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Swagger and I are going camping. And normally the whole point of camping is to get away from technology, but we partnered with Ascend and Alcatel to check out some cool outdoor survival tech and bring you guys along with us. I guess we packed pretty light, huh? Oh yeah, super minimalist for this trip. So we've each brought some of our favorite outdoor gear and we're going to put it to good use up in these mountains. We've got gear to keep us powered up, to keep us online, to make food, and to help us out on the trail. So I guess we're not roughing it. No, we're not exactly roughing it, eh? But that's cool. I'm stoked, man. First things first though, we're going to need some water. That's your department.
Oh yeah, drinks aren't cold yet. All right, fortunately we've got a stream of mountain fresh glacier water running right beside the campsite. Now obviously just because this water looks kind of clean doesn't mean I'm going to drink it straight from the source. Made that mistake before. So that's why I brought this guy. And this is the GRAYL Geo portable electric water purifier. About 100 bucks and the whole thing packs into this little case right here. Super easy to use. You've got the device, you've got two lengths of tubing. The intake with a filter goes into the stream and the clean hose goes right into your Nalgene or whatever your water bottle is. You hit the button and
bam, that's it. Pulling water straight from the stream and running it through a five-stage filtration system including a 0.01 micron hollow fiber membrane. It pumps something like 700 ml a minute at full speed, so it takes about a minute and a half to fill this Nalgene here. Now it is battery powered with a handy display, but it does charge over USB-C and for longer trips you've got a couple backups. There's a solar panel built right into the side and if I somehow manage to drain it completely there's a little hand crank right here.
Worst case scenario I'm standing beside a river cranking my water purifier for a little while. So worst places to be and still better than being thirsty. All right, moment of truth. Oh yeah. That'll do. That's a liter of filtered mountain fresh stream water with basically no effort on my part. People pay $7 a bottle for this at an airport. And that's why I like this thing. For a day hike, it's small enough to throw in your bag. And for longer trips, I'm not worried about how much water I need to bring, provided that I've got a suitable water source nearby. It's easy to use.
Everything packs nicely into that case, and I've got multiple ways to keep it running when I'm away from an outlet. This is definitely a permanent addition to my camping kit. So, water sorted. Now, what we need to do is get the rest of camp powered up. Igor's got us covered on that. Yo, Igor, brought you some mountain fresh water. Oh, that's right. Thank you. I'm I'm good now, though. We just got to our campsite, and the nearest outlet is many miles away. We're techies, so we need a reliable power station. For this trip, we picked the Oukitel P2001 Pro Portable Power
Station. This battery can power everything we brought. It has a rated output of 3,200 W across its four AC outlets, and supports surges of up to 6,400 W. To give you an idea of what that means, things like kettles, coffee makers, microwave ovens, and portable air conditioners usually require about 1,000 to 1,500 W. This can run that stuff with room to spare. In terms of battery capacity, we're looking at 2,048 W. The most power-hungry device we have around here is a 500 W cooker. And even with something like this, you're looking at roughly 3-plus hours of run time, depending on efficiency and what else we're powering. We have plenty of other electronics, but most of them don't need that much juice. We can also use a
couple of 18 W USB-A ports and four USB-C ports, including one that supports up to 100 W power delivery charging. There's even a car socket and DC outputs in here, just in case. And if we're staying off the grid for a few days, eventually we'll need to recharge it. The good news is that we have plenty of options for recharging. It supports up to 1,000 W of solar input, and you can also recharge it from your vehicle while on the road. If you're home, you can also charge it using a standard AC outlet at 1,800 W or combined AC and solar charging for up to 2,800 W. You can even use it as a backup power source for emergencies and outages. It provides under 10 milliseconds backup switching during a power outage. And the life PO4 battery
is rated for over 4,000 cycles before reaching 80% of its original capacity. So, we've got plenty of power for the campsite. And Dave's already found something to plug into it. Swaggers got us all powered up, which means I can do something I don't normally get to do. Plug in lunch. So, this right here is the Nestout outdoor cooker. It's basically a 500 W little cooker that we can run right off the power station that we have here. Now, you know how it goes. Traveling all day, you got to get camp set up. So, this is exactly the kind of convenience that I'm looking for. Normally, if you want something hot, you're pulling out the propane stove. And propane is great,
but I'm also constantly messing with the heat. You got to stir it so it doesn't burn. And every propane stove seems to have that one burner knob where you turn it 3 mm and bam, your food's burnt. Every time, I swear. So, this is much more of a set it and forget it vibe. I've got some lentil soup. I've got a little pre-cooked sausage. So, I'm going to toss that in, let it heat up while I get the rest of camp sorted. Mhm. Oh, yeah. That's exactly what I wanted. Hot lunch, basically no effort. Pure convenience, now we're camping. Yo, Iggie, you got to try this. Check out the Nestout cooker. Here, you can use this wooden spoon. that's a flight Oh my god.
That's cool. Oh, it's got the little thing. Okay, okay. All right. Mhm. Oh, it gets pretty hot. Of course, you can get more ambitious if you really want to. There's a rice mode, there's a steaming tray, so you could do dumplings. You could slow cook a stew. You could boil water, but hey, man, we're camping. I did try and boil a full pot of water. Took about 15 minutes, so it's not replacing my propane stove anytime soon. But for soup, where I can throw a few things in, walk away, come back to a hot meal, that's what I'm talking about. All right. So, the camp's looking pretty set up. We already had a bite, and it's time to go explore. This is a brand new camping spot for me, but I'm not worried about getting lost because I have
the Garmin Fenix 9 Pro. More specifically, this is the 47 mm solar-powered version with inReach support. And it goes for $1,200. It's the biggest and thickest watch I have ever used, but that's because it can also do much more than any watch. inReach is Garmin's satellite connectivity service. It can keep me connected even in places with no cell phone signal, such as this. You can access a map directly from your wrist. It can help you navigate through rough terrain. It will also track your hike and can help you navigate back to the starting point when done. Yeah, there's no way I am getting lost out
here. But, if I actually get lost, injured, or I need any type of emergency help, I can actually trigger an SOS by pressing this button right here for about 7 seconds. It will trigger an alarm, send a distress signal with my exact coordinates, and Garmin will send help my way ASAP. By the way, I can also use Garmin Messenger to send messages to anyone back home, and you can even send your live location to people, so they always know where you are, cell signal or not. Of course, it can do all the things a smart watch can, and then some. You get regular notifications, it has contactless payments through Garmin Pay, and you can even use a compass, barometer, and altimeter. Oh, yeah, and it gives you the time, too, I guess. Of
course, you get all the health tracking features you've come to expect from Garmin smart watches, too. It's built to withstand anything. With a titanium frame and a 10 ATM rating, this means I can take it to depths of a m underwater. As for battery life, 21 days. And up to 34 days with good solar charging, unheard of in the smartwatch world. The Garmin Fenix 9 Pro has quickly become my favorite outdoor smartwatch. But hey, maybe this is much more than you need for your adventures. And the $1,200 price point is kind of hard to swallow. If you want something that will keep you safe, the Garmin Mini 3 Plus is a great alternative for only $500. It still has messaging, SOS, and mapping features. But hey, this is what
I'm taking on the hike. We got to go see what Dave's got going on. All right, so we're headed off for a little hike, but uh I've got a surprise for this one. All right, this is already a little daunting. Okay, what am I doing with my life? Let's go. Okay. All right, let's see what this thing can do. Okay, yeah, yeah. All right. Nice. Here we go. Let's go. Okay, so this is the Ascentis H Ultra. It's a powered exoskeleton for your hips. Yeah, apparently we're there now. Anyway, these powered modules are basically helping my legs move as I
walk, and Ascentis says that the H Ultra can reduce walking effort by up to 40% under its test conditions. Now, obviously I can't measure that out here, but what I can find out is whether it actually makes a noticeable difference when I'm climbing up a mountain trail. Now, I did have to get this fitted properly before we got out here. The exo belt uses these removable metal links, so you can add or remove them to size it to your waist. Then, the leg supports attach to the belt, line up with your hips, and these pads sit just above your knees. Once you've got that initial fit sorted out, actually getting into it is pretty straightforward. And if you're wearing a big backpack or you're taking a quick ride to the
trailhead, you can actually flip the belt around, so this part sits at the front instead of getting in the way. Additionally, the battery can double as a power bank in an emergency with 20-W USB-C output for charging your phone or other gear. The frame uses titanium and carbon fiber, which helps keep the whole weight of the system to about 2.5 kg including the battery. And it folds down to roughly A4 size. So, I'm just going to throw this thing in my backpack and take it up the trail. All right, this is where I really want to test it. And listen how quiet this thing is. Ascent is rated for under 35 decibels, so even with the motors working away, you'll barely notice the noise.
Okay Oh, yeah. Okay, there we go. Now, the system controlling all this is called AI Omni Terrain, and it's reading how much I'm moving and automatically adjusting assistant as I walk. So, I don't have to trigger anything with every step, it just walks for you. I can also adjust how much help I get through the app. Ease is the regular assistant mode, ACC gives me stronger acceleration support, and train mode basically adds resistance because, you know, apparently walking up the mountain wasn't difficult enough already. So, you could technically use it for exercises like squats and lunges, too, if you really, really wanted. So, let's go back to ACC. And this is really the test for
me. Look, I can't tell you if it's making things 40% easier, but I can definitely tell you if I'm feeling a difference as I go up this hill. And that's all I really wanted to know. Can I put this thing on, hike up a trail, and actually notice it making the climb feel easier? Yeah. And obviously I'm using this for hiking, but I think the technology gets a lot more interesting when you think about people who already have a harder time getting around. And if you're looking at one of these, Ascent also makes the H Pro. That's geared more towards shorter walks, while the Ultra, which I'm wearing, is the one you'd use for longer days or multi-day trips. And the system is modular, too. There's the optional Ascent K module, which adds
support and shock absorption at the knees. Now, I don't have the K module with me on this trip, so what you're seeing is footage provided by Ascentis, but it does give you an idea of how the system can expand beyond the hip assistance I've been using today. But today, I've basically got robot legs in the mountains. You know we got to go back down, right? Yeah, but you know, robot legs. You got regular legs. Oh, hey man. So, how are you liking the Ascentis H Ultra? It's pretty cool, to be honest, man. It definitely helps you on those steeper inclines. You feel your legs going. I don't see myself using the resistance mode too often. I don't need to be doing
squats or anything out here in the forest, but pretty cool overall. I'm fine with being a robot man in the woods today. Pretty cool. Yeah, you check in with your girlfriend yet? I just did, but I know you haven't because there's no signal out here. Yeah. Let me help you with that. Right on. Come over. Ooh. Escaping the modern world is nice, but it's even nicer knowing we can reconnect if we want to, especially if you work online like we do.
This is the Starlink Mini, the pinnacle of mobile connectivity. See this little thing? It has all we need to keep us online. The Starlink network covers most of the world with satellite connectivity, providing surprisingly good internet speeds that can even rival many home internet connections. I've seen this thing get over 300 megabits per second downloads and about 50 megabits per second uploads. Of course, it depends on the conditions, right? And your plan. We're using the roam unlimited plan, which is the most expensive out about $175 a month. We can take the Starlink Mini anywhere though and use it as we please, but there are cheaper options if you prefer. The router is built right into the device,
so this is really all you need to connect. You can add mesh units to expand your network, but I would say this is more than enough. The only tricky part is getting it to face in the right direction, but the app helps you position and align the Starlink Mini pretty seamlessly. It will also let you control the connections, you can run speed tests, you can manage your plan, and more. And just like that, we have high-speed internet. But I don't want to be staring at my phone too long. We best get a fire started before it rains more. Oh man, I think I forgot the lighter. Well, good thing I didn't forget the Alcatel WP63.
Okay, and how is your phone going to help? This phone is lit. The Alcatel WP63 is the world's first rugged phone with a built-in fire igniter. Woah. See this thing up here? Yeah. Just pull it, tap once, and done. Nice. The coil will light up and you can use it to light your tinder or firewood. And you can replace it if it goes out, too. Cool. Did you forget anything else? Because it can do much more. It's this big for a reason. This thing has a massive 20,000 battery and it won't just keep your phone alive for several days. It can actually be used as a power bank. And
you can't even forget the cable because it has a USB-C cable built right in the phone. Perfect cuz uh my phone's dying. Can you charge me up there, brother? brother. Thanks, man. Thanks. Not only that, but it has a large LED light in the back and night vision, just in case you also forgot the flashlight. And did you bring a speaker? Because this also has a large 36 mm 3 W loudspeaker in the back. The Alcatel WP63 will keep your fire going, your devices charged, the trail bright, and your music playing loud because it is a rugged phone. It will easily survive a drop or a dunk in the water. In essence, it's a proper Android phone,
just one that can charge your devices, start your fire, and more. Interested? Go catch the details at Oukitel's website listed in the description below. All right, Edgar, thanks for getting that fire going. So, next up, I've got this little guy. And this little guy right here is the Olight Baton 4. I've had this thing in my pocket pretty much since I got it. Let's check out how small it is. Basically, the size of my thumb. But, double click this button here, bam, 1,300 lm. Oh, yeah. That's awesome for something this small. And I really like the grip on this thing, too. Just feels secure in your hand, even though it's so tiny.
This is the Halloween edition, by the way. We've also got the battery indicator here, so you're never really guessing how much battery you have left. So, whether you're trying to figure out, you know, what the hell was that, or maybe you're just digging through your duffel bag, trying to find that last beer in the cooler, well, there we go. It's just a handy little guy. And because I've got the premium edition, comes with this cool wireless charging case. So, this is my favorite part. End of the day, just drop it in there. It's kind of like a charging case for wireless earbuds, except, you know, it's for a flashlight. Charge it overnight, you can charge it during the day where you're doing something else,
you know, you're good to go. Now, the case itself has its own 5,000 mA battery, so I never really have to think about keeping the flashlight charged, and you can still use the light when it's inside the case. Super cool setup there. Nice little case and flashlight combo from Olight. And then I've got this little guy. And this is the Oclip Pro S. Now, this one's less about throwing a ton of light way over there, more about putting it exactly where you need it. It's got this big rubberized clip, so you can clip it to yourself, and it's magnetic, so I can slap it on the canopy or the truck when needed. So, you know, if you're setting up after dark, digging through gear, or trying to cook something without holding
a flashlight in your mouth, this is way more useful. Because it's fairly flat, you can also just set it down as a little area light, too. Now, you've got white light, UV, red, green, and blue, and this little dial makes it really easy to jump between them. Do I need my campsite glowing green? Probably not. Is it kind of cool? Sometimes. And when the battery gets low, just plug it in, USB-C charge with the rest of your stuff, and you're done. So, yeah, between these two lights, I basically have my lighting covered for this camping trip. The Baton is the one
I want in my pocket, when I need to see that what the hell is that over there. But the Olight clip is the one that I like having when I'm setting up camp, because it's magnetic, have it on the table. All in all, pretty covered with both these guys. So, on that note, it's been a long day. Let's call it a night, and we'll see you in the morning. Well, we made it. We sure did. Remember when Edgar said that we packed pretty light? Well, you know, it feels like we've been packing for hours, but it was worth it. Thanks again to Alcatel and Ascend us for partnering with us on this video. So glad you guys could join us.
Let us know down in the comments what other cool outdoor tech you want to see us take out here next time. Maybe pack lighter next time? Nah, nah, nah, nah, nah. We're going to keep bringing a bunch of cool stuff.
