When you have the right tools and technology, toughing the outdoors doesn’t seem so tough. There are endless innovative gadgets out there to keep you clean, mobile, and charged, no matter where you are.
Here, we’ve put together our top five tech upgrades for outdoor adventures. We hope these clever options get you inspired for your next wilderness excursion!
Portable Jump Starters
We’ve all run into a situation where our car battery gives out, and it’s usually simple enough to use our jumper cables and find a friendly neighbor to lend their car. However, in situations where you’re nowhere near a neighbor and roadside assistance can’t reach you, a dead battery isn’t just inconvenient — it can be dangerous.
Portable jump starters, also known as battery boosters or battery chargers, are a simple solution to a dead battery in the wilderness. If you plan on adventuring somewhere with harsh weather or a poor phone connection, don’t leave without one. They’re simple to use: just clip the trusty jumper cables to your car’s battery and the portable jump starter, and the booster will do the work for you.
These devices are great to have for your peace of mind, and if you choose the right one, you can get a lot more use out of it than just a failsafe for your car. Portable jump starters often double as chargers for lights, small electronics like phones and tablets, tire pumps, air compressors, and more. Large enough battery chargers can even run televisions and laptops!
Keep in mind that these devices typically aren’t small or light. If you’re worried about weight or size for fuel consumption or storage purposes, make sure you take that factor into account when choosing your model.
Backpack Coolers
No, a backpack cooler isn’t just for keeping your beer cold — although that’s a nice feature. A good backpack cooler will keep food, fishing bait, and other supplies fresh during a weekend getaway or a summertime hike. The best part? It’ll stay entirely leakproof.
There are a few features you should look for when you’re shopping for the right backpack cooler. First, consider your adventure: if you’re planning to survive a long weekend hike in the heat, you’ll need ample storage space and strong, comfortable straps. Liquids are very heavy, and even adding a couple six-packs can be enough to hurt your back over a day’s hike. Like a quality hiking backpack, you should look for heavy-duty straps designed to distribute weight comfortably and safely.
Also, consider the length of time you want to keep your food or drinks cool. Insulation material is everything, and you should take the time to read reviews and specs to find the best insulation for your money. You can help your items stay cooler for longer by sticking to the shade, wearing your pack on your front, and wearing layers that absorb your body heat.
RAM® Mounts For Land and Marine Vehicles
Who says you have to put away your electronic devices when you’re out in the wilderness? Mounts for boats, ATVs, and vehicles help keep your device secure and protected in the most rugged climates, helping you bring modern tech to the great outdoors.
Mounts are highly versatile. You can attach a marine mount to anything from a single-person kayak to a large, deep-bottomed commercial boat as a GPS navigator, depth finder, and fishfinder. Phone mounts can also provide easy GPS visibility and hands-free calling while riding your motorcycle, ATV, or even a bicycle.
Make sure you get your device mount from an authorized RAM® Mounts seller. Low-quality mounts run the risk of doing the exact opposite thing they’re supposed to do: drop your expensive electronic straight into the water or onto the dirt. This trusted brand name is our recommendation for land and marine mounts. You can find a model that attaches just about anywhere to protect all of your valuable devices.
Battery-Powered Electric Bikes
Taking your bike on a road trip isn’t a new concept. Bikes offer freedom on your outdoor adventures, allowing you to park your car next to a trail and switch from four wheels to two.
Battery-powered bicycles take this up a notch. If you’ve had a long day of driving and sightseeing, an electric bike can help you zip through new places without overexerting yourself. Even better, many of these battery-powered electric bikes can even fold up into a compact and portable shape, so you can switch from walking to hiking in seconds.
With a variety of fold-up electric bikes and electric mountain bikes available, you’ll be able to take on any terrain for your outdoor adventure. They’re not prohibitively expensive, and you can find a durable, long-lasting model for a reasonable price. They work in every season, they’re environmentally friendly, and most importantly — they’re really fun.
Worried about the battery duration? You can always carry around an extra battery for a double charge, so your bike can last several hours without losing its zip.
Portable Showers
Anyone who’s been on a long wilderness adventure knows just what a sweet, sweet luxury a shower is after days in the dirt. Luckily, there are many high (and low) tech options for showers on-the-go to choose from.
Most people have heard of a solar shower. This low-tech method involves hanging a bag filled with water from a tree or other elevated surface, releasing a sprayer nozzle, and letting gravity do the work. It’s a convenient choice for on-the-go washing, but the water doesn’t last long, and hanging the bag can be cumbersome. Still, it’s a nice, inexpensive option if you’d like to have a shower on your adventure.
A higher-tech option that we love is the Iron Hammer Portable Shower. It requires a water supply, which can be any source of water, like a lake or a river. It has a built-in water filtration system, and the pressure of the water flow can even be adjusted to your preference. It’s highly portable, so you can take it just about anywhere.
There are thousands of clever gadgets out there that can make your adventure seamless. We hope we’ve inspired you to make one of these small tech investments for a big upgrade in the future!
Author Bio:
Aaron Smith is an LA-based content strategist and covers industry developments and helps companies connect with clients. In his free time, Aaron enjoys swimming, swing dancing, and sci-fi novels.
