Articles by Julie Strietelmeier

Flipside 5 EDC Wallet Review: A Slim Metal Wallet That Treats Cash Like It Still Exists

I’ve looked at more than a few wallet designs over the years, and most of them force you to pick a side. You either get a super-slim card carrier with almost no personality, or you get something bulkier that handles cash better but takes up too much pocket space. The Flipside 5 aims for a nicer middle ground. This EDC wallet keeps the footprint compact, adds a more premium anodized aluminum shell, and still gives you quick access to both cards and bills.

Reviews, Health and Fitness, Yum Log

Mighty Spark Chicken Snack Sticks Review: A Surprisingly Tasty Protein Snack That Doesn’t Feel Like Punishment

When it comes to high-protein meat sticks, I usually expect something practical more than exciting. They are the kind of snack you toss in a bag for later, not the kind of food you get genuinely curious about. That was my mindset going into the Mighty Spark Chicken Snack Sticks. These high-protein meat sticks promise low calories, decent protein, and a healthier-sounding ingredient list, but the real question is simple: do they actually taste good?

Reviews, Health and Fitness

Aranet Radon Plus Digital Radon Detector Review: Find Out in 10 Minutes if You’re in Danger

The Aranet Radon Plus Digital Radon Detector is one of those gadgets you hope you never “need,” but once you have it, you won’t want to be without it. Radon is invisible, odorless, and potentially dangerous, so having a simple way to monitor it in real time brings real peace of mind. After dealing with elevated radon levels in my own home a few years ago, I’ve become a big believer in keeping tabs on it, and this little sensor makes that easier than ever.

Reviews, Health and Fitness

Eli Health Hormometer Cortisol Test Review: Feeling Stressed? Find Out If You Really Are

Everyone feels stressed at one point or another, but how do you know if it’s a chronic health issue or just a one-time problem? You can ask your doctor to test you, but it will involve a blood draw, be expensive, and the results will be for just that one point in time. What if you could test in the comfort of your own home without needles and have a result in as little as 20 minutes? That’s what the Eli Health Hormometer Cortisol Test Kit claims to offer. They sent me a kit, and I tried it. Let’s see…

Reviews

Time Atlas App Review: Automatically Record Your Adventures to Relive Later

I still have my first diary from the 1970s, and over the past six decades I’ve filled dozens more. I’d actually rather call them journals or life logs, since I’ve never been the kind of person who writes about feelings much. I use a journal to capture everyday activities and adventures so I can relive them years later. There have even been years when I didn’t keep one at all, and I regret that now. Wouldn’t it be great if an app could automatically record your daily activities and travels for you? There is. It’s called Time Atlas.

Reviews, Music Diary

Enya Cyber-G Pocket Review: The Fun, Folding Bluetooth Speaker You Can Actually Play

I can’t say I’ve ever wished for a Bluetooth speaker that doubles as a guitar. But I am always intrigued by gadgets that try to do more than one thing. The Enya Cyber-G Pocket is exactly that: part speaker, part instrument, and entirely unusual. Let’s take a closer look at how it all works.

Reviews, Outdoors

Duracell 5000 Lumens Tri-Powered Lantern Review: Brighter, Smarter, but Missing One Handy Feature

If you’re shopping for a lantern for camping, storm prep, or general emergency use, the updated Duracell 5000 Lumens Tri-Powered Lantern has a lot going for it. It keeps the same basic design as the earlier model, adds a brighter top output, and still offers multiple ways to keep it running. But it also drops one feature that made the older Duracell Tri-Mode 3000 Lumens Lantern a little more versatile.

Music Diary, Reviews

Tinker Tar One-String Guitar Review: Made for Kids, but Fun for Adults Too!

If you’ve ever wondered whether the Tinker Tar one-string guitar is just a novelty or an actual beginner-friendly music toy, this review will hopefully answer that question. This tiny guitar-shaped instrument is clearly aimed at kids, but it also manages to be genuinely playable, easy to understand, and inexpensive enough to feel like a low-risk way to spark musical interest.

Reviews, Outdoors

Chasesun Rechargeable Neck Fan Review: Dorky? Maybe. Surprisingly Great at Keeping You Cool? Absolutely.

When the weather heats up, as it does for me in southern Indiana, a rechargeable neck fan can look a little silly and still make perfect sense. That is exactly the category this Chasesun Rechargeable Neck Fan falls into. It is a wearable personal fan designed to sit around your neck and push air upward toward your chin and face, which is where cooling relief really matters when you are outside, gardening, walking, or just trying to survive a sweltering summer afternoon.

Reviews

DuRoBo Moodi Bluetooth Page Turner Review: Cute Remote, Useful Android Accessory, Limited Elsewhere

There is something undeniably appealing about a tiny remote that lets you turn pages without touching your e-reader. That is exactly the pitch behind the DuRoBo Moodi Bluetooth page turner. It is designed as a companion for the DuRoBo Krono eBook reader, but it also raises a bigger question: can this little gadget do more than just flip pages on a single device?

Reviews

ROKR Mechanical Typewriter Wooden 3D Puzzle Review: A Gorgeous Build That’s More Display Piece Than Typewriter

Most model kits give you a nice feeling of accomplishment and a finished piece by the end of the night. The ROKR Mechanical Typewriter Wooden 3D Puzzle is not that kind of kit. This is a 320-piece wooden puzzle model that demands patience (a LOT of patience), a steady hand, and a real willingness to stick with it when the build gets fiddly. It also promises something extra: not just a display piece, but a typewriter-inspired mechanism with moving keys, internal linkages, and a paper carriage. That sounded amazing on the box. In practice, it turned into a much bigger…

Reviews

Motorola Razr Ultra 2026 Review: Flipping Over This Flip Phone, Until the Camera Zooms In

I’ve reviewed dozens of phones over the years, and a folding phone – the OnePlus Open (check out Judie’s review), but this will be my first flip phone review, and as a bonus, it’s my first official review for Gear Diary! Today, we’re taking a look at the Motorola Razr Ultra 2026 model. Let’s find out if I prefer a phone that easily fits in my front pocket vs my iPhone 16 Pro Max, which I’ve been rocking as my daily driver since it dropped in 2024.

Reviews, Outdoors

Infinity X1 2000 Lumen Camp Light Review: A Bright, Versatile Light for Camping, Work, and Anywhere You Need Portable Illumination

A good portable light can be useful for a lot more than camping. The Infinity X1 2000 Lumen Camp Light is designed for campsites, but it also looks like the kind of gear that could be just as handy in a barn, workshop, shed, or anywhere electricity is limited. It promises high output, adjustable color temperature, tripod-style support, a remote control, and even solar panel compatibility. After taking a close look at the design and trying it in a dark barn, this light turns out to be more practical than its name alone might suggest.

Reviews

K-Swiss Hypercourt Supreme 2 Tennis Shoe Review: Great-Looking Court Shoes That Prefer Errands Over Treadmill Miles

The K-Swiss Hypercourt Supreme 2 women’s tennis shoes make a strong first impression. They have a sleek, athletic look, solid construction, and a color combination that really pops. But good looks only go so far when a shoe is supposed to handle tennis matches and treadmill miles. After taking a close look at the design and then putting in several walking sessions (sorry, I don’t play tennis), the big question became pretty simple: are these better as performance shoes or as everyday sneakers?

Reviews

CHERRY XTRFY K33 Keyboard Review: A Compact 75% Keyboard with Splash Resistance and a Twist

The CHERRY XTRFY K33 has a feature that instantly stands out in a crowded mechanical keyboard market. It is a compact 75% gaming keyboard with an IP54 rating for dust and splash resistance. That alone makes it a little unusual. Add tri-mode wireless connectivity, RGB lighting, Mac and Windows support, and CHERRY’s so-called memchanical switches, and this keyboard starts to feel like a product with its own personality. I spent some time looking over the design, checking out the key layout, testing the lighting, and getting a sense of how the hybrid switches feel in everyday use.

Gear Bits

Flipside 5 Wallet Launches with Faster Card Access, RFID Protection, and AirTag-Friendly Upgrades

Flipside has officially launched the Flipside 5, the latest iteration of its long-running minimalist wallet line, bringing updated materials, improved capacity, and new accessory options to its signature quick-access design. The fifth-generation wallet continues to center around Flipside’s double-sided quick-draw system, which allows users to access frequently used cards from either side of the wallet with a simple thumb motion. Each outer slot holds three to four cards, giving the Flipside 5 a total quick-access capacity of up to eight cards without sacrificing its slim footprint.

Reviews

PollyFab Aero Pro and Airpuff One 3D-Printed Shoes Review: Futuristic Footwear That Misses a Few Steps

3D-printed products are all over the place, but 3D-printed shoes still feel a little futuristic to me. PollyFab sent over two styles for me to try: the Aero Pro and the Airpuff One. After wearing both pairs around the house, on hardwood floors, on stairs, and even on a treadmill, it became clear that these 3D-printed shoes are definitely unique. But they also come with some real limitations.

Reviews

HOTLIGH Worklight Review: A Compact Rechargeable Light with More Tricks Than Expected

Some work lights are all business, and some have just enough gadget appeal to make you want to use them all the time. The HOTLIGH Worklight definitely lands in the second group. It looks a little like a tiny folding lightsaber, but it’s actually a rechargeable multi-mode task light with a light bar, a spotlight, UV lighting, a magnetic body, and a built-in hook. After a quick hands-on test, this is the kind of light that feels just as useful for a toolbox as it does for desk work, wiring projects, or poking around under the hood of a car.

Reviews

Llano F-17 Card Reader Review: A Pocket-size Card Reader and Storage Case for Travel

If you travel with an action camera, drone, or any other gadget that uses SD and microSD cards, it’s easy to end up with loose memory cards floating around in your gear bag. The Llano F-17 Card Reader aims to fix the issue that by combining a USB-C card reader with a tiny storage case that slips into a pocket. It can read full-size SD and microSD cards, and it also has dedicated spots inside to stash them when they aren’t in use. Let’s take a closer look.

Reviews

Keychron B11 Pro Folding Travel Keyboard Review: A Travel Keyboard That is Actually Great to Type On!

The Keychron B11 Pro folding travel keyboard is one of those gadgets that sounds more practical than exciting. That is, until you need to respond to a long email on a tablet, take notes on the go, or pack light for a trip. Then it starts making a whole lot of sense. What makes this one interesting is that it doesn’t just fold for travel. It also opens into a genuinely roomy keyboard with a shape that feels far less cramped than most portable options. I’m a bit of a keyboard snob, so let’s check it out and see what…

Reviews

DEERC 1205 BRUSHLESS RC Car Review: Easy and Fun, Even for Newbies

It’s been a while since I’ve played with an RC car, so opening up the DEERC 1205 BRUSHLESS RC Car felt like jumping into a hobby from the beginner side of the learning curve. The good news is that this brushless RC truck turned out to be a lot of fun right away. It’s quick, looks great, includes some nice extras, and was easier to get running than expected. It also has one design choice that’s more annoying than it should be. Let’s open the box, check out the features, and see how it does on a gravel driveway.

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