While scuba diving means you don’t have to loiter near the water’s surface in order to breathe like with snorkeling, it also requires you to wear a substantial amount of gear, including an air tank, which can be cumbersome. So the Power Snorkel serves as a compromise between the two underwater activities. It’s basically a floating air pump that not only frees you from having to wear a tank, but also allows you to stay under longer than when snorkeling.
A 20 foot hose leads from the Power Snorkel’s floating air tank to a Y-divider below, which then splits off into 2 additional 20 foot hoses ending in regulators, allowing 2 people to buddy dive while still enjoying some measure of freedom to explore where they want. On a single charge the Power Snorkel allows for dives about 50 to 70 minutes long, and a flag sticking out of the top makes it easy to spot where the divers are if the pump has drifted away from its original location. It does however run $2,495 making it a little expensive for a weekend at the cottage, but ideal for tropical resorts.
It’s summer time again, and that big ball of nuclear fusion has unleashed its horrific fury on us in full force. Fitness experts, scientists, and moms have always preached the benefits of fresh air, but the summer sun has long deterred geeks from stepping foot outside. Fortunately, Hammacher Schlemmer has designed a chair that brings all the luxuries of indoors outdoors, so maybe it’s time we geeks give this “outside” another chance.
This monster of a chair is what you get when you cross cooler, coffee table, and chair DNA into a glorious hybrid. Providing ample shade is a 4′ diameter umbrella that can pivot to any angle to deny the sun’s fiery gaze. Each armrest sports a cupholder (in case, for some reason, you like to go akimbo with your drinking), and inside each armrest lies an insulated compartment that can keep an extra 6 canned drinks cold. Another non-insulated compartment rests under the seat to store reading materials, sunblock, etc. The footrest can also detach and function as an endtable or lapdesk. The chair is made of a breathable, soft mesh and even features an adjustable pillow to kick the comfort level up a notch.
This whole thing folds up into a rollable suitcase style rig, but it also features shoulder straps should you prefer to carry it like a real outdoorsman. The chair runs at $300, but there is also a scaled-back sports-style model offered for $75.
Unless you’re casting into a well-stocked pond, fishing can be incredibly boring while you wait for something to take your bait. In fact I think it just serves as a plausible excuse for spending countless hours drifting on a lake in a canoe. But the makers of the FishEyes promise to take the boredom out of waiting because they’ve created a rod and reel that features an integrated wide-angle video camera at the end of the line, sitting just above your bait.
The live video feed is sent to a color LCD display built into the handle, so you can see the fish as they swim by. But it doesn’t do anything to actually encourage fish to take a nibble. In fact, I’m pretty sure the built-in LED lights it uses to illuminate your bait underwater would probably serve to scare the fish away. And if the fish aren’t biting, seeing a murky live feed of nothing happening underwater isn’t any more exciting than sitting and waiting. Finally, according to this incredibly cliched infomercial, the FishEyes only has a little over 25 feet of line, which could make fishing off a tall dock pretty much impossible.
While probably outnumbered by scientists, engineers and even pilots, there’s apparently still a place at NASA for architects. And before turning his focus to more terrestrial endeavors, the designer of the Cricket camping trailer, Garrett Finney, actually worked on the habitation module for the International Space Station. So when it comes to designing small spaces that are as functional as possible, I can’t think of someone more qualified.
Each Cricket trailer is built to custom order, so customers get only what they want and/or need, and apparently range in price from about $10,000 up to $17,000. Amenities include a very compact stove and sink, equally compact shower and toilet, a tiny dining table and a couch that folds flat providing sleep space for a couple of people. The hard shell exterior is also strong enough to allow a couple of hammocks to be strung up inside for extra sleeping space for kids. The Cricket trailer is even light enough to be towed by some 4-cylinder cars since it weighs in at around 1,300 lbs before packed with provisions. And it takes just 20 seconds to set up once you’ve arrived at camp, which basically involves popping up the roof which is made extra easy with the assistance of automatic gas pistons.
Inspired by the music video for Michael Jackson’s Billie Jean, designer Roberto Paoli created these faux backyard stepping stones that are lit from within. Their soft glow can be used to illuminate or draw attention to a garden area, or simply make it easier for someone to navigate your backyard in the dead of night. Unfortunately unlike the magical tiles in Michael Jackson’s video these steps don’t specifically light up when stepped or danced on, but they are a slick alternative to the more traditional individual lights that landscapers often use to illuminate walkways. As for pricing and availability? According to Ballerhouse you should be able to get them from Serralunga, an Italian design shop, but I haven’t had much luck finding them on their site.
Today’s modern hippie might find it difficult to procure a 1965 Volkswagen Camper Van, the iconic mode of transport for the flower power movement of the 60′s. But since they’ll probably spend most of their time just sleeping in it anyways given the cost of gas these days, this is a more practical alternative. Designed to look like a perfect 1:1 scale replica of their 1965 Camper Van, this tent is officially licensed by Volkswagen and comes in your choice of red, yellow or blue.
Inside it comfortably sleeps 4 people and is divided down the middle allowing couples to have a little privacy while they’re not making war, and the design even means it’s tall enough to allow people to stand up inside. At ~$486(£299.99) it’s a little pricey as far as tents go, and unfortunately it’s not expected to ship until August 25th at which point your Summer of love is pretty much already over.
I’ve never ridden in anything that can remotely be considered a bike race, but apparently things can get so intense that even reaching for one’s water bottle can cost the rider precious milliseconds on their time. At least according to a company called Showers Pass who’ve created a sort of bike mounted CamelBak system called the VelEau.
A canteen/tool pack mounted to the rear of the seat holds 42 ounces of water which is made accessible to the rider via a frame-routed tube system that ends in a tethered valve held securely to the handlebars with magnets. This allows the rider to grab a quick sip while not having to worry about reaching or properly replacing a bottle in a holder. And on a hot day it keeps a heavy pack full of water off their backs. Available sometime in July with an MSRP of $79.99.
Like those gigantic backyard chess sets that only millionaires keep on hand, this monstrous 15 by 15 foot inflatable version of Twister will keep up to 10 players awkwardly touching and climbing all over each other. Except that since Hasbro has nothing to do with this version, you’ll have to remember to invite your friends over to play that ‘color dot game’ to avoid lawsuits and the like.
The massive playing surface is filled with 64 color dots, and players are assigned a color and body part thanks to a carnival-like 3-foot spinning wheel. It also includes a 1HP air blower which continually keeps the playing mat inflated under the weight of 10 people thrashing about. Oh and it it will set you back $2,000 from where else than Hammacher Schlemmer.
What I like best about this Gunbrella is that there’s no doubt it was designed for novelty purposes. Unlike those Samurai sword handle umbrellas that have become popular as of late, which still look a little sketchy to me. The solid wood handle has a vague gun stock shape to it, but other than that, most people wouldn’t give it a second look until you pop open the canopy revealing a whimsical, explosive ‘BANG’ graphic on it. I mean there’s even a slight chance airport security wouldn’t even bat an eye at it…. maybe… and at the moment it’s on sale for ~$18(£10.99).
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