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BioLite's new lantern doubles as a campsite power grid
After rolling out a slew of new gear earlier this year, BioLite is ready to announce their next piece of outdoor tech. The BaseLantern is a 500-lumen, flat-packing LED lantern that lights your campsite while also creating "a mini smartgrid" you can control from a smartphone.
BioLite's latest gear includes a stove, lamp and a pair of solar panels
The smell of burning wood from pot belly stoves and fireplaces is noticeable in some Brooklyn neighborhoods during the winter, but down underneath the Manhattan Bridge overpass at BioLite headquarters it's business as usual. The company's been hard at work updating last year's line of off-the-grid power and cooking gear. That means plenty of design, testing and the occasional conflagration in its "burn lab" to perfect its products. The result of all this sweat and ash includes a new CookStove, PowerLight Mini and a pair of solar panels, which you can pick up at BioLite's website.
Going 'off the grid' with BioLite's BaseCamp stove
Tent? Check. Sleeping bag? Check. Spare battery packs to stave off the fear of being disconnected from the grid? Double check. Earlier this month, I loaded up the aforementioned gear for a quick weekend camping trip. It was honestly more glamp than camp, since we drove right up to our spot in Tolland State Park, which had showers and bathrooms nearby. Still, we'd be without power on-site for a couple days if not for a few backups. On top of that, someone in our crew had developed a serious Candy Crush addiction that could potentially drag our power ration down to zero. Luckily, we also packed BioLite's BaseCamp and NanoGrid system. The BaseCamp is a (relatively) portable, wood-powered grill with a thermoelectric generator, while the NanoGrid is a combination flashlight, lamp, battery and environmental lighting setup. Did these additions help us make it through the weekend alive, well and connected? Yes on all counts, but there's more to the story.
Yet another way to charge your iPhone with a campfire
I've always loved that there is a strange subcategory of gadget accessories that revolves around charging your device without a power outlet. BioLite's campfire charging gear has been around for a while, and there's also the PowerPot V which our own Steve Sande put through its paces, but now BioLite is back with yet another entry, called the KettleCharge. The KettleCharge is, as its name suggests, a kettle for heating water. But along with providing a steaming cup of whatever-you-decide-to-mix-with-the-water, the device has a USB outlet that cranks out 10W of power when the kettle is fully heated. That's enough to charge your iPhone or iPad, and all you need to make it work is water and a heat source. The KettleCharge is priced at US$149.95, which is the same price as the PowerPot V. If you're looking for some off-the-grid power and a way to heat water at the same time, your decision might just come down to which form factor you prefer.
Generate power to recharge gadgets while grilling with this camp stove
BioLite has been recharging smartphones, action cams and GPS units via camp stove fire since 2012, but now it's offering a larger model that will grill enough grub to feed your entire crew. The BaseCamp stove offers the same heat-to-electricity conversion, but with a much larger cooking surface for grilling dinner (up to eight burgers at a time) for more than just a pair of weary hikers. The built-in power pack has been upgraded as well, generating 5W and storing power for juicing up devices during dessert alongside a UI that gauges temperature and displays the amount of electricity being generated. Need to use a pot to boil water? That cooking surface can wrangle the flame for optimal output with the flip of a lever. If all of that sounds too good to pass up, units are set to ship in September and you can one for $299 during the company's Kickstarter effort.
Charge your iPhone while you cook with the BioLite CampStove
Love camping? Love your iPhone? Have I got something to show you. A company called BioLite has developed a unique iPhone accessory that charges your phone while you cook your catch of the day or roast marshmallows at night. The BioLite CampStove is a device with two parts: a furnace that burns twigs and bits of wood, plus an attached thermoelectric generator that houses a fan and a USB port. Unlike conventional camping stoves, the BioLite doesn't use petroleum-based gas to light your fires. It only uses the twigs you put into it. The fan in the attached thermoelectric generator optimizes the fire for maximum cooking efficiency, and excess energy from the fire's heat can be used to charge small electronics, like an iPhone or LED lights. Besides being an awesome way to blend nature and technology, the BioLite rocks because it is completely carbon-neutral and keeps you connected at the same time. The company says that for users with an iPhone 4S, 20 minutes of charging via the BioLite equals 60 minutes of talk time on your phone (though, depending on the strength of your fire, charging time can vary). Whether your camp-out is planned in advance or forced by circumstance, the BioLite may fit the bill. Currently there is a small wait time on CampStove orders due to popular demand. Orders placed today won't ship out until November 16th. In the mean time, check out the video below to see the BioLite in action. The BioLite CampStove is US$129.00. [Hat tip BuzzFeed]
