Published by J. A. on 16th April 2009
Finally, ear buds that are actually comfortable...
Earphones, specifically ear buds, have come a long way in the past few years and recently they’ve taken another big leap. The Logitech Ultimate Ears 700 skillfully blend comfort and performance into one small bundle.
These headphones use silicone ear-cushions to accomplish noise isolation and provide a nice in-ear fit. Most ear buds that claim to be “comfortable” and to “fit well” are just BS’ing for their marketing literature. The Logitech Ultimate Ears 700’s however, really are comfortable.
Unless you’re an audiophile, it can be hard to justify spending more than $50 on any set of headphones. But, if you’re looking for a set worth every penny, then check out the Logitech Ultimate Ears 700.
-Easily one of the best grills for traveling...
Published by J. A. on 14th April 2009
It's grillin' time!
It’s officially grilling season here in Michigan and grilling at the park, on the road or at the beach has never been easier than this. Coleman has a grill, the Coleman RoadTrip Grill LXE, that is perfect for throwing in the truck or SUV and hitting the road.
This grill is propane fed, has two 10,000 BTU burners and has 285 square inches of cooking surface area. That’s a little more than 1/2 the space on an average size deck grill and good size for grilling for two to four people. The grill also has two side tables that attach easily for extra food preparation space (or a place to set down your favorite beer).
Fully expanded, the Coleman RoadTrip Grill LXE measures 46″L x 18″D x 35″H. Collapsed, the grill measures 36″L x 18″D x 13″H and weighs about 44 lbs (without extras).
There are several additional add-ons including optional grill surfaces and a grill bag available from Coleman. And, if you need tools for this grill, check out the Black Rucksack article Grill Tools for Grilling Right.
EDIT: After posting this article a good friend of mine (Brad) e-mailed me to tell me that his experience with this grill was less than good. Brad pointed out that the grill is definitely not “manproof”. That said, from my usage of this grill I believe it is road trip suitable but I think Brad has a damn good point… it’s not tough enough for everyday use or for two-trackin’ deep into the Michigan woods.
Get the Coleman RoadTrip Grill LXE:
-at Cabela’s
-at Amazon
Published by J. A. on 9th April 2009
Turn the light on...
Leatherman, known for their multi-tools, also produces an LED flashlight worth noting… the Serac S3.
As we all know, a flashlight typically has at least a few fragile components. Therefore, often it is essential to take close care of your flashlight. That does not work for me because I treat my flashlight just like any other piece of gear. And therefore, I was breaking a lot of flashlights. Thankfully, my Leatherman Serac S3 has held up very well to the many tests I’ve put it through, ie. hiking, boating, camping and road tripping.
The Serac S3 has three settings and can put out up to 100 Lumen on high. Granted, set that high a full battery will only last about an hour but, the high setting is great for signaling and other short uses. The medium setting pushes out 43 Lumen for four hours per battery and the low (normal) setting 7 Lumen for up to thirty-six hours. The low is plenty bright for most uses including map reading, hiking, setting up a tent, etc.
Also of note, the flashlight body is made of a hard-anodized aluminum, has a 10 year warranty and is resistant to humidity, corrosion and shock. Tough… as… hell.
Get the Leatherman Serac S3 Flashlight:
-at Cabela’s
-at Amazon
Thread Tags:
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-One of the many good sandals out there...
Doc Martens… they’re like a vacation for your feet. I don’t consider Doc Martens the quintessential footwear but they do make a lot of choice gear. And one such piece of gear that is perfect for this summer season is their Robson Ringo Open Toe Sandal.
Every single pair of Docs I’ve owned have been durable beyond that of any other brand. These open toe sandals are no exception to that rule. The stitching is tough, the footbed is very comfortable and the fit is ideal.
A constant problem that I’ve had with sandals is that they are unwearable for an entire day, especially if there was a lot walking or hiking to do. On the rock, these sandals perform better than expected. On sand, cement and underwater they perform well enough to be worn every day.
I have a water dog (1/2 Labrador Retriever, 1/2 Rhodesian Ridgeback) and these shoes are perfect for taking her into the nearby Bear Lake for a swim.
-Stainless steel and useful... great combination.
Published by J. A. on 2nd April 2009
Wall-mounted and out of the way!
Editor’s Note: Happy Birthday to the youngest Swider, William! He’s four!
In a world of IPAs, lagers and whisky it’s easy for a guy to ignore wine. That said, we want to make something clear… do… not… ignore… wine. We won’t go into all of the merits of wine here. Just remember, there is a lot of good damn wine out there, perfect for just about every social occasion. Note: There is no acceptable wine to drink while watching a hockey game or while fishing. For those activities, you’ll be best served by something brewed or distilled and from Canada.
In a future post we’ll get into what wines are for what occasions. For now, buy a bunch, find what you like and rack it in the Blomus Wall-Mounted Wine Rack.
The biggest problem with most wine racks is that they tend to be obtrusive and inconveniently occupy some needed area. Since this wine rack is wall-mounted it takes up very little space and is perfect for those of us in small houses, condos or apartments.
This rack is made of stainless steel and is incredibly solid and durable.
-A piece of gear meant for one thing... survival.
Published by J. A. on 26th March 2009
Breathe right...
Snowboarding is one way I know I can relax. I snowboard mostly in Michigan but, many years ago I ventured to Durango, Colorado. I learned a lot from that experience including how the difference in the snowpack was drastic. One concern in Colorado, that we don’t see hardly ever in Michigan, was avalanches.
If an avalanche did occur and you managed to get yourself buried, Black Diamond, a company largely known for their snow gear, has a simple item that could save your life… the Black Diamond AvaLung II.
The AvaLung II is meant to extend your breathable air supply once trapped in an avalanche. When you inhale through the AvaLung’s tube, you’ll receive oxygenated air from one area of the snowpack. Upon exhaling, the AvaLung diverts the airflow to another part of the snowpack, not contaminating your breathable air supply and extending the time you can survive until a rescue team locates you. And, to help that rescue team find you sooner rather than later, consider carrying a locator beacon such as the SPOT Satellite Personal Messenger.
Get the Black Diamond AvaLung II:
-at MooseJaw
-at Amazon
-at EMS
-Brand Image: High
Published by J. A. on 19th March 2009
Filed Under
clothing, style
Ducati is a prominent brand of high performance motorcycles and likewise, they hock quality apparel and gear. As an Italian manufacturer typically associated with racing bikes, they’ve also achieved notoriety for their sport/street bikes.
The Ducati Meccanica Hooded Sweatshirt is one of the many faultless ways to show your affinity for the brand. It’s one of the nine items in the Meccanica apparel line and is embroidered with the Ducati logo and Ducati Meccanica in writing.
The sweatshirt is stylish and the perfect weight for an outside layer in cool and warm weather or an insider layer in cold weather.
You can find this hooded sweatshirt and the rest of the Ducati offered gear at the Ducati website. And if you have time, be sure to check out the bikes too… not just the apparel.
Ducati Meccanica Hooded Sweatshirt
$114
Published by J. A. on 17th March 2009
Spotted...
Editor’s Note: Happy St. Patrick’s Day!
When my brother and I were kids, we lived on 20 acres of property on the western side of Michigan’s lower peninsula. We first moved to the heavily wooded property when I was six and my younger brother was four years old. For fun we often riled up the dogs, built tree forts and explored (or wandered) the property and adjacent property until we would inadvertently (and inevitably) get lost. Now that we’re adults, we still enjoy riling up the dogs, we build decks and garages instead of tree forts and we never get lost… at least not without a GPS and/or a SPOT Satellite Personal Messenger.
The purpose of the SPOT is simple… location, location, location. In a two step process it will locate you via GPS satellites and then use commercial satellites to send out your location. You can send out a request for an emergency response using the “Alert 911″ function or you can simply send a “Check in” location update. Using the location update, you can tie-in Google Maps plotting to chart the path you’ve taken.
The SPOT Satellite Personal Messenger requires a $99 annual subscription which seems inexpensive for what the unit offers; a return home. It weighs approximately 8 ounces and is very rugged, capable of surviving extreme temperatures and being submerged up to a meter deep.
SPOT Satellite Personal Messenger
$150
at Amazon
at Eastern Mountain Sports
at REI
