Summer is finally here! This is my first real summer in the valley. I moved to Windermere on June 2nd last year and spent the next bunch of months not really leaving the store. I’m pretty excited to get out and enjoy all the area has to offer. In that vein, I would like to highlight some really cool outdoor technologies!

No matter what type of outdoor activity you are into, staying hydrated is pretty important. So if you had the ability to safely drink from almost any water source, short of the kiddie pool at Chernobyl, wouldn’t that be awesome? Enter the Lifesaver bottle! I first heard about this fantastic invention watching a TED talk. A British gent was on stage with a tank full of water and dumped a bunch of dirt and junk into it, then used this bottle and clean water came out. Pretty epic idea — and the company is doing a big humanitarian effort to bring this tech to places in the world that aren’t as fortunate as we are. Please take a look at this: www.wimp.com/waterworld/lifesaversystems.com.

As I’m sure most of you can guess, I like my gadgets. I have them with me most places I go, and charging them can cause a bit of a problem when I am out in the middle of the bush or up the side of a mountain. I enjoy taking very little with me camping, so if I can find a device that does multiple tasks, I am a happy man.

I was ecstatic when I found the BioLite stove. This little camp stove packs down to the size of a Nalgene bottle, runs on twigs you find all over the ground, and charges my USB devices. Awesome! Now I can carry my Kobo and catch up on a good book while relaxing in the backcountry. See www.biolitestove.com.

One of the best things about living where we do is being able to head off into the wild and leave behind the daily grind. But what happens if you have wandered off the beaten path or become injured? All of a sudden being without the everyday comforts of a cell phone or access to help can be pretty bad. SPOT to the rescue! This company offers a couple of styles of small transmitters that can provide one-touch emergency response directly to your location. Also, look into their GEOS service, which will pay for your rescue if you need it. See www.findmespot.ca/en.

Happy camping!

Aaron Mackenzie is The Valley Echo’s technology columnist and the sales manager at The Source in Invermere. He can be reached at techracing@gmail.com.