Ultimate festival gadgets for Summer 2012

 

While the weather may be unpredictable, we know one thing for sure – the summer calendar will be full of exciting festival fun. To help you enjoy them more, we’ve rounded up some of our favourite festival gadgets, so all you need to think about is having a good time. Read on for our picks. 


From a tent that pitches in less than a couple of minutes, to your very own portable shower. These gadgets should cover you for most of those tricky situations any festival-goer is likely to encounter.

Pocket Shower to wash the mud off

If you’re out in the festival sticks for longer than a day you may need this. The Pocket Shower is a compact shower system that fits in your pocket, ready to be deployed when you need it. Its fabric bag heats up when left out in the sun, heating the water for a warm shower. Just hang it from a tree, and twist the showerhead for a refreshing shower. Its 10 litre capacity should be enough to wash away any festival grime. 


Coleman Instant 4 Tourer tent that pitches in a minute


Let’s face it. Tents are a pain in the unmentionables. Not this one. The Coleman Instant 4 Tourer can be pitched in less than a minute. Pre attached steel poles make getting the four person tent up a doddle. It has a built-in groundsheet, windows, and great weather protection, should the weather gods decide to play havoc with your festival plans.

Boostcase to extend your iPhone’s battery life

Even when you’re tucked away in festival land, there’s still no resisting the lure of your smartphone. How else would you tweet and Facebook your friends about the great time you’re having. If you own an iPhone you can make its battery last longer using the Boostcase. It combines a case and a detachable battery sleeve to bring battery power back to life. The Boostcase comes in a range of snazzy colours, too, to match your festival get-up.

Freeloader Pro Solar Charger

The Freeloader Pro Solar Charger is an essential item in any festival arsenal. It uses its solar panel cells to store energy to charge almost any gadget. The Freeloader Pro Solar Charger will charge almost any camera, smartphone, and batteries using the Freeloader Battery Charger Accessory. An indictor on the front even shows how much power is stored at all times. 



Pure Move 2500: rechargeable personal DAB Digital and FM Radio

For those quiet moments in between music performances when you just want to keep the music flowing, the Pure Move 2500 is a rechargeable DAB and digital FM radio with enough battery life to last the duration of your festival fun. The supplied rechargeable ChargePAK M1 provides up to 15 hours of listening on top of its existing battery life. You also get 20 presets for digital and FM stations and in-ear noise-isolating headphones so you don’t disturb anyone in your tent at night.

The above are just some of our favourite festival gadgets. Got any of your own? Share them with us.

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Bikeamper Tent combines cycling with camping

Whenever we go for a bike ride, the last thing on our mind tends to be camping, but apparently there’s a niche in the market for cyclists that like to go camping. This is where the Bikeamper Tent comes in, using the frame of your bike to hold up a tent. Intrigued? We were – read on to find out more.
According to the makers of the Bikeamper Tent, there’s a gap in the market for people who like to cycle to camp sites. For us, if we had time to cycle to a camp site we’d probably choose to ride home again, but it could definitely come in handy if you’re cycling across the country or don’t want to head home on the same day.

From what we can gather, the Bikeamper Tent will work with pretty much any adult bike – although you will need a quick release front wheel or a spanner to undo the wheel nut, as the bike needs to rest on its front forks to support the tent itself.

Because the frame of your bike also acts as the frame of the tent, it means there’s no need for tent poles, and the Bikeamper can pack down into an incredibly small package. It’s also designed to fit onto your handlebars or mudguards when packed away, so you won’t need to carry it on your person – freeing space for the rest of your backpacking gear.

Actually, the more we think about it, the more we like it, should we ever consider taking to the great outdoors. Although we could also imagine finding the tent collapsing around us as a light fingered local steals our bike (and tent frame) while we snore away.

The Bikeamper doesn’t come cheap either, costing $200. Would you buy the Bikeamper? Or do you have a better solution to accommodation when cycling long distances?