The High-Tech Camping Gadget That Doubles As A Phone Charger

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Camping trips can be rugged, outdoorsy affairs. Heading off into the wilderness, pitching a tent, and cooking your own food around a campfire or portable stove gives adventurers a taste of the survivalist life and can be an exciting yet accessible way to decompress and experience the great outdoors. Camping often means pitting yourself against the elements and immersing yourself in nature, but while this used to mean a level of discomfort and disconnection, it doesn't always have to be like that anymore.

Camping hardware has come a long way in recent years, and there are now loads of high-tech, portable camping gadgets that can make your camping trip easier and more comfortable. Younger generations have increasingly abandoned a lot of the boomer camping habits their parents and grandparents favored, using technology and innovative gear to add a touch of comfort or even luxury to their outdoor adventures. One of the most ingenious items around is the BioLite CampStove, a tiny, high-powered backpacking stove that boils your water, cooks your food, and even charges your phone.

The BioLite CampStove 2+ solves two of the biggest issues modern campers face. How to cook their food and stay connected to the outside world. Heading out into the wilderness for a few nights under the stars might be about disconnecting from everyday life, but keeping your phone charged is still important from a safety perspective, and without an electrical hookup, this can be tough. This gadget lets you go far from the beaten path and still have enough juice to power your phone.

The BioLite CampStove 2+ is a practical device that turns wood into fire (like a normal camp stove) and then turns heat into electricity, doubling up on usefulness and practicality. It is a wood-burning stove and runs on twigs, kindling, scraps, and pellets, so you can say goodbye to gas canisters. It's ultra-portable, weighing in at just 2.06 lbs (936 grams) and packing down to the size of a large water bottle.

This on its own would be pretty cool, but the BioLite 2+ converts the energy from the flames into electricity, with an output of three watts and a storage capacity of 3,200 mAh. This means you can charge your devices while you cook, or store the electricity and charge them later. It also comes with a flexlight, also powered by fire, so you can see what you are cooking!

The CampStove is a smart device, beyond its immediate practicalities. It burns off all fumes before it leaves the fire, so you can cook smoke-free. Despite its diminutive size, it is pretty powerful and can boil a liter of water in four and a half minutes. The LED dashboard lets you control fan speed and heat, and also lets you know the battery status, so you can work out if you have enough charge for your phone. All in all, the BioLite CampStove 2+ is a solid addition to any adventurer's camping kit, and may even become a camping essential you'll always wish you brought on every outdoor getaway.