So you’re traveling across this great nation of ours but one thing is missing–your NPR! Now you can easily tune in to NPR programming wherever you are with this clever NPR Map ($7.00). If you know where you are, this map can tell you where to tune. Never travel alone again; bring the NPR network of over 600 local public radio stations along with you. Bonus point: they can all fit in the glove compartment!
The Skeleton Key ($99) is a highly versatile precision mini-tool made in the USA from a solid 6AL-4V Titanium billet. There are two variations available – Spanner and E-Key. The Spanner version is specialized for Strider pivots and the E-Key version is for electronic locks that usually require coins to unlock. Both variations are capable of removing a pestering nail or opening a cold drink. This tool will surely become an instrument for every day carry.
The nanoSTRIKER ($27-$48) collapsible ferrocerium fire-starter takes all excuses and throws them into the fire! This may possibly be the smallest ferrocerium fire starter on the market today. Attach it to your key chain, throw it into your pocket or tie it to your pack but never again leave home without one. There are many ferrocerium fire-starting tools on the market. Some of these are high quality, some are small and some are self-contained. Exotac set out to create a tool that incorporated all of these features and then some. While doing so they discovered that this product not only does the aforementioned, but it does it while being easier to use then tools more than twice the size! At the end of the day, this little tool can be collapsed and returned to key-chain ballast duty.
This groundbreaking bundle pairs SPOT’s renowned lifesaving Satellite Communicator with DeLorme’s high-performance PN-60w GPS ($450). Imagine typing freeform text messages on the go, sending messages to multiple user groups, and managing your contacts via a contact manager in your SPOT account online. The PN-60w has the amazing ability to layer multiple map and imagery types on the included Topo North America terrain and street detail. Whatever your preferred activity, you’ll never have to settle for just one map. You can tell loved ones you’re safe when your adventures take you into difficult or extreme situations or share your exhilaration with others as you conquer mountains, whitewater, ocean voyages, or other challenges you’ve set for yourself. High-resolution U.S. color aerial imagery, USGS 1:24,000 topographic quads, NOAA nautical charts and 1:50,000 Natural Resources Canada topographic map sheets. Using 100% satellite technology, the PN-60w with SPOT Satellite Communicator works virtually anywhere in the world, even where cell phones don’t–all with the push of a button.
Established in 2008, Koval is the first craft distillery within Chicago’s city limits since Prohibition. They source all of their grains, fruits, herbs, and flowers from the surrounding Midwest region, and they make all of their spirits in house, entirely from scratch – from mashing to distilling, bottling to boxing. They started with five single-grain white whiskeys: Rye, Oat, Wheat, Millet, and Spelt. In 2010, they debuted an aged whiskey, Lion’s Pride, aged in two distinct styles. No artificial coloring, no chill filtering – only the pure heart cut of the distillate with beautiful amber hues from nothing but the barrel and time. Koval Distillery ($24-$48) lineup also includes several brandies (apple, pear and Bierbrand) and six liqueurs: Chrysanthemum Honey, Coffee, Ginger, Jasmine, Orange Blossom, and Rose Hip.
Here is the absolute easiest way to fold a travel map: scrunch it up into a ball and stuff it in your pocket. Of course, with a regular paper map that only works a couple of times before it falls apart. That’s why these Crumpled City Maps ($20) are so handy. They’re printed on durable, flash-spun hi-density polyethylene fibrous material. It’s rip-resistant, waterproof, and thin enough that it crumples down into a ball that fits in your palm. Stuff it in your pocket, or use the included drawstring pouch, and you’re ready to get back on the road. Maps available for New York City, San Francisco, Chicago, Paris, London, Amsterdam, Berlin, Barcelona and Tokyo. Made in Italy.
The first major reference work to investigate the history and vast scope of beer, The Oxford Companion to Beer ($38) features more than 1,100 A-Z entries written by 166 of the world’s most prominent beer experts. Attractively illustrated with over 140 images, the book covers everything from the agricultural makeup of various beers to the technical elements of the brewing process, local effects of brewing on regions around the world, and the social and political implications of sharing a beer. Cultural entries shed light on such topics as pub games, food pairings and the development of beer styles. Packed with information, this comprehensive resource also includes thorough appendices (covering beer festivals, beer magazines, and more), conversion tables, and an index. This book is the perfect shelf-mate to Oxford’s renowned Companion to Wine and an absolutely indispensable volume for everyone who loves beer.
That doesn’t really have the same sort of dramatic impact, does it? Still, that’s basically what Darth Vader meant when he was talking to Boba Fett in the bowels of Cloud City. Thankfully, you won’t need to go to such extremes if your Han Solo Ice Cubes melt. You just stick them back in the freezer and through the magic of the exothermic process you’ll have ice in no time at all. The Han Solo Ice Cube Tray ($9.99) comes with room for six (6) small, 1.75″ Han Solos and one (1) large, 3.5″ Solo.
Ovo 720c (TBA) is designed from the ground up with modern design rich in comfort and style 25ft yacht. With enough room for 3 guest plus the captain and a full kitchen and bathroom, the Ovo 720c will give you the opportunity to get out on the water and motor around while enjoying a lunch with friends. The Ovo yacht is designed with aesthetics in mind with a sleek stream lined hull and an interior that blends natural woods with plush seating as well as a fully enclosed cabin with panoramic windows to provide the captain excellent visibility.
Share your most extreme moments simply. The Kodak PlaySport Video Camera Zx5 ($109) delivers full 1080p HD with a rugged design that’s shockproof, dustproof, and waterproof up to 10 ft underwater. If you’re going to live with no limits, you need a digital video camera that can deliver the goods in full 1080p HD. The Kodak PlaySport Video Camera Zx5 is up for the challenge. Built to take on the most extreme lifestyles with an insanely tough design— shockproof, dustproof, and waterproof to a depth of 10 ft. And built-in image stabilization smooths out even the roughest ride. Whether you’re carving up the mountain or pulling stunts in the skate park, the PlaySport Video Camera / Zx5 is up for anything. And with a touch of the Share button, shocking your social network couldn’t be simpler. S
