The Best Climbing Harnesses for Women in 2023
We tested and reviewed the best climbing harnesses for women, including top picks from Black Diamond, Petzl, Metolius, and more.
Once a man gets past a certain size it's hard to find any clothing on store racks at all, much less enough of a variety to make significant choices and develop a personal style.
Custom clothing isn't just a luxury for some athletes, it's a necessity.
If you're unfortunate enough to have an NBA build without an NBA salary you're going to need to pick and choose your articles of clothing carefully to get a good look without going broke.
Knowing the best choices ahead of time saves time, stress, and probably money as well, regardless of whether you're talking to your personal tailor or to a salesperson at a “big and tall” store.
Let's remember that tall, muscular men are pretty much the idealized body type for guys. That's not something you want to hide or distract from. Simple clothes in dark or muted colors are the athlete's friend. If you're seriously tall and seriously muscled you're going to draw every eye in the room anyway.
That doesn't mean completely stark clothing, though — tall men need some horizontal elements in their clothing to break the height up a bit and keep people from getting that uncomfortable loomed-over feeling. Pockets, cuffs, and belts are all good ways to keep the visual impression a little more contained and less overwhelming.
You don't need a speedo contest to let people admire your natural advantages. Tailored suits, trousers, and shirts can be made to make your strength plain without hugging uncomfortably tight or looking inappropriate. As a powerfully-built man, you will want to select patterns, colors, and cut that show your good health without appearing to flaunt it. Most importantly, you want to avoid anything that constricts you or clings too tightly, giving you the appearance of someone stuffed into an ill-fitting suit.
Any time you meet a stranger, you are going to have to make a conscious effort register in their minds as anything more than “that tall guy.” Men's clothing often lacks the breadth of style that women's fashion has produced, so small changes can help you stand out from the rest — your challenge will be to stand out in understated and well-thought ways that highlight your uniqueness rather than demand the viewer's attention.
You've had that from the moment you walked into the room, so craft your style to leave a lingering impression rather than an immediate one.
Whether it comes from dye or the natural weave of the fiber, all your clothing will have a certain texture and pattern to it. As a very tall man, you are almost always well-served by patterns that incorporate horizontal lines — these lines will give the viewer's eyes something to follow that isn't the imposing up-and-down of your body, detracting from the looming impression.
Since your figure is already powerful, bold checks or windowpanes that draw the eye may be overkill, so consider understated patterns like a classic glen check. Too much mixing and matching can also be overpowering, making simple but elegant patterns your best ally.
Monochrome fabric with a textured weave is subtler than dyed patterns, and can turn even a simple white or blue undershirt into a flattering, memorable fashion statement.
Coloring needs will differ from one complexion to the next, but large men are generally better off avoiding the brightest and boldest dyes. Once again, you stand out enough on your own — even a bright blue is enough to make you seem hulking.
Pastels or dark, muted colors are good choices for suits and dress shirts alike. The timeless charcoal gray suit is particularly flattering on tall men, and has the added benefit of being appropriate in nearly any setting.
While most people's eyes are likely to travel upward along your frame, there's always a few people who judge a man by his shoes. Prepare for them with something simple and understated (and with a thin sole), and add a horizontal element with a capped toe or flat “bar” style lacings across the front.
Properly tailored trousers for the tall man should fall all the way to the top of your shoes, but wear understated socks that blend with your trousers for those awkward stretches — be sure to match your socks to your trousers, and not your shoes! No one looks good with a glaring stripe of mismatched fabric around their ankles, but the effect is particularly disastrous for the tall man, who will simply look like a scarecrow.
The overall goal of your suit coat as a tall, broadly-built man should be to de-emphasize your height without adding too much bulk — small details that break the vertical line are more effective than the heavy horizontal patterning that a slimmer man might use. Flat pockets will do a good job of reducing your vertical profile, and an extra “ticket” pocket above the regular right-side pocket helps complete the effect.
Consider a square- or puff-folded pocket square on the left breast; in addition to adding a horizontal element, it will give you a distinct personal touch without demanding too much attention.
The best fit for a jacket will, like your trousers, depend somewhat on how your muscle and height is distributed. If you have a slimmer chest padded shoulders and a heavier fabric will help balance you with your legs; cutting the jacket long enough to hang below the curve of your buttocks in the back can shorten the line of your trousers and add another horizontal element.
If your chest is considerably broader, unpadded shoulders and a close fit are ideal, but be cautious of uncomfortably tight jackets — these will bunch around the shoulder, armpits, and collar, giving an unattractive “overstuffed” appearance. It will also be uncomfortable for you, which tailored menswear never needs to be; all your clothing should have enough room for you to move comfortably.
A slightly longer cut in the sleeve benefits most tall men, whose wrists extend further when they move — don't be afraid to show a touch less than the customary half-inch of shirt cuff; more will reveal itself with even small motions.
While broad men generally want to avoid extra layers of cloth over their chests, the downward-pointing “V” shape of a steeply-angled vest is often both slimming and shortening — a rare combination in a single article of clothing. Waistcoats also tend to feature pockets on both sides of the buttons, sometimes as many as two per side for a total of four.
Unusual fabrics or patterning are also considered more appropriate on a waistcoat, especially if it is worn without a jacket, allowing you to make a memorable impression without appearing loud or overdressed. A vest without a jacket is considerably less formal, however, so reserve the look for casual situations — and avoid overusing it; being “that guy with the vest” is not much of an improvement on “that tall guy”!
Whatever you wear as a jacket, the shirt beneath it will need to be well-fitted and tasteful. The advice on colors and patterns is particularly pertinent here — avoid bright, unbroken colors or bold patterns, which will only add to your eye-catching bulk. Soften monochrome shirts with textured fabric, or opt for a very understated windowpane to incorporate some horizontal lines without creating an overpowering effect.
Ties should be on the narrow side, with a simple pattern and a minimum of vertical striping; avoid bulky knots that will make your neck look thick and strained at the collar. Make sure the tie falls far enough — many off-the-rack ties are too short for men over 6'4″ or so, and will make you look too small for your clothing even if the rest fits.
No one wants pants that are too tight to move in comfortably. Beyond that caveat, let's face it — a close fit isn't going to do a well-toned guy any disservice, so you might as well keep everything in close.
The key to well-fitted trousers is the drop, or the space between the waistband and the crotch of the pants. If the drop is larger than it needs to be, you get a goofy-looking billow of loose fabric between your legs and the cloth around your butt and thighs looks droopy. Keep the jeans tight around your midsection.
Take the time and find a pair of trousers that gives you enough room in the crotch to move comfortable but doesn't hang any lower. Well-muscled men also need to make sure the thighs have enough cloth in them — if the fabric is pulling tight and bunching, or if the pants have pleats and the pleats are stretching open, there isn't enough room in the thigh.
Tailors can help large men by making the design elements of clothes a little larger so that everything looks proportional. Wider cuffs help trousers look like they were made for you, not stretched awkwardly over a too-large frame.
A broad belt with a large buckle has the same effect, and also helps cut your height in half visually, which helps with the looming problem. You still want people to be noticing your body, though, and not your clothes, so stay away from huge, shiny rodeo buckles or anything else excessively eye-catching.
One of the worst looks for large men is the “overstuffed” appearance, and shirts tend to be the worst offenders. Watch out for collars that pinch — button them up in the store, even if you aren't tying a tie with them, and make sure that the fit's comfortable and that the collar itself is large enough not to look undersized for your chin.
A wider spread usually looks better on larger man, but take a look at our article on collar styles to see a more detailed discussion on matching your shirt collar to your features.
Lower down, make sure the shirt can be tucked in all the way around. Most dress shirts are longer in the front and back with an inverted V-shape where the halves join; if the point of the V is too high it will creep out of your waistband and look silly as you move around.
Try for shirts that are long but not too baggy — lots of excess fabric will billow around your waist or balloon out over it and hide your torso.
Ties, if worn, should also be long enough, which almost always means shopping for specifically-marketed “tall” neckties. A tie should never end with a gap between the tip and the belt, and tall men in particular look like boys who've outgrown their hand-me-downs if they show one.
It's hard for an athletic man to look bad in a well-fitted suit. The modern suit jacket or sports coat (check out our What's in a Jacket article for the difference) is a powerful, masculine shape, and it drapes wonderfully over a powerful, masculine man.
A close fit is still your friend, as long as you can button the jacket without straining it. Single-breasted jackets with the buttons down low are a great way to showcase a strong chest.
A jacket also gives an opportunity to introduce some horizontals to balance out your height — unslanted pockets are a must, and a horizontally-folded pocket square in the left breast pocket catches the eye without seeming gaudy.
Modern style generally calls for men to show “a half-inch of linen” beyond the ends of the jacket sleeves, but don't be afraid to wear a slightly longer sleeve and show a bit less shirt cuff.
Longer wrists mean more change in the cloth shown when your arms move, so even a small band of cuff will widen when you use your arms. Alternatively, consider French cuffs as a great way to shorten the appearance of your arms and put a visual frame on your upper body.
If you're really built along bigger lines than other men, your biggest fashion enemy is excessive color or patterning. You don't need your clothes to draw anyone's attention. You've already got it. Bright colors, high contrast, and any kind of vivid print or texture makes you a little too large for most people's lives.
That doesn't mean everything has to be flat monochrome — a fine-lined grid on the undershirt can help break your height up some, and any colored fabric can be spiced up with a textured weave. Just don't overdo it.
The other key issue is going to be fit. Anything too tight is just going to look ridiculous, like you got jammed into rental clothes and you hate them. Loose, baggy fabrics aren't a huge improvement, since they take your toned figure and turn it into a slouched, sack-like appearance. Be picky, and turn down anything that doesn't fit closely without pinching or bunching.
Need more tips on what to wear based on your body type?
Check out this article How To Dress Up According To Your Body Type
The post Style Tips For The Tall, Muscular Man | Clothes For The Tall & Athletic Guy appeared first on Real Men Real Style.
]]>Two editors, thousands of products at the Outdoor Retailer Trade Show, and one mission: Find the most exciting gear of the future.
This is what we found.
The GearJunkie team diligently scoured the Outdoor Retailer Summer 2023 show at the Salt Palace, meeting with brands, inspecting new products, and combing the place from ceiling to floor looking for the most impressive, unique, groundbreaking gear we could find.
Our Best in Show roundup can be found here. But there were lots of cool products that didn’t make the final cut — most of which won’t be available until next season (or even next year). And they deserve some attention, too.
Keep your eyes open for this exciting gear from Outdoor Retailer Summer 2023, coming soon.
Camp kitchens can be a pain to set up, and often require a lot of individual pieces and parts. The ChefRack camp kitchen puts it all in one place, right on the hitch of your vehicle. For overlanders, car campers, and anyone who likes to set up cooking space on the fly, this thing is a revolution.
The ChefRack ($1,995) has space for a cooler, two shelves that fold outward for cooking and cleaning space, and a gas stovetop. So you can pull over anywhere, and break into chef mode in a flash. Grill some burgers, crack some brews, dice, slice, and chop veggies, all conveniently on the back of your car. It’ll undoubtedly become the center of the campsite party, and the heart of any cookout.
Buy NowOru made waves when it sailed onto the market with its origami kayaks. They’re light, they’re packable, and they piece together in just minutes. No other boat or paddle brand is doing it like Oru.
Now, the origami kayak company is branching out, bringing its innovative folding design to camp furniture. No more bulky tables or unwieldy camp chairs. With the Oru Camp Furniture set, you can assemble your own outdoor pop-up lounge that’s perfect for campsites, park picnics, lakeside paddle sessions, or beach days. The collection includes an Adirondack lounge chair, a table, and an ottoman.
For more details, check out our coverage of the product’s announcement. The collection is available at a preorder discount now and will ship in September.
Preorder NowThe Spyderco Military is iconic and relatively unchanged since brand co-founder Sal Glesser designed it 25 years ago. Soon, it gets its first significant update in the form of the Military 2. The new version trades a liner lock for Spyderco’s Compression Lock mechanism, making the knife both stronger and safer.
The flat-ground S30V blade rests in larger stainless steel liners, giving the knife increased structural strength. The company anchors its four-position pocket clip, which is configurable for left- or right-side, tip-up or tip-down carry. G-10 scales maintain a slim profile and complement its open-backed construction.
Learn MoreThe previous Woodwind from Camp Chef featured a Wi-Fi-enabled PID controller with a color screen, “Smart Smoke Technology” with 10 smoke level settings. It was compatible with the Camp Chef Connect App, had a temperature range of 160-500 degrees F, a patented ash cleanout, stainless steel meat probes, a premium 22-pound pellet hopper with a bottle opener, and a 3-year warranty.
The brand-new Camp Chef Woodwind Pro features all of that and more. The brand added a stainless steel body and internal components, double-walled construction, a gasketed lid, “down and out” ventilation, and, most importantly, a smoke box that can take hardwood chunks or lump charcoal. That last feature steps up the game for the Woodwind series, allowing users more control over the smoky flavor they’re imparting to the food.
The Woodwind Pro comes in two sizes, a 24-inch ($1,200-1,500) and a 36-inch ($1,500-1,800). Both are available on the Camp Chef website.
Buy NowThe latest addition to G-Shock’s Move Series of watches, the GBDH2000 ($400) has GPS functionality and six sensors that each track different elements, to support multiple activities. It was made for serious athletes who want to seriously track their step count, heart rate, blood oxygen level, distance, speed, and pace. It also tracks calories burned, energy sources used, heart rate, cardio load, pitch, stride, altitude gained, number of strokes, and more. It even monitors your sleep quality.
All of that is accessible on the watch face or from the connecting app. It’s solar power-assisted, so the battery lasts a long time before needing a recharge. Check out more details and specs on the G-Shock website.
Buy NowMost rooftop tents are built for one purpose: Sleeping on top of your car. They make great car-camping and overlanding companions. But if you want to set up your evening abode on the ground, or in a spot where the car can’t get to, you need a separate tent. Most rooftop tents are restricted to rooftop dwellings.
That’s not the case with the C6 Rev Tent. Sure, this thing attaches to the top of a car and will stay there if you need it to. But if you want to set up on the ground somewhere, the tent itself is removable and stands on its own. It’s a four-season tent, weighs 25 pounds, has a 4-inch plush mattress at the bottom, fits two people, and comes in three different configurations.
There’s the standard Rev Tent ($800) that’s ready for ground or pickup bed setup, the Rev Rack Tent ($830) that will connect to any popular roof-rack setup, and the Rev Roof Top Tent ($1,330) that will mount to the top of most vehicles. See the C6 website to learn more about the different models.
Buy NowChanging watch batteries or recharging them is a pain. And an unnecessary one, now that solar technology has advanced so much. Garmin is taking advantage of that with its Instinct 2X Solar.
This watch has a 40-day battery life in Smartwatch mode — without its solar capability. With solar, the battery life is unlimited, according to Garmin. So you’ll almost never have to manually recharge this watch (if you get out in the sun often enough).
The Instinct 2X Solar also features an LED flashlight, a high-resolution display, GPS capabilities, an accompanying app, and health monitoring sensors that track your heart rate, blood oxygen level, fitness age, sleep, hydration, and respiration. It even has an alert for abnormal heart rates. This is a trick watch for athletes, adventurers, and travelers who want to draw power from the sun.
Buy NowWho doesn’t love hip ballcaps and beanies that are perfect for active outdoor use? And when they come with funny, cool-looking animal art on them? From a boutique hat maker in Maine? Please — just take our money.
The hats being made by FLYN are all of these things. Some feature raccoons crushing PBR, others feature coyotes caught red-handed raiding the chicken coop, or grizzly bears nomming on Slim Jims. The art is irreverent and fun, and the hats themselves are well-made.
The trucker caps look great for running and hiking, and the beanies will keep you warm when you’re out playing in cold weather. They also make totes, patches, tea towels, and T-shirts
And, if you don’t see the color, style, and/or art combo you want, reach out and FLYN will make you exactly what you want.
Shop NowSure, these aren’t all new to the market and there are other brands making refillable lighters. But MK Lighter breathes fresh air into the fire(starter).
Using no-waste production (castoff plastics are reground and reused), refillable lighter designs, post-consumer and recycled plastics, and packaging designed to reduce waste and be recycled, MK Lighter is a step beyond the typical Bic gas station buy. With dozens of models of small lighters and torches available, it’s a fun, more sustainable way to start your fire, grill, or whatever needs burning.
Shop NowIcemakers have been a luxury of the household for a long time. But they’re only now starting to creep into the camping and outdoor world as well. FlexTail’s Evo Icer is a compact little lithium-ion-powered, rechargeable icebox that cranks out 12 “ice bullets” per batch (the previous model, only made nine). According to the brand, it’s capable of making up to 360 ice bullets on a single charge.
Preorder the FlexTail Evo Icer on Kickstarter and get a 46% discount ($299). Visit FlexTail’s website to learn more.
Preorder on KickstarterWhen you’re running or biking outdoors, you need a wide field of view, high-quality lenses that give you visual precision, UV protection, and durability. Of course, it doesn’t hurt if they look fly as hell too.
Optic Nerve brought all of that to the table with its new FixiePHENOM photochromatic sunglasses ($150).
Buy NowBear deterrent is a necessity when you’re backpacking, hunting, hiking, or camping anywhere in bear country. The only problem? Often there isn’t a convenient way to attach the canister to yourself. So, a lot of people end up putting that line of defense inside their backpack — totally out of reach if they need to grab it quickly.
The Frontiersman Bear Spray Belt from Sabre ($26) addresses that issue. It’s essentially a waistband that features a stretchy waterproof pouch that holds your bear deterrent snugly in place and quickly within reach when you’re out on the trail. It also has a zippered pocket for stashing keys or other valuables, a storage case for a cellphone, and a loop ring for a flashlight, compass, or whatever else you hang on it.
It’s compatible with 7.9-ounce and 9.2-ounce bear spray canisters, and adjustable to fit 28-inch to 45-inch waists.
Buy NowAdventure vans are all the rage right now, but they don’t just have to be for recreation. After 73 years of vehicle upfitting, no one knows that better than the folks at VanDoIt. Some of the commercial vans VanDoIt builds are used for disaster relief support, mobile offices, ski rental vans, tour vans, and even law enforcement or mobile therapy vans. And of course, the vans used for those purposes can also be used for recreation when they aren’t on the clock.
This year, VanDoIt debuted its new Rep Van build at OR Summer 2023. It’s a floor plan designed specifically for businesses that want a modular, mobile vehicle. Built on a cargo chassis, the Rep Van contains a platform desk along the driver wall, a T-track installed with space for up to eight monitors, overhead shelving, and a single bed that can be become flush with the passenger wall to open up more space.
VanDoIt says the Rep Van build is ideal for any traveler who needs “to display and store product, work remotely, and travel easily.” Contact VanDoIt if you or your business needs a custom commercial adventure vehicle. They can build a Rep Van to your exact needs and specifications.
Contact VanDoItUsing your own lungs to fill up an inflatable sleeping pad is so old-school. Today, lots of people use hand pumps or electric pumps to do the heavy lifting. Flex Tails Tiny Pump 2X takes it to the next level, though, offering three functions in one device. Not only do they pump air at 180 L per minute, but they also vacuum it at the same rate (for deflation) and even have a 400-lumen light to function as a camp lantern.
At just 2.3 inches tall and 96 g, these pumps will easily fit in your camping gear tote, bag, or backpack. They also feature a magnet that makes them easy to attach to anything metal.
Buy NowHunting treasure never gets old; it only gets easier as the tools of the trade get better with technology. And few companies out there are making metal detectors like Minelab.
The brand started in Australia making its high-end detectors for gold prospecting, treasure hunting, and landmine clearance. Its products are rugged, functional, and designed with different search modes for parks, beaches, or open fields. You can switch frequencies, and search for items at varying depths, and many of its detectors are waterproof for easy use in ocean or river water.
The Xterra Pro and Equinox series of metal detectors are new from the brand this year with a host of slick new technologies and features that make finding lost keys, jewelry, gold nuggets, or historical relics easier than ever.
Shop MinelabClassic wheelbarrows are great — they do the job — but the technology behind them really hasn’t advanced much since they were invented. At least, not until the folks at PolyMule took a swing at reinventing the proverbial wheel(barrow).
The PolyMule is hands down the most advanced tote we’ve ever seen. It can hold 1,000 pounds, is hitch-compatible to be towed by an ATV, and can be linked together with other PolyMules in a daisy chain. It has an uphill assist so you can push it up a slope without it rolling backward, airless tires, and 20.5 inches of clearance, and it’s built to take a beating. For hunting, camping, yardwork, or home projects, the PolyMule will put any other tote to shame.
Preorder NowWe’re all familiar with down sleeping bags. But a mixed wool-down sleeping bag? Now that’s the kind of thing that piques the curiosity. And it’s exactly what the young Bavarian brand Grüezi specializes in.
Grüezi started making its bags solely out of mountain sheep wool in 2015. And people were very pleased with their performance, comfort, and warmth. But that wasn’t enough for founder Markus Wiesböck. He wanted to offer all of that, in a package that was also packable. So, he developed a new form of insulation — DownWool — which blended the benefits of both types of insulation.
Today, Grüezi makes a whole line of bags and jackets that feature this innovative insulation. Its bags have won tons of awards, including several ISPO and Outdoor Industry awards. You can shop the entire collection of bags, outerwear, and apparel on the company’s website.
Preorder NowThe post Future Gear: Exciting New Products for 2023 and Beyond appeared first on GearJunkie.
]]>Everything overheard in those days. German on the streets, my mother and my father on the phone. They’re only children. My mother, Philip, and I: three bodies stuck inside the bright-yellow cage of a phone booth. He was in Bosnia on assignment. Assigned to what? We didn’t know. We were only children. We knew far away; we knew war-torn; we knew 10 days, maybe two weeks, maybe more. We knew we had moved to Berlin earlier that summer and turned a page we could no longer turn back.
The flight home to Toronto was a year away, a lifetime in our little lives. By August I’d stopped wishing for the rec center and its too-chlorinated pool, for the park near our house and the counselors who brought us there, those miraculously stoned 14-year-olds, letting us climb on the monkey bars and making us necklaces out of marigolds and calling it “camp.” I missed my best friend Eva, but not as much as I’d thought. And even when I missed her, I liked it, my missing, this nothing the same anymore, this everything suddenly in the past tense. I had been made for the habit of missing, living out of a single suitcase with the same four T-shirts and two pairs of soccer shorts, the one jean dress, which I wore only because it made my mother smile, the same way she smiled when she looked at herself in the mirror, a smile equal measures modesty and conceit. The smile of a discerning woman. I lived for those smiles, the rare exception of them; we all did.
It was my brother, Philip, 18 months older, who had a hard time of it. He would turn 13 that summer but had started wetting his bed like a much younger boy. Not every night, no, but once and then again and then again. Back at home, I might have let myself enjoy it, even gloat a little. He who could do nothing wrong, he who had been everyone’s favorite, my mother’s particular pet. But here, instead, I sat on the foldout chair in the kitchen of the cavernous short-term-rental apartment and watched as my mother stuffed the soiled single sheet into the too-small washing machine and turned to me with her index finger to her lips, lifting her coal-dark eyebrows, and I thought about how I was being asked to keep a secret all the time now.
One evening, waking up uneasy, aware of something happening just outside my reach—moving out of bed with the inevitability of a dream. My mother on the patio, cigarette in her mouth, like the movie star she was not. I let out a little yelp. Her words, their sound escaping my mouth, How could you? She looked surprised, although less alert than I would have thought; stubbed the cigarette out on the balcony railing, and came over to me, smelling of a stranger, cigarettes and something else, a new smell blossoming from somewhere deep. When she tucked me back in, she pointed to the other sliver of bed where my brother slept, his face contorted and red; Stumm, she whispered, our favorite German word. Our second secret. My brother’s bad habit and hers. She was training me, I was beginning to understand, to store them away.
In the daytime, walking in the Tiergarten. My brother’s mouth pressed to the spout of a water fountain, my mother not even saying don’t. The junkies sitting around the entrance of the Zoologischer Garten, girls not much older than me, with their agitated German shepherds barking at their own tails. I asked my mother why the dogs were like that, and she told me fleas reflexively, and I thought about the tiniest facts and how adults accrued them, how many there were that I had yet to encounter. How would I ever catch up?
Every evening, sharing an ice-cream cone from the Häagen-Dazs on Kurfürstendamm, my mother not even complaining about the tourist prices. With my father away, bills were dispensed from the neat stack in my mother’s wallet like a magic trick, ta-da, not a perpetual rummaging in deep pockets, coins jangling, my father’s nervous habit. You’re in Europe now, he’d warned us when we’d arrived at Tegel Airport. We needed to keep an eye on prices and remember the exchange rate, which could sneak up on us at any moment. My brother perked up then, literal-minded as he was, terrified of those calculations, the exponential dangers of being abroad. My father, before leaving on assignment, had even loaned him his cheap Casio calculator. No matter where we went, Philip set to converting the price of each purchase from deutsche marks into Canadian dollars, even though the currencies were nearly on par.
How many phone conversations inside those yellow phone booths, with the playing-card-size ads for call girls papering every side? My mother calling Realtors in German that sounded like her native French—a language she had always kept from us—those guttural sounds made pert and pinched in her mouth. Breasts everywhere. In ads on the U-Bahn and plastered to buildings and construction fencing. The Beate Uhse Erotik Museum taking up an entire city block, with its displays of tasseled and G-stringed mannequins. One night, on our way back from ice cream, two women—girls, really—waiting in their miniskirts and go-go boots by a lamppost, their eyes surveying the road. I stopped and looked: a car slowing down, a beat-up shoebox with a man inside it with an ugly mustache, the woman looking to one side and then the other, and then her head dropping down to meet the mustache. A strangely elegant dance. My mother telling me, Don’t stare. I couldn’t tell if she disapproved of the scene, or if she didn’t want to make its actors feel uncomfortable. She didn’t seem to mind about anything in those days, or her minding was different, a kind of loose minding I’d always envied in other mothers.
And then, not a secret anymore. She smoked continually, inside the house and in the café under the arches of Savignyplatz, where she drank not one, but two cappuccinos in a row, always identical in their stout white ceramic cup and saucer and delivered by a waiter in a tux. We must have made a funny trio: my mother and I, our hair dark as ink; my brother, a redhead like our father, with his little calculator, waving my mother’s smoke away. Hot chocolate mit Sahne in a glass mug for me, with its dollop of whipped cream floating luxuriously at the top. Philip ordered strictly Coca-Colas, refusing orange Fanta, which I knew he liked. He boycotted everything German, with his Canadian flag sewn onto his backpack.
This was West Berlin. 1996. My mother not yet 35, the age I am now. We never went to the east in those days. Only my father went on assignment. Berlin had been reunified, but you couldn’t have guessed it from the way we lived. The few expats we’d been put in touch with all lived in the West. The John F. Kennedy Schule, where we would be attending fifth and sixth grade in September, was in the West, in leafy Zehlendorf.
My father had explained to us before we moved: He had been posted by his newspaper to track Berlin’s reconstruction, the country’s reunification. But I didn’t think the city needed rebuilding. It was beautiful, broken as it was. We had gone to see the Wall during our first week. Our father had briefed us before the visit, given us a loose chronology of the Cold War, shown us pictures from the fall: Berliners from the west and east dancing on the Wall’s thick lip. Fall seemed a passive word when it came to all those people wanting the same thing at the exact same time.
Back at home, when we were alone together, my father spoke to me almost continuously. He spoke and I listened. On the way to dance class and soccer practice, on the way to the supermarket, and to sleepovers at Eva’s. He never seemed to mind that I was a child. He spoke to me the same way he spoke to his few adult friends, to the people he interviewed over the phone. I don’t think he knew how else to speak to me. He was the kind of parent who seemed perplexed by the lives of the young, as though he had never had a childhood. He retained facts with exquisite precision.
It was odd, then, that he should love my mother, who appeared in her very nature like the opposite of a fact one might retain. Or maybe it was this—her counterfactuality—that had drawn him to her in the first place. When my father was with her, he spoke quietly, in a choppy and informational way. They did not argue, or if they did, did not allow us to overhear. But it was impossible not to notice the way her mood might shift irretrievably in his presence, the skin around her jaw tightening, the divot between her eyes deepening, her body becoming more rigid and upright—all of the physical cues she gave my father to keep his distance, his hushed compliance. I wished, in those moments, for my father to be a different kind of husband, one who might tease her, might take her out of herself, but I think he had a great respect for a person’s inborn right to her inborn seriousness. And there was complicity between them; I saw that too. The distance she demanded and his careful maintenance of it created a world unto itself, just large enough to house the two of them.
We were waiting for our furniture and the rest of our clothes. We had packed light, hoping the shipping container would arrive in a few weeks. But it had been six now; the first apartment we’d planned to move into had fallen through. Fallen through what?
And so we visited dozens of apartments. At first, the three of us: my mother, my brother, and I. When my brother said he’d had enough of snooping around other people’s stuff—It’s weird, he told us accusingly, as though we were enjoying it too much—my mother and I went alone. There were those apartments so emptied of life, so generic, that it was impossible to imagine reviving them with our presence. But there were also apartments so palatial, so bohemian, with their open-planned kitchens and proliferations of glass jars—delicate strands of black tea, swirls of pasta—so nakedly not ours.
We spent a few days in Charlottenburg, seeing apartments there, but I knew that they were beyond the budget the newspaper had set. My mother, under the spell of the stately apartments, the ornate moldings, the high ceilings, acted as though money was of little concern, agreeing on the spot to move into a quiet apartment with a marble-counter-topped kitchen. But that evening, a rare fight erupted between my parents over the telephone, and the next day we had to bow out of the lease. Mein mann, my mother gave, in her rudimentary German, as an excuse. Mann meant “man” and “husband” at the same time. I found this strange, that one should imply the other. I had no intention, even then, of ever being anyone’s frau.
Later, my mother picking clothes out for us at the C&A department store with her version of exuberance, moving easily through the aisles, plucking items off the rack. I loved my mother best in these moments, when I coasted on the wake of her decisiveness, her confident tastes. Cute, my mother said, when I came out of the changing room wearing a tight ribbed polo with white jean shorts. She arranged my collar, tucked a strand of hair behind my ear, very cute. Philip told me I looked weird, but when I asked him why, he said, You just do. Like a weirdo. He had always been sweet before, shielding me as best he could from the bullying I had endured in our middle school in Toronto. But he brooded all the time now.
I could tell from the Turkish families and sturdy German grandmothers wearing floral housecoats that the store was not fancy. My mother loved to shop, but she only bought refined pieces for herself, keeping the habit of luxury her own. In our first week without my father, she had bought a pair of sunglasses for 175 Deutschmarks, followed by a silk blouse for 250. The boutique’s attendant, a young giraffe of a woman with a liar’s gap, had said, Sehr, sehr schön, commenting on my mother’s silhouette. My mother had looked in the full-length mirror in the way she did in those days, with a coy self-satisfaction that seemed like a secret she kept stored up only for herself.
From time to time, after the purchase of the blouse, I would go to her room, find the stiff bag hanging behind the door, visit the crinkly paper, touch the shirt’s almost impossible weightlessness. I didn’t care about clothes; I cared about her, how she would look in them, how she would feel in them. She had told me, on the way back to the apartment, where my brother sat plastered to the couch watching a recorded episode of Melrose Place, not to tell him or my father about what she’d bought.
Rainy days spent on the low couch watching the TV shows Eva had recorded for me onto VHS as a parting gift. Philip watching alongside, not even complaining that they were mostly soap operas. Mom reading and smoking on the balcony, not minding what we did. In the early afternoons, she went out and came back with groceries: supermarket potato salad and cold cuts for lunch and frozen pizzas and a salad for dinner, as if she had forgotten how to cook. At home, she had cooked every meal for us, garlic-stewed lamb sprinkled with immaculately chopped parsley, effortless salads bright with lemon and olive oil, nut cakes soaked in orange-blossom syrup, miraculously light, all recipes she’d learned from her Sephardic mother, my grandmother, whom my brother and I had met only twice—both visits so short, it had been impossible to glean more than the fact that she was opposite to my mother: loud, and thickset, and so aggressively affectionate that Philip had burst into tears when she’d squeezed him goodbye.
When the apartment in Charlottenburg fell through, we stopped looking for a place to live. We’ll let your dad do the digging when he gets back, my mother said, with a wry lilt. I knew that our sublet was ending in just a couple of weeks, but I said nothing, following her lead, as I always did. My father had been gone for three weeks, nearly four, and we no longer counted down the days. At night, I heard my brother crying, and instead of asking him what was wrong, I let him. We were each, it seemed, in our new confinement, in our new closeness, entirely on our own.
After the rain, a period of surprising heat. We peeled ourselves from the couch, took the U-Bahn to the Olympic swimming pool in Spandau. The place was packed with families. Bodies young and old on display. Philip grew red, chin down, eyes at his feet. We found a rare spot of unoccupied grass, where we lay our brittle bath towels. My mother on her belly, back to the sun. I bent down and undid the straps; I didn’t need to be asked. I found her handbag and took out the suntan lotion and squeezed the cream into my hands. Gross, Philip said, in his perpetual embarrassment, looking down at his Game Boy. The cream was cold against my hot hands; I massaged until the sunscreen disappeared into her back, hoping it might last longer, giving me something to do while I was here, letting me stay with my mother’s familiar body, rather than the dozens of others calling my attention nearby.
Old men with their enormous, globular bellies. Girls in their teens smoking nearby, no adult intervening. I never wanted to leave. When our father had told us that we would be moving to Berlin, he had said four years, and that had seemed like an eternity. I had cradled the telephone for hours in my room, crying to Eva, planning ways I might stay with her family in Toronto. But four years now seemed too few. I would be 15 then, just as old as those girls over there. We had been inseparable, Eva and I, but I no longer missed her. It seemed that I had been carrying on with her because I hadn’t yet known about the world, all the other people in it.
Then, Sabine. Not the first day at the pool but the second. At first, just a stranger on a towel a few meters away from mine, topless, me trying not to stare. Oblong nipples, dark and distended like stretched-out full moons. My mother, with one eye open, only half-listening to what Sabine was saying—she had started talking without a greeting, a stranger on a towel next to mine, our sudden intimacy, no introduction necessary. Philip, playing Tetris, pretending, successfully, not to care. Sabine was tan with an unevenly cut bob, no doubt something she’d fashioned on her own. She had hairy armpits; I tried not to look at those either. I’d never seen hair there on a woman before, but it had the same illicit urgency as the dark triangles in the pornos passed around at school. Sabine wanted to know where we were from; she had heard us speaking English. She had spent, she told me, a year in Wisconsin as a teenager on exchange and it was the most beautiful place in the world. Have you been? she asked, as if I were not an 11-year-old child. I told her I hadn’t, but that it seemed like one of those places that had more livestock than people in it, the kind of comment I’d heard my father make in the past. Laughter, hers, deep and from the belly, You’re funny. It’s good to have a sense of humor in your age, which made me blush. I wanted, from then on, above all else, to make Sabine smile, to make her laugh. Sabine spoke English well, save for her prepositions, which made the whole world, in her mouth, a little askew.
My mother and Sabine spoke for a while and I could sense that my mother was glad to finally be speaking English again, to be having a conversation with someone other than me. Back home, my mother had always been entirely self-reliant, the kind of mother who didn’t easily make friends with the other mothers or the neighbors or her colleagues at work. But she and Sabine got along immediately. Or Sabine spoke and my mother listened.
We spent the afternoon together. Sabine, we learned quickly, was a student at the university, and still, at age 29, working on her undergraduate degree in sociology. Looking back on it now, my mother must have envied Sabine this freedom, to study at the university for so many years without financial pressure. My mother had completed only the first two years of a degree in business administration before leaving Montreal for a summer job in the offices of an insurance company in Toronto. She’d met my father and stayed on, closed the door on her life before him.
Sabine had an ease about her, so that when we got up from our towels to walk back to the U-Bahn, so did she, and instead of taking it in the direction of her apartment, she jumped onto our line, and spoke to us until we’d arrived at our stop, and then, as if it were the most natural thing, walked us all the way to the door of our apartment building. I could tell Philip found this infuriating, as he always did when other people tried to burst our sacred family bubble. My mother and I watched her with rapt attention, and for the first time since we had arrived in the strange city, we both felt taken care of. We made plans to see one another again the next day, or Sabine suggested it and my mother agreed. And just like that, Sabine was in our lives. Sabine, of the loose-fitting skirts and tops, breasts—untethered, outlined by a silk camisole—that I couldn’t help but track, shifting beneath her shirt as she moved, as she talked. Her smell like baby powder, and something botanical, the smell of all drugstores here, a scent that I would later come to think of simply as Germany.
Trips to the Checkpoint Charlie Museum and the Fernsehturm and the Pergamon Museum were swiftly deemed boring by Sabine. Instead, a walking tour of all of the apartments she’d either lived in or thought of living in, and the ones her boyfriends and close friends had lived in too. This is where I lost my virginity, she informed us, pointing to a white-and-pink facade on a sunny street in Moabit. He was sleeping inside a bed, you know, that is close with the ceiling, so it was not a very good idea, she explained. A mezzanine, my mother providing the English word whenever Sabine couldn’t find it. How old were you? My mother asked. Thirteen, Sabine said tonelessly. My mother must have found this very young, but she said nothing. Instead, she smiled, Sabine looping her arm in hers and continuing the tour. And that is where we broke up, she said, pointing to the intersection of two broad boulevards nearby. Sabine had a way of making it seem like a life, for being one’s own, was worthy of commemoration.
My mother never spoke about her own life this way, even though I knew hers had been an interesting one, full of rupture and self-definition. The fact of her, her past, always just beyond our reach, a living mystery. Why, I’d asked my father earlier that year, did we only rarely visit our grandparents in Montreal, or did our mother ignore calls from her sisters, who seemed, from the photographs at least, lively and sweet? My father had simply said, Your mother is a very complicated woman, as if we were two men sharing in our private language, in our incomprehension.
We must have met Frank soon after that. Frank was, Sabine explained, her partner, a word I had only ever heard used in the context of business or crime. Frank—with his tight jeans and stringy, greasy dirty-blond hair, eyes blue and nearly cruel, a tiny gold hoop in his left ear—looked more like a criminal than a businessman. He smoked constantly, a brown stain where the filter hit the front tooth. He smelled too, of stale cigarettes and body odor, and something else, pine maybe, which was meant to mask it. On warm days, it only intensified the smell of his sweat.
Frank, we pieced together from his digressive, elliptical storytelling, was from a town in the former East, a cow farm, where he’d grown up a strict Catholic. I grew up in the Scheisse, he liked to say, laughing, always looking at me when he made the joke, even though it was my mother’s response that he tracked afterward. And I wasn’t one of these guys who wanted to come to the West: America, Bruce Springsteen, that kind of thing. I miss it every day. And then Sabine would say something in German, just to him, something that sounded to me unspeakably technical, that I could not associate with love or romance. Yet Frank would respond, in English now, But of course, I would not know Sabine, and they would kiss—open and lingering and a little bit wet. Philip looking at his feet, my mother unfazed, as though the woman who’d spent our childhoods placing her hands over our eyes whenever an intimate scene came onto our small television screen had been suddenly replaced.
Philip disliked Frank right away. I don’t know why we’re spending time with that trash, he said one morning, when my mother had made plans for us to spend the whole day with Sabine and Frank. I didn’t know you to be such a snob, my mother said, slapping him lightly across the face. She seemed as taken aback as we were by the gesture; she and Philip had been inseparable back home. In Toronto, it was in my brother’s presence that my mother had been happiest, most at ease. But there was no question of canceling our plans. The day trip to Treptower Park had been Frank’s idea; he was appalled, although not especially surprised, he let us know, by how conservative we’d been in our explorations of the city’s former East.
That afternoon, Frank, as though aware of Philip’s objections to his personality, seemed set on taunting him with it. On the walk to the S-Bahn station from our apartment, he teased Philip about his near-empty backpack. Each time we passed a phone booth or a vending machine, he made a show of sticking two fingers into the coin dispenser to check for stray change. Frank finally found a deutsche mark coin in a cigarette machine and, unbeknownst to Philip, stuck it in the front pocket of his backpack, winking at me as he did. Frank must have been feeling lucky, because when my mother took our tickets out from her wallet so that Philip could validate them—one of Philip’s few remaining pleasures—Frank grabbed her gently by the arm, intercepting the exchange. We were tourists, Americans, he explained. Canadians, Philip mumbled. Certainly, Frank continued, we could get away with saying we didn’t understand German if a ticket inspector came onto the train. And if you get the fine, I pay it, Frank said. And if you don’t get inspected, you give me the tickets. Sabine rolled her eyes; Philip glared at Frank. Of course, there was nothing fair about the offer, but my mother looked at Frank and smiled, satisfied with the terms. It’s a deal, she said, a girlish glint in her eye. It was a long journey—11 stops—my stomach tight the entire time, picturing the moment we’d get caught, what would come afterward. We would have to tell my father, explain to him what we’d done: We had not paid the fare, on a dare. Why would you do such a thing? he would ask us, with the tone of moral incredulity he used whenever questions of civic responsibility, of personal integrity—however minor—were at stake.
Inspections were frequent, but we got lucky that day. At the Treptower Park Station, my mother deposited the unused tickets into Frank’s expectant palm; he slipped them into the back pocket of his jeans and said, Schönen Dank! My mother did not look dejected. She appeared light, celebratory, even, as though she had gotten away with something too. From then on, Philip called Frank and Sabine “The Scheissters,” and to show my solidarity, I called them that too, even though I didn’t think it was fair that Sabine should be absorbed into the insult.
Frank called me Frank, even though my name was Frances, Frankie to my family and to Eva. But Frank thought it was too much of a coincidence that our names should be so similar, and so he shortened my name and made it into his own. I didn’t mind having a new name in this new place and so I didn’t complain. I neither liked nor disliked Frank. I merely saw him for what he was: a man, not my father, who was suddenly always there.
I had never seen a man’s body so close up, not even my father’s. Frank invited us to look at his in a way I understood women usually did, his T-shirts tight and worn so that we could make out his chest, lean and muscular, the veins pulsing down his arms as he moved, his limbs long and articulated. He had a strangely narcotic effect on my mother, so that when he spoke, she watched, impassive, until a languid smile emerged, which seemed to connect her to some internal circuit board.
Frank was a journalist too, he explained, but not the kind your father is, he told me, putting his arm around my shoulders and squeezing. I write about politics and ideas in newspapers you or your father probably haven’t heard of. I wanted to tell him that my father had ideas too. He was the smartest man I knew. In these moments, I forced myself to remember my father—the sprinkling of freckles on his fair arms, his hair a funny russet mop that puffed up when it got too long—as though doing so would help my mother remember him fondly too.
They liked me, Sabine and Frank, immediately, and treated me, it strikes me now, like my mother’s Mann. Do you two eat wurst? The two of them asked us one afternoon, as if my mother and I had the same taste in everything, excluding Philip from their questions, their attention, as they had learned to do. We both nodded, yes, which surprised me; I had never seen my mother eat pork before. Although she had disavowed nearly every part of her upbringing, she had always drawn the line at eating pork.
And so, one afternoon at the Imbiss in the hot August light, my mother eating an entire bratwurst, drinking not one but two cans of beer. Frank offering his own freshly opened Schultheiss to Philip, whom he insisted on speaking to in German, Musst du es probieren—You have to try it. My brother looking up at my mother: a nod, or even just a lack of one. A sip, lips pursed, and then another slug, and then another. You like it? Frank asked. My brother shrugged but took another gulp and burped loudly. Everyone, including my mother, laughed. Frank was the one to say, Ja, enough, before grabbing the half-finished beer with his thick fingers and drinking the rest of it himself. Did I see it then? Philip’s particular pleasure? Some special unlocking of genetic proclivity? Or maybe Frank, like any good con artist, simply knew exactly what each of us wanted before we ourselves had figured it out.
Sabine was our self-appointed teacher, our cultural liaison. Children in Berlin, we learned, took the U-Bahn alone to get to school, often before they could even read, and so they would count the stops on their fingers. It’s normal, she’d say of anything that seemed strange to us. What Sabine found abnormal was that we had never visited Wisconsin. How could we have missed the most beautiful place in the world? One afternoon at Wannsee, while my mother and brother were off swimming, Sabine asked me if I’d ever smoked a cigarette, and when I told her no, she looked at me as though that was not normal either and then said: You should try everything once; then you can take your decision. Otherwise, you’ll always be like everyone else, letting them decide for you. I hated, above all else, disappointing Sabine, and so I vowed, privately, to take her advice seriously.
That evening, at the apartment, my brother and I sunburned and tired, my mother unpacking our beach bag immediately, as she always did. Philip sent to the kitchen to turn the oven on for our frozen pizza, our mother looking around frantically in her beach bag. I don’t believe it. I had them all afternoon, she said, looking at me, as though I would know exactly what she meant. I was certain I packed them up. Do you remember, Frankie? she asked me. My sunglasses, she clarified, impatiently. I tried to piece the day together in my mind. But I couldn’t picture the sunglasses or their leather case, just the faded spray roses of Sabine’s old bedsheet; Sabine cross-legged, quizzing us from my mother’s German-word book, the tanned, chubby look of her toes, painted a surprising pink; Sabine’s sunscreen, her open pack of paprika chips; Philip nearby, on his own towel, reading a comic book; Sabine stuffing the sheet into her Kaiser’s supermarket tote bag, smiling at me. Maybe Sabine put them in her bag when she was packing up? I offered. Maybe, my mother said, but I could tell this was not a version of the story that she liked, the answer she wanted. She furrowed her brow, moved away from me. Maybe someone took them on the U-Bahn, she said, not looking at me. We won’t tell your brother they’re missing, okay? But she didn’t have to worry about that.
The next afternoon, at the Hackescher Hof with Sabine, white tablecloths and gold-stenciled columns, spaetzle for lunch, little worms wriggling around in a butter sauce. I waited for my mother to bring up the missing sunglasses. Instead, when the sun became too bright, she shielded her eyes with her hand. Want to switch seats? Sabine asked. Oh no, I’m fine, my mother answered. I forgot my sunglasses, she offered up, a lie uttered so effortlessly, I wondered how many others she’d told in her life. I never wear sunglasses, Sabine offered up. It’s too much of a, how do you call it, a curtain, with me and the world.
When the check came, my mother was still in the bathroom, and I watched as Sabine moved it toward my mother’s side of the table, not even trying to hide the gesture from me. I nearly asked about the sunglasses, but then I remembered: I was only a child. When my mother returned, Sabine rose and went to the restroom as my mother placed the cash down for the meal, as she nearly always did with Frank and Sabine. I knew that they believed us to be rich, and my mother had done nothing to disabuse them of that impression; no doubt, she enjoyed the fantasy too. I had the thought, not for the first time since we’d moved, that if adults knew just what children really saw and understood, they would not act as though they were alone when children were around.
Back at the apartment that afternoon, my mother took me aside and told me, I think I know what happened to the sunglasses. I remember feeling a little tug at my shoulder on the U-Bahn. But I remembered it differently: On our journey back to the apartment, she had been standing with Sabine, gripping the pole, and had placed the beach bag with its large opening on Philip’s lap. He’d attended to it with his usual vigilance; there was no way anything could have been stolen under his watchful eye. But when I tried to say as much, my mother changed the subject.
Our sublet expired, and we moved into the Holiday Inn near the Gedächtniskirche. My father had been gone for five weeks by then, and his voice had started to sound, over the telephone, like a recording of itself. Soon, Frankie. They need me here. I love you. Take care of your mom. Philip had stopped speaking to him altogether. You’re going to hurt your father, my mother told him, but Philip just shrugged, not looking up from his Game Boy. Under regular circumstances, my mother would have complained about the hotel—the cheap floral bed covering, the bathroom with its bleach smell—but she took the unexpected move in her stride. On our first day there, she let us mope around in our pajamas all day watching NBC, the only English-speaking channel on the hotel TV, eating Haribo Smurfs and drinking Fanta straight from the bottle. She came in and out, running errands, smelling of cigarettes and her new perfume. We didn’t have many traveler’s checks left. My mother hid her trips to the exchange bureau from Philip and often asked me to stay behind with him while she went out to get more cash. When she returned, she put me in charge of placing the money pouch back into the bedside drawer when Philip wasn’t looking. I wondered what would happen when my father returned and found out that his cost-of-living allowance was being spent on dinners and drinks with Sabine and Frank, as well as other luxuries my mother had permitted herself in his absence. There was the bottle of perfume purchased at the Parfümerie Douglas while Philip and I waited outside; the pair of trousers to match the blouse at the small boutique; linen placemats and a delicate ceramic bowl she’d bought at a craft fair, first for herself, and then, when Sabine had suggested that she too liked the pairing, for her as well. My mother, I knew, had always kept a separate bank account, her own, where she saved half of her monthly paycheck from the insurance company, but this was not the money she was spending in Berlin. She had told me once, in a rare moment of maternal advice: Remember, Frankie, a woman always needs her own money. You never know what might happen between two people. It was true, I didn’t know, and yet I suspected it; with my mother, talk of relationships had always thrummed with a certain threat.
As a treat for Philip’s birthday, we bought a large jar of Skippy peanut butter, Kraft Dinner, and individual-size boxes of Corn Pops and Frosted Flakes, all priced as luxury goods in the KaDeWe food department. I was put in charge, before we went on this shopping spree, while Philip brushed his teeth and my mother smoked a cigarette outside, of removing the calculator from Philip’s bag. I found them then: my mother’s sunglasses, wedged in the inside pocket of Philip’s weightless backpack, not missing at all. I moved swiftly, still focused on my original mission. I placed the calculator in the bedside table, next to the laminated room-service menu and the money belt, and zipped closed the knapsack, laying it on its side, as it had been before I’d picked it up. I left the sunglasses exactly where I’d found them; I could be decisive, hide the truth as well as any adult.
Later, watching Philip in the imported-foods aisle, I was glad I had not told my mother. Philip seemed so at ease among the garish packaging, the familiar brands—his birthday homecoming—ignoring the prices, not even reaching for the calculator in his backpack. Although he was officially a year older, 13 now, his age seemed incidental. He was so much younger than me, in need of my protection, my secrecy. A few days later, feeling around for the sunglasses while Philip was still asleep—my mother gone to the bakery—I was surprised to find that the pocket where the sunglasses had been was now empty. I looked around in his suitcase, under his bed, in the pocket of his fleece, his windbreaker, but I couldn’t find them anywhere.
One evening, Frank and Sabine visiting our hotel room, their singularity at odds with the drab interior. Sabine sitting cross-legged, at home wherever there was a floor. Frank messing with the remote control. My mother wearing a pretty dress, mixing drinks on the varnished hotel-issued desk, as though she were hosting a cocktail party. A strange scene: this North-American family, father missing, with a 20-something German couple in the Holiday Inn Berlin Kudamm, 99 Deutschmarks a night, with a discount for a week, which my mother had negotiated by speaking to not two but three different employees. I had been relieved to watch her do it, to find that perhaps she had not, in fact, entirely forgotten about our father, about us. I wondered where our father would have settled if he’d been there that evening, but I couldn’t picture his body in the scene. The only person in the room tethering us back to him was Philip; I could tell Philip thought we were fickle, that our loyalties were cheap.
Ice, my mother indicated to Philip and me, passing me the plastic bucket. Philip took a while to snap to attention, but then my mother raised an eyebrow and we slinked out of bed into the hallway. We raced to the elevator in our flip-flops, tripping a little as we did. We fought to press the button. I won, as I always did, and then we fought, too, to press down on the lever of the ice machine. But I let Philip do the honors, knowing he needed the win more than I did, the sense of temporary power: the ice clattering, the loud whoosh, the release.
On the way back to the room, we didn’t race but walked slowly instead. Philip looked so sad, I wanted to shove him, or to slap him, as my mother had just a few weeks before, so he could come back to us, be my older brother again. I knew that he hated Frank and Sabine, hated their presence in our room, hated the way they acted upon our mother, and upon me. He missed our father and the normalcy his presence would have necessarily restored. He missed our beat-up minivan. He missed baseball practice. He missed our neighbor’s dog, a dachshund who always slunk right up to him, licking his open palm. I knew all of this without him saying a word. Why didn’t I miss these things too? I put my hand on his shoulder, just as Frank was in the habit of doing with me. Philip let me keep it there longer than expected before pushing it away. Don’t be a weirdo, he said. I could see, from the side, that his cheeks were gleaming pink; he was crying.
We had forgotten the key and so when we got back to the locked door, we knocked and waited, wondering, after some time, if we’d gotten the room number wrong. My mother finally arrived, slightly flushed, her hair down. She smiled at us; Willkommen, she said, as though we were late arrivals to her party. She was a little bit drunk, her eyes darker than usual. She looked young, like the photographs I’d seen of her from the period when she and my father had first met; she’d been only 19 then. Frank lying on his back, using a paper clip to clean his fingernails. Sabine, armed with my mother’s comb, returning to the activity we’d interrupted: braiding my mother’s dark mass of wavy hair. My mother was very proud and protective of her hair, and I had never once seen another person, not even my father, touch it. In Toronto, she had cut her own bangs and trimmed her own split ends. Sabine wet her comb in the glass and glided it through my mother’s long hair. My mother sighed with pleasure, and I had the urge to turn the volume up on the television. When Sabine was halfway done, she brought my mother to the mirror, and I heard Sabine say, You have such nice eyebrows. My mother demurred, said something about missing the woman who waxed them back home. That’s normal? Sabine asked.
For my 11th birthday, earlier that year, my mother had taken me to that very aesthetician; she had waxed my legs and the three lone hairs under my armpits, the small shadow above my lip, the hair between my eyebrows. My mother had made the appointment for me; driven me to the small salon, in a strip mall in a part of town I’d never been to; sat on a chair beside me as I squirmed in my underwear beneath the stranger’s tender efficiency. When I had started to cry, my mother had grabbed for my hand, but I’d refused it, finding her touch unbearable. I had the thought for the first time: I am separate; I belong to myself. And aside from thinking that my mother was the most beautiful, the most interesting woman in the world, I hated her a little bit too. I had immediately swallowed these thoughts down. I was a good-natured, loyal child, and it had frightened me, what these thoughts might do, what they might set in motion between us. My mother had said, in the car on the way home, as a kind of apology perhaps, You’ll thank me later, because you’ll never have to shave. She had always been, before this moment, so careful with me. Whatever her mother had been to her—overbearing, intense—she had handled me with an opposite energy. It was as though she were worried that any explicit assertion of her power—to love or to punish—might affirm some similarity between them.
Philip seemed not to take in the scene in the hotel room. He crawled into the nearest bed, tucked himself in with his jeans still on, returned to Super Mario Brothers. Frank propped himself up on his elbows and snapped his fingers at Philip, and said, Hey, man, I think there’s a beer in there, pointing to the mini-fridge. Philip perked up at the mention of the beer, even putting his Game Boy down. Yeah? he said, with his practiced shrug. Ja, Frank said, and set about getting him one. He crawled around my mother and Sabine; I waited for my mother to say something, anything. Surely, she should be the one to say no. But it was Sabine who grabbed Frank by the belt loop as he made his way past her, and I watched as some electric current moved between them, and then a few words spoken in German very quickly—too quickly for me to even hear the words individually—Frank crawling backwards, as if on rewind, head down, looking up at Philip and saying, Sorry, man. When Sabine speaks, you listen; that is the rule. Philip did not say anything or even look at Frank, just back at the tiny screen of his gray console, but I could see the redness that had erupted across his throat. The invitation to have something he might want, and then its retraction, was the exact kind of inconsistency that drove Philip crazy.
I spent the rest of the evening lying in bed with Philip, pretending to watch the German-culture program that was playing on TV. The men were debating something important about the future of the country, but I couldn’t understand what positions each was taking. Just two old men frowning, gesticulating; Frank snorting, swearing on the second bed. My mother sat silently on the floor, back to me and to Sabine, who continued to twist her hair into a braid that looped around the front of her head like a crown. My queen, I had heard my father call my mother on a few occasions, and the idea had embarrassed me, his deference to her, this power she had accrued how, exactly? She sat that evening nearly silently, an emanation, head rocking gently back and forth with the current of Sabine’s hand weaving. It seemed more and more dangerous—her power, her sovereignty—a glass teetering on a table’s edge.
Done with her coiffure, Sabine rose and tapped my hip to indicate that I should move over and settled onto the bed between Philip and me. Philip groaned, but Sabine laid her arms around both of our shoulders and declared: It’s like camp, isn’t it? And we’re like s’mores. I’m the marshmallow. She laughed. I had them once in Wisconsin. So disgusting, right? But, you know, good too, she said to Philip. But he ignored her, so she looked at me, and I said, Yeah, not knowing what else to say. My mother was in the bathroom, and for a moment, I had the thought that if she left us, as I knew some parents did, maybe Sabine could step in and be my mother instead. Yet if my mother left, wouldn’t it be to be with Frank? In which case, Sabine probably wouldn’t want to stick around us, to be reminded of her heartbreak. Or maybe my mom would want to live with both of them like on Melrose Place, where young and attractive people lived near one another, a revolving door of attachments and betrayals—only in this case it would be in Berlin, and there wouldn’t be a pool but an interior courtyard with decrepit bikes and an elaborate system of trash and recycling. The image of my mother, living another life without us in it, was not a new one. How long had I held it? Not a fear exactly, but a queasy interior tug, a thought to avoid just in case thinking it might make it come true. I had always been comforted by a certain attendant superstitious belief: My mother loved Philip far too much to leave our family. He was too precious to her, too dear. But that had been before; now I wasn’t so sure.
When my mother finally came out from the bathroom, she looked taken aback by the arrangement of our bodies. She gestured to the spot on the bed next to Frank, and said to Sabine in a gentle but firm tone, You’ll be more comfortable there, no? Sabine squeezed my shoulder, rose and jumped into the bed next to ours, curling up to Frank like an overgrown cat. He lay his hand instinctively on her soft waist; she made a sound like purring. I missed Sabine, her warmth, her heavy breathing, her thick presence next to mine, so foreign and pleasurable. Instead, Philip’s clammy feet, my mother’s rigid body, kept at a distance from mine. I wanted to grab my mother’s hand, to tell her not to leave us; we were a family. Philip needed her; he wasn’t doing well at all. But I couldn’t get my hand to move over to hers. My arms stayed stuck to my sides, unwilling to cooperate.
Frank asked if they could order room service, and my mother said, Of course, leaning over and opening the side-table drawer, just long enough, I noticed, for Sabine to see, above the laminated menu, the thick money belt—beige and somehow as illicit as a pair of underwear or some exposed part of the body. My mother and I had gone together to cash 1,000 deutsche marks only that afternoon. My mother lay back down, turned over to face us; she put her arm around my waist and tried to reach for Philip too, but he shimmied his body away from ours in revolt. My mother settled on hugging just me. A relief. I could breathe again. Get some sleep, Frankie, she spoke sweetly into my hair, kissed my cheek. You look nice, I said, touching the thick silken plait poised above her forehead.
I must have fallen asleep, because when I opened my eyes, it was morning, and my mother was already dressed, Philip snoring next to me, still wearing his jeans, his face ruddy, his upper lip slick with night sweat; the bed next to ours already made. I bought us some breakfast, my mother said, passing me a brötchen mit Käse right in bed. She looked fresh and concerned, Sabine’s braid still crowning her head but loosened and uneven, a little sad-looking in the light of day. I didn’t have to wait, as I usually did, to piece together what was wrong with her. She whispered to me, It’s gone, pointing to the bedside drawer. They took it, she said. I can’t believe it.
I watched my mother pace the room; I ate my brötchen quietly, letting the seeds fall between the sheets, not even catching them in my cupped hand, as I usually did. Then she sat on the ground at my feet, and I knew what she wanted me to do. I started unplaiting. I worked gently but efficiently, trying not to hurt her tender scalp. As I undid the braid, my mother’s thick hair fell into my hands and I felt it in her, the switch, the split: before and after. I might have said something then, about Philip, the sunglasses, the backpack. But I didn’t. It was her skill, but I could have it too; I already did. To decide: That’s it. To close the door on those people, that phase. To turn the page. I let her do it; I did not intervene. She got up and kissed me on the forehead. You’re a good girl, she said, but I didn’t exactly feel like one.
When the phone rang while she was out—Sabine, no doubt—I didn’t pick up, just as my mother had instructed me. And when Philip asked me what was wrong—had Mom broken up with the Scheissters?—I told him I knew what he’d done. The sunglasses. The money. He didn’t deny it. Give it to me, I said. No, he replied, and so I went into his backpack myself. I was not angry; I was satisfied. What I thought I knew was true. I counted it out loud: 780 Deutschmarks. I didn’t even ask him why. I understood. I thought for a moment, considered the different outcomes. We’ll give it back to her 20 Deutschemarks at a time, I said, as though I really was a Frank after all. I wished Sabine could see me this way, one last time: suave and certain. Making my own decisions. Taking things into my own hands.
How easy it was, just a single phone call. Our father back within two days. I pictured what my mother must have said: We need you. Come home. The kids. He had a concerned, harried look when we first saw him, an uncanny guest in the lobby of our Holiday Inn. He smelled oddly unlike himself, like the airplane and the soap from foreign hotels. The conversation between my parents, when it finally took place, happened in the bathroom of the hotel room. Philip turned the volume up on Jay Leno, but I pressed my ear to the door. She had been robbed, I heard her explain. Robbed? Where? Why hadn’t she told him over the phone? His voice like a branch snapped off in a gust of wind. You’re being very confusing; tell me exactly what happened, Sophie, he said, and I pictured him in there with one of his black-and-white reporter’s notebooks with the coil at the top, just a few words per page in his indecipherable scrawl. And then she told him everything, from the beginning. From the time at the swimming pool, to the Imbiss, to the many walks around Sabine’s neighborhood, to the trip to Treptower Park and the Hackescher Hof. She spoke the facts, the kind my father would be interested in. The exact number of times we had met up with them, the name of the village where Frank had said he was from, the name of the publication he wrote for, the exact amount of money stolen, 780 Deutschmarks. It won’t take me long to find them, he said. It might even make a good story. My mother let out a little inchoate cry. No, Joel. I didn’t hear the rest. The taps were turned on. But I imagine the particular quieting down, the thing that I had never understood—would never understand—between them, a pitch unreachable to anyone else, their quiet acquiescence; in other words, their love, or maybe simply their marriage.
We moved the next day to a cheaper hotel in the Western suburbs and found an apartment more affordable than any of the others we’d looked at. It had a brutalist charmlessness, but a room for each of us, and was walking distance from our school. School was not as different from Toronto as we expected. Every effort was made to shorten the distance between this place and North America, the school’s ethos like sliced bread: comforting but not especially nutritious. Philip made friends quickly there, and I found two boys—the son of a Nigerian diplomat and the son of a Bostonian violinist at the Berlin Philharmonic—who didn’t mind spending time with me. My mother stayed mostly in the apartment, doing penance, although for what, exactly, I wasn’t sure. Philip and I returned the money one 20-deutsche-mark bill at a time, and there was a certain pleasure in watching my mother’s little flash of joy at finding more than she’d thought was hers. When we did venture into Berlin for the odd concert or for an exhibit or to visit some expat my father had been put in touch with, she always wore her prettiest clothes, the silk blouse and trousers from the boutique in Charlottenburg. In them, she had that expectant sense about her, as though at any point she might be recognized.
Our stay in Berlin lasted only one year. My father was called back to Toronto before his posting was over. Budget cuts, the newspaper gave as an explanation. He would make editor within the year. I was not wrong about my mother. She was, I must have sensed it even then, with my child’s prescience, destined for rupture, scorched-earth cycles. Within two years of our return, my parents would be divorced, my mother gone to live in Vancouver with her second husband, an insurance salesman with a face as smooth and supple as a child’s. My brother and I saw her, after that, only during holidays, which merely solidified what she’d always felt like to me: a scarce resource, on loan from another life. I hated her for six months, maybe a year, as any teenager would, but it was a feeling that was impossible, constitutionally speaking, for me to sustain for very long. My father reacted to his heartbreak with a similar composure: He was sad and forlorn until he couldn’t stand to be that way anymore. It was Philip who took the divorce most to heart. He pointed the finger at my father: He had been the one to upend our lives, had been the real absence all along. He pointed the finger at me: I had no character, followed others around like a dog. Philip punished us by disappearing for days at a time, showing up drunk at our high school, getting into fistfights at the smallest slight. It would take him nearly a decade to recover from the bomb my mother’s departure detonated in his fragile life. But that was all much later. That year in Berlin, at least as I remember it now, had the pleasant, suspended quality in our family’s history of an entre-guerre, a détente.
]]>Vacations in the summer months usually involve traveling to warmer destinations where we can just let go and relax. But preparing for any travel can be anything but relaxing.
So here are some fundamental things to consider that can make the whole process less stressful, and actually kind of enjoyable! Once your itinerary is set and you have a fairly good idea of what the weather conditions will be, you’re already half-way there. The events and climate will give you the parameters for what and how much you need to pack.
What causes a lot of anxiety in traveling is those last-minute decisions that often result in making mistakes… resulting in heavy and bulky luggage! So, here’s my main, and what I consider the most helpful, suggestion: start creating your travel wardrobe two weeks before you leave.
If you have one of those handy dandy rolling clothes racks, use it to display the entire wardrobe you plan to pack. If you don’t have one of those racks, designate a portion of your closet to what you plan to bring. You can add or subtract items to the collection during that time, but at least begin the process two weeks in advance.
The reason for this is that your brain starts to connect what you see on that rack every day with how you see yourself at your destination. The length of your trip and the circumstances you will be in will determine what goes on that rack. During that two-week period anything that just doesn’t make sense for your purposes or that doesn’t contribute to the whole image you want to convey will stand out to be eliminated.
It’s not as important to create entire outfits as it is to be sure that the colors you choose coordinate well with each other. That doesn’t mean you have to go for all neutrals, although neutral basics will make your packing easier and your travel less stressful. For variety you can bring along one or two print items. There should just be a feeling of harmony when you look at all the items on the rack.
What this means is that several items will be in the same color and will harmonize with your neutrals. Neutral colored bottoms and accessories – unless you want to add a pop of color in something like espadrilles, a belt, or a small bag, will make creating a whole look easier. A few tops in your favorite colors will make sure you won’t be bored. But frankly, mono color neutral wardrobes are extremely chic and packable.
If you love prints, a striped top or blouse is perfect for a summer day and can work with both blouses and slacks. And a floral printed blouse or a midi dress in a nice print can be dressed up for dinner or down for an afternoon walk through town.
Another possibility is to pack a pair of loose, printed slacks and wear them with a very simple solid color button down blouse. A simple white cotton or linen one would be terrific in this look. Add some gold jewelry and you’re good to go. It’s a very chic and festive look.
Whether you bring both pants and/or skirts, make sure that the tops you choose can be worn with either type of garment, several times, and in multiple ways.
For most of us, the biggest packing conundrum is about which shoes to bring. One woman I know took exactly one pair of shoes with her for a three-week trip to Italy. They were designed for comfort, had a 1 ½” heel, and went with everything she wore. But our feet tend to be happier when we switch to different heights and types of shoes.
So, here’s the first rule of thumb: wear your bulkiest pair for travel. Every travel expert knows this rule. Since sneakers and trainers are fashionable and acceptable everywhere right now, and are often your most comfortable shoes, that can be your bulky pair. Of course, if you are planning to do some serious hiking, heavier-soled shoes will do.
I know we all see a lot of women wearing sandals on an airplane, especially in those “celebrity airport outfit” photos. Certainly, many styles of sandals are very comfortable. (Birkenstock Arizona sandals are apparently all the rage again in Europe right now.) But frankly, sandals are less hygienic for plane or train rides, and your feet are likely to get cold.
But do plan to bring a pair of comfortable sandals. They just say “summer” more than booties or loafers. If you’re traveling for a wedding, you might think you need to bring a pair of higher-heeled sandals, but they aren’t really necessary when there are so many flat and lower-heeled elegant pretty sandals readily available. Lower heels are less awkward to pack and take up less space.
If you’re going to be going out to dine or attending social events, your sandals should be just dressy enough to look chic rather than just sturdy walking sandals. If you’re planning a poolside or beach vacation slides will serve you well.
Your third pair can be a slip-on casual shoe or canvas espadrille. The latter is dressy enough to make a lot of very simple outfits look very chic and elevated.
And whatever shoes you bring, pack them in bags. I know a lot of women use cloth bags. But shoes accumulate a lot of unpleasant detritus and organisms from the ground. I don’t think it’s a great idea to pack them in cloth bags anywhere near your clothing or toiletries. I save and re-use zip-lock type larger bags when I purchase things like sheet sets or sealed liquids. They work beautifully for packing shoes. Otherwise, large zip-lock food bags for each shoe will also work.
When planning your travel wardrobe, choose items that can be utilized for more than one event. In fact, choose items that can be worn repeatedly throughout your trip.
One multi-purpose, no-brainer garment is a large shawl in a pashmina-type fabric. It can keep you warm on a plane or train and in air conditioned rooms. It can provide a nice finishing touch for strapless or sleeveless dresses. I never travel without one.
As oversized tops are very much in vogue, a solid color oversized button down blouse can look great on its own, tucked into a skirt or slacks, or with the ends gathered up and tied around the waist. You can wear it in all those ways with a skirt, slouchy slacks, jeans, shorts or Bermudas. It can also serve as a jacket worn over a sleeveless top or tank. It can also be your beach or pool cover-up.
Fashionable French and Italian women have embraced the midi dress as a forever summer piece for ages. And the style is now popular worldwide. These are usually looser, flowing garments, which makes them very forgiving if you plan to ditch your diet while on your trip. Dress them up with silver or gold strappy sandals (sneakers won’t work with these), dangly or chunky gold earrings, and your shawl. Or dress them down by adding a button-down blouse, tied at the waist, worn with neutral slides or flats, or colored espadrilles, gold hoops, and a crossbody, or tote bag.
Printed midi dress with ruffle wrap
And especially if you’re going to a tropical climate where it might briefly rain every day, or anywhere with very changeable weather, a hoodie windbreaker or rain shell is always a good idea. These are usually thin enough to slip into your carry-on or checked luggage without creating bulk as would something like a trench coat or heavier parka.
The most comfortable material for hotter destinations is linen, of course. It breathes well and tends to keep you dry. But remember that it wrinkles right off the hanger. Style-wise a few wrinkles are perfectly acceptable in linen clothing.
If you are staying at a nicer resort, it’s likely they will have an iron and ironing board in the room. Ask ahead of time. Sometimes they will deliver an iron and ironing board to your room if it’s not already there. Otherwise, a small travel steamer is a good idea, and they can fold up into a small area for packing.
Woven rayons and other plant-based textiles are also excellent for packing. They don’t take up a lot of space, do not wrinkle, wash and rinse easily, and drape nicely. It’s a great idea to pack a couple of t-shirts or tanks in those fabrics. And as Marie Kondo of “KonMari” fame suggests, I like to roll my tees and blouses instead of folding them. I place them on top of one another and roll them as a group. They are less likely to wrinkle and seem to fit into smaller spaces in my bags.
It’s hard to travel anywhere these days without at least one pair of jeans. Denim is a heavier textile but not an uncomfortable one for travel. And it goes with just about anything. If you don’t already own a pair of white jeans, consider adding them to your collection. White is always fashionable in the summer, but now more than ever.
Wear them with a tank top in the same shade of white or one of the other colorful tops in your travel palette. You can also pair them with a striped tank or tee and add a simple belt, hoop earrings, and slides, flats or sandals for a very chic look. You can also dress them up with a patterned blouse or one of the newer eyelet style fuller sleeve blouses worn with dangling earrings.
If you pack wider leg jeans, either in blue or white, you can also likely wear them with your travel sneakers or trainers.
If the weather is going to be changeable or much cooler in the evening, a cashmere or cotton knit cardigan or pullover/jumper is another very useful addition. Wear it with your white jeans, a midi skirt, or even Bermudas with slip-ons or espadrilles.
Lifestride Kascade Wedge Espadrilles
What used to be called “fanny packs” have gone through a marketing transformation to sound more fashionable. They’re now called “waist bags” or “belt bags.” The latter actually serve as a belt, threaded through the loops on your jeans or slacks. Either type can be your everyday bag throughout the entire trip. Some are also worn as “sling” bags, worn like a cross-body.
The more utilitarian versions, like those from Baggalini, have multiple zippered compartments and are very sturdy. They’re also perfect for your travel days. The more fashionable ones are generally smaller but will likely carry your phone, passport, a few cards, and maybe also a lipstick.
Triple Zip Bagg (baggallini.com)
Another option is a so-called “anti-theft” cross-body version. These have slash-resistant construction and RFID blocking technology so your credit cards can’t be swiped electronically from someone nearby.
But if you are on a beachy-type vacation, you probably also want something bigger and more summer specific. You can certainly pack a straw, raffia, or woven satchel or tote if you stuff it with soft essentials like sleepwear, a small travel pillow, even underwear and socks. But if you’re pretty certain you’ll be doing some destination shopping for gifts, clothing, or accessories you might want to pack a foldable woven or macrame-type tote for your haul.
Wherever you plan to travel it’s a good idea to make photocopies of your essential papers and cards (passport, itinerary, emergency contact, phone numbers, credit cards, I.D.) When you get to your destination, keep them somewhere secure, such as your hotel room safe.
Things like sunscreen, makeup, and toiletries can always be easily replaced, but others, like medications, can’t. Bring those in your carry-on, not your checked bags. And lastly, speaking of sun protection, be sure to pack at least one hat, maybe two!
A baseball cap for casual days at the beach pool or walking around town, and a packable roll up fabric or woven hat for when you want to be more stylish. And large sunglasses will jazz up any outfit.
Bon voyage!
Where are you traveling to this summer? Have you packed your backs? How many days ahead of time do you pack? What about last-minute packing? What have you included as travel essentials?
]]>This online community is home to 2.3 million members who are always ready to help people identify the mysterious objects they found.
The gig is simple: someone uploads a photo of whatever it is they want the name of, and the gang starts commenting under it, offering their input until, inevitably, a person shows up who knows exactly what it is.
However, even if you're not posting anything, scrolling through their solved cases feels like an interesting challenge, where you can test (and expand) your own knowledge. So we invite you to do just that!
Answer: It's a magazine rack installed upside down because people decorating Airbnb's don't know what they're doing.
Image credits: mmay_a
Answer: This setup prevents Muslims from having to lift our legs up dangerously high while trying to stick our feet in the sink one at a time. The alternative to that is we have to take a handful of water and pour it onto our feet below the sink causing the floor to get wet. Muslims also have to keep their feet clean before praying, which is obviously problematic in a bathroom where everyone pisses on the floor and walks with their shoes between the stalls and the sink, so you might see them trying to keep one shoe on while washing the other foot and then switching. It’s also why we take our shoes off before praying and use prayer rugs to avoid touching unclean things while praying.
Image credits: atomicdragon136
Answer: They look like silkworm cocoons.
Image credits: loveofGod12345
Answer: Steel "soap" bar. Removes odors like onion from ur hands when u wash with it by just adding a strong steel odor on top.
Image credits: inzombiac
Answer: Micro plastic particles. Probably to show how Nike helps to clean up our planet. Greenwashing at best.
Image credits: tsirs
Answer: It's a place to rest your beer while you play cards.
Image credits: One_Has_Lepers
Answer: A Himalayan Calendar. The outer ring as 12 balls, each corresponding to a month. The next two rings have a tens and ones digit. The tens has three balls for up to the 31st, and the next has nine balls, for 0 to 9. And then four rings for the year, up to 9999.
Image credits: Oxfordcommapreacher
Answer: Looks like a page spreader for reading. Point end goes into the spine and thumb in hole so you can one hand books easy.
Image credits: Karljoneill
Answer: My wife says horse hoof cleaning tool, and she's a major horse gal. Also, burying an iron object within the foundation of a home was once considered good luck.
Image credits: StarsSuck
Answer: Cabbage sliced for making sauerkraut.
Image credits: Interesting_Usual882
Answer: You hang weights on chains to power mechanical cuckoo clocks. One powers the clock mechanism, and the other powers the cuckoo. The weight turns gears in the mechanism as the chain drops. To wind the clock, you pull on the other end of the chain and bring the weight back up, and the same for the chain that powers the cuckoo.
Image credits: reddit.com
Answer: It's whale sick get it checked it could be worth thousands a kg. It's an ingredient used in high end perfumes.
Image credits: Swimming_Sea964
Answer: It's a butter curler, for making fancy bits of butter.
Image credits: Curious-Creation
Answer: They can be used to avoid chairs scratching your floors. So they are socks, but for chairs rather than humans.
Image credits: InevitableDevice2182
Answer: Probably a horse. The bottom is the sire and dam.
Image credits: Wequiwa
Answer: HPDFCU Ultrasonic Animal Deterrent.
Image credits: BloodyBender
Answer: Terra cotta sugar saver. You put it in with your brown sugar to keep it from clumping or drying out in storage.
Image credits: potatochild001
Answer: It's actually a purse. There's space in there for some coins for bus/cab fare, some powder makeup (behind the little door), and calling cards.
Image credits: didilamour
Answer: A cigarette lighter.
Image credits: junkshopper2000
Answer: It's an early 19th C Gaslamp. The gas is piped up the pole, and a copper pipe would have extended into the glass lamp house, which fitted into the hoop.
Image credits: scientificdramatist
Answer: It is a spoon designed to separate the fat from the sauce, called "cuillère dégraisseuse".
Image credits: bazoid
Answer: It’s for the manufacturing of the product so that it can be turned while standing up.
Image credits: Eastern-East1476
Answer: "Black Money Scam". It's construction paper or similar, he was scammed to believe it was currency dyed to be smuggled and could be restored.
Image credits: sbs_str_9091
Answer: These are pretty much radiators that were filled with embers and/or hot stones when needed.
Image credits: Shadow_F3r4L
Answer: It's a container for keeping herbs fresh in your refrigerator.
Image credits: Jahstar7
Answer: Telephone dialer. You put the ball end in the desired number of the phone dial instead of your finger tip and used it to turn the dial.
Image credits: boneyheimer
Answer: It is a Vasculum, a sturdy collection container used by botanists on field excursions in which plant specimens can be collected without damaging them.
Image credits: Valuable-Camera-7107
Answer: This is a mushroom growing in the ceiling and is likely the result of water damage from the floor above.
Image credits: AFROSS
Answer: A vintage spoon pendant used for illegal substances.
Image credits: tlmsmith
Answer: It’s a diver rescue marker, for ocean rescue. You release it to dye the water around you and even at night a blacklight can light it up.
Image credits: howitzer1
Answer: It is a cold box.
Image credits: reddit.com
Answer: Boards that keep stray dogs from peeing on the door.
Image credits: GOBLINH8ER
Answer: Anti-wolf collar for sheepdogs.
Image credits: delilahgabj
Answer: Your mechanic is gonna want that back. It’s part of a lift.
Image credits: BlueFlames1723
Answer: Linen press.
Image credits: boredaugust
Answer: It’s a lamp. It’s literally an oil lamp, to be used to create light. The wick goes in the spout. The oil goes in the belly. You light the wick and a flame will burn on the end of the spout like a little candle, and you can carry your lantern around with you.
Image credits: FlaxxtotheMaxx
Answer: YVW Water Watchers! Initiative to remind children to conserve water when possible. This is insanely clever. The Hawthorne effect is when people behave differently when they know or feel like they’re being watched—choosing a healthier meal at lunch with your fit friends, or being more productive at work when you sit near the boss’s office.
Image credits: Johanso
Answer: Part of an old telephone. The bell is for incoming calls. The crank is to buzz the operator to connect you to the other party.
Image credits: Radio-Groundbreaking
Answer: An old Beltone type hearing aid. There's a transistor in the tie clip, and it plugs into a cord for the hearing aid.
Image credits: badluckninja13
Answer: This is a ULV mosquito adulticiding fogger.
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Answer: It's a chair, howdah style.
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Answer: Immersion heater. The metal piece goes into a cup of water and heats it.
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Answer: Wow, that's a blast from the past. It's for write protecting a 5.25" floppy disk.
It’s for making a single sided disk double sided.
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Answer: Obfuscation pattern, it's there to hide info or keep people from trying to read through an envelope and look at personal information.
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Answer: Worked at a Ponderosa back in my teens as a line cook and we had one of these. When an order was up we would press a button on a box and it would light up a number, so a server would know their order was ready for a table.
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Answer: This is just a scientific specimen cabinet, which could be used for anything from geology to lepidopterology.
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Answer: It's a button hook.
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Answer: An oil lamp.
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Answer: A wash tamper or "wasstamper" in Dutch.
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Answer: A leather fishing belt. You can put the end of the fishing rod in the hole for support.
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Answer: It's a "claw" to help pull in fishing nets.
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Answer: Carpenter Bee traps.
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Answer: It is a space for a wireless pod that tracks your running workout called Nike+ sensor.
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Answer: This is used to measure the height of the net in tennis.
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Answer: Old septic tank.
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Answer: Looks like the membrane from a kazoo.
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Answer: It’s for drafting. It’s an eraser shield.
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Answer: It’s a baler! The metal bands have small metal prongs protitruding, they pick up the hay. The corkscrew in the back moves it into the baling chamber, where a ram compresses it into a bale, after that it’s tied together and pushed out of the machine.
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Answer: Mirror guy here, there are lots of things related to the adhesive that can pull off or degrade the silver backing, including: forceful detachment of the adhesive which pulls off the silver, using an acid curing adhesive instead of a neutral curing adhesive, putting the adhesive onto unpainted Sheetrock which screws up the curing process, or drawing a closed shape with the adhesive so air gets trapped in it when the mirror is pressed against the wall.
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Answer: Chicken steamer, it's used to add humidity to the house.
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Answer: It’s an avocado slicer. You cut the avocado in half and seed it, then scoop out slices.
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Answer: This happens a lot in seawater. You see it in the beach all the time as a thick brownish foam. Basically, as marine creatures and so on (especially algae) decompose after death their bodies break down into various components. One of the processes is called saponification and basically converts fats into soap (fun fact, the same thing can happen to un-preserved humans). This coats the sand, gravel, rocks etc and then it is stirred up into foam by the water and (usually) high winds. On the beach it’s usually a mix of these animal byproducts, sand and other contaminants, it’s likely similar here but with less sand. In a canal it is likely stirred up by the wake of watercraft.
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Answer: It's a perfume diffuser. You can spray your perfume on it, and it will absorb it and release the smell into the air.
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Answer: It's a window breaker for car windows.
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Answer: It's for holding books.
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Answer: Hydraulic fluid reservoir for a military vehicle, possibly a hercules.
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Answer: It’s a sensor to turn the heated sidewalk on and off.
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Answer: It’s a comb hammer for dressing stone.
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Answer: I think the dowel was put into a shelf slot after the fact to possibly make this into a paper towel holder. I say breadbox.
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Answer: It's a back support.
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Answer: An old blade honer/sharpener.
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Answer: A rotisserie clamp.
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Answer: It's for transporting racing pigeons.
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Answer: Knife rests.
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Answer: A tick removal tool. It's called a "tick twister".
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Answer: It's a tooth pick in a design patented in 1881.
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Answer: It's a vintage police restraint chain called "chain nipper".
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Answer: It's a phone “booth.” At one point it likely held a phone (likely a payphone). You could stand it in, have your call, and not be in the middle of the hallway.
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Answer: It's a dry water massage bed. A person lays inside and water pummels them.
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Answer: A hanger cover. It's to prevent suits or similar from getting a crease when hanging on a hanger with sharp angles.
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Answer: Guide rails for keeping a derailed car from getting too off center.
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Answer: A display for hats.
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Answer: A pull pin from a fire extinguisher.
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Answer: They're measuring wifi strength and saturation as part of MLB's deal with Extreme Networks.
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Answer: It's a temperature sensor for a humidifier.
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Answer: It’s for laptop/tablet storage while charging.
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Answer: It’s a badger gate.
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Answer: It's part of a cream separator for milk.
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Answer: A wagon brake.
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Answer: This is a seafood or cocktail fork.
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Answer: It is a phone holder.
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Answer: Basically there are huge underground tunnels that take water to the power plants, these gates shut the water to them.
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Answer: These are old kilns.
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Answer: Looks like a it’s maybe a flagpole finial, possibly 19th century or early twentieth.
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Answer: Chef's hat.
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Answer: They are granaries, for corn and grain.
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Answer: It’s a home observatory. The telescope inside doesn’t have to be particularly big, but chances are if they spent the money on the dome they have a pretty nice scope.
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Answer: Saildrone.
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Answer: Sonde device to measure pipe blockage / delineation using acoustic waves.
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Answer: It's one of a pair of "rattlesnake eggs". You hold them separated slightly in your hand, and toss them up in the air, and they make a cool noise when they magnetize together. That's about it.
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Answer: These are Japanese folding screen weights.
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Answer: It’s a keyboard key remover. It’s to help install custom keys but if it didn’t come with any custom keys, they probably gave it to you to help you remove all the keys to make cleaning easier.
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Answer: They are anti theft strips and will sound the alarm if you try to pass the detectors at the door when not having paid the item.
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Answer: It’s a core plug for a large roll of paper. You take them out when you load them onto a cutting machine to make smaller rolls like adding machine tapes or toilet paper rolls.
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Answer: It’s part of a magic kit where the magician “guesses” someone’s number… should be like 6 of them with various numbers on them…
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Answer: It’s a spoon rest for cooking so your counter top doesn’t get dirty. Can hold multiple utensils at once. Easy to wash and clean.
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Answer: That is a paddle designed to swat back a small ball 'a hornet' in the traditional swiss sport or hornussen.
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Answer: It is an outrigger for trolling. you attach a long line to it and this carries it out away from the side of the boat so you can put out two long lines at once. Used for tuna and swordfish in the gulf stream.
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Answer: It's a fishing net float.
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Answer: A waterproof bathroom mirror TV.
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Answer: It is an Eruv.
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Answer: A vintage craftsman wet wheel sharpening stone tool.
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Answer: A holder for moth balls, called "mortemoth".
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Answer: It’s a manual massage roller ball.
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Answer: It's a foldable flying disk.
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Answer: It's a vintage “Midget” folding garment hanger.
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Answer: The month and year of manufacture. It’s a permanent dent made in the tool steel of the injection molding tooling, so the most recent dent is the birth date of the wheel arch.
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Answer: A Hoosier flour sifter. The flour is contained in a box above or in this case - the conical bag and you crank out what you need below.
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Answer: A ball mill. Similar in concept to a rock tumbler, but used by industry to powderize or smooth materials.
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Answer: To hold bottles up, so they don't fall out of the door.
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Answer: A Remfly Perimeter Trip Alarm.
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Answer: It's a lazy dog. A small bomb dropped in large numbers. No explosives in it.
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Answer: These are tiny mock versions of what they used to use on riversides to stop erosion. Now they're mostly just decorations or hashi holders (chopstiick holders, but they have much smaller ones - i have some in my cuppard) so your food-covered hashi doesn't touch the table. They were called Takejakago.
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Answer: Mk 25 marine location marker.
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Answer: It’s a pull chain and hanging bracket for a solid door bell.
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Answer: It's a hose holder that prevents tangling.
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Answer: Fidget toy.
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Answer: It's an infrared based occupancy sensor. The TV controller is outputting an infrared signal activating the sensor. Source: husband who is an electrical engineer.
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Answer: Snack plate. Circle is for a cup to rest in.
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Answer: Canopy covers for glider cockpits.
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Answer: It’s a pog slammer.
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Answer: It’s for ties.
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Answer: An inflatable cushion for securing cargo.
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Answer: A South African Knobkerrie.
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Answer: It's a type of WAP for the hotel staff called AT&T Staff Alert.
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Answer: Cell phone holder for the car vent.
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Answer: It’s an old style attachment for a child seat.
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Answer: It's a paperweight.
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Answer: I think it's actually to evenly distribute the coffee rather than tamp it, the tamper would be used after this thing and has a flat bottom.
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Sales that deserve some attention heading into the weekend or a bit earlier. Five of the better sales are below, plus bonus sales if need be. Included are a few picks worth pointing out.
They’re doing a “get it in time to use it over the 4th” surprise free-shipping day. Nice. And, very smart of them. Free shipping at Huckberry usually kicks in at $98. Which means normally a pair of their in-house sunglasses, a t-shirt, or something else like that would cost extra at checkout. And that can sting for those of us who want to give something a try, but don’t want to buy in bulk out of the gate to save on shipping. But not today. Everything ships free as long as it’s being delivered within the contiguous U.S.
Picks above are limited to items that normally would cost extra at checkout for shipping, assuming you were buying the item solo.
Everything returns for free as well, as long as it’s not tagged as final sale. No returns or exchanges on that stuff.
Includes both their excellent, high value Blake Stitched models, as well as their upgraded line of Goodyear Welted shoes made in Portugal. The Blake Stitched options won our best of 2022 nod. No code needed. Sizes are a bit scattered, but that’s why this stuff is on sale. It’s been kicking around their inventory for a bit now, so some of it has been bought up. Sale runs through Sunday.
Somewhere between H&M and Suitsupply lies Massimo Dutti. They’re owned by neither H&M nor Suitsupply (they’re actually owned by the parent company of Zara,), but their styling is like a blend of the two. Translation = they’re European. Fits can be very, very slim. And they can unfortunately chop their jacket tails short. Yet there can be some random, needle-in-haystack winners in their infrequent sales. A water-repellant, breathable, lightweight wool blend, beltless “trench” that’s made in Portugal? That’ll do. Returns are allegedly free. That helps.
It looks like they’ve extended it through (checks notes)… Saturday? Just the black option left. Tortoiseshell has sold out. But the black is, well, classic. And it’ll get mentioned quite a bit in next week’s post on what to pack when you want to travel light/just take a carry on, but also need to look/want to look good where you’re going and while you’re getting there.
Not on sale, but just went up for sale. Quartz movement, domed acrylic crystal, and a barrel shaped “period correct” 39mm case. Bezel works by rotating your current location to the hour hand, and you can then see what time it is across all 24 time zones. Practical and simple. Would look pretty sleek on a tropic rubber or rally style strap.
Via The Dappered Space… In case you’re throwing a 4th of July bash and your outdoor area needs a little TLC, Target is running a 50% off select patio furniture sale through Saturday (6/24). There are no full dining sets, but there are pieces you can mix and match. There are also several accent pieces like benches, side tables, potting benches and chat sets. It’s not extensive, only 3 pages worth of goods, but what is in there is worth a look if you want to increase your patio appeal this season. And it’s not “up to” 50% off. What’s in that selection is 50% off.
Born free in 1791, Thomas Jennings is widely regarded as the first African American to hold a patent. He invented a dry scouring process, a precursor to modern dry-cleaning. Jennings established his own tailor and dry-cleaning business and gained a reputation as a respected local community member. Using the profits from his business, Jennings could purchase the freedom of his wife and children.
Judy Reed invented a dough kneader and roller that revolutionized the baking industry, making preparing dough more efficient. She was the first African American woman to receive a U.S. patent for her invention. Reed’s invention significantly impacted commercial baking, and her patent paved the way for more women and minorities to obtain patents and contribute to the field of innovation. By improving the efficiency of dough preparation, her invention made baking easier and enabled the production of more baked goods. Judy Reed’s legacy as an inventor and pioneer in the baking industry has inspired generations of inventors and entrepreneurs.
As a self-taught mathematician, Benjamin Banneker demonstrated a natural talent for inventing from a young age. In his early twenties, he became fascinated with a pocket watch and borrowed it to study its mechanism. A year later, he created an early version of a chiming wall clock that struck a gong on the hour instead of playing the Westminster chime melody. Banneker’s clock kept time for over 40 years. Born free in 1731, Banneker never experienced slavery. At 61, he completed the first edition of Banneker’s Almanac and gave it to Thomas Jefferson and then the United States Secretary of State. In the 18th century, almanacs were essential household items.
They provided information about the timing of sunrise, sunset, lunar and solar eclipses, moon phases, and holidays. Farmers in Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Virginia relied on Banneker’s Almanac as a guide. When Banneker asked Jefferson to advocate for equal rights for African Americans and fight against racial prejudice, the Secretary of State acknowledged that Black people had talents equal to those of other races. Banneker passed away in 1806, 59 years before slavery was abolished.
James Forten was born and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1766. He served in the U.S. Navy during the Revolutionary War and was captured by the British. Despite being offered freedom if he agreed to live in England, Forten refused, choosing to remain a prisoner for liberty rather than betray his country. After the war, he became an apprentice sailmaker and developed equipment to help handle ship sails, significantly improving efficiency. His invention made him wealthy, and he used his wealth to support the abolition of slavery. Forten passed away in 1842.
George Peake, a soldier in the Revolutionary War, invented the conventional hand mill used for grinding corn. He was part of the first settlement in what would become modern-day Cleveland, Ohio, which was largely unsettled until the early 19th century.
Peake’s hand mill consisted of two round stones, each approximately 19 inches wide. At the time, the only tools available for grinding were the traditional mortar and pestle, making the hand mill a more efficient and convenient option. Although Peake did not file for a patent, he received credit for his invention thanks to a publication by the Cleveland Leader newspaper.
RELATED: Top 100 Famous Female Inventors in History & Modern Women Inventors
Andrew Beard was born into slavery but became one of the country’s most brilliant inventors. Even before working for various rail companies, he invented a flour mill, several plows, and a rotary steam engine. However, while working for the railroads, he developed his most famous invention: the Jenny coupler.
The Jenny coupler automatically linked and locked two train cars as they bumped into each other, eliminating the need for workers to manually insert a metal pin and significantly reducing the risk of accidents and deaths. Before Beard’s invention, connecting train cars was dangerous work, and the Jenny coupler revolutionized transportation efficiency and safety.
Although Henry Blair is often credited as the first Black person to hold a U.S. patent, that honor belongs to Thomas Jennings, who was awarded a patent in 1821. While the U.S. Patent Office did not typically identify patent holders by race, Jennings’ achievement was remarkable, given the racial prejudice and discrimination of the time.
Little is known about Blair, except that he was likely not enslaved, as enslaved individuals were considered property and unable to hold patents. Blair’s inventions included a corn planter that combined plowing, seeding, and soil coverage, which he patented in 1834. He was later awarded a second patent for a cotton seed planter in 1836.
High Browne was committed to improving people’s living conditions as an educator with a practical mindset. He worked alongside prominent figures like Charles Chesnutt, W. E. B. DuBois, and Booker T. Washington to advance education. In addition to his work in education, Browne also invented a device to trap sewer water and prevent it from flowing back into homes. He was awarded a patent for his invention in 1890, and his device helped people maintain a civilized living environment.
All three patents awarded to George Washington Carver were for cosmetics, paints, and stains. None of them were commercially successful. Carver’s discoveries were much more important than his inventions. He discovered that continuous cotton crops in the same piece of land depleted the soil’s natural nutrients. To avoid the damage, he experimented with crop rotation. Using peanut and sweet potato plants as the intermediates, he figured out that the system helped restore nitrogen in the soil, making the land healthy again.
Now that the market had more peanuts than anybody could ever need, Carver found other product uses. Among the products were metal polish, glue, shampoo, soap, and face powder. As mentioned above, none of the inventions made him a wealthy man.
Just because someone works in a post office doesn’t mean the person has to deliver mail. Shelby Davidson worked for the United States Postal Service, specifically in the auditing department, where he kept track of schedules and numbers. Perhaps necessity is, after all, the mother of all inventions. Davidson invented a paper rewinding device for adding-machine in 1908 and an automatic fee device in 1911. Both inventions made his job much easier and more efficient.
RELATED: How to Succeed as an Inventor: What Does an Inventor Do?
Born in 1848 to formerly enslaved parents, Lewis Latimer was fortunate enough to land a job at a patent law firm after the Civil War, where he fought on the Union’s side. At the firm, he was a draftsman whose drawings of machinery, mechanisms, and various inventions determined whether any patent application would be approved or denied. A skillful draftsman of his time, Latimer was employed by Alexander Graham Bell to draw the draft for the telephone design for which Bell received the patent in 1876.
While working as a draftsman and assistant manager for the U.S. Electric Lighting Company, he improved the process of making carbon filament for light bulbs so that it might last longer and be cheaper to produce. The filament was even more effective than Edison’s design, and in 1884, he was invited to work with Thomas Edison himself. He was the first person of color to be included in the exclusive Edison Pioneers organization. Latimer also invented a precursor to the modern air conditioner known as “an apparatus for cooling and disinfecting,” locking umbrellas, improved train bathroom design, a lamp fixture, and a device called “book supporter.”
Jan Ernst Matzeliger spent a considerable amount of time designing numerous prototypes until he succeeded in building his first shoe-lasting machine. This machine was designed to make the leather uppers fit flawlessly with the mold, ultimately revolutionizing the shoemaking industry. With his invention, shoemaking efficiency drastically improved, increasing production output from 50 pairs a day by hand to anywhere between 150 and 700 pairs daily. Introducing easier manufacturing processes and larger production quantities led to a 50% reduction in shoe prices nationwide. Additionally, Matzeliger is credited with inventing the nailing machine.
George Washington Murray’s inventions were all born from his experience as a farmer and his determination to make labor less arduous. Having been born into slavery, Murray grew up on a Rembert cotton plantation until the Emancipation Proclamation was signed. His first three patents – a furrow opener, a marker, and a stalk-knocker-cultivator – were granted in April 1984. Two months later, the U.S. Patent Office awarded him four more patents, including for cotton chopper and fertilizer distributor devices. Murray was also distantly related to Jim Clyburn, a U.S. House of Representatives member from South Carolina.
John Parker, a conductor in the Underground Railroad network and an American abolitionist, dedicated his life to freeing over a thousand enslaved individuals. In addition to his heroic efforts, Parker was also a successful businessman and inventor. He is credited with the early designs of the tobacco press and harrow, for which he received patents in 1884 and 1885. Moreover, Parker established the Phoenix Foundry in 1890, the largest between Cincinnati and Portsmouth. Parker’s contributions to society were not limited to his activism; he also became one of only fifty-five Americans to be awarded multiple U.S. patents by 1900.
Norbert Rillieux’s father was the owner of a vast sugar plantation. After studying in Paris, Rillieux returned to the United States and began inventing sugar production devices, focusing on the evaporating process. His first patented invention was a vacuum evaporator for the refining process, which produced whiter and more refined sugar. Over time, this invention was widely used in other industries, including whiskey, gelatin, condensed milk, glue, and soap.
RELATED: 5 Fascinating Things Inventors Need to Know: Taking Products to the Market
Samuel Scottron, the inventor of the dual-adjustable mirror on a pole commonly seen in traditional barbershops, named his invention the “Scottron Mirror.” This mirror is positioned so clients can observe their haircut from every angle. Scottron patented this practical invention in 1868. Following his success in the barbershop industry, Scottron created several commonplace household items, including curtain rods, adjustable window cornices, a pole tip, and a supporting bracket. He spent approximately 15 years traveling between the United States and Canada to sell these products. In addition to his successful career in inventing, Scottron was also a co-founder of the Cuban Anti-Slavery Society.
Lewis Temple, a highly skilled blacksmith, is credited with inventing an improved harpoon that revolutionized whaling in 1845. Unlike conventional harpoons, Temple’s harpoon resembled a fish hook in shape. Once the hook penetrated the whale, it would latch onto the flesh, making it exceedingly difficult for the animal to escape. This improved design, called Temple’s Iron, became the standard harpoon in the whaling industry throughout the 19th century. Despite his invention’s success, Lewis Temple was not a whaler himself.
Sarah Breedlove Walker, popularly known as Madame C. J. Walker, is arguably the most well-known African American woman inventor. She revolutionized haircare by designing the first hot comb and inventing the idea of pomade. Before the hot comb, most African American women straightened their hair with clothing irons, resulting in scalp and facial burns and damaged hair. Walker sold her inventions and helped transform the marketing strategy for cosmetic products.
She established a large group of saleswomen known as the “Walker Clubs,” a system later adopted by Mary Kay. In 1908, Walker founded Lelia College in Pittsburgh to teach women how to sell cosmetic products. Her innovative marketing tactics made her the first African American woman millionaire in the United States. Despite her wealth, Walker remained philanthropic and contributed significantly to various nonprofit groups, including the National Association for the Advancement of Colored Persons (NAACP). She even funded a scholarship to help women enroll in college-level education.
Granville T. Woods was awarded the patent for the steam boiler in 1884. Leveraging the communication technology of the late 1800s, he invented an apparatus that combined the functions of the telephone and the telegraph, called telegraphony. This groundbreaking system allowed telegraph stations to send both voice and text messages over the same line. Alexander Graham Bell’s company later purchased the technology’s patent.
Woods also invented the Synchronous Multiplex Railway Telegraph, a communication system that enabled railroad workers to determine the precise locations of trains on any given railway. This technology not only improved scheduling but also helped prevent railway accidents. Throughout his life, Woods received over 50 patents in various industries. Between 1900 and 1907, he was granted 20 patents for electronic devices that controlled trains. His numerous inventions earned him the nickname “The Black Edison.”
Elijah McCoy never had to endure life in slavery thanks to the Underground Railroad, which helped his parents escape to Canada after being enslaved. At 15, McCoy enrolled in a boarding school in Edinburgh, Scotland, to study mechanical engineering. Despite his education, McCoy encountered difficulty finding respectable work in the United States, mainly due to racial discrimination.
He eventually secured a position as a fireman for a railroad company, where he was responsible for oiling the moving parts of the trains. The need for greater efficiency inspired McCoy to invent an automatic lubrication mechanism that reduced the need for labor and kept the train running smoothly. Some attribute the phrase “the real McCoy” to the success and efficiency of this mechanism, making it an expression of superior performance and quality.
RELATED: Inventor’s Guide to Patents
William Henry Barnes, an ENT doctor at the Frederick Douglas Hospital in Philadelphia, is credited with inventing the hypophyscope, a medical instrument designed to reach the pituitary gland on the brain’s underside. This gland secretes hormones into the bloodstream, and Barnes’ invention made it easier for doctors to access it. Although reaching the gland without any specialized medical device was possible, Barnes’ instrument greatly facilitated the procedure. In addition to inventing the hypophyscope, Barnes improved upon a method to remove tonsils without bleeding, refining the process for greater efficiency.
In 1953, the Eder Instrument Company manufactured the Eder-Palmer biopsy gastroscope. Two years later, Leonidas Berry invented an attachment for the device that allowed doctors to collect tissue from a patient’s stomach without resorting to surgical procedures. The modified device, the Eder-Berry biopsy attachment, represented a significant advancement in medical technology.
In 1960, after conducting extensive studies of the stomachs of alcoholics, Dr. Berry made a groundbreaking discovery: excessive alcohol consumption caused more damage to the liver than to the stomach. This discovery revolutionized the treatment of alcoholism, shifting the focus to the liver as the primary organ affected by alcohol abuse. Berry’s discovery marked a significant milestone in the medical community’s understanding of the harmful effects of alcohol on the body.
Tae Bo is a total body fitness program that combines several disciplines, including martial arts and aerobics. The name is a portmanteau of “tae kwon do” and “boxing.” Developed in 1976 by tae kwon do practitioner Billy Banks, the program only gained widespread popularity in the United States during the 1990s. One hour of Tae Bo routine is believed to burn up to 800 calories, twice as many as a conventional aerobic session. This intensive calorie-burning program has made it a popular choice among fitness enthusiasts looking to achieve rapid weight loss and muscle toning.
After World War II, many soldiers returned home with permanent injuries. At the veteran’s hospital in Chicago, physical therapist Bessie Blount Griffin treated amputees and patients who had lost the use of their limbs. Determined to improve their quality of life, Griffin invented the “portable receptacle support,” a device that enabled patients to eat without assistance. The device consisted of a tube attached to a bowl and connected to a brace around the patient’s neck.
Though it may seem crude, the invention provided greater independence to those who needed it most. Griffin, born in Chesapeake, Virginia, was the first African American woman to work at Scotland Yard in London, England. Her innovative spirit and dedication to helping others continue to inspire new generations of inventors and medical professionals alike.
Otis Boykin was a brilliant inventor who made significant contributions across various fields. Throughout his life, he patented 26 devices, including the electronic resistors used in guided missiles, pacemakers, and IBM computers. Boykin’s electronic resistors were widely adopted due to their durability, which made them resistant to temperature changes, extreme acceleration, and shocks. In addition to these inventions, he held patents for an electronic air filter and a locking mechanism for cash registers. Boykin’s numerous innovations continue to shape and advance fields ranging from aerospace to healthcare and technology.
RELATED: Top 25 Resources for Everyday Inventors
In 1969, George Carruthers invented the far ultraviolet camera and spectrograph that accompanied the Apollo 16 mission to the moon. The camera, plated in gold, could capture high-quality images of Earth from the moon’s surface. The device provided stunning photographs and helped scientists discover the presence of hydrogen in space and understand the mechanisms of air pollution. Carruthers’ invention has since led to new theories about the birth of stars and has influenced global efforts to control air pollution. The far ultraviolet camera and spectrograph remain remarkable in space exploration and scientific innovation.
Michael Croslin’s invention, the Medtek 410, revolutionized blood monitoring with its computerized technology. Before its development, medical professionals had to rely on their instincts and the patient’s vital signs for diagnosis. The Medtek 410 eliminated the guesswork, providing doctors with accurate and reliable data for making informed treatment decisions. Croslin also developed a similar device, the Medtek 420, which automatically adjusts for surrounding noise and air pressure while monitoring a patient’s pulse. Together, these inventions have improved the accuracy and efficacy of medical treatments, demonstrating the power of technological innovation in medicine.
Meredith Charles Gourdine was a pioneering inventor who applied the principles of electrogasdynamics (EGD) to create groundbreaking devices. Among his most notable innovations were the Electradyne Spray Gun, which simplified painting on challenging surfaces like metal frames, and the Incineraid, which reduced air pollution from incinerators.
Gourdine was the first to apply electrogasdynamics to practical inventions, and his contributions extend beyond these devices. He also invented an electric car battery, a method for repairing potholes using old car tires, a system for extracting oil from shale rock, and a way to remove fog from airport runways. Throughout his career, Gourdine earned 25 patents between 1969 and 1996. His innovative spirit and commitment to improving the world around him continue to inspire inventors and scientists today.
Walter Lincoln Hawkins, born in 1911 in Washington D.C., was the grandson of a slave. He attended Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute after high school and was one of only two African American students. Hawkins earned his doctorate from McGill University in 1938, becoming the first black person to hold a technical staff position at Bell Laboratories.
While at Bell Labs, Hawkins developed his most famous invention: a weather-resistant polymer coating for telephone wires. This plastic sheath could withstand extreme temperature changes and last for decades, replacing the lead materials previously used to protect telephone cables. Hawkins’ invention revolutionized the telecommunications industry and significantly impacted everyday life.
In 1976, Hawkins retired from Bell Labs and was appointed research director by the Plastics Institute of America. His groundbreaking work as a scientist and inventor opened doors for future generations of black scientists and helped shape the world we live in today.
George Carruthers invented the far ultraviolet light camera and spectrograph, which captured high-quality images of Earth from the moon. In contrast, Elmer Samuel Imes was an astrophysicist who improved spectrometers to measure the amount of infrared in the atmosphere. His invention was subsequently used in various applications, including chemical lasers and rocket engines. Imes’ work helped pave the way for significant advancements in atmospheric and environmental monitoring and space exploration.
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Lonnie Johnson’s passion for scientific experimentation began during childhood when he would conduct experiments in his kitchen, building robots and making batches of rocket fuel. After working at NASA from 1979 to 1991, Johnson founded the Johnson Research and Development Co., Inc., creating three other development companies in Atlanta, Georgia.
While Johnson’s work at NASA focused on high-tech research programs such as a nuclear power source for the Galileo mission to Jupiter and a stealth bomber, his passion for inventing toys and everyday tools never faded. With around 80 patents to his name, Johnson has created a wide range of inventions, including compressed air guns, digital distance-measuring instruments, an automatic sprinkler controller, and even a wet diaper detector. However, his most famous invention remains the Super Soaker, a pressurized water gun that revolutionized the toy industry.
Returning to Hallock, Minnesota, after World War I, Frederick McKinley Jones found work as a movie projectionist and a mechanic. Jones’ natural gift for machines and mechanics led him to invent the first sound synchronization device for motion pictures. His innovation made it possible for films to incorporate synchronized soundtracks, and it quickly revolutionized the movie industry. While sound synchronization was a great invention, Jones held no patent.
His first patent was for a ticket dispensing machine. Jones held more than 60 patents, but his most famous and significant invention was the refrigerated truck or, more specifically, the roof-mounted cooling system used on trucks. He was awarded the patent for it in 1940. During World War II, his invention played an important role in preserving food, supplies, and blood for the wounded. Jones’s other inventions include a control device for internal combustion engines, a temperature control system, and a rotary compressor.
Marjorie Stewart Joyner was an African American businesswoman and community leader who significantly contributed to the beauty industry. She was the supervisor of more than 200 beauty schools under Madame C. J. Walker’s network, and her clients included prominent figures such as Ethel Waters, Marian Anderson, and Billie Holiday. Joyner held the patent for a permanent hair-waving machine, revolutionizing the hair care industry. The machine used a combination of chemicals and heat to curl hair, replacing the traditional curling iron and reducing the time and effort required to achieve long-lasting curls. Joyner was also an advocate for civil rights and an active member of the National Council of Negro Women.
Percy Lavon Julian was a renowned chemist who made many significant inventions. One of his creations was a soy protein coating paper that was a cheaper alternative to milk protein. This paper was used in a product called Aero-Foam, which was used to smother fires from burning gasoline and oil. During World War II, the U.S. Navy also used Aero-Foam. Although Aero-Foam had slow knockdown characteristics, it was safe to use as long as it was applied above the burning liquid.
Julian’s most famous inventions were synthetic hormones, including physostigmine and cortisone, also derived from soybean plants. Physostigmine is still used to treat glaucoma, while the cortisone is used for rheumatoid arthritis. In addition to his scientific achievements, Julian was a prominent civil rights activist and raised money for the NAACP’s legal and education divisions.
A sonic transducer uses sound waves to determine an object’s speed, distance, and other units of measurement. John King invented an early warning sonic transducer in 1972, which could detect potential problems with aircraft engines before takeoff. A professional in the aerospace and safety industries, he also invented an alarm system in 1999; it was not just any other alarm system for home uses but a NASA-approved one.
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Garret Morgan invented the first hair straightening cream, albeit by accident. However, his other two inventions, the traffic signal and gas mask, resulted from deliberate research and development. His gas mask, known as the Morgan helmet, was identified in the patent application as a breathing device and was adopted by firefighters to help them put out fires without inhaling poisonous air. Morgan was awarded the patent in 1912, and soldiers used the gas mask during World War I.
With the money earned from his inventions, Morgan could buy a car. While driving near an intersection in Cleveland, Ohio, he witnessed a terrible accident, which inspired him to invent a “yield” component as an addition to the existing traffic signal. The signal was intended to warn drivers about an upcoming stop. The yield component became one of the world’s first three-light systems, and Morgan was awarded the patent for it in 1924. Morgan’s other inventions include the round belt fastener, hat fastener, and friction drive clutch.
James Parsons held several patents related to metal fabrication methods. In 1929, he was awarded a patent for an iron alloy, followed by a fabrication method for a silicon-iron compound in 1931. In 1934, he developed a treatment process for silicon alloy casting, and in 1940, he invented a corrosion-resistant ferrous alloy. These inventions paved the way for the development of stainless steel.
During World War II, Edwin Roberts Russell was one of the chemists working on the Manhattan Project at the Metallurgical Laboratory of the University of Chicago, a secret government-funded research to develop the atomic bomb. The project eventually led to the development of two types of atomic bombs, known to history as the Little Boy and Fat Man, used in the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945.
Russel held eleven patents for nuclear energy, including a method for separating plutonium from uranium and ion exchange absorption for plutonium separation. His works contributed significantly to the advancement of nuclear technology.
Earl Shaw invented the spin-flip Raman tunable laser during his tenure as a research scientist at Bell Laboratories. This device is used to adjust the strength of a laser beam, which is particularly helpful when performing delicate precision-required operations.
Working as a print maker during the Great Depression, Dox Thrash invented a new technique for etching copper in 1937. His discovery, known as the carborundum process, became a standard practice among printers and print makers. This process involves using silicon carbide grit, which is sprinkled onto the plate before it is printed, creating a texture and tone that mimics the look of charcoal or pencil drawings. Thrash wanted to name the process “Opheliagraph” after his mother, Ophelia.
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Until Jackie Robinson joined the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947, Moses Fleetwood Walker was among the first black people to play Major League Baseball in the 1880s. Walker was also an inventor. In 1891, he was granted his first patent for a detachable shirt collar. He also held three more patents related to methods for loading and changing movie reels.
In the 19th century, Sarah Boone improved the ironing board, which had been around for years but often overlooked. Boone built a curved ironing board with a narrower width than the original, making ironing women’s clothing easier. Her design was patented in 1892 and became the most widely-copied iteration of the ironing board. It’s worth noting that Boone was born into slavery.
An African American nurse named Mary Van Britta Brown spent many nights alone at her home in Queens, New York, in the 1960s. The crime rate was high in the neighborhood, making her feel unsafe each time her husband was away. In addition, the police were largely unresponsive and could sometimes be unreliable. In 1966, out of necessity, she built a homemade security system comprised of cameras connected to a monitor.
The camera could mechanically slide into several peepholes in the front door and broadcast the image to the screen. The design allowed her to survey the neighborhood from the indoor comfort of her home and avoid having unwanted guests around. Van Brittan Brown continued improving the system by adding a microphone to speak to the person at the door, a button to call the police, and an unlock mechanism. She and her husband were awarded the patent for the system in 1969. Modern home security systems feature various elements based on their design.
In the past, riding elevators was complicated and dangerous. Passengers had to manually shut both the elevator and shaft doors before riding. Forgetting to shut the doors properly, or ignoring them, posed a real risk of falling down the shaft. When Alexander Miles’ daughter was almost involved in a catastrophic accident, he decided to develop a system to make elevators safer. In 1887, he was granted a patent for an automatic opening and closing mechanism for elevator and shaft doors. Miles’ design is still used in modern elevators today.
The vast majority of modern microphones, including those in phones and other communication devices, are based on the technology invented by James E. West in 1960. However, he was not the only person credited with the invention, and West was working alongside Gerhard Sessler at the Bell Laboratories, tasked with creating a compact and sensitive microphone.
Their invention, the foil electret microphone, was cheaper to produce than the conventional condenser variant. It was not until 1964 that they perfected the design and were awarded the patent. About four years later, the technology had already been adopted by manufacturers of telephones, tape recorders, hearing aids, and baby monitors.
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Among the 12 people working at IBM to develop the first PC, Mark Dean was one of them. Back then, the P.C. was connected to a monochrome monitor, and the computer had very limited processing power. Dean began working for IBM in the 1980s as Chief Engineer. In addition to helping develop the IBM PC, he was also involved in creating the first color monitor. Furthermore, he led the team that created the first gigahertz chip around 1999-2000.
It’s hard to believe that it was only about 20 years ago. Now we have supercomputers and artificial intelligence with blazing processing speeds to handle even the most complicated algorithms in split seconds. As a co-creator of the personal computer, Mark Dean holds three out of nine patents for the invention. In 1995, he became the first African American IBM Fellow.
Patricia Bath was an academic and ophthalmologist who invented the process of removing cataracts using a laser beam device known as the Laserphaco Probe. She was born in Harlem in 1942 to an immigrant father from Trinidad and a mother who was a descendant of enslaved Africans and Cherokee Native Americans.
Bath achieved many impressive milestones in her career. She was the first woman appointed to the ophthalmology faculty at UCLA and the first African American woman to serve as a surgeon staff at the UCLA Medical Center. Additionally, she was the first African American to be a Jules Stein Eye Institute member, lead a post-graduate ophthalmology training program, and complete a residency in ophthalmology at New York University. Finally, she was the first African American woman to hold a patent for a medical invention.
Benjamin Boardley was born into slavery around 1830 and taught himself to read and write with the help of his master’s children. He showed an early talent for invention, which led his master to recommend him to the United States Naval Academy in Maryland. Boardley’s first job at the academy was as an assistant in the Department of Natural and Experimental Philosophy, making him the first African American to hold a non-menial position there.
While working in the department, Boardley developed the first steam engine on a ship. Unfortunately, due to his status as an enslaved person, he could not legally apply for or be granted a patent for his invention. As a result, Boardley sold the rights to his invention and used the proceeds to purchase his freedom from slavery.
The safe deposit box, initially designed as a receptacle for storing and preserving papers, was invented by Henry Brown, who was awarded the patent in 1886. The metal receptacle came equipped with a locking mechanism, making it a simple and effective design that revolutionized safekeeping for centuries.
Ladles and spoons were never meant to be the right tools for serving ice cream. Alfred L. Cralle, who had only received basic education as a child, noticed this while working at a hotel in Pittsburgh. He went on to develop a purpose-built tool for the job known today as the ice cream scoop. His invention spread so quickly that nobody knew the creative mind behind the design. Unfortunately, Cralle never profited from his idea.
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Mary Jones DeLeon was among the first black women to be awarded U.S. patents for their inventions, receiving her patent in 1896. Her invention was referred to simply as a “cooking apparatus” in the patent. Still, it was an innovative device that would become the precursor to the modern steam table commonly seen in food buffets today. Before DeLeon’s invention, hot food was often kept warm using chafing dishes, which required frequent refueling and could be dangerous.
DeLeon’s invention utilized steam to keep food at a consistent temperature without an open flame. Her invention featured several compartments, each with its own heating element, allowing different dishes to be kept at different temperatures. This invention was an important step forward in food service technology, making it easier and safer to keep food warm and ready to serve. While her name may not be as well-known as other inventors of her time, her contributions to the food service industry have undoubtedly had a lasting impact.
Ellen Eglin, born in 1849, was an African American woman who made significant contributions to the field of laundry and cleaning. While working as a housekeeper, Eglin developed an early mechanical clothes wringer that made it easier for people to wring out clothes after washing them, saving time and effort. Despite the practicality of her invention, Eglin faced significant barriers due to her race and gender. She was concerned that her invention would not be taken seriously because of her skin color.
As a result, she sold the patent to a white man named O. Wheeler for a small amount of money, which made him the official patent holder for the device in 1888. Unfortunately, Eglin did not receive the recognition she deserved for her invention during her lifetime. She died in 1890, never knowing the true impact of her contribution to the field of laundry and cleaning. It was not until years later that her name was finally recognized, and she was acknowledged as a pioneer in the field of laundry technology.
Sarah E. Goode was born into slavery in 1855 as the second of seven children. After the Civil War ended, she and her family were finally freed. Goode later moved to Chicago, where she met and married a carpenter and stair builder. Together, they opened a furniture store, where Goode noticed that many of their clients lived in small apartments with limited space for furniture.
To address this problem, Goode designed a folding cabinet bed that could be used at night and as a roll-top desk during the day. This innovative design was a precursor to the modern-day wall bed and was particularly useful for small apartments. The bed could be easily folded and stored away, allowing the space to be used for other activities during the day.
Goode’s folding cabinet bed was a huge success and helped establish her reputation as an innovative and talented furniture designer. Despite facing discrimination as a black woman in a male-dominated industry, Goode continued to innovate and create new designs, including an improved version of the folding cabinet bed. Her legacy as a pioneering furniture designer and inventor continues to this day.
George Franklin Grant, Harvard’s first African American faculty member, was born to formerly enslaved people in 1846. He began his career as an errand boy for local dentist Dr. Albert Smith, but thanks to his hard work and performance, Dr. Smith promoted Grant to laboratory assistant. Grant pursued a career in dentistry and enrolled in Harvard Dental School, where he was one of only two black students at the time.
While he did not invent any dental care devices or products, Grant’s invention significantly impacted the sport of golf. He was an avid golfer and developed an early version of the golf tee using wood and latex resin. Before this invention, golfers would build a small mound of sand to place the ball before hitting it. Grant’s invention revolutionized the game, allowing for more consistent and stable ball placement, and his design is still used in modern golf today.
Lloyd Hall, an African American chemist, was born in Illinois in June 1894. His grandmother was a formerly enslaved person who came to the city with the assistance of the Underground Railroad. Hall earned a Bachelor of Science in Pharmaceutical Chemistry in 1916 and worked at Griffith’s Laboratories.
Hall was a brilliant inventor, holding 59 U.S. patents and several others in different countries. His most significant inventions include a vitamin concentrate, an antioxidant salt, nitrogen-fortified whey concentrate, a method for preserving frozen pork, a gelatin-based coating for food products, and an asphalt emulsion. His contributions to food preservation and safety have significantly impacted the industry, making food safer and more accessible worldwide.
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Betty Harris was born in July 1940 in Louisiana and raised in a large family of twelve children. She earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Chemistry, then a Master’s, and finally a Ph.D. in 1973 from the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque. Throughout her career, Harris became a leading expert in hazardous water treatment, explosives, and environmental remediation.
Harris’s most notable invention was the TATB Spot Test, a method for identifying explosives. She was awarded the patent for this invention in 1984. Her test allowed for rapidly detecting explosives in the field, greatly improving safety in various industries. Harris was also recognized for her work in environmental protection, receiving multiple awards for her contributions to the area.
Benjamin Montgomery’s story is similar to that of Benjamin Boardley, as both were born into slavery and taught to read and write by their owners’ children. Later on, they became inventors in the field of ship propulsion systems. While Boardley invented a steam engine for ships, Montgomery developed an adjustable propeller that could be operated at different angles, allowing boats to navigate shallow waters.
Montgomery was a skilled laborer who his master entrusted with the shipping operation of the plantation. He also had the opportunity to learn about drafting and land surveying. Despite being unable to file a patent for his propeller design due to his “slave” status, Montgomery was determined to commercialize it. His master, Joseph Davis, attempted to file the patent but was denied as he was not the inventor. Davis, however, allowed his slaves to keep the money they earned commercially from the operations.
Montgomery eventually accumulated enough wealth to purchase his master’s plantation as part of a long-term loan deal. He became the first African American to own and operate a plantation in Mississippi, where he implemented progressive agricultural practices, including crop rotation and diversification. Montgomery’s innovative spirit and entrepreneurialism inspired many, and he left a lasting legacy in the fields of agriculture and invention.
Lyda Newman, a hairdresser from Manhattan, New York City, revolutionized the hairbrush industry in the late 1800s. Hairbrushes of that time were made from animal hair, which was too soft to manage the typically thick African American hair. Newman proposed using synthetic fibers to replace animal hair. Her design closely resembled the modern-day hairbrush, with evenly spaced rows of bristles and open slots for cleaning. Additionally, she included a compartment at the back for easy removal of collected debris. In 1898, Newman was awarded a patent for her innovative invention. Despite her groundbreaking contribution to the beauty industry, very little is known about Lyda Newman beyond her invention.
Valerie Thomas was an African American scientist and inventor who worked for NASA. She is known for inventing the illusion transmitter, which uses two concave mirrors to create three-dimensional images that appear outside the mirrors. Thomas was granted the patent for her invention in 1980, which has been used for various applications (i.e., surgery and television).
Thomas joined NASA in 1964 and worked there for over 30 years. She was involved in developing the Landsat program, which uses satellite imagery to study the Earth’s surface. She was also part of the team that developed the first satellite to provide images of the polar ice caps. Thomas was a trailblazer for women and minorities in science and engineering, and her contributions have impacted the field. She retired from NASA in 1995, but her legacy inspires future scientists and inventors.
Joseph Winter was a prominent African American abolitionist who lived in New Bedford, Massachusetts, during the mid-1800s. Alongside his activism, he was also an inventor and developed a fire escape ladder mounted on a vehicle. This invention resulted from observing a firefighter struggling to unload a traditional ladder from a wagon during a fire emergency. Winter’s fire escape ladder invention was more efficient and safer, as it could be deployed quickly and did not require the firefighter to carry it to the building.
In addition to his work as an inventor, Joseph Winter was an active member of the Underground Railroad, a network of secret routes and safe houses used by enslaved African Americans to escape to freedom in the North. He assisted many enslaved people in their escape, providing them with food, shelter, and directions on their journey. Winter’s fire escape ladder invention and his contributions to the Underground Railroad helped save countless lives and made him a significant figure in African American history.
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In the summer of 1883, George Crum, a chef, encountered a customer at his restaurant who complained about his plate of French fries, saying they were neither crunchy nor thin enough. In response, Crum sliced a potato into extremely thin pieces, fried them until they were crispy, and then heavily salted them to make them palatable. The customer was delighted with the new dish, and the potato chip was born.
The popularity of the snack was so overwhelming that Crum opened his restaurant and began serving a basket of potato chips on every table. The invention of potato chips created countless jobs worldwide and remains a favorite snack today. While Crum did not patent the invention, the snack has become a multi-billion dollar industry, with most potato chips now mass-produced and sold in bags.
George Alcorn is an impressive inventor who had an equally remarkable academic career. He earned his Bachelor’s Degree in physics from Occidental College, then earned a Master’s Degree in Nuclear Physics from Howard University, and a Ph.D. in Molecular Physics from Howard University. Alcorn worked for various prestigious companies and agencies throughout his career, including IBM, NASA, and Perkin-Elmer.
Throughout his career, Alcorn was granted eight patents, but undoubtedly, the most popular and groundbreaking of these was the X-ray Spectrometer. His invention is used for determining the materials of an object that cannot be broken down for closer analysis. The X-ray Spectrometer earned Alcorn the patent in 1984, earning him the NASA Inventor of the Year Award.
Alcorn’s work has had a significant impact on science and technology, particularly in the fields of space exploration and materials science. His contributions have not gone unnoticed. He has been recognized with many awards, including the NASA Langley Research Center Scientist/Engineer of the Year award and the Black Engineer of the Year President’s Award.
Charles Drew’s research on blood plasma and the invention of blood banks revolutionized the field of medicine. By separating plasma from blood, Drew created a way to store and transport blood more efficiently, which became critical during World War II. Drew’s innovative approach to blood transfusion was instrumental in saving countless lives on the battlefield and beyond. In addition to his work with blood plasma, Drew played a significant role in the desegregation of blood donation centers in the United States.
He fought against discriminatory practices that prevented African Americans from donating blood, insisting that race should not be a factor in determining a person’s eligibility to donate. Tragically, Drew died in a car accident in 1950, but his legacy continues to live on. His contributions to the field of medicine have profoundly impacted how we approach blood transfusion and blood banking. His advocacy for racial equality in healthcare has helped pave the way for future generations of healthcare professionals.
Jane C. Wright’s contributions to cancer research were groundbreaking. She transformed chemotherapy from an experimental method to a proven cancer treatment. Her work developing methotrexate for treating skin and breast cancer further cemented her reputation as a leading figure in cancer treatment. Wright was the first African American woman to become a medical college dean, serving as the head of the New York Medical College’s Department of Cancer Research. She was also the first woman elected the New York Cancer Society president. Her contributions to cancer treatment have saved countless lives and continue to inspire future generations of scientists and medical professionals.
Janet Emerson Bashen pioneered Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) management. While at an insurance company, she proposed an external team to investigate EEO, but the idea was rejected. Undeterred, she founded her own EEO management company, which became a huge success. To make the task of retrieving and storing EEO information easier, Bashen and her cousin Donny Moore developed the LinkLine software. This led to her being awarded a U.S. patent for software, making her the first African American woman to receive this honor. Bashen’s innovative spirit and commitment to EEO continue to inspire many today.
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Leonard C. Bailey’s career began in banking, where he helped establish the Capitol Savings Bank in 1888 and served as its president for a few years. However, he was also a prolific inventor with several patents. Bailey invented a truss-and-bandage for people with lower-body hernias in 1883, which the U.S. Army adopted. He also created a folding bed in 1899, designed for easy storage. Additionally, his speed stamper invention was used by the U.S. Postal Service. Despite not having a background in healthcare, Bailey’s inventions helped improve many people’s lives, and his legacy as an inventor continues to inspire today.
Alice Augusta Ball was the first African American woman to graduate from the University of Hawaii with a Degree in Chemistry in 1915. She subsequently secured a teaching position at the university. Ball researched the effects of chaulmoogra oil on patients suffering from leprosy, which led to the creation of the first leprosy treatment injection. She discovered a method to isolate the fatty acid components and created a water-soluble compound from the oil. The injection was widely used for over 30 years to alleviate leprosy symptoms until the introduction of sulfone drugs. Ball’s groundbreaking work helped advance medical research and relieved countless individuals suffering from leprosy.
Mary Beatrice Davidson Kenner invented the sanitary belt, patented it in 1957, and revolutionized menstrual hygiene. Before her invention, most women were still using cloth pads for menstruation. The sanitary belt had a moisture-proof pocket and was adjustable to fit any user comfortably. Kenner also invented a toilet tissue holder, a back washer mounted on the shower wall, and a serving tray attached to a walking frame. Despite her many useful ideas now still widely used, Kenner was perhaps one of the most forgotten African American inventors.
Marian Croak is a renowned computer scientist and inventor who has significantly contributed to modern communication technology. In 2013, she was inducted into the Women in Technology International Hall of Fame for her achievements. With over 200 patents to her name, Croak is best known for her work in developing Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) technology. She has held several high-profile positions throughout her career, including Senior Vice President of Research and Development at AT&T, and currently serves as the Vice President of Engineering at Google. Croak’s innovations have helped shape modern communication technology and continue to impact the industry profoundly.
Henry T. Sampson became the first African American to earn a Ph.D. in nuclear engineering in the United States. In 1963, he was awarded a patent for a gamma-electric cell, which converts radiation into electricity. The device is used for capturing the radiation in the shielding of a nuclear reactor and transforming it into auxiliary power. This technology is used to generate additional power in nuclear reactors. Sampson’s invention has been significant for the nuclear power industry and has contributed to developing innovative power sources.
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David N. Crosthwait was an accomplished inventor with air conditioning and heat transfer expertise. Throughout his career, Crosthwait secured an impressive 119 patents, with 39 of them in the United States. He gained a reputation by the 1930s because of his numerous inventions, including a boiler, vacuum pump, and thermostat control. His most highly-respected accomplishments include his heating system design for New York’s iconic Radio City Music Hall and the Rockefeller Center. Crosthwait’s contributions to heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) continue to inspire and inform new generations of inventors and engineers.
The invention of the street sweeper by Charles Brooks in 1896 revolutionized road cleaning. Before his invention, workers had to rely on rudimentary brooms or manually collect trash, making it a difficult and laborious task. The street sweeper was essentially a standard road truck equipped with brushes to push dirt and debris off to the side of the road. Initially, people were skeptical of the idea, as it did not meet their expectations. However, as cities grew larger and technology improved, street sweepers became indispensable road maintenance tools. Brooks’ innovation remains an integral part of road-cleaning technology today.
Jack Johnson was a professional boxer born in Galveston, Texas, in 1878. In 1908, he became the first African American World Heavyweight Champion after defeating Tommy Burns in Australia. However, Johnson lived in the United States when black men were not allowed by law to openly date white women. He was later charged with violating the Mann Act for transporting his white girlfriend, Lucille Cameron, across state lines for “immoral purposes” and sentenced to one year in prison.
During his time in prison, Johnson invented a wrench that could loosen and tighten fasteners, and he was granted a patent for it in 1922. Although not his primary claim to fame, Johnson’s invention of the wrench was significant and contributed to the development of modern tools.
Joseph Lee, born into slavery in Charleston, South Carolina, in 1848, was an entrepreneur, chef, and inventor. He served as a blacksmith during the Civil War and later worked as a steward in the U.S. Coastal Survey for eleven years. Lee then established restaurants and a successful upscale catering company. Lee was bothered by the idea of throwing away day-old bread, so he invented the machine to automate tearing and grinding the bread into crumbs. This invention was awarded a patent in 1895, and Lee sold the rights to the Royal Worcester Bread Crumb Company. Lee’s invention revolutionized the food industry by providing a way to repurpose what was once considered waste. His innovation still influences the food industry today.
Lloyd Ray’s patent for the dustpan, granted on August 3, 1897, revolutionized cleaning. Before Ray’s invention, dust and debris on the floor had to be swept up by hand using a broom or a brush. The introduction of the dustpan made the process of cleaning more efficient and less labor-intensive. Ray’s design was simple but effective, with a metal collection plate attached to a wooden handle. It remains largely unchanged to this day, a testament to the timelessness and functionality of the original invention. The dustpan has become an essential household tool in homes, offices, and commercial establishments worldwide. Ray’s invention simplified cleaning and paved the way for future innovations in cleaning technology.
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Joseph Dickinson began his career at the Clough & Warren Organ Company in Detroit when he was just 17 years old. The company was known as one of the largest organ makers in the world at that time. Dickinson designed an organ that impressed critics at the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia in 1876. Despite his success in building organs for prestigious customers, such as the Royal Family of Portugal, Dickinson is most remembered for inventing the roller mechanism for sheet music.
The roller mechanism enabled pianos to play sheet music in forward and reverse modes, revolutionizing how people played music. This invention made it easier for people to learn new songs and easily switch between different pieces of music while playing. Dickinson’s roller mechanism became popular and is still used in player pianos.
In the late 1800s, collisions between streetcars and other objects on the road were commonplace. Matthew Cherry, who had witnessed numerous incidents, decided to develop a protective device that could be fitted onto streetcars. He invented the “fender,” a metal plate attached to the front of the car, designed to absorb shock in the event of a collision. Cherry was granted a patent for the fender in 1895, and it soon became a standard safety feature on streetcars.
Miriam E. Benjamin was awarded a patent in 1888 for her invention, the “Gong and Signal Chair for Hotels.” The chair featured a button that signaled a light when pressed, allowing the servers to quickly identify which guest required assistance. This invention eliminated the need for guests to use hand-clapping or verbal cues to call for help, making it easier for guests and servers. The United States House of Representatives later adopted the design.
Richard Bowie Spikes, who was almost blind then, invented and patented an automatic safety braking system for buses and trucks in 1962. This innovative system was designed to help prevent accidents by automatically stopping the vehicle if it sensed an obstacle ahead. The invention was quickly adopted by school buses across the United States, making them much safer for children. Spikes also held several other patents during his lifetime, including ones for an improved beer tap, an automatic gear shift device, and directional signals for vehicles.
While working at the United States Census Bureau, Robert Pelham invented the pasting apparatus in 1905 and the new tallying machine in 1913. The pasting device was used to attach paper strips containing census data onto large sheets, making the task quicker and more efficient. The new tallying machine Pelham invented in 1913 automated counting census data, resulting in significant time and resource savings. Both inventions revolutionized the census-taking process and helped ensure more accurate and comprehensive data collection.
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A series of innovations in the manufacturing process of fiber optics led Thomas Mensah to develop a new technique that could deliver 20 meters per second output in 1985. Previously the fibers were produced at a rate of only 2 – 3 meters per second. Such a massive jump in production efficiency allowed the manufacturers to sell optical fibers at prices comparable to copper cables. Based on his work, further improvements in manufacturing methods eventually reached a peak speed of 50 meters per second.
In 1986, Mensah moved from Corning Glass Works to Bell Laboratories and led a weapon development team for the U.S. Department of Defense. His team built the first laser-guided missile system. Mensah’s innovative spirit and technological contributions have had a significant impact, making fiber optic communication a reality and advancing weapon technology.
Thomas Stewart, an African American inventor from Kalamazoo, Michigan, invented the precursor of the modern mop in 1893. Before the invention, cleaning floors was a strenuous process that involved manually scrubbing the surface with rags or brushes. Stewart’s invention included a clamping device that held the rag attached to a lever, allowing the user to wring the water out of the mop after several strokes. Although manual labor was still required, the invention made the job easier and more dignified. Stewart also co-invented an improved version of the station indicator for railways. The indicator was designed to activate automatically as the train hit a small lever on the side of the track, allowing the station to determine the train’s position and track.
Thomas Elkin revolutionized the food preservation industry with his groundbreaking invention in the late 1800s. Before his discovery, perishable goods were only preserved using large ice blocks, often insufficient during a hot summer. However, Elkin’s invention of the metal cooling coils was a game-changer, and it effectively preserved food without ice blocks, making it a more efficient and cost-effective solution. Thanks to his innovation, the modern refrigeration industry was born, forever transforming how we store and preserve food. Elkin’s significant contribution was recognized when he was awarded a U.S. patent for his revolutionary invention in 1879.
When Willis Johnson invented his mixing apparatus in 1884, he had no idea how it would revolutionize the world of cooking. By transforming the slow rotation of a crank into a high-speed whisking motion, the machine could easily beat eggs and other ingredients, saving valuable time and effort in the kitchen. Despite being small and easy to use, Johnson’s invention was powerful enough to impact food preparation significantly. His innovation was so influential that modern rotary egg beaters and electric mixers still use the same basic principle today. Johnson’s invention was a game-changer for home cooks and professional chefs, earning him a patent and a place in culinary history.
John Lee Love, who passed away in December 1931, is best known for inventing two simple yet practical products: the plasterer’s hawk and the portable pencil sharpener. Although not technologically advanced, his ideas aimed to make everyday tasks easier. Before the pencil sharpener, people commonly used a knife to sharpen their pencils, but Love’s invention offered a more straightforward, affordable, and practical solution.
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In 1890, Henry Falkener was granted a U.S. patent for his invention of the ventilated shoe, a breakthrough in footwear technology at that time. Unlike modern shoes made with breathable materials, Falkener’s design featured an air passage between the material and lining, which ensured proper airflow in and out of the shoe. To achieve this, he fitted perforated inner soles to allow fresh air to enter the shoe without obstruction. Falkener’s design included a rubber bubble under the heel connected to an upward-facing open tube, creating an air passage. Whenever the wearer took a step and pressed the bubble, foul air would be forced out, allowing fresh air to enter the shoe.
Albert C. Richardson from Frankfort, Michigan, invented a casket-lowering device that was granted U.S. patent No. 529311. The device was a simple, cost-effective solution that could be easily attached to a trench or ditch to receive the deceased’s casket. The device was mechanically operated, offering safe and stable support to prevent the casket from falling or dirt from spilling off the trench’s edge. It was constructed using a series of pulleys, cloths, and ropes, providing a secure and balanced descent for the casket.
In the 1800s, fire escapes were primarily available for commercial and multi-story buildings, leaving homeowners with few options. Daniel McCree solved the problem by designing a lightweight fire escape made of wood that could be easily attached to windowsills, allowing occupants on the second or third floor to escape in case of fire. His invention was awarded a patent in 1890, and modern residential fire escapes are still based on his design.
In 1931, Benjamin Thornton was awarded a patent for his “Apparatus for Automatically Recording Telephonic Messages,” an early version of today’s answering machine. While some sources credit Thornton with inventing the answering machine in 1935, his device was an attachment for telephones that could record messages from callers and timestamp them. It also allowed the telephone owner to record messages on the device.
David A. Fisher, an inventor, designed two tools that revolutionized carpentry and cabinetry work: an improved joiner clamp and a furniture caster. The clamp eliminated the need for workers to pause multiple times to hold two pieces of wood together while applying glue or other fasteners. Instead, the clamp could mechanically and securely hold pieces of wood together, saving time and increasing efficiency. Fisher patented the invention in April 1875. A year later, in March 1876, Fisher received a patent for a furniture caster, which featured free-turning wheels (rollers) that allowed cabinetmakers to move large pieces of furniture effortlessly.
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There is debate about who invented the spring gun to scare away trespassers. While some sources attribute its invention to Edward R. Lewis, the patent he was granted in 1887 pertained to a toy. The toy consisted of a metal tube on a wooden support with a wire trigger mechanism that required only a simple motion to activate the trigger release. The wire was attached to a holder, and the trigger would release when the holder was disturbed, causing the toy to shoot a projectile. While Lewis did not mention using the toy as a booby trap, some people may have repurposed it for that use.
Joseph Hawkins received a patent in 1845 for his invention, the gridiron. The gridiron was a cooking apparatus with a metal rack attached to a wooden handle. It was designed for heating or cooking meals, particularly meat, and could be placed inside a fireplace or on a campfire. However, during the early 19th century, the gridiron was not widely used as most people had already switched to using more convenient kitchen stoves.
Alexander Ashbourne was born into slavery around 1820 in Philadelphia, and little is known about his early life. However, he later gained recognition for his inventions and was awarded several patents, including one in 1875 for a spring-loaded biscuit cutter. About five years later, Ashbourne also received a patent for his techniques for refining and treating coconut oil. Despite his success as an inventor, Ashbourne’s life story remains largely unknown today.
n 1879, William Binga was awarded a patent for an apparatus constructed from perforated pipes connected to water mains and attached to sidewalks, streets, and roads. The invention allowed the existing sprinkler system to reach all surface areas of a street, including gutters, with excellent efficiency.
James A. Sweeting’s invention, described in the U.S. patent file 549501, issued in 1897, was a device for easily rolling cigarettes. The device comprised a cylindrical rod holding the tobacco and a mechanism to hold the cigarette paper. When used correctly, the device would create a perfectly formed cigarette. The paper might require dampening along the roller line to prevent the cigarette from unraveling. Sweeting’s goal was to make it easy for regular cigarette smokers to roll their cigarettes rather than only being accessible to cigarette manufacturers.
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Robert Reynolds was granted a patent in 1899 for inventing the non-refillable bottle. It was designed with valve stoppers permanently attached to the bottle to prevent unauthorized or misinterpreted use. The invention benefited products that needed to maintain their original quality, such as medication and food. This innovation prevented consumers from accidentally or intentionally refilling the bottles with other substances that could cause contamination or harm. As a result, the non-refillable bottle became a standard packaging choice for products requiring high safety and hygiene.
William Purvis patented an improvement to the early design of fountain pens in 1890. Before his invention, fountain pens did not have an onboard ink reservoir and required a separate ink bottle. Purvis’ design included a small ink storage inside the pen, allowing for even ink distribution onto the writing medium. Purvis’s invention of the fountain pen with onboard ink storage made handwriting work cleaner and more efficient than the previous method.
Kerrie Holley is a renowned inventor and technology consultant who has significantly contributed to analytics and systems engineering. During his time at IBM, Holley has been awarded several patents for his groundbreaking inventions, including a system to locate lost mobile devices and a process for maintaining functionality in the face of component failure. However, his most notable invention is the IBM Service-oriented architecture (SOA) reference architecture, revolutionizing how businesses approached software development and integration. Holley was named Black Engineer of the Year in 2003 for his numerous contributions to the technology industry and continues to be a prominent figure in the field.
John White’s invention of the lemon squeezer was simple yet practical, and the tool is now a household staple used by many worldwide. Unlike Kerrie Holley, who was awarded patents for complex technologies, White’s invention was much more straightforward. The lemon squeezer described in his patent application closely resembles the familiar modern design, and it also included a container attachment to collect the juice.
Martin’s lock design was revolutionary for its time and eventually led to the creation of many other improved locks. Martin himself went on to patent several other inventions, including an electric motor and an electrical switch. His lock design was significant not only for its security improvements but also for its impact on the field of locksmithing. Locksmiths no longer had to rely solely on the ancient bolt design but now had access to new and improved lock designs, eventually leading to more advanced security systems. Today, Martin’s lock design is still used as the foundation for many modern lock systems.
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Henrietta Bradberry’s two inventions, the bed rack and torpedo discharge mechanism, showcase her range as an inventor. The bed rack, patented in 1943, was a simple yet practical design that allowed people to expose their worn bedclothes to fresh air. In contrast, her second invention, the torpedo discharge mechanism, was a highly technical device requiring extensive submarine operations knowledge.
Her improvements to the mechanism ensured that water could not enter the submarine chamber upon missile release, making it more efficient and effective. Bradberry’s diverse portfolio of inventions highlights her ingenuity and adaptability as an inventor, as she could design both practical and highly technical inventions.
The Top 101 Black Inventors and African Americans’ Best Invention Ideas that Changed the World highlight some of the most significant contributions of Black inventors to society. The list includes inventors from various fields, including science, medicine, transportation, etc. Among the inventions are traffic signals, the super soaker water gun, the ironing board, the refrigerator, and the carbon filament for the lightbulb. These inventions have had a significant impact on our daily lives and have helped shape modern society. The list serves as a testament to the ingenuity and creativity of Black inventors and their vital contributions to technology and innovation.
Cad Crowd is an esteemed online platform that provides a seamless connection between inventors and highly skilled freelance CAD designers and engineers from across the globe. Our platform offers a comprehensive range of professional services, including but not limited to new invention design services, 3D modeling, new product design services, engineering analysis, prototyping, and manufacturing support. Through our platform, inventors can post their projects and receive competitive bids from proficient professionals with the necessary skillset and expertise. Our secure payment system, project management tools, and extensive talent pool ensure that the design and manufacturing process is conducted professionally and efficiently.
Cad Crowd is the ultimate solution if you’re an inventor seeking professional invention design help & freelance product development services to bring your ideas to life. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you bring your vision to life. Request a free quote to get started on your project.
What are you going to wear? Sometimes it’s good to look at a few suggestions then add your own tweaks and ideas. That’s what these are for. We have now reached the fancy-pants conclusion to our Feels like Summer style-scenario trifecta. Suit up fellas. “But it’s too hot to wear a suit.” Nonsense. Wool, especially lightweight/tropical wool, is nature’s tech fabric. You’ll feel much better in a tropical wool suit than in an all cotton pair of chinos and a polo. Try it and you’ll never go back.
The Suit: Spier & Mackay Warm Weather Weight Light Gray Wool Suit – $428. A new arrival for Spier, just in time for summer. 3-season, warm weather weight, breathable, light-gray wool. Lined in Bemberg Cupro which should breathe much better than a cheaper lining. Available in slim fit or a more athletic-leaning contemporary fit.
The Pocket Square: Banana Republic Silk Print Pocket Square – $22.39 w/ BRAFF20 ($40). Looks like something from a high end fancy Italian designer. Extra 20% off code BRAFF helps of course.
The Shirt: Banana Republic Premium Poplin Dress Shirt in Light Blue – $90. Or whatever your favorite light blue dress shirt happens to be. Just don’t wear a heavier oxford style weave. You’ll feel like you’re stuck under a duvet. Relatively speaking. The More Affordable Option: Target Goodfellow Performance Dress Shirt – $33
The Sunglasses: Carfina Tortoise Frame/Grey Lens Polarized Sunglasses – $28. Stumbled across this brand on Amazon by accident. They get recommended a lot, in their various shades and frame styles, because they’re surprisingly nice for the price. And the dark tortoise frame + gray lenses makes for a combination that goes with almost anything. In-person look/review can be found here.
The Watch: Timex 40mm Midtown Chronograph – $159. The latest dress-chronograph design from Timex. Not wearing a tie means you can put a little extra “visual weight” on your wrist, without looking like you’re drowning in accessories and baubles. If you like dressier looking chronographs, and have one, this is the time to wear it.
The Belt: Nordstrom Newman Reversible Leather Belt – $49.50. A basic, reversible, do-anything dress belt. Ships and returns for free.
The Shoes: Made in Italy Antonio Maurizi Cap-Toe Monk Strap – $189.95. Antonio Maurizi is one of those brands that’s carried at Nordstrom Rack… yet seemingly never is carried at mainline Nordstrom (nor are they ever at their “full MSRP). They’re sort of the Italian shoe brand version of a “direct to video” movie. But! Under $200 feels like a fair price. Made in Italy, they’re sleek, they might be blake stitched, and the slim rubber sole will keep you upright on slick surfaces. The More Affordable Option: Nordstrom Dale Cap Toe Monk Straps – $99.95.
The Socks: Allen Edmonds Merino Cool Mid-Calf Socks in Navy – $18.50. Before any #menswear snobs have a cow, yes the “rule” is to match your socks to your trousers, but since we’re going tie-free with a light blue shirt, a little extra contrast + color with your socks looks just about right.
]]>If you’re looking for a cool camper, an adventure-ready van, or just a fun, quirky four-wheel-drive Japanese RV, the Mitsubishi Delica might be the ticket. If you’ve never heard of a Mitsubishi Delica van, we wouldn’t be surprised. They weren’t sold in the USA by Mitsubishi.
However, the Mitsubishi Delica Star Wagon and Delica Space Gear are becoming top choices for the adventure crowd, van lifers, and JDM (Japanese domestic market) vehicle enthusiasts alike. So, whether you’re simply curious about these Japanese vans or are looking to possibly buy one, we’ve put together the ultimate Mitsubishi Delica guide.
Here we’ll give a bit of history about these curious cruisers as well as some specs, and even some driving impressions. We’ll focus on the more popular Delica 4×4 models, although there were plenty of 2WD variants as well. And despite the fact all Delicas have a sliding side door, don’t dare call them minivans.
But first, how are these vans even getting here?
Since Delica vans weren’t officially sold in the U.S., how are they coming to North America? There is the “25-year rule.” This is a regulation stating if a car was never officially sold in the U.S. (meaning it never was federalized to meet requirements for sale), it can be imported once it’s 25 years old.
Canada has the same rule, but it’s only 15 years. Because of this, over the last 10 years, a small, steady stream of Delicas have come to North America, and they have become popular adventure vehicles.
Note: Delicas had a staggering array of options, trim levels, variants, engine choices, wheelbases, roof configurations, and special editions. There seems to be an exception to every rule when trying to figure out how Delicas were originally equipped. This article is an overview highlighting the more commonly imported Mitsubishi Delica vans brought to North America.
The word Delica is a combination of “delivery” and “car” in Japanese. The van first entered production in 1968. Early Delicas had tiny 1.1L or 1.4L engines making 58-86 horsepower. These small vans were popular in Japan and SE Asia and were sometimes known as the Colt. They were made in Japan and Indonesia.
The redesigned second-generation model started production in 1979. Passenger versions were known as the Star Wagon. Four-wheel drive — a feature that would come to define the Delica’s go-anywhere character — became an option in 1982. These Delicas shared some components with the early Mitsubishi Pajero/Montero.
By the way, Delicas of this era were rebadged and sold under Chrysler, Ford, Hyundai, Isuzu, and Mahindra nameplates around the globe. A similar cab-over pickup model was also available and produced well into the 2000s in some markets.
In North America, few people import early Delicas. Occasionally, you’ll find a second-generation Delica truck with an RV body on the back. Instead, most people opt for the third-generation Delica. These vans ooze 1980s styling, which even now has a futuristic sci-fi look.
If you say “Mitsubishi Delica” in the U.S., most enthusiasts will picture the iconic third-generation model. Its futuristic ‘80s styling, forward control driving position (you sit atop the engine and wheels with no hood), and tall stance make it instantly recognizable.
The third-gen Delica Star Wagons ditched the body-on-frame construction for a more car-like unibody chassis. Despite this, they had a solid rear axle with leaf springs and a traditional 4WD system with a two-speed transfer case, with a low range, for off-road use.
The front suspension featured independent control arms with torsion bars for springs. The van helped serve the prospering RV/campervan market in the ‘80s and early ‘90s in Japan, too. To this day, the Mitsubishi Delica camper is a popular choice worldwide.
Fact: While the Delica Star Wagon wasn’t technically sold on the U.S. market, Mitsubishi Motors North America offered what it simply called the “van.” It was essentially a Delica with a gas engine and two-wheel drive.
By far, the vast majority of Delica Star Wagons, also simply known as the L300, imported to North America come from Japan. This means they’re right-hand drive. A very small number come from left-hand-drive areas such as Europe or Taiwan, but don’t expect to find them regularly.
These vans have a seemingly endless variety of options, configurations, engine choices, and trim levels. In fact, according to Parts Souq, a seller of Japanese vehicle parts, there are literally 101 Delica Star Wagon variants. We’re just going to touch on some of the more common versions typically imported to North America.
The L300 vans fall into early-model (1986-1990) or late-model (1991-1993) versions. Early models usually have four individual headlights; two low beams and two high beams. Also, early models’ rear windows slide open widely providing ample ventilation — great for camping in the van.
Comparatively, late-model versions showcase modern projection beam headlamps with high/low beams built in. Most late-model iterations have pop-out side windows instead of the sliders, which don’t provide as much air circulation.
Both models often showcase signature large yellow fog lamps on the bull bars — although not always. Those bull bars could also be had in a few configurations depending on the trim level.
Many have tubular side steps or running boards of some sort as well. Most vans are equipped with 15-inch wheels and tires from the factory.
These Delica vans come with various roof heights and styles. For starters, there are low-roof and high-roof options. A high roof will net you a few more inches of headspace, mostly in the rear areas. Low-roof models can be had with a sunroof.
High-roof models may have a sunroof or the highly desired Crystal Lite roof (such as the van pictured above). This option features several panes providing abundant light and a more panoramic viewing experience from the rear passenger area. Crystal Lite roofs are accompanied by electric shades/curtains and fluorescent interior lights.
Take note: While the Crystal Light models are undoubtedly awesome, they can be more prone to leaking and rusting.
All Star Wagon models feature rain gutters, allowing owners to easily affix a roof rack system. But remember, high-roof models need different racks to account for the extra height so crossbars or platforms don’t touch the rooftop.
There are a multitude of trim levels. The most commonly imported are the basic GLX, the mid-grade Exceed (with velour upholstery), and the upper-end Super Exceed. The Super Exceed gets lots of bells and whistles, interior upgrades, and so on.
Then there are the ski-themed Chamonix and Jasper models. These come with waterproof carpets, dual batteries, a limited-slip rear differential, and more items aimed at winter sports enthusiasts. There are a host of other differences including power windows/locks, graphics, upholstery materials, wheel styles, and more.
In some markets, the Star Wagons could be had in a long-wheelbase model as well. These are extremely rare to find imported into North America.
Star Wagon vans are versatile beasts. Up front, you’ll find two bucket seats. The middle row, depending on the trim level, will have either a bench seat or two captain chairs. Whether equipped with a bench or dual captain’s chairs, occupants can sit facing the vehicle’s front or rear thanks to a reversible bench or swiveling seats.
The third row has a bench seat. The seatback can be folded down. In fact, on many models, the middle and rear seats will fold down creating a platform to sleep atop.
Most L300s have a separate rear HVAC system allowing occupants to control their own climate. Seating capacity is generally seven people.
It should be noted that while the front seats have three-point shoulder belts, the rears are all two-point lap belts. These vans are not equipped with airbags.
Most Delica Star Wagons imported to North America have one of two engines. The first is the 2.5L four-cylinder 4D56 non-intercooled turbo-diesel engine. The mill makes approximately 86 horsepower and 148 pound-feet of torque. The other option is the 2.4L 4G64 gasoline four-cylinder making 107 horsepower and 132 pound-feet of torque.
The L300 is a mid-engine configuration, and you sit atop the powertrain. To access the engine, you literally lift both front seats up. Either engine can be had with a four-speed automatic or five-speed manual gearbox. The part-time four-wheel-drive system has both high and low range. Automatic locking front hubs are the most common.
Hey, the ’80s and early ’90s were unique times, especially in terms of Japanese cars. If having two ski-themed 4WD vans wasn’t enough, Mitsubishi had several rather interesting Delica options.
There was the Cool Box, for example. This was a small 12V fridge/freezer located on the floor between the driver and passenger. Next, there was the Audio Stage karaoke machine located in the back. Yes, you read that right.
The first thing you should know about driving a Delica Star Wagon — especially the diesel-powered models — is they’re slow compared to modern vans. They have less than 90 horsepower and the aerodynamics of a shipping container. While the gas models are “less slow,” they’re not about to set any land-speed records.
Diesel models are happiest at and under 65 mph, especially those equipped with a manual transmission. They will go faster than 65; they’re just not happy doing so. The version I owned — a 1989 with the diesel — still had a speed warning chime that turned on, alerting me I was going fast. By fast, I mean 60 mph.
A Delica Star Wagon handles just like it looks: tall and top-heavy. You’ll want to slow down in the corners. The fact you sit directly atop the front wheels leads to an exaggerated sensation of elevation when traversing bumps. You feel like every obstacle is a major one. It definitely is a unique experience that takes getting used to and may not be for everyone.
These vans are surprisingly off-road capable. They feature plenty of ground clearance and decent approach and departure angles. Certain models came with a limited-slip rear differential for better traction. Add a set of good all-terrain tires, and these things will go places other vans could only dream of.
In 1994, the Delica was redesigned again. Gone was the mid-engine configuration. The powerplant was moved forward in front of the driver/passenger and placed under a traditional hood. The van got a much rounder look and a revised unibody chassis.
It maintained the solid rear axle but employed coil springs instead of leaf springs. The front suspension was still independent and continued to use torsion bars. Whereas the previous vans used drum brakes, the Space Gear models now had discs front and rear on many models.
The Space Gear represented a major step forward in terms of comfort, power, and drivability. While it didn’t have the quirky, angular ’80s shape, it was an improved product in many respects.
Since these vans only became recently available to import in the U.S. (remember that 25-year rule), they are just now starting to trickle into the U.S. market.
The Delica Space Gear, like the Star Wagon, was sold globally; most North American models are imported from Japan. Also, like the L300, the L400s had a megaton of versions; again, 101 engine/transmission/trim combos according to Parts Souq.
If you want to buy a Space Gear in the U.S. you can currently only buy an early first iteration. This model was made all the way until 2006, with a midcycle refresh in the late 1990s.
The L400s have the same roof options as L300s, despite the change in shape. This includes low-roof, high-roof, sunroof, and Crystal Lite versions.
Delica Space Gear vans had similar trim nomenclature to L300s and just as many trim level variants if not more, including Chamonix and Jasper. The L400s are also available in short- and long-wheelbase versions. Unlike the L300, however, it’s much more common to find the long-wheelbase models imported to the U.S. and Canada.
The L400’s insides are pretty amazing. Up front, you’ll have two captain’s chairs. The middle row most commonly has two captain’s chairs on tracks, and they can move forward and backward. With the pull of a lever, the seat bottoms will retract upward, allowing the seats to be stowed tightly against the front seats. Additionally, those middle seats can swivel 180 degrees.
But the real show is the rearmost two-piece bench. The seatbacks recline, and then the entire seat can fold up and stow against the vehicle’s sides, opening the floor for cargo.
Conversely, all of the seats — even the fronts — will recline flat and create a platform to sleep atop. It’s the Japanese-made Swiss Army knife of interiors.
The L400’s rear windows pop open sideways like late-model L300s. Some versions have motorized curtains that can open and close with the push of a button — great for camping.
One of the biggest improvements the L400 has over the L300 is engine and transmission choices. Globally, there are nine choices; the most common are a 2.8L turbo diesel and a 3.0L gasoline V6.
The 2.8L 4M40 turbocharged and intercooled diesel makes 140 horsepower and 232 pound-feet of torque. That’s a big jump compared to the L300’s 2.5L 4D56 (the 4D56 was also still available in the L400 in some places).
The popular gas version implements a 3.0L 6G72 V6 engine making 185 horsepower and 195 pound-feet of torque. The diesel can be had with a four-speed automatic or five-speed manual transmission. The V6 comes with the automatic only.
Whereas the L300 has a basic two-speed transfer case for its 4WD system, many L400s get the more advanced Super Select t-case. This incorporates a center differential giving drivers four drive modes: 2WD, 4WD high-range with an open center differential, 4WD high-range with a locked center differential, and 4WD low with a locked center differential. That open differential allows the vehicle to operate more like an AWD vehicle than a 4WD unit. This makes it very good in snow, rain, and other low-traction environments. It can also be used on dry pavement without damaging the system.
The Delica Space Gear vans drive much more like a modern van or car. With the engine in front of the driver and passenger, the seating position is much more mainstream, dare I say normal? It feels much more like a van, though the driving position is very reclined.
The increased power and chassis tuning let the L400 keep up with North American traffic much easier than the Star Wagon. One could argue some of the L300’s pokey nature adds character. But if you’re looking to make miles and keep up with traffic, the L400 is certainly a better option on road.
Off road, it’s very similar to an L300. However, some will argue the L300 is more capable. But with the Super Select transfer case, you have more 4WD options.
In 2007, an all-new Delica was released. It’s certainly not something we’ll be seeing anytime soon, well at least not until 2032 in the U.S.
The D:5 maintains the same spirit as the previous Delica vans, but is arguably more like a crossover or car-based van. It’s no longer available with a selectable transfer case, either — so, no low range on offer. Rather, it’s equipped with an all-wheel-drive system.
Power comes from either a 2.0L or 2.4L gasoline engine, or a 2.2L clean-diesel mill. All engines are mated to a CVT.
Now that you’ve read all about these uniquely different Japanese vans, how do you go about getting one? There are multiple ways.
There are many importers across North America and Canada with lots full of Japanese-market vans including the Mitsubishi Delica. Most of them make the buying experience no different than purchasing any other used vehicle.
Most will have already done the import paperwork, often obtained U.S. titles, and some will have done a host of preventive maintenance. This would include services like replacing the timing belt, water pump, battery, hoses, accessory belts, glow plugs, and fluids. It’s always a good idea to ask the importer what’s been done in terms of maintenance before buying.
You don’t need to be a licensed dealer or importer to bring your own Delica into the USA. However, it can be a daunting task if you’ve never done it.
First, you’ll need to find the van overseas and work with someone there to have it shipped. You’ll need to be sure the van has a host of compliance paperwork, the title from the previous owner professionally translated into English, and the ability to go to the port to receive the vehicle.
You can hire a broker to help with the process if you determine you’d like to import the van yourself. We strongly suggest doing your homework before buying via a Japanese auto auction site, however.
Regardless of which way you go, buying a unique JDM van isn’t for everyone. We always recommend potential buyers know how to do basic repairs and can “turn a wrench” from time to time. Otherwise, little repairs can turn into costly trips to a mechanic.
Plus, getting parts can be tricky if you don’t know where to look. Thankfully, there are some great communities out there including DelicaForum.com and Facebook groups such as MDOC: Mitsubishi Delica Owners Club USA. There you will find plenty of other Delica owners who share info about their vans and help with info. You can also follow Delica owners such as myself. You can find me at Crankshaft Culture. I discuss the ins and outs of Delica ownership regularly.
The post The Ultimate Mitsubishi Delica Van Guide appeared first on GearJunkie.
]]>They’re particularly favored for their ability to handle large quantities of bread, bagels, or other bakery items in a short time. Whether catering to a bustling restaurant crowd or serving a large family, a conveyor toaster can be a game-changer.
A conveyor toaster is a specialized appliance that uses a conveyor belt for toasting. The toasting process begins when you place a piece of bread or a bagel on the conveyor belt. The belt then transports the bread past heating elements on both sides, which results in evenly toasted bread. Once the toasting cycle is complete, the toasted bread drops into a collection tray, ready for serving.
In commercial kitchens, conveyor toasters are vital piece of equipment. They offer the benefit of being able to toast multiple pieces of bread or bagels simultaneously, which is a considerable advantage when serving many people. Commercial toasters are built to withstand the rigors of a busy kitchen, often featuring robust stainless steel construction for longevity and easy cleaning.
Another defining feature of conveyor toasters is their adjustability. They typically come with adjustable speed controls, which allow you to determine how long the bread stays in the toaster, thus controlling the toasting level. Depending on the model, you might also have the option to adjust the heat intensity.
When it comes to conveyor toasters, there are several types to choose from, each suited to different needs and uses. They mainly differ in their size, power, and toasting capacities, with different models designed for different environments.
Lastly, some toasters are specially designed to handle specific food items. For example, bagel conveyor toasters are optimized to perfectly toast bagels without burning the outside or leaving the inside undercooked. While more niche, these specialty toasters can be invaluable in certain food service settings.
Top Pick: Waring Commercial Heavy-Duty Conveyor Toaster |
Runner Up: VEVOR 450 Slices/Hour Commercial Conveyor Toaster | Best Value: PYY Commercial Conveyor Toaster 300 Slices/Hour | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
Maximum Slices per Hour | 450 | 450 | 300 | |
Heat-up Time | 4 minutes | - | - | |
Opening Size | 2" | 3.54" | 3" | |
Energy-saving Function | Yes | - | - | |
Material | Brushed stainless steel | Stainless steel | Food-grade 304 stainless steel | |
Control Panel | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
Temperature Control | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
Speed Control | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
Compact Design | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
Removable Crumb Tray | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
Front/Back Output Modes | - | Yes | Yes | |
Power | 1800W | 2600W | 1900W | |
Plug Type | 6-20 Phase Plug | 110V | 110V |
Whether you are toasting bread or bagels in your place of business, a conveyor toaster will make the job much easier as the crowds get bigger. Here are some commercial-grade conveyor toasters you can find now on Amazon.
Top Pick: The top pick comes from Waring, a known commercial food service industry brand. The Waring Commercial CTS1000 Heavy-Duty Conveyor Toaster combines effectiveness with versatility. This compact, lightweight toaster fits small businesses like cafes, diners, and breakfast bars. With a super-high output of up to 450 slices per hour and a large 2″ opening accommodates thick breads and bagels, it easily keeps up with the breakfast rush.
The toaster features a quick 5-minute heat-up time, an energy-saving standby function, and durable brushed stainless steel construction. Toast precisely and efficiently using the conveyor speed control for all your toasting preferences.
Key Features:
Waring Commercial CTS1000B Conveyer Toaster
Runner Up: The VEVOR Commercial Conveyor Toaster offers premium quality and high efficiency, making it an excellent choice for small business owners. With a food-grade stainless steel frame and 304 stainless steel chain, this toaster ensures durability and safety for food processing. The 2600W high-power design allows for faster heating, and the spacious baking area can accommodate multiple pieces of small bread simultaneously, toasting up to 450 slices per hour.
The clear control panel enables convenient operation, with separate temperature and speed knobs for precise control. The removable crumb tray and heat emission holes facilitate easy cleaning and good heat dissipation. The front and back double exits provide flexibility in taking out the bread, and the compact design fits perfectly in tight spaces. Suitable for a wide range of establishments such as cafés, buffets, and coffee shops.
VEVOR 450 Slices/Hour Commercial Conveyor Toaster
Best Value: The PYY Commercial Conveyor Toaster offers efficient and fast baking capabilities, making it an ideal choice for small businesses, and the best value in our list. With the ability to toast up to 300 slices per hour, this stainless steel toaster is perfect for restaurants, bakeries, offices, hotels, schools, and more. The easy-to-operate countertop size toaster features adjustable speeds and heating modes, allowing you to control the color and finish of your toast.
The front/back output modes provide flexibility to meet different needs, and the compact design ensures it fits perfectly on any countertop. Maintaining a clean and tidy cooking environment is hassle-free with the removable crumb tray and easy-to-clean components.
Key Features:
PYY Commercial Conveyor Toaster 300 Slices/Hour
The Dyna-Living Commercial Toaster offers efficient and fast toasting capabilities for small businesses. With a capacity to bake about 300 pieces of bread per hour, this stainless steel conveyor toaster delivers quick and reliable results. It features three baking modes and seven heating levels, allowing you to achieve your toast’s desired color and crispness.
The food-grade stainless steel construction ensures durability and safety, while the pull-out crumb tray and chain conveyor design make cleaning hassle-free. Ideal for restaurants, cafes, hotels, and bakeries, this versatile toaster is perfect for toasting bread, bagels, buns, and more.
Key Features:
Dyna-Living Commercial Toaster 300 Slices/Hour
The CROSSON Commercial Conveyor Toaster has an impressive output of 450 slices per hour. Featuring a 10″ wide conveyor chain, this toaster can accommodate two slices side by side, allowing for increased productivity. The large 3″ opening can handle various types of bread products, from traditional white slices to hearty bagel halves, English muffins, or buns.
A wide speed control rotation range of up to 270 degrees delivers from light to dark settings to ensure each slice is toasted just the way your customers prefer.
Key Features:
CROSSON Commercial Conveyor Toaster 450PCS Per Hour
The TaiShi Commercial Conveyor Toaster can toast 300-350 slices of bread per hour. Featuring an adjustable conveyor speed and 7 bread colors to choose from, you have full control over the toasting process. Whether you prefer a lighter toast or a darker, crispier one, this toaster can deliver the perfect results. It can handle various bread types, from traditional white slices to hearty bagel halves, buns, and even donuts.
Key Features:
TaiShi Commercial Conveyor Toaster, 300PCS/Hour
The YOOYIST Commercial Double Heating Elements Conveyor Toaster can toast 450 pieces of bread per hour and has the flexibility in bread retrieval with its front and rear double exits. The removable debris tray makes cleaning a breeze, while the heat-dissipation holes contribute to optimal performance. The body of this conveyor toaster is made of stainless steel.
Key Features:
YOOYIST Commercial Double Heating Elements Conveyor Toaster
The MSFULLSEA Commercial Conveyor Restaurant Toaster has versatile features, allowing you always to achieve the perfect toast. This includes seven baking levels with an upgraded thermostat, equipped with upper and lower three-ring heating tubes, ensuring efficient and uniform heating and consistent color for your toasted bread.
This toaster has a thickened stainless steel body and a high-quality food-grade stainless steel material to slow temperature loss.
Key Features:
MSFULLSEA Commercial Conveyor Restaurant Toaster
The OCASAMI Commercial Conveyor Restaurant Toaster delivers up to 450 slices per hour, making it a great option for small business owners seeking an efficient and reliable toaster. A powerful 2600W upper and lower three-ring heating tubes ensure consistent heating for hours of operation. And the seven-speed and independent temperature control knobs allow you to adjust the toasting process according to your customer’s preferences.
Key Features:
OCASAMI Commercial Conveyor Restaurant Toaster
The Winco ECT-300 Commercial Conveyor Toaster is a high-speed toasting solution for small business owners in busy food service environments. It can deliver up to 300 slices of toast, bagels, buns, and more per hour. The adjustable speed dial allows for precise adjustments to achieve the desired level of doneness. The toaster has dual heating elements, enabling independent operation via a 3-position dial.
Key Features:
Winco ECT-300 Commercial Conveyor Toaster
Understanding the design and structure of a conveyor toaster can help you make the most of this innovative appliance. Conveyor toasters are designed with unique components and materials contribute to their efficient and consistent toasting capabilities. Each part plays a critical role, from conveyor belts to heating elements.
In addition, various manufacturers often implement unique design features to optimize performance or improve usability. By understanding these elements, you can choose the right conveyor toaster for your needs and maintain it effectively.
One of the key components of a conveyor toaster is, as the name suggests, the conveyor belt. This belt is typically made of a heat-resistant metal mesh, allowing for uniform heat distribution across the bread or bagels. It transports the bread through the toaster, presenting it to the heating elements before delivering the toasted product.
The heating elements in a conveyor toaster are another crucial component. These elements on both sides of the toaster radiate heat onto the bread as it passes by on the conveyor belt. They are usually made from a durable material, such as quartz or metallic elements, to withstand the high temperatures necessary for toasting.
The collection tray is at the bottom of the toaster, a practical feature for gathering the toasted bread. Some models have a front exit tray for easy access, while others may feature a rear exit for larger quantities of toast.
The control panel is another integral component of a conveyor toaster. Here, you adjust the speed of the conveyor belt and, in some models, the intensity of the heat. This allows you to customize the toasting process according to the bread type or the desired level of browning.
Most conveyor toasters are constructed with durability in mind. They are often made from stainless steel, a material praised for its robustness, heat resistance, and ease of cleaning. The choice of stainless steel also ensures that the toaster can withstand the rigors of a busy kitchen, whether it’s a high-volume restaurant or a bustling catering event.
In addition to stainless steel, some parts of the toaster may be made from other materials. For instance, the conveyor belt might be crafted from a durable metal alloy designed to withstand high temperatures and resist warping.
Moreover, the heating elements of the toaster may be made of quartz or metal, each offering unique benefits. Quartz elements heat up rapidly and provide consistent heat, making them an excellent choice for toasting perfection. On the other hand, metal elements are lauded for their durability and longevity.
Finally, the insulating material used in a conveyor toaster also plays a significant role. It keeps the heat inside the toaster and prevents the exterior from becoming too hot to touch, a crucial consideration for the safety and energy efficiency of the appliance.
The design of conveyor toasters can vary significantly by model and manufacturer. Some models are compact and designed for smaller spaces, while others are larger and built for huge amounts of toasting.
One of the primary differences can be found in the layout of the toaster. Some models are designed for front-loading and front-exit, while others feature a front-load and rear-exit design. The latter can be advantageous in a commercial setting, as it allows the staff to continuously feed bread into the toaster while collecting the finished toast from the rear.
Additionally, the control options can vary between models. Some toasters offer simple control with adjustable conveyor speed for different toasting levels, while others might have separate controls for top and bottom heat, allowing for even more precise toasting.
Some manufacturers might include extra features to enhance the usability or performance of their conveyor toasters. For example, some models have a warming area on top to keep the toast warm until it’s ready to be served. Others may feature a “bagel mode,” which only activates the heat on one side for perfect bagel toasting.
Lastly, aesthetics can also differ among models. While most commercial conveyor toasters have a utilitarian look with a focus on function over form, some models designed for home use might incorporate more stylish design elements to fit seamlessly into modern kitchens.
With these differences in mind, it becomes clear that there is a conveyor toaster to suit every need. Whether you’re after sheer toasting capacity, fine-tuned control, extra features, or a particular aesthetic, there’s a model out there for you.
The working mechanism of a conveyor toaster is a fascinating blend of efficiency, precision, and technology. Unlike traditional toasters, these appliances toast bread and bagels by transporting them on a conveyor belt through a central toasting chamber.
This unique process provides evenly toasted bread much faster than traditional toasters. It’s an automated process; you only need to place the bread on the conveyor and collect it once it’s toasted to perfection. Understanding this working mechanism can help you get the most out of your conveyor toaster.
Heat generation is a crucial part of the conveyor toaster’s working mechanism. It starts with the heating elements, which are typically made of durable materials like quartz or metal that can withstand high temperatures. When you turn the toaster on, these elements heat up, ready to toast the bread.
The heating elements are located on both sides of the conveyor belt. This dual-sided heating enables a conveyor toaster to toast both sides of the bread or bagel evenly. Additionally, the heat level can often be adjusted on many models, giving you control over the toasting process.
The heat generated by the elements is maintained steadily throughout the toasting process. This constant heat is one of the key reasons conveyor toasters can deliver consistent results, regardless of the number of bread slices they toast.
Another important aspect of heat generation in conveyor toasters is heat retention. The toaster’s body is typically insulated to keep the heat inside, ensuring efficient energy use and preventing the exterior from becoming too hot.
The toasting process in a conveyor toaster is simple yet highly effective. It begins when you place a piece of bread or a bagel onto the conveyor belt. The belt moves the bread into the toasting chamber, where the heating elements on both sides apply heat.
As the bread travels along the conveyor, it’s exposed to this consistent heat, leading to an even browning on both sides. The speed at which the bread moves through the toaster is adjustable, allowing you to control the toasting level. Slower speeds produce more toasting, while faster speeds result in lighter toasting.
Once the bread reaches the end of the conveyor, it’s dropped onto a tray, now perfectly toasted and ready to be served. This process happens continuously with new slices of bread or bagels, which makes conveyor toasters particularly suitable for high-demand environments.
Another point is that conveyor toasters, unlike traditional pop-up toasters, don’t require the bread to be flipped or rotated. This ensures a consistent toasting result every time and eliminates the need for manual intervention.
Once the toasting process is complete, the cooling mechanism of a conveyor toaster comes into play. This feature is crucial for the toaster’s longevity and its users’ safety. Most conveyor toasters are designed with ventilation systems to help dissipate heat and prevent overheating.
The heat generated by the toaster needs to be managed efficiently. This is achieved through the toaster’s design, which typically includes vents that allow the heat to escape. This ventilation prevents the toaster’s internal components from overheating and the exterior from becoming too hot to touch.
Additionally, after the toaster is turned off, the cooling process continues. The remaining heat slowly dissipates, ensuring the toaster cools down safely. This gradual cooling helps to protect the toaster’s components and prolong its lifespan.
Overall, the cooling mechanism is an essential aspect of the working mechanism of conveyor toasters. This balance of heat generation and effective cooling allows conveyor toasters to operate safely and efficiently, even under high-demand conditions. It clearly demonstrates the thoughtful engineering behind these devices, focusing on performance, durability, and user safety.
There are several factors to consider when it comes to the energy efficiency and power consumption of a conveyor toaster. As commercial appliances, these toasters are designed to handle high volumes of bread, making their energy use higher than standard toasters. However, it’s important to note that they deliver much higher output, making them efficient in a busy setting.
Moreover, energy use can be managed with proper usage and maintenance, ensuring you get the best out of your toaster. This article will delve into the energy usage of conveyor toasters, provide tips for maximizing energy efficiency, and compare their energy use to other types.
The energy usage of conveyor toasters can vary depending on the model and the manufacturer. However, it’s essential to note that, as high-capacity appliances, conveyor toasters generally use more energy than your standard household toaster. This energy is necessary to heat the large toasting chamber and maintain consistent temperatures for the efficient toasting process.
The power rating of a conveyor toaster typically ranges from 1,800 watts for smaller, more compact models up to 3,600 watts for larger, commercial-grade toasters. This wattage is directly related to the toaster’s heating capacity, with higher wattages correlating to faster and more consistent toasting.
Remember that this increased energy usage doesn’t necessarily mean less efficiency. Remember, conveyor toasters are designed for high-volume output, making them a more efficient choice in settings where large quantities of toast are needed quickly.
Even with their higher energy usage, many conveyor toasters are designed with energy efficiency in mind. For instance, insulated bodies help retain heat, reducing the energy needed to keep the toaster at the correct temperature.
While conveyor toasters use more energy than regular toasters, there are steps you can take to maximize their energy efficiency. One simple tip is to turn on the toaster when you’re ready to start toasting, and leaving it on when not in use can lead to unnecessary energy consumption.
Another key tip is to maintain your toaster properly. Regular cleaning can prevent buildup that might affect the toaster’s efficiency, causing it to use more energy. Also, service your toaster regularly to keep it in optimal working condition.
Using the right settings can also make a big difference. For example, adjust the conveyor speed to match your toasting bread volume. A slower speed might be more energy-efficient if you only make a few slices.
Lastly, consider investing in an energy-efficient model. Some conveyor toasters are designed with energy-saving features, like standby mode or energy-efficient heating elements. While these models might be more expensive upfront, they can save you money in the long run through lower energy costs.
Compared to other types of toasters, conveyor toasters do use more energy. For example, a standard pop-up toaster uses between 800 and 1500 watts, considerably less than the typical conveyor toaster. However, it’s important to remember that these other toasters also have a significantly lower output.
In high-demand environments, such as restaurants or catering events, a conveyor toaster can be much more efficient than using multiple pop-up toasters. It can toast more slices of bread simultaneously, leading to higher output for the same amount of energy.
Even in comparison to other commercial toasters, conveyor toasters can be more efficient due to their continuous toasting mechanism. Unlike slot toasters, which toast a set number of slices per batch, a conveyor toaster can continually toast bread as long as it’s being fed onto the conveyor. This means less waiting time between batches and a more streamlined toasting process.
It’s also worth noting that the energy use of a toaster is just one part of its overall impact. Other factors, such as longevity, ease of use, and maintenance, can also significantly determine the most efficient and economical choice for your specific needs.
While conveyor toasters may have higher power ratings, their ability to handle high volumes of bread efficiently makes them more suitable for commercial environments. And with proper usage and maintenance, their energy efficiency can be maximized.
Proper maintenance and cleaning of a conveyor toaster can greatly extend its lifespan and keep it working efficiently. It is crucial for both hygiene and performance to regularly clean and service your toaster.
These high-capacity machines are exposed to continuous heat and food, leading to gradual wear and tear if not properly maintained. You can ensure your conveyor toaster stays in excellent condition through routine cleaning, regular maintenance, and timely repair.
Your conveyor toaster needs daily cleaning to keep it functioning well and to prevent food debris accumulation. Before cleaning, always ensure that the toaster is turned off, unplugged, and cooled down to avoid accidents.
Start by removing the crumb trays usually found at the bottom of the toaster. Empty the trays and wipe them clean before reinserting them. This simple step can help prevent the accumulation of burned crumbs, affecting your toaster’s performance and even posing a fire hazard.
Next, clean the exterior of the toaster. Use a damp cloth and mild detergent to wipe down the toaster’s body, paying special attention to the knobs and controls. Do not use abrasive cleaners or scouring pads, as they can scratch the surface.
The conveyor belt also needs regular cleaning. Depending on the model, you might be able to remove the belt for easier cleaning. Use a brush to remove any stuck crumbs or food particles. Avoid using water or cleaning solutions on the belt, as these can cause rust or other damage.
In addition to daily cleaning, your conveyor toaster also needs regular maintenance. This can help prevent future problems and keep your toaster working optimally.
Start by checking the toaster’s electrical cord and plug regularly for any signs of damage or wear. If you notice anything unusual, have the toaster inspected by a professional. Regularly inspect the interior for any signs of damage as well.
Keep an eye on the toaster’s performance. It might be time for some maintenance if you notice any changes, such as inconsistent toasting or slower conveyor speed. This could include replacing worn parts or adjusting the conveyor speed.
Maintaining the heating elements is also important. Over time, they can become less effective, resulting in uneven or slow toasting. Most conveyor toasters allow for the heating elements to be replaced, so check your user manual for instructions.
Even with diligent maintenance and cleaning, there may come a time when your conveyor toaster needs repairs. This is not something to panic about. The first step is to identify the problem. Is the toaster not turning on? Is the conveyor belt not moving, or is it moving too slowly? Or is the toaster not heating up properly?
Once you’ve identified the problem, refer to your user manual. It likely contains troubleshooting tips and possible solutions for common issues. If the problem persists, it’s time to contact a professional.
Never attempt to repair a conveyor toaster unless you are trained to do so. These are complex machines with electrical components that can be hazardous if improperly handled. Always seek professional help when your toaster needs repairs.
Maintaining and cleaning your conveyor toaster is key to keeping it in good working condition. With regular care, these durable machines can provide consistent, efficient toasting for years to come.
Selecting the right conveyor toaster for your needs requires careful consideration. These powerful machines come in different sizes and models, each with its own unique features and specifications. Whether you’re a small café owner or a large catering service, picking the right toaster can streamline your toasting process, providing consistently toasted bread, bagels, and other items in large quantities.
Several factors need to be considered when purchasing a conveyor toaster. First and foremost, consider your intended use. If you’re running a busy restaurant or catering service that requires a lot of toasted items quickly, you’ll need a high-capacity model that can handle the load. A smaller, lower-capacity model may suffice if you’re using it for a smaller establishment or home use.
The second factor is the physical size of the toaster. Conveyor toasters come in various sizes, so make sure you have enough counter space to accommodate them. Also, remember that there should be enough clearance around the toaster for heat dissipation and easy access for cleaning and maintenance.
Another critical factor is energy consumption. While all conveyor toasters are relatively power-hungry due to their nature, some models are designed with energy-saving features. These might be a good investment if you’re concerned about your energy bills.
Finally, consider the toaster’s build quality and warranty. A well-built toaster with a solid warranty can give you peace of mind and save you money in the long run.
When selecting the capacity and size of your conveyor toaster, think about the volume of bread you need to toast in a given time. For high-volume needs, like a breakfast rush in a restaurant, opt for a larger model with a higher toasting capacity.
The capacity of a conveyor toaster is usually measured by how many slices of bread it can toast per hour. For example, a small commercial conveyor toaster might toast around 300 slices per hour, while a larger model can toast up to 1000 slices per hour. Choose a capacity that matches your peak demand, but remember that toasters with higher capacities also tend to be larger and use more energy.
Consider the size of your kitchen counter or workspace. Conveyor toasters need adequate space for operation and heat dissipation. Also, consider the size of the product you will be toasting. If you’re primarily toasting larger items like bagels or specialty bread, ensure the toaster’s opening accommodates them.
Choosing the right conveyor toaster involves considering your needs, the capacity and size, and the scenario in which it will be used. By carefully considering these factors, you can select a toaster that will meet your demands and offer reliable service for years. Remember, a well-chosen conveyor toaster can significantly enhance your toasting efficiency, whether in a bustling commercial kitchen or a lively home setting.
While conveyor toasters are incredibly efficient and useful, they must be used cautiously. Safety precautions are necessary to prevent accidents and damage like any kitchen appliance, especially those that generate heat. Here are some essential safety tips for operating conveyor toasters, advice on fire safety and prevention, and guidelines for handling and disposing of a damaged conveyor toaster.
Operating a conveyor toaster safely requires attention to detail and an understanding of the machine. The first rule is always to read and follow the manufacturer’s instructions. Each model may have specific operating procedures and safety precautions that must be followed.
Always ensure the toaster is in good working order before using it. Regular inspections and maintenance can prevent problems that might lead to safety risks. It is also important to ensure the toaster is used on a stable, heat-resistant surface to prevent tipping or heat damage to your countertop.
Never leave the toaster unattended while it is operating. Though conveyor toasters are designed to toast bread automatically, a jam or malfunction could lead to a fire if not addressed quickly. Also, switch off and unplug the toaster when not in use.
Lastly, do not attempt to repair the toaster yourself if you’re not trained. If your toaster requires repair, it’s best to consult a professional to avoid potential safety hazards.
Even with careful use, there is always a fire risk when using appliances that generate heat. With conveyor toasters, fire safety and prevention should be top priorities. Here are a few tips to help prevent fires:
Keep the area around the toaster free of flammable materials. This includes items like paper towels, dishcloths, and food packaging. A stray spark or excessive heat could ignite these materials, so keeping them at a safe distance is best.
Regular cleaning is also essential for fire prevention. Food debris and grease can accumulate over time and ignite, causing a fire. Regular cleaning can prevent this buildup and reduce the risk of fire.
In the event of a fire, know how to respond appropriately. If the fire is small and contained within the toaster, unplug the machine and use a fire extinguisher rated for electrical fires. Never use water to put out an electrical fire, as this can cause electrocution.
If your conveyor toaster is damaged beyond repair, handling and disposing of it properly is important. Damaged appliances can be dangerous, so it’s essential to take precautions.
When handling a damaged toaster, always ensure it is unplugged and completely cooled down before touching it. Avoid contact with any damaged or exposed electrical components.
When disposing of a damaged conveyor toaster, do not simply throw it in the trash. Many parts of the toaster, particularly the electronic components, can be harmful to the environment. Check with your local waste disposal facility to see if they accept appliances, or consider donating them to a local recycling center.
Safely using a conveyor toaster requires understanding the machine, proper handling, and constant vigilance. By following these safety guidelines, you can enjoy the convenience and efficiency of your toaster while minimizing risk.
In modern times, conveyor toasters have become quite popular for personal and commercial use. They offer a unique combination of speed, efficiency, and consistency, making them an attractive option for any setting where toasting is a regular task.
Speed is of the essence in a commercial context, such as restaurants, hotels, or catering services. A restaurant, for instance, during peak breakfast hours needs a toaster that can quickly produce evenly toasted bread or bagels. A conveyor toaster provides just that, with its continuous toasting operation allowing for a high toasting capacity.
Conveyor toasters also excel in terms of efficiency. They use energy more effectively than standard toasters, as they maintain a constant temperature and toast continuously without the need to preheat for each batch. This feature makes them an eco-friendly option, reducing overall energy consumption.
Furthermore, the consistency that conveyor toasters offer is second to none. Each piece of bread or bagel that passes through the toaster receives the same heat, ensuring consistent results every time. This uniformity is particularly important in commercial settings, where consistent food quality must be maintained.
The advantages of using a conveyor toaster over traditional toasters include faster toasting times and higher capacity. Conveyor toasters can toast a large number of slices quickly, making them ideal for commercial settings.
A conveyor toaster ensures even toasting on both sides of the bread through a combination of efficient heating elements and a consistent conveyor speed. The bread passes through the toaster, receiving heat evenly from top and bottom, resulting in evenly toasted slices.
Conveyor toasters offer different speed settings to allow users to adjust the toasting process. Higher speeds result in faster toasting, while lower speeds provide more precise control over the browning level. The speed setting allows customization based on personal preferences or the desired outcome.
Yes, conveyor toasters are designed to accommodate various types of bread and pastry. They usually have adjustable settings to control the toasting time and temperature, allowing you to achieve the desired level of toasting for different types of bread and pastries.
To make your conveyor toaster more energy-efficient, you can follow these tips: Use it only when needed, adjust power settings, ensure proper insulation, and consider energy-saving models.
Common issues with conveyor toasters include uneven toasting, conveyor belt misalignment, and temperature inconsistencies. Troubleshoot by cleaning, adjusting the belt, and checking heating elements.
Consider capacity, durability, adjustable settings, and safety features. Commercial toasters need higher capacity and durability, while home toasters prioritize cost-effectiveness and user safety.
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This article, "Conveyor Toaster: The Best Choices for Your Business" was first published on Small Business Trends
]]>The Milwaukee M12 line offers a variety of different tools that cater to a wide variety of different building trades. The M12 line is one of the largest 12V lines available on the market. Today we are taking a look at the Milwaukee M12 Bandfile.
A bandfile is an extremely helpful tool for a variety of applications such as grinding, deburring, sanding surfaces, and finishing metal pipes, angle iron, fiberglass, and wood. And Milwaukee being Milwaukee decided to up their game and offer two bandfiles as part of their cordless M12 line of tools. So let’s take a look at some of the features.
The Milwaukee Bandfile (model #2483-20) is built around a brushless motor that drives a 3/8″ x 13″ belt. (There is also model #2482-20 which is a 1/2″ x 18″ option.)
As stated above, this is powered by Milwaukee’s popular M12 battery, which is inserted at the bottom of the handle (see below).
The tool features an over-mold grip with a comfortable indentation for your hand.
At the front of the handle, there is a variable speed trigger. Plus you can lock the tool to the “ON” position.
The tool features a two-speed selection for forward, and reverse.
The compression stop pin is conveniently built into the tool. And speaking of convenience; you’ll also appreciate the “no tool required” belt changes.
The file will rotate 360°. Just lift the lock lever and rotate the arm to any angle.
This tool can be used for a wide range of applications including but not limited to automotive, industrial, and metalworking. We installed a headache rack on the back of Dan’s truck. Some metal parts we had to retrofit so we had to cut some pieces. The bandfile came in handy for us to round and smooth the different edges.
In regards to performance, this little bandfile is powerful and easy to work with. Having the two speeds can be extremely helpful depending on the application.
You can pick the Milwaukee Bandfile up at Home Depot for $$249. If you are in the trades and need a bandfile, it’s worth the price as it will save time. Plus you can now cut the cord, so no more extension cords or pneumatic hoses and you can get rid of that loud compressor.
In the end, this is a great investment and another helpful addition to the Milwaukee M12 lineup. I know a bandfile isn’t a sexy tool to talk about but for those who need one, it sure helps out a lot. And the idea that you get pneumatic performance in a cordless tool says a lot.
The post Milwaukee M12 Bandfile appeared first on Tools In Action - Power Tool Reviews.
]]>A palace might be luxurious, but it’s not a home until it has that personal touch. This is where Guardian Homes come into play. They are the professionals who will help you infuse your space with elements that mirror your tastes, aspirations, and memories. From a custom-made bookshelf that houses your cherished novels to an heirloom dining table for family feasts, these pieces elevate a house to a home, inviting you to not just live, but thrive.
As you step up to the majestic front doors, the architecture of your home should elicit that small gasp of wonder. It’s not just about what’s on the inside—a visually appealing exterior creates that impactful first impression. The lines, curves, and materials should be in harmony, like a symphony for the eyes. It’s not simply aesthetics; it’s about constructing a space that, decades down the line, still strikes a chord in the hearts of those who see it.
Blend elements of modern design, like floor-to-ceiling windows for a splash of natural light, with classic touches, such as stately columns or warm wood accents. Picture a modern kitchen with sleek cabinetry but a vintage copper pot rack hanging overhead. It’s this marriage of old and new that creates an environment as cozy as a cup of tea, yet as invigorating as a burst of morning sunlight.
Luxury homes often come with their fair share of pricey possessions. But more than possessions, your home is your sanctuary. Ensuring it’s as safe as a vault should be a top priority. Moreover, nothing puts the mind more at ease than knowing your family and personal treasures are ensconced in security.
Picture this: you’re on vacation, lounging on a beach, and a thought pops into your head, ‘Did I lock the front door?’ With smart locks, wave goodbye to such worries. A tap on your phone and your doors are as secure as Fort Knox. Pair these with surveillance cameras, which are now so slick they can be mistaken for pieces of art, and you’ve got a security system that’s as robust as it is discreet.
The kitchen, often referred to as the heart of the home, is where culinary magic happens and memories are cooked up. Think of the aroma of freshly baked bread wafting through the air or the laughter shared around the island as you prepare a family feast.
A well-designed kitchen doesn’t just amp up the flavor of your daily life; it combines functionality with sheer beauty. Stainless steel countertops, for example, are not just chic but are also a breeze to clean and maintain.
In a world where technology and innovation go hand in hand, smart fridges have become the jewel in the crown of kitchen appliances. Imagine a fridge that not only keeps your veggies crisp but also lets you know when you’re running low on milk. Pair that with a high-performance oven that ensures your roast is cooked to perfection, and you’ve got yourself a 5-star kitchen.
Induction cooktops, wine coolers, and convection steam ovens are also game-changers that bring that dash of luxury to your culinary escapades.
Think about it—a long soak after a grueling day can be as revitalizing as a holiday. But beyond being your personal spa, a well-designed bathroom can significantly enhance the value should you decide to sell your property in the future. It’s an investment that pays dividends in daily luxury and long-term gains.
Picture stepping onto heated floors on a chilly morning or being enveloped by a gentle rain shower. These touches take a bathroom from mundane to mesmerizing. Consider incorporating natural materials like stone or wood, and maybe add a touch of green with some indoor plants. Dimmable lights can add an air of tranquility, and a freestanding tub can become the centerpiece that takes your bathroom into the realm of luxury.
A walk-in closet is the unsung hero of a luxury home. It’s more than storage; it’s a statement. A well-organized closet doesn’t just streamline your morning routine but also keeps your prized attire in pristine condition. Plus, let’s not ignore the sheer delight of walking into a space tailor-made for your wardrobe.
Fancy a closet where every shoe, belt, and hat has its own little nook, just like a boutique. Custom drawers and shelves, an island for accessories, and cleverly positioned lights can make your closet not just functional but fabulous.
Incorporate a full-length mirror with good lighting to ensure that you’re always putting your best foot forward. And how about a cozy seating area for those moments when you need to ponder which scarf perfectly complements your outfit?
Ever looked out of your window at the vibrant green of your garden and wished you could bring that sense of tranquility indoors? The allure of indoor-outdoor living spaces is just that—crafting a soothing continuum between the comfort of your home and the calming embrace of nature. It’s the joy of watching a sunset from your living room or the thrill of an alfresco dining experience in the comfort of your own home.
Imagine a living room that opens up completely to a patio, with retractable glass walls that vanish as if into thin air. Or how about a kitchen that extends onto a deck, perfect for those summer barbecues?
Large sliding doors, or better yet, accordion-style retractable doors, can transform your home into an airy, light-filled retreat. Complement these with cohesive floor and wall materials, and indoor-outdoor living becomes an art.
In the age of technology, luxury homes are evolving into smart homes. But it’s not tech for the sake of gadgets; it’s about enhancing lifestyle, optimizing efficiency, and amplifying comfort. Smart technology wraps the modern home in a cocoon of convenience, allowing you to control and customize your living experience at the touch of a button.
Consider a smart thermostat that learns your preferred temperature at different times of the day or voice-controlled systems that switch on the lights, draw the blinds, or even start your coffee maker. And it’s not just about the wow factor; such automation can boost energy efficiency and security, making it a smart choice in every sense of the word.
Art is to a room what a soul is to a body. It’s the vibrant splash of color on a neutral wall, the story behind a photograph, or the piece that sparks conversations. In a luxury home, art serves not just as decor, but as a reflection of your personality and taste. It’s an element of surprise that breathes life into a room.
Displaying personal collections can be as creative a process as curating them. Perhaps a wall dedicated to your antique clock collection or tastefully lit shelves to showcase your travel mementos? Consider a glass display cabinet for a treasured collection of vintage wines or a specially commissioned bookcase for your precious first editions. Each object tells a story, adding layers of richness to your home narrative.
A luxury home serves not just as a space for relaxation, but also as a personal wellness retreat. As the focus on health and well-being sharpens, the need for home fitness and wellness amenities grows. These spaces can provide a sanctuary where you can nurture both your body and your mind.
Think of starting your day in a well-equipped gym followed by a rejuvenating sauna session, right in the comfort of your home. For those inclined towards mindfulness, a serene meditation room can become a haven of peace. Consider amenities like an indoor pool for year-round swimming or an outdoor yoga deck for sun salutations at dawn. These spaces contribute to a holistic living experience that balances luxury with wellness.
Conclusion
The choices you make in curating your luxury home are the threads that weave together to form the fabric of your everyday life. Don’t just seek luxury—seek a home that speaks to your soul, that welcomes you with open arms at the end of a long day, and that resonates with the very essence of who you are.
The post 9 Essentials For Your Luxury Home first appeared on Make It Missoula.
]]>Shrink wrap machines are invaluable tools in a variety of sectors. They offer an efficient, cost-effective way to package products of all shapes and sizes. These machines are found everywhere from grocery stores packaging food items, to electronics companies wrapping their products, to pharmaceutical firms ensuring their medicines are tamper-proof. Their versatility and efficiency make them a preferred choice for businesses looking for reliable packaging solutions.
The basic operation of a shrink wrap machine is quite simple, yet effective. The process begins with the product being placed on a conveyor system within the machine. A shrink film roll is then unwrapped and sealed around the product using a sealing bar. Once the product is wrapped, it enters a shrink tunnel where heat is applied. This heat causes the film to contract and tightly wrap around the product, providing a secure and aesthetically pleasing package.
From food processing and electronics to pharmaceuticals and publishing, shrink wrap machines are omnipresent. In the food industry, they help package everything from frozen dinners to fresh produce, ensuring freshness and preventing contamination. Electronics manufacturers use them to package individual components as well as finished products, protecting them from dust and damage. Similarly, the pharmaceutical industry secures drug packages, creating tamper-evident seals that guarantee product safety.
While plastic packaging has been associated with environmental concerns, the industry has made strides in addressing these issues. Innovations include the development of biodegradable and recyclable shrink films. These environmentally friendly alternatives help reduce businesses’ carbon footprint using shrink wrap machines, without compromising the quality of packaging.
From preserving food to protecting the products your sell to shipping, shrink wrap machines are invaluable to small businesses. Here are some of the best machines you can now get on Amazon.
Top Pick: As the top pick, the BestEquip 24″ I-Bar Shrink Wrap Machine is designed to provide reliable sealing for films and plastic bags. Its sturdy metal construction and advanced heat gun offer a convenient and effective packaging solution. The machine features adjustable temperature settings, allowing you to customize the shrink wrap process based on the thickness of the film.
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The BestEquip 24″ I-Bar Shrink Wrap Machine delivers sturdy construction, adjustable temperature settings, and compatibility with various film types making it a versatile tool for small business owners. Whether you need to package books, CDs, food, or toys, this shrink wrap machine provides a neat and professional appearance while protecting your items. It comes with a roll of 170m/558ft long, 22-inch wide shrink film, ensuring ample supply for your packaging needs.
BestEquip 24″ I-Bar Shrink Wrap Machine
Runner Up: Enhance your food packaging process with the VisionTechShop 20 Inch Wrapping Machine. This hand wrapping machine is designed to provide efficient and convenient wrapping for large trays and food packaging. Made with commercial-grade stainless steel construction, this machine offers durability and reliability for your everyday needs. The film holder can accommodate a 20-inch wide wrapping film roll, ensuring ample space for various tray sizes.
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The VisionTechShop 20 Inch Wrapping Machine has sturdy stainless steel construction and adjustable features providing flexibility and convenience in your wrapping process. With the adjustable power heating plate and individual on/off controls for the cutter and heating plate, you have the flexibility to customize the wrapping process according to your requirements. The machine is made in Korea, known for its high-quality manufacturing standards.
VisionTechShop 20 Inch Wrapping Machine
Best Value: The Hubert Countertop Film Wrapper, a heat sealing film wrapper, is designed to meet the demanding needs of commercial use. This product combines exceptional value and innovation, making it the top choice for small business owners seeking reliable food-sealing solutions. The non-stick, replaceable Teflon cover on the thermostatically controlled hotplate ensures easy maintenance and longevity.
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Whether you need to seal meats, cheese, or other food products, the Hubert Countertop Film Wrapper ensures the freshness and preservation of various food items. Its user-friendly features, including tension adjustments and a solid-state-controlled cut-off rod, make wrapping and sealing a breeze.
Hubert Countertop Film Wrapper
The Hanchen Film Wrapping Machine with Built-in Heating Plate is designed to meet the unique needs of wrapping large objects easily and precisely. A hidden heating plate built into the machine offers enhanced durability, a longer service life, and a spacious operating platform. The laser-cut, thick stainless steel plates ensure robustness, capable of bearing approximately 143.3 lbs (65kg) for reliable performance.
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Whether you’re packaging fruits, vegetables, desserts, meat, or frozen food, the Hanchen Film Wrapping Machine with Built-in Heating Platefilm wrapper extends the shelf life of your products, ensuring freshness for your customers. With optimized and upgraded four rollers, the machine ensures stable film output without shaking. The hollow design facilitates easy cleaning, while the bottom cooling holes and non-slip feet ensure smooth operation. Suitable for film widths up to 45cm (17.7″), this machine is ideal for supermarkets, fruit shops, food factories, hotels, and more.
Hanchen Film Wrapping Machine with Built-in Heating Plate
The Semi-automatic Plastic Film Shrink Wrapping Machine is designed to provide efficient and secure shrink wrapping for a wide range of products. Its automatic operation mode, adjustable speed, and temperature settings ensure versatility and compatibility with various packaging materials.
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The Semi-automatic Plastic Film Shrink Wrapping Machine heating tunnel and controlled heat application create a tight and secure seal, ensuring product integrity during transport and display. The easy-to-use control panel and compatibility with different shrink films and sleeves offer convenience and flexibility.
Semi-automatic Plastic Film Shrink Wrapping Machine
The PEC Stretch Wrap Machine is an efficient and reliable solution for small business owners seeking a semi-automatic packaging process. This electric pallet wrapper is designed to streamline packaging operations with its built-in weighing scales and thermal label printer. The machine saves labor costs and reduces material/film costs compared to hand wrapping.
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The PEC Stretch Wrap Machine, Electric Pallet Wrapper has automatic load height detection and adjustable photo eye ensuring safety and preventing shipping damages caused by poorly wrapped pallets. The programmable wrapping circles allow the customization of wrap cycles for each load, making it versatile for various businesses and industries. With a heavy-duty industrial design and a 5,000lb capacity, it can handle most pallet loads.
PEC Stretch Wrap Machine, Electric Pallet Wrapper
The American International Electric I-Bar Shrink Wrap Machine has an easy to use simple three-step operation and no warm-up requirement, this machine offers convenience and efficiency. It enhances the appearance and value of your products by providing protection against pilfering, dirt, dust, moisture, and handling. The package includes a bar sealer with a 13″ length, a timer, a two-speed heat gun and holder, a film rack, a free 500ft. roll of centerfold 75-gauge shrink film, an outlet plug, and a parts kit.
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The American International Electric I-Bar Shrink Wrap Machine is designed to meet the shrink wrapping needs of small businesses. It offers a cost-effective solution for professionally packaging products with its easy-to-use three-step operation and no warm-up requirement. The package includes a bar sealer with a 13″ length, a timer, a two-speed heat gun and holder, a film rack, a free 500ft. roll of centerfold 75-gauge shrink film, an outlet plug, and a parts kit.
American International Electric I-Bar Shrink Wrap Machine
The Stainless Steel Stretch Film Wrapping Machine provides a simple installation and easy-to-use design, this machine is suitable for both countertop use and other applications. The machine features a convenient film cutter that allows for easy film cutting, accommodating stretch films of various widths up to 21.65 inches (55 cm).
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The Stainless Steel Stretch Film Wrapping Machine can handle packaging goods in a variety of industries. Its simple installation and user-friendly design provides convenience and ease of use. The machine is particularly suitable for the food industry, production, processing, manufacturing, and household packaging applications. Its durable stainless steel structure ensures longevity, and the convenient film cutter enhances efficiency.
Stainless Steel Stretch Film Wrapping Machine
The Sgpkme Hand Wrapping Machine is made from sturdy stainless steel and metal construction to ensure operational durability and stability. The anti-paste heating plate utilizes a sheet metal embossing process to prevent adhesion, making film wrapping smoother and more efficient.
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The Sgpkme Hand Wrapping Machine has an adjustable heating temperature feature that allows precise control, preventing overheating and ensuring optimal performance. This machine is designed to hold an 18-inch/450mm width film roller, making it suitable for various hand tray wrapping needs. Widely used in factories, shopping malls, and supermarkets, the Sgpkme Hand Wrapping Machine is a versatile solution for packaging applications.
The ZONEPACK Manual Stretch Film Wrapping Machine is a reliable and versatile tool with a durable painted metal body. Thanks to its mounting holes and non-slip rubber, it can be easily mounted on a wall or on a table. The adjustable fixtures on the film rod accommodate different film lengths, making it suitable for various packaging requirements.
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Whether you need to package fruit and vegetable trays or handle small items, the ZONEPACK Manual Stretch Film Wrapping Machine offers versatility and convenience.
ZONEPACK Manual Stretch Film Wrapping Machine
Manual shrink wrap machines are the simplest and most affordable type, making them a good choice for small businesses or operations with low volume requirements. The operator places the product on the machine, manually wraps the shrink film around it, and then applies heat using a handheld heat gun. This type of machine, which typically includes I bar sealers, is perfect for wrapping individual items or small batches.
Semi-automatic machines offer a step up in terms of efficiency. They automate some parts of the shrink wrapping process, reducing the need for manual intervention. This type of machine typically includes an automatic film separator and a sealing bar, which cuts and seals the film around the product. The operator then moves the product into the shrink tunnel manually. These machines are ideal for medium-sized operations.
Automatic shrink wrap machines are designed for high-volume operations. These machines automate every step of the shrink wrapping process, from the initial film wrapping to the final heat application. Typically, automatic machines include an automatic side seal system and a conveyor system that moves products through the machine with minimal operator intervention. These machines are most commonly seen in larger manufacturing operations where efficiency and speed are paramount.
Continuous feed shrink wrap machines represent the pinnacle of efficiency in shrink wrap technology. These industrial shrink wrap machines can package a constant stream of products without interruption. The machine seamlessly moves products from the infeed conveyor to the film wrapping stage, through the shrink tunnel, and finally to the discharge conveyor. It’s an ideal solution for businesses that need high-speed, continuous packaging.
When comparing different types of shrink wrap machines, several factors come into play. Manual machines are economical and easy to operate but are less efficient for large volumes. Semi-automatic machines offer greater efficiency but still require some manual intervention. Automatic machines provide higher efficiency and consistency, albeit at a higher cost, while continuous feed machines are the go-to for large-scale, high-speed operations.
The sealing component of a shrink wrap machine, typically an I bar sealer or L bar sealer, is a critical part of the shrink wrap process. It cuts and seals the shrink film, creating a loose bag around the product. The seal’s quality directly impacts the final product’s appearance and integrity.
The shrink tunnel is where the magic happens. The shrink tunnel applies heat after the product is loosely wrapped in shrink film. This causes the film to contract, tightly conforming to the product’s shape. Shrink tunnels come in various sizes and configurations, suitable for a wide range of products.
The conveyor system transports the product through the different stages of the shrink wrap process. It moves the product from the film wrapping stage, through the shrink tunnel, and finally to the discharge area. The conveyor system’s speed and efficiency can greatly impact a shrink wrap machine’s overall speed and productivity. Proper maintenance of the conveyor system is vital to ensuring smooth operations.
The control panel serves as the brain of the shrink wrap machine. It allows operators to adjust various settings such as temperature and conveyor speed, enabling customization of the shrink wrap process based on the specific product and shrink film used. Modern control panels often feature digital interfaces for ease of use and precise control.
Regular maintenance and timely replacement of key components can significantly extend the lifespan of a shrink wrap machine. This includes cleaning and inspecting the sealing component, monitoring the temperature in the shrink tunnel, and ensuring the smooth operation of the conveyor system. Businesses can prevent unexpected downtime and costly repairs by investing in regular maintenance.
The first step in choosing the right shrink wrap machine is understanding your specific needs. This includes assessing the volume of products you need to package, the size and shape of your products, and your available budget. For small businesses or startups, a manual machine may be sufficient. An automatic or continuous feed machine may be more appropriate for more extensive operations.
Different products require different types of shrink wrap machines. The size, shape, and weight of the product, as well as the type of shrink film used, all play a role in determining the best machine for the job. For example, heavier products may require a machine with a robust conveyor system and a larger shrink tunnel.
Budget is an important factor when choosing a shrink wrap machine. While higher-end machines come with a higher upfront cost, they may offer greater efficiency and lower operating costs in the long run. It’s important to consider both the initial cost of the machine and the ongoing costs of shrink film, maintenance, and energy consumption.
Brand reputation and reviews can provide valuable insights when choosing a shrink wrap machine. Brands with a history of quality and reliability may be a safer bet. Reviews from other users can give you a glimpse into a machine’s real-world performance and reliability.
After-sales service and support is an important considerations when investing in a shrink wrap machine. A machine is a significant investment, and having access to timely service and support can help ensure that your machine remains operational and productive for years to come.
Incomplete or weak seals can lead to poorly wrapped products. This can be caused by a variety of issues, including incorrect heat settings, a worn-out sealing bar, or poor-quality shrink film. Regular inspection and maintenance of the sealing component can help prevent this issue.
Irregular shrinkage can result in a wrinkled or distorted package. This is often due to improper heat settings in the shrink tunnel. By adjusting the temperature and conveyor speed, operators can achieve a smooth, even shrink.
Overheating can cause shrink film to burn or become discolored. This is usually a sign that the temperature in the shrink tunnel is set too high. Regular monitoring of the tunnel temperature can help prevent overheating.
Conveyor malfunctions can cause disruptions in the shrink wrap process. This could be due to issues with the conveyor belt or motor. Regular conveyor system maintenance, including cleaning and lubrication, can help prevent these issues.
Problems with film loading and feeding can cause the shrink wrap process to stall or result in uneven wrapping. This could be due to issues with the film rack or separator. Understanding how to load and feed the shrink film into the machine properly can help prevent these issues.
A shrink wrap machine works by enveloping a product in shrink film, sealing the film, and then applying heat. The heat causes the film to contract and form a tight, protective layer around the product.
Shrink film is typically made from a type of plastic known as polyolefin. Some shrink films are made from PVC. There are also biodegradable and recyclable options available.
A shrink tunnel is a heated chamber within a shrink wrap machine. After a product is wrapped in shrink film and sealed, it’s sent through the shrink tunnel. The heat inside the tunnel causes the film to shrink and tightly conform to the product.
An I bar sealer uses a single bar to cut and seal the shrink film, which means the operator needs to make two passes to seal all sides of the product. An L bar sealer, on the other hand, uses two bars arranged in an “L” shape, allowing it to cut and seal all sides of the product in one pass.
Yes, you can use a shrink wrap machine for temperature sensitive products. Some machines come with adjustable temperature settings, allowing you to lower the heat for sensitive products. There are also special types of shrink film, such as low-temperature films, designed specifically for temperature sensitive products.
Choosing the right shrink wrap machine depends on several factors, including the volume and size of the products you need to wrap, your budget, and the type of shrink film you plan to use. It’s also important to consider the reputation of the machine’s manufacturer and the availability of after-sales service and support.
Regular maintenance for a shrink wrap machine includes inspecting and cleaning the sealing component, monitoring and adjusting the heat in the shrink tunnel, and ensuring the smooth operation of the conveyor system. It’s also recommended to regularly check the condition of the shrink film and replace it as necessary.
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This article, "Shrink Wrap Machine: Options for Your Business" was first published on Small Business Trends
]]>When you don’t want to add stress to your lower back but you need to give your legs an enormous challenge, the leg press comes in clutch. This powerhouse movement proves that the squat rack isn’t the only piece of equipment that can give you strong, well-developed legs.
In this article, we will go through everything you need to know about the leg press. Read on if you’re looking to maximize your leg day.
Editor’s Note: The content on BarBend is meant to be informative in nature, but it should not be taken as medical advice. When starting a new training regimen and/or diet, it is always a good idea to consult a trusted medical professional. We are not a medical resource. The opinions and articles on this site are not intended for use as diagnosis, prevention, and/or treatment of health problems. They are not substitutes for consulting a qualified medical professional.
Below is a step-by-step guide on how to perform the leg press in a seated sled setup. Note: more recumbent leg press machines have a very similar setup.
The seated leg press should be set up to allow the lifter to comfortably sit without having their lower back and hips come out of the seat in the bottom of the press. To do this, perform a few practice repetitions with an empty sled to full depth, focusing on keeping your lower back and hips down on the seat.
For most lifters, placing the feet in the squat stance will suffice.
Coach’s Tip: If you are looking to maximize quadriceps engagement, set the feet towards the bottom of the footplate and take a narrower stance. The narrow stance will force deeper knee flexion angles, increasing the loading on the quadriceps.
Unrack the weight sled using the handles by the sides of your hips. Once you have un-racked, bend your knees to allow the sled to be lowered. Bring your legs down into your chest and stomach so that your thighs break parallel and come as close to your body as possible.
Focus on keeping the lower back and hips stable during this deep leg press. Failure to do so could result in the hips curling upwards off the seat, leading to additional strain on the lower back.
Coach’s Tip: Slow and controlled lowering of the sled is ideal, so be sure to master lighter loads for volume prior to increasing overall loads.
Once you have reached a full depth in the leg press, press your feet through the footplate and lift the sled upwards. Be sure to not lose tension in your hips and core, keeping your hips and lower back on the seat
Coach’s Tip: Try not to fully extend the knees at the tip of the leg press, but rather keep them slightly bent at the top of the repetition. This will help increase loading and time under tension on the quadriceps.
The leg press machine isn’t a one-trick pony. You can use it for various types of leg presses, any of which can provide big value-adds to your program.
Maybe you’ve used bands and chains in weight training before. Or maybe you’ve been intimidated to try this out with a barbell. Whether you’re a newbie or a pro, the banded leg press will provide accommodating resistance to leg press training to enhance concentric strength and improve time under tension. You’ll increase the challenge without having to slap on any extra weight plates.
To perform the banded leg press, simply add a light resistance band to the leg press sled around the weight pegs and the seat frame. Perform your reps as usual.
The 1 ½ leg press, like other 1 ½ rep variations, increases loading and time under tension of the quadriceps, furthering muscle hypertrophy and strength development at various ranges of motion.
To perform, lower the sled to the bottom position as usual. Press the sled halfway back up. Stop at the halfway mark, then lower it back to the bottom. Finally, push the sled back to the starting position. That is one rep.
Partial reps can be beneficial for overloading a muscle, either with prolonged time under tension or additional volume. In doing this, you can increase hypertrophy potential and isolate ranges of motion that may be sticking points in the leg press.
Choose your fighter for your partial reps. To do a partial leg press, perform leg presses as usual, but only within a limited range of motion. This might mean staying within the top half of the rep (treating 90 degrees as the “bottom” of each rep instead of going all the way down). Alternatively, stay between the bottom of your range of motion and treat the 90-degree position as the “top” of each rep instead of going to full extension. Perform upwards of 15 reps per set to really overload your muscles here.
Maybe the leg press machine is being used by someone who seems to be doing as many sets as humanly possible. Or maybe your gym doesn’t have a leg press machine at all. Don’t worry. You can still reap similar benefits to the leg press without a machine. You’ll just have to get a little creative.
Narrow stance goblet squats are a goblet squat variation that specifically target the quadriceps. Due to the narrow stance, the degree of knee flexion is much higher, making it more demanding for the quadricep muscles to stabilize and extend the knee joint.
To perform the narrow-stance goblet squat, bring a dumbbell or kettlebell to chest height. Keep it tucked into your chest and your elbows close to your rib cage. Bring your feet to hip-width or closer. Sink back and down into a squat, keeping your torso as upright as possible. With each rep, work to increase your range of motion.
The Bulgarian split squat is a viable alternative to the leg press as it isolates the quadriceps and reduces some loading on the spine. Holding dumbbells at your sides can help further decrease potential strain on your back. This can be used by individuals who may not have access to a leg press yet are looking to increase quadriceps hypertrophy.
You can do the Bulgarian split squat either with dumbbells or with your body weight only (it will still be plenty challenging). Place your back foot laces down behind you on a weight bench. Scoot your front foot out such that when you sink into a split squat, your front knee can reach 90 degrees and your back knee will point closely toward the ground. Perform your split squat while keeping your back foot raised behind you. Place the emphasis of the push on your front leg, driving your front foot into the ground.
The belt squat is a lower body movement that can be done to increase leg strength and hypertrophy while minimizing lower back and hip stress. You’ll need a special machine or a dip belt for this one, but the results will be worth it if you can access one. You’ll squat as usual, but because the load is through your hips rather than on your back, you’ll spare your low back some strain.
To perform this movement, the lifter sets themself within a belt squat machine or hangs a load from their hips as they squat. Be sure to stand on platforms that allow you to assume a deep squat position without the load touching the floor. Whether you’re on a belt squat machine or using a squat rack or power rack to stabilize you, use your hands out in front of you to stabilize your movement.
It’s easy to slap on some weight plates, sit down, unlock the safeties, and leg press without putting much thought into it. But if you’re really aiming to improve your leg strength and musculature with precision, you’ll want to have a more surgical approach to your set and rep scheme.
The leg press is a great exercise to increase muscle hypertrophy of the quadriceps while limiting the additional strain on the core and lower back. As such, the leg press is one of the best squat accessory exercises out there. Add this move after your squat session during leg day to really finish off your quads and spur a great deal of growth.
Perform three to five sets of 12 to 15 repetitions with a moderate to heavy load. Take each rep through a controlled, full range of motion.
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Training the leg press for maximal strength is generally not recommended (less than five reps). But that doesn’t mean you can’t get a lot stronger using the leg press. You can use the leg press to build baseline strength to provide a solid supplement to your main lower body movements. If this is going to be the main strength movement of your program because you can’t barbell squat, you’ll still build strength a little differently than you might if you were aiming to find your one-rep max.
Do three to six sets of eight to 10 reps with a heavy load. Make sure you can control to weight and go to a full range of motion.
[Read More: How to Deadlift 500 Pounds (and More)]
The leg press can be used to develop muscle endurance of the quadriceps similar to other higher-rep movements. Unlike high-rep squatting, the leg press places more emphasis on the quadriceps’ muscular endurance. High-rep squats can often be limited by lower back and core endurance.
Perform three to four sets of 15 to 20 slow, controlled reps with light to moderate loads. Control the weight and try counting to five with each part each rep.
[Read More: How to Balance Running and Strength Training, No Matter Your Goals]
The squat might be the more glamorous of these two big lower-body lifts. But if you’re looking to develop big, strong quads, don’t sleep on the leg press. Here’s why.
Check in with a doctor before diving back into training after an injury. But if you’ve been cleared for activity, the leg press can help ease you more safely return to strength training after time off.
It doesn’t take a lot of core stability, coordination, or exert a lot of pressure on your lower and upper back like a barbell squat does. You can start rebuilding your strength without other types of stress on your body.
Chasing teardrop quads? Need more powerful legs to fuel everything from box jumps to stronger squats? Whether your goal is aesthetics, strength, or both, the leg press is your new best accessory exercise.
Moves like the back squat and front squat rely on back and core strength in addition to leg strength to build up to maximum lifts. But the leg press allows lifters and athletes to attack the quadriceps without other muscle groups holding them back.
The leg press allows lifters to reduce loading on the spine yet still train the lower body. If you’re looking to dramatically increase your heavy leg volume while not putting stress on your back like a squat or a deadlift does, the leg press can get you there.
[Read More: Squats Causing You Low Back Pain? Try This Unilateral Leg Workout]
Since your entire torso will be supported by the backrest and seat, you don’t have to worry about stabilizing your core and low back throughout the lift. And since you won’t be holding a loaded barbell in your hands (deadlift) or on your back (squat), your upper back gets a break, too.
The leg press is a movement that targets the quadriceps. Your glutes and adductors will also get a fair amount of work, especially when you push this movement to its rull range of motion. The hamstrings, while slightly active in this movement, are much less involved than in a squat due to the limited amounts of hip flexion and extension while in the seated position.
There’s no way around it: the leg press simply isn’t a competition lift. But it would be all too easy for competitive strength athletes to dismiss the move as superfluous. While it’s not a strictly necessary move, this is a valuable accessory for many different types of athletes.
[Read More: Squat Vs. Deadlift — Which Is Better for Strength, Mass, and Power?]
Yes, the leg press can be one of the best leg exercises to add to your repertoire. But it’s only going to be as effective as you make it. Here’s what not to do when you’re taking this exercise for a proverbial spin.
The idea behind a strong leg press is that you’ll be loading up pretty heavily. Without all that stress on your lower back that a barbell squat will inflict, this exercise gives you an amazing opportunity to move a lot of weight with minimal concern for your back.
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With all those weight plates angled above you, you do not want to lock out your knees between each rep. Doing so will place an undue amount of stress on your muscles and tendons. Instead of completely locking out your legs, straighten them until you reach a gently extended position. Don’t continue pressing and force them to totally lock.
You’ll still get the benefits without accumulating more risk. In fact, you’ll maintain more positive tension on your muscles by keeping your knees softly bent at the top.
Unless you’re deliberately performing partial reps to focus on a specific part of the lift, don’t skimp on your range of motion during the leg press. Stopping when your legs hit a 90-degree angle just won’t help you build muscle or increase strength as much as going as deep as you can with this movement.
Bring the tops of your thighs all the way down to your chest or stomach with each rep.
If you need more room to increase your range of motion than your chest or stomach allows, try widening your foot position slightly and actively push your knees outward to help get you deeper with each rep.
The first muscle group you think of with the leg press is probably your quads — and with good reason. But your glutes also provide a tremendous amount of power and strength with this movement.
Based on different limb lengths and other individual body factors, your knees might cave slightly inward naturally. And that’s okay. But if your knees are collapsing dramatically inward with each rep, it might indicate that your glutes are insufficiently engaged or just plain weaker than you want them to be.
Put your glutes in a good position to help you out by keeping your knees out or at least neutral.
For athletes chasing bigger, stronger legs, the leg press is a very valuable add-on to your program. You can load up this accessory movement with very heavy weight, making it an excellent choice when you want to overload your quadriceps. It’ll toast your glutes and adductors, too. And it will do all of this without all that added stress on your lower back and hips. Slide into a leg press machine today and watch your quads grow.
The leg press is a reliable way to load up a high amount of weight while adding minimal stress to your lower back. You’ll develop a tremendous amount of leg strength, focusing on quad and glute hypertrophy.
This move is also great for beginners because it’s performed with a machine. It’s not nearly as technically demanding as a barbell squat, so you can build a lot of strength with only a little experience.
In the battle of leg press versus squat, one thing is clear: the leg press machine is more useful than squat purists will have you believe. You’ll place a lot less stress on your lower back and the rest of your body with the leg press, which can be very valuable to a lot of athletes.
That said, there’s really no matching the barbell back squat’s full-body coordination, stability, core strength, upper back strength, and overall lower-body engagement.
If you’re aiming for a full-body experience, opt for the back squat. But if you want a lower-pressure accessory or even main lift for a low-impact training cycle, the leg press is a fabulous option.
The leg press is almost all about your quadriceps. Unlike the back squat, which also involves a lot of investment from your hamstrings, the leg press really brings your quads to the front of the pack.
That said, you will also develop very strong glutes and adductors with the leg press. This is especially true when you go through a full range of motion, bringing your thighs as far down into your chest and belly as you can with each rep.
Feature Image: SOK Studio / Shutterstock
The post How to Do the Leg Press for Massive Quads and a Bigger Squat appeared first on BarBend.
]]>What makes the better gift — experiences or things? Luckily, outdoor gear can offer both. This Father’s Day is June 18! Give Pop something that can help get him to the moments and places he loves most. The high-quality outdoor gear on this list is sure to facilitate grand adventures and family fun for years to come.
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Might as well start with a dream gift for many: an epic side-by-side. From yard work to hauling gear to the fishing hole, the Polaris Ranger XP 1000 can handle just about any side-by-side mission under the sun. Though it’s a highly versatile machine, it clearly leans toward the fun stuff — exploring rugged trails in ways that a full-size vehicle can’t.
For such a tough rig, the XP 1000 sports a surprisingly refined interior. On long treks into far-flung campsites, users will appreciate the plush seats and ample headroom. Key performance stats include an 82-horsepower ProStar Engine, 2,500 towing capacity, and 13 inches of ground clearance. It’s available in three-seat and six-seat configurations.
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This one’s more realistic for most gift-givers, but still super useful and at the core of great experiences. Coleman — makers of the legendary two-burner camp stove — dropped a hardy new cooler just in time for Father’s Day. At just $100, the Pro 17-Quart Hard Cooler is an excellent value. Many coolers with similar specs cost twice as much or more.
The Pro is well stocked with the standard features of a quality modern-day cooler. Rubberized boots keep it from sliding around in the back of a truck, and the interior is antimicrobial-treated to help prevent mildew and funky smells. By the numbers, the Pro can hold up to 14 12-ounce cans (plus 9 pounds of ice), and the lid doubles as a fireside bench seat rated to support up to 300 pounds.
A variety of Coleman products will be on sale ahead of Father’s Day from June 11 to 18.
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Lululemon maintains an immaculate reputation for crafting comfortable and practical apparel. The just-dropped New Venture Classic-Fit Long-Sleeve Shirt ($118) is an impressive take on the go-everywhere button-up.
Though it can easily serve as a dress shirt or professional wear, the New Venture’s true function is active use. Made from quick-drying, four-way stretch fabric, it’s suited for a long day of travel, afternoon errands, or even a quick game of pickleball. Underarm gussets add plenty of mobility, and a “No-Stink Zinc” treatment should help keep odor to a minimum.
The New Venture shirt arrives alongside many other Father’s Day picks from lululemon, including the Relaxed Tapered Trouser and the Evergreen Jacket.
Shop NowIf your pop enjoys cooking outdoors, he already knows the value of a reliable meat thermometer. Traeger Grills — known for popularizing wood pellet grills — also makes the MEATER. This simple yet high-tech meat thermometer allows users to monitor cooking meats via a Bluetooth connection from up to 165 feet away. That means Dad can keep an eye on the progress of the ribeyes while chillin’ on the couch with a beverage in hand.
According to Treager, the built-in Advanced Estimator Algorithm advises users on the ideal cooking and resting times for various types of meat and other foods. The MEATER is on sale now for $88.
Shop NowMany cocktails are associated with backyard barbequing, but the Old Fashioned might be the reigning champ. WhistlePig Whiskey’s Smoked Maple Old Fashioned Kit ($100) marries the sweetness of maple with smokey notes and classic rye spice. The kit includes two forms of liquid gold — 100% PiggyBack Rye Whiskey and Runamok Maple Smoked Maple Syrup — both of which are barrel-aged.
Shop NowThe GearJunkie team has been a fan of Glerups Slipper Boots for years. They’re warm and cozy enough for indoor use, and the rubber outsole adds utility for occasional trips to the end of the driveway. Made from 100% pure felted wool, these timeless slippers ($155) are sturdy, handsome, and built to last.
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This ornate knife from Gerber is both a work of art and a practical everyday-carry tool. The pictured Fastball Clever Folding Knife ($200) has a precise cleaver-style blade with a durable black oxide finish and hand-drawn graphics by Oregon-based artist Jess Mudgett.
Mudgett’s illustrative style celebrates the natural world and gives a nod to a classic Americana aesthetic. From the high-mountain desert to the tropics, Jess created artwork that not only represents some of his personal favorite areas to adventure in but also where these knives and multitools come into use.
If this shape and style aren’t right for you, the knife is fully customizable. From materials to blade shape to finish color, you can craft your order to perfectly suit Dad’s needs and preferences.
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KUIU apparel is designed for hunting, but certain pieces — such as the Ridgepoint Fleece Full Zip Hoodie ($199) — work well for just about any outdoor activity. With its Polartec fleece construction, the Ridgepoint is designed to serve as standalone insulation in cool-to-cold conditions.
According to the brand, every fiber in this hoodie is individually coated, extending garment life without sacrificing breathability. The raised hand pockets are accessible even while wearing a backpack waist belt.
If this fleece is on par with KUIU’s proven reputation for excellence, Dad will enjoy it for years to come.
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The Vertical ($629) is a new model from sport watch veterans Suunto. Every feature of the Vertical is geared toward full days of outdoor adventure. From multipitch climbing to downhill singletrack, this watch provides everything you need to stay on route and on pace.
A large 49mm color display clearly exhibits paths, contour lines, water, and landmarks on the Vertical’s pre-downloaded global maps. Integrated dual-band GPS promises reliable accuracy, even when surrounded by deep woods, cliffs, or skyscrapers.
The battery life is impressive too — 60-plus hours in the most accurate tracking mode and up to several months in standard watch mode. In the proper light conditions, the solar-charging version ($839) boasts 30% more battery longevity.
Shop NowIf you know BGE, you know that this funky-looking grill (price varies depending on size) is among the most versatile outdoor cooking stations on the market. From 20-pound turkeys to fresh charred pizzas, the Big Green Egg can handle just about anything that an oven can. Based on ancient Chinese and Indian earthenware ovens, the Egg’s design hasn’t changed much in over a decade — and for good reason. It works and it lasts.
The BGE is available in several sizes, but the “Large” is a great bet for most backyard cookout applications. It’s plenty big enough to cook for a crowd. We (and legions of fans) have tested the heck out of these Komodo grills and love their efficiency, ability to cook hot or cold, and versatility.
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If your dad is all aboard the gravel train, these purpose-built tires ($68-78) from Teravail can help him up his game. The Cannonball tire sports a directional tread pattern with a tight-knit row of raised ugs down the center line. According to the brand, this innovative design shreds dirt and debris to decrease rolling resistance. Knobby L-shaped side lugs line both sidewalls for controlled cornering on soft surfaces.
According to several reviewers, the Cannonballs thrive on mud, sand, and hard-packed dirt. They’re tubeless-compatible and available in a wide range of standard sizes.
Shop NowManufacturing outdoor gear often yields a mess of leftover byproducts. Now, rooftop tent maker iKamper is turning its excess material into practical, usable products. The brand’s Recovery Apron ($80) is made from repurposed textiles left over from the Skycamp 2.0 manufacturing process. As it turns out, the waterproof poly-cotton canvas used in the Skycamp is perfect for the kitchen or behind the grill.
Shop NowDometic is known for its gold-standard coolers and on-the-go refrigeration systems. That’s not all though — the brand also crafts a whole host of top-notch car camping furniture and accessories.
For many weekend warrior dads, the success of a trip can hinge on the comfort of a single camp chair. The Go Compact ($150) is a sturdy and supportive foldable seat made from beechwood, aluminum, and heavy-duty 600D fabric. It’s the perfect spot to plop down and watch the world go by.
Shop NowThis durable bike rack ($650-700) is hands-down the burliest we’ve ever tested. Unlike most hitch-mounted bike rack brands, it’s clear that Ride1Up refuses to cut corners. One of our editors used this rack for over 6 months, regularly venturing over rugged terrain, rocky roads, and washed-out mountain passes. It held up to the regular abuse without a single issue.
Ride1Up racks may appear simple and understated, but even a quick visual inspection reveals undeniable quality. It’s almost entirely made from extruded aluminum, with few breakable or plastic parts. If Dad regularly hauls bikes, he can’t do any better than the USA HD Double Hitch Rack.
ShopNowFor many dads, cooking outside is a peak camping experience. Opinel’s Nomad Cooking Kit ($89) is a portable kitchen kit that’s lightweight enough for both car camping and backpacking.
The kit includes a pair of knives (one straight edge and one serrated), a bottle-opening corkscrew, a folding peeler, a cutting board, and a microfiber cleaning cloth.
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Case Knives’ Westline EDC knife ($190) is ideally suited for hunters, particularly when skinning game. Even for non-hunters, it looks like an excellent blade for everyday tasks such as opening boxes, peeling fruit, and fireside whittling.
Featuring a seriously acute drop point blade shape, the Westline offers precise cutting and a nimble working edge. The blade itself is made from durable S35VN stainless steel that should hold up to many years of regular use. The handsome curved aluminum handle is designed to be easy to clean and sit comfortably in the user’s hand.
Shop NowA holiday card from a loved one is a cherished representation of appreciation and love. The trouble is, what do we do with them when they start to pile up? Every holiday serves to move millions of cards from the shelves of CVS into the garbage. Solo Stove’s solution? Burn ’em!
This year, Solo Stove releases a series of Father’s Day cards (free! $10 shipping per order, or free with orders over $99) designed to be used as firestarters. Technically, just about any greeting card could be used as a fire starter but this one is meant to be so you don’t have to feel bad about it.
It’s a fun accompaniment if you plan to gift Dad a new grill or backyard fire pit.
Shop NowThis nifty power bank ($200) is a compact yet powerful option for short car camping adventures. It’s not big enough to run a full off-the-grid overlanding rig, but it’s a reliable power source for recharging small devices such as laptops, phones, and GPS watches. During our testing, it fully charged an iPhone an impressive seven times before depleting.
Shop NowNatural Atlas is a deep well of mapping and field guide assets all crammed into a single smartphone app (free for basic and $40 for plus). The mapping feature enables users to overlap various layers of information in real time, including public land boundaries, topography, and satellite imagery. If you stumble upon a peculiar plant or rock feature during your travels, the field guide database can help you identify and learn more about the subject of interest.
With its unique combination of features, Natural Atlas can serve as a substitute for books, maps, and devices. It’s perfect for those life-long learner dads who enjoy hitting the trail and investigating the world around them.
We’ve tested dozens of sun shirts and hoodies, and the Freefly Bamboo Lightweight Hoodie ($68) is the clear winner of the “Most Comfortable” award. It’s buttery soft and wonderfully cool against the skin. It feels like silk pajamas, but it’s far more practical and durable.
The “bamboo” in the name comes from the shirt’s unique blend of 30% polyester with 70% viscose — a fiber derived from bamboo. The result is a stretchy, breathable, naturally cooling fabric. Plus, it boasts a sun protection rating of UPF 20-plus.
For long summer days on a boat, bike, or trail, this is a top contender for Dad’s new favorite shirt.
Shop NowDidn’t find what you’re looking for? Check out more gifts for dads here!
The post Our Favorite Father’s Day Gifts for Dad appeared first on GearJunkie.
]]>Like many forms of cardio, rowing is utterly antagonizing. Rowing doesn’t have the same varied pacing as a cycling workout and it doesn’t sync well with music. The repetitive motion should make the effort feel easier, but after 10 minutes, it’s downright robotic. Even with proper form, my upper back starts hurting after a few minutes. With its large and supportive design and smooth mechanics, the Hydrow Rower helps with all that, and a few years after my initial review, it’s made an exercise I usually hate more enjoyable than before.
Much like a Peloton or NordicTrack cycling bike, the Hydrow Rower is an at-home luxe rower with a 22” HD screen that streams instructor workouts and tracks performance metrics. The instructors guide you on speed in timed intervals, and you pull the handle with your arms as you push with your feet and move along the smooth belt. It sounds like a typical rower, and in many ways, it is, but Hydrow takes every component and makes it premium.
I initially tested this rower because I hated rowing every time I plopped down on a skating seat at the gym, and I wondered if a $2,500 machine could make me like it. I didn’t fall in love, but the premium features have kept me coming back even after a few years. It’s a gorgeous machine, and it executes brilliantly on delivering an experience as close as you can get to rowing the River Thames at home.
The Hydrow’s classes are, for the most part, not my main workout. Even though they offer 5-90 minute classes on their app, you’ll never catch me spending that much time pulling and pushing on any rower. But that doesn’t mean Hydrow doesn’t serve a purpose in my routine. I often use the Hydrow as a warmup for other workouts, because as a full-body movement, rowing challenges even taller bodies to stretch out.
After 10 minutes of pumping away on this 86” long machine, my arms, core, back, and legs are all primed for whatever is next. It fatigues many major muscle groups at once, making it efficient. My lack of lengthy rowing sessions makes this a pretty impractical addition to my home gym, and admittedly, I don’t see myself abandoning my other preferred forms of cardio for it anytime soon. If this is something you’re considering purchasing, it should be because you already know you love to row.
One design element that separates Hydrow from other rowers is the realistic sensation of drag resistance it creates. The internal mechanisms very closely mimic the experience of pumping away on real water, with the intensity of the pushback peaking mid-stroke and lightening up the closer the handlebars get to your body. It’s a subtle feeling, but it helps it inch closer to justifying its gargantuan price tag.
Rowing, historically, is an elite, inaccessible activity and a sport uber-wealthy mediocre college candidates have written on their applications to get a foot in the side door. It’s also a grueling activity that takes and builds a ton of brute strength over time. Hydrow is not undoing rowing’s stuffy reputation by charging $2,500 for a machine, but for those who love to row and don’t mind a hefty price tag, the money is going towards something worthwhile.
The Hydrow is not a machine everyone needs, nor wants. Heck, I wouldn’t pay for it with my own money, but then again I don’t like rowing. The Hydrow fully delivers on its promise of creating a high-end, challenging workout at home and brings the experience of paddling on water as close as possible. For those who prefer rowing to other major forms of cardio exercise — cycling, running, HIIT classes — it’s one of the best luxe experiences you can get at home. With a hefty budget to spend and plenty of floor space, it’ll fit right in and make for a great home gym addition.
No, the Hydrow Rower is fairly simple to put together. The screen needs to be attached, which requires some handiwork, but otherwise, it’s just a matter of plugging it in and connecting to a stable WiFi network.
Nope, the Hydrow Rower can be stored horizontally or tipped up and stored vertically which takes up much less floor space. It has two-wheeled legs on the front underneath the screen and a large surface perpendicular to the floor when it’s set up that gives it a stable foundation when tilted up vertically. They sell wall anchor loops that attach to the end and secure it to the wall so it won’t fall and crush anyone who bumps into it.
No, it doesn’t. Unlike many rowers that come with a base for water out front that creates resistance and moves along with the rowing, the Hydrow’s resistance is generated through magnetic mechanisms.
If you love to row, yes. If you have disposable income and want an efficient full-body workout, it’s a significant investment that’s worthwhile with enough use. If you’re not majorly into rowing this is not a purchase you should make. Compared to the Peloton, its flat low-to-the-ground shape make a terrible pseudo coat rack in 1-3 months.
With 15 Overland Expo events, including the past 10 West events, under my belt, I scoured the 400+ vendors this year for the latest and greatest gear. While I found a lot of the same stuff I’ve seen for years, I did manage to dig up quite a few intriguing new products that are worth a look. Everything from a massive truck camper build to a car seat for your dog caught my eye.
Check out the video I shot at Overland Expo West 2023 to hear about these new products directly from the founders, designers, and reps.
Whether you spent the time watching the video or not, you can find the pertinent info on the latest and greatest in the overland world below.
Elevation Off Grid created this monster overland build for Bowen Customs and turned a lot of heads at Overland Expo West 2023. The Warthog build has the largest Bowen custom truck bed ever built, which includes a 60-inch wide garage. That massive bed is on a RAM 4500 chassis and rides on Liquid Springs suspension. It has a Supertramp Camper on the back and 23Zero rooftop tent on the cab. The whole thing is 10 feet high when the tent and camper are collapsed.
While this one isn’t for sale, you can buy one to your own spec starting in November for $350,000-450,000. Contact Bowen Customs if you’re interested.
Campany Vans Furniture Kit is being imported by RRE Global into North America. It’s made of special lightweight wood, and the entire kit for a 170 Extended Sprinter only weighs 350 pounds. That includes the shower, fridge, bed, kitchen, etc. The entire system is attached via airline tracks and can be removed in just 20 minutes.
Pricing starts at $15,000 for a complete Campany Van Furniture kit. You can get yours through RRE Global.
Just before Overland Expo West, we got the exclusive scoop on the Aterra Topper from AT Overland. This hardshell truck topper camper starts at $20,000 and is one of the most versatile camper toppers we’ve seen yet.
I’ve used a GooseGear interior system for years in my GX460, and I love it. Now, there is an interior storage and sleeping system solution for small crossovers like the Outback and RAV4 (with more coming very soon).
The GooseGear Park Series flatpacks and is assembled by the customer. It doesn’t require a mounting plate, comes in three height options, and can be optioned in a wide range of ways. It is custom-made for each vehicle, to ensure the top surface is flat within each vehicle. Over 6 feet of flat sleeping area is available in each of these small crossovers with this system, without removing any seats.
Pricing starts at about $1,500 and goes up from there. Build out your own system for your vehicle and use the case on GooseGear’s website.
Think of the Rubicon Dog as a child seat for 40-80-pound dogs. It is a double-walled rotomolded unit with a built-in tether system.
It launches soon on Kickstarter and production units are expected this fall. MSRP is $699, but the introductory Kickstarter price is $379.
Think of the Polaris Xpedition as a 72-hour overland machine. It’s a UTV that is set up for weekend camping adventures off the beaten path. It is offered in a two- or five-seat configuration and an open or enclosed cabin.
It offers things like AC, heat, Fox shocks, 30-inch tires, and so much more. Pricing starts at about $28,000, and easily climbs to north of $45,000. They will be hitting showrooms later this summer.
If you have a pickup with a 5-foot bed and want a hardshell camper, the new Scout TukTut is for you. It’s the perfect companion for Gladiator, Ranger, Colorado, and the like. Purchase this little camper with just two benches and a bed or fully built-out, including a GooseGear interior option.
Built, they weigh about 965 pounds or base at 634 pounds. Pricing starts at $16,500 and fully built runs about $27,000.
Possibly the cleanest and most configurable truck rack I’ve ever seen is the brand-new Kuat Ibex. This rack is easily configurable at two heights, has adjustable cross bars, offers side-mounted bike racks, and has a ton of accessory mounting options. It is available for both mid-size and full-size trucks, and pricing starts at about $1,500.
Good batteries in your overland vehicle and/or RV are super important to keep all the electronics and systems running smoothly. Size and weight are super important as well, and dcs (deep cycle systems) have a great solution for a lot of applications. The dcs Slimline LFP Batteries are lightweight, easily mountable, rated for cranking amps, and Bluetooth app-enabled.
Currently on offer in North America are a 100ah ($1,150) and a 200ah ($1,750) lithium battery. These high-end batteries have been tried and tested in Australia for years now, but are just hitting the U.S. market.
Since you’re already probably bringing the kitchen sink, toilet, TV, shower, fridge, lounge chairs, and more on your overland adventures, you might as well also bring a couch and coffee table. The SofaBOX is a super-comfy couch in a waterproof box and comes with a matching coffee table aluminum box.
The SofaBOX is built to order — think custom upholstery — and is imported through RRE Global. Pricing is about $4,000.
A great product for any camper setup is a set of wheel chocks, leveling ramps, and sink plates. A tidy quality version of all of that in one product is the TRED GT Leveling Kit. It has been on the Australian market for some time, but is just being introduced on this side of the pond. It is rated to 10 tons, is Australian-made, and comes with a lifetime warranty. A full set will run you $130.
A hot shower after a long dusty day on the overland trail is always nice. Here’s a great solution, the Kakadu Outback Shower. This 16-pound battery-powered shower system offers 4 hours of hot water from a single 1-pound propane tank. It is just being introduced to the U.S. market (available in July) and will run you $500.
Securely mounting large gear like Maxtrax, RotoPax, and the like on the outside of your overland vehicle always seems to be harder than it should be. Overland Kitted has you covered though, with its brand-new Spare Tire Accessory Mount.
The system is completely made in the USA and can securely mount a wide range of gear to a rear-mounted spare tire. Pricing for the Maxtrax mount kit is $340.
Finding shade and shelter on the trail and around camp isn’t always easy. The Eezi-Awn DragonFly 180 offers a great solution with a ton of protection from the elements. It is a 180-degree awning that is self-supported and can be purchased in driver-side or passenger-side configuration.
There is also a mini version for smaller vehicles. The full-size unit weighs 55 pounds and costs $1,350. The Mini version weighs 45 pounds and costs $1,275. Eezi-Awn is distributed through Equipt 1 in North America.
If you ever wanted to drive over a 5-gallon bucket, massive rocks, or fit 37-inch tires to your Tacoma, your prayers have been answered. 74Weld now offers Tacoma Portals. These portal axels are 1.22 gear reduction units that provide a ton of extra ground clearance and retain the factory suspension geometry.
Some mild trimming and body mount relocation are required to fit 37s. The kit also upgrades the rear drum brakes to disks.
Pricing for the whole kit runs about $20,000. The 74Weld Tacoma Portals kit will be available by the end of the year.
One part pop-top camper and one part off-road utility trailer the RMO (Rustic Mtn Overland) Anzac is altogether an RV. The RMO Anzac trailer has a custom GFC pop-top camper system, Dometic Fridge and PLB power unit, and Cruisemaster Suspension. It can be fitted with GooseGear cabinets and even carry a dirt bike. The dry weight is 1,600 pounds, so just about anything can tow it.
It is fully RV certified, offering the best financing and lower insurance rates. Pricing starts at $32,995.
Having AC and heat in your camper or large ground tent is a super nice luxury, but not usually easy to accomplish. The EcoFlow Wave 2 fixes that. It offers 5,100 BTU of cooling and 6,100 BTU of heating in a small package that can be self-powered.
It runs on an optional lithium battery or can be plugged into a 12V power source. The Wave 2 comes with exhaust ducting and when bundled with the battery, costs $2,199.
Australians love their off-road camper trailers and more and more are making it to our shores. The latest to do so is the aor Odyssey, displayed at Overland Expo West 2023. This hybrid model is fully featured, super comfortable, has a massive 74-gallon water capacity, and weighs about 3,000 pounds. It is available through XGrid Campers in North America and costs from about $68,000 to $78,000, depending on options.
I have an MSA fridge drop-slide in my GX460 overland build and love it. The latest and greatest is the new MSA Power Slide. It has the same functionality as a drop slide, but does so at the touch of a button. It also offers up a slide-out table surface for added usefulness.
The MSA Power Slide will be available in North America in August at a cost of $1,950 (add $460 for the fridge barrier). It will be available through The Bush Company USA.
Race proven and now ready for the overland community The Mounting Co. has developed a super-secure quick disconnect mounting bracket. It is made of aluminum with a titanium pin and stainless steel hardware. You can mount up just about anything inside or outside of your vehicle with the sizes of brackets on offer. All are made in Phoenix, and pricing ranges from $249 to $339.
If you want a super configurable truck bed rack that is fully tonneau compatible then look no further than the new Trukd Bed Rack. It is a super-modular truck bed rack system that you can configure to your needs. I appreciate the low-side/high-side overland setup, which allows you to keep your RTT down low while having an awning up high. Pricing starts at about $900 and goes up to about $2,100.
The latest adventure motorcycle helmet on the market is the Scorpion EXO XT9000 Carbon. It has a full carbon shell and only weighs 1,550 g (medium size). It has a unique internal deep channel ventilation system and air fit inflation fit system.
The shield is removable without tools, and the helmet comes with dark and clear shields, as well as a Pinlock insert. The Scorpion EXO XT 9000 costs $499 and is available now.
The belle of the ball at Overland Expo West 2023 was the 2006 AEV-built Jeep Wrangler LJ Rubicon in the Overland Kitted booth. It is a true unicorn, with only 13,000 original miles on the odometer.
It has 37-inch tires, Highline Fenders, Dynatrac 60 axels, Recaro seats, and so much more. Oh, maybe most importantly, it has a 5.7L V8 Hemi under the hood. While many of us might want this, it’s not for sale.
The post Best in Show: Overland Expo West 2023 appeared first on GearJunkie.
]]>Power racks with lat pulldowns span the gamut in price from simpler, cheaper options for more budget-conscious buyers to extravagant custom builds for equipment enthusiasts, with variations of the two scattered between. We’ve compiled a comprehensive list of the best power racks with lat pulldown on the market for a range of needs and restrictions.
Some power racks come with lat pulldowns, but they’re not all the same. The best one has to have the resilience to stand up to daily use while providing enough resistance for a wide range of lifters. The Force USA X20 Pro checks those boxes and stands out thanks to unmatched versatility from dual cable pulleys and tons of included attachments (for an additional price).
If you’re in the market for a power rack that can do it all, the X20 Pro is worth checking out. Not only is it a solid power rack made from three-inch, 11-gauge stainless steel, but it incorporates dual cable pulleys too. Each stack weighs 289 pounds on a 2:1 ratio for around 145 pounds of resistance from either stack. You don’t have to purchase the upgrade kit, but it does come with a lat pulldown seat that attaches right to the rack, as well as jammer arms and dip handles.
This power rack doubles as a cable machine with two 289-pound stacks for each cable. The basic package features 12 attachments, while the upgraded kit will bring the total to 18. The X20 is rated to hold up to 990 pounds, so even the most elite-level athletes can confidently hit their heavy lifts.
A variety of cable attachments come with the base package, like a lat pulldown bar, close-grip triangle, straight bar, triceps rope, and more — 17 in total before adding the upgrade package. For a complete back workout, the X20 Pro features a low-row plate too. We should note that the size may deter some people as it measures 70 inches wide, 86.5 inches deep, and 91 inches tall. The base X20 Pro costs around $4,250, and the upgrade kit adds about $800 to the cost. If that’s too steep for you upfront, you can finance your purchase pending credit approval.
Force USA designed this rack with versatility in mind. The dual weights stacks and smooth pulley system that include a range of attachments coupled with a rugged power rack frame make for a winning combo. The price and footprint might be too much for some, but if you can make it work, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a better option.
Read our full review of the Force USA X20 Pro.
It’s very difficult to pick the best power rack with lat pulldown because there are so many great options on the market, so we had to do a runner-up option. The Rogue RML-690C satisfies a different set of needs from the top pick while still providing top-notch quality.
This rack has all the iconic Rogue Rack DNA that makes their equipment so desirable — 3×3-inch 11-gauge steel, Westside spacing through the bench area, high-quality finish, and compatibility with the full line of Rouge Monster Lite attachments. It comes in 11 colors and has a modest footprint of 76 inches long, 49 inches wide, and just over 90 inches tall.
Along with a pull-up bar, band and storage pegs, this pick includes even more accessories such as two Monster Lite J-Cups with plastic inserts and two pin and pipe safeties. You can also choose to have your uprights numbered.
The RML-690C has holes in the top and bottom of the cross-members for you to add a Rogue Slinger with a one-to-one pulley ratio. The slinger doubles as a cable pulley and lat pulldown that is efficient in space, only adding seven inches in height and depth to the front of your rack. Select from plate-loaded, band resistance, or a 300-pound weight stack to give you a solid back workout. The cheapest configuration for the rack and slinger starts at around $1,600, which is pretty decent for a rack and pulley system, though the price can soar with upgrades.
The Rogue RML-690C is meant to serve as the focal point of your gym and has a wide range of attachments you can use to build upon it to best serve your needs. With the simple addition of a Slinger, you can have a lat pulldown and power rack combo that can grow with you as you progress.
Power racks can be heavy and bulky to move, but few things make them more difficult to move around than a giant weight stack integrated into the system. Weight stacks can also be pricey, whereas plate-loaded systems are generally cheaper and make use of the weights you already have. The REP PR-5000 allows you to add a plate-loaded lat pulldown for a reasonable price, making it our go-to option.
REP’s interactive rack builder allows you to customize the PR-5000 to suit your needs. Select from different heights, rack depths, cross-members, six colors, pull-up bar configurations, and J-cups to hold your barbell. After that, you can add your optional attachments like a belt squat, jammer arms, dip station, and of course, lat pulldown. The lat-pulldown has a loadable capacity of 550 pounds, which is insanely high compared to other systems. A cable ratio of one-to-one means the resistance is true to the loaded weight.
This rack features 11-gauge steel uprights that can hold up to 1,000 pounds. It can also be completely customized with two different height options, three options for the depth, your choice of 13 attachments, and even the color scheme.
It also doubles as a low row for back training in both vertical and horizontal pulling directions. In the most cost-effective configuration, the rack and lat pulldown come out to around $1,350 with free shipping — a huge potential saving — and REP even offers assembly services through a third party for an additional cost. The footprint can vary depending on how you configure the rack, but at its smallest, the PR-5000 with lat pulldown measures 16 inches deep, almost 51 inches wide, and 80.3 inches tall. That’s smaller than many other options out there, even those without lat pulldowns.
Not everyone has the room or budget for a weight stack in their lat pulldown. This one makes use of what you already have to load up weight plates for the resistance. You can make the resistance about as heavy as you want with its heavy capacity, and you can train your back in multiple planes using the low-row option.
Read our full review of the REP PR-5000.
Some lifters ascribe to the belief that variety is the spice of life. For those that do, attachments may provide what they’re looking for and offer a way to add variety to their workouts. The Force USA X20 Pro comes with 17 attachments standard and excels in versatility thanks to the dual cable pulleys and capability to replace up to nine machines.
Some lat pulldown and power rack combos may come with one or two attachments, forcing you to fork over extra dough to increase your collection. Force USA takes the “more is more” approach and included 17 of them right off the bat. The upgrade kit brings the total to 21 attachments, including a lat pulldown bar, triceps rope, straight bar, close grip triangle, ankle cuff, triceps v-bar, and more. The rack itself is heavy-duty, with a 992-pound weight capacity and pulley cables that are aircraft-grade tested to 2,000 pounds.
This power rack doubles as a cable machine with two 289-pound stacks for each cable. The basic package features 12 attachments, while the upgraded kit will bring the total to 18. The X20 is rated to hold up to 990 pounds, so even the most elite-level athletes can confidently hit their heavy lifts.
The pulley ratio is 2:1, meaning that every two pounds of loaded weight is one pound of resistance in your hand. The upgrade kit, which costs around $800, also adds a lat pulldown seat, jammer arms, and dip handles, among other attachments like a multi-grip lat pulldown handle and storage shelves. The X20 Pro is a monster of a rack and measures 70 inches wide, 86.5 inches deep, and 91 inches tall. For all of this functionality, you do have to pay a hefty price of around $4,250. You can finance the purchase, pending credit approval, to make it a bit easier to pay for.
The Force USA X20 Pro comes with attachments aplenty whether you spring for the optional upgrade kit or not. It may be pricey, but the convenience of having just about everything you need in one purchase is nice, especially since all of Force USA’s products are high-quality.
Not everyone has unlimited space to dedicate to their essential gym equipment. If you’re in need of a high-quality power rack and lat pulldown to fit in your small space, then the REP PR-4000 might do the trick.
The size of this rack is fully customizable with depth and height options. You can have it be as short as 83.3 inches (including the lat pulldown attachment) with as little depth as 16 inches, effectively making the footprint of the entire rack 22 inches deep, 83.3 inches tall, and 50.8 inches wide. That’s much smaller than many other racks without lat pulldowns. If you really want to maximize the utility of this rack, you can add a belt squat, jammer arms, a landmine, or other attachments — all of which can be removed for storage to keep the space requirements to a minimum.
This rack is made of 11-gauge steel, and comes at either 80” or 93” tall, and 24”, 30” or 41” deep. While it may be larger than other power racks, it also offers more attachment options, including those for dips, bands, leg rollers, and more.
The rack itself is beefy, with 3×3-inch uprights and a rackable capacity of 1,000 pounds. Precision laser cutting coupled with robotic painting and welding makes the finish crisp and attractive. If you’re on a budget, this rack isn’t the cheapest, but it definitely isn’t the most expensive, with the cheapest configuration coming out to around $1,250, including the lat pulldown.
The PR-4000 has the capability to pack a ton of utility into a compact package. Few other racks can boast the space-saving footprint that this one has while still including a full-fledged lat pulldown and four-post power rack. If you don’t need to have a bunch of space but still need functionality, this is the way to go.
So you want to build a home gym but don’t have a ton of money to spend. It’s a common problem that most of us have dealt with, and it can be difficult to find pieces of equipment that are both high-quality and affordable. Thankfully, the Fitness Reality 810XLT meets both of those requirements and has a ton of great features to boot.
This may sound like the newest pick-up truck on the market, but it’s actually a power rack and lat pulldown combo. Looks can be deceiving as the 810XLT may not look as beefy as some of the other options, but it still can handle up to 800 pounds. The 2×2-inch square steel frames offer rugged support at a budget-friendly price of around $500, which is less than the cost of some lat pulldown attachments. Fitness Reality stuffed a variety of features into this rack, too, with integrated leg hold-downs that secure to the safety bars, a multi-grip pull-up bar, and a low-row attachment.
The Fitness Reality 810XLT Super Max Power Cage has a weight capacity of 800lbs and is constructed with 2 inch by 2 inch tubular steel frame. The height is just 83.5 inches making for an easier fit in tighter spaces.
You will need to purchase J-hooks separately, which usually come with a power rack, so that’s something to consider, though you can pick up a decent pair for under $50. If you like to accessorize your rack, the standardized one-inch attachment holes make it compatible with many manufacturers’ equipment, so you’re not tied to one company. The footprint isn’t terribly large either at around 46 inches wide, 50 inches deep, and nearly 84 inches high. If you’re a taller athlete, you may find the rack too short for full pull-ups and standing presses inside the rack, though.
Though the 810XLT may not be able to boast about its super-thick steel or massive uprights, it can still hold its own in weight capacity. The price is also very reasonable and lowers the entry barrier for a lot of folks who otherwise wouldn’t be able to reap the benefits of a home gym.
Bodybuilders have to ensure that their workout equipment is as versatile as possible so they can train every muscle at a variety of angles to potentially maximize muscle growth and symmetry. To accommodate this, the Force USA G6 combines an entire gym’s worth of equipment into one machine.
Force USA should’ve probably called this the G11, as it can combine up to 11 machines into one. The G6 is a half power rack, functional trainer, lat pulldown, low row, leg press, smith machine, pull-up station, and more. Dual 220-pound weight stacks allow you to get your pump on with ease, though the 2:1 ratio means the max weight in hand is 110 pounds. That should be fine for bodybuilders who usually focus on higher reps for hypertrophy instead of strength.
This pin and plate loaded home gym from Force USA has true versatility. Pin loaded stack weights, crossover cables, plate weight options, a functioning power rack, and more enable you to hit every muscle without leaving the house.
Force USA didn’t skimp on the attachments: The base G6 comes with 17 of them — including a v-bar, lat pulldown bar, triceps rope, close grip handle, and more — to train in various ways. The G6 is smaller than other all-in-ones, but it’s still quite large, with an exterior footprint of 72 inches wide, 64 inches deep, and 91 inches tall. The price is right around $4,000 before the optional $400 upgrade kit, though you can finance your purchase pending credit approval.
Throwing it way back, we’d like to go for the low-hanging fruit and say that this rack is fly like a G6. The versatility is through the roof, with the ability to replace up to 11 machines, while the dual cable stacks allow you to train essentially all of your muscles at a variety of angles.
Beginning a fitness journey or creating your own home gym can be downright daunting, and complicated machines make it even more challenging. The Fitness Reality 810XLT keeps things simple and provides a high-quality product for a budget price.
Chances are, if you’re new to working out or putting together a home gym for the first time, you don’t need thousands of dollars worth of heavy-duty equipment. The 810XLT has an 800-pound weight capacity that should be able to accommodate most people, especially beginners. It also comes with a lat pulldown/low-row machine built into it, so you can complete a full-body workout without racking your brain trying to learn how to use tons of new equipment. Beginners will also like the included safety bars that you can use if you need to bail on a lift. Though there is no replacement for a spotter, these may help ease your mind or give you the confidence to push a bit harder.
The Fitness Reality 810XLT Super Max Power Cage has a weight capacity of 800lbs and is constructed with 2 inch by 2 inch tubular steel frame. The height is just 83.5 inches making for an easier fit in tighter spaces.
The rack is moderately sized and a bit on the short side, with dimensions of 46 inches wide, 50 inches deep, and just under 84 inches tall. A price tag of around $500 makes this a great choice for beginners, too, since you don’t have to invest a lot upfront. We should note that you’ll need to purchase J-hooks which hold the bar on the rack separately, though you can usually snag a quality pair for under $50.
The 810XLT is ideal for beginners in search of a power rack and lat pulldown thanks to the modest price and included safety features. It’s simple to use, so you won’t be spending half your workout making adjustments or trying to figure out a complicated mechanism.
People whose home gym space is relegated to a room with low ceilings often have trouble finding a power rack to fit their requirements. There are some solid options, however, and we think the PR-1100 is the best of them.
While power racks are often over 90 inches tall, that doesn’t leave much room for pull-ups or chin-ups before your head hits the ceiling. The PR-1100 stands 85 inches tall (86 inches, including the lat pulldown) with a functional working height of 79 inches. This rack can still do what other larger racks can do since it has a 700-pound rackable capacity. The 2×2-inch, 14-gauge steel is sturdy, though not overly cumbersome at 188 pounds, making the rack easier to move around should you need to relocate it.
This power rack is sturdy, compact, and a great choice for adding multiple kinds of pull-ups to your workout regimen. It’s designed to accommodate low ceilings, so if you’ve got a low-hanging garage or room to work in, this power rack is made for you.
Adding the lat pulldown into the mix, which has a one-to-one cable ratio and a 450-pound loadable capacity, only adds a single inch of height to the rack. Some taller people may not be able to fully stretch their legs during pull-ups, so you may want a rack with more height if you’re the towering type. You can pick the PR-1100 and lat pulldown attachment up for a steal of around $640 combined, though it does only come in four colors with no size customization available. The full dimensions with the lat pulldown are 86 inches tall, 55.5 inches deep, and a hair over 58 inches wide.
The PR-1100 might not be the flashiest rack or the beefiest, but it does serve its niche well as a budget option and a great choice for those with lower ceilings. You can add on the lat pulldown attachment as well as some others if you wish and still end up paying far less than some other base racks.
Power racks and lat pulldowns are present in nearly every gym, and there are good reasons why you’ll find them there. Lat pulldowns specifically are great at helping with back muscle development. Combining them together with a power rack adds to the convenience factor and can provide a full-body workout all in one piece of equipment.
If you’re trying to look like a king cobra spreading its hood, then the muscles you’ll likely want to work are your lats. The aptly named lat pulldown machine is a staple in back workouts for people who want a well-developed back. They can also be great for other movements like triceps pushdowns, face pulls, and kneeling crunches. Your imagination is the only limiting factor.
Power racks with lat pulldowns have a high convenience factor that allows you to quickly and seamlessly switch between exercises, saving you time. It may also aid in reducing the frustration of trying to squeeze multiple large pieces of equipment into smaller spaces. Purchasing a power rack with a lat pulldown attachment or one built-in can also be more convenient than shopping for them separately, saving you time and often money.
Power racks, along with a barbell and some weight plates, can provide the tools needed for a full-body workout. Adding the additional element of a lat pulldown into the mix can potentially be a game-changer for a more thorough full-body burn.
It can be challenging to find good ways to perform pull workouts without cables, and you can only perform so many barbell rows before you crave variety. The cable systems in machines on this list make it easy to mix things up — even more so with racks that include dual attachments similar to functional trainers.
We go to great lengths to test and review each product to the best of our ability so that we can select the best options for each category. It’s important to take a variety of factors into account when making these selections, so we considered price, the pulley ratio, and the product’s overall durability.
The price of a piece of equipment is often one of the biggest factors in determining whether you’ll purchase it or not. It can be the best rack and lat pulldown in the world, but if the price is unrealistic or too high for what it provides, then people are less likely to purchase it. That’s why we put a premium on equipment that’s priced fairly and affordably. There are some picks that are quite pricey, but the versatility or quality they offer justifies the cost, but there are also ones that can be a fit for people with tighter budgets.
The ratio of the weight that is loaded to the resistance you feel when performing the exercise is the pulley ratio, usually expressed as the loaded weight and resistance separated by a colon. Common pulley ratios for exercise equipment are 2:1 and 1:1. Pulleys that use a 1:1 ratio are often more desirable than 2:1 because they make more efficient use of the resistance. This is especially important in plate-loaded cable systems. We gave precedent to pulleys that use a 1:1 ratio rather than 2:1 unless the product was exemplary in other ways.
When you drop a chunk of change on a piece of gym equipment, you want to ensure that it can stand up to the stresses of daily use. We only included products and brands that have a reputation for durability or ones that provide long warranties. In addition to the monetary concern, there are safety issues with equipment that won’t stand the test of time. The last thing you need is for a cable or pulley to fail when you’re mid-exercise or for a J-hook to fail when you rerack a heavy back squat. Durability is of paramount importance to us in our rankings.
Power racks are often expensive, and adding an intricate machine like a lat pulldown to them only drives the price up more. That said, there is an ocean of variability in the cost of power racks with lat pulldowns, with specialty and all-in-one machines at the higher end and simpler equipment at the lower end of the price curve.
Best Power Rack with Lat Pulldown Overall | Force USA X20 Pro | Starting at $4,249.99 |
Best Power Rack with Lat Pulldown (Runner Up) | Rogue RML-690C | Starting at $1,599 |
Best Plate-Loaded Power Rack with Lat Pulldown | REP PR-5000 | Starting at $1,349 |
Best Power Rack with Lat Pulldown for Attachments | Force USA X20 Pro | Starting at $4,249.99 |
Best Power Rack with Lat Pulldown for Small Spaces | REP PR-4000 | Starting at $1,249 |
Best Power Rack with Lat Pulldown for the Money | Fitness Reality 810XLT | $499.99 |
Best Power Rack with Lat Pulldown for Bodybuilders | Force USA G6 | Starting at $3,999.99 |
Best Power Rack with Lat Pulldown for Beginners | Fitness Reality 810XLT | $499.99 |
Best Power Rack with Lat Pulldown for Low Ceilings | REP PR-1100 | Starting at $640 |
As you can see from the price chart, the cost of a power rack with lat pulldown ranges from a few hundred dollars to a few thousand, with some pit stops in between. The truth is that the sky is essentially the limit when you start adding on accessories and upgrades, whereas the floor is about $500.
It can be a large investment to purchase a power rack with lat pulldown. Not only do you need to invest your money in your fitness, but your space, time, and energy. Making the right choice can be challenging, but we’ve broken down what we think are the most important things to consider before finalizing your purchase.
How you train will inform your purchasing decisions just as much as the other factors, so before you take the plunge, it’s a good idea to reflect on what exercise you like to perform and see yourself doing in the future. If you train for bodybuilding, for example, you may want to consider a product that has a high level of versatility to train all of your muscles individually and from a variety of angles. Powerlifters or general fitness enthusiasts might need a more basic rack and lat pulldown combo.
Your Budget
You can spend over $5,000 on a high-end power rack with lat pulldown, tons of attachments, custom color schemes, and more. You can also spend around $500 for a simple power rack with a lat pulldown integrated into it. It’s usually a good idea to set your budget before you start looking so you don’t have your heart set on the “perfect rack” for you and find out it’s triple what you were initially looking to spend. With so many options on the market now, there will almost always be an option that satisfies your needs within your budget, though you may have to compromise on a few wants.
Just as you budget your money, it’s also important to budget the amount of space you’re allotting to this piece of equipment. A lot of people take the length and width of their space into account only to realize they didn’t check the height after they get their rack delivered. Be sure to check all three dimensions (extra-dimensional beings, check as many as you have, up to 12) to be certain that your new piece of equipment will fit when it arrives.
There are countless attachments that you can add to your power rack aside from a lat pulldown. There are leg rollers, belt squats, plate storage, speed bags, and even TV mounts. It can be helpful to take extra care to note the compatibility of each piece of equipment with your rack before making the purchase.
There are two common types of resistance for lat pulldowns and cable machines in general, with a third less common option. Weight stacks and plate-loaded lat pulldowns are the most common though you may occasionally find a machine that utilizes band resistance, but they are few and far between. They all have their advantages and disadvantages. Weight stacks are more convenient since all you have to do is move a pin instead of loading up plates and doing math (gasps) to figure out how much you’re lifting. On the other hand, plate-loaded pulleys are usually cheaper because you’re not paying for a ton of extra weights, and you can make use of the plates you already have.
Most rack and lat pulldowns you buy will require assembly upon delivery. Some companies do offer assembly services, though they are almost always an extra cost. Assembling these large pieces of equipment can be difficult, especially if you’re doing it alone, so it might be a good idea to enlist the help of another poor schmuck (friend or family member) if you don’t intend to pay for assembly.
A purchase like a power rack with lat pulldown represents a substantial investment in your health and fitness. These products are intended to last for a long time — often decades if treated and cared for properly — so keep in mind that you will likely be using this product for the long haul. One of the more important variables to consider before even starting to consider a purchase is what type of lifting you are currently doing and envision yourself performing in the future.
Once you have that nailed down, it’s time to set a budget for how much you’re willing to spend and how much space you can dedicate to this product. After you have those considerations firmly figured out, you can use this list as a guide, and the right choice should come to you much more easily. When you’ve finally received your product and assembled it, all that’s left to do is put in the work and reap the rewards. People will be asking you if you can fly with those lat wings in no time.
Strictly speaking, it doesn’t, but it may be an extremely helpful tool for performing more complete full-body workouts with your power rack. In addition to barbell rows in the rack, you can perform lat pulldowns, face pulls, cable shrugs, triceps pushdowns, and any other exercise you can think of.
That is an impossible question to answer with a single number since the prices range so widely. You can spend as little as around $500 to set yourself up with a simple rack that does what you need it to. It’s also possible to spend thousands of dollars on a fully custom setup with a gazillion attachments and accessories. It’s all up to you and what you’re comfortable with.
It can be difficult to single out only one option when there are so many options on the market. That said, we’re huge fans of the Force USA X20 Pro because of its incredible versatility. It is expensive, but aside from the X20 Pro, all you really need is a bench, barbell, and some weights. With that, you essentially have a complete home gym setup.
The post The Best Power Racks with Lat Pulldown for Small Spaces, Beginners, Bodybuilders, and More appeared first on BarBend.
]]>With malls popping up one after another at Paya Lebar, you don’t even have to leave the comfort of aircon to access some good food. As the newest and largest mall in the area, Paya Lebar Quarter has a whopping 160 F&B stores. Together, the Paya Lebar Square and PLQ food spots add up to a long, intimidating list.
If you suffer from serious indecision when it comes to food, this list of must-try grub in these malls will point you in the right direction.
Image credit: COLLIN’S
For family-friendly meals that’ll please the crowd and not break the bank, pay a visit to COLLIN’S. The casual Western grill house has recently revamped their menu to feature hearty Western staples and all-new fusion classics, as well as a specially curated wine menu. Start off the meal with their Crispy Szechuan Mala Chicken Wings ($9.50++), where chicken is marinated with numbing Sichuan peppercorns and chilli for a shiok, spicy kick. For mains, choose between pastas, seafood dishes, and their grilled meats, including their famed Signature Roasted BBQ Pork Ribs ($20++ for half a slab), starring fall-off-the-bone tender pork ribs brushed with a smoky barbecue sauce. If you’re feeling fancy, dig into meats from the Reserve portion of their menu, and tuck into dry-aged steaks, as well as more premium cuts.
To make the meal sweeter, enjoy 7% cashback when you use Shopback Pay to foot the bill at COLLIN’s. On top of this deal, you can keep your eyes out for COLLIN’s vouchers at Shopback’s upcoming 11.11 sale and stand to save even more on meals. Deals include purchasing a dining voucher of $50 value for only $45, getting 1% cashback on your voucher purchase and many more!
Find out more about Shopback’s 11.11 dining deals here!
Unit number: #B1-01
Opening hours: Daily 11am to 9:30pm
Tel: 6970 2195
Website
COLLIN’S is not a halal-certified eatery.
Enjoying Japanese yakiniku doesn’t always need to be a group activity or carry a hefty price tag. If you’re looking for affordable, quick, and solo dining, Yakiniku Like has got you covered.
For the budget-conscious, I recommend getting their set meals, which start from under $10. Each meal comes with a protein of your choice, rice, soup, and a salad. While the set menu is value for money, check out their a la carte items for more premium meat options such as the Karubi 100g ($4.90) beef that is beautifully juicy and melty. If you’re a fan of barbecue but dislike the fuss, head here for a speedy yakiniku fix!
Check out our Yakiniku Like Singapore!
Unit number: #B1-28
Opening hours: Daily 11 am to 10pm
Website
Yakiniku Like is not a halal-certified eatery.
Image credit: @mischievous__hodophile
With its chic, modern interior and wooden accents, Wursthans Switzerland serves up Swiss cuisine and rosti in hearty portions. The restaurant prides itself in traditional Swiss favourites such as their signature Pilatus ($19.90), a Swiss version of a schnitzel. A piece of chicken is pounded and tenderised till thin and then coated in a batter and grilled till crisp.
Their customer-favourite is their Build Your Own Swiss Meal (from $15.90) where you mix and match your favourite protein, sides, and sauces with a rosti.
Unit number: #01-39
Opening hours: Mon-Thurs 11:30am to 3:30pm, 4:30pm to 9pm, Fri-Sun 11:30am to 9pm
Website
Wursthans Switzerland is not a halal-certified eatery.
With outlets around the world in Japan, Hong Kong, and even Barcelona, Kanada-ya has finally opened its first outlet in Singapore. A must-order is their Kotteri Tonkotsu Ramen Special. Priced at $18.90++, the bowl comprises a generous portion of belly chashu, a wealth of toppings such as nori, wood ear fungus, spring onions, and a taste of their rich 18-hour pork bone broth.
The ramen joint has also brought over their wildly popular Truffle Ramen Special ($26.90++) from their flagship outlet in London. The flavours of this noodle dish are so potent that it has been compared to a cream of truffle soup. However, the restaurant only prepares 20 bowls of this truffle ramen in a day, so head down early to avoid disappointment.
Check our Kanada-Ya review!
Unit number: #03-30
Opening hours: Daily 11am to 10pm
Website
Kanada-Ya is not a halal-certified eatery.
Image credit: @jimmymonkeycafe
People who frequent the West might recognise this cafe tucked away in One-north that’s always buzzing with liveliness. Fortunately, Easties will no longer be left out, because the popular Jimmy Monkey Cafe is finally swinging its way over to Paya Lebar.
The cafe not only has an adorable monkey plushie mascot, but also has quirky dish names. Named after the Marvel character, The Hulk ($16++) is a sourdough toast topped with a generous dollop of avocado and creamy feta cheese. The cute Cheesy Vegemite Toast Soldiers ($14++) are toast fingers slathered with Vegemite and cheese, served with soft-boiled eggs for dipping.
If you drop by their new outlet, don’t forget to try their aromatic coffee brews made from their custom-built Slayer coffee machines.
Unit number: #01-10
Opening hours: Daily 8am to 10:30pm
Tel: 6290 4749
Website
Jimmy Monkey Cafe is not a halal-certified eatery.
Image credit: Tipsy Bird’s Facebook Page
At Tipsy Bird Gastrobar, expect live music entertainment next to your platter of juicy well-aged steaks or fancy chai tow kway, with cocktails on the side. This estaurant and bar serves up a selection of high-end Western fare such as Grass-Fed Tomahawk Steak (1kg) ($118++) and Nagano Pork Rack (300g) ($28++).
Also on the menu are elevated local favourites such as the Moonlight Truffle Beef Hor Fun ($25++) which is a dish perfumed with the aroma of truffle, and topped with slices of Wagyu striploin beef.
Unit number: #01-08
Opening hours: Mon-Sat 12pm to 1am, Sun 12pm to 11pm
Tel: 8879 6057
Website
Tipsy Bird Gastrobar is not a halal-certified eatery.
Image credit: @fudexperiments
This famous beef noodle chain from China has over 100 years of history under its belt and specialises in extra thin, hand-pulled noodles. With the opening of its second outlet in Singapore, Western Mahua Noodles is now serving their halal, handmade la mian in the East.
Their most popular dish by far is the Signature Bone Broth Beef La Mian (from $10.30), which also has a spicy version. They use three kilograms of bones to stew one kilo of soup to achieve a deeper body, and the extra-thin noodles aid in soaking up the aromatic broth. If you prefer more flavour infused into your soup, try their Braised Beef La Mian (from $14.30), which carries a rich dark soy sauce flavour to complement the fatty pieces of beef.
Unit number: #B2-28
Opening hours: Daily 11am to 9:15pm
Tel: 6970 5188
Website
Western Mahua Noodles is a halal-certified eatery.
Image credit: @andrea_abl
Hailing from Taipei’s Shilin Market, the Taiwanese cafe Fong Sheng Hao has opened its first local outlet in Paya Lebar, bringing traditional charcoal-grilled toast to Singapore. Get a hearty breakfast fix with their toast sets, such as the popular Patty With Egg Cheese ($8), which features a thick cut of minced pork patty and a generous helping of melty cheese, sandwiched between two pillowy slices of grilled milk toast.
If you’re just dropping by for drinks, try their Fong Sheng Signature Milk Tea ($4.70) which has a smooth, roasted black tea flavour. It’s only slightly sweetened to allow the tea’s aroma to shine through.
Unit number: #B2-04
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 7:30am to 9pm, Sat-Sun 8am to 9pm
Website
Fong Sheng Hao is not a halal-certified eatery.
Fong Sheng Hao Opens A New Outlet At Westgate, Bringing Taiwanese Toast To Jurong
This family-run halal cafe in IMM has finally arrived in the East, bringing all their customer favourites to Paya Lebar. It’ll be hard to not over-order here with their large portions of the impressive Penang Kway Teow ($8.50) and Claypot Beef Hor Fun ($8.90). Their classic Nasi Pattaya ($8.90) makes for a quick wholesome lunch, coming with fragrant vegetable fried rice topped with large shelled prawns and bouncy omelette.
If you love spice, their sambal belachan is a must-try, to spike your dishes with a strong kick of spice and a bite of tartness.
Unit number: #B2-31
Opening hours: Daily 8am to 8:30pm
Tel: 6569 5001
Website
Red Ginger is a halal-certified eatery.
Image credit: @chichasanchen.sg
CHICHA San Chen is definitely one of the strongest contenders for best bubble tea in Singapore, in my book. Aesthetic-looking cups aside, I was truly won over by their signature Dong Ding Oolong Tea ($3.20), which is made from high-quality roasted tea leaves, giving it a deep, slightly bitter tea body and a lingering, sweet oolong aroma.
I suggest topping this drink with fresh milk ($1.50) to add richness, and of course, some chewy pearls ($0.50) to properly complete the cup of bubble tea.
Unit number: #02-27
Opening hours: Daily 11am to 9:30pm
Website
CHICHA San Chen is not a halal-certified eatery but uses no pork or lard.
Image credit: Bonchon
Bonchon is your one-stop for Korean food in PLQ. They are best known for their double-fried chicken, available in soy garlic or spicy marinades, but serve an extensive selection of other Korean dishes too—from bibimbap to kimchi fried rice. One thing to note is that all the sauces here are sourced from Busan for added authenticity. Most of their menu is priced under $15!
Unit number: #02-09
Opening hours: Daily 11:30am to 9:30pm
Website
Bonchon is not a halal-certified eatery.
Get your legit Thai milk tea fix with ChaTraMue, where all their drinks, soft serves and more are made exclusively with Thai cha yen from the brand’s plantations. Choose from over 20 different menu items, including the classic red or green Thai milk teas (from $5.60). If you’re not big on tea, chocolate and coffee beverages are also available.
Unit number: #01-38
Opening hours: Daily 11am to 9pm
Website
ChaTraMue is not a halal-certified eatery but uses no pork or lard.
Run by MasterChef Singapore judge and esteemed chef Damian D’Silva is Rempapa, a new restaurant that aims to elevate local favourites with inventive flairs. This is definitely not one of those places that’ll charge you an arm and leg for ‘atas’ chicken rice—all the twists are cleverly done, and worth the price. Their Sri Lankan Chicken Curry and Tomato Chutney with String Hoppers ($16++) is one example. The local breakfast of curry and putu mayam are put together to create savoury magic, with a fruity, rich gravy and chicken leg served alongside.
Read our Rempapa review.
Unit number: #01-01/02/03
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 10:30am to 10:30pm, Sat-Sun 9:30am to to 10:30pm
Tel: 9459 1603
Website
Rempapa is not a halal-certified eatery.
Rempapa Review: MasterChef Judge Damian D’Silva Opens Restaurant With Fried Chee Cheong Fun And More
If you’re looking for a cafe to unwind with friends or get some work done, try Paris Baguette. Their PLQ cafe spans 2,400 square feet, with space to seat 80 comfortably. Look forward to bakes and desserts, including their popular Royal Pudding ($4.80), as well as a dine-in menu, and a wide array of fresh bakes. Don’t skip on their milk cream cheese buns, which come with filling made from premium Korean cow’s milk. Each is priced from $2.90.
Unit number: #01-03/05/06
Opening hours: Daily 9am to 10pm
Tel: 6719 2054
Website
Paris Baguette is not a halal-certified eatery but uses no pork or lard.
Paris Baguette Opens In Paya Lebar Quarter With Two New Royal Pudding Flavours
Image credit: @thatgluttonn
Get your sashimi fix at Donburi King, a cosy Japanese eatery specialising in seafood donburi bowls. The Chirashi Don ($25.80++) features a towering bowl of swordfish, salmon, red tuna, and octopus, while the Chutoro Don ($33.80++) is a limited-time special that’s packed with thick slices of fatty tuna belly. If you’ve got room for sides, consider getting the Tako Yaki Ball ($4.90++), Ebi Fry ($4.90++), or the smooth and silky Chawanmushi Truffle Oil ($7.90++).
Unit number: #03-26
Opening hours: Daily 11:30am to 3pm, 5pm to 10pm
Tel: 6611 6657
Website
Donburi King is not a halal-certified eatery.
Image credit: @ennzziezz
London Fat Duck specialises in roasted Irish ducks, which are also known as the Wagyu of ducks. Here, a quarter duck costs $21++, while half a duck costs $41++. A whole duck will set you back $78++. The restaurant also offers deboning services, which start from $6++ per duck.
Their roasted ducks are marinated in a secret sauce that’s made in-house and are said to be juicy with just the right amount of fat. Don’t forget to dip the meat in their plum sauce for an extra tang!
Unit number: #B1-16/17
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 11:30am to 3pm, 5:30pm to 9:30pm, Sat-Sun 11am to 9:30pm
Tel: 6972 3825
Website
London Fat Duck is not a halal-certified eatery.
If you’re a fan of spicy Indonesian food, look no further than Papa Ayam, the first battered fried chicken brand in Singapore that allows sambal enthusiasts to choose their preferred level of spiciness, from Level 1 to Level 15.
Go for the Ayam Geprek Original ($6.90), consisting of a crispy fried chicken slathered with a generous amount of sambal, or the Ayam Geprek Indomie ($7.50), which is essentially the same dish, but served with noodles instead of rice.
If you fancy eating for free, take on Papa Ayam’s spicy challenge and finish an upsized portion of Level 27 in under five minutes. Successful challengers will also earn themselves a spot on the restaurant’s wall of fame!
Unit number: #B2-K3
Opening hours: Daily 11am to 4pm, 5pm to 9pm
Tel: 9726 1300
Website
Papa Ayam is a Muslim-owned eatery.
Papa Ayam Review: Singapore’s First Ayam Geprek Brand With 15 Levels Of Sambal In Yishun
Fluff Stack is known for being one of the few halal-certified souffle pancake cafes in Singapore. All their cloud-like pancakes are made to order, which means that waiting times can be around 15 minutes per dish. Still, the cloud-like pancakes are worth the wait, and at Fluff Stack, you get to enjoy them with a number of different toppings and sauces. Popular picks include their Strawberry Cheese Souffle Pancakes ($14.50) and Hazelnut Chocolate Souffle Pancakes ($16.50).
Read our Fluff Stack review.
Unit number: #B1-K3
Opening hours: Sun-Thurs 11am to 9:15pm, 11am to 9:45pm
Tel: 9617 3166
Website
Fluff Stack is a halal-certified eatery.
Fluff Stack Review: Souffle Pancakes With Strawberry Cheese And Chocolate Hazelnut Toppings
Image credit: @flashcoffee_sg
By now, you will probably recognise Flash Coffee for their idiosyncratic yellow decor, and cups adorned with their striking pink logo. They’ve over 250 stores in the region, with over 30 in Singapore, including one in PLQ. Most of their beverages start under $5, a huge steal for specialty coffee in Singapore. Hits include their Melaka Latte (from $4.80), laced with gula melaka syrup, or their Avo Latte (from $5.80), which nods to Indonesian es alpukat, an avocado-coffee shake.
Unit number: #01-K5
Opening hours: Mon-Thurs 8am to 8pm, Sat 9:30am to 9pm, Sun 9:30am to 8pm
Tel: 9617 3166
Website
Flash Coffee is a halal-certified eatery.
Another popular place to get your BBT fix is Playmade. Unlike other BBT joints in Singapore, Playmade is known for making a variety of different flavoured pearls by hand. Flavours include Pink Cactus, Black Sesame, Burnt Caramel and more. Most of the tea flavours here are your standard bubble tea array, but Playmade also regularly has seasonal drinks that are a must-try. Prices average $6 a drink.
Unit number: #B2-K5
Opening hours: Daily 11am to 10pm
Tel: 6502 7856
Website
Playmade is not a halal-certified eatery.
Singapore is chock full of burger joints, but hotdog specialists are few and far between. Super Sub is one of the latter. At its PLQ outlet, you can get sausages with a variety of toppings, from Chicken Pesto ($8.50) to Yuzu Crab ($8.50), and even Truffle Egg Mayo ($8.50). Toppings here are very generous, so you’ll definitely find yourself stuffed. All orders are served with tortilla chips but you can add on dips for $3.
Read our Super Sub review.
Unit number: #01-K2
Opening hours: Mon-Sat 10am to 9pm
Tel: 9742 3095
Website
Super Sub is not a halal-certified eatery.
Super Sub Review: Hot Dog With Truffle Egg Mayo And Chicken Pesto Toppings At Suntec
This cosy eatery tucked away in the basement of Paya Lebar Square serves affordable Taiwanese fare including wholesome rice bowls and deep-fried snacks. Their highlight item would definitely be the Taichung Braised Pork Rice, sold at only $5 nett. The dish is true to its Taichung roots, coming with a generous serving of small, fatty bits of braised pork belly, sour pickled mustard greens, and a marinated hard boil egg.
For an easy takeaway snack, try their XL Chicken Chop ($4.80) that is double-fried for extra crunch, and then coated with a liberal sprinkling of their addictive seasoning powder.
Check out our full review of 5 Little Bears!
Unit number: #B1-09
Opening hours: Daily 11:30am to 8:30pm
Tel: 6702 1098
Website
5 Little Bears is not a halal-certified eatery.
Chicken Run serves up spicy fusion cuisine in claypots, best for the days when you’re craving some heat and warm comfort food. This place is great for those who love to customise their meals, as their menu offers an extensive list of add-on items and enough options for you to individualise each claypot.
Come by during lunch to enjoy their lunch special: Laksa Pot with rice at $10.90+. A word of caution: choose your spiciness level carefully, because this broth brings both intense flavour and numbing heat.
Check out our full review of Chicken Run!
Unit number: #02-18/19/20/K4
Opening hours: Daily 11:30am to 10pm
Tel: 6702 1373
Website
Chicken Run is not a halal-certified eatery.
Chicken Run Review: Customisable Clay Pot Laksa At $10.90+ At Paya Lebar Square
Image credit: @kajiken_singapore
From ‘gan mian’ and dry ramen to Japanese bak chor mee, Kajiken’s maze soba dish has been given many titles by customers over the years. As the pioneering restaurant to bring this unique style of ramen to Singapore, Kajiken is known for its Original Mazesoba Nagoya Style ($13.80++) which comes with springy dry noodles, spicy minced pork, and a gooey soft-boiled egg nestled in the middle.
Break the oozy yolk before giving the noodles a good, long mix. The rich yolk will combine with the savoury ramen sauce and coat the noodles. Each mouthful delivers a spicy kick from the minced pork, followed by soft noodles, and finished with a fresh crunch from the spring onions. With their free noodle top-ups, this is a definite must-try for noodle fans!
Unit number: #01-86
Opening hours: Daily 11am to 10pm
Tel: 6844 9915
Website
Image credit: Tofu Magician SG
One up your bubble tea cravings with these novel soy milk drinks by Tofu Magician Singapore. Hailing from China, this drinks franchise sells house-made soy drinks topped with QQ mochi balls, in a selection of flavours. If it’s your first time trying the brand, get the Original ($6.20), served cold or warm. Otherwise, flavours such as Black Sesame ($6.20) and Matcha ($6.20) are also available.
Unit number: #01-51
Opening hours: Daily 11am to 9:30pm
Website
Tofu Magician SG is not a halal-certified eatery.
Chinese Tofu Magician Opens At Paya Lebar Square With Soya Milk And Tau Huey BBT
The last and most well-known of the Keisuke clan is Ramen Keisuke Tonkotsu Niku King. With several Ramen Keisuke restaurant variations open around Singapore, this one at Paya Lebar specialises in the classic Tonkotsu Ramen ($11.90++), and meat-loaded ramen. For a full taste of what the famous ramen chain has to offer, get the Niku King Spicy Shoyu Ramen ($12.90++) which comes with large slices of chashu, Japanese onsen egg, sprinklings of bonito flakes, and spicy broth.
Unit number: #01-04
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 11:30am to 3pm, 5pm to 10:30pm, Sat-Sun 11:30am to 10pm
Tel: 6341 6123
Website
Ramen Keisuke Tonkotsu Niku King is not a halal-certified eatery.
Image credit: @kita.fam
Delibowl is an eatery that has gotten a fair share of buzz for being a halal restaurant selling traditional Sichuan dishes. The crowd-favourite Mapo Tofu ($7.95) features rice topped with silken tofu, fermented beans, and Sichuan peppercorn. For something different, try their Butter Chicken ($8.95) or Sichuan Style Fried Eggplant ($9.95).
Unit number: #01-77/80
Opening hours: Daily 10am to 9:30pm
Tel: 9382 5685
Website
Delibowl is a halal-certified eatery.
Image credit: Monster Planet
Monster Curry goes halal at Monster Planet, where diners can enjoy Muslim-friendly renditions of all the brand’s XXL curry plates, sans pork, lard, and alcohol. Enjoy jumbo curry plates with customisable levels of spice from $13.80, or feast on their broader menu, with fusion dishes such as pasta, ramen, and even pizzas.
Unit number: #01-57
Opening hours: Daily 11am to 10pm
Tel: 6970 2987
Website
Monster Planet is a halal-certified eatery.
You can find many places selling Thai food, but Lotus Thai Restaurant does it well. The Mango Salad ($7.80++), a quintessential Thai appetiser, is said to be fragrant and tangy. The thinly julienned mango slices soak up the sauce for a pleasantly sour and sweet aroma. This balance of tart and sweet is very characteristic of Thai cuisine, and shows up most evidently in the clear Tom Yum Seafood Soup ($12.75), which is accompanied by a kick of spice.
Lotus Thai is the place to head to if you’re in the Paya Lebar area and craving some classic Thai flavours.
Unit number: #02-13/14
Opening hours: Daily 11am to 9:30pm
Tel: 6386 7228
Website
Lotus Thai Restaurant is not a halal-certified eatery.
For the uninitiated, rou ga mo refers to a popular street snack from the Shaanxi province in China. These Chinese “hamburgers” can be found at Qin Ji Rougamo, which is located in the mall’s basement, right next to the escalator. Priced from $5.50, the rou gao mo are baked fresh upon order and come in different fillings such as pork, chicken, vegetables, and black pepper beef.
The stall also offers a number of noodle dishes, including the Sour & Spicy (Potato Noodle) With Minced Pork ($8.80) and Cold Noodles Skin ($6.50), which are two best-sellers.
Read our Qin Ji Rougamo review.
Unit number: #B1-08
Opening hours: Daily 11am to 9:30pm
Tel: 6970 9567
Qin Ji Rougama is not a halal-certified eatery.
Image credit: @plantzmanz
You can now bring your vegetarian or vegan friend to Saute Sushi, the first 100% plant-based sushi train concept in Singapore. Plus, they’re also halal-certified!
Take a pick from their main sushi menu, featuring Abi Avocado ($12.90++) and King Oyster Mushroom ($3.20++), or go for their hearty rice or noodle bowls. The Saute Tomato Stew Ramen ($10.90++) comprises a bowl of mushrooms, tofu, and vegetables in a red tomato stew, while the Teriyaki Abi Fry ($10.90++) sees a plant-based fried “ebi” sitting on top of fluffy Japanese rice.
Address: #B1-19
Opening Hours: Daily 11:30pm to 9:30pm
Tel: 8870 3565
Website
Saute Sushi is a halal-certified eatery.
Sauté Sushi: Singapore’s First Plant-Based Sushi Train Concept At Paya Lebar Square
Whether you’re here for hours of shopping or just passing through, the assortment of food options within these Paya Lebar malls is more than enough to satisfy everyone’s appetites.
For more food gems in the east, read our guides to:
22 Geylang Food Places That Prove It Deserves Its Title As The Best Supper Spot In Singapore
Featured image adapted from @ennzziezz, Tofu Magician SG, @thatgluttonn, and @andrea_abl
This post was brought to you by Shopback.
The post Paya Lebar Square And PLQ Food Guide: 31 Places For Cheap Yakiniku, Truffle Hor Fun And More appeared first on EatBook.sg - Local Singapore Food Guide And Review Site.
]]>A climbing harness can quite literally save your life. From top roping in the gym to remote alpine expeditions, harnesses are an essential part of every climber’s kit.
Just like running or cycling, climbing is divided up into many different subdisciplines and activities. Though all of these disciplines consist of moving upward on steep terrain, they’re each unique and require different kinds of gear.
The ideal harness for a sport climber probably won’t be the best choice for an ice climber or aid climber. Similarly, the best harness for a beginner may not meet the needs of a more experienced climber.
On this list of the best climbing harnesses of 2023, we’ve included our favorites in a wide variety of categories. From novice climbers to trad masters, our list will include an option that suits your climbing needs.
At the end of the list, we’ve also included a comprehensive buyer’s guide that breaks down all of the factors you should consider when looking for the right climbing harness along with a chart for easy comparison.
The tried-and-true Sama and Selena harnesses from Petzl ($80) have earned our top spot for several years running. The current versions carry the same reliable, streamlined build that many climbers have come to expect from Petzl.
Using a combination of foam and split webbing construction, the Sama (men’s) and Selena (women’s) are well-padded and comfortable for both climbing and belaying. The Sama is designed for men and features a short rise between the waist and leg loops. The Selena is designed for women and comes with a longer rise and an adapted waist-belt-to-leg-loop ratio.
These are a bit heavier than other harnesses in the all-around category. The extra weight comes from pro-comfort features, including thick nylon webbing and wide foam waist and leg loops. For such a comfortable harness, it’s a little surprising that the Sama and Selena don’t have adjustable leg loops. To lock in the perfect fit, we recommend trying these harnesses on before purchasing.
Though the Sama and Selena lean slightly toward sport climbing, they’re also great for single-pitch trad, gym climbing, and multipitch routes that don’t require a massive rack. For any climber not especially concerned with lightweight gear for high-performance endeavors, the Sama or Selena can serve as an effective quiver of one.
We’ve seen this harness hold up really well in the long term, even with regular use. The price, durability, comfort, and performance combine to make it an easy pick for the best overall climbing harness on our list.
The Moe ($65) is a modern, all-around harness that offers exceptional value for the price. Whether you’re a new climber stepping into the gym for the first time or a longtime crusher, you’ll find there’s a lot to love with the Moe.
One of our favorite features of the Moe is its ability to fit a wide range of body types. Edelrid’s “Center Fit” technology allows the foam padding of the waist loop to slide freely around the structural nylon webbing.
The slidable webbing works in tandem with an adjustable buckle to customize the fit of the Moe. Though the leg loops do not have full-size buckles, they can be adjusted slightly as needed.
The Moe comes with four standard-size symmetrical gear loops. We went trad climbing with the Moe and found the gear capacity to be generally sufficient for most single and multipitch routes. The ample padding kept us reasonably comfortable while hanging in the harness, though the waist and leg loops don’t seem to breathe especially well.
After a full session, a ring of sweat was left behind after removing the Moe. To be fair, most foam harnesses exhibit this problem; foam adds comfort but lacks ventilation.
Though we’ve only used the Moe for a month or so, it has yet to show any signs of wear and seems plenty durable for long-term use. Red wear indicator threads are woven into the tie-in loops, which help determine when it is time to retire the harness.
The Moe is a solid, streamlined harness versatile enough for just about any discipline — even ice climbing.
At just under 9.2 oz., the Mosquito ($110) is the lightest harness Wild Country has ever made. For such a streamlined harness, it’s remarkably comfortable. Perfect for sport cragging and redpoint attempts, the Mosquito is an excellent modern climbing harness.
With its streamlined laminated waist loop construction, the Mosquito effectively distributes pressure under load. I didn’t experience any hot spots or pressure points while hanging on bolts — impressive for a slight and sporty harness.
The secret to the Mosquito’s rare comfort is a thin yet plush layer of lightweight mesh. The mesh wraps up and over the edges of the harness, which softens the contact points and feels smooth against the skin.
In order to keep weight to a minimum, the Mosquito is equipped with small and thin gear loops. Of the four total loops, two are thick and rigid, and two and slight and thin. In total, these loops don’t offer much space for gear, but a standard rack of twelve quickdraws will fit just fine.
The Mosquito comes in one unisex design and is available in four sizes. For a more detailed look at the Mosquito, check out our in-depth review.
The Solution Guide ($100) is the souped-up cousin of Black Diamond’s ever-popular Solution harness. Despite the name, this harness is for everyone — not just guides. Thanks to its impressive gear storage capabilities and high-end durability, we think the Guide is the best trad and multipitch climbing harness on the market.
When a route calls for a large rack, it’s important to wear a harness with ample carrying capacity. In addition to oversize front gear loops, the Guide also includes a fifth gear loop in the back, which offers a perfect place to store a water bottle or a pair of approach shoes. In our experience, the Guide has plenty of room for just about any free climbing rack.In addition to plentiful gear storage, the Guide also features a wide waist belt, which noticeably improves low back support during hanging belays and long rappels. Both the waist and leg loops of the Guide utilize Black Diamond’s version of split webbing, also known as Fusion Comfort Technology, which shaves weight and breathes well.
Three flat strips of webbing on the waist loop help spread out the load without the need for bulky foam. Comfort while hanging is essential for a multipitch harness, and the Guide delivers.
Because this harness is designed for trad climbing, we’re glad it’s made from abrasion-resistant materials that can withstand the abuse of off-width climbing and chimneying. The Guide showed zero concerning signs of wear after multiple sessions that included sport, trad, and multipitch climbing on abrasive granite.Strictly made for rock climbing, the Guide doesn’t come with any ice clipper slots. Still, it’s a versatile harness at a fair price.
The Titan Harness ($210) from Misty Mountain is a true big-wall climbing harness. Unlike just about every other harness on this list, the Titan does not shy away from extra bulk and maximum padding.
The top priorities for a big-wall harness are comfort and support. You should be comfortable enough to sit and hang in the harness for multiple hours on end. For long aid routes, route development, and the occasional pitch of ice or free climbing, the Titan is a high-quality workhorse.
With a 5-inch dual-density foam waist loop, the Titan leads the big wall harness market in cushioning and low back support. The 4-inch leg loops are well-padded and easily adjustable to accommodate thick winter layers if need be.
Both the waist and leg loops are wrapped in a 500-denier CORDURA nylon shell, so you won’t need to worry about abrasion while you’re groveling up granite offwidths.
Six reinforced gear loops offer plenty of space for expansive aid or free climbing racks. Other key features include dual belay loops, a rated haul loop, and two side slots for ice clippers.
Though the Titan is lightweight relative to its sturdy profile, you shouldn’t buy it as your go-to free climbing harness. This is a specialty piece of gear — it was born to shine on Grade XI big walls and gear-intensive aid routes.
At just 3.1 ounces in a size medium, this is by far the lightest climbing harness on our list. In short, minimizing weight is the top priority of the Choucas Light ($80).
While rock climbers require durable harnesses that can withstand abrasion from the rock, mountaineers often prefer minimalist options that won’t weigh them down as they trudge toward the summit.
The Choucas Light is not made for taking repeated whippers. Instead, the idea behind this harness is it can be worn or stuffed away in a pack without getting in the way.
When needed for a quick rappel or technical traverse across a glacier, the Choucas Light is a capable full-strength harness. Just don’t plan on hanging in it for very long, as it isn’t built for comfort.
This harness can easily fit into a pocket or daypack when packed away. It has two small gear loops and two ice clipper slots. The leg loops detach completely, which is exceptionally helpful when you have skis on.
While ski mountaineering is probably the ideal use of the Choucas Light, some users may also find it useful for ice climbing. Overall, if you enjoy climbing mountains with ultralight gear, this is probably the best harness for you.
The Safe Tech Harness ($130) — part of the long-standing Metolius Safe Tech line — is a unique option for climbers looking to prioritize safety and emergency preparedness. The defining characteristic of the Safe Tech line is its extensive use of high-strength materials.
Just about every clip-in point on this harness (including the gear loops) is rated to at least 10 kN. We’ve included this harness on our list because it offers unique load-bearing versatility that stands alone on the harness market.
Though not technically a big wall harness, the Trad is definitely designed to support a climber during long hanging belays. Its wide, padded waist belt and adjustable leg loops also suggest that it’s compatible with heavy loads of gear and thick winter clothing.
Built with traditional foam and webbing, the All Around Safe Tech harness looks and feels somewhat outdated compared to most other harnesses on this list. It’s heavy, somewhat difficult to adjust, and generally overbuilt for most free climbing applications. Still, the load-bearing versatility of this harness offers unique value to search-and-rescue personnel and safety-minded climbers.
Harness | Weight | Best for | Key Features |
---|---|---|---|
Petzl Sama | 14.6 oz. | Sport climbing, top-roping, all-around use | Highly padded waist and leg loops |
Petzl Selena | 14.8 oz. | Sport climbing, top-roping, all-around use | Highly padded waist and leg loops |
Edelrid Moe | 11.5 oz. | All-around climbing (sport, trad, ice, etc.) | Center Fit technology (adjustable belay loop positioning), ice clipper slots |
Wild Country Mosquito | 9.2 oz. | Redpointing sport routes | Lightweight gear loops, breathable waist loop |
Black Diamond Solution Guide | 14 oz. | Trad climbing | Fifth gear loop for extra gear, abrasion-resistant “Super Fabric” |
Misty Mountain Titan |
1 lb., 8.4 oz. | Big wall climbing, route development | Six gear loops, rated haul loop, dual belay loops, removable leg loops |
Blue Ice Choucas Light | 3.1 oz. | Mountaineering | Two zippered front pockets, zippered thigh pocket |
Metolius Safe Tech Harness |
1 lb., 2 oz. | Trad and big wall climbing | Dual belay loops, weight-bearing belay loops |
To gather this list of the best climbing harnesses, the GearJunkie team put dozens of models through months of active testing and close observation.
While we made sure to test established models from major brands such as Black Diamond and Petzl, we also tested harnesses from smaller up-and-coming brands. We looked at popular long-standing models and 2023 season newcomers with equal discerning attention. With every harness, we assessed comfort, weight, durability, gear storage, and overall value.
Much of the testing took place on the crags near Salt Lake City, Utah, and Lander, Wyoming — from sharp limestone sport routes to slick granite multi pitch. We sport climbed in the gym and loaded harnesses down with triple racks in Indian Creek. We also tested harnesses on the big walls of Yosemite Valley.
Many climbing harnesses are designed for a specific climbing discipline. During our testing, we aimed to use harnesses for their intended use and judge their quality accordingly. For example, we used the Black Diamond Solution Guide for trad climbing and compared it to other styles in its class.
Before you purchase a climbing harness, it’s important to understand your needs as a climber.
Different harnesses are designed for different climbing applications. While any harness made by a reputable manufacturer is built to keep you safe, a carefully selected harness will offer much more than basic safety.
It’s important to select a harness designed for the kind of climbing you plan to do. For example, heavily padded harnesses are great for aid climbers or route developers, but they will be too heavy and bulky for casual sport climbing.
Similarly, a harness with tons of gear loops may be a good choice for big-wall trad climbing, but it may not be necessary for ski mountaineering. Our list of recommendations includes various types of harnesses, and our buyer’s guide can help you understand the differences between them.
Climbing harnesses designed for all-around use are the most beginner-friendly. Instead of specializing in one specific discipline, all-around harnesses include features that apply broadly to multiple climbing styles.
For beginner climbers, these harnesses are a comfortable and affordable tool that allows for the exploration of different kinds of climbing. On this list, we recommend the Edelrid Moe and the Petzl Sama/Selena as excellent entry-level options.
While these models aren’t ultralight or packed with high-tech features, they’re perfect for top-roping at the gym, learning to lead outside, or venturing up your first multipitch route.
Harnesses built for sport climbing are lightweight, low profile, and performance-oriented. All-around harnesses can absolutely be used for sport climbing too. However, they tend to be bulkier and heavier than most experienced sport climbers prefer.
Because harness weight is a consideration for this climbing discipline, sport climbing harnesses tend to have minimal metal buckles and fixed leg loops. Also, sport climbing harnesses commonly feature split webbing construction instead of a single piece of webbing covered in bulky foam.
Gear storage is not a major priority for sport climbing harnesses, and they usually come with either two or four scaled-down gear loops.
High-end sport harnesses should be considered a specialty piece of gear. They’re great for redpoint burns and projecting, but we don’t recommend them to climbers seeking versatility. The harnesses we recommend in this category is the Petzl Sama and the Wild Country Mosquito.
Trad climbers regularly carry a hefty rack of cams, nuts, and other gear via the gear loops on their harnesses. Compared to an entry-level or sport climbing harness, trad-specific models tend to have at least four large gear loops.
Whether you’re single-pitch cragging or multipitching, trad climbing often involves physical climbing techniques including crack climbing and chimneying. A trad harness should be durable enough to hold up to these rugged sub-disciplines.
Because trad climbing commonly does involve multipitch routes, you’ll also want a model comfortable enough for all-day use. While sitting in a hanging belay, you’ll be glad to have wide and well-padded waist and leg loops.
A rear haul loop is a helpful feature too. Even if you don’t use it to haul a load, it can be a great place to clip a water bottle or a pair of approach shoes. On this list, the trad climbing harnesses we recommend are the Black Diamond Solution Guide and the Metolius Safe Tech Trad.
Alpine climbing often involves long approaches, long multipitch routes, tricky protection, and less-than-ideal rock quality. An alpine climbing harness offers most of the same features as a trad climbing harness. The key difference is that alpine harnesses typically include features geared toward glacier travel and ice/mixed climbing.
In addition to at least four large gear loops, alpine harnesses usually have ice clipper slots, which are helpful for carrying ice screws. When traveling in the alpine, you’ll likely experience severe temperature fluctuations in a single day. Adjustable leg loops can expand to accommodate additional lower body layers when necessary.
Most alpine climbers aim to move light and fast, so many harnesses in this category are streamlined and packable. On our list, the best alpine harness is the Blue Ice Choucas.
Big-wall climbing harnesses are all about comfort, gear storage, and support. For most people, big wall climbing is a slow and laborious process that involves a whole lot of hanging around in a harness.
Compared to any other type of harness, the waist and leg loops on a big wall model are extremely padded and burly. A true big wall harness has two belay loops, at least four large gear loops, and a load-bearing haul loop.
Though these beefy harnesses aren’t ideal for other styles of climbing, they’re an essential item for slogging up the wall in true big-wall style. On this list, we recommend the Misty Mountain Titan for big-wall climbing.
Of all the categories of climbing harnesses, mountaineering models are the most lightweight. Most of the time, mountaineering involves lots of walking, hiking, and low-angle climbing on snow and ice. For this reason, these harnesses need to be comfortable for walking in and also need to be easy to put on and take off.
Removable leg loops are a great feature for ski mountaineering specifically. Because falling is generally not a safe option in a mountaineering setting, these harnesses are not padded to comfortably cushion a fall. Sure, these harnesses can safely catch you, but it isn’t going to feel good.
Minimalism is the name of the game with mountaineering harnesses, and they tend to be less expensive than more feature-packed styles. On this list, the mountaineering harness we recommend is the Blue Ice Choucas.
The basic parts of every climbing harness are the waist loop, leg loops, belay loop, and gear loops. Every harness on our list includes these fundamental features, no matter which climbing discipline it’s designed for. Beyond the essentials, harnesses may also have additional features such as a haul loop and ice clipper slots.
The waist loop of a climbing harness should fit snugly around your waist and sit just above your hip bones. Most waist loops can be adjusted using a system of webbing and buckles. Many harnesses come with a similar buckle adjustment system on each leg loop.
Harnesses with fixed leg loops are usually built for high-end sport climbing. It’s very important that your waist and leg loops fit properly, and we recommend trying a harness on before purchasing.
The belay loop is made of very strong nylon or Dyneema webbing and connects the waist loop to the leg loops. While belaying or rappelling, this loop is used to attach yourself to the rope and the greater climbing system.
Lightweight harnesses for sport climbing or mountaineering will have thinner belay loops, while all-around and trad climbing harnesses will have thicker loops. Many big-wall harnesses, like the Misty Mountain Titan, include two belay loops for extra versatility. Because your belay loop is a key part of the climbing system, you should check it regularly for wear.
Every harness will include at least two gear loops where you can conveniently hang items including quickdraws, cams, a jacket, a water bottle, and so on. The more gear-intensive and technical the climbing, the more gear loops you’ll need.
A harness with fewer than four gear loops is a specialty item and is probably designed for high-end sport climbing or mountaineering. Most all-around and entry-level harnesses come with four gear loops, which is plenty for gym climbing and single-pitch climbing.
For multipitch climbing, the addition of a fifth gear loop or haul loop is often useful. Big wall climbing requires lots of gear, and many big-wall harnesses have more than four gear loops.
A haul loop is a small attachment point located at the back of a climbing harness. This feature is not necessary for gym climbing or single-pitch climbing.
For multipitch or big-wall climbing, look for a haul loop rated to full strength so you can use it to haul heavy loads. While actively climbing, a haul loop can be a convenient place to store an extra layer or a water bottle.
Harnesses with ice clipper slots are specifically designed for ice climbing. They’re primarily used to carry ice screws.
As of 2023, climbing harnesses have evolved into lightweight, comfortable, and exceptionally strong pieces of gear. Still, as new materials and technology come to the forefront, harnesses continue to improve. In today’s market, there are two primary types of harness construction: foam and split webbing.
Foam harnesses are built on a single piece of high-strength webbing embedded in layers of cushy foam. While the webbing gives this kind of harness its load-bearing ability, the foam provides support and comfort.
A well-constructed foam harness effectively disperses your weight while falling or hanging. Foam offers ample padding, and it is still the standard for harnesses built for comfort, including most entry-level and big-wall harnesses. On this list, the Petzl Sama and Selena are great foam harnesses.
However, foam and webbing construction does have some disadvantages. Foam is an insulator and does not breathe well. In warm weather, these harnesses can feel hot and sweaty.
Foam also wears out over time, and the more you climb in it, the less comfortable it will become. For experienced sport and trad climbers, foam harnesses are no longer the best option on the market.
Split Webbing Harnesses
Though foam and webbing harnesses have been the standard for several decades, more and more climbers are turning to split webbing harnesses.
Instead of a single piece of webbing covered by foam, split webbing harnesses feature a web-like matrix of high-strength materials. By spreading out the load-bearing materials, these harnesses are able to distribute pressure more evenly.
On split webbing harnesses, very little padding is required to create a comfortable fit. Split webbing harnesses tend to last longer than foam options, and many climbers find they offer a comfort advantage too.
The tradeoff is split webbing harnesses are considerably more expensive. However, split webbing is clearly the future of harness technology, and many of our favorite harnesses fit into this category. The Black Diamond Solution Guide is a high-quality split webbing harness.
It’s very important that your climbing harness is properly fitted. Ultimately, the best way to find a good fit is to try a harness on before purchasing. Every harness and every person has a unique shape and dimensions, and the process of identifying the perfect match can involve some trial and error.
A properly fitted harness will feel snug and sit just above the hips. The harness should be tight but not uncomfortably so. It’s okay to be able to fit a finger or two between your body and the harness.
The leg loops should sit semi-snugly around your mid-thigh. It’s good to maintain a little wiggle room in your leg loops, as they can cut off circulation if they are too tight. While all harnesses include adjustable waist loops, not all include adjustable leg loops.
If you plan to climb in alpine conditions where you’ll need to change your lower body layers often, adjustable and/or removable leg loops are a must. Leg loops come with thin elastic straps that attach to the waist loop along the backside of the thighs. These are often releasable for easy bathroom breaks.
Depending on what kind of climbing you do — and how often you do it — a harness can last anywhere from a few months to multiple years. Because sport climbing tends to involve less contact between your harness and the rock, sport harnesses can be relatively thin.
Trad and aid climbing involve techniques such as offwidth and chimneying, which require direct contact between your body and the rock. Most trad and aid harnesses are made from burly materials. For example, the Black Diamond Solution Guide is built with an extra abrasion-resistant outer material.
Though the ultralight innovations sweeping the climbing market are exciting, it’s important to remember lighter materials do generally come with a decrease in durability. If you choose to buy a super low-profile model, you should also be aware it probably won’t last as long as more robust options.
Just like a climbing rope, a harness should be regularly inspected for signs of wear. Pay extra attention to the weight-bearing components, including the tie-in points, belay loop, waist loop, and leg loops. Look carefully for fraying, fuzziness, or any signs of abrasions. The belay loop or tie-in points are usually the first parts of a harness to wear out.
If you’re not sure whether your harness needs to be retired, look up the manufacturer’s instructions for care and maintenance. Generally, we advise conservative decisions regarding whether a harness is still safe to use. If you have doubts about the condition of your harness, purchase a replacement.
Whether you’re wearing it or hauling it in your pack, you’re going to spend a lot of time carrying your harness around. Lightweight harnesses are generally associated with increased performance.
For entry-level climbers, weight is not as important as comfort. However, for climbers working to push themselves and improve — especially in the sport climbing discipline — minimal weight is preferred.
Though lightweight harnesses work great for sport climbing and mountaineering, other disciplines call for something a little heavier. Big wall harnesses with their numerous gear loops and maximal comfort are rightfully heavy.
On this list, we’ve included incredibly light harnesses like the Wild Country Mosquito, which weighs 9.2 ounces. On the other end of the spectrum, we also recommend the thick and burly Misty Mountain Titan, which weighs a whopping 22.4 ounces.
Climbing harnesses vary significantly in price, and it’s a good idea to determine your budget as you shop around. Generally, entry-level and all-around harnesses are the most affordable, and good options are available for around $60.
Mountaineering harnesses tend to be on the cheaper side too, as they’re minimal and don’t boast fancy features or elaborate construction. On the more expensive end of the spectrum, top-of-the-line sport climbing harnesses can cost well over $150.
While some harnesses are designed specifically for men or women, many styles on the market are not labeled as such. On this list, the Petzl Sama and Selena are examples of two harnesses essentially the same in terms of materials and features, but each caters to a specific gender.
Compared to men’s harnesses, women’s styles often have a longer rise between the waist loop and leg loops as well as other minor differences. On this list, there are also multiple harness options that are not gender-specific, including the Wild Country Mosquito.
The best climbing harness is the one that suits your current and future needs as a climber. If you’re just starting out, look for a harness that fits well and feels comfortable, as comfort is the top priority for beginners.
There are many types of climbing and many kinds of climbers. Choosing the perfect harness may require some patience and trial and error.
Like all load-bearing climbing gear, harnesses are rated and certified to hold a certain force, measured in kilonewtons (kN). To make a long explanation about forces and materials short, climbing harnesses are plenty strong to handle various climbing scenarios, including falls.
All climbers should be aware only certain parts of the harness are certified. In climbing systems, we rely on the strength of the belay loop, tie-in points, and waist loop. Some harnesses, like the Metolius Safe Tech, also include rated haul loops and gear loops.
A worn-out harness can lose its strength, and it’s important to routinely check your harness and other climbing gear for signs of wear.
Depending on the type and frequency of use, climbing harnesses can last anywhere from a few months to multiple years. Generally, harnesses with more durable materials and a bulkier build will last longer than ultralight and low-profile options, though many factors make it difficult to predict the lifespan of a climbing harness.
We consider all of the harnesses on this list to offer an appropriate amount of comfort for their intended application. With that said, most climbing harnesses are not as comfortable as a pair of sweatpants — it’s usually a relief to remove your harness at the end of a climbing session.
On this list, some harnesses, including the Misty Mountain Titan, are built for comfort and offer more support while hanging or belaying. Other options, like the ultralight Wild Country Mosquito, are less padded and quickly become uncomfortable while sitting or hanging.
We tested and reviewed the best climbing harnesses for women, including top picks from Black Diamond, Petzl, Metolius, and more.
Aside from the ice climbers, mountaineers, and Charles Albert, every climber needs a pair of reliable climbing shoes.
The post The Best Climbing Harnesses of 2023 appeared first on GearJunkie.
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All of the 8 new Packout storage solutions are designed for wall mounted storage. Each piece is designed to be used on Milwaukee PACKOUT wall plates. Such as their large and compact wall plates. They can also attach to PACKOUT tool box lids as well. It’s basically similar in concept to Ryobi’s Link storage system. Let’s check out each of these new PACKOUT options below.
The first one on our list is a single hook storage option to hang items quickly. It is priced at $11.98.
The next option is similar to the first but with more hooks. 7 hooks total to hang more stuff. Priced at $19.98.
The next option, the compact wall basket is a crate style storage bin to hold small items. It has a 20 lbs weight capacity and costs $24.98 each.
The PACKOUT magnetic bin is a magnetic small parts tray. It has a non-marring magnetic base to attach to metal objects like the side of a tool box. Priced at $9.98 each.
This is a larger version of the magnetic bin with a rectangular shape. More bigger to hold more stuff. N’uff said. Non marring magnetic base to attach to metal objects like the side of a tool box. Priced at $14.98 each.
This is a belt clip for your tools that have belt clips. For example tape measures, pocket knives, flash lights, etc. Priced at $19.98 each.
The magnetic front to hold magnetic objects for easy access and stow away. The top doubles as a mini shelf. Priced at $29.98.
Last but not least is the long handle tool holder. Perfect for holding anything with a long handle. Like a broom, string trimmer, etc. Has anti-slip rubber grips for better holding power. Priced at $22.98.
DISCLOSURE:
Tool Craze does not sell this product or any product on the Tool Craze website. We do not handle the sale of any item in any way. Please refer to the About section for more info.
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The post New Milwaukee Packout Wallmount Storage Solutions appeared first on Tool Craze.
]]>When it comes to camping meals — and meals in general — people think they need meat as an entree. But protein can come in many forms. Plus, there are plenty of delicious meat-free dishes out there and you don’t need to be a vegetarian to enjoy them.
Tater Tot Hot Dish is the official Minnesota state casserole, but you don’t have to be camping in the Land of 10,000 Lakes to enjoy this one. It’s campfire ready, and has the zesty boost of Dean’s French Onion Dip. Make this recipe!
The post Vegetarian Recipes: 10 Favorites Meals, Snacks & Sides appeared first on Outdoors with Bear Grylls.
]]>So, once you have the pair of bespoke shoes, should you also go for a matching belt? In my opinion, if you can afford it and you have enough leather left over, you would be foolish not to get one. Of course, if your shoemaker is willing and able or if you can take the leather to other craftsmen, you can have other items made out of the same leather, such as your wallet, your watch strap, a briefcase, a duffel bag, or anything else under the sun, really.
In the case of Amara Hark Weber, she was totally willing and able to work on a belt for me, and I told her I wanted folded edges just like on our Fort Belvedere belts, and I wanted to be able to wear the belt with our Fort Belvedere buckle system. Of course, if I would have just asked her to make me a regular belt with a fixed buckle, she could have done that, too. But, I find one of the advantages of our Fort Belvedere belt system is that you can buy the belts and the buckles individually, and you can combine whatever belt or buckle you have with the buckles as long as they fit into the buckle.
As we mentioned in our guide on how to pair belts with shoes before, the idea is that you get a color that is as close to the shoes as possible because, often, it’s not possible. But, you’re in a unique position where it’s possible to match it, and so it always looks better. Frankly, I believe anyone who can sew a bespoke shoe upper can also make a belt for you.
How to Pair Belts & Shoes (and Your Metal Accessories)
Of course, you can specify things such as the broguing or maybe the lining color. Here, I didn’t go for the same lining color as the shoes because I felt like you might see the turquoise here or there, and it would clash with most outfits. So, I chose a dark green, which is very similar to the Fort Belvedere green we use in our own belts.
Because leather had texture, I also didn’t want any broguing on the belt. In such a tight space, I felt it would kind of be a visual overload – unlike with the shoes, where I like the ratio between broguing and non-broguing areas. So, let’s get to how it’s made.
First, Amara selected and prepared a length of leather that was left from shoemaking. She then skived the leather, layered it, and stitched it together. Obviously, that’s how a belt is made in a factory setting, but Amara is very flexible and capable. Everything that went into this belt is leather, and thread, unlike many others. We did a video where we cut belts apart, including expensive ones, and you can see the results here.
To emphasize the bespoke look at the belt, I wanted the tips to be pointed because that was a theme of the shoe, and I also had her use the diamond-shaped brogue hole for the holes for the pin.
While doing that, I realized that buckling and unbuckling your belt is a lot easier with diamond-shaped openings, rather than round holes. And because of that, going forward, all Fort Belvedere belts will have that same diamond-shaped hole. After all, isn’t it nice to open and close the belt more easily? As you can see, I love learning and improving things, and I’m never happy with the status quo.
Of course, before punching the hole, we also talked about hole spacing and the number of holes because, ideally, you want the pin to go through the center hole because that’s the most pleasing aesthetically. Of course, there is weight gain – you lose some, you gain some – so you need that flexibility and can’t just have one hole.
Even though you think about it, it could be a really good way to maintain a certain clothes size. Because who wants to replace all their belts just because they gained or lost a few pounds?
Obviously, if you have more holes on a ready-to-wear belt, you can sell them to a broader range of people. For a bespoke belt, I know and foresee not to change any weight so dramatically, so I rather prefer a somewhat smaller spacing, so I can adjust it to exactly the right comfortable tightness.
Of course, punching holes for the diamond is riskier than with a round hole punch because, with a round hole punch, no matter what angle your whole at, it’s always round. With a diamond, you have the points, and, if it’s not perfectly aligned to the edges of the belt, you may have to redo the entire belt. Because of that, Amara first marks locations where she wants to punch the belt, then she uses a press to indent the area, and then she hits its heart with a hammer to actually make the hole.
It’s time to take a ruler to check for accurate measurements. After all, you want the spacing to be even and not off. Also, you want the hole to be the same distance away from each edge, and as Amara is a stickler for details, you can see she’s taking a pen now to color the inside of the belt hole so it doesn’t look so unfinished. A little thing, but it definitely makes a difference, doesn’t it?
Since I already had belts from this belt system that fits me, I brought them with me. She could measure, make the belt slightly longer at first, and then we could cut it down to size so it fit me perfectly. Because it’s always easy to cut it shorter, but you can’t just add it back on.
Because I wanted to fit my Fort Belvedere buckles, it had to be three centimeters in width, not more. That’s about one and one-fifth of an inch. Of course, it’s not just the width of the belt, but also the thickness. At first, it seemed the belt was a little thick for the buckle, so time for a hammer to compress the leather.
After trying on the belt, I realized it was a little too long, so we’re cutting it again, and now it fits perfectly. So, again, while not essential for a bespoke shoe process, I think it’s a really nice add-on, and I would always budget for it upfront.
Do I need a new belt because I don’t have any others? Not really, but it’s just nice to have for this kind of bespoke project.
You could just go online and buy a pair of shoe trees with the adjustable coils, and even go to maybe a cobbler to adjust it to your shoe to get roughly the same fit, but if you go all the way to do this bespoke project, why not get a bespoke last and have fun with it?
Also, while most shoe trees for ready-to-wear have coils, sort of flexible and fit more shoes and different widths, for a bespoke shoe tree, you can do a last shoe tree, which is just meant for this pair of shoes and won’t work for others.
A shoe tree really helps to maximize the life of your shoe because it helps it to dry in its original shape and, in general. Ideally, you only wear one pair of shoes in one day, give it a break for a day or two, and then wear it again at the earliest. If you continue to wear the same shoes over and over again, you wear them down much faster than if you had maybe a range of three pairs of shoes and wear them out evenly.
As the name shoe tree implies, this is made out of wood, and there are plenty of different woods you can choose from. Oak is one option, but it’s typically rather heavy. So, when I travel, I prefer a lighter weight, such as poplar or lime wood. Some people like cedar because it has aromatic properties to it. So, if you have sweaty feet, cedar may be a nice option for you.
Most factory, ready-to-wear shoe trees are unfinished and just sanded. A lot of people say that allows for the moisture of the lining leather to be absorbed into the shoe tree. Now, I’ve found that a lot of bespoke shoe trees are finished. They’re either waxed on the surface or lacquered, or painted, and there are lots of other options.
Also, if weight is a concern and you’re into craftsmanship, you can have the front part of the shoe tree made hollow. Not only does it allow for faster drying, but also, because there’s less wood in the shoe tree, you have less weight and a lighter travel set of shoe trees.
Coiled Shoe Trees
When I talk about coiled shoe trees, you have the very basic ones with a kind of a long coil and a kind of wooden ball at the end. Those are the cheapest ones. Then, you have the multi-piece shoe tree. Sometimes, they adjust the width in the front and also the middle and length. Those are good.
And then, you have the last shoe trees; and then you have shoe trees that are hollowed because, obviously, hollowing them out takes some time, especially if you do it by hand. Saint Crispin, for example, has always been known for having these really nicely hollowed-out shoe trees.
Interestingly, Amara was not trying to copy the last herself, but there are companies that have machines where you can bring the original last, and then it creates a copy of it, and you have to sand a little bit here and there, and you get a perfectly fitting shoe tree. And realistically, shoes will spend more time with the shoe trees in them than with your feet, unless, of course, you sleep with them.
Shaping Bespoke Shoe Lasts by Hand & Machine
In this case, Amara was working with an English company that also used better bespoke shoemakers, but she wasn’t truly familiar with all of their processes. So, ideally, they want you to send them shoes with not just the original lasts, so they can try it and try it at the new shoe tree that is actually going to fit into the shoe.
So, at first, she just sent the original lasts to the company, and when the trees came back, they were not really fitting into the shoe. Also, I wanted lime wood, but they used the wood and made a green lime color on it, which I wasn’t too fond of. Instead, I wanted a color that matched the lining of the shoes.
Of course, I was purchasing this through Amara, and so she handled all the things back and forth, and eventually decided to just give it a go on her own. So, she took off the green paint and added the turquoise paint, all while kind of sanding and fitting the shoe tree to perfection.
These days, she has her process all figured out, and I think that’s the case with most bespoke shoemakers. Either it comes with a shoe, and there’s no option, or they give you the option to buy it. But, you should always ask about it when you start a commission because it can be a significant cost add-on to the shoe. We’re talking anywhere from three to six hundred dollars, sometimes even more. Why so much? Well, again, it is a custom, bespoke product.
If you want everything hollowed out, maybe by hand, it takes a certain amount of time to do that, and it’s all reflected in the price. I know that means you spend more money on your shoe tree than most people doing their shoes. But, hey, that’s an enthusiast for you.
Because the shoe tree was made elsewhere, we don’t have footage of that. Maybe that’s something we can film another time. At the end of the day, it’s made with a CNC machine or Computer Numerical Control machine, and there are various places in the world where they specialize in shoe trees.
Also, you don’t just want an exact copy of the last, but you want the shoe tree to be slightly smaller in all dimensions, all around, so it easily goes in and out of the shoe. Remember how difficult it was to get the last out of the shoe? You don’t want that to happen every time you take out your shoe trees.
Could I have opted for a coil shoe tree or a spring shoe tree? It would have been less expensive, and yes, but I felt like I didn’t have any other shoes with a lasted shoe tree. So, I just wanted to have that just so I could say I have one.
I also wanted to have them engraved with “Amara 1” so I always knew this pair of shoe trees was for that shoe. And if I have more shoes made in the future, I will always find the right shoe tree, just maybe visually or based on an engraving.
I also had the option to choose the hardware, so I went with silver, both for the hinge and on top. I always liked these vintage photos of shoe trees with that round brass element, so that’s what I went for; because that way, you can pull out the shoe on that. It supports you in that and has this classic look.
Because of all the shipping back and forth and the long delay, it definitely added some cost to the project, but I’m glad I did it.
At the end of the day, I have a nice pair of shoes with shoe trees that will protect the shoes and ensure a long life.
So with that being said, I’m now curious, how many bespoke belts and lasted shoe trees do you have in your collection? Let us know in the comments.
]]>Want to rep your favorite outdoor place? Swiftwick’s Vision Adventure ($22/pair) socks are emblazoned with images of six of our nation’s iconic outdoor recreation hubs. Asheville, Jackson Hole, Lake Tahoe, Sedona, and more are each depicted in colorful graphics. The socks are made from “high-performance fibers” and aim to keep the wearer’s feet dry, cool, and blister-free.
Mother’s Day and Father’s Day are on the horizon, and good socks are a common gift for a reason: They’re bound to be used.
Gnarly Nutrition’s Hydrate formula offers benefits for the thirsty and sweaty. Now, the brand launches two limited-edition flavors of the stuff: Salted Margarita and Lemonade ($30/pouch).
As the name suggests, the Salted Margarita flavor offers extra sodium — 500mg per serving. Excessive perspiration can be detrimental to athletic performance, as sodium is essential for optimal muscle function. Both flavors also contain magnesium, chloride, potassium, sugar, and B vitamins in every serving.
High intensity interval training (HIIT) involves quick blasts of full-body maximum effort. Common HIIT movements like jump squats, burpees, and mountain climbers are designed to raise the participant’s heart rate to more than 80% of maximum. Saucony’s new Freedom Crossport trainers ($150) offer the nimble agility required for an effective HIIT session.
Due to their niche purpose, the Crossport has different features than a standard running shoe. Its thin outsole keeps wearers low to the ground, and its wide platform is ideal for lateral gym workouts. It’s available in men’s and women’s sizes.
National Bike Month kicks off this week, and Priority Bicycles marks the occasion by collaborating with Hudson Whiskey on a new commuter bike. This limited-edition steed is simple, sporty, and affordable at $750. With a custom seven-speed drivetrain and Chromoly frame, this no-frills bike will stand up to the elements and reliably transport you from point A to B.
Instead of a traditional chain, a carbon drive belt pairs with a sealed internally geared hub — the mark of a true all-season bike. A percentage of all proceeds will benefit Transportation Alternatives, a nonprofit working to reclaim New York City’s streets from cars.
Launching today with a bold color palette signature to both brands, the HOKA x Cotopaxi collaboration includes limited editions of the HOKA Anacapa Breeze Low ($165) and the Cotopaxi Kapai 3L Hip Pack Del Día ($45). The collab is part of a give-back partnership both brands have with True Colors United, an organization committed to helping end homelessness among LBGTQ+ youth.
The Kapai 3L Hip Pack is made with 100% repurposed materials, meaning no two are the same. The limited-edition goods are available at HOKA, Cotopaxi, and REI.
Two types of lemonade-flavored performance fuel in one week? Like Gnarly Nutrition’s hydration powder above, GU’s new electrolyte-filled gummy morsels are salty and citrusy.
Recently reformulated to deliver optimal energy and nutrition, GU’s chews ($30 for 12 pouches) pack a great deal of value into a single bite. Two types of carbohydrates “maximize absorption and diminish stomach distress,” while a blend of branched-chain amino acids “reduce mental fatigue and jump-start recovery.”
I’ve snacked on GU chews during multipitch climbs and bike rides, and the brand’s flavors are consistently pleasant and easy to swallow.
Most drivers have little faith in the functionality of phone vent mounts. Most vent mounts wear out quickly or simply fail to work at all. An ineffective phone mount is annoying at best and possibly dangerous at worst. Rummaging for your loose phone while driving is ill-advised.
According to one GearJunkie editor, this mount ($100) from Peak Design grips a phone like an eagle’s claws on a trout. Even washboard dirt roads can’t shake an iPhone from its clutches. It attaches to a variety of vent types and won’t block or disturb airflow. The swivel arm and ball joint allow for endless screen angle and orientation adjustment.
This mount isn’t cheap, but unlike most of its peers, it actually works.
Hold onto your beanies and brushes, because Trango just dropped a brand-new crash pad.
Most crash pad-makers stick to the same designs for many years on end. Fresh styles don’t come around very often. Trango’s Cumulus ($189) enters the market with all of the key characteristics of an effective and protective modern pad. It’s a big day for pebble wrestlers everywhere.
Thanks to a 45-degree angled fold line and a 4-inch three-layer foam core, the Cumulus should prove to be free of soft spots. With 91 inches of length and 67 inches of width, this is a medium-sized pad that will help fill in funky landings. Crash pads live a rough life, but the Cumulus has reinforced corners, metal hardware, and a ripstop landing surface to enhance long-term durability.
Thule has been building bike racks and vehicle storage systems for decades. The brand’s latest innovation is the Epos, a high-tech hitch-mounted bike rack that enables easy transport for all types of bikes — including electric.
Unfortunately, e-bike ownership often entails heavy lifting. To ease the strain of loading and unloading your beloved electric behemoth, the Epos offers a lightweight accessory ramp. As for tire width, the tray can hold any standard road, gravel, or cross-country tires up to 3.2 inches. For transporting fat bikes, Thule sells an accessory strap that bumps the compatibility range up to 5 inches.
Two- and three-bike versions of the Epos are available. Integrated lights are also available in case the Epos obstructs your vehicle’s existing rear and brake lights. The Epos bike rack is available in select countries online as of April 2023.
Ask a dermatologist for tips on maintaining healthy skin, and they’ll likely recommend daily application of SPF moisturizer. Wearing a daily SPF goes a long way in preventing skin damage — especially on the face.
Ursa Major’s new Force Field SPF 30 is a mineral-based moisturizer ($58) that provides protection from “UVA, UVB, and blue light.” According to the brand, this product blends smoothly into the skin without any discernable tint. Key ingredients include zinc oxide, elfdoc flower, and lingonberry stem cells.
The post Whiskey Bike, Margarita Hydration, ‘Trail Magic’ Kit, and More Emerging Gear appeared first on GearJunkie.
]]>These days, old money aesthetic is manifesting in *it girls* like Sofia Richie Grainge, who recently got married in the South of France (and honeymooned at my favorite resort in the Maldives), wearing beautifully put together pieces of Chanel and other old-money-esque brands. Fashion-wise, what these all icons have in common is an affinity towards simple-chic style. Outfits that don’t scream *expensive*, but whisper it in an air of well-dressed, ultra-chic mystery that leaves everyone thinking “who IS she”.
So whether you are dressing for the polo match this summer, or simply trying to re-create Old Money looks in a way that fits your lifestyle. Here is some Old Money Aesthetic outfit inspo and links to all the brands that old money is filling their closets with, as well as some budget dupes to give you some options. Because who doesn’t love an old money fashion dupe!
via Sofia Richie Grainge on Instagram
Key elements to this old money fashion style: effortless, breezy, and casual, with a pop of wealth.
GET THE LOOK FOR A LITTLE LESS:
THE DUPES:
Amazon white raffia beach bag, $38
Essential vibes: Effortlessly classy, timeless, career-chic, whether you’re a high-powered attorney in New York City, or raising money for nonprofits.
[TAG21] [TAG22] [TAG23] [TAG24]
GET THE LOOK FOR LESS:
[TAG27] [TAG28] [TAG29] [TAG30]
[TAG45] A simple, tailored, clean summer-white outfit paired with the elusive Goyard tote signifies you’re well-off, and well-traveled, since it isn’t usually available online, but this one is on resale here.
[TAG61] $62, White summer shirt dress, Lulu’s
[TAG62] Sometimes I love to steal my husband’s shirts and wear them as bikini cover ups or looser-fitting linens tucked in with a belt to shorts or pants, it always looks so effortlessly chic. Here are his favorite men’s linen shirts.
[TAG64] Paired with an effortlessly chic Polo hat, of course.
[TAG65] Cute striped summer dress, $70
Image via Pinterest
The skirt:
or go longer with this linen skirt from Reformation
The Top:
The Belt:
Shop Hermes belts on the Real Real
The scarf:
Shop silk scarves on the Real Real
The sunnies:
Skirt , $46 , Knit Top $46, Sweater tee $49.99, Banana Republic Tee $22.50, Nordstrom Rack cable knit $32
Key vibes: Tailored, put-together, regal
via Ralph Lauren
via Ralph Lauren
Shop the look:
THE LOOK FOR LESS:
Brands like Agua by Agua Bendita, Zimmermann, Alexis, and Milly Cabana are frequently seen on celebrities and the jet-set, and are sure to make a (flawlessly chic) statement on instagram.
Kenny Flowers, the Caribbean Dress
What to pack for a tropical vacation
The post Old Money Aesthetic Outfit Inspo – How to Get that “Old Money” Fashion Look This Summer appeared first on JetsetChristina.
]]>Well that’s unexpected.
BR used to run 30% off codes all the time. But that was in the “before-times.” The last year or two has been quite the opposite, probably thanks to pandemic supply chain wobbles, inflation, etc. Recently, they’ve seem to run two friends and family 40% off events, a Black Friday deal, and that’s probably about it. For the year. Yes, the year.
So a surprise 30% off now, especially creeping up on wedding season, is very welcome.
There are exclusions… leather bags and jackets seem to be out. As are most (all?) shoes. But there’s still a lot up for the deal, including some of their legendary goods that some of us reach for on a weekly (if not more) basis. Tested all of the picks below, and at post time the code is working. Code BRSELECT30 expires Saturday night. Off we go…
Warm weather weddings will be here soon. Real soon. And hot dang this code is working on their surprisingly great suits. It takes forever for these things to go on sale. Sold as separates so you’re not stuck with a “nested” jacket and pants. You pick the size of the jacket, you pick the size of the pants, bang there’s your suit.
All season wool from Italy’s Reda mill. Softer shoulder and sleeves designed for ease of movement. Moves quite well with just a hint of natural stretch. Subtle “nailhead” visual texture makes it interesting but still all-occasions appropriate. Would excel in all three scenarios from our “Versatile Medium Gray Suit – 3 Ways“ posts. Size shown above is a 36R jacket and 31 trouser on Ryan who is 5’9″/160 although he did eventually exchange the 36R for a 36S because the sleeve cuff buttons are functional and thus, difficult to tailor. Note that the trousers come in three lengths, with the intention you get them dialed in (if need be) by a tailor. Short length trousers = 29.5″ inseam, Regular = 31.5″, Long = 33.5.”
Also note that the price above reflects total for trousers + jacket. They have vests available (as shown on the blue suited model) but those’ll cost you a bit more.
One of those classic two-belts-in-one reversible numbers. Kinda wish the flip side of the black would have been a darker brown… but lots of guys have cognac/walnut shoes that need a matching belt too.
BR’s take on the “luxe”/dressy t-shirt thing. Smoother. A neckline that’s not as ragged as worn/washed/”broken in” looking like some other tees. Comes in the colors you’d expect, as well as a couple you might not.
Still a favorite for many if you can catch them during a rare discountl. The quality is there, the mainly cotton blend fabric is smooth, has good stretch, and works both dressed up and down. BR claims these pants have something called “37.5 Technology and the power of active particles derived from volcanic sand” to help regulate your temperature. Pretty skeptical on the whole volcanic sand thing, but they truly are lighter in weight and even in the dead of summer, seem to help keep you cool. ESPECIALLY when compared to a standard all cotton or 98% cotton/2% spandex pair of chinos. Slim is a true slim through the legs. A bit tight for some of us. Available in six colors, and they’re the colors you’d expect.
For those of us who love the hybrid tech but not full tech core-temp cotton blend fabric, and need a pair of shorts (or two) for the upcoming heat. Multiple inseams to pick from, multiple colors.
SOUND THE BIG-BOOTY-FELLA-KLAXON. Be-still my glutes, Banana Republic has made an (athletic) TAPERED fit core temp. Finally. And they’ve equipped them with a pair of single-pleats. Don’t scoff at pleats. If you don’t miss leg day and hit the squat rack, there’s a reason why your pockets flare out like elephant ears on slim fit flat front pants. It’s because the geometry of a flat front trouser doesn’t jive with your thicc-ness. You need to gracefully give your arse some room as the fabric moves down from your waist. That’s what some subtle pleats will do for you.
Got in person with one of these shirts and it was pretty nice. 120s cotton poplin feels nice and smooth. Not stiff or scratchy. Lots of colors too, including a gray as well as a medium blue that almost looks chambray. Fit is their “Tailored Slim Fit” which has a little more room through the arms and back than, wait for it….
Their even-slimmer “true slim” option with darts at the back. White, light blue, pink.
Also shown at the very top left of the post. Like the famous Bonobos blazers, this is made from micro-honeycomb like textured wool. It leans a little more casual, but not so casual that you’d look out of place with sleek dress shoes and a tie. A little more structure than the Bonobos jackets though. Fully lined. All season appropriate. 99% responsible wool standard (RWS) wool, 1% elastane.
A slimmed down wale replaces plusher, thicker stuff from fall and winter. The heavier looking rivets have moved aside in favor of bar-tack stitching. The end result is cords not just appropriate for, but comfortable in the starting to warm up weather.
gaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhh but how much will they shrink? An inch or so like the standard luxe touch reviewed over here in Polopalooza??
Not “techy,” but quite comfortable all the same. One of their bestsellers. Super soft, Italian milled, high-recovery yet still stretchy cotton. All the colors you’d expect, with a few curveballs thrown in. Fabric mix is 58% organic cotton, 32% modal, 7% polyester, 3% elastane.
As mean looking as a cardigan can get.
That texture is something else. A bit of a splurge, even on sale, but not your average merino crewneck. Italian spun yarn. Also available in light blue, navy blue, and olive green.
Not as lightweight and airy as their Core Temps. More of a “True” chino feel to them, yet still more engineered-for-movement. 90% cotton, 8% elasterrell, 2% spandex blend. Lots of colors to choose from. Also a reminder that these are their pants that come with the rectangular label/branding over the back right pocket. That’s a dealbreaker for some guys, but BR has stuck with it over the years. Colors are what you’d expect, plus some new spring shades too.
The only thing better than a Swazer is an on sale Swazer. Super comfortable. One of those items that’ll help you dress up without really dressing up. 100% Organic cotton. Also available in olive.
Wouldn’t be a BR sale without these, would it? The best stretchy jeans under $100 (when on sale, which they are). Size shown above is a slim fit 33×30 on 5’10″/190. Something a lot of us wear a ton from September – May. Most are running out of time to wear them before summer, but just in case. Still worth a mention. The rinse, dark wash, is the ideal dark dark blue a lot of us look for and lean on.
Note that this belt is 1″ wide. So it’s not some thick and clunky casual belt. Still casual, just not a beefcake of a belt.
This is the time of year when finding a nice, all merino sweater can get to be a bit of a hassle. Winter clearance has come and gone, and not all brands/retailers are keeping sweaters in stock anymore. Thankfully BR is. Responsible Wool Standard certified.
The 30% off Banana Republic code BRSELECT30 is set to end this Saturday, 4/29.
]]>Considering that the modern cocktail renaissance is just over two decades old, when a bar hits its 10th anniversary, it’s an accomplishment worth raising a glass to commemorate — especially considering the pandemic asterisk putting a stain on the overall statistics. Granted, the decennial mark is in the rearview mirror for a number of pioneering bars still going strong, like Employees Only (2004), Death & Co. (2006), Bourbon & Branch (2006), PDT (2007), The Violet Hour (2007), Cure (2009), and Rob Roy (2009).
This past March, Attaboy, the Lower East Side bar on 134 Eldridge Street (and current title holder of Best Bar in America) that was once home to Sasha Petraske’s influential Milk and Honey, turned 10. And though co-owner Toby Cecchini plays coy with the actual anniversary date, Brooklyn’s beloved Long Island Bar (which first opened in 1951) will mark 10 years in business since its new owners took over the lease in 2013.
Also among that spirited lineup of bars celebrating 10 years in business is San Francisco’s Trick Dog, known for innovative themed menus that often celebrate and give back to the city itself through philanthropic efforts. But beyond the awards and serious cocktail bona fides, Trick Dog perseveres by being a solid neighborhood bar, the kind of place where locals linger, tourists pop into, and the city’s bartenders treat it as a post-shift clubhouse.
“When Trick Dog first opened, we were the must-try spot when traveling to San Francisco,” says Trick Dog alum Joshua “Glovebox” Jancewicz, who worked his way up from barback to bartender to bar manager. “Every industry person had to come by and was so excited to see what the next menu theme would be. Now when I travel and see a cheeky-themed menu I know that it’s because of us. In a way, Trick Dog changed the way you order at a bar.”
Trick Dog’s detailed concept menus swap out every six months and planning the next one begins the day the current menu goes live. Over the years, each menu has become a collectible cultural artifact in its own right. Trick Dog debuted in 2013 with a menu designed as a collection of color-block Pantone swatches and since then, 17 unique menus have been built around eclectic themes like an astrology wheel, a San Francisco tourist map, a collection of vinyl 45s, a Chinese restaurant menu, an airline safety pamphlet, and “The Joy of Cocktails,” a cookbook with contributions from San Francisco chefs.
To honor the bar’s 10-year achievement, Josh Harris, Trick Dog’s owner and founder of Bon Vivants Hospitality, rolled out the biggest menu yet, The Museum of Trick Dog Art (MoTDA), which will be featured through early July. The retrospective collection features 17 brand new cocktails (the biggest lineup yet), including four spirit-free offerings, developed collaboratively by the Trick Dog team and a nod to favorite drinks from the past decade. According to Harris, the Zodiac (Fords Gin, Cynar, black sesame, pineapple, palo santo, lemon) and the Broadsides (Patron Silver tequila, Ritual Sisters Smoked Pineapple spirit, Awamori, cucumber, orgeat, and lime) have proven to be the two most popular drinks thus far.
The MoTDA menu represents a year-long process that engaged the staff in ways that they hadn’t been involved with previously. “This is the next chapter of the bar’s evolution,” Harris says. “Creating an environment in which the staff can engage in this undertaking and cultivate the skills and mindset to compose a drink that could potentially make the cut on a Trick Dog menu.”
Trick Dog maintains its community-driven approach to being a vital part of the Mission District neighborhood by donating a portion of sales from the MoTDA menu as well as past menus, prints, and other merchandise to the Bon Vivants Scholarship, which promotes racial and social equity with financial support toward qualified students attending college in San Francisco.
While Jancewicz would become one of the first members of Trick Dog’s bar team, he was also part of the build-out crew. With a minute to spare before opening the door for business, he traded his construction belt for a bar apron. The only problem was, there was no door. “There was a line down the street, and we literally had no door,” Jancewicz recalls. “For a month we had to bolt plywood to the front of the building so we didn’t get robbed.”
Along with the crowd of customers packing in three-deep at the bar came growing acclaim, including being one of the only Bay Area bars to receive a three-star review from The San Francisco Chronicle. In addition to being a two-time finalist for the James Beard Foundation Award for Outstanding Bar Program, Trick Dog has been listed among the World’s 50 Best Bars lineup and received multiple Tales of the Cocktail Spirited Award nominations, including winning the award for “World’s Best Cocktail Menu” twice.
Past Trick Dog all-stars, like Caitlin Laman (a former national Speed Rack title holder), Chad Arnholt (creator of Trick Dog’s popular NASCAR Spritz), and Morgan Schick (founder of Portland, Ore., hospitality consulting firm There There Co.), all started in supporting roles at the bar and worked their way up. “We created opportunities and an environment where people were able to grow, learn, and take on new positions as opposed to leaving to find those opportunities elsewhere,” Harris says. “That created pride and a sense of ownership that you rarely see in other places.”
Like countless bars during the pandemic, Trick Dog had to pivot its business plan and launched Quik Dog, which temporarily replaced the bar’s signature themed menus and barside experience with large-format, batched cocktails. It also offered takeout-friendly food like the Quik Dog Burger, an elongated patty of ground chuck and brisket served in a hot dog bun with American cheese, lettuce, pickles, onions, and “Doggie Sauce.” It was inspired by the Hot Dog Bills’ “Burger Dog” served to golfers since 1950 at San Francisco’s Olympic Club, a popular hangout for Harris when he was a teenager.
When Trick Dog was finally ready to return it had a completely new staff in place prepared to carry on the trajectory, and legacy, of the bar’s reputation. “The DNA of the bar prevailed but when we reopened we didn’t approach it like rebuilding a championship team as the world was different now, and our approach also had to be different,” Harris says. “What Trick Dog had in store was uncertain and we were critically focused on putting together a team that was excited to be there and eager to go on a journey and find harmony together.”
One of the driving forces among the new faces at Trick Dog is Nick Amano-Dolan, who became general manager in August 2021 and maintains the bar’s legacy within San Francisco and beyond. “I admit it was very intimidating and, to be honest, I felt like I had imposter syndrome,” he says. “I had so much respect for Trick Dog and it was the model for what I wanted a bar to be: innovative, fun, fast.”
One of the challenges for Amano-Dolan was rechristening the space and maintaining the culture and overall vibe of the past but with a whole new staff. He notes that Harris and former alumni were generous with sharing their knowledge and the driving principles behind the bar.
In an industry still possessed of artifice and affectation, Trick Dog’s team has mastered the art of not taking themselves too seriously, except when it comes to their cocktails and how they’re created and presented. “Trick Dog has that intangible, magical X factor — an indescribable vibe that feels as special the first time you walk in as it does the hundredth time,” Amano-Dolan says. “What distinguishes San Francisco’s drinking scene is the variety and scope of bars you can walk into, but the city really knocks it out of the park with elevated neighborhood drinking joints.”
Andrew Calisterio, a former San Francisco bartender who currently works in spirits marketing, has been there for every new menu launch and claims that part of the key to Trick Dog’s success lies in offering a high-caliber cocktail experience but presenting it in a fun, casual manner. “San Francisco bars are unique in their offerings, blending a laid-back California mindset and style of service, but completely surrounded by young professionals with expendable income,” Calisterio says. “The city is so densely populated that chances are if you open a bar or restaurant, you’ll have an audience, but in order to keep them you have to offer something special.”
The Museum of Trick Dog Art retrospective menu and installation offers the bar a victory lap of sorts to look back at its accomplishments. As for what’s in store for the next 10 years of Trick Dog, it remains a philosophical journey of discovery — for the bar, for its guests, and the city itself. “I’m a San Francisco native and find inspiration all around me and everywhere I go and what inspires me also evolves — you’ve got to continually keep your eyes and heart open,” Harris says. “We’ve remained true to ourselves and in the ever-changing landscape, we are ever changing ourselves.”
The article Trick Dog Turns Ten: How a Beloved San Francisco Bar Continues to Influence a Decade After Its Debut appeared first on VinePair.
]]>Two-thirds of the way up the climb, I checked which protective gear I had left; this pitch seemed to go on forever! Counting my cams, I figured I had just enough left to safely finish the climb. One hundred feet of sustained jamming, stemming, and laybacking led me to the crux; after a steep pull over a bulge, I was home free.
During a tricky traditional lead climb, I want the climbing and protection to be my only focus, without the added distraction of uncomfortable clothing. Wearing the Topo Designs Boulder Pants for this pitch made that possible. With a full range of motion and a comfortable elastic waistband, I was able to stay present with the movement and keep my head together long enough to clip the chains.
In short: Though Topo Designs clothing doesn’t seem like the most technical gear at first glance, the Boulder Pants don’t sacrifice performance for fashion. For a style-conscious climber looking for clothing that looks good and climbs well, the Boulder Pants are a great choice.
As a year-round climber and guide, I have mountains of outdoorsy and athletic pants filling my closet. So when I find a pair that I can also wear for a casual night out after bouldering, I hold onto them.
The cute and functional Topo Designs Boulder Pants are just such a pair, and are even offered in a wide array of bold color choices to boot. The high-waisted fit looks great with a cropped top, and I like the contrasting navy and bright red details against the slate gray pair that I tested. Also made in hues of forest, brick, pond blue, and classic black, there’s a cheeky hue for every adventurer.
Style aside, I put these pants through the wringer, testing them while bouldering and climbing through the coldest months of the year in Joshua Tree. During a blustery day with gusts up to 40 mph, the stretch nylon fabric provided wind resistance comparable to the Mountain Equipment Squall Jacket that I was wearing. These pants can really turn a breeze.
They’re not quite as windproof as my Arc’teryx Gamma Pants, but the material is a bit lighter, and the tradeoff is that they are more comfortable in warm conditions. The fabric also held up well, with no visible snags from the spiky plants and coarse granite of the desert.
I also wore the Boulder Pants while leading several traditional climbs at my limit. When I’m climbing a route that’s hard for me, I don’t want my clothing to be restrictive or distracting, and the stretchy fabric of the Boulders allowed me to move freely up the wall.
The elastic waistband is comfortable and tight enough that it doesn’t slip down under a harness. The lack of zippers and buttons also allows for easier readjustment after using nature’s bathroom, especially if you’re navigating a harness weighed down by a full trad rack.
While I appreciate that the Boulder Pants include one zip pocket on the back, it’s not the most functional size or location for a pair of climbing pants. I’m always looking for a zip pocket on the thigh that’s big enough to fit a phone and low enough that it won’t interfere with my harness or a hip belt. For a longer, multipitch route, I’d probably choose a pair of pants with this type of pocket, in case I want to easily check route information or snap some photos.
The cinching mechanism at the ankles is just a simple elastic band that’s hidden under the hem. It’s a little tricky to adjust, but there is no extra plastic toggle that could fall off with repeated use. The Boulders are only offered in one inseam length, so at 5’2” I have to roll them up or cinch the ankles. Worn like this, I was still able to make precise foot placements while climbing and scrambling, but the fit may be a bit baggy on some.
If you’re looking for unique-looking climbing pants that don’t sacrifice performance, the Boulder Pants are a solid choice. They’re great for single-pitch climbing or bouldering in a range of weather conditions, and they’ll also transition seamlessly from an afternoon of cragging to casual drinks.
For longer and more technical objectives, I prefer pants with a slimmer fit, better weather protection, and side zip pockets, like the Patagonia Altvia or Arc’teryx Gamma Pants. But when I’m closer to the ground and heading out on the town, I’ll choose the Boulders any day.
The post Topo Designs Boulder Pants Review: These Pants Look Good, but Climb Harder appeared first on GearJunkie.
]]>Undecided if you want an ATV for fun activities or require the utility of a working machine? The redesigned Can-Am Outlander and Outlander PRO are built for both work and play. While both are capable of getting chores done on the property, hauling gear to your favorite outdoor playground, or cruising the backcountry trails, the choice comes down to how it’ll get used more often.
The new Outlander models emphasize the trail riding experience and recreational aspects. The intent of the Outlander PRO models focuses on utility and getting the job done. Hence the drivetrain, suspension, and everything about it is optimized for towing, carrying heavy loads, and long work days.
In short: All of the redesigned 2023 Can-Am Outlander models are set up for all-day ride comfort, low maintenance, and plenty of power to serve as a work mule and sport adventurer. As a testimony to the ATV’s versatility and adaptability, it has the gumption to finish the tasks around the homestead and double as a recreation quad after finishing the chores.
The opportunity to learn all about the new 2023 Outlander came about after accepting an invitation from Can-Am. At the BMF Ranch just outside of Albuquerque, N.M., I did a deep dive into the midsize ATV’s design, engineering, and core audience. After that, I had several hours in the saddle on the Outlander XT 700 and Outlander Pro HD5 to grasp its performance aptitude and capabilities.
The 2023 Can-Am Outlander started from a clean sheet design and is all new except for the proven Rotax V-twin engine and pDrive clutch system. The Rotax 700 and HD7 models deliver up to 50 horsepower, and the 500 and HD5 are good for up to 40 ponies. Now that the Outlander 450 and 570 have been retired, the recreation-focused Outlander 500/700 models and work-oriented Outlander PRO HD5/HD7 models go into service.
Essentially, all of the new Outlander models use the same 650cc four-valve DOHC Rotax engine and CVT transmission. The camshaft and ECU determine the power output. In other words, a flash upgrade of the ECU will not boost power.
Some may miss the V-twin from the 570, but the Rotax delivers more usable torque where it counts. Analysis reveals the Rotax 700/HD7 produces 3 to 5 more horsepower in the 3,500-6,500 rpm range compared to the 570 V-twin. More importantly, torque rises 4 to 7 pound-feet in a lower rev range.
The Outlander PRO has the DNA of a worker. The equipment packages and available accessories are well thought-out and efficient. The standard LED lights help with finishing the job when the work goes past sundown and will help you come home safely. The integrated mounting points on the bumpers make it a snap to add LED light bars to brighten the area even more.
Specific packages include a 3,500-pound winch and glovebox with a cellphone holder and USB charger. When winter conditions get harsh, the Outlander PRO has more integrated accessory mounting points, making installing snow tracks and plows easy-peasy.
The luggage racks are made of metal, so they’ll take on a load of up to 120 pounds on the front and 240 pounds on the rear. The 13-inch ground clearance — 2.5 inches more than the old 450/570 — is high enough for you not to worry. For 2023, Can-Am offers 75 accessories and LINQ options to outfit the new Outlander ATVs.
My introduction to the new Outlander and Outlander PRO took place on a dirt track in New Mexico. Maybe not a hardcore test of its capabilities, but I got a serious taste of its driving dynamics, the suspension action over various terrain, and how it handles in the turns.
The initial off-the-line launch doesn’t take your breath away, but that’s good. My time riding the redesigned quads was in the high desert of New Mexico, where the elevation was well over 6,000 feet above sea level. Despite the high altitude affecting peak output, there is lots of power once you get into the midrange, and quite satisfying when laying heavy on the throttle.
Can-Am’s pDrive clutch system and CVT perform admirably, which the X3 also shares, but have pluses and minuses. What I noticed is that the clutch takeup is steady, throttle modulation responds smoothly, and shifting in and out of gears is on the money.
I like the fact that a CVT does a great job keeping it in the powerband’s sweet spot. Additionally, the engineering team maximized airflow to ensure the belt’s longevity and made a point of directing heat away from the rider.
A minor annoyance is a droning noise from the CVT. However, 300 hours or 186 miles (300 km) between maintenance services is not a joke and well worth the tradeoff of listening to the CVT.
The tri-mode dynamic power steering (DPS) is pretty sick. It only takes a little effort to rotate the big beast around tight corners and fast banked turns. Plus, it is programmable to match your driving style if you prefer to muscle your way around the bends.
Getting comfortable with Can-Am’s redesigned Outlander took little time. I found it super easy to ride and quickly became familiar with how it accelerates, maneuvers around the turns, and responds to throttle input. For an ATV that weighs over 800 pounds, I was pleasantly surprised at how well it operates and gets out of its own way with little drama.
At fast or slow speeds, riding the Outlander XT is nearly effortless. To ride it aggressively, I had to get into the right mindset. Leaning into the turns, cranking over the handlebars, and shifting my weight and position for whatever the trail was throwing at me: G-outs, off-camber turns, launching up a hill, catching some air, and calls for heavy braking. The quad has a burly demeanor but behaves like a well-trained steed.
Getting onboard the Outlander PRO HD5 is a slightly different animal. The quad is tuned more for domestic duties than recreational romping. As such, ride comfort is on the softer side, and the strengthened frame is better suited for carrying heavy loads and towing up to 1,830 pounds.
Another difference is that the Outlander PRO has an electronic throttle-by-wire system because the machine comes equipped with Can-Am’s three-level intelligent engine-braking system. In contrast, the XT uses a traditional throttle cable connected to a thumb lever.
For exploring vast trail systems or the call for a trustworthy steed when hunting or fishing in the great outdoors, the capabilities of Outlander XT shine. The Outlander PRO is a diehard worker with numerous accessorizing options that don’t need an equity loan on your house.
Altogether, my time with the new midsize Can-Am ATVs was fun and enlightening. It’s not a rompin’ side-by-side, but it’s more than enough to spend your days riding the trails and backcountry with a smile. Given its emphasis on comfort, durability, versatility, and ease of use, I can easily see the Outlander and Outlander PRO exceeding expectations everywhere.
Outlander XT 700 | Outlander PRO HD5 | Honda FourTrax Rincon | Kawasaki Brute Force 750 | Polaris Sportsman 570 | |
ENGINE | 650cc Rotax 700 single-cylinder, liquid-cooled | 650cc Rotax single cylinder, liquid-cooled | 675cc OHV single-cylinder four-stroke, liquid-cooled | 749cc 4-stroke, V-twin, SOHC, liquid-cooled | 567cc ProStar 4-stroke DOHC single-cylinder, liquid-cooled |
POWER | 50 hp | 40 hp | 38 hp | N/A | 44 hp |
TORQUE | 41 lb.-ft. | 37 lb.-ft. | 36 lb.-ft. | 42.7 lb.-ft. | N/A |
TRANSMISSION | pDrive CVT | pDrive CVT | 3-speed automatic | Automatic CVT | Automatic PVT |
DRIVETRAIN | Selectable 2WD/4WD with Visco-Lok auto-locking front differential | Selectable 2WD/4WD with Visco-Lok auto-locking front differential | Direct front and rear driveshafts with TraxLok and locking front differential | 4×4 Selectable 2WD/4WD with variable-control front diff lock | On-demand AWD/2WD |
WHEELBASE | 51 in. | 53 in. | 50.6 in. | 50.6 in. | 50.5 in. |
SEAT HEIGHT | 34.5 in. | 38.6 in. | 34.5 in. | 35.8 in. | 33.25 in. |
GROUND CLEARANCE | 11 in. | 13 in. | 9.1 in. | 9.4 in. | 11.5 in. |
FUEL CAPACITY | 5.4 gal. | 5.1 gal. | 4.4 gal. | 5.0 gal. | 4.5 gal. |
TOW CAPACITY | 1,650 lbs. | 1,830 lbs. | 848 lbs. | 1,250 lbs. | 1,350 lbs. |
DRY WEIGHT | 817 lbs. | 800 lbs. | 658 lbs. | 699 lbs. | 701 lbs. |
RACK CAPACITY (FRONT / REAR) | 100/200 lbs. | 120/200 lbs. | 66/132 lbs. | 88/176 lbs. | 485-lb. payload |
The post 2023 Can-Am Outlander and Outlander PRO Review: Midsize ATVs Ready for Work and Play appeared first on GearJunkie.
]]>Have you ever noticed that most runway models are in their 20s?
That's because a lot of the fashion industry is aimed at the 18-30 (or so) age bracket. The top designers are going to be priced out of most twenty-somethings' reach, of course — but the trickle-down imitations that fill department and shopping mall stores definitely aren't.
That makes your 20s the “trendy” years. Experimental looks and fashion-forward choices are taken for granted much more than they will be when you're in your 40s.
So get ready for some self-expression as we take you through some good options for a man in his 20s. You're at an age where you're encouraged to look unique. Take advantage of it while you can.
When we say “casual” we mean a broad range of clothes that you wear for your own personal pleasure.
Your work wardrobe is, well, your work wardrobe. There's plenty of articles out there (including some from us) about what to wear for just about every profession imaginable. Don't worry about that right now.
This is about taking a look at what you wear when you're just being you. We could call them “social” clothes just as well as “casual,” and it might even be more accurate — most men don't think of suits as “casual,” but a suit may well be part of your casual wardrobe.
So what should a 20-something man be thinking of when he ponders his casual wardrobe?
Fit is the most important characteristic of every piece of clothing you own. If you don't believe us, try wearing socks that are two sizes too small (or too large) for a day. Pretty uncomfortable, huh?
Now multiply that discomfort across your whole body. That's what poorly-fitted clothes feel like — and they look even worse than they feel.
Most men in their 20s haven't discovered the power of personal tailoring yet. Beat the curve by getting to know a professional tailor in your home town.
You're not going to be buying whole closets full of bespoke suits and shirts yet (unless you're way better paid than we were in our 20s), but what you can do is take all the off-the-rack items you buy to a tailor for custom adjustment.
By having shirtwaists taken in so they don't billow, sleeves and cuffs adjusted to hit the perfect spot on your wrists and ankles, and trousers fitted snug against your bottom and crotch, you'll have a silhouette that looks much better than most of your peers'.
Follow our advice on this one step and you'll already be one of the best-dressed guys your age — and we haven't even started talking about specific styles yet!
This is the age to be yourself. It gets frowned upon more and more as you age, sad to say.
That means experimenting a little.
If you're reading this you've probably glanced at a least a few other “how-to” fashion blogs or magazines, and that's a good thing — but take it all with a grain of salt.
There are “rules,” sort of, in fashion, and they're good to follow. Most of the time. Sometimes, it's okay to be a little different. Sometimes breaking the rules is actually a great way to stand out from the crowd.
Whether you're being a daring rule-breaker or not, though, the key here is to find your own style and build on it. Are you an urban cowboy kind of guy? A deep-retro fan with a taste for ascots and tailcoats? A leather-jacket biker dude?
Any of those just on its own is a costume. But the elements from those stereotypes, mixed with some day-to-day clothing and accents of your own choosing, stops being a copy-cat look and becomes your own, unique style — just what a man your age wants to be wearing.
Remember that we're just talking about your social wardrobe here — the need to look professional in your field isn't quite as high a priority as it is in your work clothes.
But a young man still wants to strive for a look that says “yeah, I'm an adult, and you can take me seriously” to older observers.
That mostly means leaving behind obvious signs of adolescence, rather than trying to dress like a veteran businessman or anything like that. You can get plenty of respect in casual clothes — just not in hoodies, ripped jeans, and old athletic shoes.
So be ready to upgrade your look until you couldn't be mistaken for a state school undergrad, if it needs it. Beyond that, you'll probably be okay.
Spend some time looking at images of men that you enjoy. Movie posters, stills from films and TV, magazine advertisements, fashion shoots — whatever you've looked at and thought “yeah, he looks pretty sweet.”
Don't worry too much about whether you can actually dress like the guy in the image or not. You're just looking for inspiration, not for something to copy exactly.
Now, spend some time breaking the photos you liked down into some basic categories of dressing.
Broad terms here — are the looks you like crisp and tidy, with lots of symmetry and clear boundaries? Or are they more sprawling and messy, with lines and boundaries between different things (hair, clothing, etc.) crossing each other?
That's your first easy breakdown of style. Both work fine for a casual guy, and there's nothing stopping you from wearing one look one night and the other the next! Just opt for clothes that suit your target look.
“Messy” looks tend to be layered. Plan on having a mix of textures and colors in there. Clothes with detailing are also good – shirts with epaulets, jackets with big flap pockets, pants with snap pockets, that sort of thing. Mix and match and don't be afraid to cross some stylistic boundaries (a slim, fitted suit jacket over a T-shirt, for example).
Good “messy” looks are, of course, a product of just as much careful arrangement as the neatest and tidiest dandy. Spend some time in front of the mirror mixing and matching and you'll find something you like. A longer haircut that you can tousle with some product goes a long way toward making a lot of these looks work, too.
A “tidy” look for young men is all about crisp, clean-cut edges and boundaries. It looks natty and dapper, and often a touch old-fashioned (sorry, “retro”).
You want clothes that complement each other, but that doesn't mean avoiding contrasts – the contrast just happens along neat lines, like the V-shape of a jacket or the straight line of a shirt tucked into the trouser waist.
It's possible to get a little boring with too much clean-cut, office-acceptable clothing, so make sure you're choosing social garments with a lot of pattern and color to them. Plaid jackets, houndstooth pants, checked shirts, whatever you like – just make sure you're can't be mistaken for someone on his way to a cubicle job. That way people know you're a dandy by choice.
There are all kinds of color palettes to choose from, so breaking it down to just “vivid” and “restrained” is a bit of an over-simplification. But it gets you thinking along the right lines: are you the sort of guy who would wear a light gray blazer with lemon-yellow pants and a white vinyl belt? Or do you prefer a look like dark blue jeans and a striped brown shirt, maybe with a gray tweed jacket on top?
Without getting into schools of color, “seasons,” complexions, and all of that, you can still decide whether you're a vividly-colored dresser or more of a restrained guy. And, of course, like all of these dualities, you can do both, switching it up from day to day — it just requires a larger wardrobe!
Good Vivid-Color Clothing
A little goes a long way with bright colors on men. You usually want two bright colors at most, with everything else in the outfit either more neutral or complementing one of the bright colors (such as a lavender pocket square worn above bright plum corduroys). Here are some of the best places to work color into your wardrobe:
With all of these, it helps to have some less eye-catching base pieces to work off of. Plain old blue jeans, khakis, blazers, dress shirts, and so on will help make your accent pieces pop, and will go well with the brighter clothes when you break out vivid-colored jackets or trousers.
Good Restrained-Color Clothing
The most common family of “restrained” colors is probably earth tones, but deep hues (colors shaded with black so that they become darker) and the gray-scale all work well too. If you get too restrained you can start to look boring — a guy in khakis and a light blue shirt looks like he's going to slave away in a cubicle, not out to have fun. Liven a restrained color palette up with lots of texture and layering so that it looks just as deliberate and eye-catching as the guy in the lime green jeans.
You usually want at least a little color in your pocket squares, neckties, and other small accessories. Too much restraint and you start looking Amish. But there's nothing wrong with outfits done all in earth tones, grays, and deep hues, particularly if you're smart about getting contrasting textures and patterns in there to spice it up.
Looks for the 20-Something Man to Absolutely Avoid
Some things you can't get away with at any age; others are only odd-looking in certain age brackets. Here are a few things that you'll see on young men — and that always look terrible.
Beyond that, let your social circle and your personal goals be your guide. If you want to schmooze your way to the top at a business firm you probably don't want a look that depends heavily on tattoos, piercings, and pants with buckles, and if you're hanging out with a bunch of guys in bands you don't really need neckties in your casual wear.
Use some common sense, experiment a little, and have fun. It's what your 20s are all about.
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The post Casual Dressing for the Man in His Twenties appeared first on Real Men Real Style.
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