GearFlogger

Helinox Chair Zero

A place to rest our buttocks, that is all we ask. Oh, and it has to be lightweight, packable and hold all the buttocks. With decent back support. You get the idea.

The Helinox Chair Zero pretty much ticks all the boxes. It weighs in at a flat and feathery one pound, packs up into a 4x14-inch roll and assembles fairly quickly. We say fairly because we are talking about eleven pole sections, all connected into one mutant octopus of an assembly. As is the style these days, but it goes together without too much fuss.

Once together, the buttocks are carefully placed into the Chair Zero, for fear the weight and width of said buttocks might cleave said chair in two. Once in place, the Chair Zero provides good back support and keeps you off the ground, pretty much our basic requirements for a camp chair. No fancy headrest, rocking motion or easy in/out here, but did we mention it weights one pound?

For an ultraportable camp chair, the Chair Zero is the one to beat. Our only concern, aside from the eye-popping cost, is durability. The chair is rated for 265 pounds and we would take that seriously. Our own 200-ish pound frame definitely caused the chair to flex side-to-side, and we wouldn't want to make a sudden lateral movement, but if you're the kind of person who is not normally rough on your gear you shouldn't have a problem. We'll be reporting back from time-to-time on our experience, and will let you know if we ever have a malfunction.

Pay attention to the part of the directions where it says put the two back poles in, lay it on its back and then put the seat poles in, you'll have no problem with your erection. Overall the Chair Zero costs a lot but delivers a comfortable, easily packable solution to taking a load off at the end of the trail. Now if they could just do something about that price...

$119.95 at REI

Icemule Cooler Bag

Just in time for the holidays, when you have to portage food and drink to and fro and to again, the Icemule cooler bag is an ultraconvenient way to facilitate the stuffing of said food and drink into our faces.

We have to admit our first thoughts were, what will we use a cooler bag for? Short answer: pretty much everything. It's the convenience of being able to throw your stuff in the bag, add ice and easily sling it over your shoulder or put it in the back of your car. The Icemule is much more portable than a hard cooler, which is often overkill for just taking food from house to house or even camping when you're going to eat or drink the contents within 24 hours.

The Icemule is really well thought out. There's a valve you can use to add air for insulation and protection or release air to roll the bag up. The top is a drybag-style rolltop that prevents any leaking from inside, and the welded seams make for a bag you're not afraid to throw around a bit. The shoulder strap is adjustable and has a wide padded slider for comfort.

You can easily stuff 12 cans and a bag of ice into it, and it will keep things cold all day even in hot conditions. The Icemule is awesome, and it's become our go-to cooler everything short of multiday and/or large group trips.

$59.95 at Amazon

ECOlunchbox

Lunch is the best meal of the day, we don't care what the breakfast Nazis say. No one makes a breakfast box, or a dinner box. They make lunchboxes, dammit. And the ECOlunchbox is one of the best.

When you're ready to take your lunch on the road, you want a lunchbox that's easy to pack, easy to tote and easy to clean. The ECOlunchbox scores on all three. The modular design gives you three containers. Use the small one for fruit, nuts, etc., the medium one for larger sides like veggies, and the big one for a sandwich as our creator intended for us to lunch upon.

The standard ECOlunchbox is just the right size for a small to medium appetite, but if you're HONGRY don't fear, there is a bigger one available for you. When it's time to tote your grub, nest them together and click the roller clips on and you're good to go. Note that the ensemble is not leakproof, so you'll want to keep it upright in your pack or bag. Alternatively ECOlunchbox does make a leakproof bento box called the Splash Box, as well as round leakproof containers, all with silicone lids. We've tested the latter and they're great.

Clean up is a breeze, thanks to the stainless steel construction, which also ensures that your bento boxes will last as long as you need them to. The bottom line: ECOlunchbox makes well thought out products that are worth every penny, so don't hesitate to give them a try.

$29.95 at Amazon

CGear Sand-Free Mat

We first saw Australian company CGear's sand-free mat and thought it was a hoax, but after attempting to disprove its magical self-cleaning properties we have to admit that it actually works, and can work pretty well in certain conditions. CGear says the technology was developed to provide dust abatement for helipads, and as someone who once upon a time spent my weekends jumping on and off - and sometimes out of - helicopters, that's a real need. Swirling dust and slashing rotors don't mix, not to mention the wear and tear on engines.

The CGear civilian-issue mat is a sturdy tarp that comes in sizes from 6x6 feet to 12x12, and in a few color choices. There are also various other products they make with the same or similar functionality, including towels, bags and even footwear. The mat has a reinforced edge and D-rings around the border to stake it out, although due to the substantial heft of the material you won't really need them unless the wind is really blowing.

Once on the ground, the double-weave material easily lets fine sand, dust and particulates through the material in one direction. It's thick enough that it provides a comfortable walking and sitting surface, even on hard surfaces, which is a nice bonus. As particulates get thicker and/or wetter they don't go through as easily, but generally it's the finer stuff that's annoying you anyway; pebbles are easily swept off and a bit of a shake helps the intermediate stuff get out. At the end of the day a good shaking and hosing will clean most of what's stuck in the weave out.

The polyethylene construction is definitely sturdy, enough to stand up to chairs and the like, and although you can lie directly on it for general comfort you'll probably put a towel on top. The mat is great for RVs, car camping, cabins and the like, and pulls double-duty on damp surfaces to keep things dry. If you're looking to manage the dirt in your life, check out the CGear mat, a nice piece of kit from down under.

From $40.00 on Amazon

Rumpl Camo Puffy Blanket

Sometimes it's the simple things in life, like a warm puffy blanket. For cabin time, concerts on the green, glamping or just kicking back at home it's nice to be able to go warm when you want to.

Rumpl makes puffy blankets, and from the moment the 50x70 inch camo version came out of the box it's been in use. Our six-year-old Littleflogger got it first, but it also found a home in the camper and the even in the just-in-case bag in back of the car on some long cold-weather drives here in Alaska.

Sure it's just a blanket, but the simplicity is the lure. It's definitely warm enough to be a single cover even down to about freezing, especially if you've got some warm clothes and insulation between you and the ground. The simplicity extends to care; just throw it in the washer after a particularly manky trip or kid-induced body fluids expulsion event.

The blanket is well made, includes a matching stuff sack, the various prints are attractive, and literally the only real feature on them is a sewn loop near each corner. You can use them to hang-dry, or get creative and clip them together for an open-sided sleeping bag. The only ding is the Rumpl is a bit pricey for a synthetic blanket, but it's hard to hold that against them when it gets so much use, so check it out.

$129.00 at Rumpl

WindPouch Go Inflatable Hammock

We are moving inevitably toward a future where everything is inflatable: kayaks, swimming pools, pet collars, husbands, wives, you name it. So why not camp furniture? We've been inflating sleeping pads for decades, maybe it's time to branch out?

If that sounds like a good idea to you, we present for your consideration the WindPouch GO, a stout three-pound inflatable lounger that will hold 500lbs of human flesh suspended in space above various uncomfortable surfaces. The WindPouch is inflated by basically running back and forth with one end open and "scooping up" air. This does work, after a little practice, and is certainly more convenient than packing a pump.

Once inflated, just roll and clip the top like a drybag and you're good to go. And by go, we mean absolutely nowhere. As in lay down and do nothing. The first question everyone has: will it pop? No. If our six-year-olds couldn't do it, you can't either. The WindPouch GO has a ripstop nylon outer shell for protection, and an inner sleeve that actually holds the air. That way one slides over the other to prevent rips.

The second question everyone has: is it comfortable? Yes. Assuming you inflate it correctly - neither too full or not full enough - it has a nice hammock-like feel to it, and the pillow end provides a nice support for your noggin. Overall if you're looking for a sturdy piece of camp furniture for an adult to lounge on or kids to play king of the (small) hill, the WindPouch will absolutely do the trick. And when you're done just fold it up and go.

$79.99 at Amazon

GCI Outdoors Sunshade Eazy Chair

I don't care who you are or how much yoga you do, at some point you will not want to sit in the dirt anymore. When that time comes, you will be faced with a bewildering array of outdoor seating choices, from balanced chairs to stools to rockers to inflatable couches. Many of these have their niche use, but for just sitting out in the sun it's hard to beat the GCI Outdoors Eazy chair.

The Eazy - OK, I admit I had to get over the spelling too - lives up to its name. Take it out of the bag, spread the arms apart and everything just pops into place. The shade on top requires that you press down two small tabs, one on each side, which takes less time than reading this sentence.

The chair weighs in at a stout 11 and 3/4 pounds, mostly due to the powder-coated steel frame. There's a mesh back, plastic armrests, a UPF 50 shade, and a cupholder on the right. The bag has a clever wide-mouth opening to make putting the chair in easier. About the only thing missing is perhaps a storage pouch on the other side. But we're not complaining, because the chair is absolutely comfortable as all get-out. Although the weight limits the Eazy chair to car-camping duty, it also shines for backyard and soccer-parent use thanks to the shade.

The shade adjusts in clicks front to back, so you can always find the angle that works for you. Bonus: it will also block light precipitation. If you're looking for a reasonably-priced, versatile and super-comfy alternative to $100-plus lightweight backpacking chairs, definitely take a trip down Eazy street.

$49.99 at Dick's

Jackson Kayak Orion Cooler

Coolers have come into their own as serious gear over the past decade. Jackson Kayak is one of the more recent manufacturers, but they come into the field with a rich history of innovation and quality in the making of kayaks, and the transition works. The roto-molded polyethylene Orion coolers are visually striking and eminently practical.

Orion coolers by Jackson Kayaks are competitive with the best in the category, and even surpass them with a few nifty details. We looked at the Orion 25, the smallest cooler in their lineup, which easily holds a case of beer or other, less important things of equivalent volume. The first thing you notice about the Orion is the color selection. No more boring white here, you can choose from a few solid color and a lot more tie-dye and camo styles. We'll stick with the Gearflogger compatible Blaze, a beautiful orange-and-white creamsicle concoction that is easy to pick out of a crowd.

The cooler-specific features include a pair of cam-lock latches on the front that are easy to manipulate, even with gloves on, an effective drain plug, and a solid - not wire mesh - plastic tray inside for small items. The cooler is easy to move around with both molded-in handles and long low-stretch rope grips. From that basic feature set Orion brings the innovations: the four corner tie-down points also function as bottle openers, and the front corners are lockable. And our favorite detail: the top of the cooler has a soft, neoprene-like pad that makes sitting or standing more comfortable. Want more? The whole thing is a certified bear canister, so if you're rafting in Alaska you're good to go. It'll take that grizz a while to get through the two-inch insulated walls.

Orion didn't stop here. They've made their cooler a platform for accessories that mount on YakAttack gear tracks on the cooler sides. These are short track strips mounted above the molded-in handles that accept a range of attachments for cameras, rod holders and related items. The beauty of this system is that you can strap the cooler down on deck and use it to mount a GoPro, as a casting platform, or to hold your fishing rod while you kick back at the tiller, and all without interfering with your constitutional right to open the cooler lid to grab a cold frosty.

We think it's the boat-builder mentality of Jackson Kayak that led to the richness of features in what could have been just another me-too product. What they've built with Orion coolers is a premium product that goes way beyond it's normal mission, in a way that's actually useful. Check 'em out, you won't be sorry.

$369.00 at Orion Coolers

Orange Screw

We see a lot of outdoor products around here, and one thing that is sure to cause an eye roll right out of the box is a pretentious and/or convoluted name, e.g. "LX5000 Ranger Pro XTreme Series Titanium Special Edition." OK, sure, after seeing it written out it sounds better and maybe we'd buy it but we're gear whores from wayyyyy back and that kind of buzzword marketing works on our tiny little brains.

On the other side of the product naming spectrum we find the Orange Screw. Can you guess what it is? Can you guess its color? Yes! Because the name is perfect, despite its subtle allusion to copulating with a certain hue of modern politician whose name shall not sully our page. The Orange Screw is made of recycled plastics and is tough as nails.

The Orange Screw - see, there it is again - does not leave you free of all decisions, however. You have to decide whether you want a small Orange Screw (9.5 inches and 1.8oz) or a large Orange Screw (12.25 inches and 3.6oz). We recommend you start with a small Orange Screw and work your way up. The small screws will give you about 250 pounds of straight-up pull resistance and even more at an angle. The only limitation is harder soil, for which you'll want a traditional nail-style screw.

The Orange Screw is not just another pretty name. It's purpose is to screw things, into the ground, and this it does. Whether you're at the beach trying to anchor an umbrella or a dog or a child (don't anchor a child = against the law, probably), or in the forest with nothing but two feet of loamy moss underfoot, the Orange Screw is there for you. It drives easily, and you can use the included clear storage sleeve as a T-handle to make it even easier. If you're just carrying a single screw, e.g. for pet tethering duty, just slip the sleeve over it and slip it into your pack.

Once it's in the large eyelet lets you clip a carabiner, thread a leash or tie a rope to it easily. As the ground gets harder you may need to dig a pilot hole, but that's about the only technical detail here. Tough, practical and simple to use. Really for the price they're hard to beat, and you're sure to find a use for them.

$21.95 for four at Amazon

Fiskars X27 Super Splitting Axe

In some places (hello Alaska! Woot woot!) winter ain't coming, it's here. That means the usual litany of preparation, including splitting firewood, a privilege with the added benefit of the possibility of self-inflicted grievous bodily harm.

To make it safe get a well-designed splitting axe like the Fiskars X27. Available in four lengths from 17 inch hatchet to the most efficient and effective 36 incher - seriously, go big or go home - the X27 makes short shrift of that cord of hardwood that's been staring you down all summer.

Take off the included handy blade guard with built-in handle and heft the X27 to feel the quality. The hardened forged-steel head has most of the weight while the synthetic handle absorbs vibration better for more comfort during extended wood splitting sessions. It's also tougher than nails; it's really hard to even chip the X27, despite taking quite a few strikes to work out the kinks in our technique.

The X27 has a "low friction head" whatever that entails, but we can report it doesn't stick much at all. That makes a big difference over the course of hundreds of swings on a winter morn. Really, the X27 is all you could possibly want in a splitting axe, complete with lifetime warranty.

$54.97 on Amazon