust for your local water system, you may be interested in getting your hands on a CrystalPur water filter.

Invented to help starving families out in Africa from dying of thirst, this tiny unit can actually process six liters of water per unit per hour.  Most of a bag of charcoal into this thing and you wind up netting fully seven thousand gallons of purified water.

There’s no word on when or where these will be available for sale, or even if regular schmoes like us can get our hands on it.  But if you’ve ever wanted a fast and easy way to purify huge quantiites of water, then you may just have it after all.

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