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Five Dedicated Camping Gadgets You Need To Try Out

Posted on by Beckworth & Co

Smartphones can do everything nowadays but the most common ones aren't particularly well-suited for the rough and tumble of the outdoors. Plus, they need constant charging - not something that's easy to do when in the wild. So even though you may already have a high-tech phone with a powerful camera and Google maps, you'll still want to get a dedicated gadget designed for camping or hiking purposes like the ones listed below. With these gadgets, you can avoid failures in the field and you also won't have to put your precious smartphone in harm's way.

 

OLYMPUS Tough TG-6 Waterproof Camera

iPhones already take pretty good pictures and videos as they are, so why the need for a dedicated camera? For one, the battery life of an Olympus TG 6 will be way longer. Waterproofing and handling underwater will also be better, no need to use clunky waterproof cases. If you are serious with underwater photography, use this instead of your smartphone.  
Compliments Complaints
  • Rugged and waterproof
  • Long battery life
  • Good macro shots
  • Auto-mode and auto-focus not as good
  • No lens cover
  • Not good with sand

 

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CREATIVE XP 2021 Digital Night Vision Monocular

If you think that there are a lot of things to see in the day, you'd be amazed at what comes out at night. But you can only see these nocturnal creatures with a night vision device. NV's aren't that expensive anymore and a monocular like Creative XP would be the perfect choice for casual night explorers.
Compliments Complaints
  • Good first NV device
  • Low cost, high value
  • Good battery life
  • Image quality a bit grainy
  • Cannot record audio while recording video
  • Brightness of view screen cannot be adjusted  

 

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Another good reason why you should consider a dedicated device: GPS will drain your phone's battery quickly. But not the Garmin eTrex 22x, aside from a 25 hour battery life, it is also tougher and connects better for GPS purposes compared to a typical smartphone.
Compliments Complaints
  • Rugged and reliable
  • Budget-friendly
  • Almost military-grade
  • Does not display seconds
  • Routes can be hard to load
  • Hardware not as advanced as other Garmins

 

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Nekteck 28W Portable Solar Panel Charger

In the wild, your choices for power are severely limited. In fact, the most efficient way to charge your gadgets is by using a solar charger. Thankfully, solar panel technology is getting better so why not take advantage of the unlimited sun with the NekTeck 28W Solar Charger.
Compliments Complaints
  • Good value for price compared to competitors
  • Decent charging speed
  • Lightweight
  • Might not be as durable as expected
  • An Australian customer had problems claiming replacement insurance
  • Does not perform as well when charging phones directly

 

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GIGA PUMP 2.0 Electric Portable Air Pump

If you like to go camping, chances are you already have an air mattress. However, you can exactly inflate those things by simply blowing. Pumps, whether electric or manual are clunky things that you don't want to bring along. But that should change with the GIGA Pump, which is unbelievably small. In fact, it will fit into your pocket but worry not, it does work like a full-size pump and won't have any problem inflating your camping equipment.
Compliments Complaints
  • USB-C charging
  • Extremely compact and lightweight
  • Doubles as a lantern
  • A customer complained of a problematic battery
  • Some customers complained about getting a lemon
  • Bottom covers & switch comes off easily and doesn’t stay in

 

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