Outdoor Gear

TrackingPoint Presents the World’s First Precision Guided Rifle Technology

As many of you know, I am an avid hunter and outdoorsman. I hunt not only for the sport of it, but also because it is a way to feed my family. I hunt with a compound bow as well as a rifle, both with different goals. With my bow, the goal is to get the game as close as possible enabling a 20-30 yard shot. Conversely, I prefer to shoot at longer ranges with my rifle. Usually 200 yards and up, and to facilitate this I use a scope with a ballistic drop reticle. Basically, there are dots under…


Magellan Explorist 510, A Gear Diary Outdoors Review

  For anyone who enjoys the outdoors it is important to know your location, where you are going and where you have been. Whether hiking or hunting, it is too easy to get caught up in the scenery or tracking an animal and lose your bearings. Each rock or tree begins to look familiar and next thing you know, you have been walking in circles. Luckily, modern technology allows us to use some wonderful tools to keep us from getting lost or to remember our amazing trails we have discovered. I recently was able to obtain the Magellan Explorist 510…


spnKiX Rocket Skates… Rock

Skates go high-tech with the spnKiX Rocket Skates. We saw a woman wearing them on the show floor. They looked neat enough, but then she started moving! Yup, the spnKiX are motorized. More than that, the spnKiX come with a remote control. Now you have a new way to trip, fall and break your leg. Better still, it will cost you just $699 for the privilege. Learn more here.


yurbuds Focus Limited Edition Earbuds Look Great, Sound Great and Stay in Place

We’ve been fans of yurbuds earbuds since first seeing them at CES 2011. The earbuds have a special design that lets you wear them comfortably for extended periods and, thanks to their unusual design, the earbuds stay in place even when you are doing flips off the wall. Case in point… The company has once again upped their game. The Focus Limited Edition ($99.99) and Inspire Limited Edition ($99.99) step up the fashion aspect of the earbuds by switching to a sharp black/red color. The result is a line that looks sleeker than ever. Yes, sport earphones can now be…


Wilson Electronics’ New Sleek 4G Signal Booster Will Keep Your Connection Solid

If you are on the road a lot, then you know all about what it’s like to have your cellular signal act in a less than reliable manner. Watching your 4G/LTE signal drop down to zilch, then slide over to EDGE, 3G and then ultimately climb back to 4G — depending upon where you area, even though the areas are shown to have 4G coverage — is just part of using a mobile phone these days. . The same thing can happen when you are in a car, truck, boat, or any other moving vehicle. One way to combat this…


Pelican ProGear S100 Sport Elite Backpack Video Review

If you are looking for serious protection for your laptop, and you want to carry a tablet, and you need a backpack that can hold all your gear, you will want to take a look at the Pelican ProGear S100 Elite Backpack. The ProGear S100 is a beast and that’s a good thing. In fact, it almost came with me as a mainstay of my CES 2013 gear after I was sent one for review*. Let’s take a closer look at this backpack that packs ultimate laptop protection. The Pelican ProGear S100 Sport Elite Laptop Backpack stands out because of…


Bracketron Accessories Get You and Your Gear Mobile in 2013

If you resolved  to “get outside more often”, Bracketron can help. At CES 2013 the company will be revealing a line of Outdoor Sports Mobile Accessories that includes the latest line of water-resistant sport cases. Among the new offerings are a Sport Case with Belt Clip that “shields your device from sweat, rain and the elements and allows full touchscreen control for phone calls, texts and emails”. The case comes in black and camouflage, and it will make for a great review as part of Coach’s Gear Diary Outdoors series! The company is also offering a Sport Case with Strap Mount….


LifeProof fr? for iPhone 5 Review – Helps Keep Your iPhone Safe and Secure

I was blown away earlier this month when I went snorkeling and used my 4th generation iPod touch as my underwater camera. I expected the LifeProof case I put on would keep it dry, and it did. What I didn’t expect was how amazing the video I shot with it underwater would be. I mean, take a look at this footage shot underwater with an iPod touch!! And if that is the quality you can get with a last generation iPod touch, then just imagine how amazing the images and videos would be if taken with an iPhone 5! Fortunately LifeProof…


NYNE NB-200 Bluetooth Speaker Review; Provides Music on the Go

In an increasingly crowded market, a Bluetooth speaker needs something special if it is going to stand out. The JawBone JamBox stands out by having largely set the stage for this line of small speakers. The Braven 600 stands out because it also serves as an external battery to recharge your phone on the go. The Jabra SoleMate stands out with its huge sound and ruggedized design, and the JBL FLIP draws attention thanks to its low price and excellent sound-quality. How does the NYNE NB-200 Bluetooth speaker carve out its space? Read on to find out. From NYNE: NB-200…


Special Holiday Pricing Available on Pivothead HD Recording Sunglasses

I LOVE the Pivothead HD Recording Sunglasses that I reviewed last month and used while in Cuba two weeks ago. They are comfortable, look good AND they record amazingly clear video. You can check out our full review of them here and see how they work in this video. At $350, the glass aren’t cheap — although I have paid close to that for sunglasses that were simply… hum… sunglasses. And now that Pivothead has announced special holiday pricing, they are even more accessible. That’s right, Pivothead has dropped the price of their HD Recording Sunglasses by $50. And they will…


Pivothead Durango Video Recording Eyewear Review

Every now and then a product comes along that really surprises us … in a good way. Actually, truth be told, this happens more than one might expect. And when it does, we want to make sure we say it loudly. Case in point,  Pivothead Durango Video Recording Eyewear. They are comfortable sunglasses that protect your eyes AND record HD video along with high-quality audio. They may sound like a gimmick, but they aren’t. They are, in fact, pretty awesome. I LOVE THEM!! Here’s a video look followed by some of the specifics. Here’s a rundown of the features they offer. Sure,…


Chaval Outdoor Introduces Response-XRT Tech-Based Luxury Ski Gloves

We have now had three sub-30F mornings in the last two weeks … so I am thinking about my cold weather gear for running. Also, next month my younger son starts his annual ski team weekend jaunts, so again I am thinking gear. I have found that through the years maintaining finger warmth has become increasingly critical to my overall sense of comfort. By the coldest days I am often double-gloving in order to keep warm. But that was before; I am now running FOUR TIMES the distance and staying out twice as long. So I anticipate this year being…


ThinkTank Photo Street Walker HardDrive Backpack Review

photos by Kevin Stanford We have already looked at a number of offerings from Think Tank Photo. We reviewed the ThinkTank Retrospective 7 Camera Bag. (Read the review.) We also reviewed the ThinkTank Photo StreetWalker Camera Backpack that has now taken up residence with Judie. (Read the review.) And finally we reviewed the Think Tank Photo Urban Disguise 35 V2.0. (Read the review.) As I was finishing this initial series of reviews I commented that I wish I had something that would carry all my gear AND my 15″ MacBook Pro Retina. A short time later the ThinkTank Photo Street Walker…


NYNE NB-200 and NB-230 Bluetooth Speakers Combine Style and Sound

There are plenty Bluetooth speakers on the market. Now a new company, NYNE, has released a series of speakers designed for an “active life-style”. Their NB-200 and NB-230 Bluetooth speakers provide in-home quality audio through either a wireless connection with any Bluetooth enabled device, or a 3.5mm aux-in cable connection with a non-Bluetooth device. Their stylish and portable form allows for music enjoyment on-the-go both indoors and outdoors. Here’s a look at both. There’s the NB-200. It is designed to be taken with you wherever you go and can be attached to a bike or baby stroller handlebars with its…


Jabra Solemate Bluetooth Speaker Review

I’ve had my Jawbone Jambox for well over a year, and I’ve loved it. It is small, easy to use, and it packs a punch! More recently I had the opportunity to review the Braven 600. It is about the same size, but it has a built-in battery that will also charge your mobile device even as it fills the space with music. Then there is the most recent entry into this category – the Jabra Solemate Bluetooth Portable Speaker. It costs $200, is a bit bigger than the other two speakers and, quite frankly, looks like it wants to…


Magellan Kicks Off Hunting Season with New Products

One of my favorite times of the year officially started last weekend! The beginning of hunting season is always exciting and gives us outdoorsmen an excuse to spend too much time in nature. While the first weekend of bow hunting season was not fruitful for me due to the moon cycle, I did thoroughly enjoy the opportunity to spend some time out in the wild clearing my head and being one with nature. One thing that is important while hunting is safety and location. Not only do you need to find your way back to civilization, but you never want to lose…


Esoterism Presents the Moat-4 Aroused Comrade Urban Camo iPhone 4S Case

Most of our readers know I am an avid outdoorsman and hunter, but you all should also know I am a huge fan of our military. As a history teacher and patriot, anything that shows support for our troops is OK by me. I have many ex-students/athletes that have defended our nation bravely. One of my athletes gave the ultimate price, and my best friend took multiple rounds during the Battle of Fallujah and lived to tell about it. I also have a recent graduate who has become an Army Ranger. With all of that said, I naturally like all…



SteriPEN, a Handy Tool in a Variety of Models for Water Purification on the Go

Quite a few years back when I was in high school, I enrolled in a “primitive” two-week hiking trip to the Smoky Mountains/Shining Rock Wilderness area with a group called Wilderness Southeast. It was quite an education for a young greenhorn like myself far from civilization…hiking boots, heavy backpacks and open to the elements (no tents), and no food except what we carried and rehydrated with water from mountain streams. Water…that was key, you see, because back in those days we used chlorine tablets to sterilize the water…and most of you who ever spent time in a swimming pool know…


Goal Zero’s Two New Solar Recharging Kits Shine at Outdoor Retailer

It seems like the recent coverage of “preppers” has brought alternative power sources into the mainstream. I have been extremely interested in solar power lately, but not because of some impending zombie apocalypse. With the upcoming hurricane season approaching, most gulf coast residents at least think of their plans if a storm does arrive. While I am usually far enough inland to be able to ride out these storms, one major concern is electricity. Solar power with batteries can allow my family some comforts and even save some food if we are without power for a few days. I also…


Flipside Sport 10LAW Camera Backpack Review

This review is a continuation of our series of camera bag reviews. Thus far we’ve taken a look at two bags from Think Tank Photo (the Streetwalker Backpack and the Retrospective 7), one from Lowepro (the Urban Sling), and another from Tenba (the Photo/Laptop Messenger). This time out we are looking at the Lowepro Flipside Sport 10L AW. This backpack-style camera case is one of the more “activity-specific” bags we have seen. It is intended for photographers who lead an active life and are looking for a bag that is good for carrying just enough camera gear, a water bottle…