Hasta La Ideas

Snow Peak’s latest outdoor light uses gravity to determine its illuminated focal length

Always a step ahead of the rest in the niche outdoor tech industry, Snow Peak makes intuitive and aesthetically focused backpacking gear and adventure-driven accessories. Building on the strength of products like their titanium iphone case, the Tulip Lantern brings a new level of intelligence to portable lighting with a simple design.

Much like the SnowMiner headlamp, the Tulip Lantern can produce a focused or broad stream of light, but in this case, the variation is controlled by gravity. The lantern automatically changes from a narrow beam when hanging to a more ambient glow when placed upright. The pliable, snake-like stem can be adjusted to produce both settings in both positions, making for a perfectly lit camp site.

Producing up to 250 lumens with more than 100 hours of battery life (when set on low), the powerful little lantern will be available 9 March, 2012 from Snow Peak online for $150.

Essential survival gear for the modern adventurer

Whether it’s a casual overnight camping trip or a die-hard weeks long expedition in the wilderness, fire is essential for successful survival or s’more making. While rubbing two sticks together or using a standard lighter might work, it can also lead to blisters and the risk of running out of fluid, leaving you stranded in the dark, waiting for the coyotes to arrive. An excellent addition to some of the great gear in our Survivalist Essentials piece and a necessity for any outdoor kit, is a solid fire steel. Most steel are made from either a magnesium alloy or ferrocerium, a man-made metal with a low ignition temperature. All the steels comes with attached striking devices and a 45° with decent force will throw sparks a good distance and help you get some flames going. We rounded up three exceptional steels that are guaranteed to get your flames going.

The Swedish Army fire steel is the epitome of classic fire starting devices. Developed by the Swedish Department of Defense, this fire steel is used by many different armed forces and achieves a 5400°F spark from it’s magnesium alloy rod. Super durable, the steel is rated for 12,000 strikes, will work when wet and can be used to light anything including gas grills or barbecues. While it comes in black and orange with a plastic handle, we preferred the wood, which offers a nice feel and sturdy grip.

Although he originally used a Swedish Steel like the one above, renowned survival expert Bear Grylls partnered with Gerber to produce a line of survival products including a handy fire steel. The Bear Grylls Survival Series fire starter uses a ferrocerium rod to produce it’s super heated sparks. The entire case is watertight, which protects kindling that can be stored in a container space under the screw off top. Despite the less than desirable color way and appearance the steel actually fits very nicely in the hand and produces a very series spark. This starter also includes an emergency whistle and a guide printed on the side detailed the alpine rescue signal and the standard SOS signal.

Another ferrocerium striker is the nanoSTRIKER from Exotac. This starter comes in five different varieties and weighs only 14.5 grams. By far the most compact of all the fire starting devices we came across the nanoSTRIKER breaks down into three parts and when assembled is barely half the length of the palm. It’s small stature doesn’t effect it’s sparking ability, the petite striker packs a serious punch and throws sparks farther than any of the other steels we observed. Rated at more than 1,000 strikes, this starter, which has a replaceable rod, fits perfectly on a key ring and will barely take up any room in your pack.

There are plenty variations of typical fire steel but the above three are solid options for any survivalist. Just always remember to taker care when using any incendiary device and to keep a large torch handy when trekking through bear country.

From a minimalist shelter to the ultimate blade, five key items that will keep you alive in the most extreme camping conditions

Call it apocalyptic fantasy or a primitive urge, the allure of relying on little more than wit, instinct and a few essentials in the wild brings out the inner Bear Grylls in all of us. (For those who prefer leaving the survival adventures to the folks on TV, check out our weekend and car camping features.) What follows is the best gear—from the newest to the most obscure—to round out the kits of more enthusiastic explorers .

Possibly the most important tool you can have when put in the situation of man vs. nature, a rugged hunting knife plays a critical role in building shelter, feeding yourself and most importantly protecting yourself. Helle’s Fossekallen can do all this and still maintain an unparalleled level of elegant design. The 79-year-old Norwegian knife manufacturer has handcrafted this beauty using birch for the handle and a impeccably strong triple-layered laminated stainless steel blade. Look to Amazon where most Helle knives sell for around $100.

Designed as all-encompassing survival tool, the Raptor by Eton is a weather-resistant solar-powered charger. The built in compass, altimeter and barometer will keep you headed the right direction while the AM/FM radio keeps you informed and upbeat on your way there. As if that wasn’t enough, the device also comes equipped with a USB cell phone charger, digital clock, alarm and NOAA weather alerts for good measure. With all that and a battery life of 30 hours, it’s not a bad deal for between $110-150 from Eton’s webstore and Amazon.

Described by the United States Army as “the finest single source for self-reliance for all extreme circumstances,” the Survival Field Manual has you covered with essential instructions from how to treat polluted water to making traps and snares to preparing and preserving wild game, as well as all types of fire making techniques. Straightforward text and user-friendly illustrations make the guide helpful even in situations of low mental capacity. It’s available through Amazon for $11.

No matter the season, packing a solid waterproof shell when venturing into the unknown is a wise move. We picked Westcomb‘s Apoc jacket, a lightweight shell that comes in both male and female specific cuts. Most importantly, it’s entirely constructed out of the most breathable waterproof fabric available on the market today, the new Polartec Neoshell. Check retailers for the Apoc jacket ($480) once fall rolls around.

Most claim the key to survival is a strong will and a proper shelter. Cascade Design’s compact and lightweight E-wing helps save your precious energy for the mental game. The waterproof canopy—weighing just one pound— can be pitched using two trekking poles or simply strung up on nearby tree limbs, each allowing for different architectural options, a bare bones option that’s ideal for summer trips to the bush too. It sells for $150 through Cascade Designs webshop.

Our first of three camping features lets you rough it in style

Even a passing mention of camping conjures up vivid memories of sleeping under the stars, watching the sun rise and the quintessential smell of a campfire. An adventurous way to escape the daily grind, we’ve prepared a few gear round-ups for different levels of outdoorsiness. This first—for the more sedentary car camping set—includes a few items that will enhance your time at the campground.

As a perfect addition to any road trip (especially ones ending at camp sites), Courtney Heffernan’s Vehicle Field Notes offer cleverly designed notebooks to assist in some of the less exciting aspects of car travel.

Three originally illustrated notebooks are available to help with determining gas mileage, notes for accidents, oil changes and servicing. Clear, bold design makes these small journals a pleasure to look at even if they’re not frequently used. Contact Heffernan directly to inquire about ordering.

Standing at just over nineteen inces high, the Tundra 105 from Yeti Coolers is big enough to hold food for the whole family, with thick enough insulation to keep it cold for longer than you might expect—all the while working as an extra, and always needed, seat around camp. The Tundra series is one hell of a cooler; its wrap around freezer style gasket seals in the cold and its unbreakable hinges ensure that your supplies are kept fresh. The dual nylon rope and handle grips are a nice touch as well. It sells online for $430 from the Yeti store. A more affordable but also heavy-duty option, Coleman’s Heritage Cooler is a workhorse that holds up to 223 cans, 55lbs of ice and comes with a tray and cutting board—perfect for cutting up all those limes to help wash down a cold beer. The classic cooler sells online from Coleman for $250.

Black Diamond’s Titan Lantern provides light for all camping needs. Capable of producing up to 250 lumens of light you may just be able to light up everyone else’s’ campsites too. Dimmers are essential to controlling the mood, and we really appreciate that feature on this lantern. Plus it’s collapsable so it’ll pack away easily and it’s sturdy hook allows it to be hung from most places easily. The Titan Lantern is available through their online shop for $80.

Design Salt’s Cocoon series makes great lightweight travel products, including “sleeping sacks” that are designed to either line your sleeping bag or simply replace it on hot summer nights. The OutLast Coolmax is made of extremely breathable fabric that wicks moisture and dries fast, perfect for humid nights. This machine washable travel sheet comes in an assortment of colors and sells for $60 at Design Salt along with their other great travel gear.

Weighing in at less than 6 lbs. theBodum Picnic Grill is constructed of lightweight steel with an easy to clean colorful enamel coating. Bodum’s clever design features clamps that hold the lid securely in place for transportation. The performance is top-notch and the delicious smokey charcoal flavor infused in your burgers and eggplant will throw your friends off the fact that you really bought it for one of its six summery colors.

Of course no camping trip is complete without s’mores made over a fire. Gear Patrol led us to the S’More To Love STL-600 S’More Maker, a convenient rack that lets you roast up to six s’mores at a time. The STL-600 S’More Maker sells from Amazon for $15. To get the fireside snack melting fast, start with Fidibus Firelighters. These pure wood fibre sticks are soaked with natural paraffin and come 18 to a box. The German kindling can be picked up online from ManuFactum for €7.

These photos made me want to run away from home.

So much skateboard, motorcycle, biking, camping, awesomeness all on one site. Benji’s a photographer based in Portland, Oregon.