By Becky Billingsley
Portable electronic gear lets you stay connected and equipped for adventure while biking, hiking, camping, boating or simply enjoying the great outdoors.
TAKE CHARGE
Hot pot
A lightweight, 1.2-liter Powerpot 5 does double duty on your off-road adventures. While it cooks your food over a campfire, the pot generates an electrical current that can charge your mobile devices through its USB connection. $100.
801-335-5064; powerpractical.com
Instant gratification
Pack a compact Jackery Giant+ Portable Battery Charger, and get instant power for smart phones or other USB devices wherever you go. The little power bank holds enough electricity to extend most phone batteries up to 600 percent. $30.
888-280-4331; amazon.com
ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
Cranked up
You choose — use batteries to power an L.L. Bean/Eton FRX5 All-Purpose Weather Radio, or charge up with its hand crank, solar panel or USB cable. The little dynamo keeps you abreast of weather alerts and functions as a lamp, flashlight, emergency beacon, alarm clock and USB charger.
800-441-5713. $100; llbean.com
Harness the sun
Unfold the notebook-size, 15-watt RAVPower Solar Charger, let it soak up some sun, and you can charge two USB-powered devices on the go. A mesh cover allows the portable pack to hang easily on a backpack, tent or trees. $55.
888-280-4331; amazon.com
SIGHT AND SOUND
Zoom in
Snap images of the wildlife or sporting events you view through a Vivitar CV-1225 Digital Camera Binocular with 12x magnification. Capture motion with its continuous-shot mode, taking three rapid shots with one click. You select the resolution you want and control the options for light exposure and white balance. $45; $7 for 8GB memory card.
800-831-2434; bhphotovideo.com
Easy listening
Yurbuds Inspire 100 are designed to be comfortable, sweat- and rain-proof earbuds that won’t fall out, even during rigorous activity. They let in just enough ambient noise to keep you aware of surroundings, and tangle-free magnets ensure no more snarled wires. $18.
800-336-4525; jbl.com
SAFE TRAVELS
Trekking tool
Celestron’s Trekguide Digital Compass helps hikers keep track of their positions, on or off the beaten path. It also tracks altitude, barometric pressure, weather forecasts, temperature, time and date. $35.
310-803-5955; celestron.com
Stand out
Cyclists bike brighter with a Triviz Electroluminescent Light Pack from Proviz. The lightweight triangles, charged by USB, emit a bright, flashing light and attach to a Proviz harness, backpack or jacket. $50 for light and charging cable; $16 for harness.
info@provizsports.com; provizsports.com
Becky Billingsley is a freelance writer from Myrtle Beach, S.C. Her monthly column also appears in South Carolina Living, the statewide electric co-op magazine of the Palmetto state. Product inclusion on this page does not imply endorsement; product availability and prices are subject to change.
