Several years ago, “minimalism” was in for running shoes. Companies were falling all over each other to make thin-soled shoes. That fad has mostly passed, for better or worse, but the companies left standing are the ones making high quality, truly excellent footwear. Xero Shoes is one of them, and we’ve been testing their Z-Trek Sandals on many adventures!
I adore my Rocketbook Everlast, and routinely fill it with workout notes, then scan it, wipe it clean, and start over. Sometimes, though, I need something smaller and more portable, and Rocketbook has the ultimate solution with their new Rocketbook Everlast Mini, a smaller, reporters notebook style with the same wipe-clean features as the bigger Everlast!
We’ve become used to seeing 10,000 and 20,000mAh portable batteries that cost anywhere from $50 – $100 (or more). But what if I told you that you could get a powerful 20,000mAh Orico portable battery that can charge everything from your laptop to your smartwatch for $35? You’d want one, right?
If you travel overseas, power strips and adapters are necessary. Since most of the devices we travel with anymore can be charged via USB cable, you can save a lot of room by packing a multi-port USB charger and a couple of standalone adapters. Oneadaptr FLIP makes that huge British 3-prong adapter slim and packable.
Here’s a gadget that sounds like the perfect thing to keep in the trunk of your car: the Norshire is not only a portable pressure washer and jump starter, it’s also a semi-portable mobile device battery and a hazard sign. All you have to do is keep it charged and in your trunk; when you need it, it’ll be ready.
I have standing desks in both my home and work offices. I love them. In both cases, however, assembling the desk took quite some time. The Vari ProDesk 60 Electric solves this issue without tradeoffs. The desk, whose MSRP starts at $995, can be assembled in about five minutes yet is an impressive no-compromise standing desk.
A good stainless skillet, one with either a copper or aluminum core, can last a lifetime. Stainless steel is non-reactive, meaning that you can cook anything in it, and it keeps its shine forever. I was sent the Misen 10″ skillet to try; Misen skillets are made of 5-ply stainless with an aluminum core for better heat conductivity and retention.
There are so many minimalist wallets from which to choose that it can be challenging to find the right one. Ridge Wallets are worth a closer look. They are about as minimalist as you will find yet they offer a host of great features that will make it easy to carry, and access, your cards and cash.
Watch and bike maker Shinola is a relative newcomer in the audio field, yet they have been doing a great job coming out with stylish high-end headphones that offer superb build quality and looks to match. Now they are jumping into the earbud category, and at the top of their offerings are the Shinola Canfield Pro In-Ear Monitors.
I have not worn a wedding band for many years. Not because I am avoiding the appearance of being married, but because of my outdoor lifestyle. My poor ring has been through a lot in the last 20 years, and I finally just quit wearing it. For around $40, I purchased a Qalo ring; I’m not disappointed in the least.
My Waterpik is part of my morning and evening ritual. It’s so central to my routine that, when Raina and I are traveling, I, and my gums, really miss it. That’s why I was so eager to check out the Waterpik Sidekick Water Flosser. It’s great for home use, but it is also small enough to take on the go.
Since getting my iPhone X, I’ve strategically placed wireless chargers around my home. Most of them hold the iPhone either vertically or horizontally but few can do both. For under $60, the Case-Mate Power Pad offers you the choice of laying your phone flat or having it held at a perfect angle for viewing as you charge.
I think I’ve made it clear over the years that I love Audioengine products. I’ve reviewed many of the company’s speakers and have always been impressed. Honestly, I’m not sure why they aren’t a household name. Now they have released the Audioengine A5+ Wireless Speakers. An update to their impressive A5 speakers, their new offering once again impressed me.
Brandless Online Grocery Shopping doesn’t offer frozen food, vegetables, fruit, or meat, but all the other food they sell is as healthy as possible, priced right, and downright tasty. They deliver your order right to your door, and with everything priced at $3, many of their items are priced far better than what I’m used to paying.
Judie and Helena were at CES 2018 and were “wowed” by the Honor View10 smartphone. In fact, it received one of the very first Gear Diary Best of CES 2018 awards! I was excited to check it out and have been using a review sample for the past few weeks. Honestly, it deserved our Best of… award and much more.
I love being able to have lighting options off of the grid, both for piece of mind during an emergency and also during my outdoor adventures. The Cairn XL Smart Lantern ($99) brings quality, phone connectivity, and spare power in a well designed, water and dust proof package. This light excels in all categories. Let’s take a look!
What do you get when you combine sleek British styling with award-winning wireless audio? The RHA MA Wireless Series. These premium wireless Bluetooth in-ear headphones offer 12 hours of playback time to last all day long. With two price points starting at $99.95, the RHA MA Wireless Series is the perfect landing spot for anyone looking for collar-style Bluetooth headphones.
I often feel a bit like a fish out of water. While other movie buffs are replacing all of their DVDs with BluRay, I’m raiding garage sales for videotapes. While other gamers are flocking to games like Fortnite, I’m still playing Tony Hawk Pro Skater 2—on the original PlayStation, at that.
Inspired by Japanese Zen Rocks you’d typically find in gardens are the Pebble USB Desktop Speakers by Creative. The company sent us over a unit to check out, so let’s see how they help our desktop setup.
If you’ve ever had a slumber party or gathering where friends come over but you’ve run out of seats, or you have guests visiting overnight but don’t have ample space for them to sleep, you really need to check out a new product called the CouchBed.
Even though the weather is just as confused as us on what season it is every day, soon it will be summer, and pools will begin to open. If you plan on being poolside, or simply just out and about this summer, you should check out Dog & Bone’s Wetsuit Impact water and drop-proof case for the iPhone X.