Camping used to be about getting away from technology and the hustle and bustle of everyday life. But most camping gadgets and accessories these days are designed to make sure you still take some technology with you. Like this Coleman Inflatable Mattress. It features built-in speakers, insuring that while you are being one with nature, you also are never far from your tunes.

Just plug in your iPod or CD player and listen. Coleman also makes a model with a built in alarm clock, which is pretty handy if you’ve left your cellphone at home. All of these inflatable mattresses have a 4D pump, which is battery powered and hands free for easy inflation and deflation.

Damn. Look at that X-Wing’s guns. Kind of makes the whole flying through the Death Star trench scene a tad wrong. What you see here is the $20 Weenie Wing Commander. It’s mission in life is to keep your your hot dogs from burning. It avoids copyright violation very skillfully. Put a bunch on the grill and re-enact all your favorite scenes in glorious pork.

The only thing missing here is a spot to park your astro-pork droid. So, you’ll just have to cut the tip off a wiener and put in place where R2 goes. The Weenie Wing Commander. Protecting hot dogs at geek barbecues everywhere next summer.

This version of the Falcon is squished, probably from your fat butt sliding down hills. The Falcon has seen better days that’s for sure. But sadly, this is as close as you are likely to get, to really being able to ride the Falcon. You’ll be riding on, not in.

The Millennium Falcon sled is basically a souped-up saucer sled that allows older geeks to have some winter fun outside and be pointed at by young kids who have cooler sleds that don’t look like a flattened cartoon spaceship. It’s pretty expensive for a saucer sled at $34.99, but hell, it’s shaped like the Millennium Falcon.

Do you have an un-natural and un-healthy desire to sled down a hill in the middle of summer? Apparently, you aren’t the only one. Here’s your ticket, right here. The Ice Meister Slicer lets you race down the big hills all year long. It works like an ordinary sled when there’s plenty of snow, but in the summer, you bring the ice to the hill, mounted on the bottom of the sled. Pretty simple solution huh?

But why the hell can’t you live without sledding for a few months? Here’s how it works. There are two molds, called Icers, that you remove from the sled, fill with water and then freeze. Then you attach the two slabs of ice to the bottom of the sled for summer sledding fun.

This may be the best grill ever. They say that dogs are man’s best friend, but that’s just not true. A grill is a man’s best friend. The way to our hearts is through our stomachs after all. This grill has such features as an optional built-in CD/stereo system to keep you entertained while flipping steaks and burgers.

The 875 square inches of grill island is all about convenience and letting you cook like a pro. Some other features include: 79,000 BTU’s, infrared rotisserie burner, side burner, digital temperature controls, dual zone cooking, smart touch screen, pre-programmed food setting icons and built-in meat probe, as well as a tank caddy pullout. The grill can even be upgraded to include a refrigerator and sink.

The BoomCooler is exactly what it sounds like, a hybrid of a boombox and a cooler. Not to be confused by the BamCooler, which is how chef Emeril Lagasse keeps his tunes cool while shouting BAM. If you know a hillbilly or are a hillbilly, I think you found your next purchase. BoomCooler makes it easy to roll your tunes with you. You ARE the party. It sports two Sony Xplod 6” x 9” 240-watt max 4-way speakers, a 1100-watt max 10” Subwoofer and a 4-channel 600-watt amp. It’s also compatible with iPod, Sirius radio, MP3, CD and AM/FM radio.

There is however a slight catch. It won’t hold your beer. Dry goods only. Something tells me if you are buying this, you’ve got some contraband dry goods to put in it in place of your beer. It will be the best $900 you’ve ever spent. You can even sit your mullet-headed kid on it.

Gisteq is rolling out a handheld device for outdoor usage which combines several useful functions, including GPS and live communication. It’s called the Gisteq Explorer and, while available now, pricing information is not immediately clear.

The Explorer has, according to its maker, four functions. These include live communication within a group while it is connected to the FRM/GMRS 2-way radios, a speaker microphone enabling hands free from the radio when talking in the group, a GPS tracker and waypoint navigation. Also viewable through its LCD display are items such as a thermometer and compass.

Gisteq

Looking at the pic above, I’m not going to speculate as to why an aging Moby is so intent on watching a bunch of sheep that he has to strap a portable stove onto a tree. I’m also not going to speculate what Moby will do after he finishes cooking, but he has sort of a lustful look in his eye. Probably composing the Deliverance theme in techno.

I will tell you that the Field cooker is just that, a portable stove/cooker, complete with chopping board, that straps onto trees so you can heat and eat outdoors. It was designed by Stefano Santilli to encourage more outdoorsy eating. Which is fine and all, but damn, it looks like Moby even brought eggs. He’s obviously prepared to wait.

Whether you’re an off duty Ninja just staying out of the rain, or that guy from the Avengers, the Umbuster umbrella should keep you protected by giving you a pair of brass knuckles. Even though these aren’t brass. Instead you have a choice of wood or aluminum finish.

I’m not sure how easy it is to hit another guy with the bottom part of an umbrella while open though. Wouldn’t you hit yourself with the top part as you swung at your enemy? I would recommend this for little old ladies. They need to protect themselves, plus they just plain love hitting people with purses and stuff. You can get the Umbuster in October for about $330.

We wouldn’t be doing our job if we didn’t cover our share of grills. It’s summer and there’s nothing quite like a beautiful day in the skies above and the smell of burning meat wafting up from below. And there’s no better place to do your grilling then from the back of a vintage replica fire truck. If you’re starting a fire, you might as well grill in a truck that can put it out right?

It only costs $3,300. Why the hell not. If you modified this thing to actually run, which I don’t believe it does at that price, you could have a kind of traveling BBQ show and go from town to town, grilling your way into the hearts and minds of your fellow barbecue enthusiasts.

Summer will be over before you know it, so enjoy your pool by cranking out the tunes in these Tikitoonz Tiki speakers. They’ll add a touch of tropical paradise to your pool area, while sitting sternly in judgment over all.

They’re based on Polynesian carvings and feature 80 watts per channel and they’re also weather-resistant. Just do not anger the Tiki Gods. Remember what happened to the Brady Bunch in Hawaii. This pair of speakers will cost you $149.95, but you’ll be partying in style and rocking the Luau as you listen to Tiny Bubbles for the millionth time.

During the summer several local parks in my area have movies that you can watch outside for free. If the idea of movies outside appeals to you; but you don’t want to have to sit around watching with a bunch of stinky, sweaty strangers Open Air has exactly what you need with its new backyard home theater kits.

The kit is called the CineBox Home and comes with everything you need for showing movies in your backyard. Options for either a 10-foot or 12-foot inflatable screen are available. In addition to the screen the kits also include the other gear you need to get started.

Garmin is introducing a new series of handheld GPS units for outdoor lovers which matches a touchscreen with rugged design. It is called the Oregon series and pricing will range from around $480 to $640, depending upon the model.

Garmin said these new outdoor mapping handhelds are waterproof and sport “a high-resolution, color 3-inch screen that reacts as users tap or drag through menus and options.” They all make use of a “HotFix” feature for calculating and storing satellite information for later pinpointing a position without waiting for new satellite interaction. Each of the models is detailed a little after the jump and all will be available later this year.

Here’s a gadget from Zippo that sure would come in handy this holiday weekend. It’s bound to be perfect for camping or just lighting the grill, especially in the dark. The Zippo OUL (Outdoor Utility Lighter) will cost you $22 and features a wind-resistant dual flame and built-in LED light. The 8-inch-tall not-so-typical Zippo lighter also has an adjustable flame dial, water-resistant cap, metal construction, and comes with clip and strap. After you light the grill and enjoy the day, then use it to light candles at night. Hopefully the kind that ward off insects.

For you hunters out there needing to track Fido in the field to make sure he isn’t eating your dead duck, Garmin has a new GPS collar to add to its Astro GPS Dog tracking system. It is called the Garmin DC 30, and you’ll find it pricing standalone around $200 or as part of a complete kit with GPS receiver at around $650.

The Garmin DC 30 is mainly designed for hunting dogs, but you could probably tag this bad boy on your pooch to track him around the dog park as well. It is “weighted to sit below the dog’s neck, while a small, low-profile GPS antenna is integrated into the collar strap and positioned on top of the dog’s neck, providing a clear view of satellites with minimal rotation.”