Lighters are great and all, but they are too prone to fail. Typical lighters can run out of fuel, or the flint may need to be replaced. Once they get wet, that’s it. That’s not good if you need to use it in an emergency. Sometimes you need a more rugged lighter. Like the Brunton Helios Stormproof Lighter.

Priced at $49, it has a windproof adjustable high-temp flame that can withstand winds up to 80mph. Its Piezo electric switch provides up to 30,000 ignitions. And when the lid is closed, Helios is completely waterproof. It refills using the Brunton FuelTool which costs around $12. That’s probably the only downside.

Helios was clearly inspired by the Jurassic era, when dinosaurs ruled the Earth. Helios is a concept design for an off-road electric solar-powered vehicle. When you take a break from your off-roading and stop the vehicle, the car will spread its “wings” which are made of photovolatic panels, in order to capture the sun’s rays and charge up the battery.

You’ve seen the concept in nature, where some animals have stretchable skin that absorb heat and light. A lizard might stop on a rock to take a breather and as he does, he opens up his extra skin and recharges. Same thing here. The Helios Concept won the Best Use of Technology at the Interior Motives Design Awards 2008. Pretty awesome.