Giving camping gear a Kickstart

Photo: Windcatcher on Kickstarter

A little while ago, I received an email from the makers of the Windcatcher inflatable mattress, asking me to feature the product here on my blog. If you've had a browse through the blog, you'll see that I do talk about products here and there. Whatever has caught my eye, or something new in my own gear collection. I made a decision early on not to commercialize my blog, so I don't promote products in exchange for money, nor do I ask around for free gear to review.

Having said all that, these guys told me they are using Kickstarter to fund their new mattress design, and I went to the listing to check it out. I couldn't decide whether this is a groundreaking design or not - since I have never seen or tried one in person. It looks a wee bit bulky for backpacking, so I guess it's a matter of whether paddlers or car campers would find it more convenient to not carry a pump around to blow up their thicker mattresses. I'd like to try it for myself, just to see if it's as easy as they say. Clearly they have a lot of people convinced, as they have already raised over $125,000 and exceeded their funding goal. You can check out the listing here if you want to get in on it: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1484284472/windcatcher-inflates-in-seconds-with-no-power-or-p or go to their website http://www.windcatchergear.com/.

Then I got curious. What other kinds of innovative camping products are getting the Kickstarter treatment? The answer turned out to be fewer than I expected. Although an awful lot of people seem to be trying to get strangers to fund their through-hike of the Appalachian Trail (and sure-to-be-riveting documentary about their walk). Seriously folks, I'm not going to pay you to take 5 months off and go hiking. Save up for it yourself!

I did find a couple of actual gear projects. The first is a camping hammock called KAMMOK. I'm not sure that it looks significantly different in design from other camping hammoks on the market, but they far surpassed their fundraising goals. Initially trying to raise $15,000 in 2011, they eventually racked up more than $200,000. You can now find their products on http://www.kammok.com/.

Photo: Kammok on Kickstarter

The last product I found was the SnowXu - a folding snowshoe design. This seems like a reasonably good idea if you're going on a multiday trip that will involve snowshoeing only some of the time. Again, I haven't seen the product in person or tried it, so I can't vouch for it - but in theory I can see a purpose for it. So could a lot of other people. They surpassed their $7,000 goal by over $1,400. Their fundraising on Kickstarter is wrapped up, but you can find info on their products on http://www.snowxu.com/.

Photo: snowxu.com

Lovely Links

OK, the arrow points the wrong way. Links are actually on the right >>>

I've taken a long overdue look at the links on this blog, and done away with the ones that are no longer active while adding a couple of new sites worth browsing. So once you're done exploring the wonderful posts here at Love in a Tent, have a glace down the right hand side of your screen for some other good outdoorsy reading, sharing and shopping.

But remember to eventually turn off your computer and go outside!

Retro camping fan?

 I recently got an email from the folks at On The Mountain, who wanted to show me their collection of 70s camping and hiking photos available as greeting cards. I don't know what it is about the 70s, but everyone in pictures from that era just seems to be having such a good time!

It was an era before Gore-Tex and hydration bladders - when you were happy plunging your water bottle into the nearest stream and you didn't check the UV index before you left home. But those external frame backpacks don't make me nostalgic - they look uncomfortable.

They have both summer and winter scenes, reproduced from pictures taken in America's national forests. Not only are these fun, but part of the proceeds goes to support charities that protect these forests for future generations.

Other items on the website include camping pillows and forest-inspired notebooks.

So if you're the sort of retro-loving person who still writes notes on actual cards (we're a dying breed these days) have a look. It will remind you of the days when your camping trip pictures were a mystery to be discovered about a week after you got back from your trip and had them developed at some shack in the mall parking lot. Remeber that? No? Well, that's what people used to do in the 70s kids! Unless you had a Polaroid...

Tent designs that make a statement

Get a room!

I recently discovered the website for Field Candy, a company more concerned with the outside of the tent than the weight or functionaltiy - but if you're looking to make a statement when you camp this may be for you.

The tent pictured above is called "get a room". Perfect for those couples putting Sex in a Tent to use, and wanting to give fair warning to anyone in the vicinity!

But these tents aren't just for lovers, they're also for book lovers, animal lovers, circus lovers and many more. One of my favourites is this quilt inspired version:

Prices range from just over $600 to around $760 and they seem to have only one model available - a 2 person tent. Total weight is 16.3 pounds, so this is just for car camping!

You can check out their other creative designs on their website HERE.

No such thing as bad publicity

The Huffington Post is one of those online neighbourhoods where it's very fashionable to be spotted. So when I was told that Sex in a Tent had been featured in a post there, I was feeling very smug indeed.

The fact that it's on a list of "18 Sex Books with Unusual Covers" works for me. After all, Valentine's Day is just around the corner and nothing says "I love you" like a sex book with an unusual cover.

Read the post here.

Have fun celebrating with your loved one, in whatever way you choose! (Even if it involves sock moneys.) If you don't yet have your copy of Sex in a Tent - they're ready for shipping at Amazon.com or Barnes & Noble!