Have you ever found yourself out and about, wishing you could sit down only there were no available seating surfaces? Most of us would just tough it out or make do with the options available. I once sat on a freezing cold curb in Chicago for a solid three hours because it seemed better than standing. True story.
If you simply must have a chair at a moment’s notice and you don’t want to actually cart around a chair with you at all times, then the Pocket Chair (Things You Never Knew Existed, $9.98) is for you. In case you can’t already tell by the name, it’s a chair…that fits in your pocket! Now, don’t get your hopes up; it’s not like you’re gonna be able to fit a La-Z-Boy in your pocket. Is it a pathetic excuse for a chair? Yeah. Is it a million times better than not having a pathetic excuse for a chair? You bet. As long as you don’t expect to be sitting on a cloud, you’ll be fine.
This chair allegedly supports up to 250 pounds. Who wants to test that out?
3 out of 5 stars.
Specs:
-Dimensions: 9.25″ x 6.25″ folded
-Capacity: Up to 250lbs
-Chair that fits in your pocket
-Includes chair and carrying case
-Study lightweight steel
-Stitched nylon canvas seat
I think if you’re going to subject yourself to the act of camping, you had better be prepared for roughing it. To be fair, my idea of “roughing it” would be to stay in a shitty hotel room, but to each their own. I went camping not too long ago and it actually wasn’t that terrible. I’m not saying I’ll be doing to again this weekend, but I managed to survive in the semi-wilderness. Next time (if there is one), there are a few things I’d bring along with me though.
Certainly not the first thing on the list (poncho, anyone?), but the Grandpa’s Firefork (Not On The High Street, £4.50) would be a handy tool to have whilst being one with nature. Depending on your level of camping skills, you might have a grill to cook your food on or you might just have to settle for an open flame, campfire style. If it’s the latter, you’ll probably want this contraption because it’s a great alternative to poking your food onto a stick you found in the woods. Don’t get me wrong, you still need the stick to use as a handle, but at least your food will stay on the clean metal part while it roasts instead of marinating in unknown woodsy bits. And since we talked about overpacking yesterday, you’ll be happy to note that this camping companion takes up barely any space and is fairly multi-use. Heck, you could even use it as a fire poker if you really wanted to.
You know what’s more fun than camping? ANYTHING.
3 out of 5 stars.
Specs:
-Makes grilling easy
-Attaches firmly to any stick
-Secure storage cap included
-Can be used as a fire poker
-Great for camping
I don’t mean to brag, but I am a fantastic packer. I can pack 10 days worth of clothes into a small suitcase that could pass for carry-on (very important these days, what with baggage fees being so outrageous). As amazing a packer as I am, even I sometimes fall victim to the perils of overpacking. The funny thing is, I tend to overpack when I’m just staying for the weekend versus a long trip. I don’t know what it is, but the shorter the trip the more likely I am to jam 17 shirts into my bag before debating whether to bring my entire movie collection.
I feel the worst overpacking happens when going to the beach because you actually might need all of the things you’ve packed. Sunscreen? Necessary. Sunglasses? Necessary. Book? Necessary. Music? Necessary. Towel? Ultra necessary. Too bad that your towel takes up the most space or else you’d totally be able to get by with just one small beach bag, right? The Pocket Towel (Latest Buy, $22.95) makes packing for the beach easy with a magical towel that is small enough to fit in your pocket. Inside its handy little pouch is a nearly full-size bath towel made of ultrafine microfibre that can absorb three times its weight in water! You could probably fit at least two dozen of these super absorbent pocket towels into the same space as a regular beach towel. Plus, instead of putting a soggy towel back into your bag just so it can soak everything else inside, you can simply fold it and put it back in its storage pouch.
A towel like this might also be helpful when you find yourself caught in a torrential downpour (like the ones we’ve been experiencing lately) without an umbrella or poncho.
4 out 5 stars.
Specs:
-Dimensions: 3.5″ x 3.5″ x 2.2″ (folded); 48″ x 24″ (unfolded)
-Weight: 3.9oz
-Full size towel in convenient travel form
-Absorbs 3 times its weight in water
-Neoprene storage pouch included
-Available in blue, green, or red
-Made of ultrafine woven microfibre
Do you have a dog? I don’t, at least I haven’t had one for quite a few years. Pets can be a lot of fun, dogs in particular because they’re so lovable in an incredibly interactive kind of ways that cats are not. The downside to owning a dog is the cleanup. Sure, with cats you have to deal with a litterbox which isn’t any picnic either, but with dogs you actually have to stand around waiting for them to poop so you can pick it up. It’s just a touch humbling, isn’t it?
Unless you’re one of those law-breaking jerks who doesn’t pick up after your dog, you probably make sure you have a nice stash of plastic bags before you and your dog take a stroll around the block. What if, instead of slowing killing the environment with your ever-abundant plastic bag stockpile, you used a biodegradable bag like the Flushable Doodie Bags (ThinkGeek, $8.99) to pick up your dog’s business? These bags are made strong enough to withstand a stroll with your pup, yet fragile enough to dissolve in water. Safe for most septic and sewer systems, you can flush your dog’s fecal matter in the toilet – bag and all! The bags themselves are made of Polyvinyl Alcohol film that melts away when flushed, so they’re as safe to flush as wet wipes. If you’re not cool with flushing your dog’s deposits every time they go for a walk, these bags will also dissipate quickly in landfills (much faster than a standard plastic bag).
These bags probably won’t help you feel less ridiculous picking up your dog’s doodie, but at least you know you’ll be helping the environment. Isn’t that all that matters?
4 out of 5 stars.
Specs:
-Biodegradable dog doo bags
-Includes 3 pocket sized packs of 20 bags each (60 bags total)
-Bags dissolve in water
-Safe for most septic and sewer systems
-Works even with low flow toilets and older plumbing
-Bags also dissolve quickly in landfills
I recently went camping again after at least a decade long absence and let me tell you, it was a bit of a culture shock. As much as you might think you’re prepared for spending an extended period of time being one with the outdoors, let me assure you that you have grossly underestimated Mother Nature. She is a fickle creature, one minute creating a sweltering hot summer day and the next drenching you with nonstop rain. If you’re going camping, you’d better arm yourself to the teeth.
The Wearable Tent (Hammacher Schlemmer, $249.95) is the epitome of skillful camping because you’re basically wearing your sleeping arrangements. There’s no need to waste time setting up your tent for later because you can just pull the shelter over your head to form a wedge that protects you from the elements when you’re ready to call it a night. A sleeping bag pulls down from the jacket and features a mosquito net to deter hungry insects. Each of these features is stowed in separate zippered pouches within the waterproof jacket, making it easy to access them at a moment’s notice. Now, I’m not saying that you’ll be able to withstand a snowstorm or anything on that participatory level, but this three-season shelter is high on the list of essentials.
You know what else you don’t want to forget on a camping trip? A can opener. Do you have any idea how hard it is to bash a can of beans open without one? I’ll tell you, it’s pretty hard.
4 out of 5 stars.
Specs:
-Weight: 3.5 lbs
-Jacket converts to wearable sleeping bag and shelter
-Sleeping bag and shelter stowed in separate zippered pouches within jacket
-Three season sleeping bag and shelter
-Attached mosquito net
-Zippered underarm vents
-Integrated hood and collar
-Storm flaps over pockets and zippers
-Available in small, medium, large, and extra large
-Waterproof
