4 Smartphone Accessories For Outdoor Enthusiasts

Outdoorsy types — hunters, fishermen and ATV riders, to name a few — utilize mobile technology as much as the indoor types, but their apps are a bit more hands-on. The Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project found that 61 percent of Americans owned a smartphone in 2013, and that number will only increase. Outdoor enthusiasts make up a huge part of that group, but they may not be aware of the cool accessories available to enhance their activities. If you’re one of those people, here are four that may interest you:

S4 Gear Jackknife Smartphone Bow Mount

There is no better feeling for bow hunters than a perfect head or neck shot that takes down your target without damaging any of the meat. Now you can share those moments instantly with everyone.

The S4 Gear’s Jackknife Bow Mount gives hunters the ability to shoot video with their smartphone attached right to the bow’s sight mount. It creates a first-person shooter viewpoint that allows you to film and provide commentary simultaneously. Not only will the Jackknife allow you to share your hunting activities with the world, but can also serve as training film to improve your accuracy. The Jackknife sells for around $45.

Anemometer Accessory by Vaavud

There’s one element of nature that can ruin a camping, boating, surfing or hunting trip before it begins: wind. Hunters, for instance, always want to approach prey in the opposite direction of the wind so the animals don’t pick up their scent and escape. Deer, especially, use their olfactory receptors for communication and defense purposes, so knowing the wind’s velocity and direction is important.

The Vaavud Smartphone Anemometer is the perfect accessory for all outdoor activities. Funded by a Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign, the Vaavud wireless wind meter lets users get accurate readings of wind speed and direction. You can then share the readings instantly online. The device works with most iPhones, along with the Samsung Galaxy S3, S4 and HTC One. The Vaavud wind meter can be purchased for $50.

Arctic Power Bank 4000

Extending trips away from power sources mean the batteries in your device will need some other way to maintain a charge. That’s where the Arctic Power Bank 4000 come into play.

This portable charger and backup battery provides 4000 mAh of power, essentially giving you 16 extra hours of talk time or 20 hours of Web surfing. Its compatible with almost all smartphones, tablets, e-Readers and any other USB-powered device. It’s small enough to fit in your pocket and comes with a case to hold all the cables. Available on Amazon carries for $30.

Arkon SM032 Handlebar Mount

Cameras that mount on ATV helmets are becoming a popular accessory for riders to share their experiences with others. But shooting a second angle can give you more raw footage to work with when editing the finished product.

The Arkon SM032 allows you to mount your smartphone to your handlebars without covering the controls on your touchscreen. The water-resistant zippers around the holder allows you to ride anywhere in any kind of weather. It’s compatible with most smartphones and even the iPod touch. For under $30, it can be yours.