While not strictly bike-related, all these new pieces of gear are tech-heavy and could easily find their way into any bikepacker’s panniers. Shown above is the new Muncher multi-tool from Full Windsor, who have had some successful bike tools in the past like the Breaker and the Nutter Multi-tool. The titanium Muncher is sure to be appreciated by anyone packing for a camp kitchen, and tips the scales at just 20g. Click past the break to chomp on details and read up on some other trick camp gear..
Boasting 10 unique functions, the Muncher has:
- a spork
- a serrated butter knife
- a fire-starting flint
- a peeler
- a can opener
- a bottle opener
- a pry bar tip that doubles as a flathead screwdriver
- separate box and cord cutters
The Muncher will be made in Hong Kong from a sheet of 1.5mm titanium and finished on a CNC mill. The food utensils on either end will be polished for easier cleaning, while the center portion will be media-blasted for a lightly textured grip. Focused on replacing as many camp-kitchen tools as possible, the design underwent hundreds of revisions during more than a year and a half of testing. Measuring 164mm long, 34mm wide and 9mm deep (6.5″ x 1.4″ x 0.34″), the Muncher certainly packs a lot for its size. Having their Kickstarter campaign fully funded, the Munchers will be shipping in April 2017 and retail for $50. FullWindsor.cc
SNOWPEAK
Having just received a the prestigious G-mark Japan Good Design Award, SnowPeak’s new Sky Nest is sure to wow its occupants as it lulls them to sleep. The floor pad of the tent is essentially a large hammock, with storage pockets for keeping shoes dry and an inner condensation liner to keep occupants dry through temperature fluctuations.
Built to be suspended from trees, the Sky Nest includes pads for the trees’ trunks to protect them from chafing. With an aluminum framed base of 4′ x 7′ and made using a 150D polyester taffeta for the upper enclosure, 600d polyester for the floor and 420d ripstop nylon for the bottom sheet, the Sky Nest weighs in at a hefty 13kg(28lb). At nearly 30 pounds it might be a bit much for most bikepackers, but is surely a surreal camping experience. The Sky Nest retails for $1,727, available on Amazon. Via DesignBoom.com
POWER PRACTICAL
The Sparkr from Power Practical is a remarkably ingenious piece of tech. Using USB rechargeable batteries, the Sparkr has a 150 lumen LED flashlight in one end, and uses a plasma arc in the opposite end as a flameless lighter. Similar to a spark from a spark plug in your car, the arc is windproof and features a safety cap to prevent accidental ignition that doubles as a diffuser on the flashlight to turn it into a lantern.
The Sparker uses a hefty 3,350 mAh rechargeable Lithium-Ion battery that will run the flashlight on high for 4 hours, low for 16 hours and will hold a charge when unused for up to a year. Though their Kickstarter is fully funded, they are still available for pre-order.
