There’s not always a heck of a lot new going on in the survival, outdoor, & camping world when it comes to interesting gadgets, new products, and overall innovation. This makes sense, since when it comes to camping, survival, & the general outdoors, many choose (wisely) to stick to what they’ve already got because, well plainly put, it just works – so why bother replacing, upgrading, or buying something you won’t actually need?
Every once in a while, though, really crazy or interesting gear will pops up that will turn your head and make you pay attention. If you add that new item to your cart, chances are it comes with an afterthought – hoping you won’t end up with just another gimmic on your hands that you’ll end up leaving to gather dust in the garage.
A few of the items on this list are definitely just that (the Cold Steel knife listed at #14, for instance, which is cool in theory but doesn’t quite work ideally), but others are ridiculously useful and even have the potential to be downright revolutionary (the hand-woven paracord belts at #11, and the communication devices at spot #9 to list a couple!). Whether or not they’ll catch on and become completely ubiquitous tools later makes no difference – for now, these are some of the most interesting products being offered on the market to those who have a love of the outdoors.
MPOWERD Luci Inflatable Solar Light – Amazon / REI
Coolest Survival, Outdoor, & Camping Gear We’ve Seen Hit the Market
1. Portable Solar Cooker
GoSun Sport Portable Solar Cooker
Thought you couldn’t cook your food without a fire? Well that used to be true… Now with the right gadgets you can use the heat of the sun to do your cooking instead.
2. Folding Hand Saw
Bacho Laplander Folding Hand Saw
A portable compact solution to wanting to take a full-sized saw along to the wilderness with you. Saws like a dream, actually, so it’s not at all a gimmick. Check out our review of it here.
3. Paracord Laces With Firesteel Tips
Rattlerstrap 550 Paracord Laces with Ferro Rod Tips & Striker
Always worried you might lose your firesteel, or not even have it on you when you end up in a survival situation? Switch all your laces to these and you’ll be set! Made of paracord so that you don’t have to carry a regular paracord bracelet on you as well, and we all know how useful paracord can be. If you’d rather just get the paracord ferro rod tip laces without the striker, Rattlerstrap gives you that option, too!
4. Paracord With Snare & Fishing Line Interior
Titan SurvivorCord: 550 Paracord + Fishing Line + Waxed Jute + Conductive Snare Wire
While we’re on the topic of paracord, this invention is paracord on steroids. Not only are there regular inner strands included in this paracord casing, but there’s also a transparent 25 lb fishing line, a waxed jute line (twisted fiber strands designed to help start fires quickly), as well as a line of copper wire to make snares out of. How cool is that?
5. Camping Hammock & Garp Combo
Amok Equipment Draumr 3.0 Premium Camping Hammock + Tarp
Probably the most comfortable looking item on this list. When you’re outdoors, being off the ground is advisable. So is staying warm and comfortable. And dry when it’s raining outside. All this can be completely taken care of with this one piece of kit.
6. Waterproof Inflatable Solar Lanterns
MPowerd Luci Inflatable Solar Lantern
If you’re looking for solar lightweight, waterproof, cool looking lamp alternatives, this is your product. So handy outdoors, and for power outages as well. Interested in taking a closer look? Check out our review of the Luci.
7. Wood Campstove That Can Charge a Cellphone
BioLite Wood Burning Campstove
Just in case it’s not enough for your camp stove to just be a camp stove anymore – recharge your devices with this very useful wood burning stove.
8. Metal Tube Survival Kit
VSSL Supplies Essential Camping Gear for the Outdoors
Likely the coolest survival kit on the market. It’s a waterproof compact metal tube (which you can of course use for boiling water) that has compartments which include fishing gear, a quick fire start, a wire hand saw, water purification tablets, a mirror, trail markers, first aid supplies, a razor blade, and a beeswax candle. Flashlight built into the tube, too!
9. Off Grid Communication Device
What you use when you’re in a place you’re unlikely to get reception, but still want to be able to communicate amongst others in your group. Pair up with a regular ol’ smartphone and you’re set to go! Our review of the goTenna can be found here.
10. Radio Flashlight + Weather Alert With Multiple Power Sources
Eton Scorpion II Digital Radio Flashlight + Solar/Battery/Crank Power + Weather Alerts
AM/FM Radio + NOAA Weather Alerts make this thing useful as hell. And with three powering options: rechargeable lithium battery, solar panel, and hand crank, chances are you’re going to be okay using this thing without needing to change batteries for a long time to come.
11. Paracord Belt
RattlerStrap Titan Series Handwoven 550 Paracord Belt
Paracord belts are usually hideous, and definitely not the kind of thing you’d actually want to wear every day. Not at all true of this paracord belt. Looks amazing, is incredibly comfortable, and contains over 80 feet of 550 paracord in it. Wear this every day and you’ll never have to worry about not having enough cordage on you again. Reviewed here.
RattlerStrap Titan Series 550 Paracord Survival EDC Belt – Amazon
13. Pocket Shower
You can now have a shower outdoors. Sure it won’t be the same as all that amazing water pressure in your regular shower at home, but it’s something! Compact and easy to carry to top it all off.
12. Credit Card Tools
Victorinox Swisscard Lite Pocket Tool
Is this the ideal tool set to have in the outdoors? Definitely not, but when it fits in your pocket or pack so easily thanks to how compact it is, why not carry it as a backup?
14. Knife to Spear
Cold Steel Bowie Bushman Knife
Turn your knife into a spear by screwing a large stick into the handle of this knife. In practice, doesn’t work as well as it sounds, but still a very cool concept.
15. Glow in the Dark Paracord
9 Strand Glow in the Dark 550 Paracord
Want to be able to see a little of what’s making all those rustling noises outside your tent without pulling out a flashlight? 550 parachute cord just got even more useful with this glow in the dark feature.
16. Compact Grill
I don’t think I’ve ever seen a more compact grill in my life. Definitely a good option if you want to take a grill along with you when you’re camping or hiking, yet don’t want it to take up too much space or be to heavy in your pack.
17. Lightweight Folding Kayak
A lightweight, folding kayak that’s easy to carry with you pretty much anywhere you’d like it to go. Super cool concept, though not all tha sure how well it works in practical terms.
18. 30-Day Lantern
Ultimate Survival Techologies 30-Day Lantern
Can your lantern last up to 30 days without being turned off? I doubt it.
19. Personal Locator Beacon
ACR ResQLink plus 406 Personal Locator Beacon
Best way to get yourself out of a survival situation that’s just about to happen: call for help before things get bad. This personal locator beacon will do the trick.
20. Waterproof Socks
Showers Pass Crosspoint Waterproof Socks
Waterproof socks could come in incredibly handy! Self-explanatory why you might not want to get your socks drenched wet.
21. First Aid Tube
VSSL First Aid Critical Emergency Gear in a Durable Organized Container
In case you’d like to carry more first aid supplies on you, but would prefer to do it in the most compact way possible. Pretty handy if you ask me.
goTenna Off-Grid Communication Device for Cell Phones – Amazon
Looking for Deals on Survival, Camping, & Outdoor Gear?
If you’re interested in grabbing some inexpensive survival and camping gear from outdoor retailers like Cabella’s, REI, and Patagonia, take a look at our massive list of knife & outdoor retailers’ sale, deal, & clearance pages! All the best outdoor store discount pages to visit linked to on one page.
There’s also plenty of cheap, yet high quality survival gear that’s a great price whether or not it’s on sale. If you’re interested, take a look at what we think the best bang-for-buck survival products are at the $5, $10, $15, $20, & $25 price points.
Any interesting survival, outdoor, or camping gear we’ve missed?
Is there any gear you feel belongs on this list that we haven’t yet put up there?
Have you bought any of the items we’ve spoken about? What did you think of them?
Are there any cool survival, camping, or outdoor products you’d actually like to try out – whether they’re on this list or not?
What about products that were really cool when they first came out, and yet now are completely ubiquitous and normal?
Leave a comment down below to let us know.
Barbara, how does your unit handle particulate matter in the water? Do you have to have visibly clean water to begin with or is there some method in the process to remove those little “floaties” and green/gray “muddy” looking matter from the water?
I have a mobile solar operated water purification system. Final stage is UV disinfection. Sunlight and water is all that is needed to provide clean drinking water.
Very cool! What’s the system called?