When was the last time you've taken a trip in the great outdoors? When was the last time you've enjoyed the chilling morning cold in the mountains, or breathed-in the fresh, pure air of the woods? Well, many people might not even remember the last time they've managed to go on such a camping trip, either because they simply didn't have the time or because they weren't really looking forward to leaving the comfort of their city lives and venture into the great unknown.

We've decided to help you, and we've created what could be described as a camping guide for the gadget lovers, within which we'll talk about the possible stages of such a trip, as well as the types of gadgets you could make good use of during each of these particular stages. And to set things straight right from the start, you should know that the specific products mentioned within this article are some of the ones which we've already included in our gadget collection, and have quite a lot of alternatives, if you really search for them.

The first thing you might wanna do before actually departing on your trip is to plan your route very carefully. For this, you can use either the Internet and search for the best camping and trekking locations (Google Earth included), or simply take along a friend who already knows the way.

Most people will drive themselves to the starting point of their adventure trip, and in order to find the exact location, they'll need a GPS navigator. It would be rather unfair to nominate a certain product as far as PNDs are concerned, and that's simply because there are way too many devices of this type available on the market.

However, there are a few recommendations we could make, regarding mostly the types of features you might wanna search for when purchasing such a product: it should feature complete maps of the particular area you're about to visit and 3D landmarks (if possible, because this particular function is relatively rare, at least for the time being). Moreover, the respective GPS navigator should also allow users to navigate by using geo-tagged photos, which embed specific geographical coordinates.

On the other hand, if you happen to be a motorocycle rider, you can always turn to TomTom RIDER 2nd Edition GPS Navigator, or perhaps Garmin's similar offering, the zumo 550 or 450.

Since most PNDs are automotive-oriented, the truth of the matter is that you'll probably leave your navigator back in the car and turn to a rugged, handheld GPS unit when you start. Fortunately, there are fewer choices in this particular area, the best-known developers of such products being either Garmin (with their famous eTrex, Oregon and Colorado series), Bushnell, Earthmate and Magellan.

These navigators feature shockproof and waterproof cases, color displays, detailed maps and, quite often, additional instruments (such as compasses, thermometers, elevation measurement devices, etc.). Moreover, even their form factor makes them very portable and easy to carry around. And don't worry, most of them also support geotagging, which means that they can easily navigate to a particular set of coordinates, allowing you to visit that spectacular, “secret” location discovered by one of your friends.

Although the opportunity of walking through the woods or climbing a steep slope should be used in order to relax and leave aside, at least for one moment, one's worries and daily habits, some people might be tempted to listen to some music while doing so, and will take along their beloved MP3 or portable multimedia player.

While we would recommend something more rugged for such an experience (the Jens of Sweden MP-X Ultra-Rugged Portable MP3 Player is a very good example), the truth of the matter is that there are simply way too many such products out there to list them all. Probably the best way to do this is simply take along your own portable player, whichever that might be, but protect it using either the supplied case or one of the numerous such solutions one can find on the market.

While trekking in the mountains, you might find yourself in some pretty uncomfortable situations, when you simply can't reach within your jacket or backpack in order to control your music player. For this specific instances, one can always get one of the many high-tech jackets that have recently arrived on the market and provide built-in controls for one's music players (the iPod in particular), such as the Westcomb iMirage or iRebel Jackets, the Surfanic Royal iPod Jacket, the RHYTHM iPod MILATEX Jacket, just to name a few.

And if you want to share your music with your friends, you can always try something like the Targus SonicPak Backpack or the G-TECH Soundwave Backpack, which come packed with their own built-in speakers that you can easily connect to your portable player.

Moreover, if you plan on spending a longer period of time in a remote area, with no access to power outlets, that you might consider one of two options: either get yourself a recharging system (but we'll talk about that a bit later) or something like the Trevol Baylis Eco Media Player, a hand-cranked portable player that also doubles as a LED flashlight.

While climbing mountains or trekking through the woods, you might come across certain places really worth remembering, so you might want to take a photo of the respective location. While we won't go into any more details regarding this particular subject, since there are way too many digital camera types, brands and models available on the market, it's important to mention that it might be a good idea to take along a geo-tagging device, which will allow you to associate specific geographical coordinates to a certain digital photo (something like the ATP mini or the similar offering from Sony). Furthermore, it's always a good idea to take along a pair of binoculars, our personal recommendation being that they should also provide nighttime vision.

While playing around and taking photos, night has almost arrived, and it's about time to set up your tent. Of course, most people would choose a normal tent, but one very interesting alternate solution might prove to be the Eureka N!ergy 1310 Tent, which provides both very good thermal insulation and the possibility of recharging one's portable devices, as it's accompanied by an E! Power Pack, which powers 12-volt gadgets right inside the tent.

Since we've reached the subject of power, let's see what your best options are. So, if you're only going out for a weekend, that you shouldn't probably take along any unnecessary equipment, like portable power sources. However, if you plan to spend a longer period of time in the wild AND still enjoy your favorite gadgets, then it might be a good idea to take along something like the Weza Portable Energy Source, which will create all the power you need, but will require quite a lot of strength, since we're talking about a hand-cranked product.

Since carrying around a portable power pack (such as the Xantrex XPower Powerpack 600HD) in your backpack might prove to be a little too much, you can always go for something a bit “lighter”, especially if your power requirements are not that high. For example, you could go for one of the foldable solar chargers from Sunsei or Solio, or perhaps one of the many bags and backpacks fitted with solar panels that we're seeing hit the shelves these days.

The night has come, you're already quite hungry, so it's about time to setup a camp fire or a barbecue. Since it's dark, you'll most certainly require a flashlight in order to find your way around camp or the nearby forest, and the possibilities here are endless. While we simply don't have enough time to list all of the available options, our recommendation is either to look for a battery that requires a fairly small amount of power in order to operate or one that can be easily recharged even in the absence of a power outlet, such as hand-cranked or solar-powered versions.

Another very important thing you should absolutely not leave behind is a swiss army knife or a multi-purpose tool set. There are quite a few such products to be found in specialty shops around the world, but they're very important to have around the camp, since they can help you carry out a wide array of activities, from cutting wood to opening canned food to sewing a loose button.

It can get pretty cold in the mountains, even during summer, so perhaps it would be a good idea to take along some clothes that will keep you warm, while in the same time occupying a fairly small amount of space in your already ultra-crowded pack. For example, you could go for the WarmX line of clothing, which provides better insulation against the environment, and even choose one of the many models of heated gloves one can find on the market.

If you have a problem with insects (and the forests are filled with them), you might consider taking along some sort of repellent. While chemical substances are not a particularly good idea (especially since their containers might be damaged or broken during the trip), a small, electronic device that emits high-frequency sound could be the way to go, as it will keep mosquitoes and ants away, while not providing any significant side-effects for the user.

And if you've camped in an area where the sky is quite visible (like a very large clearing in the woods, for example, or on a remote mountain peak), then you might also want to use something like the Meade Optics 114EQ-AST Equatorial Telescope, which will help you get a lot closer to the stars then you'd be able in the city, for example.

While this adventure trek in the woods might seem a bit too high-techy for a lot of people, the truth of the matter is that most of the products mentioned above might prove to be extremely helpful in turning your time out in the nature into a much more comfortable and pleasurable experience, especially if you happen to be the type of person that simply can't live without having his/her favorite gadgets around.

As mentioned earlier, these are only a few ideas of gadgets you might want to take along. The possibilities are much more numerous and diversified, and we're actually waiting for input from you regarding what peculiar products could prove useful in the wilderness.