Technology to let explorers stay wired in great outdoors

The Great Outdoors is starting to get wired.

The days of completely escaping the world during a visit to nature disappeared years ago, at least for anyone staying in a developed campground or not hiking through miles of backcountry. Generators hum, radios blare music, and a night around the campfire is often replaced by a night in front of the television in the camper.

Yet the wilderness has generally presented a more primal environment. Electronics are practically nonexistent and communication is nearly impossible.

Make that was nearly impossible, and copy it for other many other outdoor sports where personal technology was impractical and uncommon. Simply wandering the aisles of the Outdoor Retailers show at the Salt Palace last week provides a glimpse into what the future, and the present, holds for a connected outdoor adventure.

Nearly every equipment maker provides pockets for personal music players, slots for headphones and clips for cell phones in their backpacks and tents, even those designed for lengthy trips.

Even more noticeable is the newer equipment specifically designed for the personal technology.

For a long trip with technology, power will always be a primary issue, and it is one which Allan Shoji is trying to address. Through his company SolarFocus, he provides compact and lightweight solar panels which can be used to power everything from cell phones to lights to laptops.

Additionally, he focuses on outdoor users, and the company's ads even feature users powering equipment in various backcountry locales.

"These real users are outdoor users," he said. "It's very much a specialized product ... for anyone who needs power and will not be anywhere near a power source."

While not a backcountry tool, FatSac is a rugged outdoor bag specifically designed for laptops, said co-founder Vince Robinson. Even with an eye-catching design that lets users fold the bag to fit their needs, the biggest benefit of the bag is its waterproof, padded laptop pocket.

Instead of backpackers, it is designed more for the urban office worker who likes to bike to work. It would also be very good for camping trips where weight is was not a concern.

"Other bags have some of the same features, but they never protected the laptops," he said. "For us, protecting the laptop was most important feature."

VOZ Sports offers helmets, used on ski slopes and in water sports, that have Bluetooth music players, two-way radios, and weather satellite radio warnings. They also have watches that double as MP3 players, which can be played through the helmets.