Getting back to the basics is always fun, especially if it involves heading outdoors, soaking up some sun, and enjoying the best of what nature has to offer. If you’re someone who loves camping and embarking on outdoor adventures, then you definitely need a few outdoor essentials by your side once you leave your house! You need products that help you get down and dirty, live life on the road, and tackle the moodiness of the elements. And, we’ve put together a collection of handy, reliable, and trustworthy outdoor gear that are the sidekicks you need next time you go on an outdoor adventure. From an Edison bulb-inspired flashlight that emits a warm glow to Sirius OUTDOOR AR-enabled smart ski goggles that are designed to change the world of snow sports – these fun and functional outdoor designs are all you need for your next adventure trip!
1. Sirius AR Goggles
Stepping in with a heads-up display of sorts, Zurich-based Ostloong has designed and developed the Sirius smart goggles that incorporate AR and AI in one successful unit. This brings smartphone notifications, slope details, and other vital information right in front of the skier’s eyes without impacting their field of view.
Why is it noteworthy?
As the first-ever advanced ski goggles that offer the adventurist an augmented reality experience with rich color display and detailed output, Sirius is the only eyewear combining AR and AI for outdoor sports.
What we like
- Ensures safety and allows one to communicate while moving on the snow mountain, skiing or snowboarding
What we dislike
- Given the size of the goggles, it may be difficult to keep them in place for users with smaller facial features
2. The Microtech Exocet Dagger
With a tiny 1.94-inch blade, the Microtech Exocet Dagger is actually legal to carry in most states, making it the perfect EDC to have on you at all times. The dagger features an OTF-style (out-the-front) drop-point blade made from CTS 204P steel that’s perfect for piercing and carving outdoors and doing things like opening boxes indoors.
Why is it noteworthy?
The blade retracts into the Exocet’s rather comfortably compact aircraft-grade aluminum handle, which also has a pocket clip on one side that doubles up as a money clip, letting you carry your cards and cash with you. I imagine taking out your money for a mugger would be a pretty interesting event, given that your de facto wallet also doubles as a blade!
What we like
- It’s also the relatively wide pocket clip on its side, which Microtech designed to also double as a money clip, giving you a safe and secure place to store your Benjamins
What we dislike
- We wish it had at least one additional function to make a multitool EDC
3. The Quasar Portable Lamp
A pretty cool and unique lamp design I recently came across is the Quasar portable lamp. Designed by Samy Rhio and Petite Friture, the Quasar portable lamp, is designed to be a ‘nomadic lamp’.
Why is it noteworthy?
French designer Samy Rhio designed this nomadic lamp to enable users to carry it around, allowing it to illuminate any space they go to. They can hang the nifty lamp using a multicolored strap that will remind you of a climbing rope.
What we like
- The lamp has been equipped with a five-meter-long woven rope that is attached to the top of the lamp, making it a portable design that can be transferred from one location to another
What we dislike
- Not sure if the lamp is durable enough to withstand extreme weather conditions
4. The Edison Light Stick
Inspired by the vintage lantern, the Edison Light Stick from Barebones is a multifunctional flashlight on Huckberry, that would be super helpful on all your outdoor adventures. It emits a warm glow that is great in emergencies and functions as a direct light for essential tasks like preparing food or fetching water.
Why is it noteworthy?
The lantern-inspired light glows warmly is multifunctional and can instantly uplift the mood in the camp or double as a reading light for those who still love catching on some good old reading during their camping trips. The glass tube body of the Edison Light Stick features brass and copper construction on top and bottom, while leather accents complete its handsome look.
What we like
- Equipped with seven different light modes so you can have your ideal ambiance anytime, anywhere!
- Exquisite brass and copper construction accentuated with leather accents
What we dislike
- The price tag is a little hefty compared to similar products on the market
5. Supernova
GravaStar who’ve surprised geeks with mecha-inspired Bluetooth speakers in the recent past have added another sci-fi speaker cum LED lamp to their line-up. Dubbed Supernova, the accessory looks like a three-legged robot, something anyone would want to sport in their geeky den.
Why is it noteworthy?
The Bluetooth speaker besides looking really inviting to own, fairs well when it comes to the overall build quality, functionality, and hardware specifications. It is crafted out of a solid zinc alloy metallic body standing on GravaStar’s iconic tripod legs that we saw in their previous designs. The accessory with a 3-inch full-range speaker has 25 watts of power, 90db of output, and half-inch high-frequency tweeter for rich, crisp sound delivery.
What we like
- In the music-playing mode, this light can synch to the rhythm of the audio for partygoers
What we dislike
- Could get easily damaged in the outdoors
6. The Gerber Stake Out
The Gerber Stake Out is a nifty multitool that’s perfect for all the outdoor adventures you undertake! It measures just 4.5 inches in the closed position and a maximum of 6.6 inches when the knife is being used. The super cool multi-tool conceals 11 tools and helps you with almost everything – from setting up a campfire to cooking a meal in the wilderness. The Scandi grind blade features a bottle opener, awl, Ferro rod striker, saw, file, and a pair of scissors.
Why is it noteworthy?
There’s a tent stake puller for packing and getting the gear ready after setting camp during the nighttime. This is a very useful tool for campers as they can pack up tents in a way quicker time than normal. So, in a way, this utility is the USP of this multitool without any question. Add to the mix a ruler and pop-out tweezers, and you’ve got an all-purpose multitool convenient enough to carry with you all the time.
What we like
- 11 tools concealed in 1 multi-tool
- Economically priced
What we dislike
- Made from Graphite, we would love to see more material options in this multitool
7. The Batch #003: PARTS Multipurpose Tool
The Leatherman knives have been widely loved by outdoorsmen for ages galore! The knives’ durability and ability to stay sharp for life make them an absolute fan favorite amongst adventure lovers. And their latest interesting launch is the Batch #003: PARTS multipurpose tool with its unique set of features. A folding knife at heart, the multitool ventures into the world of interchangeable blade options for an EDC.
Why is it noteworthy?
According to Leatherman, their motive is to create the best folding knife out there from the current inventory of products in-house. The result is a multipurpose tool crafted out of 26 parts. It gets an innovative interchangeable blade system to swap compatible blades for the needed task at hand. All this while being ergonomically comfortable and highly functional to the last bit. The EDC gets the G10 handle for a better grip.
What we like
- The knife can be swapped between the premium S30V stainless steel work blade for hardcore tasks or the 154CM blade tailored for normal household tasks
- Crafted from 26 parts
What we dislike
- Has a rather hefty price tag
8. The Tomori Lantern Kit
The Tomori Lantern Kit is really quite interesting because rather than providing us with a ready-made lantern, it functions as a kit that lets you create and set up your own lantern, and then swiftly put it aside when you’re done using it. Once the lantern collapses, it barely occupies any space, and you can fit a conventional flashlight inside it!
Why is it noteworthy?
The base of the kit is a foldable cardboard piece that serves as the flashlight holder and stable structure of the lamp. The kit comes with a rather nondescript LED flashlight that you can use on its own when not docked inside the lantern. In fact, the cardboard base can hold any cylindrical flashlight that is less than 30mm in diameter and 160mm in length. This means that you can use the same flashlight for the lantern as well as for typical uses, or you can have a set of backup flashlights when one’s battery goes empty.
What we like
- The entire kit, excluding the flashlight, folds down to a flat A4-sized package, perfect for stashing in bags or drawers, ready for use in an emergency
- Quite fun to put together and set up your own lantern
What we dislike
- Cannot withstand rain
9. The SHARGE Concept
If you’re someone who loves embarking on adventures in the outdoors but are tired of always carrying portable power generators that sometimes can be more like excessive baggage than functional essentials, then the SHARGE concept is what you need!
Why is it noteworthy?
If you’re a camping fan, for example, you might want something that doesn’t exactly look like rugged tanks but at least has ties to your favorite hobby. It’s not by coincidence, then, that the SHARGE was designed to mimic the ridges you’d find on camping boxes. While the design is already visually appealing in itself, the structure also helps diffuse the force of impact, giving it a bit of ruggedness as well.
What we like
- MagSafe-compatible
- Rates high on aesthetics
What we dislike
- It’s still a concept!
10. The EcoFlow River 2
As with any second-generation product, the EcoFlow River 2 has been able to learn from the lessons of its predecessors. Given the gap between the first and second EcoFlow Rivers, there has definitely been plenty of lessons to serve as the foundations of a better product. Fortunately, EcoFlow did seem to have benefited from hindsight, allowing it to turn the River 2 into a sleeker and more compact power station that no longer looks like a car battery.
Why is it noteworthy?
The biggest change you will notice comparing the two generations is that the River 2 has a more refined appearance thanks to its dual-tone color scheme and flat top. The large carrying handle no longer arcs over the top but instead juts out from the back. That makes it easier to stash the power station away in cramped spaces and put things on top of it. Having the handle extend to one side only also reduces the space it needs to occupy. This helps give the box a cleaner look, but relocating the carrying handle does have its share of consequences as well.
What we like
- It will take more than 3,000 charging cycles (zero to full) before it starts to lose its full capacity
What we dislike
- No wireless charging
- Carrying the EcoFlow River 2, however, might be difficult for some other purpose. With the carrying handle now at the back, the box’s center of gravity is changed when you lift it up
