In this day and age, camping no longer means you have to unplug completely — and in many ways, this is a good thing.
Several years ago, BioLite made a big splash in the Kickstarter world with its BaseCamp stove, which could cook food while camping and recharge a smartphone simultaneously. Now, the company is back with a new release called the BaseLantern.
The flatpack Bluetooth LED lantern can easily slip into your backpack. It’s Bluetooth connectivity allows users to control the lights brightness and colors from a smartphone. The 7,800mAh battery allows it to run for 54 hours on its lowest setting, or up to six on its highest.
It charges with a microUSB, which can be connected to a solar charger also provided by BioLite. Talk about a self-sustaining camp lighting situation.
Optional accessories to the lantern include SiteLites, which can be connected to the Lantern and allow you to string overhead lights. And, similar to the original camp-stove, it can recharge some of your electronics.
In 2010 alone, about 40 million people went camping for a total of 515 million outings, so camping as a pastime is not going anywhere. And while a lot of people see it as a time to get away from technology, the fact is that the smartphones, cameras, and stereos are coming anyway.
BioLite’s products are designed to minimize environmental impact and waste, as well as to enhance the camping experience in general, which is why they do all of their funding on Kickstarter.
