Aside from their time spent innovating in the personal power side of things, Brunton has also come up with a couple of other conveniences that make the outdoors a little more comfortable, or at least palatable for some folks. First up is their new Polaris XL camp lantern. With an overall length of 9.75 inches and a width of 3.75 inches, it might be just a bit too large for the average backpacker to carry, but it would make a great camp light for the RV and car camping audience. Though the press release doesn’t indicate the power source, I was told at the show that the Polaris XL would run on D size batteries. It has a carabiner type clip on top for easy hanging anywhere around camp, and it has slip-resistent fee if you just wish to stand it on its own some place. It offers five brightness level settings. Maximum output of the Polaris XL is 200 lumens, generated by the LED lights protected by the scratch-resistent, 360 degree lens. For those folks that don’t like messing with lamp mantles or fuel canisters, the Polaris XL might be just the ticket for an easy handling lantern that requires little to no maintenance.
So, what are you doing to do when the darkness closes around you and the light of your Polaris XL? Well, you could make a cup of coffee with Brunton’s new Flip-N-Drip. This is a new lightweight and compact offering from Brunton to make it a little easier for the caffeine hounds in the audience to enjoy a cup of their favorite Java out on the trail. The aluminum brew cup (left pic and top of right pic) is where the user heats the water to make their favorite hot beverage. The middle, orange section of the Flip-N-Drip is the brew chamber where you put your coffee, tea, or other hot beverage makings. Once the water is hot enough in the brew cup, the user takes the other 2/3rds of the Flip-N-Drip body and inserts it into the brew cup. Once affixed, the user flips the entire package until the brew cup is upside down, allowing the hot water to begin dripping through the brew chamber where, for instance, the coffee is waiting. As the water drips through the coffee or tea in in the brew chamber, it flows right on into the 16 ounce mug below. After the process is complete and the water has stopped dripping, simply remove the brew cup and brew chamber from the mug, and you’re ready to drink your hot beverage. The whole process taked about 10-12 minutes from the beginning. It’s a great way to get that at-home tasted of drip coffee without having to lug your coffee maker into the woods with a 50 pound marine battery!
Certainly, there’s no shortage of ideas in the Brunton labs, and there’s sure to be more great new products to come in the next few months. We’ve just taken a look at a few that we though might hit the “hot” button for a lot of folks. What can be more important than power, lighting, and coffee? As more information becomes available, we’ll bring it to you as quickly as possible. We will be contacting Brunton to request demo units for review as they are availalbe. Like other products at the Outdoor Retailer show, these are absolutely brand new and not even on the shelves yet, so it may take a little time to get one in our hands and share our impressions. But, rest assured, we’ll do our best!
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