LED | Evolving Consumer

Pathfinding Shoe

The Vibram Smart Concept Sole could help you find your way after dark. Introduced at the recent Outdoor Retailer Show in Salt Lake City these shoes feature a remote controlled LED lighting system that allows the soles of the shoe to illuminate the ground.

The concept was inspired by the need of military, law enforcement and firefighting personnel but it could be ideal for those who look to run after the sun goes down – or before it comes up. The shoes’ LEDs offer three brightness settings, and even a flashing red LED tail light so runners can be seen as well as see where they are going.

Vibram Official Website
[Via GizMag: Vibram Smart Concept Sole gives footwear headlights]

Cyber Army Knife

The Victorinox CyberTool Lite Swiss Army Knife takes the versatile blade into the 21st century and beyond. It expands on the original Cyber Tool, and offers knives, hex, Torx and Philips bits, wire cutters and pliers and now adds an 8x magnifying glass and LED light.

Designed for the IT pros and the like we think this could still be a good all around pocket knife for the tech savvy adventurer as well.

Victorinox CyberTool Lite Swiss Army Knife Official Website

Go Pro at Night

There are plenty of bicycle lights that will get you home even when street lights are far and few between, but for those who hit the trails after dark something a little more powerful is required. For those times there is the new NiteRider Pro 3600 DIY, which might just be one of the brightest bike lights we’ve seen or even heard about.

It features 3600 lumens, produced from six high performing Cree LEDs. The system includes an LED headlamp, helmet mount, handlebar mount, docking station and of course Li-Ion battery. It can run for an hour and a half at full power, or be race ready with 450 lumens for up to 16 hours. Riding the trails with this could be like the difference of night and day.

NiteRider Pro 3600 DIY Official Website

Outdoor Retailer Show: Lamp It Up

At this week’s Outdoor Retailer Show in Salt Lake City Petzl offered another bright idea with its auto-adjusting headlamp. An optical sensor can automatically measure the distance to an object and adjust the light accordingly. This headlamp can shine up to 140 lumens so you won’t be left in the dark.

Petzl Official Website

Stake Some Light

We’ve seen UCO’s line of LED lights for camping and have been impressed, but this is one company that continues to innovate. The company has introduced its new StakeLight, a tent stake that as the name suggests features a built-in light.

With a 17-lumen LED light encased in the water-resistant housing the light can help users avoid tripping over a tent rope while getting up in the night to answer nature’s call. The StakeLight features both strobe and steady modes and can can for up to 24 hours from a single AAA on strobe setting. Dare we say this is a bright idea?

UCO Official Website

Board of Light

Stand-up paddleboarding remains a fast growing sport, and start-up firm Nocqua looks to get boarders out at night as well as during the day. Unlike surfboards this slower paced type of board riding can be done on calm lakes, rivers and even reservoirs.

The Nocqua board offers a little light for those nighttime treks out on the water as the board features the company’s 2000 LED light system, which include two waterproof LED light bars with 72 LEDs. These put out more than 2,000 lumens (hence the name of the system), and can cast an almost inspiring glow on the water.

Nocqua Official Website

Android GPS

Today Garmin announced the Monterra, the company’s first Wi-Fi-enabled outdoor handheld GPS unit that combines Garmin’s powerful location and mapping capabilities with the versatility of Google’s Android operating system.

From this device users will have easy access the Google Play Store, and can download apps through an available WiFi connection right onto their outdoor optimized Garmin handheld, offering a new ways to explore the great outdoors, The Garmin Monterra is rugged and features an IPX7 waterproof rating, while also offering a backlight LED display that only needs to be turned on in low light conditions. Continue reading Android GPS

Posted LED

We’ve seen many attempts to integrate a light system into a bike, and the Light-Post is certainly a novel idea. It is currently wrapping up a Kickstarter project and its creator, Andre Brown, hopes to bring out seat post with an LED bike light later this year. The Light-Post is features an li-ion battery along with the electronics and LED lights mounted inside the seat post, offering a sleek design and ensuring that the light isn’t forgotten. Video after the jump

Light Grid

We’ve seen a number of lighting systems that project ahead of the bike, typically as a way for drivers to know the cyclist is there. The Lumigrid solves another nighttime problem of altering a rider to uneven terrain, potholes and other obstacles in the road.

On flat road surfaces the projected grid will consist of standard squares but on rougher road surfaces the grids will deform, and this can help the rider “see” a hole or other obstacle. The Lumigrid LED system can be mounted to the handlebars and powered by pedal power or an internal battery.

Red Dot Design Awards: Luimigrids

Fire Point

There is a legend that during the Second Punic War a large Roman fleet under the command of Claudius Marcellus was burned by Archimedes using nothing more than mirrors to reflect the rays of the sun. Whether this is true or not has been left open to debate.

Not Point Source Power has introduced the VOTO, a low-cost biomass-fueled cellphone charger and LED light. This won’t start a fire exactly, but it will use the heat from a cooking stove at a camp site to charge the battery and in turn juice up the phone. We think Archimedes would approve! Video after the jump

Light Gloves

The Doppleganger gloves aren’t lightweight and in fact these probably weigh more than most cycling gloves. But these aren’t even gloves at all. The Doppleganger LED Turn Signal accessory actually attaches to your current gloves and provides a little light on the hands. These provide an indicator that can help cars see your arm movements at night when you signal you are stopping or turning.

The Japanese made glove accessories are powered by a watch batter that can provide up to 120 hours of light in the flashing mode. Light on!

Doppleganger LED Turn Signal Official Website

Tool Time

Gerber-Gear Gerber has just introduced a new lineup of keychain and pocket-friendly tools that include a zip blade, driver with Phillips and flat head options, a hex diver, an LED light and bottle opener, a hook knife and even a black pocket knife. We don’t expect most of these to be friendly with TSA but they could just the thing when you need to fix something and don’t have access to the tool box.

Gerber Gear Official Website

Recumbent Concept 2

The Firefly is an apt name for the other recumbent design we came across recently. This one from Geospace Studio is similar to the City Speeder, but features three wheels to add stability. Its fabric LED-lit dome will also keep the rider protected from the elements and ensure he/she can be seen (possibly from space). Dare we call this one the night rider? Video after the jump