Whether by Jeep, ATV, pickup, dirtbike, or hiking in, spending time with family and friends is the ultimate goal of outdoor enthusiasts nationwide. The rugged outdoors can be tough and many like the separation from reality. No phones, no Internet and certainly no noise pollution from the big city. Just a family and a few good friends can make us feel that life is truly worth the hard times.

Just a week or so ago I had the awesome experience of doing just this. Although my wife wasn’t able to attend, being surrounded by several of my friends and fellow journalist’s made this a few days to remember. Headed out from Atlanta I flew into the great state of California and met up with Yamaha’s team of experts. Lake Arrowhead would be our destination just outside of Ontario California in the awesome San Bernardino forest.

Yamaha has long been known for their motorcycles and ATV’s but they do far more than this for the outdoors. Yamaha has been cutting new ground in the generator business. Reaching milestones through intense research and development along with some of the smartest engineers in the business is propelling Yamaha to the forefront, literally em-"powering" adventures.

Yamaha generators would be the power source for the exposition we would be going on and with a couple of very important partners the days of freedom had been planned perfectly. Starting the evening with an awesome dinner we settled into the most comfortable seating on could have around a campfire. Cabela’s had come along to bring a tiny bit of creature comforts to the show as well. Talk about the lap of luxury!

From traditional camping to luxurious RV-ing, the way you set the stage can be very different but achieve the same goals. We love to rough it by nature but when it gets hot we want the AC on. We also love to watch the birds but sometimes the trips we take can put us smack dab in the middle of the season playoffs and missing the final four might be a sin for faithful fans. This is where the newest Inverter Generator from Yamaha can bring that little touch of home right when you need it. Let me explain a bit.

Yamaha’s new EF2000iS Inverter Generator has the package to bring the camp not only soothing music by way of radio but also enough power to get the satellite dish up and rolling for those “cannot miss” sporting events. The EF2000iS is a very versatile product and the engineering that is inside the little blue box is quite complex. This inverter generator weighs only 44 lbs and can run all night on a gallon of gas!

This powerhouse is also one of the quietest products in the market today. The EF2000iS meets the strictest California emissions Tier III standards and is very ECO friendly. The air index or emissions score for the EF2000iS is a three of a possible ten - one is the best and ten is the worst. This is also combined with length of service ratings that show the EF2000iS going into extended use hours of over 300 at the same air index! The EPA scored this one at over 500hrs of service in the same air index. Mother nature would be proud.

Another great feature on the Yamaha EF2000iS is while processing electricity produced by the alternator in the EF2000iS, the smart throttle will bring the engine up to speed according to demand. This means that when the satellite comes up and the TV is turned on, the inverter generator knows how much power is needed and revs the motor to accomodate the load.

As I mentioned, there is a large amount of engineering in this new EF2000iS, from the stellite valve face and seats to the tuffride valve stems, induction hardened cam and crankshafts. This inverter generator engine uses a cast iron cylinder liner and an aluminum alloy with 13% silicone to make the EF2000iS motor parts hard and durable. And ball type bearings helps smooth everything out and reduces friction.

So just as a refresher before we move on, the Yamaha Inverter Generator has the following great features:

1.Super lightweight: 44lbs
2.Super Quiet at 51-61 dBA
3.Smart Throttle
4.10.5hr’s of runtime at 400 watts
5.EPA and CARB Compliant: Exceedingly so!
6.All new 79cc engine
7.Fuel Level Gauge (unlike the competition)
8. Fuel Petcock for traveling or storage
9.12Vlt DC battery charger
10.TwinTech Capable: Ability to connect two EF2000iS inverter generators together for double the output.
11. Good clean power that our electronics need to function properly.

These are just a few pointers that led me to ask the question ”well how much is it”? And without hesitation I heard $1,099.

I thought to myself, could you really pack this much engineering and reliability into such a package for just over $1000? Oh yes, and if this seems like a big price just consider the time for forward thinking advanced engineering, the Eco friendly emissions scores and Yamaha reliability. This product will sell itself in my book.

Well, after getting to know the new EF2000iS we decided to sit down for the basketball games that were being projected onto the mobile big screen via satellite. Its crazy to think that just a few exotic products can bring camping into a whole new world. With our Winegard “CarryOut” we were able to get the latest in satellite TV.

This handy little device can be taken anywhere the heart desires and with the EF2000iS powering it, a satellite receiver and a projector you have access to all the great channels you might have at home. The GM-1518 automatically finds its satellites when powered up and can even get HD programming. The reception from this 15.6inch tall, 20 inch round dome was incredible. Actually after seeing this quality of reception it made me question my home cable providers signals.

I just pushed back in my Cabela’s Ultra Premium Chaise lounger and man I was set for the evening. This chair had me slipping off to sleep during the game. With comfort and durability built in I couldn’t believe I didn’t have one already. The headrest was adjustable from head to tail and if you need lumbar support just push that bad boy all the way down to your lower back and relax. The Ultra fine mesh seating area has a 300lb weight capacity and allows your back to breathe on those hot days. The extra large locking levers allow you to stay put once pushed back into the favorite spot and with the reclining comfort of zero gravity its all over but the snoring then!

We hope to get to know these Chaise loungers very well in the future so stay tuned.

We had an incredible adventure of camping, riding on the Yamaha Grizzly 550 and awesome entertainment as well. The food wasn’t bad either. Using some of Camp Chef’s new products the next morning, yours truly as well as two team members, were able to win the very first Breakfast cook off sponsored by Camp Chef. The amount and type of cooking you can do at camp is rivaled only by an indoor kitchen.The Deluxe outdoor cookers and accessories have come a long way.

My personal favorite was the Camp oven. This little bad boy uses a 1lb can of propane and has twin burners on the top for boiling water or frying eggs.

There was so much to take in at the very first, but hopefully annual, Yamaha camping extravaganza that it would take hours to share the entire scene. Just know this, if you need anything outdoors, Yamaha, Cabela’s, and Winegard have you covered. Look for more of our reviews of each product used at this event coming soon.

Sosebee Out