Summer is almost here and there’s nothing like popping some melty marshmallows in between two pieces of graham cracker with a piece of Hershey’s chocolate, but we know the whole experience can get a bit messy. In comes the S’more to Love S’more Maker ($14). This tool allows you to make up to six s’mores at a time and each s’more has its own individual holder. You can use it over a campire, on your grill or even in your kitchen oven.
Luna sandals are made for the outdoors. I don’t mean just strolling around the park, but made for hiking and running. The Luna Venado ($65) is a considered a street sandal. It’s perfect for all of your outside activities including running on paved surfaces and ever so often some off-roading. Luna also offers other sandals which can take on any trails you throw at them. The Venado is handmade in Seattle. Has a 6mm Vibram neoprene sole and two footbed options. The MGT footbed is made for wet and muddy conditions and improves on traction and durability. The Pittards High Performance Leather footbed adds comfort and helps your sandals form to your feet. So whether you’re looking for an everyday shoe or something that can take on the roughest trails, Luna has a sandal for you.
It’s not cool when Apple doesn’t let you play your own games and It’s definitely not cool that the new Xbox won’t let you play your old 360 games and is going to charge an additional fee for playing used games. But the question is, will the new Xbox One ($TBA) still be worth buying when it eventually comes out later this year. Spec’s show the Xbox One will have an AMD 8-core processor, 8GB DDRW RAM, support for Wi-Fi, 4k HDMI, 500GB hard drive, and finally a Blu-Ray optical drive. It will have two OS’s, one for gaming and the other for apps. It will also have an updated Kinect sensor bar. Check out the new video for Call of Duty: Ghosts and decide for yourself if it’s going to be worth the upgrade.
If you have a display that can handle it, Denon now has a receiver that can send it. Denon’s new AVR-X4000 ($1300) is capable of providing 4K Ultra HD (3840×2160) resolution to your modern displays, plus much more. The Denon AVR-X4000 is a 7.2 networkable HTR that has too many features to mention, but I’ll give it a shot. Features include support of Apple AirPlay and media streaming, Audyssey MultEQ XT32 room acoustic measurement and correction, 125 watts per channel, Dolby TrueHD audio decoding, support for three zones, 7 HDMI inputs, and 3 HDMI outputs for multiple screens. Denon makes great mid-range products and the AVR-X4000 looks like another great addition to the family.
Bang & Olufsen, is known for great sounding, high end, contemporary speaker systems. They’ve now released the Belolab 14 ($4400) at a lower price floor than their usual offerings. The Belolab 14 is an all-in-one, wireless speaker system that includes a 280 watt eight-inch subwoofer. In the same sub enclosure you also have 5 x 140 watt class D amplifiers for the five individually powered satellite speakers. Each of the speakers has a milled aluminum frame and can be either wall or stand mounted. The specs say the sats use a 2.5″ driver. I haven’t seen a frequency response for these speakers and I’d be real interested to see how much of the spectrum they cover. If you have a Bang & Olufsen TV you can also get their 4.1 system for $4000 and use the TVs speaker as the center. The Beolab 14 will be available at local retailers in June.
Car, Microbrewery, Car, Microbrewery. If you’re a real beer-head the decision isn’t difficult, but for the rest of us it isn’t that easy. The Hammacher Schlemmer Professional Microbrewery ($45,000) gives you everything you need to create anything from a refreshing lager, to a full-bodied stout. All you have to do is enter a recipe on the touch screen computer and the HERM takes over the rest of the process. The hot liquor tank circulates heated water to a mash/lauter tun which extracts water from your grain or mash. The liquid then goes to the boil kettle where it’s converted into wort and then to the 14 gallon fermentation tank. All aspects of the brewing process are monitored and relayed to the computer, so you can just sit back and enjoy your creations.
Owen & Fred make some pretty cool stuff for men. And their newly released manly soap is no different. The Owen & Fred You Dirty Dog Soap ($9) is described as, “scented like an old cigarbox, with a hit of Peru Balsam and black pepper”. Pretty cool. The soap is actually made from a mix of Cedar wood, which is meant to calm the nerves and relieve tension. The Peu Balsam, found in wound care products, is used to revitalize your skin. And the activated charcoal is used to detox your skin by drawing out dirt and oil. All of this plus some distilled water, oils, and Rottweiler Musk, make up a great way to start your mornings.
The Biltwell Gringo ($149) offers a look into the past with its throwback retro styling. The Gringo has opted for seamless design which harkens back to the vintage Buco helmets of the mid 70′s. This helmet is made from an injection-molded ABS outer shell and a EPS inner shell. The removable liner is hand-stitched, and is made from open-cell foam and brushed lycra. Other features include a weight of 2lbs 4oz and rubberized grommets for removable shields. The Biltwell Gringo is available in flat black, flat titanium, gloss black, gloss hazard orange, and gloss vintage white. The Gringo meets all DOT safety standards.
At the end of each week we’ll provide you with a recap of all the products we reviewed during the week. Along with a a little something extra to get you through the weekend.
KWIKSET KEVO BLUETOOTH LOCK ($TBA) TRICKER’S X END HUNTING CO STOW BROGUE BOOT ($500) FITBIT FLEX ($99) NEOLUCIDA: CURRENT TAKE ON DRAWING TOOL OF THE MASTERS ($40) LOUDER THAN HELL: THE DEFINITIVE ORAL HISTORY OF METAL ($21) PIVOTHEAD VIDEO-RECORDING SUNGLASSES ($300) NIKE FREE INNEVA WOVEN: GRAY & ORANGE ($180) TUDOR PELAGOS ($4,000) MAN CANDLES ($18-$28) UNDERCOVER K4205-2 COAT ($1200) ISAORA X MEYERHOFFER SLIP-IN 6.6 ($995) SOPHNET. FSF LIGHT WEIGHT PACKABLE ZIP-UP PARKA ($425) THE AMERICAN CRAFT BEER COOKBOOK ($13) MEUNDIES 365-PACK ($3250) NIKE LUNAR FLYKNIT CHUKKA-MIDNIGHT FOG/WHITE-TOTAL ORANGE ($170) VOLKSWAGEN DESIGN VISION GTI ($TBA) THE UNION – A SLIM MINIMALIST WOOD WALLET ($55) WHEAT BEER SHAMPOO BY FRANK LEDER ($55) 2014 F 800 GS ADVENTURE ($14,000) BUCKET’S PORTLAND PRESS ($99) PHOTOGRAPH [VIA]
Responsibly made. Being responsible for the world we live in starts with the products we buy. That is the motto from the guys at Bucket who manufacture a french press they call The Portland Press ($99). This project seeks to make a french press that is made with quality home grown materials. Made from a combination of glass, wool, steel, and wood everything is sourced from the U.S.A, and comes with a lifetime warranty. When you order your Portland Press you will get the press, a 24-oz Mason jar, and a custom size cozy to keep your coffee nice and hot. Check out their video for more details.
