25 Hot Rugged Gadgets to Help You Weather The Outdoors
It’s summer time and the weather is gorgeous, at least for most of us. You’ve been sitting in your office all week but now it’s Friday and the outdoors are calling you. We’re here to show you all best gadgets that won’t leave you high and dry as you brave the elemental forces of nature.
So listen up, gear up, and head out as we showcase the 25 Hottest Rugged Gadgets that can Weather The Outdoors (in no particular order).
- Segway X2 Adventure
Leave the pack in the dust as you glide on the back of this gyroscopic beast. The Segway X2 Adventure is basically a ruggedized Segway built with exploration in mind. Chunky wheels and an advanced gyroscope keep you stable and a cargo pouch holds all your necessities. It has a 5W headlamp to light your way. You’ll be able to go up to 12 miles on a charge in about an hour at top speed. - Casio G’zOne Type-R Outdoor Phone
If you’re planning on going anywhere remote this summer, you want to make sure you have a life-line back to civilization should any emergencies occur. The G’zOne Type-R Outdoor Phone by Casio fits the bill perfectly. The phone is water-proof and shock-resistant, comes with a built-in electronic compass and is available in 3 colors. But you might have to send away for this one – it’s currently only available in Japan; but you were planning on traveling anyway, weren’t you? (The G’zOne type-S is currently available from Verizon, albeit with some watered down features, or you could just wait for the G’zOne Boulder which is rumored to be coming out some time in the near future.) - Magellan Triton
I know what you’re thinking – Outdoor GPS’s just route from point to point, regardless of whether there might be a river, gorge, forest, or black bear in the way. Well my friends, let me introduce you to the Magellan Triton, which features Primordial’s Ground Guidance logic. What this means is that, by analyzing satellite photos of the earth, this GPS will route you around rivers, cliffs, thick forests, and other obstacles, so that it gets you from point A to point B in the safest and easiest way possible. This touchscreen device also comes with a 2 megapixel camera, water-resistant cover, barometer, built-in LED flashlight, and National Geographic’s maps. Certainly not the only tool you’d want to have out in the wild, but a great way to give you an edge! - Nalgene Bottle Kits
If there is one thing you don’t want to be stuck without while outdoors, it’s water. Dehydration is downright dangerous, and fortunately, largely preventable. Nalgene bottles have been around for years, but Nalgene Bottle kits offer a useful twist on an old classic. Coming in 6 different varieties, these Nalgene bottles are stuffed with various supplies to help you along your way. They come in 6 varieties: Auto, Dog, Emergency/Survival, First Aid, Heat Stress, and Kids. They come packed with things like rescue blankets, electrolyte tablets, first aid supplies and more. Throw one in your pack for your adventures and you just might be glad you did. - Panasonic Toughbook U1
As far as tough mobile computers go, there is nothing tougher than a Panasonic Toughbook. This UMPC doesn’t joke around, with an Intel Atom processor for low power consumption and high processing power, and a shock resistant SSD hard drive. Be sure to check out our full preview of this mean machine. It will be available in August starting at $2800. - Leatherman Skeletool
There is a lot to be said about having a good survival tool by your side when you are out trekking about. With that in mind, the Skeletool by Leatherman is one of the most versatile (and coolest looking) multitools around. It’s lightweight and functional, sporting pliers, a knife, interchangeable screwdriver, carabiner, wire cutter and bottle opener. There is also the Skeletool CS, which switches steel parts for carbon fiber. The Skeletool is available now for $50, and the Skeletool CX is available for $64. - The Solar Tent
Going camping this year? Why not bring along this solar powered tent with you? 7-inch solar panels along the top gather energy during the day, so at night it can power a series of built-in LED’s or charge your gadgets. The tent comes in 4 and 6 person models, which are $200 and $250 respectively. - Zippo Outdoor Utility Lighter
There is something primal about being outdoors and having the power of fire in your hand. The Zippo OUL (Outdoor Utility Lighter) is perfect for your camping excursion, and features a wind-resistant dual flame and a built-in LED light. It’s currently available for $22. - Terra Wind Amphibious RV
No your eyes do not deceive you. That RV is happily floating along.The Terra Wind Amphibious RV let’s you tour the great outdoors in comfort and style. Stuck in traffic? No problem, just take the lake! This behemoth is decked out more luxuries than many people fit inside their homes, but what else would you expect for an RV that operates on both land and sea? (I wouldn’t recommend operating it in anything but calm fresh water, however). This baby comes with a big price tag, however; $850,000, custom made, naturally. - WASP Injector Knife
Looking much like a normal knife, the WASP Injector knife packs a nasty surprise for anyone or anything that’s foolish enough to get in your way. Designed for divers in dangerous waters, the WASP contains a removable canister of compressed gas in the handle of the knife which is injected into whatever is stabbed at 800 psi. Underwater, this means a basketball-sized ball of gas will drag mean predators to the surface quickly, killing the fish and keeping the dangerous beast away from the diver. On the surface, it’s not only potentially lethal, but extremely painful. It’s a last resort sort of item, but a fearful one at that, and can be had for $380. - Garmin Oregon 400i
Garmin recently released the Oregon series of hand held personal navigation devices, and for each edition (400c, 400t, and 400i) there is a different purpose. The 400c is for sea fishers, the 400t for fresh water fishers, and the 400i is for land dwellers, preloaded with 3D topographic maps. The units come with a three inch-touchscreen, is waterproof, runs off 2 AA batteries, and comes with an SD expansion slot. You can grab one for $640.00 - Handpresso Wild
You may find comfort in knowing that going into the great outdoors doesn’t necessarily mean abandoning your favorite latte. This electricity-less espresso maker is powered by a hand pump, similar to a bicycle pump. Put your favorite blend in before you leave, and when you’re ready, pump up the pressure, pour in some hot water, press a button et viola’. The perfect crema.   It;s currently available through Handpresso’s website for 99 Euros (roughly 160 dollars). - The Waterproof Pentax W60
Capture your adventurous memories with this waterproof camera from Pentax. It’s compact, captures at a resolution of up to 10 Megapixels, and has a 5x optical zoom. Perfect for your exciting expeditions! - LaCie Rugged Hard Disk
What looks like a life raft is actually a whopping 500 GB external hard disk. The drive is held in a protective aluminum cover and features shock-resistant rubber padding on both the inside and the outside. Several models are available, for USB 2.0, Firewire 400 and Firewire 800 connections, with the USB model starting at $340. - Coleman Battery Powered Blender
This 48-oz blender comes in several flavors, but all are more than capable for handling all your blending needs while away. The blenders are powered by two 6-volt rechargeable batteries and can make 20 to 30 batches for each full charge. Each blender also carries a 120-volt and a 12-volt charger conveniently in the base of the blender so you can charge it wherever you find a power source. Pricing starts at $60. - Dell Latitude XFR D630
This rugged laptop from Dell is a real powerhouse. Built to strict military standards (MIL-STD 810F), this laptop can withstand some of the most brutal drops, shocks, temperatures and environments around. A solid magnesium chassis, a shock-mounted SSD drive, and a sealed keyboard are just the starting points in a whole list of features that make this laptop one of the toughest around. Pricing starts at $3,899. - NEC ShieldPro
Maybe a rugged Tablet PC is more your style. In that case, take a look at the NEC ShieldPro, which we first talked about not that long ago. You can be assured that this is one tablet that can take whatever you dish out on the trail. - Wireless Flexible Keyboard
This rugged flexible keyboard by TechieTrends is waterproof and dust proof. It is made from high quality silicon, allowing it to be tough enough on the go while remaining flexible. The keys are designed to be silent, so you can type at night without waking up the person next to you. - Tetra T-Pad
We first covered this beastly beauty here, but the Tetra T-Pad is worthy of mentioning again simply because it’s one of the toughest phones around, not to mention one of the most expensive, ringing in at nearly $2600. It’s shock-proof, water-proof, dust and debris resistant and mean enough to take out the iPhone in 2 seconds flat. - Personal Locator Beacon
This is the kind of device you take when going on a mountain climbing expedition. This Personal Locator Beacon, or PLB, transmits your location via GPS to the likes of NOAA or SARSAT should you be in distress. These devices saved nearly 100 lives last year and are vital to survival in some cases. If you find yourself in a sick situation this summer, you might be glad to have brought one of these guys along. Pricing typically ranges from $499-$699 depending on the model. - Suntronic’s 102-inch Outdoor HDTV
Maybe you’re sticking a bit closer to home this year. If that’s the case, This mammoth TV is perfect for you backyard outdoor viewing. These screens are tough – they can withstand temperatures of -40°F to more than 120°F, and have built in heating and cooling. LCD’s optimized for sunlight viewing ensure a crystal-clear picture at any time of the day. - Samsung GT-B2700 Rugged Phone
This phone exemplified rugged minimalism and functionality. In other words, it gets the job done without all the fancy bells and whistles. Both water and dust proof, this phone also comes with a built in FM radio, which is nice if that’s your thing. Pricing starts at $330. - Plantronics Explorer 370
The only Bluetooth unit designed for rugged outdoor use, this little guy is water, shock, and dust resistant. It’s currently available for $80. - Ricoh G600
The special thing about this camera is the built-in macro function and low-light (ISO 3200) mode so you can take spectacular up-close nature shots without having to worry too much about knocking this phone around whilst in the wild. The ruggedized exterior provides good protection from dust, moisture and whatever object happen to be crushing it in the bottom of your trekking backpack.
- Super Solar Shower
There’s no reason to smell like an animal just because you’re stuck outdoors. Thankfully, the Super Solar Shower has got you covered. Featuring a 20 liter refillable pouch and control spout, you leave this black bag out in the sun for a span of time while it catches the sun’s rays. 3 hours will have you set at about 105°F, but it can get as hot as 150°F (hope you brought along some burn cream in your first aid kit!) But let’s face it, there is nothing like a good shower after a day of hiking in the sun. And at $9.95, you’ll be able to get yourself clean in no time!
That wraps it up for the 25 Hottest Rugged Gadgets that can Weather The Outdoors. Got any other great gadgets of your own to add? Tried out any of these gadgets on the open trail? We’d love to hear from you in the comments! Drop us a line down below.
