Wham.

That’s the sound of your toe jamming on the door.

Don’t let a lights-out situation render you blind. Get a dependable light resource like the Pelican 2480 ELS Emergency Lighting Station.

Comprised of a Pelican 2440PLB MityLite housed in a photoluminescent body that’s visible in the dark. The MityLite uses a 5-LED array to illuminate the dark and powered by alkaline/titanium cells giving it an extended burn time and long shelf life. The case, made of polycarbonate (Ed: I know… I like polycarbonate) case is durable and tough.

The Pelican 2480 ELS can be mounted anywhere. Mine is mounted in the utility closet.

Cost: @ $55 SWPS

We enjoy the outdoors like everyone else. It’s our little bit of freedom away from the office, whether it’s a weekend camping trip to the mountains, an excursion to the North Pole, or a safari through Tanzania, we can’t be without the essentials – our cellphones, pda’s, and ipods. Unfortunately, making sure they’re powered even in the remote parts of the world can be hard. That’s why there’s the Solio Magnesium Edition. This portable hybrid charger can store power on its internal lithium ion battery by charging it via sunlight (or through an AC adapter). Once it’s charged up, you can use it to power virtually any handheld device.

Full specs after the jump.

What This Means To You: Wherever your adventures take you, this device will keep you powered.

Cost: $200

Also See: More Outdoor Gear

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2008 National Geographic Adventure magazine’s gear of the year award winner, the Leatherman Skeletool CX shows just how far the Leatherman tools have come.

Sure, the signature, shape is there to some degree but looking more like some badass industrial transformer, the Skeletool CX won’t be mistaken for your grandfather’s Leatherman.

New for 2008, the Skeletool CX has: needlenose pliers, regular pliers, wire cutters, hard-wire cutters, built-in bit storage in the handle, 154CM combnation straight and serrated blade, carabiner/bottle opener, removable pocket clip and a universal bit driver. All in a package tha weighs 5 ounces. The stainless steel tool has tungsten DLC coating and a handle made of carbon fiber. [via]

Cost: $80 @ Amazon

Budget option: Leatherman Skeletool | $58

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A. The North Face Mountain 25 2-Person Winter Tent |
B. Clif Bar’s | C. Mountain Hardwear 3rd Dimension Sleeping Bag | D. Benchmade D2 Steel Mini-Griptillian Knife | E. Cabela’s WindShear Trek-Tech Wool Fatigue | F. The Outback Oven | G. MSR MIOX Water Purifier | H. Counter Assault Bear Deterrent Spray

By: Terrence Keller - Alrighty gents, winter is finally past an unbearable temperature. Backpacking and camping aren’t far fledged ideas and I’m pretty stoked to hit the trails again. I’m writing this piece for Gear Patrol because they asked me to share with you a nuts and bolts list of what it takes to get ready for winter camping. First, you gotta know it ain’t easy. If you think it is then you’re an idiot. But if you plan ahead, gear up and follow some simple rules it’s fun as hell and can possibly make for the best weekend of the year.

1. Plan. You’ve got to have a plan. Going camping in the winter without a plan is idiotic, at best. Give yourself a route, weather contingency plans and timing. Know where you’re going to be and how you’re getting there. Know what your party is capable of doing and always underestimate. That good buddy of yours you thought was a rugged sonofabitch may turn out to be a complete pansy when the tides are tough. You don’t want that when the weather is dropping one degree every ten minutes. Make sure people know where to find you using something unobtrusive, yet life saving, like SPOT personal satellite tracker.

2. Gear up. Of course we’re going to say that, but no gear = ill equipped. Ill equipped = frostbite on extremeties. No extremities due to preventable frostbite = dumbass. Layering is the way to go. Boots, wool sweaters (no cotton), jackets, and insulating socks.

2.5. Gear up more. Get your pack, sleeping bag, pads, and tents or shelter in order or get ones appropriate to your level of excursion. Listed are recommendations for gear you can buy for both winter or three season camping.

3. Food & Water Cooking over a fire? Fine. Got the right equipment to cook with? Cooking over a stove? Got a stove? Oh, and food - that’s an entirely different matter. Keep in mind that if you’re eating on a winter camping or backpacking trip you’ll need anywhere between 4,000-5,500 calories. Keep it a mix of simple sugars to get you rolling, complex carbs folowed by proteins and fats. Ever wonder why trail mix has peanuts, M&M’s and raisens in them? Not to mention it’s a good excuse to eat food you wouldn’t otherwise just sitting at the desk. Plan your meals in advance. Here’s a list of recipes you can start with. Of course, you can always get a kit too. As for water, take a look at this guide for different sources for water. Don’t skimp, plan on having more than you’ll need. Don’t eat snow, you’ll burn too much energy doing it. Let it melt in a tarp you sink into the ground.

Obviously this isn’t comprehensive. You should study in far more detail, but it should give you a general start to one damn good and cold time.

Gear and prices after the jump.

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Damn, we love multi-tools. We can’t get enough of them and every time we see one it’s all we can do from buying one and getting our mitts all over them. Our justifications for purchase are becoming ever more slim as the Leatherman TTi far surpasses daily multi-tool needs. But we can’t stop researching or buying them and we probably won’t.

The AdventurePlus from High Gear is too good to not share. For $20 you get a Hi-intensity LED, liquid-filled floating dial compass, digital thermometer, 5x magnifier, safety mirro, safety whistle, and dry storage compartment for your matches. It comes with a quick-release lanyard and weighs a paltry 2 ozs.

What this means to you: We want us some multitool loving.

$20 @ High Gear

Buck Knives are no joke and neither are their multi-tools. The Buck 760 Summit Knife is a lockback knife with a partially serrated drop point blade made of 420 HC stainless steel. Basically, it takes a lot to lose it’s edge.

The multi-tool includes a screwdriver, corkscrew, bottle/can opener, lanyard loop, and weighs 3.5 oz. Offered in blue, red, black and medium green (read: lime).

What this means to you: Think “tough as nails yet flexible.”

Cost: $40 @ Sierra Trading Post (on sale)