New Products Can Relieve the Discomforts of Outdoor Pursuits

Just because you’re out in the wilderness doesn’t mean your comfort level has to be primitive. Here are some new aids for hikers and campers. I have tested these items. They may be available in area stores; prices do not include shipping.

Got you covered: A good hat will protect your head from the scorching sun, but what about your ears and neck? The Chic Sheik II is a lightweight nylon neck and ear drape that fits under any hat. It is open at the crown for ventilation and drapes down the back of the head. Velcro tabs on each side can be used to keep the drape from flapping in the wind. On very hot days, wet the Chic Sheik, and it will cool you off as the water evaporates. It comes in tan or white.

Chic Sheik II is $16.95 from SunGrubbies.com; telephone (888) 970-1600, Internet https://www.sungrubbies.com.

Fixer-upper: The Cuts & Bolts pack from Adventure Medical Kits combines a first-aid kit with a gear-repair kit. Unzip the 8 1/2-by-6-by-2-inch Cordura nylon case, and it opens to reveal two zippered pouches. One contains 20 kinds of medical essentials, such as bandages, moleskin, splinter removers, antibiotic ointment, sting-relief pads, Tylenol and Motrin. The other holds sleeping-pad patches, buckle-replacement clips, cable ties, seam-sealing adhesive, a sewing kit, a tent pole splint, duct tape and other aids. The kit also includes a pocket-size guide to wilderness medicine and a gear repair manual.

Cuts & Bolts Basic kit is $35. Smaller Cuts & Bolts Essentials kit is $25. For information, contact the manufacturer; tel. (800) 324-3517, https://www.adventuremedicalkits.com .

Night vision: Steiner, a German optics company, developed Nighthunter binoculars for hunters tracking game in the dark, but animal-friendly hikers and campers will find them just as useful. Special prisms and a high-definition lens coating capture and trans-mit all ambient light--including moonlight, starlight and even light reflected from animals’ eyes. The result is better color vision in the dark. Diopters on each eyepiece eliminate the need for glasses, and the binoculars need no focusing from 20 yards to infinity. The binoculars are waterproof and have rubber armoring for shock. They come in five models; the smallest (model 580) provides 8X magnification, measures 83/4 by 41/2 by 2 inches and weighs 18 ounces.

Nighthunter 8x30 binoculars (model 580) are about $400. For information, contact Pioneer Research; tel. (800) 257-7742, https://www.steiner-binoculars.com.

Distance talker: Walkie-talkies used to have a range that was not much farther than yelling. Not anymore. Cobra Electronics’ new MicroTALK SNAP FRS 225-2 two-way radios allow users to communicate when they’re up to two miles apart. The water-resistant radios provide access to 14 channels and 38 subchannels and have a backlit LCD display. The radio has some nifty extras: Call Alert, which allows one user to ring another by pressing the “call” button; a “roger beep” that provides an end-of-transmission tone; and interchangeable faceplates, which can be bought in 30 colors. The radios run on three AA batteries (not included). Only one person can speak at a time.

Cobra MicroTALK SNAP FRS 225-2 two-way radios are about $120, including two radios and three faceplates. For information, contact the manufacturer in Chicago; tel. (773) 889-3087, https://www.cobra.com.

Getting framed: Fitovers provide a solution for eyeglass wearers who hate schlepping along prescription sunglasses, especially on hiking trips, where glasses are particularly vulnerable to scratching. As the name implies, these large sunglasses fit over your regular glasses. The wraparound shades are polarized to reduce glare and provide UV protection at the front and sides. Available in black or tortoiseshell-patterned plastic, they come with a padded case, neck cord, belt clip and cleaning cloth. I found Fitovers to be as effective and comfortable as sunglasses when used with smaller-lens glasses but a bit unwieldy with my old larger-lens glasses.

Fitovers (item BA279) in small or large are $39.85 from Magellan’s; tel. (800) 962-4943, https://www.magellans.com.

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