The first is radiant heat. The most highly recommended solution I’ve seen for radiant heat is the Mr Heater model for around $100. This is a quick and easy approach to get heat in your camper or tent on the quick. Additionally, it’s a portable solution so you can use it for different tasks. You can use store bought canisters or run a hose to a larger fuel supply. Additionally, you can pick up an adapter to refill those store bought tanks. Safety features include auto shutoff if the heater falls over or if too much CO2 is detected in the air - making this a relatively safe heater.

Mr Heater comes with some draw backs. Even with the safety features, you have an extremely hot exposed surface that creates a certain level of risk. It would probably be best if you don’t fall asleep while the heater is on. Additionally, you have to have a good place to put Mr Heater. Even though the design is very compact, it takes up a fair amount of space.

As an alternative to radiant heat, a safer solution is a forced air furnace. Adventure Trailer’s Heatsource is an excellent looking solution. So far, this is the smallest and most efficient solution I’ve found. I’ve read that the typical furnace only reaches 60% efficiency; however, AT claims a delightful 90+%! Even better, with thermostat controls, you can leave your heater running all night long while you catch your Zs.

This convenience comes at a price that’s uncomfortably close to a grand. While the smallest model is $750, you still have to factor in your fuel source. The other minor draw back is the lack of Mr Heater’s portability. You won’t be able to carry this heater into your tent or garage Depending on your needs, this might not matter.

I just spotted Regen ReNu’s new “Power Hotspot” over on Engadget. This isn’t the microwave sized device that will power your house. We’re not there yet. However, this fairly portable device is great for recharging anything with a battery. From the press release:

At work, the Power HotSpot™ can recharge tools, notebooks and cell phones, or provide power to inverters for AC power. At home, it can power a shed or gazebo light, an aerator or fountain. And for recreation, the Power HotSpot™ brings convenience to the campsite, from re-charging lights to continuous play for radios and iPods to running boat aerators and re-recharging batteries on a dock.

One thing I don’t see on their website just yet… A price!

Earth Roamer

The first Earth Roamer I discovered was the XV-LT. These camping rigs are built on a full sized truck frame and designed to go anywhere. These units look amazing and have tons of features. It’s an efficient camper that can handle adverse conditions well. I could take this rig on snowboarding trips and star warm and comfortable all night long. I could also take it up challenging jeep trails here in the mountains and get well away from the usual crowds. Unfortunately, these things cost a small fortune. A new rig can cost you up to a quarter million dollars. You can occasionally find them used, but they still demand a premium.

I also looked at the XV-LT’s little brother, the XV-JP. Built on a Jeep Wrangler frame instead of a truck, this little guy is considerably more efficient and agile. Even if I could afford the $110k price tag, this unit doesn’t solve all of my problems. The sleeping arrangements come in the form of a pop-open tent on the roof. As clever as this is, it won’t keep me warm in the winter.

Westfalia Vanagon

The Westfalia conversion of the Vanagon makes for a very nice little camper. I recently test drove a model that was lifted with four wheel drive. The engine was upgraded for a horse power boost. Inside, the van had sleeping arrangements for 4, with two in the pop top. It had a double burner stove, sink, outdoor shower, water heater, and heater. This van was nearly perfect. It would keep me warm on the slopes (with the top closed and heater on) and get me deep into the woods in the summer. The entire vehicle ran about $18, a far cray from the triple digit costs of the Earth Roamers.

I didn’t buy the Vanagon. The owner was kind enough to give me an extensive education on ownership of the coveted vehicles. These units are old. They require a lot of attention. While they are reliable, they have to be maintained. In addition, these units are also difficult to insure. The owner was only paying for liability because he could not find a good policy to cover his rig. Ultimately, I just didn’t feel this vehicle could give me the reliability and freedom I really wanted. Still, I really like rigs. I wish something similar was being made today.

Sportsmobile

Imagine the Vanagon all grown up. I actually discovered the Sportsmobile in person and didn’t realize it at the time. These rigs are built using full size cargon vans, many of them converted for off road use. The engine, suspension, and drivetrain are comparible to that of the Earth Roamer. However, the camper design is much more akin to  the Vanagon - only bigger.

I love these vans. Like the Vanagon, they go to hard to reach places. However, these are built on modern American vehicles. They’re newer, more reliable, and cheaper to maintain. It’s also a slight bit easier to find insurance for them. Unfortunately, they can be expensive. I’ve found good rigs for around $40k. The rigs that excite me the most are usually anywhere from $85k to $115k. Many people build their own, saving a bit of money along the way.

I’m still considering one of these rigs. However, one big drawback is the weight and the poor gas mileage that results. Most rigs see 12 to 15 miles per gallon. The turbo diesels, particularly the Sprinter based ones, get up to 22mpg. I would feel better about taking one of these things to Alaska if I could get 20+ mpg.

Camplite Quicksilver

Nino and I started talking about building out our own van. In the process, I started researching lightweight materials. That’s when I found the Camplite Quicksilver. I’d already looked at the Scamp, which is kind of neat; but ruled the Scamp out because I didn’t want something I had to tow up challenging trails. Still, the Camplite trailers got my attention because of their building materials. These rigs are ultralight because they are made with aluminum and synthetics. There’s no wood in any of their campers. This makes them extremely light.

I’ve looked for these trailers and they’re not very common in the US. I haven’t been able to get a solid idea of how much they cost. They’re full of brilliant ideas, like making the sleeping/sitting benches double as coolers or storage containers. They also come out of the RV if you want to setup a picnic table outside. I think Sportsmobile could learn a thing or two from this company.

My Dream Rig (Right Now)

I think I know what I want, if I can find it somewhere. Most of the Sportsmobiles are built on longer or larger vans. I want a small but full sized van. A shorter wheel base and good departure angle will help when offroading. Obviously, I want a good 4×4 drive train and elevated suspension. I want a powerful and efficient engine, such as the 7.3l turbodiesel that Ford used to provide.

Inside, I need the standard fair: sink, small stove, heater, holding tanks, water heater, 110 power sources, battery system, sleeping space, sitting space, etc. I would like this to be as light and effective as possible, which means I may have to design and built it myself. Using lightweight materials should improve my mileage. Additionally, plastics would be easy to hose down and flexible under stress where wood will decay and break down over time.

I need space to store bikes, kayaks, surf boards, and snowboards. This doesn’t all have to be at the same time, but that would be nice. I want class 3 receivers front and rear. This allows me to carry a whench that can be swapped out on either end of the rig if I get stuck. Additionally, I’d like to mount a motorcycle hauler on the rear receiver. Attaching a dual sport bike would give me efficient and agile transportation when I need to run after supplies or go exploring.

I’m still trying to find or build the dream camper. When I find what I’m looking for, I’ll be sure to share.

Mat Honan posted his gear for a Nicaragua trip to flickr, check it out. Great addition to the “What’s In The Bag” series.

As you can probably tell from this blog, I tend to be swayed by high-tech, newfangled, lightweight gadgets with some hefty price tags. Mark points out that the most lightweight items aren’t necessarily the most expensive ones – valuable advice that I need to keep in mind. Even those trusty Nalgene water bottles that I throw into my pack without questioning could be replaced with a lighter and virtually no-cost soda bottle.

I’m not quite ready to take all the advice that he’s doling out (Using a bandana as toilet paper? No thank you!), but his remarks on compression backpacks, stuffsacks, and knives are words of wisdom.

He also takes a balanced approach and recognizes that backpacking is supposed to be fun, and hence it makes sense to bring along a few luxury items, such as chocolate and beef jerky, even if they do add a few ounces to the weight of your pack.

And the one gem of the article? Crew says that when your trek ends, you should “divide items systematically into three categories: always used, never used and sometimes used.” That makes a lot of sense to me, since you can use this info to pack more quickly and easily for your next trip.

Scarpar, an Australian company, is trying to develop “the next powersports vehicle category.” Based on the videos of the prototype, I’d say they’re well on their way. This board has a powerful 6-horsepower, 80cc engine that lets you cruise over snow, sand, grass, gravel, or just about any other off-road surface except water. It can go uphill or downhill, and even navigate logs that lie across the path. A handheld controller handles acceleration and braking, and it will be able to go about 20 miles on a single tank.

The device is still being developed, so you can’t buy it yet, but their engineers estimate it will cost somewhere between $2,000 and $3,000. They think it will be available sometime in 2010, although they’re having trouble raising enough capital to really stay on schedule. If you’re interested in learning more, check out their forum or sign up to receive updates via email.

I can’t wait to get my hands on this toy. I just hope they’ll make it light enough to strap on your back for some serious outdoor adventures. Right now, the engineers are saying it will be a little too heavy for that, and that they’re focusing on safety and reliability more than weight. But they still have a year to fiddle with making it more lightweight, so I’ll keep my fingers crossed.

This tent is really easy to set up – and quick, which is a huge advantage when storm clouds are moving in, threatening to drench you and all your gear. It’s great for areas where it rains all the time, because you can easily keep the tent dry. Unlike many other tents, with this one you can set up the fly first, and then put up the tent underneath it, so your tent never gets wet. Most other designs expose your tent to the elements for at least a few minutes, since you normally have to set up the tent first and then pull the protective fly over it. And as anyone who’s ever had to sleep in a mold- or mildew-ridden tent knows, a dry tent makes for a better outdoor experience.

This tent weighs in at just under seven pounds, yet it has enough room for three people inside. It also has two entrances and two large areas just outside the door once the flap is down. You can use that space to store all the things you’ve brought along, keeping the sleeping area clean and neat.

And if you don’t believe me, note that Backpacker Magazine gave this tent one of its 15 Editor’s Choice Awards in 2006 – valuable testimony if you don’t plan to test all the tents in the marketplace. This one’s a winner.

Most of the water-sport sandals I’ve looked at are too heavy to pass the test when I’m trying to figure out which items deserve a space in my already-overloaded pack. Then I found the Aruba sandal made by Waldies. It has a funky design and is available in twelve different colors. But the best part is that they’re super light, weighing in at only 7.1 ounces for the pair. They’ve got good traction on the bottom and some nubby little pieces on the sole of the food for a gentle massage and stimulation for your circulation. Not bad for $34.95 plus shipping.

The only downside is that they don’t have a strap around the back of the ankle, so I don’t know how well they’ll stay put if I use them for crossing a stream. But the fit is pretty snug, so as long as I stay away from fast-moving waters, they’ll probably work out pretty well.

And for those urbanpackers out there… this could be a handy alternative for flip-flops when you’re sharing showers at low-budget hostals. A must-have for anyone who’s squeamish about foot fungi.

Fortunately, many companies make dehydrated foods that are specifically designed for throwing into a pack and enjoying in the great outdoors. If just-add-water instructions make you think of flavorless, mushy instant oatmeal, never fear – the dehydrated foods available these days are a far cry from what they were in the past.

There are a lot of brands of dehydrated food, so you’ll want to do your own taste-testing to find the one that’s best for you. Personally, I like the ones made by Pack Lite Foods. These are 100% vegetarian meals with decent portion sizes, no preservatives, and great flavor.

Here was my menu on a recent day-long hike:

• Breakfast: Wilderness Granola with Milk (the milk is already in the bag in powder form – just add water and a handful of fresh berries if they’re growing along the trail)
• Lunch: South o’ the Border Chili, with lots of high-protein beans, fresh veggies, and just the right kick of spiciness
• Dinner: Will’s Wild Rice Dinner, chock full of vegetables and cranberries smothered in a creamy sauce

Dehydrated foods can get expensive, with a dinner selling for $4.75, but the feeling of having a full belly at the end of a long day is definitely worth it. And it’s nice to know that you’re giving your body the fuel it needs without all the extra salt and fatty meats that many other brands add to their dehydrated foods.

What about you? Have you found a favorite brand of dehydrated foods? Let everyone know which ones you think taste best and offer the best value.

You know what I’m talking about. You want to save money, so you opt for a hostel that has a shared bathroom, even though the lack of privacy makes you a bit squeamish. When it’s time to take a shower, you have two choices. You can try to get dressed inside the shower stall, even though the clothes always get wet no matter how carefully you shower, either from splashing water or because other lodgers have already soaked every possible surface. The other option is to wrap yourself in a ridiculously small, threadbare towel and run through the hall back to your little room, desperately trying to avoid eye contact with the other guests who are smirking at you.

Of course, there is a better way – use a bathrobe. But a terrycloth bathroom is a bulky, heavy luxury when you’re trying to live out of a single backpack for several weeks or months, so I’ve always done without – until now. I recently found this lightweight travel robe that’s full size, but weighs only one pound and packs down pretty small, perfect for urbanpacking. And it’s made of micro-fleece, so it will keep you cozy, warm, and wrinkle-free.

And if my testimonial isn’t enough to convince you, note that the Wall Street Journal called it “Best Overall.” Granted, the Wall Street Journal writers are probably using it in the comfort of a private hotel suite instead of a hostel full of peering strangers, but it’s nice to know that they like it nevertheless.

I’m not sure the $69.95 price tag is entirely justified, but I guess it all comes down to just how much you hate getting dressed in shared hostel bathrooms. As for me, I think it’s worth it.