So, you’ve been thinking that this is the year you want to learn how to kayak.  You want to get out on the river, run some rapids, see some impressive scenery in ways that no one else gets to see it, learn how to surf waves and do other cool maneuvers.  Or maybe you just want to explore some lakes with your friends and family.  Or you could be wanting to head out to the ocean for some sea kayaking.  Whatever your ambition with respect to kayaking, now’s an excellent time to get started.  Especially because Groupon is offering this deal:  a full-day kayaking lesson from Renaissance Adventure Guides.  Get started kayaking for only $67.

Kayaking is a multi-faceted outdoor sport that offers something for just about anyone, but especially those who love water.  Whether the water is moving or still — river, ocean, lake, canal — kayaking is an excellent way to enjoy the wet stuff and a fun way to play (not to mention travel).

Kayaking is for everyone, from those who want to float around a quiet pond to athletes who not only want to do acrobatic maneuvers on waves and other “hydraulics,” but run raging rivers and huck waterfalls (in other words, full-on adrenaline junkies).  Kayaking is an activity that combines grace and strength, creativity and outdoor beauty, fun and adventure, solitude and camaraderie.  The upcoming season promises to be epic, with plenty of runoff in streams and rivers, and good conditions well into the beginning of summer.  I’ve been planning to do a post on how to get started in kayaking, and I found a great incentive today:  Groupon’s current deal for a discounted full-day kayaking lesson from Renaissance Adventure Guides.

So, I’m calling this post:  So You Want to Learn to Kayak, Part 1.  Primarily, I wanted to get info about this deal out to those of you in Colorado (or those willing to travel to Colorado).  Renaissance Adventure Guides is an excellent place to learn how to kayak and a full-day lesson for $67 is a great deal (the regular price is $129).  The Groupon price includes all the equipment you’ll need, too.

No excuse not to get started now!  Click here to take advantage of this deal while it lasts.

The day-long lesson from Renaissance Adventure Guides (your get your choice of Introduction to Kayaking, Fundamentals of Kayaking, River Kayaking, or Whitewater Kayaking) will take place in a location of your choosing, such as Boulder Reservoir, the Colorado River or, for a more “immersive” experience, a Whitewater Kayaking Adventure on the Roaring Fork River.  See the Denver Groupon site for details.  You can get up to 4, and you can buy it as a gift for up to 3 other people.

Kayaking is a fun sport, good exercise, and a unique way to access country you wouldn’t otherwise get to see.

Kayak playpark, Buena Vista, CO

Kayaking has a bit of a learning curve, which is why it’s good to begin by taking lessons from a professional, ACA-certified instructor, such as at Renaissance Adventure Guides.  (ACA is the American Canoe Association.)  Once you’ve got a taste for kayaking and have caught the “bug”, which can take anywhere from your first time on the water to a month or so to get the feel of it, you can find excellent kayaking gear to expand your adventures at Colorado Kayak Supply, the largest kayak and paddle-sport specialty store in the Rockies (they have kayaks, kayak accessories, clothing, footwear, transport and storage, books and DVDs, etc.).  Colorado is one of the best places on earth for kayaking.

Which is convenient for those who can take advantage of this excellent Groupon deal now.

Related posts:

1. Where is Your Grad Going? Get Him a GPS Unit and He’ll Know
2. Winter Boots to Keep Your Feet Warm and Dry in the Snow and Cold

You may be wondering how to help the people of Japan cope with the aftermath of the devastating earthquake and tsunami that occurred March 11.  You can do it by buying goods from Japanese companies online.  This post tells you the best way to shop Japan via the Internet.

One idea for economic recovery that I have not seen mentioned is to shop directly with Japanese businesses online.  Americans and others around the world have donated millions of dollars through various relief organizations, such as the Red Cross, and many others have traveled to Japan to volunteer their services.  But, while donations of money satisfy the immediate need to get supplies to the people in the towns of the tsunami-ravaged Tohoku region, dollars can be infused into the Japanese economy long-term by shopping via the Internet from anywhere in the world at Rakuten.

Click to explore Rakuten's huge online mall

Many people outside Japan have not heard of Rakuten.  It is an online shopping company.  It is Japan’s equivalent of Amazon.  The Japanese name “Rakuten Ichiba” translates to “Rakuten Shopping Mall,” which is exactly what it is — an aggregation of 33,000 Japanese shops and businesses.  This huge online shopping site offers 60 million products.  Rakuten is the second most visited site in Japan, with over 50 million registered users.  In fact, this Internet shopping giant is the reason Amazon has not been able to make much headway into the Japanese market.  It is estimated that one-third of households in Japan shop at Rakuten.  And that says something:  Japanese consumers, particularly online, are known for being finicky and demanding.  Rakuten has met their needs to the point that it is now one of the top ten Internet companies in the world, and has an international presence.  In addition to products, it also has its own extensive travel services site, which anyone in the world can use.

Rakuten is now actively expanding its shopping services in other markets throughout the world, including Europe and the United States.  Amazon may be the largest online shopping company, but sheer size is no guarantee of quality (Microsoft sells more operating systems than any other company but no one thinks their OS is the best, and General Motors became the largest automaker in the world selling cars inferior to a number of other makes), so I would not be surprised if, in a few years, Rakuten has noticeably eroded Amazon’s market share.  You can think of Rakuten as the Honda of online retailing.

What does that mean with respect to helping the Japanese economy weather the aftermath of the earthquake?

We know that the world’s economic fortunes are subject to ripple effects that transcend national boundaries.  Mortgage foreclosures in the American mid-west affect the value of the Euro.  The price of labor in China impacts how much Walmart pays its US workers.  The Russian wheat harvest affects the price of food in Delhi and Des Moines.  With respect to the world economy, Japan is a titan, boasting the third largest economy after the US and China.  So any financial woes that Japan experiences as a result of the triple whammy of the earthquake, tsunami, and radiation contamination from damaged nuclear power plants will affect not only the Japanese people but people in the United States and around the world.  (Already, it is projected that demand for the Prius will not be able to be met, since there are parts suppliers for the car in the affected region.  And US beef exports to Japan may be hampered by damaged port facilities.)  In other words, the domino effect from an economic slowdown in Japan coupled with the need to re-build infrastructure could affect your personal financial situation.  So it behooves you to help your neighbor.

Thus, if you shop for Japanese goods, you can help not only Japanese businesses and consumers as they recover and re-build, but your own economy as well.  The easiest (and most enjoyable) way to shop in Japan from outside Japan is Rakuten. Spend a few bucks there, get yourself some interesting, well-made Japanese products, and you’ll be helping float everyone’s boat.  After all, just imagine what it would have meant to a local hardware or stationery store in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina if they had had a steady influx of customers…  If they had experienced damage or hardship from the hurricane, sure, packets of freeze-dried food and blankets would have met their immediate physical needs, but long-term, it’s customers buying from businesses that sustain an economy, whether in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi or Ofunato, Japan.

You can find just about any kind of product at Rakuten, from books to ice cream to motorcycle parts.  But why not get something interesting or unusual?  How about:

• Sake
• Momotaro Jeans (maybe the best jeans in the world)
• Japanese Sandals
• Tea Sets
• Samurai Clothes and Accessories
• Edible Seaweed from Ofunato (the northeast region)

You can also try using the search field on the Rakuten homepage to search for city names in the northeast region, such as Sendai, Kamaishi, Miyako, and Kuji, in order to find stores in those cities from which to buy.  Keep in mind that operations at those stores might be curtailed or slowed for awhile — but they will still appreciate the business!

Rakuten currently ships to over 50 countries (and the list is expanding) and their site has pages optimized for a number of countries, including the USA, Canada, China, France, and the UK.  If you’re outside Japan, when you place an order you’ll usually be put in touch via email with the shop that sells the item to arrange a shipping method and cost.  (Note that some shops offer special free international shipping promotions, or $1 international shipping.)  There is a weight restriction on items shipped to the US via certain carriers, but many shops can arrange a shipping method to the US that gets around this limit.

When you first explore the site, you may wonder where to go and how to approach it, but anyone familiar with online shopping can quickly figure it out.  Explore.  In addition, they have a handy instructional page here.

Think of it as an adventure, man.  As well as a good deed.

Here’s a testimonial from a customer in the US posted on the Rakuten site:

“I recently found Rakuten via Facebook, and boy I couldn’t be happier. As a person interested in Japanese culture, this website is great. I’ve found many things I had been looking for as well as new items that have caught my eye. The website is well laid out and very intuitive to navigate. And the search feature is one of the better ones I’ve encountered for a merchant website. And this is all from a website that isn’t set up for business in the USA. If the USA website is half as good, then it’ll be better than most merchants that I’ve purchased from.   by Nick M – NJ, USA”

Hey, if Nick can do it, you can, too.  And remember, you’ll be helping the cause.  It all adds up.

If you have found something interesting or useful here on Best Stuff for Men, please consider making a donation, so others can benefit, too.  Thanks!

Related posts:

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See winter boots to handle conditions like this

Winter sort of pussy-footed around until almost the end of 2010, but it’s come on with a vengeance in the last month or so.  These are the times that try men’s feet.  So get some top-rated boots to fend off winter’s chill, damp, ice, and slush.  Five of the best winter boot models are reviewed below, along with the best places to obtain them.

Be aware:  it’s snowing in places it’s never snowed before and there’s been record cold — something I had occasion to experience personally as I was working outdoors at the beginning of February and it was 20 below zero.  Frostbite weather.

Oklahoma saw a record low of minus 31 just last Thursday.  By all accounts, Chicagoans feel buried in snow –  to the extent that Rahm Emanuel, candidate for mayor, felt the need to issue a statement suggesting that those who are going outdoors should “keep your extremities covered,” and “…wear hats, gloves, winter boots, and warm socks.”  Gee, thanks, Rahm.  (I liked columnist Gail Collins’s response best:  “People, if someone was preparing to walk off into 2 feet of snow without socks and boots, do you think an e-mail from Rahm Emanuel would make that person think twice?  Let’s see a show of hands.”)

Meanwhile, easterners are literally buried in snow, with accumulated drifts topping 20 feet.  Drifting snow is causing Iowans’ furnaces to suddenly quit.  And Europe was brought to a standstill by widespread snow and freezing temperatures in late December.  Sweden experienced some of its coldest winter weather since the 1800s.

So, if you live in any of those places, you know by now how well your feet have been able to deal with the snow and cold — maybe you’re a commuter walking to the bus or train, maybe you have to work outdoors, maybe you’ve had to dig your car out a few times, or at least shovel your driveway.  Or maybe you just feel like going ice fishing.  In any event, Rahm Emanuel notwithstanding, you now know whether your footwear is up to the task of protecting your feet in these nasty conditions or whether you’ve risked incipient frozen toes (not to mention slipping on the ice) by wearing some uninsulated scraps of pitiful leather.

Well, you know what the Swedes say:  “There’s no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothes.”

There’s nothing fun about cold, wet feet (not to mention hypothermia when you’re tottering down the street and it’s 8 below and the wind is blowing 60 mph).  So I’m here to tell you about some of the best-reviewed winter boots you can get.  Boots with a track record of keeping feet warm and dry.  May as well take advantage of the technological advancements in footwear.  The boots here will get you through the rest of this serious winter and should serve you well in gnarly conditions for years to come.  Even if you just want to have a snowball fight with your kids or go snowshoeing in your town park.

I’m orienting this review of top-rated winter boots to those models appropriate to help you get around and function in the snow and cold in both the city and country — that is, these boots aren’t intended to enable you to go out and tackle the most extreme winter mountaineering challenges or polar crossings.  For that, you’d need more specialized footgear.  But the following boots will protect you and allow you to function comfortably in a wide range of winter conditions, and they won’t make you look dorky doing it.  In other words, these boots won’t just handle the cold, they’re also cool.

Patagonia Das Boot

We’ll start with a pair of boots that testers from both Outside magazine and Backpacker magazine strongly recommend:  the Patagonia Das Boot.  Outside stated:  ”After a week slogging through wet snow and mud with a fully loaded pack in New York’s High Peaks, one tester was sold.  ‘Impressive grip — and way more supportive than they look.’”  Backpacker summarized these boots by saying:  “Shockingly light, impressively warm, fabulously supportive — need we say more?”  One of the advancements the Patagonia Das Boot sports is heat-reflective foil sandwiched between two layers of polyester — and, according to testers, it works.  The boots also have PrimaLoft Eco insulation and a Polartec 200 lining, so there’s a lot keeping your feet warm.  Add to that waterproofness, Patagonia’s Air Cushion Plus for shock absorption, and a Vibram Trail outsole with Icetrek rubber, among other advanced features, and you’ve got the ideal go-anywhere, do-anything winter boot.  And they look pretty good.  You can get them for under $200 from Zappos.  There are a number of reliable places to get shoes on the web — most of them have learned how to succeed by studying Zappos.  Read the customer reviews, make your selection (order two different sizes and return one if you need to), and get free shipping both ways.

Columbia Bugatrek Omni-Heat

In Outside’s recent Winter Gear Guide, the Columbia Bugatrek Omni-Heat bootswere designated a “Killer Value.” Like the Patagonia Das Boot and the Sorel Alpha Pac (below), they have a metallic lining to reflect heat back to your foot.  The aluminum lining reportedly enhances warmth by about 20 percent.  While they’re suitable for winter activities like hiking and snowshoeing — nimble and flexible – they won’t degrade your street cred if you wear them around town.   Columbia claims a comfort rating for these boots of minus 25 degrees.  They have a removable, contoured EVA (ethylene vinyl acetate) footbed that adds cushioning, support, and includes built-in AgION odor control (so your boots won’t gross out the cute girl you met while snowshoeing and invited to inspect your snow cave for an evening).  Like most Columbia products, everything in this boot is thoughtfully designed and well-constructed using the latest materials.  Yet they’re no more expensive than a good pair of running shoes.  That’s why they’re a “Killer Value.”  Get ‘em while they’re, uh, hot at:  Shoes.com, Altrec, and Campmor.  (By the way, if you’re going to be slogging through a lot of deep snow, gaiterswould a helpful addition to these boots.)

Sorel Alpha Pac

You really can’t have a list of the best winter boots without including something from Sorel.  Those experienced in dealing with the worst winter has to offer generally swear by Sorel and often have a favorite model.  This year, the testers at Outside selected the Sorel Alpha Pac as their model of choice.  This is a winter boot made without compromise, intended to keep your feet warm and happy at 60 below zero.  Yet the boots aren’t too heavy and, with their built-in gaiter, will allow you to comfortably pursue a variety of outdoor activities, from ice fishing to shoveling snow to spectating at World Cup ski races to snowmobiling to tramping through your back 40 feeding cattle.  The removable felt liners have a heat-reflective layer to reinforce the insulating properties of the boot’s EVA midsole and frost plug.  The Pac-style design allows for good maneuverability, easier on-off (and can be worn with thicker socks), and lighter weight if you’re packing them.  Outside’s testers commented that the Alpha Pac boots had slightly less ankle support than some of Sorel’s more traditional models.  However, a tester for Backpacker magazine stated, after a 7-mile hike through snow and mud on a stormy day in Alaska’s Chugach Mountains:  “Support is adequate for carrying 30 pounds or pulling a heavy sled.  The sole’s deep, W-shaped ridges held well on steep terrain, and the rubber upper kept my feet bone dry.  They weren’t even clammy, thanks to a felt liner that draws moisture from the foot and channels it up and out the top.”  When it comes to winter footgear, Sorel is hard to beat.  Get the Sorel Alpha Pac boots at Altrec and Moosejaw.  Don’t wait; inventory is selling out.

Update, January, 2012:  Right now, click here to get 20% off ALL boots at PlanetShoes when you use the code “boot20″ at checkout.  This deal ends soon.

Ugg Butte

For boots that were originally embraced and made popular by the surfing community — both in Australia and the USA — it’s almost ironic that Ugg now makes some of the best winter boots you can buy.  While their sheepskin boots have always kept your feet warm, the Ugg Butte winter boots add an extra dimension of waterproofness and windproofness, courtesy of leather uppers that incorporate eVent fabric (which vents moisture from inside the boot, keeping your feet dry).  These are some of the more stylish winter boots you can find (and that is ironic, because the Australian word “ugg” derives from “ugly,” which is how sheepskin boots were originally described).  Of course, American women have embraced Ugg boots bigtime, but they have yet to catch on quite so dramatically with the male population.  Not sure why that is — the boots work well and look distinctive.  It could be that their very popularity among women has put some guys off (though not in Australia).  If Ugg boots were a car, they might be more akin to a Corvette than a Ferrari in the American cultural hierarchy — i.e., a somewhat polarizing product.  The fact remains, however, that a Corvette is a hell of a high-performance car, and Ugg boots wouldn’t have been embraced by the outdoor crowd if they didn’t work.  The Ugg Butte features full-grain leather uppers, a removable sheepskin liner, antique nickel and brass eyelets, and a Vibram outsole designed specially for Ugg Australia that utilizes a TC1 wet/snow rubber compound and a repeating lug pattern that maximizes surface contact and provides flexibility at the foot’s natural flex points (meaning you can move comfortably and securely in them).  You can find the Ugg Butte winter boot at Zappos in three color choices — and check the customer reviews; they tend to be glowing.  Just like your feet will be when wearing these boots in the rain, snow, wind, and slush.  You can wear them cuffed (7-inches high in that configuration) or not (9 inches high without a cuff).  You can also find them at Shoes.com and Eastbay.

See the opinion of a New Yorker on these boots in the following video (yeah, he mispronounces the name, but otherwise knows what he’s talking about — by the way, “Butte” is pronounced like “beaut”).  Then order them through one of the links above (the stores I recommend have better customer service).

Merrell Whiteout 8

The final pair of boots I want to recommend are Merrell’s Whiteout 8 Waterproof Boots.  I have found every pair of Merrell footwear I’ve ever bought to be of high quality and good design.  The Whiteout 8 Waterproof Boots have proven themselves to the extent that they are included on Outside’s 2010 Life List of Gear they “can’t live without.”  Customers tend to rave about these boots; this model has been around long enough that you can see a definite positive trend in how owners tend to rate them.  The Whiteout 8 Waterproof Boots are built for serious winter activity (they even have a snowshoe strap ridge).  Like some of the other boots here, they have a heat-reflective insole that contains a silver film to direct heat back to your foot.  In conjunction with a synthetic fur lining, 400 grams of Merrell Opti-Warm insulation, and a padded collar, it allows these boots to be comfort-rated to 40 degrees below zero.  Waterproofing and snowproofing features include a full grain leather upper, a TPU waterproof half shell, and a breathable waterproof membrane.  The Merrell Whiteout sole provides enhanced traction on ice.  They even tend to be comfortable right out of the box.  These are serious winter tools for your feet.  For such a hella functional boot, they aren’t bad-looking either.  You can find Merrell Whiteout 8 Waterproof Boots at:  Zappos, Shoes.com, and Altrec.

And hey — if you’d like a little inspiration when it comes to appreciating the performance of your modern winter footwear (or a bit more of a nudge to look into buying some) read the following short story:  To Build a Fire.  It’s by Jack London and it’s a classic.

A note on shopping for shoes and boots online

The best online shoe companies realize that it’s a bit of a challenge to shop for shoes online since you can’t try them on before you buy.  That’s why the best have liberal return policies and free shipping.  They realize you might have to try a couple before you find the perfect fit.  The service-oriented companies also offer detailed sizing info so you can make an informed choice when you order.  So take advantage of those capabilities from companies such as Zappos, Shoes.com, PlanetShoes, Shoe Metro, and the others mentioned here.

If you’re still feeling somewhat hesitant about it, you can take an alternative approach:  go to a local store and try on the shoe in which you’re interested (if you can even find it in stock in your size).  If it fits, make a note of the size.  Then order that model and size online, where you can often get a better price than you can at the store (especially when there’s free shipping and you don’t have to pay sales tax).  If you feel guilty about that, well, you don’t have to do it — or you could buy something else at that store.  Remember, the maker of the shoe still benefits, and you want to support those companies that make the best gear.  Happy slogging through the rest of winter!

If you have found something interesting or useful here on Best Stuff for Men, please consider making a donation so we can continue to benefit others, too.  Thanks!

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Yes, outdoor-lover, I mean “big” in the sense that EMS sells a big selection of the best brands, as well as “big” because of the notable discounts.  Eastern Mountain Sports is one of the premier outdoor retailers when it comes to selection, value, and customer service.  You can get ready for  all your winter activities and sports — skiing, camping, climbing, snowshoeing, sledding, snowball fights – along with everything else you like to do — biking, running, paddling, hiking, etc.  Keep warm!  Stay dry!  Be active!  Have fun!

Get free 2-Day Air shipping when you join the ShopRunner program at EMS.com:  Click here to join now. 

If you’ve been thinking of getting a better tent, a warmer sleeping bag, a headlamp for your bike so you can keep peddling throughout the winter — NOW’s the time to get it!

Also:  EMS currently offers free shipping on orders over $125.

In general, their sales offer discounts off their already low prices.  Take advantage now.  Click the highlighted text links, the images, or banners to save a bundle on the gear you want…

Mountain Hardware Men's Exposure II Parka

Save on Ski and Snowboard Jackets at EMS.com.

Click to shop for Snowshoes.

See Mens Apparel and Outerwear.

Click for good prices on a large selection of Climbing Gear.

Click for good prices on Tents and Camping Gear at EMS.com.

Winter Tents

See Fleece Jackets & Vests to keep you warm during all your activities.

EMS has Cycling Helmets, Shoes, Apparel, and a lot of other gear.
 

And to be fair, I’ll note that Women’s Apparel and Outerwear is also on sale for good prices.  Get a gift for your outdoorsy XX chromosome pals or sporty signif other.

 
Have fun this winter, dude!

Related posts:

1. Take Advantage of the 72-Hour Sale at Moosejaw to Get the Outdoor Gear You’ve Been Waiting For
2. Father’s Day: Get Something Good for Your Dad (or Yourself)

The wheel is regarded as one of the landmark inventions, but for my money the guy that made the first bag was pretty damn smart.

Think about it:  before the bag, humans could only schlepp what they could carry in their hands, and that’s not much if you’re a nomadic hunter-gatherer.  But once you had a bag, once you had luggage, once you had a satchel, you could begin accumulating schwag.   In a sense, the guy who invented the bag invented wealth.

Update on December 12, 2011:  Speaking of wealth (and preserving it), eBags, the online retailer with perhaps the best selection of bags in the world, has a good deal right now:  Click here to get an additional 25% off on the eBags site – discount automatically applied when you click here.

We don’t know who got that first bright idea to make a bag (maybe it was a woman who was carrying obese twins) or how it arose (maybe some guy observed a marsupial and thought “Heyyy…”) but we do know that bags have evolved into myriad designs, that they’re now made with quite a variety of both ancient and space-age materials, that industrial designers try to make them hip, and that just about every student in the world carries one.

If you’ve got stuff to carry with you, whether you’re a first-grader with too much homework or a world-renowned architect popping over to the gym at lunch time, a good bag is indispensable.  I’ve gathered together some of the best bags, backpacks, satchels, messenger bags, and laptop bags here — they’re functional, stylish, and durable — and will also point you toward some of the best sources for all types of bags online.

Click here to get the 5.11 Tactical Responder 24 Backpack

Now, we know who makes the most use of backpacks and shoulder bags – students.  And maybe you’ve just returned, or are about to return, to school.  Isn’t it time to replace that frayed, drab-colored bag with something you’ll enjoy carrying?  Here’s the first recommendation:  a bag that firefighters, policemen, and military operatives use — the 5.11 Tactical Responder 24 backpack.  You’ve got to know that if it meets military spec’s, it will protect your laptop and keep your books dry.  You can’t get a more rugged, practical bag for the money.  And the red is different.  One online reviewer wrote:  “The compartments are PERFECT for storing a large-screen laptop and all the instructor materials needed for an EMS licensure class — it’s a bunch!”  Use it during the week for school or work, then toss in a change of underwear and a few other essentials and use it as the perfect carryon on a weekend trip to see the folks.  Or as a day-pack.  Or heading into the wilds of Pakistan to capture Osama Bin Laden like that guy from Denver did.  Get the Responder 24 backpack from eBags for a discount — and if you want a somewhat different design and color-choice, check out the 5.11 Tactical RUSH 24 backpack.

You’ll note that many of the bags I link to here are available from eBags.  EBags is the granddaddy of online pack/bag/luggage/handbag sources.  They’ve got good prices, excellent customer service, and frequent special sales and deals.  Plus, they’re currently offering free shipping on orders over $25.  There are very few manufacturers they don’t carry.  I’ve purchased a number of bags from eBags and have found them to be a well-run, reputable company.  Plus, their eBags brand bags are quite decent and you can’t beat the price.  When I went back to grad school, I used an eBag bag for a couple of years to lug around huge slag heaps of books.

Click to get the SOLO Expandable Messenger Bag from eBags

When it comes to bags, I tend to like the messenger style, particularly the ones that can double as a briefcase.  The bag I’m using right now is made by SOLO (yes, got it from eBags).  SOLO bags are thoughtfully-designed, well-constructed, and nice-looking.  They’ve got lots of pockets, rugged materials, and handy details like grommets through which to thread the earphones of your audio device.  Pictured at left is the SOLO Expandable Messenger bag– currently only $19.99 from eBags — a good choice for students.  Check out the customer reviews for this bag on eBags.

SOLO Vector Laptop Messenger

Another cool option, particularly for business types, is the SOLO Vector 17″ Laptop Messenger bag.  It’s got a padded compartment that will hold a laptop up to 17.3″ in size, another pocket for books, files, tools, candy bars, and whatnot, an organizer under the front flap for pens, biz cards, keys, and laptop accessories, a headphone pocket, and other handy features.   That’s it to the right.  And it’s currently discounted to only $39.99 at eBags.

The SOLO shoulder bags above will fit the bill, especially for those on a budget (like students who don’t go to, say, Johns Hopkins or USC).  If you want to move up a bit in style and materials, check out the Hamptons Hybrid Laptop Bag by bbp.  One of its claims to fame is that its carrying system will convert from a messenger style to a backpack style; customers report it as comfortable.  It’s made of rugged ballistic nylon and has a limited lifetime warranty.  It includes mesh water bottle holders and even a holder for your newspaper or umbrella.  And a luggage pass-through that lets you rest it on top of your roller.  Check it out at eBags — in particular, read the customer reviews.  Fits 15-inch laptops.

bbp Hybrid Hauler

If you need to haul bulkier stuff, you should consider the bbp Hybrid Hauler Book Bag.  It’s a little more compact than the Hybrid Laptop Bag, but has greater interior depth (the laptop divider is less padded).  Its nylon fabric is water-resistant and has a water-resistant backing.  It’s also got the warranty.  The Hybrid Hauler is also pretty cool-looking.  There’s a reason bbp bags have been favorably reviewed by everyone from CNN Money to Bicycle.com — they work.  You can check out the customer reviews at eBags.

Of course, in the midst of all these high-tech materials – Cordura, coil zippers, foam, fleece, etc. — some guys prefer leather.  And for that, Kenneth Cole’s got what you need.

See the Kenneth Cole Reaction Leather Bag at eBags for 73% off!

The Kenneth Cole Reaction line of bags and luggage has received the “Best of the Best” designation at eBags.  That means that the average rating of these bags by customers is 9 out of 10, and 90% of customers would recommend them to a friend — in other words, high praise from unbiased sources.  So explore the Kenneth Cole Reaction line (enter “Kenneth Cole Reaction” in the search bar and sort by “Customer Rating”).  For example, the Kenneth Cole Reaction Columbian Leather Flapover Computer Case — a simple, stylish leather satchel that does just what you need it to with unflappable competence.  It’ll hold a 15-inch laptop, plus a variety of business accessories and miscellaneous flat stuff.  It’s got a 10-year warranty, and the tan, full-grain cowhide leather will set it apart at the airport from the anonymous horde of nylon carry-ons.  Read the reviews for the Kenneth Cole satchel and get it for the best price online.

The eco-friendly Pike Messenger Bag is available from Bambeco

And now for something completely different, materials-wise…  The Alchemy Goods Pike Messenger Bag is made of recycled inner tubes, and the shoulder strap is made of a recycled seatbelt.  How cool is that?  Fortunately, you get good function along with your environmental form.  The bag is waterproof, has multiple internal pockets, will hold up to a 14.5-inch laptop, and looks hip.  Alchemy Goods stands behind their products with a lifetime warranty and, on top of that, you can get it from Bambeco, which also offers a 100% satisfaction guarantee.  There aren’t many bags available that will function as a conversation-starter.  This is one.

Pacsafe CourierSafe 100 detail

If you want to feel a little more secure with your bag, look no further than the Pacsafe CourierSafe 100, which is designed to protect your laptop (and data) as you’re transporting it around the mean streets.   CNET’s reviewer gave this bag 4 out of 5 stars, praising its multiple security features.  They stated:  “Fortunately, peace of mind doesn’t have to mean lugging around a locked attaché case, as the CourierSafe 100 provides more protection than anyone other than a secret agent or industrial spy would need.”  If you do happen to be an industrial spy, the Pacsafe offers ballistic nylon construction with metal wires woven inside the material (eXomesh® Slashguard) so some ne’er-do-well can’t slash the bag and get at your laptop.  The shoulder strap is also slash-proof.  There’s a combination lock so you can anchor the strap around an object and you can lock the zippers closed.  The bag is pretty nice-looking, offers a thoughtful collection of interior and exterior pockets (the padded pocket will fit 15-inch laptops) and two water-bottle pockets.  eBags currently has it for 20% off.

Click for the versatile Mountainsmith Explore Laptop Backpack

I don’t want to be accused of being too biased toward messenger bags (though I suppose I am), so let’s get back to a backpack style:  Mountainsmith makes a number of excellent, purpose-focused packs and, if you like the daypack style, you can’t go wrong with the Explore 17-inch Laptop Backpack.  This pack will carry your BIG laptop, plus books and accessories, and will do it comfortably.  I’ve had a number of Mountainsmith packs and one thing that sets them apart is their ergonomic, balanced fit.  If you’re tired of wearing a backpack that feels like it’s cutting your shoulders in half or will drag you over backward, try the Mountainsmith.  My friends like them, too.  And it’s got a lifetime warranty.  eBags has the Explore 17-inch on sale right now for 20% off.  Ideal for commuting, road warriors, and students.

Click to get the cool Barney Rustle Blanket by Crumpler

Crumpler’s line of bags is well-known for being both stylish and well-made.  If you want a good, functional messenger bag with a number of interesting color options, try the Crumpler The Barney Rustle Blanket.  Everything you need, nothing you don’t, plus coolness.  And if you’re a photographer, check out the Crumpler line of camera bags, such as The 7 Million Dollar Home.

Chrome Berlin Bag - Pro Series

Actually, if you’re an actual messenger or bike commuter – i.e., you ride your bike a lot while carrying stuff — there are only a few manufacturers that are dedicated to the proposition that a high-quality messenger bag is not only desirable, it’s a necessity.  One of them is Chrome.  They are legendary among cyclists and they’ve branched out into a number of other types of packs and products (including clothing and shoes).  For any biking/urban commuting/vagabond world exploration situation, Chrome has a product to cover it.  For example, the Berlin Bag, part of their Professional Series (above right, in orange; you can also get it in digi camo, among other colors).  One customer wrote in his review of this bag:  “I’ve carried bundles of firewood, cases of beer, small children, even other bikes with this bag.”  Chrome’s site will repay repeated exploration and you cannot go wrong with any of their products.  They’ll ship their stuff to you for free if you order over $50 worth and enter the code “freeship4130” at checkout.

So that should about do it for your daily bag needs.  Of course, if you need a bag for a specialized purpose — to carry your CDs, say, or your snowboard — eBags has you covered there, too.  You might wonder about some brands I haven’t mentioned.  Timbuk2, for example, or Dakine — both popular names in the marketplace.  I find Timbuk2 bags not as protective or as thoughtfully-designed as some of the products I’ve highlighted.  I wouldn’t want to use one in the rain, for example, and, for the price, they’re rather simplistic.  Dakine bags are okay but I don’t find them as comfortable to carry as certain others.  I’ve singled out the best above.  If you like Dakine, however, eBags often has them for a good discount.

There is one more manufacturer I want to mention, though:  Tom Bihn.  Tom’s got a relatively modest operation in Seattle, but his bags are second to none.  Legendary quality, material, and functionality.  Like a lot of the companies here, he started making bags for himself because he couldn’t find any that satisfied him.  He’s been doing it for over 20 years.  I happened to go to high school with Tom and he was always a creative kid, marching to his own drummer.  Our school association is not why I’m mentioning his company, though.  It’s because you won’t find a better bag.  Unless, maybe, you learn to make one yourself.  (He has a retail store in Seattle and you can also buy his bags online.  I don’t have an affiliate relationship with Tom, by the way.  Wish I did.)

As I mentioned, eBags is the mother of all web-based bag retailers.  I also wanted to let you know about another company that is worth a look: Bag King.  Why?  Basically because of their excellent customer service.  They ship orders the same day (except weekends), are known for handling problems effectively (with representatives in the U.S. that you can actually talk to), and they appreciate their customers.  Plus they’re always having a sale of one sort or another.  Check them out.

Schlepp well, my friend.

Related posts:

1. A Big Gear Sale at Eastern Mountain Sports
2. Boy Scouts in the UK No Longer Allowed to Carry Knives

Have a family member or friend who’s graduating from school?  Wondering what would be a suitable gift?  Help him figure out where he is and where he’s going with a top-rated GPS unit.

Yes, of course it’s a cool gift.  No, you don’t have to thank me.  Just knowing that fewer grads will remain among the “lost” generation is reward enough.

Here are 3 of the top-rated GPS receivers/travel tools/route finders/etc. 

Seems like almost every piece of tech is expected to multitask these days.  And why not?  No one wants to carry 12 devices when you can meet your needs with 4.  When it comes to traveling, hiking, adventuring, exploring, and not getting lost, a dedicated GPS unit offering some useful auxiliary functions is the ticket.  And, like most technology, these devices keep getting better.  “GPS” has become one of those terms that everyone has heard of, but many can’t remember what it stands for, sort of like “SOS.”  (For the record, GPS = Global Positioning System.   SOS stands for — well, not anything.  It was just an easy sequence to remember in Morse code so it became the universal distress signal.)

You don’t want your graduate sending out too many SOS’s, so help him stay on his true course by getting him…

Garmin Dakota 20

The Garmin Dakota 20 is a mid-priced unit recommended by the testers at Backpacker Magazine in their current ”Gear Guide.” If your gift recipient is doing some, say, backcountry skiing and isn’t sure where the trail went, a few taps on the color touchscreen provides instant compass, altitude, and Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM) coordinates that can be correlated with a paper map.  The Dakota 20 is palm-sized (5 ounces) and $100 cheaper than competing units with similar performance.  It’s easy to download GPS Exchange Format (GPX) files to it from a PC or Mac (device-independent route, track, and waypoint info), as well as to record your own routes.  It comes with a world-wide basemap.  For $100 more, you can load it with U.S. topo maps.  You can find it at REI.

Lowrance Endura Sierra

When it comes to a more formidable multitasker, the editors at Backpacker recommend the Lowrance Endura Sierra GPS unit.  Not only can you download GPX files to it, you can add photo, video, and audio files as well.  It comes with excellent  topos.  Its 4 gigs of memory is the most in its class, and you can add up to a 32 GB microSD card to store a ton more.  It includes a vast list of trailheads, outfitters, and store locations.  One of Backpacker’s testers stated:  “With this big-brained GPS, there’s virtually no limit on tracklogs or waypoints you can collect.”  (It will hold up to 2,000.)  It’s simple to operate, weather-resistant, and testers found that it correlated precisely to maps.  When your big-brained graduate returns from his travels, he can share his trip times, altitudes, trails, speed, and distance traveled using the Endura Sierra.  In addition to Buy.com, you can find it at Best Buy.  And for instruction on getting the most out of any of the units reviewed here, get the DVD Hikers and Backpackers Guide to GPS from Bennett Media:

Hikers and Backpackers Guide to GPS -- instructional DVD by Bennett Marine Video (Bennett Media)

Garmin Oregon 550t

When the outdoor guys at Men’s Journal got together this spring to assemble the best light-weight, essential gear for backpacking and trekking, the GPS unit they chose to include was the Garmin Oregon 550t.  This compact GPS includes a 3.2-megapixel camera, so your basic photo needs are covered.  (You can send pic’s of your favorite wilderness locations to your friends, complete with coordinates.)  It also offers a feature known as “Sight ‘N Go,” where you use the compass to aim at a waypoint and the unit will plot the route to get there.  It has a 2.5-inch color touchscreen and comes pre-loaded with North American topo maps.  The case is water-resistant, sealed against dust, and is rugged enough to survive a few drops (not that your grad is clumsy).  It incorporates a barometric altimeter and the receiver is WAAS-enabled (Wide Area Augmentation System), making for accurate reception in forest, under heavy cloud cover, or down in canyons.  Get the Oregon 550t for your visually-oriented adventurer from Cabela’s and Buy.com.

An excellent book for learning to use GPS for many kinds of outdoor activities is Outdoor Navigation with GPS:  Hiking, Geocaching, Canoeing, Kayaking, Fishing, Outdoor Photography, Backpacking, Mountain Biking, from the Wilderness Press.

The 3 GPS units above should meet the needs of just about any user.  However, there are always options.  Best Buy is having a sale this week on select GPS units.  So click here or on the banner below to see more options for your wanderer/traveler.  They’re also discounting certain accessories.

 


And if your grad already has a cool GPS device, click the banner below for more good gift suggestions…

Related posts:

1. 10 Days of T-Shirts: Day 6 – Beta Unit Planetary Crew Tee from Revolve Clothing
2. A Big Gear Sale at Eastern Mountain Sports

Don’t get me wrong — flowers are good and you know she’d love them.  But why not go outside the conventional bounds and give her something rather different and memorable?  Here’re some ideas…

Okay, if you’re committed to flowers, let’s get that out of the way first.  You can still order in time for delivery for Mother’s Day (you do know it’s on May 13, right?).  You can get them from Fleurop, the most extensive flower delivery service in the world (I said “extensive” not “expensive”).  If you live in Poland you can order on Fleurop’s website and have them delivered to someone in Argentina.  Or Nigeria.  Or Iceland.  And of course the United States.  And vice versa.  I’ve written previously about Fleurop’s history and scope in my post on humans and flowers.  To order, click the text link above or the banner below.  And if you are in the UK (or you mom is), you can order from Fleurop.co.uk.  Get 15% off an order using code 2012MD15 at checkout (through 5/31/12).

Now for some different suggestions…  How about some customized Chuck Taylor shoes from Converse?  I’ll bet you didn’t know you could design a pair.  Or she can.  Women are into Chuck Taylor’s now.  The easiest thing would be to go the Converse site and get your mom a gift card (everybody likes gift cards) and she can design her own pair (on the site, click “Shop” and you’ll see Gift Cards under “More”).  Or she can choose something else cool out of their selection of apparel.  You can have the card mailed. Or send it as an e-card, so it’ll be sure to be on time.  Or you can order something like the limited-edition Missoni woven print sneaker.  Lots of options, and she’ll like any one of them.

Of course, when it comes to women (and moms are women, remember) clothes are always in order.  But rather than get something ordinary from the local discount department store, how about something from Fossil?  Not what you’d ordinarily think about for Mother’s Day, but that’s the idea.  They have cool items and they’re offering free shipping on orders over $100.  Need a specific suggestion?  How about a Stella watch, a ceramic watch, or jewelry?  And there’s always gift cards.

A good Mother’s Day gift is something your Mom would not ordinarily get for herself.  Perhaps she wishes she had more time to read books but her busy life keeps getting in the way.  There’s a solution for that:  Audible.com. 

Audible.com is the premier online provider of digital audiobooks and audio entertainment.  Now, instead of having to sit down to read that bestseller she’s been yearning after, your mother can listen to it on her MP3 player, iPod, iPhone, Kindle, Blackberry, or Android device, among other options.  Obviously, this means she can listen while exercising, riding the bus, or any other multi-tasking opportunity.  Audible.com offers over 100,000 titles in many different genres.  Books, speeches, radio broadcasts, and more can be purchased separately or through an economical monthly membership.  Entertainment, self-improvement, and education at your fingerstips! (Or ear tips.)

Finally, she can catch up with her friends and read (listen to) The Hunger Games! 

And right now, you can get the first 3 months of membership at Audible.com for just $7.49 a month (regularly $14.95).  This entitles you to one audiobook per month, a free digital subscription to The New York Times or Wall Street Journal, and ongoing discounts on Audible.com products.

Click for The Hunger Games audiobook from Audible.com

How about some great food from Spain?  That’s right, Spain.  This is not Mexican food, this is Spanish food, and the place to get it in the U.S. is La Tienda, a business that imports lots of delicious and one-of-a-kind products from Spain.  Their site deserves careful exploration.  And their food merits appreciative dining.  Maybe you can’t cook for your mom, but you can still give her something really tasty.  And unique.  They also have cookbooks, cookware, and beautiful ceramics, among many other things.

But let’s get back to customization.  How about making her a one-of-a-kind product at Zazzle?  You can make her a T-shirt, tote bag, apron, greeting card, mouse pad — they have almost 40 different products to choose from.  Use one of your own digital photos.  Go to Zazzle’s “Create” page and have at it.   You can add your own text, too.  Or, if you can’t quite come up with your own design, Zazzle has over a billion products to choose from, plus the Artsprojekt and Labz specialty sites (see the links in the top bar on their site).  Use the Zazzle search bar to search on one of your mom’s interests and lots of product options will appear.  You can often customize these products, too.  Or you could try my Zazzle store (it’s got women’s clothing).  You can select expedited shipping to make sure it arrives on time.

When’s the last time your mom had a nice vacation?  You can get her a gift card to BedandBreakfast.com and she can select from more than 4,000 B&B’s and other lodgings around the U.S.  and Canada.  Imagine the fun she’d have choosing a place to go and stay.  She could go with your dad, her BFF, or have her own adventure…  They’re offering a deal for Mother’s Day, too — 10% off using this code:  BBMOM10.  See details at the site.

If not a vacation, how about an event?  You could treat you mom to a show or concert.  Just go to TicketNetwork to select from a huge array of current and upcoming events.  How about Wicked?  Or Cirque Du Soleil?  Or Sting?  TicketNetwork has good prices (usually lower than the competition — such as 15% off Broadway ticket orders over $200 with code BWAYSAVE15 through 6/15/10) and good customer service.  And if she’s a sports fan (baseball — save 10% using code MLB2010 through 6/15;  or tennis, anyone?) they’ve got that covered, too.

And if you send her on a trip or to an event (or even if you don’t), she might want to have some new luggage or a new handbag.  Fortunately, eBags, probably the best one-stop shopping spot for getting things to carry stuff in, has some good deals going.  Explore their site.  You could start by checking Mother’s Day handbag suggestions.  

Corona Ergonomic Pruner

But maybe your mom wants to stay closer to home…  Does she like to garden?  How about a nice Corona pruner?  (Corona makes some of the best forged tools.)  Click the image to the right or here to find them for a discount at BIC Warehouse.

They feature a forged, heat-treated bypass blade.  The angled head reduces wrist fatigue.

Does she like to bird-watch?  How about a pair of binoculars from Cabelas?  These Bushnell 10×42 All-purpose binoculars should fit the bill.  And they’re not expensive.

Is she into “green” living?  Then you’re sure to be able to find something for her at GreenandMore, which carries a ton of environmentally-oriented products, gear, and things for the home.

How about music?  Fortunately, I have just the thing:  Bach’s Goldberg Variaions, played by Glenn Gould, an absolutely legendary recording.  Everybody likes the Goldberg Variations.  Or find something else out of a selection of 500,000 works at CD Universe, including movies and television shows.

Maybe your mom is a reader, too.  So how about a magazine subscription?  It’s the gift that keeps on giving every month…  And not just any magazine subscription, but a discounted one.  You can get great prices on a big selection of magazines, including many 2-for-1 offers, at University Subscription Service.  It’s the only way I subscribe anymore.  The prices are consistently the lowest I’ve found and the customer service is good.  Just don’t get your mom Popular Mechanics (unless she’s a DIYer).  She’d probably enjoy Elle, Smithsonian, Self, The New Yorker, Vanity Fair, or any of a hundred others.

Does she enjoy wine?  Then she would appreciate a bottle that you can personalize with a label just for her (and ratings of the wines help you choose).  Or choose from over 600 products at Wines.com.  There is no mininum order and prices start at $10 a bottle.

Click to see the caviar selection at Mackenzie Ltd.

And to go with that wine, how about caviar, or another gourmet food item, from Mackenzie Ltd., one of the best sources of gourmet food on the web?  They import only the best foods from around the globe.  They have chocolate, too.  And I’m talkin’ good chocolate.

And then, of course, there’s a camera.  Mothers like cameras because, for some reason, they always want to take a picture of you.  So help her out.  An outstanding place to find all things photographic is J&R Computer/Music World, New York’s legendary, block-long electronics store.  Great prices and excellent customer service.  You can order and get expedited shipping to have it there by this weekend.  They have a ton of other Mother’s Day gift suggestions as well.

Speaking of suggestions…  If none of the preceding ideas has grabbed you and you’re still wondering what to get, try Overstock.  They carry millions of products and they have a convenient suggestion page for Mother’s Day gifts (something they provide for every holiday).  Of course, their prices are second to none — and their suggestions are okay (not as good as mine, but not bad).  And shipping is only $2.95 on your entire order.  Give them a try.

If you want still more suggestions and discount deals (for example, Best Buy is offering some special promotions) that I didn’t have the space to include here, go to my GOOD DEALS AND OUTLETS page (for future reference, the link is in the top menu bar).  I’m continually updating it with coupons, best-buys, closeouts, interesting products, sales, discounts, and promotions from the best vendors.

Hope this has helped.  Just as dads appreciate something besides a steady stream of neckties, moms like variability, too.  It shows you put some thought into it.  Though, of course, you know she won’t complain about flowers…

And for any moms who’ve happened to run across this post…  Happy Mother’s Day!  Are your kids sort of clueless?  Then share this post on your Facebook page or elsewhere with one of the social bookmarks below, or forward the URL.  Who knows — they might just get the hint.

Related posts:

1. Father’s Day: Get Something Good for Your Dad (or Yourself)
2. Want to Help the Japanese Economy Recover? Shop at Rakuten

There’s a revolution brewing with respect to energy use and energy-generation.  It’s starting to trickle into consumer products in many different areas.  Moving to more efficient and environmentally-harmonious generation and use of electricity is the preeminent issue we have in common all across the globe.  Because our civilization depends on the use of electricity.  After all, you’re not reading this on a clay tablet.

And one great way of improving your own energy use, while simultaneously saving money, is by taking advantage of new technologies with respect to lighting, batteries, charging products, and more.  The featured vendor here is GoldenGadgets, which, since 2003, has been dedicated to providing high-tech products to consumers that emphasize efficient and affordable energy use.  And they do it for low prices.  (Note that they ship some products from Hong Kong, so it can take awhile.)

This year they have partnered with 1% For the Planet.  That means that 1% of sales revenue is donated to organizations that benefit the environment.

So, in honor of Earth Day, I thought you might like to, you know, click here to explore GoldenGadget’s advanced, energy-saving, and solar energy gadgets.  (Among other things, they have quite a selection of LED flashlights.)  See some of their products listed below.

3-Watt LED Flashlight with CREE XLamp LED - $11.99

The CREE LED flashlight has a black aluminum body and a chrome reflector.  Using 3 AAA batteries (you can get rechargeable batteries from Real Goods or Buy.com), it puts out 3,850 lux at 1 meter.  (“Lux” is the International System of Units measure of illuminance.  To give you a rough idea what that translates to, a full moon on a clear night puts out about 0.27 lux, and 1,000 lux is equivalent to a cloudy day or a well-lit television studio.  So this flashlight puts out 3 times that.)

See the customer reviews on the GoldenGadgets website for this nifty little flashlight.  One reviewer wrote:

I’m a police officer, and I am always looking for the next big thing in lights, and this is it!!  I was previously carrying a Coast LED Lenser for which I paid about $50, and this light blows it away!!  Now several of my co-workers want me to order one for them!!  I’ve only had it for a couple of weeks, so we’ll have to see how it holds up for long-term durability, but, for $12, if I get 6 months out of it and I have to replace it, then it’ll still [be] a great value!!

Sorry about all the exclamation points, but you get the idea.

By the way, LED lights last up to 100,000 hours.

LED spotlight uses only 3 watts of power and is equivalent to 30-40 watt incandescent bulb

The LED light bulb only costs $9.99 and screws into a standard Edison light socket.

23-LED head lamp has 3-way setting for short, medium, and long distances

This head lamp would be particularly good for running at night.  See customer reviews (one guy uses it for cycling, but you’re not going to be using it for racing at night).  It’s only $5.99.

USB Charger plus Universal Travel Adapter for AC power plug

The USB charger and travel adapter allows you to plug your American laptop AC plug into virtually any foreign socket (works in 150 countries).  Simultaneously, it will charge your mobile electronic device through the USB power port.  Only $10.

4000mAh Backup Battery Pack for iPhone, Blackberry, etc. - $29.99

This backup battery pack will charge your iPhone, Blackberry, and other electronic devices in about an hour.  And it will re-charge your phone 5-6 times on one charge.  You can charge the internal lithium-ion battery through an AC adapter or via a USB cable (provided).  It comes with 12 adapters so you can hook up a variety of products, including iPods, Motorola, Nokia, Samsung, Sony PSP, digital cameras, and mini-USB products.

Mini Camping Lantern with 11 LED lights - $3.99

This lantern would be handy on a camping trip, in the car, and for emergency home lighting.  You can’t beat the price.  Powered by 3 “AA” batteries.

Check out the GoldenGadgets Blog to learn about the latest developments in power use and consumption, and LED technology.

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Tiger Woods has committed to play the Masters, April 5 – 11.  It promises to be one of the biggest “debuts” ever in sports.

And that’s what you’ve been waiting for, isn’t it?  Tiger to start playing again?  I mean, you never really cared about how the SUV caromed off the fire hydrant and ended up in the trees (an unplayable lie).  You were never concerned about how many hot women he slept with.  (After all, he wasn’t doing anything that any other guy who’s the most famous athlete in the world, owner of a 157-foot yacht, with a strong competitive nature, the adulation of millions, a thing for blondes, and the nickname “Tiger” wouldn’t do.)  You didn’t put much stock in the trip to Mississippi for rehab (for a “condition” shared by 94% of the world’s human males).  No, what you cared about was the golf, the chance to see the second-best player in history do what he does best (or maybe the thing he does second best).  Anybody can have sex; not anybody can win 14 majors.

So, you’re about to get your wish.  And Tiger’s competitive debut as an officially-designated sleazebag figures to be one of the hottest tickets and most intensely followed sporting events of the decade.  We love our golf.

So, for those of you who wouldn’t miss this venerable, intensely-competitive golf tournament for anything — for those who want to enjoy the azaleas in bloom around the par-3 12th hole and the serene atmosphere of Augusta National being shattered by scrambling hordes of photographers and legions of babbling, celeb-trashing reporters — then you can get your tickets right here. 

Acquire your tickets from TicketNetwork and, when you spend $250 or more now, you’ll receive $20 off your next order over $250.  After the tournament, come back and leave a comment here about you experience.

And, by the way, if Tiger wins, he will have to be recognized as being the most strong-minded person since Rasputin.  He will be Howard Roark.  He will be Michael Jackson — if, you know, Michael had turned out sane and healthy.

You can get your balls here…

Golf Ball Manufacturers

Bridgestone Golf Srixon Precept VOLVIK Volvik Crystal Balls Nike Golf Dixon Earth Golf Balls Wilson Golf TaylorMade Balls

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Give someone the gift of getting away on vacation to stay at a bed and breakfast.  Or put together your own trip…

Here’s a gift you might not think of every day:  help your friends or family go on a vacation to any of over 4,000 locations in the U.S. or Canada with a gift card from BedandBreakfast.com, the leading online B&B directory, reservation network, and specialty lodging guide.  BedandBreakfast.com is recommended by the New York Times, Real Simple, Forbes, Time, Newsweek, Travel & Leisure, and USA Today, among others. 

BedandBreakfast.com has a comprehensive listing of global bed and breakfasts, B&B homestays, country inns, urban bed and breakfasts, guest houses, lodges, cabins, historic hotels, small resorts, guest ranches, farmhouse accommodations, and working farm and ranch vacations.  Searching on their database allows you to find the ideal bed and breakfast inn, whether searching by location, amenities, online booking, favorite recipes, special packages, pet friendly, weddings, last-minute availability, or BedandBreakfast gift certificate acceptance.  From Iceland to Malaysia, they cover the world.  Their customer reviews help you select the best bed and breakfast for your stay — or your gift to give someone else.

Right now, click here to save $50 immediately and get a $50 promo code for a later purchase when you make on online reservation of 2 nights or more — use code NEWYEAR50 (through January 31, 2012).  Enter code NEWYEAR50 during checkout.

BedandBreakfast.com offers a wide variety of additional information to enhance your travel experience.  Travelers can post reviews on the BedandBreakfast.com message boards.  The BedandBreakfast.com Report describes B&B’s personally recommended by BedandBreakfast.com staff, and there is an extensive BedandBreakfast.com Blog as well. 

From time to time, BedandBreakfast.com offers special deals on Gift Cards.  But at any time their gift cards are a good value.  They feature:

• No fees
• No expiration
• No blackouts
• Free shipping
• Free photo upload
• Free customization
• 4,000 B&B’s in the U.S. and Canada

(*Note:  for security reasons, gift cards are not valid until 7 days after purchase.)

Gift cards start affordably at $25.  Your friends and family could probably use a vacation about now — or one to look forward to later.  And maybe think about one for yourself, too…  Check out BedandBreakfast.com to see some of the great travel and lodging opportunities.

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