Tag Archives: Outdoor

Nike ACG x Helinox’s 1.2-Pound Chair Refuses to Blend In

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A camp chair has to justify every ounce before it earns a place in a backpack. Somewhere to sit is appealing; another bulky thing to carry, less so. I like designs that take that tradeoff seriously without looking purely utilitarian. Nike ACG and Helinox’s Chair Zero LT makes its lightweight construction the visual attraction, pairing an exposed orange frame with a translucent seat. You can see how little material is involved before you ever pick it up.

The reported packed weight is 534 grams, roughly 1 pound, 3 ounces, with a rated capacity of 265 pounds. Those numbers explain the attraction more clearly than the co-branding does. A chair is an optional item when you’re carrying everything yourself, so it needs to make a persuasive argument for joining the bag. At that weight, the argument becomes considerably easier to entertain.

Designers: Nike ACG x Helinox

Helinox supplies the existing Chair Zero LT platform, including DAC TH72M aluminum alloy poles and nylon resin hubs. The material choice matters because the frame has to provide support without becoming the heaviest reason to leave the chair behind. ACG’s orange treatment gives that engineering a conspicuous outline. To my eye, drawing attention to the frame is more interesting than covering the seat with an oversized graphic.

The seat material is called Ghostgrid, a translucent monofilament mesh with a reinforced ripstop grid. Helinox describes it as lightweight and abrasion-resistant, with a weave intended to keep small tears from spreading. I’m more interested in that reinforcement than in transparency alone. See-through fabric earns its place here if it can handle the unglamorous business of being packed, unpacked, and used outdoors.

Assembly follows the familiar Helinox approach: shock-corded pole sections form the frame, with the fabric seat fitted over it. The connected sections mean fewer separate pieces to manage. Helinox’s instructions also suggest laying the chair on its back to attach the seat more easily. That small instruction is useful context for anyone expecting a miniature version of a folding chair that simply opens in one motion.

An included X-Strap attaches beneath the legs. Helinox says it increases the contact area with the ground to help stabilize the chair on sand, dirt, or grass. It’s the detail I’d pay attention to before the badge. Reducing the frame’s weight only addresses the carrying half of the problem; the chair still needs to work with the surface where you put it down.

That doesn’t make it a chair for every patch of terrain. Helinox’s handling guide calls for a flat, solid surface and says the load rating assumes even weight distribution. It also warns against unbalanced loads or shocks. Those qualifications are worth retaining alongside the impressive capacity figure. Supporting a stated weight is one thing; accommodating someone rocking backward after dinner is a different demand.

Size deserves equal attention. For reference, Helinox lists the standard Chair Zero LT’s seat height at just 7 inches and identifies users under 5 feet, 9 inches among its ideal audience. That’s useful context, not a universal fit guarantee. I’d want to try the seating position before buying. A low chair can make sense for a compact setup while still being the wrong choice for someone who struggles to get up.

Helinox’s US teaser lists the ACG chair at $169.95 and points to November 2, 2026, for the full reveal. The standard Chair Zero LT is listed at $159.95, putting the advertised difference at $10. The teaser doesn’t establish that the collaboration is shipping yet. Still, the listed premium feels relatively restrained for someone who already wants this particular chair and prefers the orange treatment.

I wouldn’t replace a dependable camp chair for the badge. But I understand choosing this version if lightweight seating is already on the shopping list. The orange makes a practical object more enjoyable to look at, without requiring a complicated justification. The real purchase decision remains refreshingly ordinary: whether the low seat suits you, and whether you’ll actually carry it somewhere worth sitting.

The post Nike ACG x Helinox’s 1.2-Pound Chair Refuses to Blend In first appeared on Yanko Design.

Nike ACG x Helinox’s 1.2-Pound Chair Refuses to Blend In

Posted on by

A camp chair has to justify every ounce before it earns a place in a backpack. Somewhere to sit is appealing; another bulky thing to carry, less so. I like designs that take that tradeoff seriously without looking purely utilitarian. Nike ACG and Helinox’s Chair Zero LT makes its lightweight construction the visual attraction, pairing an exposed orange frame with a translucent seat. You can see how little material is involved before you ever pick it up.

The reported packed weight is 534 grams, roughly 1 pound, 3 ounces, with a rated capacity of 265 pounds. Those numbers explain the attraction more clearly than the co-branding does. A chair is an optional item when you’re carrying everything yourself, so it needs to make a persuasive argument for joining the bag. At that weight, the argument becomes considerably easier to entertain.

Designers: Nike ACG x Helinox

Helinox supplies the existing Chair Zero LT platform, including DAC TH72M aluminum alloy poles and nylon resin hubs. The material choice matters because the frame has to provide support without becoming the heaviest reason to leave the chair behind. ACG’s orange treatment gives that engineering a conspicuous outline. To my eye, drawing attention to the frame is more interesting than covering the seat with an oversized graphic.

The seat material is called Ghostgrid, a translucent monofilament mesh with a reinforced ripstop grid. Helinox describes it as lightweight and abrasion-resistant, with a weave intended to keep small tears from spreading. I’m more interested in that reinforcement than in transparency alone. See-through fabric earns its place here if it can handle the unglamorous business of being packed, unpacked, and used outdoors.

Assembly follows the familiar Helinox approach: shock-corded pole sections form the frame, with the fabric seat fitted over it. The connected sections mean fewer separate pieces to manage. Helinox’s instructions also suggest laying the chair on its back to attach the seat more easily. That small instruction is useful context for anyone expecting a miniature version of a folding chair that simply opens in one motion.

An included X-Strap attaches beneath the legs. Helinox says it increases the contact area with the ground to help stabilize the chair on sand, dirt, or grass. It’s the detail I’d pay attention to before the badge. Reducing the frame’s weight only addresses the carrying half of the problem; the chair still needs to work with the surface where you put it down.

That doesn’t make it a chair for every patch of terrain. Helinox’s handling guide calls for a flat, solid surface and says the load rating assumes even weight distribution. It also warns against unbalanced loads or shocks. Those qualifications are worth retaining alongside the impressive capacity figure. Supporting a stated weight is one thing; accommodating someone rocking backward after dinner is a different demand.

Size deserves equal attention. For reference, Helinox lists the standard Chair Zero LT’s seat height at just 7 inches and identifies users under 5 feet, 9 inches among its ideal audience. That’s useful context, not a universal fit guarantee. I’d want to try the seating position before buying. A low chair can make sense for a compact setup while still being the wrong choice for someone who struggles to get up.

Helinox’s US teaser lists the ACG chair at $169.95 and points to November 2, 2026, for the full reveal. The standard Chair Zero LT is listed at $159.95, putting the advertised difference at $10. The teaser doesn’t establish that the collaboration is shipping yet. Still, the listed premium feels relatively restrained for someone who already wants this particular chair and prefers the orange treatment.

I wouldn’t replace a dependable camp chair for the badge. But I understand choosing this version if lightweight seating is already on the shopping list. The orange makes a practical object more enjoyable to look at, without requiring a complicated justification. The real purchase decision remains refreshingly ordinary: whether the low seat suits you, and whether you’ll actually carry it somewhere worth sitting.

The post Nike ACG x Helinox’s 1.2-Pound Chair Refuses to Blend In first appeared on Yanko Design.

Nike ACG x Helinox’s 1.2-Pound Chair Refuses to Blend In

Posted on by

A camp chair has to justify every ounce before it earns a place in a backpack. Somewhere to sit is appealing; another bulky thing to carry, less so. I like designs that take that tradeoff seriously without looking purely utilitarian. Nike ACG and Helinox’s Chair Zero LT makes its lightweight construction the visual attraction, pairing an exposed orange frame with a translucent seat. You can see how little material is involved before you ever pick it up.

The reported packed weight is 534 grams, roughly 1 pound, 3 ounces, with a rated capacity of 265 pounds. Those numbers explain the attraction more clearly than the co-branding does. A chair is an optional item when you’re carrying everything yourself, so it needs to make a persuasive argument for joining the bag. At that weight, the argument becomes considerably easier to entertain.

Designers: Nike ACG x Helinox

Helinox supplies the existing Chair Zero LT platform, including DAC TH72M aluminum alloy poles and nylon resin hubs. The material choice matters because the frame has to provide support without becoming the heaviest reason to leave the chair behind. ACG’s orange treatment gives that engineering a conspicuous outline. To my eye, drawing attention to the frame is more interesting than covering the seat with an oversized graphic.

The seat material is called Ghostgrid, a translucent monofilament mesh with a reinforced ripstop grid. Helinox describes it as lightweight and abrasion-resistant, with a weave intended to keep small tears from spreading. I’m more interested in that reinforcement than in transparency alone. See-through fabric earns its place here if it can handle the unglamorous business of being packed, unpacked, and used outdoors.

Assembly follows the familiar Helinox approach: shock-corded pole sections form the frame, with the fabric seat fitted over it. The connected sections mean fewer separate pieces to manage. Helinox’s instructions also suggest laying the chair on its back to attach the seat more easily. That small instruction is useful context for anyone expecting a miniature version of a folding chair that simply opens in one motion.

An included X-Strap attaches beneath the legs. Helinox says it increases the contact area with the ground to help stabilize the chair on sand, dirt, or grass. It’s the detail I’d pay attention to before the badge. Reducing the frame’s weight only addresses the carrying half of the problem; the chair still needs to work with the surface where you put it down.

That doesn’t make it a chair for every patch of terrain. Helinox’s handling guide calls for a flat, solid surface and says the load rating assumes even weight distribution. It also warns against unbalanced loads or shocks. Those qualifications are worth retaining alongside the impressive capacity figure. Supporting a stated weight is one thing; accommodating someone rocking backward after dinner is a different demand.

Size deserves equal attention. For reference, Helinox lists the standard Chair Zero LT’s seat height at just 7 inches and identifies users under 5 feet, 9 inches among its ideal audience. That’s useful context, not a universal fit guarantee. I’d want to try the seating position before buying. A low chair can make sense for a compact setup while still being the wrong choice for someone who struggles to get up.

Helinox’s US teaser lists the ACG chair at $169.95 and points to November 2, 2026, for the full reveal. The standard Chair Zero LT is listed at $159.95, putting the advertised difference at $10. The teaser doesn’t establish that the collaboration is shipping yet. Still, the listed premium feels relatively restrained for someone who already wants this particular chair and prefers the orange treatment.

I wouldn’t replace a dependable camp chair for the badge. But I understand choosing this version if lightweight seating is already on the shopping list. The orange makes a practical object more enjoyable to look at, without requiring a complicated justification. The real purchase decision remains refreshingly ordinary: whether the low seat suits you, and whether you’ll actually carry it somewhere worth sitting.

The post Nike ACG x Helinox’s 1.2-Pound Chair Refuses to Blend In first appeared on Yanko Design.

5 Best Outdoor Designs of October 2026 That Make Your Backyard the Place Everyone Gathers

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Skewers of meat and green onions grilling on a small portable charcoal grill with a metal insert holding a glass bottle.

A backyard can have plenty of space and still give people very little reason to stay. Someone disappears inside for drinks, the cook gets stranded at the grill, and sunset leaves everyone sitting beneath one unforgiving porch light. Making the space more inviting doesn’t necessarily require new furniture or a landscaping project. Sometimes, the useful changes are smaller objects that bring cooking, refreshments, music, and light closer to the conversation.

These five designs approach outdoor hosting at that more manageable scale. There’s a compact cooking system, an adjustable propane torch, a cooler with directed airflow, a solar-powered speaker, and a lamp you can carry outside for dinner. Each has a different job, with practical limits worth understanding before buying. The selection favors equipment you can arrange around an existing backyard rather than a backyard you must redesign around the equipment.

1. All-in-One Grill

Outdoor cooking tends to divide the party into the person working the grill and everyone waiting nearby. Hayano Kenko’s All-in-One Grill offers a smaller arrangement: a Japanese-made charcoal cooker with interchangeable parts for grilling, frying, steaming, smoking, and cooking in a pot. Its stainless-steel body measures approximately 11.8 by 7 by 5.9 inches, making it a compact alternative to a freestanding barbecue. The appeal for a backyard gathering is cooking in smaller batches without dedicating a corner to permanent equipment.

The design gets interesting around the edges. Grooves along the frame help locate skewers and cooking components, while the included thick plate, grill net, pot, and steaming rack change what happens above the charcoal. You could build an evening around successive small dishes rather than one large barbecue spread. That compactness also sets expectations: this is better suited to intimate meals than feeding a crowd simultaneously.

Click Here to Buy Now: $449.00

What we like

  • Interchangeable cooking components support a more varied menu than a grill grate alone.
  • The compact body makes sense for smaller outdoor dining setups.

What we dislike

  • Its small cooking area means larger gatherings will require multiple batches.
  • At $449, it’s a considered purchase for a compact charcoal cooker.

2. Camp Torch

Camp Torch gives the gathering a visible center without asking you to build a permanent fire pit. The modular propane torch uses removable poles to change from a low Campfire configuration into a Beacon standing 6 feet 4 inches tall. Its makers describe a flame reaching four feet, controlled by a manual knob. The design interest lies in that adjustable position: one burner assembly can sit near a seating circle or become a taller outdoor focal point.

A tripod supports the assembly, with adjustable, serrated joints at the legs helping accommodate uneven ground. It connects to a standard 20-pound propane tank, avoiding firewood and the ash left behind by a wood fire. Camp Torch also describes an anti-tip gas shutoff, though that doesn’t remove the need for appropriate placement and local fire-rule checks.

Click Here to Buy Now: $499 $599 ($100 off). Hurry, only a few left! Raised over $530,000.

What we like

  • The same core assembly supports low and tall configurations.
  • A standard propane connection avoids proprietary fuel cartridges.

What we dislike

  • The separate propane tank adds bulk, and local restrictions still govern use.

3. Windchill 47 Cooler

The drinks cooler is already a natural stopping point at a backyard gathering. Solo Stove’s Windchill 47 adds a reason to linger beside it: battery-powered airflow cooled using the ice and water inside. A fan, pump, and heat exchanger are integrated into the lid, alongside a separate misting function. Rather than repeating the brand’s air-conditioning language uncritically, think of it as a drinks cooler with directed personal cooling. It isn’t a substitute for shade or a way to refrigerate the entire patio.

Wheels and a telescoping handle let you reposition the cooler as the gathering moves, while an extension hose directs airflow toward a particular seat. USB-A and USB-C ports also provide device charging. Those additions make it useful as a small refreshment station, though they bring more preparation than an ordinary ice chest. Solo Stove lists its weight at 42.4 pounds before loading, and the manual notes that Max Cool mode consumes ice and battery power faster. Plan around both demands.

What we like

  • Cold storage, directed airflow, and misting serve different needs in one object.
  • Wheels and a telescoping handle suit moving it between backyard gathering spots.

What we dislike

  • At 42.4 pounds empty, it’s wheeled rather than casually carried.
  • Stronger cooling draws down the same ice supply, keeping your refreshments cold.

4. Lodge Wireless Landscape Speaker

The original Lodge Wireless Landscape Speaker, designed by Tristan Cannan, treats backyard audio as something you can position among the planting rather than leave on the dining table. It mounts on a ground stake and uses solar panels across its top, back, and sides to replenish its battery. That arrangement keeps the speaker off your serving surface and avoids running a power cable across the lawn to wherever people have gathered.

A magnetic connection lets you lift the speaker from its stand when the gathering moves. The original campaign specified IP66 dust and water resistance and claimed up to 15 hours of playback per charge, though solar charging still depends on available sunlight. Bluetooth connectivity also allows multiple speakers to be linked. For a backyard, the useful idea is distributing music around the seating area rather than expecting one distant speaker to cover everything. Placement deserves as much thought as volume.

What we like

  • Solar charging reduces reliance on a nearby power outlet.
  • The magnetic mount makes repositioning straightforward.

What we dislike

  • Shaded listening spots may offer less opportunity for solar charging.
  • The ground stake needs suitable soil, limiting placement on paved patios.

5. Anywhere-Use Lamp

Firelight gives an evening a focal point, but the dining table has its own lighting needs. The Anywhere-Use Lamp by TENT × Fujita Metal brings a small, domestic-looking light outside without an extension cord. Made in Japan from powder-coated iron, it stands approximately 10.4 inches tall on a 3.9-inch-diameter base. Its broad, mushroom-like shade conceals a simple control: pressing the shade’s edge cycles through four brightness levels. Four AA batteries sit inside the stem, keeping the tabletop free of a charging cable.

This is the selection’s dry-weather guest, not a permanent garden fixture. The manufacturer explicitly says the lamp is not waterproof, so bring it outside for a suitable evening and take it back in afterward. That limitation doesn’t erase its usefulness: the same lamp can move from a bedside table to an outdoor meal, then disassemble into three pieces for travel.

Click Here to Buy Now: $149.00

What we like

  • Pressing anywhere around the shade’s edge gives you an accessible brightness control.
  • Replaceable AA batteries and a three-piece construction support use away from a fixed outlet.

What we dislike

  • It isn’t waterproof and shouldn’t be left exposed to rain.
  • Its four AA batteries need replacing or recharging separately.

Leave room for the people

The useful question isn’t how many of these objects a backyard can accommodate. It’s which small inconvenience keeps interrupting the evening. Start there. If the host keeps leaving to fetch things, bring refreshments closer. If everyone retreats indoors after dinner, look at lighting before buying more seating. A good addition should support the way people already use the space, with enough flexibility to move when the arrangement changes next time.

Keep some space in the plan, too. Guests need somewhere to put a plate, pull up a chair, or move between conversations without negotiating equipment. These designs are most convincing as individual responses to real needs, not a checklist for a fully accessorized patio. Buy for the gatherings you actually host, allow for storage and upkeep, and let the backyard remain a place to spend time rather than manage.

The post 5 Best Outdoor Designs of October 2026 That Make Your Backyard the Place Everyone Gathers first appeared on Yanko Design.

Sunseeker’s mower has LiDAR, vision, and a serious beef with leftover grass strips

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They say AI will steal our jobs. Whoever trims that stubborn strip of grass along the lawn’s edge seems to have excellent job security. We’ve got robots driving around gardens, mapping their surroundings, and keeping the grass neatly cut, yet the border still has a habit of becoming someone’s weekend assignment. Personally, that’s a job I’d be delighted to hand over.

Sunseeker’s upcoming X8 Plus looks eager to apply. Its EdgeZero™ 2.0 trimming system targets a zero-inch edge gap, according to the company, putting that leftover strip squarely on the agenda. Set for a preview at Equip Expo 2026, the robotic mower also brings solid-state LiDAR, stereo vision, and network-assisted satellite positioning. An impressive résumé, although the edge-cutting hardware is what makes me want to schedule the interview.

Designer: Sunseeker Elite Team

Click Here to Know More: Equip Expo 2026.

The Last Few Inches Are a Hardware Problem

A mower can follow a boundary accurately and still leave grass behind if its blades cannot reach it. Knowing where the border is and cutting right up to it are separate assignments. Sunseeker describes EdgeZero™ 2.0 as its answer to the second one, though the announcement leaves the mechanism’s finer details unexplained. That’s the part I’d want a closer look at: how the trimming tool reaches the border while the mower’s body stays clear. A clean pass beside a raised edge would tell a useful story.

Getting into position is its own engineering task. The X8 Plus uses nRTK, a form of satellite positioning that draws correction data from a network of reference stations. In plain English, those corrections help tighten up the machine’s estimate of where it is. Sunseeker combines that positioning with solid-state LiDAR and stereo vision, giving the mower several sources of information as it navigates. Your garden may look peaceful from the patio; the robot has quite a bit to figure out down there.

Sharing the Lawn With the Locals

There’s an infrared camera in the mix, too, which Sunseeker says supports animal-friendly operation. That’s a worthwhile consideration for a machine sharing outdoor space with creatures that have never checked its mowing schedule. The announcement doesn’t establish exactly how the system identifies or responds to different animals, so I’d keep the promise modest for now. Still, accounting for the lawn’s other residents belongs in the design brief. The grass might stay put, but everything passing through it gets a vote in how smoothly an autonomous mower’s afternoon goes.

Sunseeker Elite already explores that relationship between sensing and physical movement in its existing X7 Gen 2 and X7 Plus Gen 2. Those models combine satellite positioning with visual mapping, while all-wheel drive and floating dual cutting discs address traction and uneven ground. That provides useful context for the X8 Plus: software has to work with wheels, blades, and the shape of the property. I like that the new preview brings attention back to the finishing work. A mower’s route can look beautifully organized on an app, but the result still gets judged from the garden chair.

A Closer Look at Equip Expo 2026

Equip Expo should provide a closer look at Sunseeker’s approach. The show runs October 20-23, 2026, at the Kentucky Exposition Center in Louisville, Kentucky, with Sunseeker at Indoor Booth #1190 and Outdoor Booth #7460D. The company plans an interactive mower-vision experience, letting visitors see imagery from a machine’s perspective, alongside outdoor slope demonstrations using the X7 Gen 2 and X4. Those demonstrations concern the existing models, while the X8 Plus is the next-generation preview. Seeing what a mower perceives could make that long sensor list considerably easier to understand.

Pricing and retail availability for the X8 Plus aren’t specified in the announcement, so the zero-inch edge target remains a reason to watch its development rather than retire the trimmer immediately. For me, though, it’s a persuasive direction to pursue. Finishing the borders would remove a very specific reason for a person to follow the robot outside and pick up another tool. If Sunseeker can make that work reliably, I’m perfectly comfortable with this particular job disappearing. The person who used to do it can have Saturday morning back.

Click Here to Know More: Equip Expo 2026.

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Espresso Without an Outlet or a Separate Cup

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An espresso habit gets complicated the minute you leave the kitchen. You can bring the beans, but the equipment tends to stay beside an outlet, occupying a respectable chunk of counter. Pura Coffee’s PURA NEO Pro, listed for sale at $349, is designed to put heating, extraction, and drinking into one battery-powered object. The problem it tackles is straightforward: making espresso away from your usual setup without packing a miniature coffee station.

Visually, the NEO Pro looks closer to a travel tumbler than a shrunken kitchen appliance. The company’s imagery shows a cylindrical body, a cup at the top, and a textured brown band around the middle. A circular power button keeps the front relatively uncluttered. I like the restraint here. It looks like an object you could leave beside a laptop without your desk suddenly resembling the equipment shelf behind a coffee bar.

Designer: Pura Coffee

That stacked layout explains the design’s most interesting decision. Pura pumps water upward through the grounds into the drinking cup above, so you don’t need to balance the brewer over a separate vessel. The cup becomes part of the architecture rather than another accessory to remember. The company says upward flow helps wet the coffee bed evenly and reduce channeling. That extraction advantage needs testing, but the integrated cup has an immediately understandable purpose.

The basic controls are refreshingly physical. After a short press followed by a two-second hold to power on, one press starts heated brewing at the default 92°C, roughly 198°F. A double press skips heating and brews using the water’s existing temperature. Pura also uses a colored light ring to communicate status. It’s a sensible division of labor: a button for getting coffee started, with a small visual signal instead of another screen demanding your attention.

Inside, the ambition gets more technical. Pura specifies extraction pressure of 6 to 9 bar at the coffee puck and a five-stage process that moves from pre-infusion through brewing to pressure release. Its roughly three-minute cold-start brewing time is explicitly labeled a design target, not a verified result here. I’d treat that timing as provisional, particularly if the appeal is making a quick cup between meetings rather than enjoying the preparation itself.

Then comes Brew OS, the companion software that lets owners adjust brewing parameters and save combinations as shareable Brew Cards. Pura says the app can also suggest a starting extraction curve from a photograph of a coffee bag or the beans themselves. That’s a potentially useful entry point for someone who wants more guidance than a temperature slider. Importantly, the company describes these suggestions as starting points, while deeper learning from personal taste ratings remains on its roadmap.

I’m more persuaded by saving a recipe than by the prospect of photographing beans. A saved combination gives the tinkering a destination: find settings you like, then stop rebuilding them every morning. For me, that’s a better reason to connect a coffee maker to a phone than simply adding remote controls. Brew OS allows that recipe to be saved and shared, although repeating settings shouldn’t be mistaken for guaranteeing identical flavor.

The practical boundaries matter, too. The water tank holds a maximum of 70 milliliters, about 2.4 fluid ounces, so think espresso-sized servings, not a full commuter mug. Ground coffee is the primary approach, with an optional Nespresso-compatible capsule adapter. Cleanup still involves discarding the grounds and rinsing removable parts; the body cannot be immersed or put in the dishwasher. Portability gets the equipment into your bag, but it doesn’t make the used grounds disappear afterward.

At $349, I’d want the NEO Pro to earn its place through regular use, not just the occasional campsite photo. Its strongest design argument is the cup itself: brewing and drinking share one vertical assembly, with fewer separate objects to arrange. If carrying your espresso routine matters enough to justify the preparation and cleanup, that’s a thoughtful place to start. The app can offer more settings later. First, the coffee needs somewhere to land.

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No Wood, No Ash, No Smoke: This Modular Propane Torch Turns Any Outdoor Space Into a Gathering Spot

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Camping gear has a habit of living in the garage for 51 weeks a year. Camp Torch, built by three friends in Boise, Idaho, took a different route: it was made for camp, then wandered onto the founders’ porch and never left. It is a modular propane torch with a flame up to four feet tall that packs down into a bag. Because there is no wood, ash, or smoke, your patio smells like a patio on Monday. One knob dials the flame from a low glow to a full blaze.

I like a product that picks one job and does it properly, and this one’s job is giving a gathering a center. Founders Prince, Jimmi, and Boyd strapped the first rough prototype to a raft and went through six prototypes before landing on this one. Some of the nights they most wanted a fire were the nights a wood fire wasn’t allowed, which is why it runs on propane, with a controllable flame and a shutoff valve. To refine it, they brought in engineers who had worked on products like Jetboil. Stack the poles and you get a 6 ft 4 in Beacon. Drop to the tripod and you get a low Campfire that pulls everyone into a circle. It runs on a standard 20 lb propane tank, so there is no proprietary fuel to hunt down.

Designer: Camp Torch

Click Here to Buy Now: $499 $599 ($100 off). Hurry, only a few left! Raised over $530,000.

A single knob controls a four-foot flame

The flame is the whole point, so it gets the simplest control possible: a knob on the side of the burner head. Turn it low for a small dinner or crank it up when the group grows and the stories get louder. At full flame the light reaches about 60 feet in every direction, enough to cook and wander around after dark without a headlamp. One tank gives about 9 hours on high and more than 20 on low. That covers a full weekend of evenings, and I suspect you’ll be the one who wants to stay up for the last one.

Height is the modular part. The poles stack into four configurations: Campfire on the bare tripod, one pole, two poles, and the full 6 ft 4 in Beacon. Campfire mode sits low and central so the warmth lands right where the circle is, while Beacon goes tall to light up the whole site. Base Camp takes it further, with three torches running off a single tank through a splitter. Put one by the table, one near the chairs, and one where everyone keeps ending up. Back home, that height adjustment earns its keep again. Drop it to Campfire beside the chairs for a quiet evening on the porch, or raise it to Beacon and let it light the whole patio when friends come over. You don’t need a trip on the calendar to pull it out, which makes the price easier to justify: the same torch rides along on the weekend and gets used again the night after you unpack.

Steel, brass, and legs borrowed from precision machinery

The base is a three-foot tripod whose legs end in Hirth-joint tips, the interlocking serrated geometry you usually find in precision machinery. Each leg micro-adjusts, so the torch can sit level on a lumpy campsite or a lawn, and the tips drive into the ground when you want it locked down. Every knob and fitting is steel, aluminum, or brass, and the structure has zero plastic. The quick-connect that joins the poles sets your height without tools and takes future accessories the same way. The entire design is patent pending. I’m a sucker for a joint that does real engineering work, and a serrated leg on a camp torch made me smile.

An anti-tip shutoff cuts the gas the moment the torch tips. Camp Torch was designed with stability in mind, and the flame control is fully manual. Rain has nothing to soak and no coals to drown, while wind moves the flame around the way it moves any fire. A precision controlled flame, no embers, and an instant valve shutoff are why it’s often allowed where a wood fire isn’t, including under many Stage 1 and Stage 2 restrictions. Stricter restrictions and full closures ban propane too, so check with your local fire authority before every trip.

Packing, setup, and what comes in the box

The whole system breaks down into the included 11 x 22 inch bag at about 18 lb, so it slides in behind a seat next to the cooler. Setup takes under a minute and needs no tools: level the tripod, stack the poles and connect the head and fuel line, then attach your propane tank, light it through the port, and adjust the flame. The box also holds silicone heat-resistant covers, a quick-connect regulator and hose, and handling gloves. Heat shields, patio and deck bases, and cooking accessories are in development.

Camp Torch ships to the US only, with delivery estimated for February 2027. One torch is $499 and a two-torch set is $899 at launch pricing, ahead of a planned full retail price of $599 per torch. Each torch includes the carry bag, propane hose and regulator, heat-resistant covers, and gloves, while Base Camp is the three-pack. Returns are accepted for 30 days after delivery for a full refund, with return shipping covered, and Camp Torch is backed for life: if something fails in normal use, they fix it free, usually shipping the part before you send anything back. After all that, the garage is the one place this torch won’t be spending its winters.

Click Here to Buy Now: $499 $599 ($100 off). Hurry, only a few left! Raised over $530,000.

The post No Wood, No Ash, No Smoke: This Modular Propane Torch Turns Any Outdoor Space Into a Gathering Spot first appeared on Yanko Design.

The 5 Best Outdoor Gear of October 2026

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Packing for a weekend outdoors has a way of exposing awkward design. The cooler takes over the closet, the sleeping pad needs inflating, and the flashlight ends up buried precisely when you need it. October’s picks focus on those small frustrations. These five designs earn their place through compact packaging, useful combinations of functions, or a mechanism that makes the whole trip easier to prepare for and pack away afterward.

For October 2026, we’ve chosen five useful companions for the less glamorous parts of camping. A folding cooler tackles storage, a tiny pump simplifies setup, and compact tools keep essentials close. The focus is on car camping, park days, and manageable overnight trips rather than extreme expeditions. Each product serves a different purpose, giving you room to choose what suits your routine instead of simply packing more for every outing.

1. RetroWave 7-in-1 Radio

A tuning dial gives the RetroWave 7-in-1 Radio an appeal that another featureless Bluetooth speaker would struggle to match. Its compact retro body brings AM, FM, and shortwave reception together with Bluetooth streaming and MP3 playback from USB or microSD. For a picnic table or campsite, that means several useful ways to listen without making your phone responsible for everything. The built-in flashlight and SOS alarm also give this little radio practical reasons to travel beyond that familiar kitchen shelf.

The charging arrangement needs closer inspection than the seven-function headline. USB is the primary charging method, while the hand crank is for emergencies and the solar panel provides supplemental power. It features a 2,000mAh battery and approximately 20 hours of radio playback at moderate volume. That makes the RetroWave an appealing listening companion with backup utilities, rather than a replacement for a dedicated phone charger. Keep it charged before leaving, and treat its alternative inputs accordingly.

Click Here to Buy Now: $89.00

What we like

  • AM, FM, and shortwave reception doesn’t require an internet connection.
  • Music playback, a flashlight, and an SOS alarm share one compact body.

What we dislike

  • Solar charging is supporting power, not the primary recharge method.
  • Phone charging draws from the same modest battery used for listening and lighting.

2. Coleman Snap ’N Go Collapsible Cooler

Storage is the Snap ’N Go’s strongest argument. Coleman’s collapsible cooler uses folding body panels and a removable liner to shrink to roughly one third of its open size. The liner folds away separately, so the transformation involves more than simply pressing the lid down. For anyone whose outdoor equipment shares space with everyday life, that smaller stored shape frees up storage space. You get room back in the closet between trips and in the car once the cooler is emptied.

The size you choose matters. Coleman rates the 55-quart model for up to 64 hours of ice retention, with an insulated lid and body. Smaller versions have different ratings, so that figure shouldn’t be applied across the range. The removable liner also allows separate cleaning after a trip. This is a sensible pick for car camping and tailgates, where storage bulk matters more than shaving every ounce. Folding it doesn’t make a loaded hard cooler into lightweight overnight backpacking equipment.

What we like

  • Collapsing to one-third of its open size reduces storage bulk between outings.
  • A removable liner makes the interior accessible for separate cleaning.

What we dislike

  • Removing and folding the liner adds a step when packing away.
  • The space-saving benefit arrives after emptying it, not while carrying food and ice.

3. FLEXTAIL TINY PUMP 2X

The TINY PUMP 2X addresses one very specific annoyance: getting an inflatable sleeping pad ready when you’d rather be settling into camp. FLEXTAIL lists its weight at 100 grams, with a body measuring 45 by 46 by 59 millimeters. Its stated airflow of 180 liters per minute and pressure of 4 kPa describe a compact pump for suitable low-pressure inflatables. Five included nozzles offer different valve connections, though matching one to your own pad remains worth checking before departure.

Deflation is the function that makes this more useful than a gadget for arrival alone. Drawing air out of compatible inflatables can help with rolling and packing them, while the integrated lantern gives the pump another job after setup. A hanging ring and built-in magnet provide ways to position the light without holding it. USB-C charging keeps replenishment straightforward. The tradeoff is shared battery capacity: using it as a lantern leaves less power available for pumping the following morning.

What we like

  • Inflation and deflation address both setting up camp and packing it away.
  • The lantern, hanging ring, and magnet give it a useful second role.

What we dislike

  • Included nozzles still need checking against your particular sleeping pad.
  • Pumping and lighting depend on the same rechargeable battery.

4. Wuben X4 Flashlight

Wuben’s X4 gives you a reason to pack a dedicated light even when other gear already includes an LED. Its main beam combines flood and spot illumination, while a separate side panel provides warm white light for nearby tasks. Wuben specifies up to 1,500 lumens from the main light and a 4000K side light. The useful design choice is directional separation: you can light the ground ahead or a page beside you without asking one beam to do both jobs.

The rectangular body also supports several ways of working without occupying a hand. Stand it upright, use the pocket clip, or attach the magnetic base to suitable metal. A rotary control adjusts brightness, and the replaceable 18650 battery can be charged through USB-C. That replaceability matters for longer trips because carrying a charged spare gives you another option. The current product specification lists IP65 protection for rain and splashes. Its rain resistance shouldn’t be treated as permission to submerge it.

What we like

  • Separate main and side lights serve walking and stationary tasks.
  • A replaceable battery offers another power option beyond USB-C charging.

What we dislike

  • IP65 protection doesn’t make it a light for underwater use.
  • Optional mounting accessories and diffusers are sold separately.

5. Eiger 8-in-1 Scissors

Scissors are an unusually practical starting point for a multitool. EigerTool starts with scissors, a sensible choice for opening food packaging and handling the small cutting jobs that accumulate around camp. The Eiger 8-in-1 Scissors measure just 13 centimeters long and weigh 53 grams. Made in Sanjo, Niigata, Japan, they use SUS420J2 stainless steel. Their other seven functions include a knife, can opener, bottle opener, screw-cap opener, shell cracker, prying tool, and gas-release tool, integrated into the blades and handles.

The included leather case and red NITE IZE carabiner make this easier to keep accessible rather than loose among utensils. EigerTool chose the red clip for visibility, a small decision with an obvious packing benefit. The black finish uses an oxidation coloring treatment that improves weather and corrosion resistance. The appeal is straightforward: a modest collection of camp kitchen tools occupies one compact outline. Its small size still calls for realistic expectations about more demanding cutting tasks.

Click Here to Buy Now: $65.00

What we like

  • Scissors and opening tools cover several everyday camp kitchen jobs.
  • The included case and visible red carabiner support accessible, protected carry.

What we dislike

  • Compact handles may feel restrictive when wearing thick gloves.
  • There are no pliers or screwdrivers for equipment repairs.

Pack for the trip you actually take

The most useful outdoor purchase usually starts with an inconvenience you can name. If you struggle to store your equipment, prioritize the object that becomes smaller at home. If setup is the part you dread, look for something that removes a repetitive task. A longer feature list is worth less than a function you’ll actually use. Match the tool to your habits before making room for it in your bag.

Multifunctional gear also makes selective packing more important. Several items here include lighting, so carrying all of them simply because they appear together would miss the point. Choose your primary light, decide how you’ll keep essential electronics powered, and bring the tools your meals and sleeping setup require. The best outcome is a kit that feels considered rather than crowded, with enough room left for the things that aren’t gadgets.

The post The 5 Best Outdoor Gear of October 2026 first appeared on Yanko Design.

5 Concrete Letters That Are Actually a Skatepark You Can Ride

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Public art often comes with an invisible instruction: look, but don’t touch. Skateparks invite the opposite response, yet their familiar ramps and rails can feel disconnected from the places around them. XPOME’s Skateable addresses both problems with a clever idea: make the sculpture the skatepark. In Gabrovo, Bulgaria, five concrete and steel letters spell out the graffiti artist’s name, and every letter offers a way to skate or a place to rest.

Created for an exhibition on the history of skateboarding in Bulgaria, Skateable stands outside the Christo and Jeanne-Claude Center. XPOME had been invited to make a sculpture, but the result refuses to sit quietly beside the subject of the show. It gives that subject a physical form, one that can be approached on wheels rather than understood only through a display. That feels like a more generous way to introduce people to skate culture.

Designer: XPOME

The letters are not identical obstacles dressed up as typography. The X forms a double quarter pipe. The P wraps a rail around a concrete island. The O becomes a volcano, while the M works as a bench for sliding and grinding. The E is a small triple jumping platform. Seen together, they read as a name; encountered individually, they offer a series of different movements.

I like how directly the idea comes across. You don’t need to skate to understand why the curved X might be fun, or why someone would want to test a line across the M. At the same time, a skater sees more than an oversized signature. They can read the shapes for what they might allow a board to do. Skateable gives both audiences a reason to pay attention without asking either to pretend they came for the same thing.

There is a real risk in turning an artist’s name into a large public object. It could easily feel like branding at everybody else’s expense. Here, the name earns its footprint by being useful. That does not make the work less personal to XPOME. If anything, it makes the signature more interesting. Rather than asking people to remember five letters, the artist lets them develop their own memories around the shapes those letters create.

The project also makes me think about how often design is judged from a single photograph. Skateable certainly has a strong image: chunky letterforms arranged in front of an older building. But a photo can only show the starting point. The work changes when someone rolls toward it, chooses a route, misses, tries again, or sits on the edge to watch a friend. Its appeal depends on what happens after the first glance.

That is part of why the exhibition setting matters. A show about skateboarding’s history could leave visitors looking backward, even when the stories it tells are still relevant to people who skate today. Putting a skateable structure outside creates a connection between the exhibition and an activity happening in the present. You can learn about a culture indoors, then step out and see someone participate in it. That contrast gives the work more energy than an object made only to illustrate a theme.

Skateable is a mini skatepark, not a replacement for the space and range of a full-sized one. Its scale is part of its appeal, though. Each letter gives someone a specific feature to consider, while the complete arrangement leaves room to imagine different approaches. Even people who never pick up a board can understand the design as an invitation to linger. Watching can be a way into a place, too.

I’d like to see more public art judged by that kind of invitation. Not every sculpture needs to be climbed, and not every plaza needs a ramp. But Skateable shows how much can happen when an artist considers what people might do with a work, rather than only what they might think of it. Five letters are enough to make a name recognizable. Giving those letters a life beyond the signature is the better trick.

The post 5 Concrete Letters That Are Actually a Skatepark You Can Ride first appeared on Yanko Design.

Wuben’s Prime Day Fall 2026 Sale Has a Different Light for Every Kind of Carry

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Most flashlights spend their lives in drawers, which is unfortunate because darkness rarely waits for you to find one. Wuben’s Prime Day Fall 2026 Sale brings together four lights designed around different ways of keeping one close. There’s a substantial outdoor companion, a pocket-sized tool, a light you can wear, and one that tries to cover a little of everything.

The interesting question isn’t which has the biggest number on the box. It’s where a light belongs when you’re walking home, looking under the hood, or setting up camp after sunset. The X1 Pro, G5, E2 Pulse, and X4 each answer with a different shape and way of working, which makes their differences worth a closer look.

Wuben X1 Pro 12300 Lumens Rechargeable EDC Flashlight

The X1 Pro starts with the kind of problem that makes a phone flashlight look silly: trying to see beyond the nearest tree. Its broad, rectangular body gives your fingers room to settle around it instead of forcing a tight grip on a skinny tube. At 13.5 oz with batteries, it can easily hang from a bag or holster, ready for action at a moment’s notice.

A focused spotlight reaches up to 1,345 feet, while a wider floodlight fills the ground nearby. Together, they can produce a claimed peak of 12,300 lumens, making the darkness a little less scary and a lot less dangerous. An active cooling fan helps manage the heat, making the engineering behind the brightness as interesting as the number itself.

That same body can charge a phone through its 15W USB-C output, useful when you’ve been relying on your phone for directions. Two replaceable 21700 cells power the light, and it supports 30W charging. Being able to open the battery compartment matters on longer trips, when carrying spare cells is more practical than hoping to find an outlet.

The X1 Pro can also sit on a tripod using its 1/4-inch thread, leaving your hands free while you work. A compatible bike mount offers another option as a separate purchase. Its IP65 rating means it can handle dust and rain, no sweat. It’s the kind of assurance you’ll want to have when you’re out camping or just enjoying the wonders that the night has to offer.

Click Here to Buy Now: $111.99 $174.99 ($63 off). Hurry, deal ends in 48-hours! Website Here.

Wuben G5 400 Lumens EDC Keychain Compact Rechargeable Flashlight

The G5 heads in a slightly different direction, promising maximum portability to keep you company anywhere. Roughly the size of a pocket lighter, its flat, squared-off body feels closer to a small everyday tool than traditional camping gear. It weighs about 1.8 oz, yet its white beam reaches up to 269 feet and tops out at 400 lumens. That’s quite a bit of light to keep with your keys.

Its cleverest detail is a head that rotates 180 degrees. Clip the G5 to a jacket while you’re tightening a loose screw, and you can point the beam toward your hands instead of wherever the clip happens to face, then turn it again for handheld use. It’s a simple mechanical solution to something another button or lighting mode wouldn’t fix.

A second light offers seven RGB colors. Red can help mark a bag beside a campsite, while another color can add a little light without directing the white beam into everyone’s eyes. The metal housing carries an IP65 rating, and a sliding control locks the light while covering the USB-C port. It’s a thoughtful arrangement for something that spends its day getting knocked around.

The rechargeable G5 can also operate while plugged in, handy when a small job becomes a longer one. Black and green blend easily into a kit, while yellow is harder to overlook. The Ice Cracked finish gives that familiar little rectangle another personality altogether, proving that not every useful tool needs to look stern.

Click Here to Buy Now: $19.99 $29.99 ($10 off). Hurry, deal ends in 48-hours! Website Here.

Wuben E2 PULSE 10.7g Compact Mini EDC Keychain Flashlight

If the G5 disappears into a pocket, the E2 Pulse nearly disappears onto a zipper. Weighing about 0.38 oz, it trades the usual flashlight silhouette for a gradient shell that can hang from a chain. That changes the habit around it: there’s no bag to search when the light is already close enough to reach.

Its main beam delivers up to 150 lumens and reaches about 85 feet, handy for finding a dropped key or crossing a dim porch. A white side light spreads illumination over nearby surfaces, while there are red and red-and-blue signals, along with a gently pulsing glow. They add visibility and character, and provide some peace of mind in an emergency.

A magnet lets the E2 cling to a suitable metal surface, freeing both hands while you look beneath a sink or sort through a toolbox. Its quick-release connector makes it easy to detach from the chain, too. USB-C charging and an IP66 rating help it cope with everyday mishaps, including a bit of a shower or a quick splash.

The E2 gives you its brightest light when you need a quick look, then steps down from 150 to 100 lumens as the battery runs. That makes sense for something small enough to stay with you all day. Whether it’s attached to your keys, backpack, or necklace, it’s easy to reach when the power goes out or you’re looking for something after dark.

Click Here to Buy Now: $11.04 $29.99 ($18.95 off). Hurry, deal ends in 48-hours! Website Here.

Wuben X4 Compact Multi-Function 1500 Lumen EDC Tactical Flashlight

The X4 sits between those extremes, with a shape that fits in a pocket but still gives your hand something substantial to hold. Its main light reaches 1,500 lumens and throws a beam up to 673 feet. That reach helps when the driveway ends before the darkness does, while the broader light makes the ground nearby easier to navigate.

A side panel takes over when distance stops mattering. Its warm white light can illuminate a page or soften a tent without aiming the main beam at your face. There’s RGB lighting, too, but the more interesting decision is putting different kinds of light on different surfaces. One direction serves the path; the other serves the space around you.

You can stand the X4 upright, clip it to clothing, or attach its magnetic base to suitable metal. Those choices make a difference when both hands are busy packing a car or tracing a cable behind a desk. Controls for the main light, side light, and lock mode also make it easier to get the kind of light you meant to use.

Inside is a replaceable 3,400mAh battery that charges through USB-C. At its lowest setting, the side light can run for up to 720 hours, giving you a long-lasting glow for extended trips while the 1,500-lumen main beam is there when you need more light. With an IP65 rating and resistance to drops from about 3.3 feet, the X4 feels as appropriate in a backpack as it does beside the bed.

A light you’ll actually carry is more likely to help when the power goes out or the walk runs late. Wuben has taken four different routes to that simple idea, and the Prime Day Fall 2026 Sale makes this a timely moment to consider which one fits your habits. A powerful beam has its place, but so does a little light that’s always on your keys.

Click Here to Buy Now: $38.99 $64.99 ($26 off). Hurry, deal ends in 48-hours! Website Here.

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