OUT & ABOUT

If we had a category just for customers who lust after Jules Verne inventions and elegant gadgetry, this would be in it. The wonderful brass sundial, a reproduction of an antique, is approx 3" dia x 11/16" thick overall, and actually works! A latitudinal gauge lets you tilt the engraved dial to the correct angle for your location, and a bubble and three leveling feet allow the 1-1/2" dia lock-down compass to point in the precise direction. And if you never took it out into the sunshine, you'd still love it for the look and logic of it.

You OK? We thought we heard something when you stood up just now. We feel your pain. And we know you’re trapped—exercising in place, and in pain. Try this wrap-around Optima Dual ROM (range of motion) knee brace, with lateral support and a polycentric hinge that adjusts for flexion and extension. One size fits most, and provides stability and support with a comfortable latex strap. Measures 12” for less bulk.

You say your Humvee® won't fit through the woods? Cut down some trees with this Humvee® Adventure Gear pocket chain saw. Also good for just sawing up some campfire wood. Has big T-handles and (65) vicious, carbon steel, 1/2” wide chain-saw-worthy teeth. Measures 27” long. Comes in a black nylon pouch so you won't cut yourself.

They don’t give them away in bars anymore, so you’d better buy this Matchstick Fire Starter. Has a 1-1/2" x 1-1/8" x 3/8" flint housing and a 1” striker with a small cotton wick around the end. Fill it with a little lighter fluid and you’re ready to start something. Includes a 1/2” clip to hang it on something. A must for camping.

Daytime, too, or whenever you need to start a fire, especially outdoors. These pressed resinous-pine tinder sticks measure 4" long x 1/2" square, and our each is a box of a dozen. Marked as being from the “Survivor Series,” they’re water-resistant and slow burning, lasting approx five minutes each. 

These mighty handy wipes start at 3/4" dia x 1/2" thick and come alive (in a manner of speaking) when you drop them into a glass of water. Unfold one to 9" x 10" and use it to clean up the kids--or yourself--and you'll never leave home without them. Each pack is a plastic tube of  (8) wipes, which makes them great for purses, glove compartments and campsites.

Newly manufactured P-38 Can Opener from the same folks who supply them to Uncle. It folds! into 1-1/2" x 5/8" flat piece which is easily carried and lost. Reportedly works much better than the Asian knockoffs for those who really want to gain entry to the Spam!

Not just a snowman anymore. This Frost bottle is from Alpha Outpost™, the outdoor gear geeks, and despite its name, its double-wall construction will keep your soup hot as easily as it keeps your margaritas cold. Measures 10” tall x 3” dia in black with the Frost logo and a stainless steel screw cap. Holds 16 oz, and includes a rubber infinity loop for your belt.

Easy to find in the lost and found drawer. Also matches your outfit if you're a Cardinal or Santa Claus. Travel size, measures 11” collapsed and opens to a 41” dia canopy. The little black handle has a pop-open trigger button, as they do. The real beauty of this umbrella comes when you press the button a second time and the top of the umbrella collapses saving you the trouble of messing with that little metal tab. You'll still have to push the body back together to reload it, however. Needless to say we are impressed with this innovation in umbrella technology.

You will survive with this Survival Candle, a 3-wick burner made of soy and palm wax in a 3-1/8" dia 2-3/8" tin can with a lid. Rated to last up to 36 hours.

It's a 10-tool Swissesque military survival knife, but without those red plastic handles to break and fall off. Includes stainless steel 2-1/2" knife blade, flathead driver/bottle opener, saw blade, scissors, can opener, fish scaler/nail set, corkscrew, Phillips driver, awl, nail file and the needle-like thing for making buckskin clothes in case you're lost for years. Has a split ring to hang your keys from.

"Laser" safety lights each with super bright LEDs run by (2) "AA" batteries that you supply. It's square and has a flashing or steady LED lamp visible up to 2500 feet (distance may be exaggerated). A 2" x 2-1/2" red plastic reflecting lens covers (3) lamps. Hook it on your belt or pack with the belt clip, use the included elastic strap for arm or leg mounting, or the included aluminum flange to attach it to your bike. It's great for general use as a warning device or as an emergency signal for roadside breakdowns.

Made to strap onto the headrests in your car, this super-squishy pillow puts those airplane neck thingies to shame. Made of microfiber that’s irresistible to touch, it measures 10" wide x 6” tall and is approx 4” thick before you squish it with your head. Black back and neon orange front. Excellent for post-prandial naps after drive-through lunches.

Our squishable silicone coffee cup looks like the takeaway cups you get at coffee shops, complete with the slide-up cuff that keeps your fingers from burning or freezing. Now you can drink your frappalattes or milkshakes out of reusable silicone instead of paper and save the planet. Our cup handles freezer temps down to -40F, and hot temps up to 446F. Squash the cup when you’re done, and put it in your pocket to use again later. Holds 10 oz and stands 5” tall x 3-1/4” dia at the top. Push on its head and watch it sink to just half its size. We’ll send you one in white and aqua, navy, red or lime green to match your eyes.

And you’ll get found again, and you’ll also know what time it is. This 1-3/4” dia x 1/2” thick device has a pull-up pointer flap that makes it a working sundial positioned above a compass. Folds flat and has a ring that’s attached to a lobster clip, so you can hang it on your belt or pocket clip. A handy companion for traveling through time and space, if that’s your thing.

Walking sticks have moved into the space age! This walker's/hiker's friend has futuristic features and the look of an inter-galactic weapon. The high-quality collapsible aluminum stick extends from a packable 27" to a full 43", and has a carbide tip with a rubber cover, a removable 2" dia disk to keep the stick from sinking into soft ground, and an internal shock absorber that can be turned on or off. At the top, a 5-LED flashlight with a 90° pivot is embedded in a molded-plastic cane-style handle to light your way. For mountain trekking, lengthen the stick, slip the adjustable canvas wrist strap over your hand, and clutch the stick by the padded foam section below the cane handle. Directions, diagrams, and 1100mm to 1350mm gradations are marked clearly on the 3-draw pole. We'll pick a black or anodized red, blue, or silver version for you.

Certainly not. It's 4” long stainless steel spork with a set of little hex wrenches on it, along with a screwdriver slot and bottle opener, and it comes with a carabiner so you can hang it on your belt or backpack. Dork. No, no, we didn't mean it. Just lost our head there for a minute. You're a person who likes multi-purpose tools. And camping. And sporks. Just like us.

Put your silverware on your belt. This 4-1/4" camping implement separates into a fold-out fork and spoon, and the spoon has a fold-out knife at the other end so you can use it with the fork to cut your pork chops. Also includes a corkscrew (we recommend a nice Grenache or Tempranillo with pork chops), a can/bottle opener and the ubiquitous awl. In brushed steel with a black canvas belt pouch that you should put the thing into fork-down or the tines might catch on the fabric and make you crazy.