Austin Leavitt

543 Posts

timbuk2 best messenger bag

Lifestyle

The Timbuk2 Is the Best Messenger Bag on A Budget

The worst part thing about messenger bags (and other forms of luggage) is how expensive they can be – if you’re looking for a good one, that is it. You’ll be hard pressed to find a high-quality, durable messenger bag for less than $100, and if you’d like a leather one, your options are even slimmer.

By Austin Leavitt

pioneer sx-1980 best vintage receiver

Tech

The Pioneer SX-1980 is the Best Vintage Receiver You Can Snag on Ebay

When it comes to audiophiles, there are two kinds; those who always spring for the latest and greatest devices in audio, rocking noise-cancelling headphones and filling their rooms with 7.1 surround sound. And then there are the vintage lovers among us, who prefer the warm crackle of an old stereo or turntable, and the look of vintage wood on their end table.

By Austin Leavitt

sog fasthawk tactical tomahawk

Outdoors

SOG FastHawk Tactical Tomahawk: Preparedness Perfection

The SOG FastHawk is based on the version of the classic Tomahawk used by US soldiers in the Vietnam War. While you may just be looking for one to chop wood or do some chores around camp, this Tactical Tomahawk is equipped for almost any situation or tactical need -breaching operations, excavation, obstacle removal, extraction.

By Austin Leavitt

hyperlite ultamid _2

Outdoors

The Hyperlite Ultamid 2 is the Ultimate UltraLight Tent

As gear becomes more and more technologically advanced, tents are becoming lighter and lighter. None, however, quite reach the lightweight, durable, simplicity of the Hyperlite Ultamid 2. Weighing only 1.19 pounds (without insert or floor), the Ultamid 2 barely weighs more than the hiking boot on your foot, and far less than a bottle of water in your pack, yet is one of the most durable, rugged and convenient tent designs you’ll get your hands on.

By Austin Leavitt

casio protrek watch_1

Gear

Casio ProTrek: The Smart Watch Made For the Outdoors

The Casio ProTrek line is meant for anything – hiking, camping, skiing, kayaking. While outdoor watches tend toward the tactical or the bulky, and smart watches go for the urban design, the ProTrek Smart captures the best of both worlds. The design is the perfect match of sleek and outdoor ruggedness, and a comfortable fit on your wrist.

By Austin Leavitt

go-fast campers banner

Outdoors

GO-FAST CAMPERS: Ultralight, Off-Road Campers for Dirt-Road Lovers

Truck campers aren’t anything new, but they sure are convenient and comfortable ways to explore the great outdoors. With a good camper on the back of your truck, your only real limit to how far off-road you can go, is the amount of gas in your tank. Go-Fast Campers,  claim to make the lightest and easiest-to-use pop-up truck campers in existence. At 199 pounds, the Go-Fast Platform succeeds in this endeavor. It’s downright simple and easy to use too; simply pull the release cord and lift, and the gas struts pop it straight up.

By Austin Leavitt

columbia outdry ex mogul banner

Outdoors

Columbia’s Newest Jacket – the Outdry Ex Mogul

Columbia has just released the latest rendition of their lightweight shells – and their most technical jacket to the date. The Outdry Ex Mogul. It’s based on a partnership with the US Olympic Ski Team, who gave their input and expertise for creating a comfortable, athletic, effective jacket fit for just about anything.

By Austin Leavitt

pico model c brewer

Food & Drink

The Pico Model C is The Newest Way To Home Brew

These days, it’s easy to get into home brewing. You barely need to even know anything about beer with some of the new brewing machines coming out. Take the Hopii, for example, which work at the press of the button. The new Pico Model C is much the same, and lets you craft 5 liters of beer in a few hours.

By Austin Leavitt

standing desk converter banner

Lifestyle

This Standing Desk Converter Alternative to the VariDesk Rocks

Standing desks are great. When used properly, they are a fantastic way to avoid the pitfalls and effects of sitting for hours on end, and can result in some great improvements in posture. If you suffer from back pain, they are almost a necessity. It’s even supposed to help improve clarity and focus, keeping you mentally alert. The only problem, is that they are – naturally – expensive.

By Austin Leavitt

biolite basecamp _!

Food & Drink

Outdoor Gifts: Biolite BaseCamp: Cook, Charge, Camp

What, exactly, hasn’t BioLite come up with? If you like cooking your food over fire when at camp, and at the same time, need to charge up a phone or tablet or two, then the Biolite Basecamp may be for you. This stove uses kindling-size firewood to fuel the fire, and then converts the heat into energy with BioLite’s thermoelectric generato

By Austin Leavitt

garmin descent mk1_6

EDC

Garmin Descent MK1 Dive Watch: Designed for the Deeply Curious

A dive watch is a unique piece, one that is both practical and a luxurious accessory. It was really only a matter of time before someone decided to make one that combines the best of the dive watch with the smartwatch. Garmin, everybody's favorite GPS maker, has done just that. The Garmin Descent MK1 is a "versatile GPS dive computer" ready for adventure.

By Austin Leavitt

garmin speak _1

Tech

Garmin Speak: The Hands-Free, Voice-Activated GPS

Think GPS, and the first name you probably think of, is Garmin. They’ve been making handheld devices and GPS’ for cars for the past few decades, helping the more directionally-challenged of us get from point A to point B with ease. Now, they’ve unveiled their newest innovation - the Garmin Speak.

By Austin Leavitt

biolite solarhome 620

Lifestyle

Biolite SolarHome 620: Light Up Any Structure, Anywhere

Solar power used to be talk of hippies and environmentalists, but now it’s becoming a staple in many suburban and urban settings. People are hopping off the grid and supplying their own power for both environmental and financial reasons. It can also be put to use in a variety of different ways. See Biolite, for example, who already makes some pretty cool, handy camping gear. They've created an entire in-home system that attaches to a solar panel, allowing you to create the ultimate off-grid home from just about any structure.

By Austin Leavitt

coravin model two bottle opener

Food & Drink

Why You Need the Coravin Model Two For Your Wine

Have you ever opened a bottle of wine, stuck in back in the fridge, only to have it go bad before it you can finish it? It happens. The Coravin Model Two seeks to change that. Claiming to be the first ever bottle opener that lets you pour a glass of wine without ever removing the cork, the Coravin Model Two features a needle that instead punctures through the cork, without breaking the airtight seal.

By Austin Leavitt

soto pocket torch

Outdoors

Soto Pocket Torch: Light A Fire Anytime, Anywhere

Fire. One of the most essential, primordial things in life, and a huge part of being outdoors. Camping isn't camping without the crackle and smell of a campfire. And if you ever find yourself in a life-or-death survival situation, it could literally mean the difference between life and death. And while matches or flint and tinder (or even twigs) are a nice way to start a fire, it might just be worth investing in pocket torch - like the Soto. 

By Austin Leavitt