Outdoors

Enjoying the good outdoors often means giving up the comforts of home--a bed, television, a recliner, air conditioning or heat. It's always nice when you can bring some of those amenities with you while you explore nature. The Eagles Nest Outfitters (ENO) Lounger is one of those outdoors amenities.

How would you like chain mail for your feet? To be able to experience the pleasures of running through nature barefoot, without running the risk of cuts and scrapes on your feet? That's what the Paleo Barefoots minimalist shoes promise--"to be close to nature is the truest sense of the word."

When I see folks walking their dogs, or worse, running with their dogs, in the middle of a hot summer day, I cringe. Exercising with your dog on hot days is a recipe for disaster.  Dogs don't sweat the way humans do.  Yes, they pant, in part to cool off, but panting dehydrates them fast when they are exercising.  Older dogs are especially vulnerable in the heat and some dogs, young and old, will resist walking in the heat with all their little might - I've had a few of those.  So, what's a dog owner to do?

The new Nissan Navara pickup truck was just unveiled in Thailand, where the smooth-looking hauler will be made at a just-built production plant in Samut Prakan. Available in King Cab and Double Cab configurations, Nissan's latest entry in the pickup wars is a winner if looks and specs are any indication.

ImagiPlanks are wooden building sets made from American Hardwood and treated with a non-toxic, non-flaking environmentally friendly finish. These open-ended building sets are part block, part puzzle and perfect for young builders to take their imaginations outside. Think giant Lincoln Logs. ImagiPlanks can be made into forts, towers, see-saws, benches and so much more.

Color blindness affects nearly 8 percent of men and .5 percent of women; some people don't even know they have it.  Most color blindness is inherited, although there are several diseases and certain traumas that can cause it.  There is no cure or permanent correction of the condition currently available, but after 10 years of development, a company called EnChroma offers correction for the most common type, red-green color blindness.

Have a bike and need a place to store it inside? I'm sure you would rather not get the giant hooks or six foot stands that can be a pain to install and give your place that cluttered feel. A great new alternative is the CLUG, the smallest, simplest way to secure and store your bike.

New Yorkers and tourists are scouring the boroughs of New York City this weekend in a massive treasure hunt created by a California millionaire and self-proclaimed 'philanthropist-for the-people' Jason Buzi. Started in San Francisco, it's a viral campaign that is prompted by posted clues on the Twitter account @HiddenCash to direct people to where Buzi buried some cash.

A trampoline is a great piece of fitness equipment and one of the best toys for kids. A trampoline with a tent makes this family friendly toy even better. The Vuly Trampoline Tent can turn your trampoline into a Moon Jump for the kids and give adults a place to escape the sun on hot days.

You can put a motor on just about anything wheeled nowadays. A scooter is no exception, and when you put a motor on a scooter you get a great way to commute to work. Make that motorized scooter foldable, and you can stow it just about anywhere. That's what the Trikelet is, a motorized, foldable scooter.

A bike without gears and a chain is like a car without an engine. Or maybe it's like a car with a hybrid engine, because the IzzyBike proves that bikes don't need chains. They can be just as efficient without that extra cog in the machinery.

Line skating is fun and a great way to stay active and in shape. However, like a lot of exercises, the impact from line skating places stress on the joints, particularly the ankles and knees. That's why Pouyan Mokhtarani designed the Mercury, a concept for line skating that could reduce that joint stress.

The GI Bike claims to be the fastest folding bike ever. If you had one, you could have it folded up by the time you read this far. Seriously. It takes 3 seconds. And another thing, it's electric. So urban commuters, if you're looking for convenience and economy, you may want to consider the GI Bike.

Anytime you're planning a long hiking and camping expedition, it's a good idea to bring along a GPS. Of course, you can go rouge and pretend you're Daniel Boone, but you may wind up lost. Better to play it safe, and better to make the most of your time, and bring along one of these 5 GPS devices, each with their own perks.