Going out to the outdoors or airsoft events, one thing that I worry about is if my smartphone is rugged enough to handle bumps and falls. So far, it does, but I would prefer it tucked inside my pack or pockets when out there in the boondocks. But with that inside, how can I quickly communicate to my team or to the outside world?

There might be a solution to that as a group of Korean developers are busy working to ensure that their R2Gear MK3 5-in-1 Smart Outdoor Gadget gets delivered to their Kickstarter backers in early 2018.

As explained on the Kickstarter Page, the device works this way:

“Meet MK3, a '5-in-1 Outdoor Smart Gadget' to make your outdoor life more convenient. It includes walkie-talkie via smartphone Bluetooth paring, Emergency button, Bluetooth speaker, LED light, and a Stylus pen. Whether you’re climbing, hiking, fishing, or camping, the MK3 will help you enjoy your all the outdoor activities and keep your smartphone safe.”

The features are good enough for me to consider one to bring to the field as I can just have this out and on my hand or backpack strap whilst it remains connected to my smartphone which is safely protected inside my daypack or pouch. No need to whip it out to receive or make a call. The other four functions are bonuses, though I like the Emergency button feature as a nice touch to make this an essential device when going outdoors.

In an emergency, just use the emergency button on the MK3 and it will transmit GPS coordinates and emergency messages to selected numbers on your smartphone via the Zello app that you can use with the device. I remember this feature as seen in the first generation Samsung smartwatch in which there was an app called “SOS” in which you can just press that app button and send emergency SMS to select numbers on your Samsung smartphone.

The stylus can be useful when wearing gloves, so you do not have to remove your gloves when using the touchscreen on your smartphone, especially in cold conditions. The LED light and Bluetooth speaker are alright though I would have preferred a higher capacity rechargeable battery that can also act as a powerbank to charge my smartphone when it runs out of juice.

One problem with MK3 is that it still relies of cellular sites for the communications part. Unlike the Beartooth that uses radio frequencies for communications with the smartphone, making it not reliant on cell sites, the MK3 can become useless when there is no cellular coverage.  This means you might need a spare radio in case there is no signal for your smartphone.

The MK3 has been fully funded on Kickstarter and they probably are now going to through prototypes that they can use for certification, then to production, and eventually initial deliveries by March 2018. If you missed backing it on Kickstarter, you can still pre-order as they created an Indiegogo page to accommodate those who want to be in the first batch.

If you want one and for your team mates, you can order the “Friends and Family Pack Standard” which for US$329, you get 4 MK3s. But if you have a larger team, then get the Deca Pack for US$689 and get 10 MK3s. There are other packages up to the Super Pack which comes with 50 MK3s which is probably suitable for events organizers.

Now you have to decide, the MK3 or the Beartooth to replace your airsoft team’s radio comms.