November 28, 2012
I was doing a little REI window shopping the other night, looking at some things that I think would be neat or helpful to have. Keeping in mind I generally car camp at my horse competitions, I still like to pack light when possible and I like to invest in quality gear. Here are a few of the neato things I discovered.
*Disclaimer – I have not actually tried any of these items out. The below are my observations and speculations. I will certainly write more detailed reviews with my own photos if I am able to try these items in the future though. Check back, because I am sure at least one of these items will be part of my gear for the 2013 season!
Snow Peak Mini Hozuki Lantern
Its $39.95 which seems a little steep but for quality gear… should be worth it. The top strap unhooks and can be used to hang it in a tent, or from a tree branch, depending on your need. It looks pretty small and convenient to pack and have handy for frequent use. It uses 3 AAA batteries which the ad says gives 70 hours of light. And it claims to have 3 brightness settings and an ambient candle setting that can be used at all three brightnesses, which I gather makes it flicker like a candle. Sounds pretty neat.
I have quite a few mini lights that are easily portable and rugged, and I can see myself having this Hozuki Lantern as part of my gear. I think it would work well in my truck where I bed down when I camp, and hooked to my trailer when I tend to my pony at night. He does not seem to like being flashed in the face by my headlamp.
There are no reviews on the REI site yet. But its a pretty intriguing item.
ENO Multicolored Twilights LED Light String
Listed for $19.98, and complete with a carrying/storage case, this might be a fun item to add to my camping gear. They are also available in white, for those that like to keep it a little more conservative. These fun lights are made by ENO, the maker of the popular camping hammocks. My husband has one that he loves.
I can see a couple fun uses for this LED light string which is powered by 3 AAA batteries for 72 hours of decoration fun. Not really a necessity, but heck, who doesn’t want to add a little colored fun to their camp site? Sometimes I use a tent, and I could see myself decorating the edges of my tent, and also bringing attention to any trip wires I have set up.
Guyot Designs Squishy Bowl and Cup Set
They are currently on sale for $9.93 from $14.95 for the pair. This squishy dish set is not a new item on the market, and has had my eye for quite a while. I actually almost bought a bowl last weekend when I visited the Trail House in Frederick, Maryland. Being clumsy and really rough on all of my processions, the squishy non breakable design would fit me well. I could toss them into my tub of gear or squish them into my backpack and not have to worry about dropping them or something onto them. and talk about small pack up size. I think this is certainly something I need to invest in before my 2013 travel season starts up. In blue of course.
Light My Fire FireSteel Scout 2.0 Fire Starter
Bottom line, I need this.
Listed for $14.95 at REI, it provides over 3000 strikes, wet or dry, this Light My Fire Fire brand fire Starter is going on my must purchase list. REI provides a little video, that perfectly shows its uses, which include the obvious, starting a fire, but also include a built in whistle, and a wood chip scraper/maker. My only qualm, which is a bit far fetched, is that the video lists it available in 8 colors, but REI does not allow buyers to select the color of their choice online. But a shopper can always go to Light My Fire’s site and find more option as well as other products!
Sea to Summit Folding Bucket – 10 Liters
This item might seem a little frivolous, and maybe it is, but with a list price of $29.95 and a pack weight of 2.8 oz, it could also be a pretty handy tool. Currently I primarily car camp with my horse in tow. So I tend to have an assortment of buckets along for the trip. But I would like to try turning my all day trail rides into multi day trail rides with camping along the way. This Sea to Summit brand folding bucket would be perfect for such trips and could be used to water horses, provide wash up water for dishes and people, and to easily dowse camp fires.
It might also be valid to mention that I have a weird collector/hoarder type of fascination for buckets. There are just so many uses for them. While that could imply that I just want it because it is a bucket, and take it as you like, I feel like it means that I know buckets and how handy they can be.
All Things Krista 