Don't let the cold deter you from enjoying the great outdoors. We highlight five tech products to enhance your experience outside.
Power your smartphone with a hand crank
Nature might not have any power outlets, but that doesn't mean you can't charge up your beloved smartphone. (But really, shouldn't this be a time to unplug?)
Eton's new BoostTurbine portable battery packs (beginning at $49) work even where there's no electricity. Using a hand crank, the rechargeable lithium battery can store up to 2000mAh of power. The company says one minute of turbine rotation generates enough juice for a quick phone call while a full charge on the 2000mAh version can fully power most smartphones. If you'd rather charge up at home first, there's also a micro USB port. Clad in a tough and lightweight aluminum, the hand-crank battery is available for pre-order in black, white and silver.
Tracking your heart's Rhythm
Scosche's Rhythm ($99.99) is a workout companion that tracks your heart rate to help optimize physical activity.
By monitoring your pulse, Rhythm lets you know when you're in your ideal training zone. A workout that's too intense can lead to burnout, so it will alert you when you've reached your maximum heart rate, the peak rate you can safely exercise at. If you're not there yet, the (monotonous) voice from your headphones will nudge you to go faster until you reach your training zone and workout goals.
This armband breaks from the traditional heart monitors that are strapped to the chest. Rhythm's buttons let you control a pre-programmed playlist without having to reach for your phone, and an LED below blinks to show your pulse in real time. The accompanying free app helps you set heart-rate goals (target rates for weight loss, fitness, performance, etc.) while tracking duration, calories burned, distance traveled, route and average pulse.
The photo bag for backpacking adventures
Lowepro has built the ultimate bag to trudge alongside nature photographers while protecting their precious gear.
From the outside, the Rover Pro AW series look like your typical camping packs, but inside, they feature removable compartments to protect SLR cameras and shooting accessories in addition to backpacking gear. On the 35-liter model ($299.99), the padded case can carry an extra lens; the 45-liter version ($329.99) includes two cases that can hold up to five lenses.
While you can attach a tripod or monopod to the pack, it's mounted on the side due to the front-hatch compartment, so that unfortunately creates an uneven load. However, the Rover Pro attempts to counteract this with contoured shoulder straps, a waist belt and a trampoline-style suspension system to balance and distribute the weight on your back when hiking over uneven terrain.
Wave to turn on this headlamp
Forget about stumbling around in pitch black. Pelican's 2720 LED headlamp will light the way.
Powered by three included AAA batteries, the 80-lumen headlamp features three different modes: white LED at full and low power, red LED and SOS flashing in Morse code. The lamp rests on a pivoting head to control the direction of the light, and a dial lets you change its intensity from flood to spot beam.
But what's most interesting is the motion-sensor activation. Instead of fumbling to press a small button on this head-strapped device (something that can be difficult with gloves), this includes a sensor to turn the lamp on and off with the wave of a hand.
Sleeping on five-inches of air
If you prefer to camp in luxury, Aerobed's PakMat ($119.99) is for you. The inflatable sleeping pad uses an innovative carrying case that doubles as a hand pump, filling the PakMat up with five comfortable inches of air. This means side sleepers can resume their natural position without waking up with body aches.
While the sleeping pad collapses to a low profile, the tube that holds it adds a fair amount of bulk (it's 19 inches tall) and heft (in total, about five pounds) to your pack, so it's not something you'd bring for backpacking adventures. But for car camping, you might as well live lavishly. While PakMat is made of environmentally friendly phthalate-free thermoplastic polyurethane, the material is prone to crumple as you move around over the course of the evening.
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