Jonathan Blum
6. The Gannett two-burner stove from Brunton ($75)
Learning to make a fire is an important camping rite of passage, but who can be bothered to do it for each and every meal? Instead, bring this two-burner stove from Brunton. The Gannett pumps out a miraculous 12,000 BTUs in each burner. That's about as hot as most kitchen stoves! Better yet, the unit can burn both coils for well over an hour on a sole one-pound propane canister. Yes, the thing weighs 10 pounds without propane, but seriously, can you live without it? 7. The Onix 400 GPS Navigation System from Bushnell Optics ($500) The Onix is part of a new generation of portable global positioning system units that can capture live weather information. Usually Bushnell targets the bottom end of the electronics and optics market, with mostly discount and entry-level items. But I think the new Onix is worth serious consideration against larger rivals Garmin (GRMN Quote - Cramer on GRMN - Stock Picks) and Magellan. It is well designed, waterproof and, in a neat trick, comes with a USB connection and a live feed of XM Satellite Radio (XMSR Quote - Cramer on XMSR - Stock Picks) content, so you know where you are and what weather is coming at a touch of button. 8. The Cradle Lounger from Crazy Creek ($52) Before we get into an intellectual debate over the ethics of a lounge chair in the outback, let me tell you that this thing weighs 800 grams and folds into a bag. That's only a pound and half. So why the heck not? I assure you, I've spent my summer in the great out-of-doors. You need this chair -- it's dirty out there. 9. The Hot Tap On-Demand Hot Shower from Zodi Outback Gear ($150) Yes, at 11 pounds, this thing is a bit of beast. But ponder this: hot water in just a few minutes. A propane canister in the unit heats up water to almost-hotel quality. But still, you're getting a warm shower in the middle of nowhere. How nice is that? 10. First Need Trav-L-Pure water purifier from General Ecology ($180) All I am going to say is that one summer a single beaver infected the water supply of an entire Canadian town where I was staying. Do yourself a favor and bring along a really good water purifier like this one from General Ecology. What's the good of all your luxe camping gadgets if you're too sick to enjoy them? |
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