Camping and Outdoor Gear: 10 Cool, Must Have Products

"You all look like happy campers to me. Happy campers you are, happy campers you have been, and, as far as I am concerned, happy campers you will always be."

-Dan Quale

Let's face it, camping isn't for the faint of heart and happy you are not always. There's bears, snakes, and bugs. But none of these trivial pests can stop you – the quintessential outdoors person - from the call of the wild. You are an adventurer who enjoys life under the stars with the howls of coyotes in the distance. But just because you're roughing it doesn't mean you have to punish yourself. You enjoy the finer things in life, and as such you make your soirée's into the wild as comfortable and elegant as possible.

Whether you enjoy hiking, hunting, fishing, or just camping, you are sure to find some products here that will help you create environs that are practical and downright luxurious. Even if you're not a camper, there's something cool here for you. So pack up your tent and get going. Just remember to take along these 10 cool, must-have products.

You gotta have light, and you want it as bright as possible. A personal camp lantern offering the efficiency of LED technology. LED lanterns light up the room with a bright, white light great for making your way through the dark and going snipe hunting.

They also burn a great deal longer than other lanterns. It's safe to hang in your tent or use in your automobile, and it's perfect to check out that grunting noise outside your tent in the middle of the night.

Never worry about wet matches again with the cool Brunton Striker Firestarter. With it's ignition steel (that just sounds cool, doesn't it?) it's a fool-proof way to make sure you always have fire. It's large striking stick makes it easy to use. Made of durable “Firesteel” with a stainless steel striker and non-slip handle, you'll want to carry it everywhere you go just in case. It weighs a measly 1.8oz. and can be used thousands of times.

Great for starting campfires and signal fires for when you find yourself washed ashore on a desert island. James Bond probably carries one, only his turns into a helicopter.

Mosquitoes. Who doesn't hate these little buggars? Not only are they pests, they can also carry disease. So get rid of them with a Coleman Mosquito Deleto. Imagine your next camping trip without those bothersome mosquitoes. Heck, get one just because it has a cool name. Just make sure you take one on your next trip, even if the trip is only as far as your patio. Heck, take two.

They even work on buzzard-sized mosquitoes that come at you like the Red Baron in a dogfight. If you go without and find yourself lying in the hospital with malaria, don't come crying to me!

Reduce your chances of getting lost in the woods with this Garmin Colorado portable GPS. You think your lost in the woods? Nope. Whip out your handy Garmin and find out exactly where you need to go. It's packed with many cool features including detailed topographic maps for your hiking adventures, high-sensitivity receiver, barometric altimeter, electronic compass, SD™ card slot, color display, picture viewer and more.

As perfect for the saltwater mariner as the outdoorsman. When the going gets tough, the Garmin gets you going.

Fishing can be a long, tedious sport, especially if you can't catch anything. With Fish Finder GPS, you can easily locate and catch the fish you want. Don't waste perfectly good beer drinking time by constantly looking for a hot spot. No Sirree Bob. Find the fish and spend your time doing what you do best: drinking beer and catching fish.

No more coming home empty handed. It's not cheating...it's outsmarting.  Fish aren't smarter than you, are they?  No, so why not use the gifts that science has given us?  Fresh bass cooking on the campfire tonight!

All Dakota watches are 100 feet water resistant with solid aluminum construction, an integrated aluminum carabiner and spring clip, domed mineral glass crystal, and a flip out compass. The LED Microlight is ultra bright and the Stainless Steel caseback is acid etched. Besides, it'll make you look like you know what you're doing... like that “Man versus Wild” guy.

Suitable for everyday use. It's too cool not to have it on you at all times.  For you urban adventurers and office stair climbers, hook it on your belt loop or your briefcase.  Everyone one will know that you're a man to be reckoned with.

A bear might do it in the woods but that's no reason you should have to. Is there anything less dignified than squatting in the wild and doing your business? No, no. Listen Kings and Queens of the forest, now you can take your throne with you.

The woodland creatures will roll out the red carpet for you and your portable toilet. Most are self-contained with a convenient carrying handle, and are also perfect for boats and RVs. Reading material not included.

For some people a hot shower in the morning gets 'em started, and for others a nice shower before bed helps them sleep. But whichever it is, you have to have the shower. What are you going to do on a camping trip? Take your shower with you! What's more, you can have a heated shower with a solar-heated shower set up. There are many styles available so choose the one that suits you best. There are also shower privacy tents available.

Talk about luxury and comfort! Don't forget your battery operated, water-proof karaoke system. To save water, shower with a friend.

Of course, no camping trip will be complete without your gourmet cooking, so I know you already have a camping cookware set, right? No? Well it's time you got one, and it's got to be enamel. Enamel is traditional for camping cookware. It's light, durable, and distributes heat evenly.

Of course I prefer a speckled pattern, since that says “cooking in the wild” to me, but you can choose any color that suits your fancy. That's what I call Gourmet on the Go!

It's a tent. It's a cot. It's a tent cot. Take your outdoor home and bed with you everywhere you go. Each one of these gems is self-contained and puts you 11” off the ground, away for the aforementioned bugs, critters and moisture. They're strong and roomy and can hold up to 300 pounds. Each has a 3/8 “sleep pad” for comfort and insulation, plus comes with a carry-bag.

Even the bears wont get you because they'll be saying things like, “Wow. Would you look at that thing, Yogi.” (This theory NOT actually tested.). It always works great for when you have to visit those darn in-laws and their lumpy mattress. And for those nights when you suddenly find yourself sleeping in the garage, you're all set.

And now, Grizzly Adams, you're set to go camping with flair and you'll be living the wild life in the style with which you are accustomed. Remember, just because you're roughing it doesn't mean it has to be rough. Happy camping!