Summer has just arrived, and the weather is finally heating up, which means it’s time to venture out of the protective comfort of home and head to the great outdoors!
That “great outdoors” is never going to change, but the way we interact in nature certainly is. The options available to bring our conveniences and modern comforts on the road and off the beaten path are increasing in a variety of slick ways. When we decide to take a break from our facial-recognition phones and play out in the woods around a campfire, even the future of tech is still with us and can protect us from some nature’s more prickly annoyances. Take, for example, the portable electronic mosquito repellent device called Enkeeo 2-in-1 Camping Lantern Tent Light Mosquito Killer, which casts off an impressive zone of protection for a battery powered unit. You can charge it through any USB connection and it will last up to 15 hours when you’re out camping and power isn’t close by. As the name implies, the Enkeeo also doubles as a lantern, and is especially useful inside a tent. It’s even waterproof for those unexpected showers.
When thirst is a priority and water won’t cut it, grab a cold beer from a portable cooler that can keep your ice chilled for up to seven days. And when a cold drink isn’t enough, the IcyBreeze actually functions as an air conditioner. The three-speed fan can generate air flow up to 25 mph, and distribute temperatures as much as 35-degrees below what’s outside your tent.
Bugs are taken care of, your thirst is quenched, you don’t even have to sweat it out, so why not continue your camping luxury with high-quality-sounding music in the forest, and with the Altec Lansing Versa speaker system, you can also interface with Amazon’s Alexa, get the weather forecast, and if a storm comes in and you forget your speaker outside, the waterproof design protects from the conditions. The Altec Lansing Versa is even rated as snow-proof, so outdoor use is definitely this speaker’s sweet spot. An eight-hour battery life ensures you’ll have plenty of time to utilize the Versa’s several app-syncing features.
And when you’re about to fall asleep from the light rain outside your tent and have no desire to run to a proper bathroom spot, why not be prepared for “backcountry toilet” luxury with this eco-friendly porta potty? With the ECO-Safe Toilet System, you can get up to 50 clean uses, with reusability after proper disposal. Compact and weighing only 11 pounds, this portable latrine is a practical fit amongst your other typical camping gear.
Other than the essentials like a good sleeping bag, firewood and some food and cooking supplies, the tent is another key necessity on an extended camping trip, and if you want to avoid the old-school sleep-on-the-forest-floor approach, you can always sleep suspended in the air with this super-cool Vista Tree Tent system. This high tech tent can sleep up to three, with a removable top canopy to fully expose you to the surroundings. If you want to bring more friends into the sleeping area, you can stack added hammocks and build a multistory tent. The sky is literally the limit with the dynamic Vista Tree Tent.
If being suspended in a tent around a tree is a little too much removed from the couch-feel of home, you can still bring your traditional gear and fake things—even enjoy some portable videogaming. The GAEMS Vanguard comes with a built-in 19” Il_LED HD tv, and stereo speakers for proper sound. The latest gaming systems like PS4 and XboxOne are perfect for the Vangaurd. You do need access to a power supply, which these days is fairly easy if you really can’t leave your games and other powered-devices completely behind. The Phoenix Generator Portable All-In-One Solar Kit works not only off of the power of the sun, but can also travel with you pre-charged from a traditional AC outlet. If a solar charge isn’t practical, the unit will stay juiced for days, and has been especially designed for outdoor and portable use.
Modern camping has become as comfortable as your personalized home-living space. How minimal or over-the-top you want to go is your call for exploring the great outdoors.