Grilling is something anyone can do but few people can do well. Knowledge and skill are key, but you can get only��so far without the proper tools of the trade. For example, you should know that it’s best to use tongs or spatula to flip a steak, never a fork, because the prongs can puncture the meat and screw up the internal temperature and moisture. Nobody��wants to inadvertently turn a juicy rib eye into an expensive slab of jerky.

Whether you’re grilling meat and veggies or looking to temporarily turn your grill into a slow��cooker, these grilling add-ons and quick tips will help you deliver.

GrillGrate ($40)

Infrared grills are designed to cook meat evenly and prevent flame flare when juices drip, but they can cost thousands of dollars. The removable , which includes a spatula, achieves a similar result in your typical gas or charcoal meat temple. It sits on top of your traditional grill and amplifies the heat by refracting it back at your food at close range. It also blocks flames, and juices fall into long trenches that recirculate some of the liquid as vapor, leaving you with juicier, tastier meats.

VonShef BBQ Professional Grill Set ($43)

Every serious grill chef should have the proper tools, period. This includes the fundamentals: spatula, tongs, knife, fork, skewers, corn holders, and cleaning brush. Everything��comes in a sleek metal case. Grill-specific tools are important: You should never flip grill foods with a fork or knife if you can avoid it, for the aforementioned reasons. Always flip using a spatula or tongs.

Ribalizer Rib Cooker ($30)

You can cook six racks of ribs with this (or just one or two for a lighter meal). This metal frame within an aluminum pan sits inside your traditional grill. Simply pour a tasty liquid into the bottom of the pan for steaming (soda, beer, and wine are all good options), then slot your marinated rib racks inside the metal frame, snap on an aluminum lid, close the grill lid, crank up the heat, and let it cook. Pro tip: Wait the required two hours of cooking time before basting with barbecue��sauce, and then cook for an additional 15 minutes.

Bear Paws ($13)

Get in touch with your inner Paleolithic predator with these . If you’re smoking or slow cooking, these are what you need to execute pulled pork. They’re also useful for securing a roast while carving.

GasWatch ($25)

Discovering midafternoon that you’re short on gas��sucks. Available in July, the propane tank scale is an important add-on if you want to make sure you have enough fuel to make it through the day. It’s a scale of sorts that sits under the tank and is wired to an LCD that shows the fuel level and how much time you have left for cooking at certain temperatures.

Sur La Table Cast-Iron Garlic Roaster ($17)

This sits on your grill and cooks up to three large cloves in about 45 minutes at 400 degrees. Lop off the tips of the bulbs, drop in the cloves, spritz with olive oil, and occasionally open the roaster and turn the garlic for even cooking. It’s the perfect accent to that Omaha steak.

Outset Magnetic Light for BBQ Tool ($27)

You’ll��be surprised how handy this is for nighttime cooking. It clips to the side of a grill and shines a bright light over your grill so you can inspect the tenderness of your meat. It will have you rethinking the drawbacks of grilling at night.

Oregon Scientific Grill-Right Bluetooth BBQ Thermometer ($60)

This syncs to your phone and allows you to set a target temperature and read the grill’s current temperature as it heats up. Can you cook without a temperature gauge? Sure, but it is not advised. Also, it allows the chef some respite from being chained to the grill all day checking on the temperature.

Gerber Freescape Camp Kitchen Knife ($53)

Think of this as “old reliable.” It’s designed for camping but works great as an outdoor kitchen knife. We used one for slicing through lobster tails, which requires a sharp and durable knife to make a clean cut. If it can slice through crustaceans, it can slice through just about anything you’d toss on your grill.

Broil King Marinade Injector ($17)

This looks like an industrial-grade hypodermic needle designed to insert deliciousness into whatever you’re grilling. Forgot to marinade in advance? No worries, this device is equipped to pass “herb solids” and other thick marinades and juices. It has a small window with dashes demarcating the level of liquid in the tube.

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Have you ever cooked a steak with your smartphone?��Now’s the time. These high-tech grills offer several features beyond the norm, like a safety switch for the rotisserie, an app that lets you monitor temperature from the comfort of your backyard gazebo, and infrared heating systems that maintain a consistent temperature even on those 100-degree-plus afternoons.

Saber Edge Grill ($2,000)

Best for: The lazy grill��master

Here’s the for 2015. This two-burner grill connects over Wi-Fi to your smartphone or tablet using an app that shows the grill temp, propane gas level, and which burners are lit. You can use it to preheat the grill and keep tabs on your meat. A ceramic glass window lets you check the status of your food without lifting the lid and sacrificing heat and moisture. It��also has an infrared heating system��designed to distribute heat evenly across the grill. All of the features of the mobile app are also shown on an LCD screen on the grill.

Char-Broil Commercial Series 4 Premium TRU-Infrared ($500)

Best for: Big��family��reunion–sized cookouts

Brand new this year, the high-end version of the comes with four main burners, plus a fifth side burner, all of which are designed to cook evenly and maintain temperature. And when fat and juices drip, they won’t flare up��like they do on other grill burners, which helps avoid meat scalding. The SureFire igniter usually takes just one press, and a unique fuel tank gauge tells you when you need to refill your propane.

Kamado Joe ($1,100)

Best for: Cooking a variety of foods

This is perhaps more comparable to an oven, but it grills wonderfully. It includes the “Divide & Conquer” cooking system, which is anchored by a metal frame that sits in the basin and acts as scaffolding for various cook surfaces. You can drop in ceramic plates that provide indirect heat—good for avoiding meat burn—or a pair of metal half-circle grates that fit at different depths inside the basin. Since the Kamado Joe functions as an oven, you can also cook pizzas in it.

DCS 30-Inch Professional Grill With Rotisserie ($3,600)

Best for: Hardcore rotisserie cooking��

This offers a few distinct advantages. There’s no ignition switch:��You just press the temp-control knob for the burner you want. Reflector shields inside the grill basin help direct heat upward from the burners. Even the rotisserie is high-tech: There’s a safety switch to disable it quickly, and it can accommodate up to 50 pounds of meat.

Viking 5 Series 30-Inch��Ultra-Premium Gas Grill ($4,420)

Best for: All-around versatility

The is the upscale Swiss Army knife of grills. It has four stainless-steel grill burners, a 55-pound rotisserie, and a removable smoker box. Viking boasts that you can smoke a 25-pound turkey on the grill. It’s decked out with interior halogen lights and an infrared rotisserie burner inside the lid. Bonus: It includes insertable briquettes that rest between the flames and grill and vaporize dripping juice, keeping your burners clean and feeding smoky goodness back up to your meat.

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Heading to the gym? Toss that useless cotton-T in the hamper and slip into one of these high-tech fitness shirts. A new wave of smart apparel—yes, it’s not just watches anymore—can track fitness data like heart rate and G-force.��

OMsignal Up and Running Kit ($199)

Made with the same moisture-wicking properties as other fitness shirts, the ��has tiny sensors knitted into the fabric. They capture an electrocardiogram (ECG) reading that transmits your heart rate (BPM) and heart-rate variability (HRV) to an app. Additional sensors measure breathing and movement using an accelerometer.��

Sensoria Fitness T-Shirt ($79)

This eliminates the strap you need for most heart-rate monitors. Textile cardiac electrodes are built into the fabric, so you only have to snap the thumb-sized monitor into place to read your heart rate. (Sensoria makes one, as do Garmin and others.) The smartphone app also works with a Sensoria sock that tracks steps, speed, and cardio.

Hexoskin Starter Kit ($399)

This uses a sensor to track breathing, heart rate, rhythm, steps, and even your G-force. The G-force tracker might have future uses for high-impact workouts, allowing you to detect problems like over-stressing as you jump, possibly even preventing an injury. The breathable fabric is designed for long hours at the gym.

Athos Shirt ($397)

With EMG (electromyography) sensors sewn into the material, can track muscle effort, tone, and fatigue over time. The shirt also tracks your heart rate and breathing patterns to make sure you’re getting an optimal workout. The Core receiver, which lasts 10 hours per charge, syncs over Bluetooth and sends the data to a smartphone app.

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Surfing is about to get a bit easier—or at least a bit more high-tech. A new smartwatch called the , currently in development, is designed to improve your surfing.��

Even if it doesn’t deliver on that promise, we have to admit the watch is packed with cool features. Once you arrive at the beach, a GPS chip identifies exactly where you are. When you’re out on the water, the gadget records details such as the speed of the wave, the number of waves you’ve ridden, total distance covered, and your time on the board.

If you’re in a group, everyone can connect over Bluetooth to compare results or see a ranking for who’s logged the best runs. At home, sync up with the existing Glassy Pro surf tracking site and share your results. There’s also a mobile app for iPhone iOS and Android phones.��

One of the watch’s coolest features? A weather forecast and surf predictor, designed to take some of the guesswork out of deciding when to surf. There are no details yet about the watch colors or sizes, but the campaign to help fund the gadget begins this September.

$TBD,

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Instead of that old-school boombox, consider throwing a powerful water-resistant speaker or high-tech action camera in your beach bag this summer. Check out these six sand- and sun-resistant products guaranteed to make your hot summer nights even more fun:

Canon PowerShot D30 ($330)

Go ahead and dive up to 82 feet below the surface with this . The tough outer shell can withstand drops on the dock up to 6.5 feet. The killer feature? Perfect for beach-goers, the screen uses a new LCD screen that’s viewable even in direct sunlight.

Outdoor Tech Big Turtle Shell ($230)

Don’t dip your toes in the water unless you have the tunes to play in the background. This is water- and splash-resistant (not waterproof), plays music at a loud 110 decibels, and connects to your phone or tablet from up to 30 feet away.

Quiksilver Rashguard ($40)

This has a hidden feature. Although it looks like every other T-shirt you’d wear to the beach, it uses a new Rashguard tech with a UPF 50+ rating for sunblock. The entire line includes long-sleeve shirts, swimming trunks, and surf shirts.

Miir Growler ($59)

Not every water bottle is beach-ready. Not so the , which uses a unique clamp system that keeps sand and other residue from building up at the lip. The double-insulated shell keeps cold drinks cold for about 24 hours and hot drinks hot for 12 hours.

Sprint Kyocera Hydro Vibe (Free with contract)

A few years ago, companies started offering so-called “waterproof” phones. The actually lives up to the claim—it can be submerged down to 3.28 feet for 30 minutes. The 4.5-inch screen is also crack-resistant and the phone wards off dust and sand.

Plantronics BackBeat FIT ($130)

This , which is splash-resistant and durable, comes with a neoprene armband to hold your smartphone on your arm while you lay out at the beach. The headset lets you control music and answer calls with a quick finger press.

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Even our towable trailers are getting smart. With innovative aerodynamic designs, rugged suspension systems, and wide-open skylights, these four high-tech trailers—from modest to totally excessive—are ready for the open road.��

2014 Airstream Sport 22FB Travel Trailer ($48,891)

Airstream assembled this towable trailer like an airplane, using riveted aluminum panels.��The has a low center of gravity and an aerodynamic shape—the company estimates a fuel savings of up to 30 percent compared to other travel trailers. Perks include a glass plate that covers the cookstove and a convection microwave. Plus, all the exterior and interior parts are recyclable.

2014 Winnebago Micro Minnie ($TBD)

New this summer, is a durable, streamlined sleeping compartment. The Micro Minnie uses a tankless water heater, and the dual-axle design means if you blow a tire, you can keep towing until you get to the repair shop.

2014 Moby1 XTR ($18,500)

This is designed for rugged off-roading. You can adjust the suspension to handle smooth roads or rocky terrain in the foothills. There’s also an option to add a tent to the roof ($2,400)��to increase the total sleeping capacity to seven, and another option to add solar panels ($350 each).��

2015 Jayco Jay Flight 32RLDS ($TBD)

This ��features some of the most advanced trailer tech on the market. The powered awning has a row of LED lights for nighttime cookouts, there’s a skylight on the roof for stargazing, and the sink includes a pull-out sprayer (all part of the new Elite package). When you tow, a unique stabilizer system reduces rattling and smooths out the ride.

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Real men can grill the perfect steak with nothing more than an open flame, a grate, and some tongs—or if they’re particularly tough, their bare hands. But for the rest of us, a few tech advances don’t hurt.

The following five high-tech machines will cook your meat more evenly, avoid charring, and augment your barbeque-master reputation. Remember: There’s no need to tell family and friends you got some help from the grill.

Fuego Element FELG21C ($300)

Best for: Neighborhood Parties
With a 250-degree slow-cook mode for cooking corn on the cob or warming buns, and interior shielding that raises the heat to a whopping 700 degrees, the is one fantastic gas grill. The 6.5-inch tall hood has a built-in thermometer, while the heavy-duty cooking grate can hold 16 quarter-pound burgers.

Memphis Wood Fire Grill ($1,500)

Best for: Impressing Your Significant Other
Tiny pellets automatically drop into a chamber to create an open flame on this . Its key feature is called Intelligent Temperature Control, which essentially regulates the temperature for you as you cook. Nice touch: the grill is very easy to clean thanks to a chamber below the grate that holds all the ash.

Viking Professional 5 Series Outdoor Grill (Starting at ~$1,500)

Best for: One-upping the Joneses
When only the best will do for your backyard, install this . You’ll cook on high-intensity 25,000-BTU burners or with the 15,000-BTU rotating rotisserie. The control panel and knobs use LED lighting for nighttime cookouts. There’s even a side-burner stove, a wok cooker, slide-out warmer drawers, and a refrigeration unit in a cabinet.

Lynx Smart Grill ($7,800)

Best for: Tech Nerds
Available later this year, the is the first smart grill that lets you cook with a smartphone app. Once synced over Wi-Fi, you can monitor meat temperatures from inside the house and get an alert when the steak is fully cooked. You can even command the grill to raise and lower the temperature thanks to a voice-control feature. It’s so advanced, the machine will text you when it’s time to flip the burgers.

Char-Broil Tru-Infrared ($269)

Best for: Infrared Grilling
Infrared grilling abolishes the uneven temperatures you normally have to deal with on a grill’s surface. This lets you drop wood chips directly into the burners to add extra heat. Two large dials help you control the temperature, and the grill converts to a natural gas hook-up.

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Dad loves tech. Dad loves the outdoors. So show him some love this Father’s Day by giving him the perfect gift—and then spending the rest of the weekend outside.��

Grilling

Memphis Wood Fire Grill
The most impressive feature on����(starting at $1,500) is its Intelligent Temperature Control. The grill works like an indoor oven to maintain a consistent temperature, automatically adding pellets as needed. There's even an internal probe to get the exact reading on meat temperature.

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Grilling is all about temperature. If you want a medium-rare steak, you have to grill at a specific temperature (say, 140 degrees). �ճ󾱲�����($100) syncs over Bluetooth to your iPhone, shows a temperature reading, and sounds an alarm when the meat's ready.

BakerStone��Pizza Oven Box
Whether dad is cooking at a campsite or at home on the grill, this����($129) sits on top of the burners and uses a stone cooking chamber. On top, there's a dial to show the temperature reading. The shell is made from a thick, enameled steel to reduce charring.

Biking

Cannondale��Quick CX 2
Off-road ruggedness meets on-road efficiency in the����($1,140). Using inspiration from mountain bike frames, this nimble commuter comes with��disc��brakes and front suspension, making for a comfortable, smooth ride.

CamelBak��Charge 10 LR
�ճ󾱲�����($100) accommodates bike tools, snacks, and a smartphone. The reservoir opens with a quick quarter-turn twist-off lid, there's a easy-to-close valve, and tech called��HydroGuard��reduces germs.

Video Head��VHX5��Bike Helmet
�ճ󾱲�����($200) comes packed with some nice extra features, including a built-in��1080p��camera for shooting video and snapping photos. Plus, the helmet has an eight-gigabyte SD card, letting you dad record videos for about an hour.

Dog Walking

iFetch
�ճ������($100) automatically launches a ball up to 30 feet across the yard. So sit back and relax as the��iFetch��wears your dog out for you.

Whistle
One of the most high-tech canine products out there, this����($129) connects over Bluetooth to an Android or iPhone device, letting Dad see how active your pup is during the day. A new version called��WhistleGPS��is due next year.

Barkbox
With this����($18 per month), your dad will receive a box of doggie treats, bones, and other goodies—all hand-picked by canine gourmands. The membership fee includes a 10 percent donation to an animal rescue organization.��

Off-Roading

Can-Am Outlander
Yes, this is an expensive gift, but hey, it promises to be a lot of fun, right? �ճ󾱲�����($6,799) has torsional suspension for smooth rides, super bright 230-watt headlights, and an anti-theft key system.

Polaris F2 Carbon ORV Helmet
Designed for all��off-roading��activities, this����($280) is made from carbon fiber and Kevlar, making it extremely durable and tough. There are multiple vents on this lid, making it (relatively) breathable for those dry, dusty days.

Thule��Sidearm Mountain Bike Carrier��594XT
�ճ󾱲�����($200) works with most standard mountain bikes. Plus, its clamps down around the wheel so you don't have to worry about scratching the frame.��

Working Out

Samsung Gear Fit by Sprint
�ճ󾱲�����($200) is a vast improvement over the original Samsung Gear. The new model has an almost two-inch clear screen, lasts up to five days on one charge, is dust- and water-resistant, and tracks your workout with an activity and heart-rate monitor.��

Brooks Glycerin 12
Brooks pulled out all the stops on this new����($150). The sole conforms to your foot from heel to toe and there's more cushioning than in the previous version. The best feature: the entire shoe weighs a hair under 11 ounces.

REI Lightweight��Polartec��Power Dry Crew Shirt
Priced much lower than many of its competitors, this����($30) from REI is built with two types of fabric—one layer draws moisture away from your skin, while the other dries quickly on the outside.

Camping

Coleman��Esky��Super Cooler
Buy dad a cooler that can withstand serious abuse. This massive����($339) has a germ-reducing liner and large, durable clasps. Plus, it comes with a built-in cutting board and ruler.��

Goal Zero Torch 250
If your dad is serious about camping, he'll appreciate this����($80). It has a normal light mode, floodlight, and a red beacon flash. Charge it up through an outlet, a solar panel, or with the hand crank.

Big Agnes��Helinox��Cot One
�ճ����tensioners��on this smart����($300) stretch to keep dad suspended over the ground during an overnight trip. The cot weighs just over four pounds, folds up well for storage, and comes with a carrying bag.

Golfing

Nike VR_S Covert 2.0

Say hello to the only driver you need in your quiver. The back of the����($299) is reinforced to transfer energy efficiently, and the cavity provides some serious pop. Dad can adjust the loft and angle in 15 different directions.��

Game Golf
Finally available for purchase, the����($249) is a gold-tracking accessory. It clips to a belt and records strokes, shot distances, and where dad took the shot. After the game, he can share the results online and track an entire summer of��duffing.

OGIO��Piston Polo
�ճ󾱲�����($85) won't fade in the sun thanks to its 3x SPF agent, and it's made from an odor-and-stain resistant fabric. I also found it wicks sweat quite well.

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Start a fire. Bunker down in a gale. Navigate through the backcountry. Those are all important survival skills that can save your life in an emergency—if you have the right gear in your kit. ��

Casio G-Shock Rangeman GW9400NV-2

For long treks, check out one of these solar-powered watches. You never need to change the battery, and the timepiece is durable enough to handle the elements: mud, shocks, and water (up to about 600 feet). There’s an electronic compass, altimeter, barometer, thermometer, and even a sunrise/sunset alert. $300,

Gearward Fire Cord Waterproof Tinder

In certain situations, this 15-foot spool of tinder could be a lifesaver. Cut each section into a two-inch strand, then use the material to get a flame started. The tinder, made from jute cord, is treated with a highly flammable but long-burning paraffin wax that also happens to be waterproof. A single spool can help start about 450 campfires. $10,

Zippo 4-in-1 Woodsman

The Woodsman is part saw, part hammer, part ax, and part stake puller. The 15-inch bow saw can cut through small trees, while the ax—concealed in a plastic compartment that doubles as a hammer—measures about five inches long. $80,

NPower Solar Powersports Charger

Survival camping isn’t always about lighting a fire or building a shelter. For some, it might mean figuring out how to get their electronics running again. This 14-inch solar panel generates 12 volts of power from the sun and comes with battery clamps. The panel can constantly keep your battery charging, or you can use it for reviving a dead powersports battery. $25,

Mancrates Outdoor Survival Crate

Handpicked survival gear that comes in a large wooden crate you can throw in your trunk? Sign us up. This kit includes a combination shovel, ice pick, ax, and saw that’s perfect for clearing an area for your shelter. There’s a paracord knife, a survival blanket, glow sticks, a cooking pot and stove, a meal bar, and a small pack of beef jerky. The crate even comes with a crowbar. $99,

Eagle’s Nest Outfitters JungleNest Hammock

I know what you’re wondering. Do I really need a hammock to survive? Probably not, but we’re sure you’ll appreciate it on those rainy nights when you want to get off the wet ground. Made from 210-denier nylon, this hammock has a mesh tent cover to ward off bugs, and the seams are triple-stitched to ensure durability. Plus, the aluminum carabiners are strong enough to hold up to 400 pounds. The hammock, which is about ten feet long, comes with a stuffsack and weighs about a pound and a half. $100,��

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An ambitious plan to build solar roadways across the country sounds almost too good to be true. And guess what? It is.������

First, some backstory: A two-person startup called wants to pave roads with solar cells, and they’ve already secured almost $2 million in crowdsourced funding. The basic idea is pretty simple. The solar road would use existing asphalt as a base layer, while and last about 30 years. ��

The company’s math is quite compelling—if all the asphalt roads in the U.S. were paved with solar cells (about 31,000 square miles of land), they’d generate three times the electricity we use today. And the potential interface between the roads and future electric cars (with the solar cells providing wireless power to undercarriages) also sounds great. And it gets even better. This “information superhighway” wouldn’t only generate power for cities and cars, but also for powerlines and fiber-optic cables.

You might also be wondering how tempered glass is supposed to hold up to all this abuse. Well, the company claims the new roads can withstand vehicles weighing up to 250,000 pounds. In fact, Solar Roadways . (It also admits that the material it plans to use hasn’t yet been load-tested tested in an environmental chamber.) ��

With a small town in Idaho promising to build a solar parking lot and a bike path this year to test the technology, and with plans to move from prototype to production relatively soon (although there’s no mention of exactly when or where), the road to the future seems to be coming along nicely, right? ��

Um, not so fast. There are some potholes in the plan. ��

One seemingly mundane question has to do with tire marks. You’ve seen them—skid marks on the highway that look so dark you wonder what terrible accident occurred. Solar Roadways says it hasn’t yet tested the effect of car tire marks on its solar cells. Instead, it’s only used bike tires to see if these black streaks impede power generation. The company claims the answer is no, but we’re still waiting for more data during the next round of testing. �� ����

Then there’s the question of funding. In , Solar Roadways says the cells “pay for themselves.” Back in 2011, I asked noted if the project sounded feasible. His main objection at the time? That building solar roads would cost several billion dollars and require serious government and taxpayer involvement. We’re still waiting to hear from the company regarding how much it anticipates the next phase of the project will cost, although it claims we should have those numbers later this summer.��

There’s no data available about what would happen to the road after a year of heavy commuter traffic, trucks, and buses following their routes on a daily basis. And the effect of skid marks and the everyday abuse roads must take from the elements is still unclear. ��

The takeaway? While we’d be stoked to see this idea succeed (sounds like a win-win, right?) the tech is still untested. Solar Roadways hasn’t made it obvious, from its FAQ or the crowdfunding campaign, what its long-term plans entail, how much a stretch of road will actually cost, or when the company will start building working models.��

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