Cooped Up? Get Uncooped.

Manufactured Duraflame logs offer a number of advantages over real wood. They light easy without tinder or kindling and burn hotter and cleaner than wood. They're a nice low-hassle alternative to regular firewood. One big minus for campers, however, is that traditional Duraflame logs and cooking aren't exactly kosher. Duraflame says that its logs don't produce the coals needed for cooking, and the company has not (and doesn't plan to) tested the safety of cooking...

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So simple. So smart. So overdue. I haven't exhaustively searched to check the veracity of the claim, but UK company Snugpak calls its new Chrysalis the only sleeping bag in the world with a built-in LED. More than just a fancy claim, an integrated LED is a great idea. One of the cliches of camping is fumbling around with groggy eyes and drunken hands, trying to find your flashlight to light the cold, dark, foreboding...

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Wouldn't it be great if people weren't lazy sloths and did what they were supposed to? Then we wouldn't need water fountains in the Grand Canyon. And we wouldn't have to hop, skip and jump around the piles of dog mess that people inconsiderately abandon in the middle of trails. What a great world that could be. As it is, though, people would much rather allow their local park to turn into a giant cesspool...

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The Internet has given us all kinds of new ways of collaborating and innovating. One of those ways is Kickstarter, a Web community that lets inventors, small businesses and other entities reach out to the masses for help in funding their projects and dreams. There are projects of all shapes and sizes, some smart, some crazy and some TBD. Here are a few of the more promising outdoor-related projects up on Kickstarter now. PowerPot Similar...

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Snow Peak makes some of the coolest lighting solutions out there. The 250-lumen Tulip Lantern is a lamp-lantern hybrid that automatically gives you the light you need. When you stand it up, the Tulip serves as an ambient light source. When you point it down, it focuses a beam. This process is automatic, so you can quickly go from tent-wide lantern to spotlight (say if there's an unwanted visitor in the corner of your tent)...

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Charcoal grilling would be THE way to darken meat, if not for a few drawbacks. It takes longer to get going. It's messier. And it sometimes involves inadvertently infusing your dinner with undertones (or overtones) of lighter fluid. The Grillcube doesn't solve the lengthier waiting time, but it does solve the other two drawbacks. Essentially just a cardboard box filled with hardwood charcoal, the Grillcube lets you get your charcoal burning without the mess, fuss...

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One common complaint among newbie campers is the lack of amenities for basic hygiene. Indeed, going a week--or even day--without a shower when hiking, biking and sleeping in the humid, sweltering heat of summer can make camping a no-go for many. But, with a little preparation, you can have your hygiene and your camping. Zodi Hot Tap The Zodi Hot Tap is a self-contained, single-burner portable shower. The propane-fueled burner heats your water up, and...

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  The idea of heads up displays (virtual read-outs cast right onto your windshield) on cars is a little unsettling, and the idea of people bombing double-black ski runs or launching 50-foot bike hucks with that kind of data all in their faces is equally scary. Similar to what Recon Instruments offers for goggles, Calgary-based 4iiii (that's an annoying company name) has designed a system that turns your ordinary shades into a computer screen complete...

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  The new Nitecore E series consists of four tiny flashlights that provide up to 320 lumens of light. Each light is only a couple inches long and small enough to fit in your pants or jacket pocket. With Nitecore's headband, the flashlights double as headlamps. Another nice feature is the dual-switch design. One button lets you turn the light on and off and the other lets you switch between modes. The switches are super...

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Coffee in the outdoors is one of those nagging, little problems that inspires all kinds of innovation. The latest that we happened across is this Java Juice concentrated liquid coffee extract. Dump the extract into a cup of water and you have morning coffee in seconds. Since it's liquid, it mixes with hot or cold water, unlike powdered coffee that requires hot water. That's a big advantage if you're low on time or feel like...

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Bear. MF-in. Grylls. Say what you want about his questionable survival tactics and five-star filming habits, the man can flat out entertain. Other shows may be more educational when it comes to survival, but none of them have the same flair as Man Vs. Wild. Which is why we're disheartened at Bear's recent firing. But if a recent appearance at an LA Dodgers game is any indication, Bear still plans to bring his own special...

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Folding camping chairs are already a pretty great invention. They're comfortabe, inexpensive and pack small enough to slide into tight spaces - everything you want for a campsite. The Revolve Chair puts a new spin on the camping chair - literally. Thanks to a swivel base, the chair revolves 360 degrees like a desk chair. Need a beer from the cooler behind you? Don't get up; just spin around and grab it. The hardware doesn't...

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There are a lot of annoying things about hydration packs, but for me filling up isn't one of them. Apparently for someone, it is. UK hydration company Source has built the Universal Tap Adapter (UTA), which allows you to fill your bladder without removing it from the backpack. The system has a replacement hose (which may or may not work with non-Source bladders) with a one-click removable bite valve. After pulling the bite valve off,...

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I was reading a copy of Mountain magazine earlier this week when I came across an interesting ad for KRU82 Vodka. Basically it's a vodka from Wyoming that comes in a stainless steel bottle - it even has a carabiner for that extra outdoorsy cred. The vodka comes in various sizes from 200 ml to 1.75 L, so whatever the size of your journey and drinking habit, there's a KRU82 for you. Here's what the...

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The 1080p CamOne Infinity is a square action camera that looks a lot like the GoPro HD Hero. It's slightly smaller, but overall pretty similar in shape and size to the GoPro. Where the Infinity distinguishes itself is in its features. The camera is the first action cam we've seen to offer interchangeable lenses, allowing filmers to get different angled footage. The camera will launch with a 170-degree lens, and CamOne will later offer other...

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Pin Lights are a design study by Kim Jung Su, Kim Dong Hwan, Yoon Ji Soo and Yoon Jae Sun. I don't believe there are any plans for production, but there should be. They're a little large and awkward, but with a little tweaking, Pin Lights could be a very functional addition to any campsite. I don't know how many times I've tripped on my guy lines and/or stakes, so having a warning light built...

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The barefoot movement has been among the biggest stories in running over the past few years. Pretty much every running shoe company makes 'em. But some make 'em weirder than others. Swiss Protection Socks Europeans really aren't shy about experimenting with oddball outdoor gear. And they're not afraid to look a little goofy, either. Swiss Protection Socks from Swiss Barefoot are essentially socks meant to be worn like shoes. Instead of just minimizing the outsole,...

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  Well there's all kinds of good news if you just happen to be a nomadic or wilderness-recluded wino. Companies can't seem to get portable wine reservoirs on the shelf fast enough. The latest one I happened across is Bandit Vino. It comes in about half a dozen different flavors and costs about 8 bucks. Two pounds may be a lot of weight to fastpackers, but wine seems like one investment that might be worth...

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That sucker may look like an ordinary piece of metal, but it's actually a smart, multifunctional gizmo that its creators call "the world's most talented keychain." Not only is it a keychain, but it doubles as a money clip, earbud cord winder and bottle opener. It can slide into your pocket or hang on your belt. Little Bonzai, the Boston-based company that makes it, also challenges buyers to come up with their own uses (bookmark,...

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They say the pen is mightier than the sword, but if I was in a survival situation, I'd much prefer the sword. Unless the pen happened to be the Tactical Pen by Smith & Wesson. Yeah, that's right, Smith & Wesson makes a pen. And like its other products, this pen is equipped to injur. Its anodized aluminum build includes a hard, pointy end that can be used in a defensive emergency. Frankly, the idea...

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