Water that looks good enough to drink can still present a problem. As we noted back in October, there is a way to help make the water a little safer to think while on the go. The SteriPEN Freedom is a handy gadget that can be used to “zap” water and make it safe by killing bacteria or viruses. The battery-powered wand-like device emits UV light that will destroy bacteria, viruses and protozoa, and is actually just a scaled down version of what is used to treat mass quantities of water already.
A dedicated outdoors enthusiast Miles Maiden, had been studying the uses for solar power, and noted that UV technology had been used for more than 100 years. In 1997 he founded Hydro Photon Inc. and created the first SteriPEN. At $120 it isn’t cheap, until you realize how many bottles of water you might buy while traveling, and more importantly can be used when there is no convenience store in sight. We also bring it up again as it has been garnering lots of media attention this holiday season.
SteriPEN Official Website
[Via GearJunkie: Tiny UV Light ‘Wand’ Destroys Microbes in Bad Water]
We’ll be interested to get a closer look at the Wahoo Blue HR Bluetooth heart rate monitor that will be officially unveiled at next month’s Consumer Electronics Sow. It will reportedly connect with an iPhone 4S as well as other devices that are Bluetooth Smart (4.0) ready. 
As we’re in the darkest days of the year it doesn’t hurt to have a little illumination to light the way. Yes, the Christmas lights help, but in a few weeks they’ll be down and the dark days of winter will truly be here. But fortunately Light & Motion have their tiny, but very powerful new Urban 500 that offers 500 lumens to help riders find their way!
The Motorola MOTOACTV only was released back in October and already Motorola has offered an update. Not only that but last week the company even released a video to tell about the updates. Look for better battery life, new clock faces and a new stopwatch feature! 
It is almost Christmas and if you are a typical male you might be aimlessly wandering through the stores trying to cross names off of your shopping list. The outdoor industry has no shortage of products that make outrageous claims and when the pressure is on to make a decision, you are left with recommendations from the sales staff or what is printed on the side of the box. If one of those names on your list likes to spend their free time hiking, biking, climbing, fishing, boating, snowmobiling or any other activity in the great outdoors or on the high seas miles from civilization, the line of SPOT messaging devices might be for them. 
While the big carriers in the United States have no shortage of mobile handsets for virtually any user, even the smaller carriers are getting on board with mobile phones designed for those who go off the beaten path. One recent example is the Sonim XP 3400 Armor ultra-rugged handset for use with C Spire. This handset is engineered to exceed military-grade specification, and is waterproof and submersible to up to 6.5 feet for an hour, dustproof and shockproof, where it can survive a 6.5 feet drop onto concrete. This handset has been certified against salt, fog, humidity, transport shock, thermal shock and can operate in temperatures from -5° F to 130° F.
There are apps to map your ride, and now there is an app for iOS to map your training. At next month’s Consumer Electronics Show attendees will get to see the new Cardio Mapper app, which can connect and read data from Bluetooth Smart (formerly Bluetooth 4.0) , and SmartHRM WiFi.
Combo units are the new name of the game when it comes to getting back to nature. Why fill up that ultra light pack with more stuff than is needed, when a multi-purpose device will serve so much better. One of these is the tw700 from German-based Tak Wak, which includes functionality traditionally seen in a multitude of handheld gizmos including GPS, walkie talkie, camera and tracking system.
Carrying a digital SLR camera for long periods of time can be a pain in neck – literally if you wear around your neck. And trying to change lenses on the go while moving can often result in a dropped camera. The Capture Camera Clip from Peak Design solves both problems with a clip that secures to a backpack strap or belt.
There are plenty of rugged point and shoot digital cameras on the market, and these can survive in very harsh environments, but what if you need to bring along your digital SLR camera? These tend to need a little more protection. Fortunately a new Kickstarter project is working on the Cam Crate, a hardened case that will protect just about any full sized DSLR along with its lens.