We know. you hit the outdoors to escape from the trappings of modern life. But sometimes, a little tech can enhance your outdoor experience. Here are our favorite high tech pieces of gear.
THE TOP 10
OneWheel +XR (featured)
At this point, you’ve definitely seen the OneWheel in action—your hipster neighbor probably commutes to his co-working space on one. But the new model, XR, is a significant upgrade to the original technology. You get the same body-shifting start/go platform but the XR doubles the original model’s range, giving you 12-18 miles of freedom with a top speed of 19mph. It’s all thanks to the new Hypercore Motor, which uses NMC cells to increase the battery’s power without significantly increasing the weight. The new tech could turn OneWheel into a legitimate transportation option for a significant portion of the population. You can even connect your board to a smartphone app that tracks your ride and lets you share it with friends, so they can be jealous that you have a OneWheel and they don’t. $1799; onewheel.com
Altra Timp IQ
A.T. thru-hikers have come to love Altra trail running shoes in recent years because of the large toe box, which provides plenty of room for the hiker’s swelling feet. Now, data-crunchers have a reason to convert to Altra. The Timp IQ takes Altra’s super cush and stable trail platform (which also features a zero drop from heel to forefoot) and imbeds it with foot bed sensors that provide info on your foot strike, cadence, impact rate and contact time. The data is uploaded to your phone and you can use the info to make your stride more efficient, increase speed and reduce injuries. It’s like having a running coach in the sole of your shoe. $199; altrarunning.com
Rylo
This mountable action camera shoots 4K video in 360 degrees, and it does it without that awkward bent screen that most other 360-degree cameras deliver. So, you get a legitimate full view of whatever scene you’re shooting. Even better, it’s easy to use, from the one-button shooting to the back-end editing, which allows you to point the camera while you’re editing the video, so you never miss the shot. The stabilization is unparalleled, and there’s a cool “follow” mode that allows you to track a single person or object throughout the video. You have to sandwich the camera in a case to make Rylo waterproof, and it pairs with your phone via a cord instead of Bluetooth, which feels antiquated until you see how quickly the hard connection works. $499; rylo.com
BioLite SolarHome 620
Got vanlife aspirations? Or maybe treehouse life? BioLite has introduced a self-contained solar light and charging kit that offers plug-n-play convenience to any off-grid scenario. The SolarHome 620 comes with a 6-watt solar panel, three daisy chain lights and a control box that controls the lights, charges your devices and plays radio and MP3 music. The solar panel will charge the whole system in about 7 hours of sunlight, and the lights offer 400 lumens that you can spread out into three different areas. There’s even a motion sensor option. And the whole thing packs into a shoebox. Dipping your toe into solar energy has never been easier. $149; bioliteenergy.com
DJI Mavic Air drone
You can buy a good drone or you can buy a cheap drone, but you can’t buy a good cheap drone. At least, that used to be the unwritten rule until DJI introduced the Mavic Air, which offers professional-level capabilities at a consumer-friendly price. This tiny helicopter has 21 minutes of flight time and a 4-km transmission distance, so it can stay in the air for as long as you need in order to get that hero shot. And it has an advanced piloting system that lets the drone detect obstructions in real time and avoid them, so no more crashing into cliffs. It shoots 12 megapixel photos and has a panorama mode that captures 360-degree images. We like the user-friendly features like “active track,” which trains the camera on a specific subject. It’s also tiny, folding up into a pocket-sized helicopter. $800; dji.com
EcoFlow River
Forget noisy gas generators, EcoFlow River is a next generation, clean energy power solution with a massive power output. The portable lithium ION battery holds 416 watt hours of power and has 11 different charging ports, from USB to AC-110volt to a 12volt car port. All in, you get a total output of 500 watts, so you can charge your drone, your laptop, your speaker…all at the same time. Recharge the River through a wall outlet or car in about eight hours, or connect it to EcoFlow’s solar panel and get a full charge in about 12 hours. It’s light and compact (11 pounds with a carrying handle) and features a digital display that shows you in real time the remaining battery capacity. The best part is that River will hold its charge for up to a year, so you can store it in the garage and forget about it until that storm knocks out your power line, or you have a car camping trip and you want to bring the blender, a mini-fridge and movie projector. $600; ecoflow.com
Spot X
Cell phones are awesome…when they work. But if you want to get deep into the backcountry, you’re probably not going to have three bars and wifi. Spot X is a two-way satellite messenger that gives you the ability to communicate with your friends and family when your cell phone is just dead weight. Each Spot X comes with a US phone number and a full keyboard, so you can send and receive messages from just about anywhere. There’s even a tracking mode that allows your loved ones to follow your progress on Google maps. It has a 10-day battery life in continuous tracking mode, and there’s an emergency button that connects you directly to Search and Rescue. And you can get a monthly flex plan so you only have to pay for the service when you’re actually using it. And yes, it’ll even post to social. $249; findmespot.com
Thermacell Radius Zone
Mosquitos can ruin a car camping trip in less time than it takes to set up your tent. Thermacell’s new Radius Zone is designed to give you a bug-free campsite (or patio, or backyard…). Hit the button and the Radius Zone emits Metofluthrin, a pesticide that’s been shown to repel up to 97% of mosquitos in field tests, giving you a 110-square feet repellent zone. No butane, no spray, no DEET, no nets…and no mosquitos. The rechargeable Radius Zone uses repellent refill pouches which last for 40 hours each, and the machine itself runs for six hours, giving you plenty of time for dinner and s’mores. $50; Thermacell.com
Specialized Turbo Levo
America is officially the only country left in the world that hasn’t fallen in love with e-bikes yet, but the brand new Turbo Levo might be the bike to win American hearts. The Turbo Levo uses the lightest, most powerful motor of any e-MTB on the market, with a range that’s been increased by 40% over last year’s model. Of course, there’s an app so you can control everything with your phone, but what you need to understand is that this is a legit bike that can handle legit terrain. The Turbo Levo is designed around the Stumpjumper frame, so the handling is precise. The battery is light and integrated (you can barely tell it’s an e-bike at first glance), and the different power modes let you fine tune how much pedal assist you want on the climb. This bike could eliminate the need for that shuttle truck or ski lift, allowing you to spin up the gravel roads and bomb the downhill on the same bike. And you’ll be smiling the entire time. Starting at $4,950; specialized.com
Suunto Traverse
Think the Apple Watch killed GPS watches? Think again. The Traverse has a bunch of features that will make it your go-to watch for trail pursuits, like topo maps and real time GPS navigation so you don’t have to keep pulling out your phone or paper map every time you come to a junction. We also like the “heatmap” function, which lets you explore popular runs, rides and ski routes in your area. You can save points along the way and re-trace your steps with a handy breadcrumb trail function. It even predicts the weather thanks to the built-in barometer, and tells you how much daylight you have. And it’s good-looking, so you don’t feel like a geek wearing it to the coffee shop. $419; suunto.com
The Other 10
Outdoor Tech Chips 2.0
Put the Chips 2.0 into the ear muffs of your favorite helmet and you’ve got tunes pumped from your phone straight into your lid. The sound is great, but we really love the Walkie-Talkie function that allows you to connect to friends with Chips 2.0 on the mountain without having to fish your phone out of your pocket. $129; outdoortechnology.com
Poptical Popstorm
Space in your pack is precious, but the sun is bright. Solution? Popticals, the world’s first wrap-around sunglasses that compact into themselves. Popticals use a micro-rail system that allows the frames to fold into themselves and fit inside a tiny case that keeps them safe. $209; popticals.com
GoPure PuriBloc
The PuriBloc is a ceramic pod that collects impurities in tap water while releasing trace minerals. Drop a pod in your water bottle and let the all-organic ceramic go to work creating clean, great-tasting water. $25; gopurepod.com
BioLite Fire Pit
BioLite gives the campfire a tech boost with this steel fire box with a rechargeable battery pack that fuels a series of 51 air-jets that feed oxygen into the flames. The result is a campfire that smokes less and burns better. Control the air jets with an app, and recharge your phone off the battery pack. $200; bioliteenergy.com
Coolest Cooler
This cooler is better than your cooler. Not only does it keep ice cold for days, it has a built-in blender and Bluetooth speaker, so you can make daiquiris while having a dance party. $399; coolest.com
Bivystick
The Bivystick turns your smart phone into a satellite messenger, letting you text your loved ones or contact rescue services, and share your location on a topo map. It gives you detailed weather forecasts based on your location and works as a backup battery for your phone. And there’s no annual contract. $349; bivy.com
OMATA One
The OMATA One looks like an analog speedometer, but it’s actually a smart GPS bike computer that translates all of your ride data to your phone, and into your favorite fitness apps, like Strava. All the convenience of digital, with the look and feel of analog. $550; Omata.com
Princeton Tec SNAP
One light for every task—that’s the idea behind the SNAP, a modular headlamp that converts to a handlebar light, clips to a carabiner so you can hang it from a tent, and attaches to any magnetic surface. And it’s 200 lumens and made in the US. $40; princetontec.com
Zippo Heatbank 3
Cold hands suck. The Heatbank 3 is a rechargeable hand warmer with dual-sided adjustable heat. It also serves as a power bank for your phone. $25; zippo.com
