Innovative Rotisserie Campfire Grill

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Here is an innovative new product, from JnB Enterprises, that incorporates a motorized rotisserie grill for cooking over an open campfire. The Automatic Chef™ uses two D-size batteries, which provide 15-hours of operation, to slowly rotate a 22-inch diameter stainless steel grate. The whole thing packs-up into its own 19-inch by 25-inch carrying case, for safe storage and easy transportation.

There is nothing better than cooking over an open fire, and the Automatic Chef looks like a great way to free you up from constantly having to turn the food, in order to control the temperature. The height of the grate is adjustable via a stainless steel cable, and the arm extends from 22 to 30-inches to accommodate various fire-pit sizes. The entire assembly swivels on its ground stake, so you can rotate the grate away from the fire when adding or removing food - a nice feature.

An adjustable rotisserie grill for campfire cooking; Hop Sing never had it so good!

Happy camping!

2009 Trailer Life Directory Available for Pre Order

Go to www.trailerlifedirectory.com and check out the travel store. A little-known secret is that you can buy a 2009 directory there for almost half off the cover price.

I got to preview some pages next year’s Trailer Life Directory and there’s some cool improvements for 2009.  They added expert RV tech information like info about tires and suspension, as well as editorial about national parks such as Shenandoah, Grand Teton, Yosemite and Carlsbad Caverns. Like usual the Directory marks every Good Sam park uniquely with a red Good Sam logo, which is really easy to spot, and Good Sam Club members even get to save an extra dollar if they buy online at the Trailer Life Directory Site.

The price isn’t going to get cheaper than half off; plus there was over a quarter of a million changes from the ‘08 version. So if you’re a fan of the Trailer Life Directory or if you’ve always wanted to check one out, now’s the time.  Just click this link to pre order the Directory: 2009 Trailer Life Directory.

Binoculars - 3 Value Models at the Top of Their Class

There is a lot to see when you go camping, particularly in the early morning and evening when much of the wildlife is out-and-about (but the people aren’t!). A good set of binoculars can enhance your wildlife viewing experience and these three models from Weaver®, Minox® and Vortex® are all great binoculars, even though they are considered low to mid-range by their respective manufacturers. You can expect to pay somewhere around $250 to $300 for these binoculars but, like cameras, the sky is the limit if you want to step-up in quality. Rest assured, though, that these models are superior to anything you will find at the local superstore.

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New isn’t better if you don’t know how to use it!

Everyone likes to get new things, new campers, new clothes, new generators, new equipment in general. And most of the time, those new items are great improvements, for example the boots that they have now days are fantastic. I now have winter boots that keep my feet warm and that I can walk in without feeling like I am in snowshoes, or worry about water, and they weigh less than a five pound sack of sugar each.

But the down-side of new equipment often isn’t talked about! What down-side can there be to new equipment? Well, I am sure most you, if you think about it, have had some new piece of equipment that you thought would just be wonderful only to find that it didn’t work as well as advertised or was made shoddily. I am going to tell the tale of two pieces of equipment that have gone wrong and the mistakes made, and most of all how to learn from some painful errors! So, please continue to read on.

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3 Super Cool Ice Chests

Mobile phones are now more ubiquitous than wrist watches, we average 118.6 TV channels per household and the computer in your kid’s video game is more powerful than those onboard the space shuttle, so why are you still using that old ice chest that goes through ice faster than a hot knife through butter?  These three ice chests are referred to as “five day” or “six day” models, meaning that they are rated by the manufacturer to maintain ice over that timeframe, and while your results may vary, all three of these coolers are a vast improvement over older designs.

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A Better Bottle

You cannot fault its simplistic name as gimmickry; the CamelBak® Better Bottle really looks like it is a better bottle. Made from a new plastic called Eastman Tritan™, these bottles are safe for cold or hot liquids, they hold up just fine in the dishwasher and they are very impact resistant. The Better Bottles are BPA-free, so whichever side of that argument you fall on, you will not have to worry about it with these.

The advantages of the Better Bottle don’t end with its construction. They are available in 17, 25 and 34 ounce sizes, with four different types of lids. The 90-degree twist top lid free-flows when open, just like a traditional sports bottle (i.e. you can squeeze the bottle for a refreshing shower!). The “money lids” in my opinion, though, are the two bite valve lids. I have been using bite valves on hydration packs for years and they are very convenient, because you can take a drink with one hand and they do not leak when you are not drinking from them. As you can see in the picture below, the soft rubber valve opens when it is squeezed – which you can easily do with your fingers or your teeth.

Tough construction, a cool loop for clipping onto a carabiner and a bite valve for spill-proof drinking; The Better Bottle really is a better bottle.

Happy camping!

Campfire safety, it’s not all light my fire baby!

This week I want to talk about campfire safety. I realize and hope I am talking to the people that already are safety-minded about fires, but since this is one of the most frequent causes of injuries while camping, I thought it deserved a strong mention.

The campfire is one of the nicest parts of camping. My family loves to sit around the campfire telling stories and making s’mores (if you promise to read this to the end I will give you the new s’mores recipe we are using!). As the night goes on and the wear and tear of the day starts to take it’s toll and the fire burns down, we become quiet and begin watching the fire and the almost hypnotic effect it starts to have. Finally, when someone either yawns so wide it looks like the top of their head is going to fall off, or falls asleep, then it is time for bed. It is also most useful for cooking and heating water for dishes if you are dry camping.

But, like any tool, you must learn how to use it safely. You don’t give a 4-year-old an axe and say go have fun.  Likewise you don’t give a 4-year-old matches and say go have fun… but, at any age, you can learn about fire safety. Most of what I am going to say is common sense but, like my Grandfather used to tell me, “Common sense isn’t that common anymore.” So, please read this, and if you learn one new thing that can make you safer, it will have been worth it!

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The Bear Facts on Electric Fences

You have a better chance of being struck by lightning than ever having a close encounter with a hungry bear, but recent events; including an aggressive black bear having to be put down in Yellowstone National Park on July 11, a grizzly attack on a camper just outside the park on July 18, and an attack on a solo hiker yesterday in the Walker basin area east of Bakersfield, CA have elevated awareness of the risks associated with camping in bear country. With that in mind, we look at a pair of gadgets this week designed to protect your campsite sleeping area through the night. Read more

The Kamp Kaddie

On our last camping trip, over the 4th of July weekend, we picked-up a new Coleman 8D Family Size LED Lantern for those nighttime marshmallow roasts. The lantern worked great, but we quickly figured out that the picnic table was not the most efficient place for a light source. Luckily we were deep in the woods of Oregon’s Coast Range, so a tree branch was readily available, but we will need to come up with a better solution and I think I have found it in the Kamp Kaddie, from VacationGadgets.com.

The Kamp Kaddie can be clamped to a table top, or staked into the ground by switching-out the bottom section of the pole. This flexibility is important to me, because football season is right around the corner and our tailgate barbeques take place in a paved parking lot. I have been in many campsites, though, where the picnic table is some distance from the fire ring, so the ability to stake the Kamp Kaddie into the ground will come in handy. The condiment basket is adjustable up-and-down, and could easily double as a soap dish, making the Kamp Kaddie a useful addition to any wash station.

Happy camping!

RVing with pets and their unique needs

I would bet that most people who travel with pets have a canine along with them in the RV, car or plane. But there are a lot of folks who travel with their cats, birds and other pets as they head out for business or pleasure. The type of pet you travel with can have unique requirements for feeding, comfort, safety and other considerations. Birds, for example, have much more stringent travel needs than dogs. Some people would argue that cats are more difficult to travel with than dogs. Read more

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