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The Corsair Flash Survivor drives are perhaps the only real contender in the rugged flash drives niche. These drives are water resistant to 200 meters and boast some shock protection. The casing is aluminum. For me the best feature is a lack of reliance on the ubiquitous click-caps used by nearly every other flash drive. These drives are the ticket if you'd like to protect up to 8GB of data from dust, water, and sudden drops.

The 4GB version retails for $60 and the 8GB version retails for $130. With the larger version you're not only getting more space, but (according to Corsair) higher speed as well.

The Yodobashi bottle cap tripod is still the only easily commercially available product of its kind. It's now on sale at Semson's for nearly half off, at $10.99.

The more adventurous among you might prefer to make your own for $3.37 in parts and a small investment of time.

Both methods are great way to save some space and weight while travelling if you've got a camera small enough to make this useful.

If you've ever wanted to listen to your iPod while swimming, snorkeling or navigating an inhospitable environment then the H20 Audio line of Waterproof iPod cases is for you. They're tough, waterproof and sexy. The case is a water tight compartment, lined with what they call a "T Seal" type of gasket. By using a dual locking hinge system, H2O is able to ensure a tight compression around the entire iPod thereby keeping water out.

How do you maintain control of your audio while in such a sophisticated case, you ask? H2O's patented case design is complete with a Commander™ Scroll Wheel control assembly, allowing seamless song switching even while wearing gloves. To prevent water seeping in through the headphone connection, a SealTight™ rubber boot is installed at the base of the unit. While most headphones themselves are not waterproof, H2O sells a line of waterproof headsets that are well regarded for their audio quality and propensity to stay in place while swimming.

Capable of depths of up to 10 feet (or 200 feet using the DV model), the H2O Audio iPod Cases are highly recommended when you can't let a simple thing like Level 4 white water rapids deprive you of your rocking tunes.

Starting at $79.95 direct from H2O Audio.

Tired of lugging around a heavy aluminum snow shovel? So are we, and that's why the SnowClaw is such a great new tool. The SnowClaw is a 6.1oz snow eating monster, capable of throwing snow at obscene volumes. The unique shape and two handle operation allows for quick shelter building or digging out of an avalanche situation. Made of an almost indestructible high impact copolymer, The Claw is flexible and crack resistant to -20°F (-29°C). Not only does it devour snow by the foot, it's a multifunction survival tool. With the use of a couple of straps, it transforms into a snow anchor, dinner plate, sled or emergency splint.

The SnowClaw comes in three styles, the Guide, the Racer and Pro Series. The guide is 6.1oz, Racer is 5.75oz and the Pro Series clocks in at 11.8oz and is made of 6000 series aluminum for ultra-rigidity but loses the multifunction properties of the Guide and Racer.

Available from REI at $15 for the Guide and $24.95 for the Pro Series.

More information can be had at SnowClaw.com.

While checking out SimpleHiker, I saw a cool new piece of technology for positioning your camera in weird places or at angles not otherwise possible with a standard tripod. The Gorillapod by Joby has three legs like a standard tripod, however, each leg is crafted of a series of 360 degree flexible joints allowing it to bend and twist around virtually any object. Weighing in at less than two ounces, even the weight conscious crowd can appreciate this handy utility.

From the source:

The gorillapod firmly secures your compact digital camera to just about anything...anywhere and everywhere. Unlike traditional tripods, the gorillapod doesn't require an elevated flat surface for you to take the perfect shot.

Available for $29.95 from Joby.

Some of us have more electronics on us than a Tokyo electronics store, most of which have an insatiable thirst for more power. Being trekkers we're often far from an outlet and don't always lug around solar panels for field charging our electronics. The PocketPower from Gear4.com can help us. This ultra-small device is built for portable power. It features an integrated power pack for source power and recharges via any USB device. The PocketPower is capable of charging virtually all USB devices via the integrated retractable USB cable. Additionally you can charge up to four AAA batteries (included) at a time for other non-USB devices. Gear4.com says the PocketPower is capable of supplying enough juice to power an iPod for an additional 8 hours.

If you need extra juice for an iPod, camera or phone in the field, look no further than the PocketPower from Gear4.com

Thanks goes to Gizmodo for the lead.

Listening to MP3's while snow shoeing, hiking or running during the cold winter months doesn't have to mean frost bitten ears; at least now that JVC has just released the 180s Performance Tec Fleece Ear Warmers. It's a high-tech ear warmer with a pretty decent set of head phones built-in. Crafted with quality fabrics and solid technology, they look to be a great accessory to any cold-months outdoors kit.

Fabric Features:
Next-to-Skin - Dri-Release with Freshguard rapidly moves moisture away from the skin to ensure a dry comfortable fit. The liner is treated with a natural component and unique process activated right into the yarn helping to virtually eliminate odor.
Core Insulation - Thermolite Active 100 provides ultra-lightweight warmth without bulk.
Wind Protection - Polartec Wind Pro blocks 95% of the wind and is highly breathable.
Shell - Polartec Classic 300 fleece is water-resistant, breathable, lightweight and durable.
Finish - Freshguard, anti-odor liner treatment, combats odors so Ear Warmers are always fresh.

Audio Features:
Driver Unit: 40mm dia
Max Input Capability: 100mW
Nominal Impedance: 32 Ohms
Sensitivity: 102dB / 1mW
Magnet: Neodymium
Cord Length: 4.92 feet (1.5m)
Frequency Response: 20 - 20,000 Hz
Adjustable volume control

You can purchase these from Cabela's for $29.99 in black.

You can check out Keith Kemp's trip to Louisiana in realtime; I coded a couple of applications for him that will eventually be made opensource and distributed by Treknologies so that everyone can use them. His setup involves a Nokia cellphone, a laptop, a webcam, and a USB GPS receiver.

While solar-powered electronics are great for trekking, camping, or adventuring outdoors, oftentimes during an emergency or in areas without much sunlight they're just not practical. Therefore I've compiled a list of hand-crank alternatives, and dual purpose (both solar and hand-crank) for those that wish to remain versatile while running a lean inventory.

Flashlights:

The Kaito 3 LED Dynamo (5 LED version) is on the basic end of the crank flashlight spectrum. It features only a hand-crank as possible power source, though it will remain usable for 30 minutes from a continuous minute of cranking and is waterproof. 3 LEDs may not be strong enough for serious tasks, and the limitation of only cranking for power means I can't recommend this for a general purpose backup.

Recommended for: Emergencies, power outages, day hikes, camping backup

Princess International makes a more unique offering, the 4-in-1 Dynamo. They call it 4-in-1 which is misleading because it's more of a 2-in-1. It features a spotlight or direct light beam, as well as a mosquito repeller (hi/low selection), which adds up to four total features. It's hand-crank powered as well as having a DC jack. On a full charge the light will last up to 3.5 hours, and the mosquito repellent will last for 48 hours. For the curious, the mosquito repellent isn't chemical, it's actually an artifical reproduction of the sound of dragon fly wings flapping (a natural enemy of the mosquito). Its range is reported at about 13 feet.

Recommended for: Camping, trekking, multi-day hikes, bicycling, evening walks (chemical-free mosquito prevention)

The Kaito Forever is the cheapest ($9.99), simplest and most rugged solution I've seen. While it's not the most powerful, it will probably be the least labor intensive to keep running. It uses electromagnetic induction, or a moving magnet through coils, so as you swing or shake it back and forth you're basically powering a miniature generator. Many new batteryless watches use the same technology.

It works quite well on a walk or hike; the swinging of your arms with your stride is enough to keep power going. It's also shockproof, waterproof, and it floats. If this isn't a great boat light, nothing is.

Recommend for: Boats, day hikes, walking

Radios:

For Radios, there's the Stansport Hand-Crank/Solar Battery Radio/Flashlight. This is a great all-in-one tool that should most definitely make it on any camping trip or multi-day hike. Featuring the ability to run off solar power, AA batteries, hand-crank or DC, it'd be a challenge to find a way NOT to power this thing. This may be the best option for eliminating the need to carry a seperate radio and back-up flash light. It also features a siren, the use of which is obvious. A similar but larger version (bigger light) is available as well, the SAMFE Hand-Crank Dynamo and Solar Radio Flashlight.

Recommended for: Emergencies, camping, hiking, day at the beach

Cell Phone Charger:

The SOS Charger hand-crank cell phone charger is very cool. It's compatible with Nokia, Motorola, Sony-Ericsson and Samsung phones, and will give you an emergency charge for 3 minutes of cranking time. I know I could have used this many times. Far superior to keeping an assortment of extra batteries with you or waiting until daybreak to use your solar charger.

Recommended for: Everyone

Cookware:

While not an essential resource this could bring quite a bit of enjoyment or a nice reward for reaching that next peak. The Vortex Hand-Crank Blender. I've personally used this thing and it rocks. Just throw in your favorite drink or smoothie mixes and start cranking. The crank turns incredibly easy, and the blade crunches and crushes with amazing speed. The only downside is the weight, clocking in at 5lbs.

Recommended for: Camping, day at the beach

Hot on the heels of our Solar charger roundup, we've learned via TreeHugger that we missed a unique offering. Voltaic released three new bags with builtin 4 watt solar panels. They all look very classy and would be great for walking and charging ipods, phones, and cameras. Personally I still like the cheaper, weatherproof Solio and its ability to fold up into such a small size. Check out more information on the Voltaic bags.

While researching our upcoming multi-fuel portable stoves roundup I came across Mark Jurey's Penny Alcohol Stove. Many claim it to be the best DIY alcohol stove they've used. I had not researched alcohol as a fuel source extensively until reading about this stove but it looks like a very viable option--finding burnable alcohol on your trip will be almost as easy as finding petrol. The price is right, at roughly three Heineken cans, and it's claimed that the stove can be made in the field with only a sharp knife available. Most travelers I know can spare that, and many will jump at the chance to make this stove if it calls for them to drink a few beers first.

For more information you can check out Zen Stoves (which isn't limited to information on alcohol stoves) and Art Simon's review of lightweight alcohol stoves for backpacking.

Google Sightseeing--whose motto is "Why bother seeing the world for real?"--allows those of us without the wherewithal or ability to take time off work to see the world. It's a frequently updated blog that highlights interesting satellite imagery using Google Maps satellite data. The site is very well designed and browsable by location, category, and through a map interface.

I believe most of the Google Maps satellite data comes from Google's acquisition of Keyhole last year. Now Google is almost ready to unveil the updated version of Keyhole, called Google Earth. The screenshot makes me very excited, as it looks capable of overlaying driving directions and has many other enhancements over the original Keyhole software. No word yet on whether it will be free or join the stable of Google's few pay offerings.

[Sergey] Brin demonstrated how in the new release, he could "fly"--in a virtual sense--through the Grand Canyon, a landmark he's never visited in person, and view the canyon's peaks and valleys.

"Now I don't have to go," he said.

There's currently a beta version of Google Earth available that you can play around with as well as the official Google Earth website.

If you'd like a completely free alternative there's NASA's World Wind software, the opensource equivalent to Keyhole and Google Earth. World Wind is setup to access some of NASA's scientific data, and users have been udpating it to show data of interest to many. World Wind is also useful for checking out global news in a novel new way--it allows the user to view alerts on the globe. Forest fires, flooding, and earthquakes can all be seen soon after they happen. The connected traveler could use this data to make updates to their route in realtime, avoiding delays or rushing in to document or help out in a disaster.

Finally, for a pictorial travelogue from a place that few travelers will ever go, see Elena's Kid of Speed website. She takes her Kawasaki Ninja through the ghost town of Chernobyl in the irradiated zone, Geiger counter and camera in hand. It is an amazing and sobering look at the aftereffects of a nuclear disaster:

I have ridden all my life and over the years I have owned several different motorbikes. I ended my search for a perfect bike with a big kawasaki ninja, that boasts a mature 147 horse power, some serious bark, is fast as a bullet and comfortable for a long trips.

I travel a lot and one of my favorite destinations leads North from Kiev, towards so called Chernobyl "dead zone", which is 130km from my home. Why my favorite? Because one can take long rides there on empty roads.

The people there all left and nature is blooming. There are beautiful woods and lakes.

In places where roads have not been travelled by trucks or army vehicles, they are in the same condition they were 20 years ago--except for an occasional blade of grass that discovered a crack to spring through. Time does not ruin roads, so they may stay this way until they can be opened to normal traffic again... a few centuries from now.

The Pak-Lite is a very simple concept that has a definite appeal for hikers and other travelers with an eye on keeping their carry weight down. It's basically a battery cap that also happens to contain a three-way switch and two ultra-bright LEDs, and which happens to have survived the Pacific Crest Trail and the Appalachian Trail, three months in a freezer, 45 days frozen in a block of ice, and a drop from an airplane traveling at 100mph. It's a flashlight stripped down to the bare essentials, where the battery itself is the grip. The next time you need a light that doesn't weigh much more than a 9-volt battery I suggest you give it a try. It also comes in an infrared version--which would come in handy for both night-vision users and those interested in infrared photography--and a flashing version for those that need an emergency signal.

Anyone who has any interest in professional sports, rock climbing, running or any other outdoor activity has almost surely heard of Under Armour. It's been around for a couple of years now and continues to innovate with newer products and continued advancements in the technology surrounding their patented fabric. My goal is to test a variety of their products and offer my recommendations for their use.

The focus of this review will be to evaluate a few of the more general items to meet our readers' trekking and adventuring needs. I will focus less on numbers and more on my perception of performance. How I feel and what I feel like while wearing and using the various products is what is being evaluated. I intend to evaluate the following Under Armour products in some varied environments:

Heat Gear: Tight compression fabric designed for high performance heat removal
Loose Gear: Loose fitting version of the same fabric, cut like a standard t-shirt
Cold Gear: Two-fold compression fabric designed to remove excess moisture while trapping heat
Underwear: Heat removal, comfort and moisture transport
Socks: Heat removal, impact dampening, and moisture transport

Read on after the jump for my detailed impressions.

There's a new Ask Slashdot up asking for advice about DV cameras that are up to the task of on-the-road use. If you're in the market too it's worth a read; I suggest changing the comment sort mode to "highest scores first" for a quick read of the comments deemed most helpful.

You know the feeling: You've made the final ascent of K2 only to find your camera's batteries are dead, leaving you with no way to prove to the guys back home that you were actually there. We want to make sure this doesn't happen to you, so we've detailed our favorite picks for mobile power.

Soldius has the smallest solution I've seen, which also happens to be the most powerful gram for gram. The Solidus1 is a compact cell phone charger designed to provide enough power to completely charge a phone in 2-3 hours of direct sunlight. Amazingly it weighs only 85 grams and will fit in your pocket! This is also the only model I've seen which does not require an attached battery pack. It's compatible with Motorola, Nokia, Samsung, Siemens, and Sony phones. A model to charge PDAs and other accessories is in the works now. Here's more information on the Soldius1.

The Solio is another solution, it weighs quite a bit more due to its integrated 1600mAh rechargeable batteries. It uses by far the most unique looking panel setup, called Solar Blade. It has sleek lines and folds up to about a third of its size when not in use. Capable of charging PDAs, cell phones, the Gameboy SP & Gameboy Advance, and iPods--at the same power and rate as if they were using their own power blocks--this is my pick for portable power. $99.99 from Solio.

I run my equipment quite hard, and if you're like me then ICP's PowerFlex is the only solution that you should consider. It is constructed of lightweight, ultra-flexible CIGS solar cells and designed to take a beating. ICP produces 5, 10, 20 and 40 watt versions of the PowerFlex, all of which are capable of being daisy-chained together via plug & play side connectors. These would be great for draping over the rear of your backpack, providing you on-the-go charging of all your electronics or batteries. View the specifications and choose the model that's right for you.

Trekking on a budget? Check out all-battery.com. They're selling the Solar E-Power on sale for $49.99 right now. Compatible with a whole host of cell phones and smaller electronics, this panel is capable of 1.38 watts in direct sunlight and comes with a series of adapters to meet your needs. Here's more information on the Solar E-Power.

If you need to cross Europe or get from point to point in a hurry this may be an essential resource for you. It's a GPS-based early warning system for speed traps and speed camera locations in Europe. The system features a downloadable database fixed radar installations, as well as areas known for mobile radar operation. The system is capable of holding up to 10,000 possible trapping points in memory.

As you approach an area covered by a speed-trap the early warning system will set off a series of beeps and flashing lights to warn you to slow down. A version for cars has been available for sometime but now there is a version avaiable for motorcycles.

The English site has not been updated as of yet, but the French version (translated via Google) has more information. It's also notable that there are no laws against this type of device, as it's not actually a radar detector.

Ronja is an interesting DIY design plan for building a set of optical 10Mbps transceivers capable of beaming information at 10Mbps up to 1.4 kilometers away. It's full duplex and costs less than $60. Ronja is small and easily transportable to remote locations for quick deployment of communication infrastructure. The technology simulates a LAN connection via LED transmission rather than using radio waves.

Transfer files between base camps, create village to village networks, or relay communications over multiple, cheap installations.

From the site:

Ronja (Reasonable Optical Near Joint Access) is a Free Technology (like Free Software) project of optical point-to-point data link. The design is released under the GNU General Public License: you get all the necessary documentation and construction guides free. The construction costs are minimal; it's probably the cheapest wireless system ever. The operation is reliable and immune to interference.

Ever needed to amplify a weak audio signal while on the road? You might try Chu Moy's portable design which can run on 9-volt or NiMH batteries:

Chu Moy designed a very popular headphone amplifier that's easy to build, and it can be built small enough to fit in a pocket, power supply and all. It's powerful enough to drive very inefficient headphones to thunderous volumes from even weak sources, and it sounds excellent considering that you can build a bare-bones CMoy amp for just US$20, and a pretty nice amp for under $50. Considering that the cheapest of the worthy commercial amps is $100 and most of them are in the $200+ range, this is a very worthwhile cost difference.

Over at Globeriders you can track Helge Pedersen and his group of adventurers in realtime as they ride their Silk Road tour.

Those of you planning for an RTW trip might want to look into this as a way to keep supporters, readers, and family up to date on your whereabouts.

[Update: There's also a page at the GPSS website about using Inmarsat-C to track vehicles.]

CVS has introduced a new single use DVD-quality video camera system. The innovative camera allows up to 20 minutes of DVD-quality video and sound recording, as well as playback and deletion of recorded clips via a 1.4" color screen. At $30 these little cameras could be indispensable to the average adventurer or traveler. The $30 price tag and one-time use means you don't have to feel bad about strapping it to the front of a car or motorcycle--or worry about the Vietnamese humidity ruining a nicer camera.

PRNewsWire has the story:

Built on the Pure Digital(R) Imaging platform, the revolutionary new CVS camcorder is the perfect easy-to-carry choice for capturing memories of weddings, vacation getaways, beach trips, or any time that family and friends get together. Just grab it and go -- and leave that expensive and cumbersome traditional camcorder at home. Using just three simple buttons, consumers can capture up to 20 minutes of digital quality video and sound, in as many separate segments or clips as they wish.

The video camcorder's 1.4-inch color playback screen lets consumers instantly enjoy their home videos and even delete unwanted segments with the press of a button. Once finished shooting, consumers simply return the video camera to their local CVS/pharmacy store and get a DVD to view and share the very same day.

It seems that Dr. Dan's Alternative Fuelwerks also sells biodiesel in Seattle (and they deliver!), so if you're in town and need some of the cleaner stuff you've got some variety.

Please also see Dr. Dan's nice list of Washington biodiesel stations.

Seattle now has its first biodiesel refueling station, operated by Laurelhurst Oil. The station uses locally produced biodiesel and promises cleaner burning, 100% backwards compatible fuel which will run smoother and prolong periods between maintenance. A number of claims that, if true, could present a much better option for those of us with diesel vehicles. If you're traveling through the Seattle area and need some fuel for your vehicle or generator you might think about trying Laurelhurts's biodiesel.

The station is located at:

4550 Union Bay Pl NE
Seattle, WA 98105

From Laurelhurst's biodiesel page:

Biodiesel Quick Facts:

1. Biodiesel is made in the USA from renewable resources, reducing our dependence on foreign oil. We supply locally produced biodiesel when available.
2. Biodiesel will run in ANY diesel engine. Select pre-1990 vehicles require updates to older "natural" rubber hoses and gaskets. Biodiesel is a natural solvent, and will loosen diesel sludge in older vehicles; resulting in a plugged fuel filter. The solution? Fill with B50 or above, wait two weeks and replace your fuel filter.
3. Biodiesel can be used 100% (B100) or mixed at any ratio with regular diesel fuel. Common blends are 20% biodiesel/80% diesel (B20), or a 50/50 combination (B50). To blend, fill with diesel first, then top off with biodiesel. A common method is to fill up at half tank increments, alternating biodiesel and petroleum diesel.
4. Biodiesel is cleaner than petroleum diesel. Biodiesel use substantially reduces emissions of greenhouse pollutants and essentially eliminates sulfur dioxides and sulfates emissions.

For the serious road tripper or adventurer power is a commodity that's usually constantly available (in your car, for instance) but seldom in a format that you can use easily. I-Hacked comes through with another howto, this time showing you how to add two 110 volt AC-style wall plugins into your car. Now you can heat up Pop-Tarts in your car via a dash-mounted toaster. Road tripping has never been more comfortable.

Check out the whole guide for more pictures.