Amazing Life Saving Technological Innovations

Technological innovation is something that many of us take for granted, I know that my kids can’t even comprehend what the world was like just 30 years ago. Current technology has such a presence in their lives that they can’t imagine going from day to day without it.

Just looking around Outdoor Revival HQ, there’s so much technology. Stuff we use day in day out for writing and publishing, photography, the kit we’ve got her for reviewing it we use ourselves when we’re out and about.

When it comes to camping, there have been some amazing inventions and innovations over recent years that have make it easier for the average person to go camping without having to go completely off grid.

 

For the most part, we’ve moved on from just taking the essentials, such as food, water, map & compass, and something to stay in as shelter, sure, sometimes choose to go that route with our camping, but it’s not the only route any more. Now that technology has moved on it’s a game change for many camping enthusiasts.

A big innovation that a lot of people probably take for granted is the creation of technical clothing. Technical clothing’s main purpose is keeping the body at the perfect temperature no matter the condition, generally using the layer system.

You can now get fabrics that are comfortable for prolonged use, wick moisture from your skin to keep you dry, resist smelling, easy to wash, different levels of insulation and different levels of protection which can be as simple as protection from UV through to complete winter storm protection.

There’s still a place for some traditional natural materials but now you can pick fabrics and designs that fit any situation and environment meaning that you can be more comfortable outdoors than ever before.

modern tech is great, good to have old fashioned skills as a backup

One thing that has helped many people make it through some fairly dangerous conditions is a GPS. A GPS system can be used to identify your position anywhere in the world and put you on a map in case you get lost. It can be very easy to lose track of just where you are for a number of reasons, fog and other weather conditions usually play a big part in getting lost, sometimes it’s the density of the environment, people have got lost and died because they moved just 6 feet from a path and then walked the wrong way.

 

A GPS can be a real life saver as well as helping other people keep track of you it will keep you on the right path and tell you where you are.
Caution is needed, though, having a GPS does not mean you can survive if you get into trouble and it can break or run out fo batteries so have a backup.

Another great technological innovation is in camping stoves. In the past, it used to be that people had to make a fire or carry a large stove with petrol, which could prove to be difficult at times as they were bulk or awkward when they needed to be used when it was rainy or windy.

The big and bulky, things can be much more compact these days.

You can still get these sorts of stoves, but you can now get much smaller and efficient stoves, some use liquid fuels and some use gas. Generally, stoves are smaller, more efficient, safer, easier to maintain and more powerful, what’s not to like, especially when you want that coffee right now!

So many things now have batteries and connectivity! Phones, cameras, GPS, clothing, packs, bikes and much more are using power now, this has mainly come about to the huge advances in battery technology, but with all this power and connectivity a new demand has arisen – How to charge all these batteries that power all these things?

All we need for solar power

Solar charging has become a very important aspect of keeping things running while out in the wilds, it’s a constantly improving technology so it’s something well worth keeping an eye on and it’s being integrated into backpack, coolers, clothing as well as the stand-alone solar panels that you can get.

Through great innovation water filtering and purification has come along leaps and bounds. Water, as many people are aware, is the most important thing necessary for human survival. It is especially important to have clean, drinkable water when you’re out camping in the wilderness, or on a run, bike ride or hike. Often it can be hard to carry enough water to drink or to find water that you can drink while you are camping so take what you can carry and keep an eye out for other sources that you can purify.

Water, the elixir of life

There are multiple systems from a variety of manufacturers, from inline filters for your bladder to stand alone water bottle, pump based systems and gravity systems, do your homework and get one that fits in with your activity and where you’re going.

Technology is something that many people believe keeps people indoors and does not allow them to explore the world as much as they used to. That’s fair comment if you’re latched on to your computer playing games or sitting about on Facebook and that’s your life but there is another way to look at this and that is that technology can actually aid people in their camping experience, it can encourage them and help keep them safer while they are out camping either by themselves or with loved ones.

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