Cooped Up? Get Uncooped.

Therm-a-Rest, a Cascade Designs company best known for its inflatable sleeping pads, has introduced a line of seven sleeping bags designed to work with those pads. The bags use "SynergyLink" straps to keep you centered on your sleeping pad, providing a still, comfortable and insulated night of sleep. Another interesting design element is in the concentration of loft in the top of the bag. Since your sleeping pad insulates from underneath, Therm-a-Rest wagers that you...

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There's no shortage of outdoor brewing solutions, but we're always interested to see a new one, especially one that's remarkably easy. The Coffeebrewer from Grower's Cup is basically a big, pre-filled, enclosed coffee filter in a bag. All you need to do is pour a half-liter of hot water in it, and you have yourself three cups of coffee. The downside is that it takes 5 - 8 minutes to steep and brew, so there'll...

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The Swiss Army Knife and Leatherman have earned iconic status in and out of the outdoors because they're useful for all kinds of tasks. The typical flashlight or headlamp will never reach the same level of adulation because all it does is flash a beam in one direction or another. These multi-functional lights, on the other hand, give you multiple lighting options, allowing you more flexibility at your campsite. One or two of them may...

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Similar to lying out on the beach, camping can lead to uneven toasting. Sitting by the campfire can quickly give you a warm, roasting front while leaving your back exposed to the cold night air. Toasty Tush - not to be confused with As Seen on TV toilet seat warmer Toastie Tush - solves this problem by giving you a warming cushion designed specifically for camp chairs. Unlike some other heated seats, it doesn't use...

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A couple of years ago, while walking the floor of the Outdoor Retailer, I found the Walkstool, a nicely designed, portable stool imported from Scandinavia. A couple of days ago, while navigating the website of another prominent outdoor show (Outdoor Friedrichshafen), I came across a handy Walkstool accessory. The Steady is a simple add-on that holds the ends of the legs to prevent the stool from sinking into soft ground and to make it more...

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The Prius is a wee bit small to outfit with a roof camper, but that didn't stop the industrious folks behind the Habitents from designing a way of overnighting in the hybrid. Habitents is a simple tent-like module that slides over the open hatch of the Prius. Fold the rear seats, and two people can lie down and catch a night of sleep. It has no poles and rolls up small enough to fit in...

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Scandinavia is kind of like Europe's Alaska. It stretches up there above the Arctic Circle and endures the same weird sun patterns that Alaska is known for. Its mountains aren't quite as big or pronounced, but it makes up for it by way of sheer cliffs and fjords. As in Alaska, things are wild and superlative, and the people have a reputation for being chiseled outdoorsman - you kind of have to be if you...

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Bam Margera: Adulthood's version of the spastic, hyperactive, delinquent skater you knew in high school. Guy's been out of the spotlight for a while, but he's back in a big way. The former star of Jackass and a bunch of eponymous shows too forgettable to list has taken his crazy stunts to a new place. Instead of throwing a flurry of fists at his dad or finding a creative way of hitting a pair of...

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As enjoyable and relaxing as a weekend of camping is, it can take a lot of work to get there. I typically spend the better part of my first camping day of the season rummaging through closets, boxes, nooks, crannies, crevices, holes...to find and organize all the gear that I left strewn about the prior season. If I'm lucky, I get it all together and make it to camp with enough daylight to set up...

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We're all quite familiar with Swiss knives from Wenger and Victoronix, but you may never have heard of Swiss Advance. That's because this Swiss manufacturer doesn't make red multi-tools; it makes eating instruments for camping and backpacking. As you might expect, its knife looks a little different than the classics. Similar to a retractable razor blade, the Swiss Advance knife (and fork) slides in and out of its plastic handle. When collapsed, they're small enough...

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