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Somehow I have become someone who loves to go camping. It didn't happen all of the sudden, but between my husband and my three dirt-loving boys, somehow I began to do more than just tolerate the outdoors. I really enjoy it.
One of my favorite parts of going on a camping trip is the shopping before hand, of course. My husband gives me a general idea of some things we need and then I get the fun part. (Because let's face it, most guys don't consider shopping a very fun activity.) I especially love finding unique gadgets to add to the outdoor fun. You might be surprised to know that one of the places on my camping prep list was RadioShack.
We rediscovered RadioShack this past Christmas when we were shopping for a gift for my Father-in-law. He's a gadget-loving guy and we were looking for a cool radio for him. I know, a radio at RadioShack. Who would have thought? While we were in there I found myself impressed at the selection in the store. Even though it isn't very big, they manage to carry so many cool things. We ended up getting gifts for more than just him. The staff was amazing helpful, and the atmosphere of the store was just so much more laid-back than other stores around the holidays. They also have some neat gifts that you won't see anywhere else.
After our last camping trip we made note of some things that might have been nice to have. We stayed near the top of the mountain in Yosemite last summer and when you're up there you don't get any cell phone reception. We didn't mind being off the grid a little, but it would have been nice to be able to communicate with other without having to yell across the campground. I found quite the selection of walkie-talkies at RadioShack and grabbed a set for us.
Although we try not to bring a lot of electronics with us on camping trips, there are still a few things that need powering up. We don't quite have the need for a big generator, but to make sure we don't run of juice on the more important things, like our camera, a back up charger is a nice addition to our gear. There was a great selection of them, with different sizes for different needs.
When your husband is helping out he might find something that isn't exactly a necessary item. He asked if we could grab an infrared thermometer too. I'm not sure why would need one of those, or how we would use it, but I went along with it. With a little help from one of the friendly RadioShack employees, I found some thermometers.
Are you a gadget lover too? If you're like me, you might have some unused electronics just hanging out around the house. Rather than let them pile up, you can take them to a corporate-owned RadioShack and trade them in for store credit towards something new and even more awesome. It's a great way to save some money on your next electronics purchase and do a little Spring cleaning at the same time.
I didn't trade anything this time around, but I have a few things in my garage that I would like to take in on my next visit. For now, I've got some new goodies to take camping and I can't wait to try them all out. And don't worry, I went ahead and got the #!+* Happens replacement plan on every single item so I don't have to worry if we're a little rough with them.
What kind of gadgets do you love?