Gadgets for Camping

Earlier this month, I headed out for my annual camping trip, with a healthy helping of gadgets in tow. I was thoroughly excited to try them out while enjoying the great outdoors, and then, of course, report back to readers on their performance. True, the summer is almost over, and camping season will be crawling into oblivion with it. But avid campers tend to head out even through the month of September. What's more, many of these gadgets are ideal for outdoor use in any setting; not just on a campsite. And it never hurts to stock up early so you're good and ready to go come summer 2011. So what gadgetry filled my trunk?

Back by popular demand was the Coleman 8D LED Quad Lantern. It's battery-operated, using 8 "D" sized batteries (hence the name). What really brings the "cool" factor to light with this $80 device is that each of the four side panels can be detached and used as individual flashlights with convenient carrying handles. Last year, I was most impressed with the brightness of not only the lantern with all four panels secured in place, but also each separate panel as it guided me to the washroom facilities, and around the campsite at night. But this year, I was more blown away by the fact that the leftover battery power from last year was sufficient for a full four nights' of use: I never had to change the batteries, nor let the individual panels sit on the base longer than 10 minutes, to ensure full brightness night after night.

One gadget that was sadly not back this year (but certainly not due to lack of demand), was Grace Digital Audio's Aqua Sounder ($190), a waterproof, floating ball-shaped speaker that communicates with a companion transmitter via Bluetooth to play back tunes from a connected player. The device had lovingly become known among friends as "Wilson," but somehow stopped working after an earlier summer pool event. It appears that a few pieces meant to hold the screws together inside were loose, or completely missing, and thus water got into the circuit board and fried it. I'm not sure whether I had a bad unit or the device is just badly constructed. Nevertheless, representative from Grace Digital Audio assure me this is not a common issue, and advised that a newer version of the ball-shaped speaker is actually in the works for launch later this year. I'll definitely be looking to try out this newer model; when we did successfully use the Aqua Sounder last year, it worked wonderfully, acting as both a great companion at the beach, floating in the water, as well as perched atop the picnic table on the campsite. It operates via AA batteries (six for the speaker, four for the transmitter; the latter can also be powered via AC) and connects to any compatible player via 3.5mm jack.

After "Wilson's," demise, I realized just how important background music is during a camping trip. So I hustled to snag some other options.

One is my Lifepop speaker bag, but I won't tempt you with more details about this wondrous creation since the company that made it is unfortunately no longer in business. (Such a shame: can't anyone duplicate the ingenious idea?)

Providing powerful sound for listening to tunes during the day, then subtle ambient music for the night time fireside chats, was the Soundcast Outcast Jr. wireless, weather-resistant speaker. Sure, it isn't the most affordable option at more than $700; but if you also have a backyard patio to justify its purchase and use at home (or the cottage) as well, this speaker might just find its way into your car for the next camping getaway. The speaker supplies multi-directions stereo sound from a connected audio source, either wired, or through the separately purchased $150 wireless transmitter. We used a wired connection, with an iPad, iPhone, iPod nano, and BlackBerry as rotating music sources, all connected via 3.5 mm headphone jack. Keep in mind, however, that this baby isn't really much of a baby at all: it weighs a whopping 16.4 lbs. and measures 10 x 10.5" in diameter and is 19.5" tall. It's also not battery-operated, which means you'll need an electrical campsite in order to enjoy it beyond the nine hours worth of continuous listening time. As an alternative, a 12V adapter is also available, provided you're drawing power from the car for lenthy periods of time.

Surprisingly, I managed to be out-gadget-ed this trip by a device a friend brought along as a music alternative. Called the Kaito Voyager, it's a multi-purpose radio meant for emergencies and disasters. But it made a great camping companion. Powered by three "AA" batteries, the sun, or hand cranking, the device includes a five-LED light and LED flashlight; plus a USB jack for connecting and charging portable gadgets (it actually comes with six tips for the most popular mobile phones,) and a 3.5mm headphone jack. We connected the same portable audio players to this unit as were connected to the Soundcast, and used it for background tunes as well.

But that's not it for this paperback novel-sized radio. The Voyager's main purpose is as a seven-band weather radio, with a weather alert feature. Naturally, then, it can bring in standard AM and FM stations; from 520-1717 KHz on the AM band, to 88.00-108.00 MHz on the FM band. The US$70 radio comes in a choice of colours: green, black, red, yellow, and blue. In terms of a device that can "do it all," I'll admit defeat here: this one takes the cake. And it's handy to have around the house all year round, given the ability to power up by, when all else fails, the rapid cranking of your hands.

A waterproof camera is a must for any trip that involves the chance for dirt, water, drops, bumps, and scratches. On this trip were two Olympus models, including the old (but still going strong) Stylus 790SW; along with a new, updated Tough Series version. When it comes to trips that involve the great outdoors, beaches, or plenty of sand, rain, or snow, I'll always opt for a waterproof camera above all others. Note, however, that there are plenty of companies that make waterproof housings for cameras that can also be used to keep them protected from the elements.

You really wouldn't consider a portable breathalyzer to be a gadget to take camping; but I saw the event as the perfect, ultra-safe setting, to put the BACTRAK S80 through its paces. The $200 device comes with a nifty carrying case, and six mouthpieces for measuring a person's blood alcohol level (BAC). Turn the battery-operated unit on, and press the "Start" button. When the counter gets to two seconds remaining, take a deep breath. When it reaches zero, wrap your lips around the mouthpiece and blow continuously until you hear two consecutive beeps: that'll take about five seconds. Then, wait for the calculation to appear. BAC is determined using Xtend Fuel Cell technology, and recorded with accurate percentage-based measurements, like 0.015, 0.081, 0.223, and so forth. I sometimes found results to be inaccurate: for example, a 0.08 rating after just a few sips of one beer. But note that the measurements can be affected drastically by a number of factors: for example, you cannot drink anything 20 minutes prior to taking a measurement, nor can you smoke. The best way to get an accurate measurement, then, is to wait at least 20 minutes after your last glass of wine, beer, or whatever your drink of choice may be, then take the test. Naturally, residue left in the device can build up over time, which is why BACtrack recommends the unit be recalibrated every 6-12 months. And of course, new mouthpieces should always be kept clean (new ones can be purchased for $11 ea.) Keep in mind that while the S80 does, when used properly, provide a good rough estimate as to your BAC levels, it shouldn't be used to definitively proclaim one's ability to operate a motor vehicle. Users should always err on the side of caution.

While we'd all love to completely disconnect from technology while enjoying a camping trip, it isn't always possible. Keeping a car on and draining its battery in order to charge up a cell phone is not the best way to go. Of course, we used devices like the Voyager to recharge smartphones that were out of juice. But I also tried the Scosche solBAT 11, a portable, solar-powered charger that connects to USB devices (cable not included.) Unfortunately, I didn't bring it out until there wasn't much time left. And with a necessary 18 hours in the sun in order to gain a sufficient charge, the hour I left it out in bright sunlight did nothing for helping to power up my iPhone. Oddly, I had charged the unit up via USB a few days prior in the office. Somehow, it did not manage to keep that charge. Then again, it's possible the "on" button was depressed accidentally whilst in my purse. So I'll give the unit the benefit of the doubt until I'm able to try it again. Stay tuned.

All in all, each of these devices played a part in ensuring that we were all...wait for it...happy campers, by the end of the trip. Until next year!