Hot Tech for Summer Travel

Gear to level up your next adventure

- By Nicholas Naioti

With summer comes the opportunity for campouts, road trips, barbecues, and hikes. Sometimes the simple act of investing in a small bit of gear can be a motivator to get out and appreciate the natural beauty around us. From creative portable lighting to the best ways to keep cool in the summer heat, here is a well-rounded list of new tech to enhance your next road trip or campout.

MPowerd Luci Solar String Lights

($49.95)

These aesthetic-boosting string lights are cleverly packed into a compact puck, allowing them to neatly roll up and fit into a pocket or backpack. The solar-absorptive unit soaks up the sunlight through the day and turns it into fun, bright lighting in the evening. They're especially magical when strung through trees above a campsite but can also add ambiance to the inside of a car, RV, or tent. You can also charge your iPhone from the base, and charge the base via USB if you're in a place without sunlight. Personally, I'm sensitive to LED light and I appreciate that these lights have a nice warm tone to them. It's enough light to be able to see and provide accent lighting, but not so bright that you'll be blinded if you look at them. These are an affordable way to add some mood lighting to your next outing!

BioLite Charge 80 PD

($69.95)