Better weather tends to open up the chance to “get away from it all” and hit the road to cottage country. Even there, mobile technology has a long reach. Here is a list of some accessories we find useful when hanging out at the cottage and believe they help you have a relaxing weekend.

Staying connected

Canadians are fortunate with access to the best mobile technology in the world even in remote areas. Keeping everyone continually connected on your way to the cottage might be the lifesaver of the drive.

The Novatel MiFi 6630 is an LTE hotspot with an average speed of 10-40Mbps, allowing up to 15 devices to connect at one time. Battery life is rated at 20 hours, though that likely depends on connection quality and how many devices it’s handling at one time. And if you have children who want to connect, you can manage the websites they visit with parental controls.

Huawei’s E8372 LTE USB Hotspot is in a similar vein, though it has a male USB port to plug directly into a computer. This also includes built-in Wi-Fi, supporting up to 10 users. The USB connection does make it more flexibly usable, like plugging into a car, a portable charger or a power adapter (with a USB port) to create a hotspot without needing a laptop.

Playing music

Keeping the Braven BRV-1 near the pool or at the beach won’t be a problem, since it seems to like the water. Its IPX7 rating means it can handle being splashed on, sitting in the rain or even being dunked underwater down to one metre for up to 30 minutes. The speaker connects with phones or tablets via Bluetooth, and the built-in 1400mAh battery can keep the music on for up to 12 hours, though that lowers as the volume increases. There is a USB port to plug and charge a smartphone, plus a 3.5mm jack for wired playback.

Keeping the power on

PureGear has a 10,000mAh Powerbank that can be a lifesaver for those times where a phone or tablet is dying and needs a recharge. It has two USB ports — 1 Amp and 2 Amps, respectively — which can be used simultaneously to charge two handsets, or use only the 2 Amp to solely charge a tablet. It comes with its own microUSB cable to charge its own battery, but no power adapter.