Go Go Gadget Go!

In an attempt to up the reading figures this week, Rabbit Confused with Raisins is attempting to go a little more interactive...

As a typical bloke, I have a quite severe obsession with gadgets of various descriptions. Though unlike my brother I am not into flat screen TVs, surround sound and Ipods. No. My gadget obsession consists of a desire for more outdoors gadgets, they look cool, but are often completely pointless.

A guy that I used to live with worked on a ski-slope and used to refer to people that showed up in all the most expensive equipment but couldn't ski as "all the gear, no idea!" the slightly more insulting version is "all the clobber what a knobber!" or. That's me.

So, the questions I am asking my readers this week are:

1. What is the most pointless gadget you have?
2. What is the most useful gadget you have?
3. What is your biggest gadget extravagance?
4. What is your favourite gadget?

Here are mine (three of which will make it to my upcoming Indonesia / oz trip):

Most Pointless Gadget

My fork/spoon/knife. Its a fork, but its also a spoon, and a knife (and its also got a bottle opener on it as an added bonus)! For all of those expeditions where you you just cannot do without cutlery. Why not get a fork, a spoon, and a knife I hear you ask? No need - this is a fork, a spoon and a knife all in one! Though granted it is a little difficult when you try to use the knife and fork at the same time. It actually came in pretty useful for our recent trip to the high Tatras for cutting into our block of rancid cheese so not altogether useless.

Most Useful Gadget

My Travel towel. This thing is forged from the spirit of genius itself. Its a towel, but its tiny, and it dries even when you cram it back into its packaging. Cool. This thing was all that kept me from being outcast from my trekking party for attracting the wolves and bears with my pungent odours on our recent trip. Very useful if you need a space saving device and I have no doubt it will be invaluable when plodding through the jungle looking for Orang-utans!

Biggest Gadget Extravagance

A couple of years ago, during a rush of blood to the head, I decided to purchase a 3.5m traction kite (the kind that will lift you off the floor if there is enough wind). The kite is amazing fun (though probably not worth the £00's paid for it). However, this wasn't the big extravagance. The extravagance was the mountain board that I got to go with it. Powered by images of me speeding along some beach, kite in hand, going where the wind takes me as a free spirit, the board seemed like an excellent idea.

We took to the park, and I quickly realised that using the board on big stretches of downhill grass was much more fun than use with the kite. On one such downhill boarding trip, I convinced my housemate that going down this particularly steep slope would be a really good idea (I had done it before). Not one to be outdone, off he went down the slope, and over he went onto his face. In his usual relaxed tones he moaned, "It think I have broken my wrist" - Whoops. He was told by his Doctor he may not be able to climb again. He was a keen climber - double Whoops (luckily this turned out not to be the case).

Favourite Gadget

My Platypus. When I first saw people using these things, I thought "why not carry a bottle of water?" but since doing a bit of trekking, I have discovered that actually when you have a 10kg backpack on, you really cant be arsed to take the damn thing off every time that you want a drink. The platypus fits inside the back compartment of most backpacks and it has a straw from which you can drink when it takes your fancy. This thing is worth its weight in gold. Of course, you do look like a real plonker doing a lap around your local reservoir taking water from this enormous straw over your shoulder, but it is worth it. Ok Ok just use a water bottle! But where's the fun.

So the question is what gadget, any gadget (electronic, DIY etc) I am going to ask my bro at All That Comes With It what his are , and I am also going to try to break the mold and ask one of the few that have passed comment here LA Daddy as he seems like a very practical kind of a bloke. And also - anyone else who wants a go...