Latest news with #BougeRV
Geeky Gadgets
4 days ago
- Geeky Gadgets
BougeRV Telescopic Camping Lantern : Versatile Adventure Illumination from $49.99
What's the one thing that can make or break a camping trip? For me, it's reliable lighting. Picture this: I'm deep in the woods, the fire's embers are fading, and I'm fumbling to find my way in the dark. It's moments like these that remind me just how essential a dependable light source is. That's where the BougeRV Telescopic Camping Light (Model CL04) comes in—a product that, on paper, promises a lot more than just illumination. With its adjustable height, customizable brightness, USB-C power bank functionality, and rugged build, I was curious whether it could truly live up to its ambitious claims. Limited time deal Summer Deal US : $49.99 – Save $60.00 Regular price $109.99 Summer Deal UK : £37.85 – Save £45.44 – Regular price £83.29 In this review, I'll walk you through my real-world experience with the BougeRV Telescopic Camping Light. From its compact design and durable build to its smart controls and versatile light modes, I'll break down what I loved, what stood out, and how it performed during my outdoor excursions. If you're a fellow camper, or even just someone who values emergency preparedness, this review should give you a clear idea of whether this light deserves a spot in your gear setup. Versatile Camping Light Overview Compact and Portable Design Portability is a standout feature for me. Weighing in at just 2.3 lb and folding down to a diameter of 2.7 inches and a length of 10.6 inches, the BougeRV Telescopic Camping Light fits neatly into my gear without taking up much space. When fully extended, it reaches up to 64.2 inches—perfect for lighting wide areas without being intrusive. The friction-fit telescopic pole system is brilliant. There are no buttons or catches to fiddle with. I just pull, and it extends smoothly. It locks into place securely, and the folding tripod stand adds great stability, even on uneven terrain. BougeRV includes ground stakes as well, which gives me peace of mind during windy conditions. It's clearly designed by someone who actually camps. Customizable Lighting for Any Situation Lighting options are where this unit shines—literally. I can switch between three brightness levels: 900 lumens for soft light for soft light 1,800 lumens for general use for general use 3,000 lumens for full campsite coverage And it's not just brightness. I also get to choose between three color temperatures: 6,000K cool white for clear visibility cool white for clear visibility 3,000K warm light for ambiance warm light for ambiance Intermediate for a balanced tone Each light arm rotates—180° and 270°—allowing me to direct light exactly where I need it. One of my favorite features is the ability to illuminate individual strands of the lighting system, giving even more control over how the space is lit. Whether I'm cooking, reading, or just sitting around the fire, I can tailor the light perfectly. Durable and Weather-Resistant Build Durability is another area where this light exceeds expectations. It's built from a combination of aluminum alloy and PC/ABS plastic, and it absolutely feels like it. The weather resistance is rated at IP54, which means it can handle rain and dust without worry. I've used it during damp evenings and gusty conditions, and it never faltered. The reflective strips on the tripod legs are a clever addition too—helpful for avoiding accidental kicks in the dark. Power Bank Functionality and Long Battery Life This light isn't just for illumination— the BougeRV Telescopic Camping Lantern also doubles as a power bank. The built-in 15,600mAh lithium battery provides impressive runtime (up to 60 hours on lower brightness settings). It features a USB-C port that supports up to 22.5W output, which is plenty for charging my phone or GPS device in a pinch. Charging the unit itself takes just 4.5 hours with an 18W input, and the LED indicators keep me updated on its charge level. It's genuinely reassuring knowing that I've got a light and backup power source in one rugged package. Multi-Functional Use for Emergencies and Beyond The BougeRV light adapts to whatever situation I'm in. It works as: A flashlight when I need directional light when I need directional light A table lamp when it's sitting low when it's sitting low An overhead aerial light when mounted high There's also an SOS emergency mode, which flashes to attract attention—something I always want available when off-grid. Ease of Use and Practical Features Everything about this product feels thoughtfully designed. The main power switch on the bottom prevents the light from turning on accidentally in my pack. The top-mounted control buttons are clearly labeled and easy to reach, letting me cycle through modes and adjust brightness with just one hand. Setup is fast and intuitive, and it all packs away quickly into the included carry bag. It's a hassle-free companion for hiking, camping, power outages, or roadside breakdowns. Final Thoughts After extensive testing, I can say the BougeRV Telescopic Camping Lantern is one of the most complete and user-friendly camping lights I've ever used. It checks all the boxes—powerful light output, long-lasting battery, durable construction, smart features, and real usability. Whether you're looking for a reliable light for the outdoors or simply a multi-functional tool for your emergency kit, the BougeRV Telescopic Camping Light has earned its place in my gear and is a bargain for $49.99. Media Credit: BougeRV Filed Under: Design News, Gadgets News Latest Geeky Gadgets Deals Disclosure: Some of our articles include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, Geeky Gadgets may earn an affiliate commission. Learn about our Disclosure Policy.
The Verge
02-08-2025
- Automotive
- The Verge
BougeRV's portable solar fridge is quietly annoying
Keeping humans alive at home in post-agrarian societies requires refrigeration. Meat bags on the move must either load up a cooler with ice for a soggy weekend barbecue or do the evolved thing and use a 12V fridge instead. The $509.99 battery-powered BougeRV CRD2 40 refrigerator and freezer combo I've been testing for the last few weeks runs for almost 12 hours on its itty-bitty battery. It charges from a wall outlet or a 12V socket found in cars and portable power stations. It even accepts 100W of direct solar input to stay charged in sunny climates. And if this 40-liter (43-quart) model is too small, it's also available in larger 49-liter and 58-liter capacities. BougeRV gets the basics right, but with lots of little annoyances along the way. 6 Verge Score The CRD2 40 is what you choose when rugged portability is a must. It can easily find a home inside boat, RV, or the trunk or backseat of a car and features lots of tie-down points to keep the 28.7 x 18.14 x 17.24in (730 x 461 x 438mm) fridge from becoming a 41.9lb (19kg) projectile. And once you arrive, it can be moved about with help from its spring-loaded side handles, telescoping arm, and chunky wheels. Importantly, the two cooling compartments — one large (32.5 liters) and one small (7.2 liters) — are covered by a pair of doors that can be reversed for easy opening from either side. This adaptability is fantastic for vanlifers or anyone else with limited space for such a large appliance. And because it doesn't try to do too much — unlike EcoFlow and Bluetti's 3-in-1 ice-making fridges — BougeRV's combo unit maximizes available capacity for food and beverages. Even the smaller CRD2 40 fits a lot; enough for me and my wife to stay away from the grid comfortably for about a week when using the large compartment as a fridge and the small space as a freezer. I did all my testing at FDA-recommended temperatures of -18 degrees Celsius (0 degrees Fahrenheit) for the freezer and 4C (39F) for the fridge. Cooldown from room temperature of 22C (72F) to 4C took 17 minutes for the small compartment, or 37 minutes for the large. It took 79 minutes to bring the small space down to -18C and 101 minutes for the large side. That's pretty slow, but the CRD2 40 is also reasonably quiet. At its loudest, I measured 38dB during cooldown making it about as loud as a small home theater projector. That's far below the 45dB BougeRV quotes on the spec sheet (perhaps the larger CRD2 models are noisier?) and quieter than other combo fridges in this space. While there was the occasional audible whoosh of liquid, it otherwise didn't emit any odd gurgles or scratching sounds I've heard from other portable fridges. The compressor turns on and off every 10 minutes or so with a slight rattle and then runs for 10 minutes to maintain the temperature. The fully charged 173Wh battery lasted 11.5 hours when running in the most economical modes, so long as the compartments were cooled down to -18C/4C ahead of time. That runtime dropped to just six hours when the battery had to start at room temperature. That's not particularly efficient, and likely has to do with BougeRV skimping on insulation. For my insulation test, I brought the large compartment down to -18C and shut off the power. After one hour, it already read -4C, 0C after an hour and a half, and 10C at three hours in a room reading 22C. I never opened the lid. That's not very good compared to other portable fridges and suggests that this fridge will have to work hard in warmer climates to keep your food safe. Temperature readings on the BougeRV display and app were consistent with my reference thermometer in the smaller compartment. However, my thermometer read -14C, not the -18C reported by BougeRV, when placed at the bottom of the large compartment. This likely has to do with BougeRV's sensor placement and the poor air circulation that's typical of this class of fridges. So, BougeRV gets all the important things right, but I was disappointed by the company's inattention to detail and general lack of care. For starters, the simplistic Bluetooth app labels the two compartments 'L' and 'R' (left and right?) instead of 'L' and 'S' for large and small, like you see printed on the fridge. It also lacks precision when reporting the battery percentage, showing five of five bars, for example, when the LED display on the battery itself only shows two of four LEDs, or about 50 percent charged. And get this: the instruction booklet warns that 'due to different production batches, you may receive a battery with or without a Type-C connector.' WHAT?! My review unit arrived with a battery fitted with a little barrel, not the preferred USB-C jack. That means it can only be charged inside the fridge itself since I didn't receive a compatible charger in the box. Oh, and the logo on the battery is upside-down which makes insertion confusing. Come on. Annoyingly, solar charging requires a 5521 barrel connector, not the more common XT60 jack. I didn't have the correct 100W solar panel to test with the fridge, but BougeRV will happily sell you a bundle that includes a compatible panel for $663.99. More worrisome is the peculiar behavior I observed when the battery was almost fully discharged. In the last hour or so before the battery died, the temperature of the freezer dipped way below the -18C temperature I had set. It read -22C on the physical display, but my own thermometer dropped all the way down to -29C. At first, I thought it might be another case of a bad sensor like the one that plagued some older EcoFlow fridges. But plugging the fridge back in caused the temperature to quickly retreat to -18C, and I haven't seen any issues since. Weird. BougeRV didn't have an explanation ready in time for this review. The fridge is covered by a two-year warranty. Sleeping near the BougeRV fridge — as vanlifers and drunken fishermen are apt to do — is also a mixed bag. On one hand, it's reasonably quiet. However, it will beep a few times if it loses Bluetooth connection. This has already woken me up twice despite my phone being nearby the fridge. The display is also very bright in a dark room and there's no way to dim it or turn it off. Even with all my gripes, BougeRV's $509.99 CRD2 40 with battery bundle makes for a fine travel companion, especially in the highly portable 40-liter (43-quart) size I reviewed. However, I'd avoid the battery-less model priced at $349.99 because you can easily find a more compact and less expensive combo fridge that can be permanently plugged into a 12V power source at a fixed location. You buy the CRD2 40 because you're looking for adventure, and maybe just a taste of self-flagellation. Photography by Thomas Ricker / The Verge Posts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All by Thomas Ricker Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All Accessory Reviews Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All Reviews Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All Tech Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All Work anywhere
The Verge
24-05-2025
- The Verge
BougeRV water heater review: hot showers to go
Hot water is like internet connectivity for most Verge readers: you just expect it to be there. But that's unlikely to be the case this summer when tent camping at a music festival or road-tripping into the great unknown. That's where BougeRV's battery-powered shower comes in. The $310 'Portable Propane Outdoor Camping Water Heater' from BougeRV is not only optimized for search engine discovery, it also delivers a luxurious spray of hot steaming water to the great unwashed, be they human, canine, or stubborn pots and pans. Charge up the battery, attach a propane canister, drop the pump into a jug of water, and you're ready to get sudsing. It's so useful and flexible that I've ditched my plans to install a permanent shower cabin and expensive hot water system inside my adventure van, even if I don't completely trust it. My current portable shower consists of an 11-liter water bag, a manual foot pump, and a spray nozzle. To make it hot, I have to heat water on the stove or hang the bag in the sun for several hours, yet it still costs over $150. For $310, the BougeRV heated shower seems like a bargain. The BougeRV system can produce a maximum heat output of 20,500 BTUs — about half of a typical residential gas water heater. It measures 15.75 x 6.7 x 14.57 inches (40 x 17 x 31cm) and weighs 13.2 pounds (6.21kg), making it compact and fairly lightweight with two big handles for easy carry. The hoses and cabling make it a little unwieldy — capable of generating great chaos inside a small space unless handled with care. Assembly starts with screwing in an easy to find one pound (454g) propane canister that attaches at the rear of the unit. That's the size BougeRV recommends, but you wouldn't be the first to instead run a hose from your RV's existing propane tank to the pressure regulator on the water heater. Two quick-connect water hoses — labeled blue and red for idiot-proof attachment — route the water from your chosen receptacle, through that gas furnace, and out through the showerhead. The long 2.5m (8.2 feet) shower hose allows for flexible placement of the heater. The small water pump measures just 2.24 inches (5.7cm) across, so it easily fits through the opening of standard jerry cans. The pump is electrically powered by the BougeRV unit, which is powered by its rechargeable battery, an AC wall jack, or 12V adapter that plugs into the cigarette jack of your vehicle or solar generator. Photo by Thomas Ricker / The Verge Photo by Thomas Ricker / The Verge Photo by Thomas Ricker / The Verge The 2500mAh / 12V (30Wh) integrated Lithium-ion battery takes about three hours to charge from the included charger. A full battery and one-pound (454g) canister of liquid propane gas can pump out about an hour's worth of hot water before both run dry. The shower's gas consumption rate is 20MJ/h. Alternatively, you can save gas with a long press on the pump button to put the shower into cold water mode — ideal for rinsing off your mountain bike, hiking shoes, or wet suit, for example. The dial on the front of the heater controls the size of the flame. I did a handful of tests, starting with water measuring between 13 and 16 degrees Celsius (55–61 degrees Fahrenheit) according to the display on the BougeRV water heater. With the dial turned all the way to the left, the water pouring from the shower head rose to 23–25C (73–77F) after just a few seconds. Turned all the way to the right, the temperature maxed out at a steamy 34–41C (93–105F) in about 30 seconds. Recycling the water can make it even hotter, if you dare. After two or three cycles on max, the heater boosted the temperature above 51C (124F) before the unit shut down with an error, by design. It's not meant to exceed an average water temperature above 50C (122F). A simple on/off reset the E6 error. Water flow is between 2.2 and 3 liters per minute — well below what you can expect from a 9 to 12 L/min flow of a modern home shower. That's still acceptable, in my opinion, and far superior to nothing, which is the typical alternative when camping away from home. The shower head has a rocker switch to toggle between hardish, mixed, and soft water flow rates as well as an on/off limiter button to help conserve water between lathers. It's surprisingly quiet even with the pump turned on. There's some rapid clicking to ignite the gas (followed by a whoosh of flame) whenever the flow of water returns, and the pump produces a low-level hum that's quickly drowned out by the sound of spraying water. The water heater is also protected from tilts, bumps, and an empty water source. When I leaned my review unit over about 30 degrees, the unit shut off. It also shut off automatically after two minutes of trying to pump from an empty bucket. A master override on/off switch on the button prevents the unit from turning on accidentally if the on/off button on the front is bumped during transport or storage. I'm impressed by BougeRV's water heater, but I'm a little concerned about its durability over time. After using it on the beach on a windy day, I ran into trouble once I returned inside: the heater didn't heat and the water was reduced to a trickle out of the showerhead. It's possible that some sediment trapped in the lines reduced the flow rate below the 1.2L/min required for ignition. Nevertheless, the issue was resolved after a few minutes of fiddling with the hoses and filters, and turning the unit on and off again. BougeRV offers a two-year warranty and says the water heater is rated at IPX4. So while it's resistant to splashing water, there's no assurance offered against dust and blowing sand. I do have a few other gripes. Those hoses can be a tripping and snagging hazard, and the plastic clip meant to hold the showerhead to one of the lifting handles is too weak to keep it from rotating and spraying your surroundings. I also wish BougeRV bundled the heater with an accessory bag to carry all the power adapters and hoses. And when putting the device away, you have to tip it forward to drain all the collected water from the inlet and outlet — there's no automatic expulsion mechanism. But really, these are trivial issues for what the unit does at this price. Prior to this review, I had been in the late planning stages of having a shower cabin, water pump, gas heater, extra-large water tank, and all necessary plumbing installed in my Sprinter van. Total cost: about $4,000. I'm now convinced that a portable system like what BougeRV offers is a better option. Why pay so much for something so permanent that's only used a few minutes each week, for maybe half the year? Instead, BougeRV's $310 portable water heater can function as an outdoor shower during the summer months or be moved inside (with ventilation) when coupled with a portable shower curtain and basin, all for less than $600. That sounds like a better use of my money, and probably yours if you're an aspiring vanlifer. And when the van is parked, I can bring those hot (or cold) jets of water anywhere my adventures might take me: to clean up after mountain biking in the muddy forest or kitesurfing in the salty sea, to wash the dog outside after rolling in shit again, or to take a refreshing shower during a sweaty four-day music festival. A near-identical water heater is sold under the Ranien and Camplux brands, but those have larger 4000mAh (48Wh) batteries and list for between $349 and $399. So it might pay to shop around. Photos by Thomas Ricker / The Verge
Stuff.tv
23-05-2025
- Automotive
- Stuff.tv
WIN 1 of 2 BougeRV Electric Wagon and portable power station bundles, worth over £500 each!
Are you the person who's always struggling to carry a coolbox, boombox, beach bag and other assorted paraphernalia through the sand dunes to bag the best spot? Or maybe you're a festival fan who likes to take a bit more than the bare necessities? Either way, life is easier with an all-terrain camping wagon – and easier still with BougeRV's Electric Foldable Camping Wagon (RRP £383), of which we have two to give away, along with a pair of BougeRV power stations! With a 133Wh battery that fuels up to 12 miles of hauling and doubles as power bank, this robust utility wagon isn't fazed by rough terrain or hills… and it can handle loads of up to 200kg. Each winner will also receive a BougeRV JuiceGo Portable Power Station (RRP £161). With a 240W capacity and DC, AC and USB-C charging, it'll keep all your devices juiced up whether you're camping, hiking or just hiding from grizzly bears in the back garden. See for more details. How to enter Ready for your camping trips, beach days and family picnics to get a whole lot easier? Just head here and answer this question: How much weight can the BougeRV electric foldable camping wagon handle? A… 100kg B… 150kg C… 200kg Terms & Conditions 1 Open to UK mainland residents aged 18 or over. 2 Entries close 11.59pm, 11 July 2025. 3 Prizes are as stated. 4 Prizes are non-transferable. 5 Only one entry per person. Full T s & Cs: Promoter: Kelsey Publishing Ltd, The Granary, Downs Court, Yalding Hill, Yalding, Maidstone, Kent ME18 6AL.
