The Review Smiths - Issue 37

Review Smiths

Hello all!

Is it me or has our summer just arrived two months late? it feels like the sun decided to wait until the kids had just gone back before making an appearance, I dont really blame it what a crazy 6 weeks that was for us.

This doesn't mean we haven't been having lots of fun but man are we looking forward to September for some rest. Don't worry though because amongst all the play dates and picnics we have sourced some cool gadgets and gizmos to keep our hardworking reviewers busy.

This month we have a teeny tiny mp3 player, perfect for those who like to travel light, talking of travel we havea quirky suitcase from Crash Baggage.

We also have some gear to get you running, goofing and if you fancy a different way of getting active head to page 31 and check out these water pistols.

So, take a break and enjoy this edition’s selection.

Editor and chief Managing Director

For all media related enquiries please contact us at info@thereviewsmiths.com

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For more information on the ISOtunes Pro Aware click here

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We’re looking at 3 different products from ISOtunes this month, each with their own distinct style and intended use. The Pro Aware is designed to be a set of earphones that you can wear while working on a site or in a busy, noisy environment. The specifically designed ear pieces stretch around behind your ears and settle in to your aural cavity for a secure fit. There are 3 foam tips and 3 silicon tips provided meaning you should be able to find the right fit that suits you. A minimally long piece of wire connects the two earbuds to save from any snagging problems while the controller section settles just below and behind your ear, meaning minimal reaching when you want to change the volume.

The battery life settles in at a suitable 10 hrs, enough for the commute there and home if you’re not working long shifts of course and it connects using Bluetooth 5.0. Not the most up-todate version but the noise-cancelling feature kind of makes up for it. It does this by utilising omni-directional external microphones that pick up and reduce the volume of impact noises as well as picking up and enhancing voices and warning signals so you don’t miss the essential sounds while keeping your ears protected. The volume reduction is 33 decibels and these earphones come in with an impressive IP67 rating so are sweat, water and dust-proof, ideal for busy environments.

The top volume these can go to is 82 decibels which is just shy of the maximum recommended daily level for periods beyond about 8 hours a day so your hearing should be pretty safe. To top it all off, it’s also Siri and Google Voice compatible so, while your hands are busy, you can simply use the voice-activated commands, leaving you free to concentrate on whatever task you are undertaking.

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There’s something remarkably satisfying about watching a blender do it’s thing and see all the ingredients getting mushed up isn’t there? Well, from a visual perspective, this blender is my new favourite thing! Traditional blades in a blender all face outwards so they can chop up the ingredients as they get flung to the sides with centrifugal force. This one actually has its blades offset from the centre, creating a ‘tornado’ effect in the blender which simply makes the blending itself far more efficient and done in no time at all.

Now, it’s all well and good being faster but that will usually just save you a minute or two in the kitchen compared to other blenders. The real reason for the speed of this blender is that it’s designed to be portable and not stuck in the kitchen so most of the time you’re going to be on the move or not having time to wait for the usual creature comforts you expect from home such as when you’re hiking or camping out. It recharges via a USB-C port and is good for about 15 blendings (based on 20 secs per blending) before it needs recharging. Don’t forget to count blendings when you’re cleaning it of course (I mean, you could just go for a manual wash but come on – soap, water and switch on. If only we could wash everything up like this!) so you don’t leave yourself short of making that one last energy drink.

They’ve also added measurements to the side of the jar so you don’t need to worry about a separate measuring cup and you don’t even have to open after blending due to a straw built in to the lid. As well as this, there is a ’pulse’ setting allowing you to use this as a food processor too if the need arises.

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For most of us, getting a massage is a bit of a luxury –they don’t come cheap! Although this Pro Massager from Homedics clearly won’t replace a fully trained and qualified masseuse, it’s definitely better than nothing at all after a good work out and a little more immediate too. It’s also handy for helping with your warm up and making sure your muscles are good to go for the workout ahead, this product is a favourite of their brand ambassador Holly Bradshaw. She uses it before and after training to warm up and wind down.

Let’s start with the different types of massage head you get with this. There’s a barrel head for broad areas, an arrow head to target those stubborn knots, a cellulite head which helps to even out the skin where you target it and a ball head for general massaging. The other two heads are what I really like about this kit. One is a heated massager and the other is a cold massager. The heated one heats up to about 47 degrees celsius and really helps to soothe those aching muscles, especially if you suffer with stiff joints. The cold

head requires freezing it for about 4 hours before use so make sure you plan ahead, just in case! It’s a very handy tool if you suffer a sprain or over-exert yourself and can help to reduce inflamed areas and bring down your level of discomfort.

The massager itself is well-designed – it’s cordless and light and rechargeable. At the bottom fo the handle is a dial that allows you to set which of the 3 intensities you want. The lowest is 2100 rpm’s, next is 2400 and the highest setting is 3000 rpm’s. They state a battery life of about 3.5 hrs but if you go for the highest setting all the time, don’t be surprised when it doesn’t hit that mark! The handle itself is comfortable and easy to hold and the whole device is well-balanced, making usage straightforward.

gem swINg trAINer

Summer time is here! Well, it was until today when I looked out the window and it’s chucking it down but, hey-ho, drier days will come and, when they do, off to the golf range! Only to realise when you get there that you can’t play for toffee as you’re slicing like it’s going out of fashion and constantly releasing too early…

So, how to get round this little problem? The GEM Swing Trainer has been designed with the solution to these problems in mind. It’s not going to suit those of you who have worked out your timing on your swings, it’s definitely more for those that need to work on creating consistency in their swing. It achieves this by encouraging your natural, physical flow to a certain path which will then be retained by muscle memory, thus increasing your consistency when you switch to actually hitting balls. It’s not going to improve every aspect of your game obviously, but it will help if you’re having trouble squaring up with the impact.

It’s quite simple to use and attach to your club. There is a ring that attaches to the grip using screws to tighten it. You then have 3 different sized rods you can screw in to this ring which add differing weights. The longer rod is the heavier (no surprises there!) and more suitable for those starting out on their golfing journey while the mid-size and shortest rod slide up the scale of experience with the shortest rod also having the advantage of allowing you to strike the ball. This is a safety thing by the way, striking a ball with the weight added on is not a good idea and GEM repeat this multiple times. I was quite happy not to ‘press the red button’ and find out why! With this training aid being made out of solid metal, I didn’t feel the need to question it.

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Well, this is something I wasn’t expecting to see. Luggage with dents already in it! I mean, we have pre-ripped jeans and ‘hobo-chic’ is a thing so… why not I guess? At least if it ends up with a genuine dent at some point in the future, you’re not going to notice! As you may suspect, this is purely a visual thing and the case itself is as strong and as useful as you would want for transporting your belongings. It’s made out of polycarbonate and has all the strength and resilience you would expect from such a material so you can travel safely knowing your gear is fine and won’t get damaged.

The interior has a capacity of 99 Litres (there’s a little bit of me that really wants them to take a dent or two out, just to make it 100!) so you can fit about 2 weeks-worth of basic clothes in there making it an ideal size for a holiday or business trip. The case weighs in at 4 ½ Kg’s and for those of us that don’t want to or can’t carry it, you have 4 double swivelling wheels making it easy to wheel along behind you. It’s external length is just over 31 inches with just under 12 inches depth so should fit in most cupboards quite easily for storage.

Personally, I quite like the look – it’s nice to have something a little different from the rest, especially when you’re waiting at the luggage carousel. And, due to the method of printing that Crash Baggage use, each pattern has it’s own unique look so, if you ever come across another Crash Baggage customer at that dreaded carousel, you should still be able to easily pick out your case! One final thing – the lock is TSA-approved (Transport Security Administration in USA) which ensures a certain level of security so you can travel safe in the knowledge that it’s unlikely anyone will get in and steal your valuables.

mINelAb equINOx 900

Sometimes, all it takes to make something popular is a good TV show! The rise of Dungeons & Dragons (and board/tabletop gaming in general) due to a popular Netflix show, UFO sightings going up after a certain couple of FBI agents made us ‘believe’ (alright, I’m stretching with this one but it wouldn’t surprise me!) and, of course, the Detectorists, a fantastic, subtle comedy centred around two metal detectorists (NOT detectors – that’s what I’m about to review!) and their findings, or lack thereof… It certainly made me want to get out there and see what I could find (Ringpull, 83, Tizer.)!

The Equinox 900 uses Multi-IQ technology to help you identify what you can’t see beneath you. By utilising multiple frequencies simultaneously, you are able to pick up all sorts of subterranean treasures and you can be sure that you’ll uncover whatever is buried. If you don’t want to uncover everything (could get a bit tedious to be fair…) and want to focus instead on certain types of item, you can select the frequency you wish to search at (5,10,15,20 and 40 kHz) or take advantage of the all-metal shortcut button on the control pad if you literally just want to search for metal. Speaking of which, this metal detector has more than your usual 1-100 Target Identification range – it also includes a -19 to 0 range for detecting items with ferrous properties giving you a little more range than your average metal detector. You can also have up to 8 custom search profiles, well worth considering if you have several different types of area you are searching through.

As well as having the Mutli-IQ tech, you can also search underwater with this thing! It has an IP68 water and dustproof rating meaning you can take it up to depths of 5 metres and continue your search off of beaches or in rivers –particularly handy if someone has lost an item of jewellery for example (If you’re struggling to find a reason that other people need for why you’re taking your metal detector on holiday, now you have one. You’re very welcome.)… And when you do need to transport this detector, it folds up in to a very manageable 2 foot long piece so can be stashed quite easily. It’s also made of carbon fibre and so comes in at a very easy to lift weight of about a 1 ¼ Kg’s, making prolonged detecting sessions far more feasible and enjoyable, not to mention very easy to transport in a backpack.

For listening features, you have the option of using the wireless headphones included or, if you have a wired pair, you can plug these in instead if you wish. You can also not bother with headphones at all if you wish and instead rely on the sound from the inbuilt speaker but where would be the fun in that? Although, if it’s a hot day I could understand - those headphones could get quite uncomfortable in the heat. As an aside, something to bear in mind is the operating temperature of this unit doesn’t exceed 40° C so, given the current heat trends in Europe, maybe not a good idea to take this out on a hot day! There is the usual volume control you would expect but as well as this, you can also set the tones to be dependant on what you find, making it easier to ignore what you’re not after and also giving you the ability to gauge the size and depth of your find just by listening. I can imagine Lance telling everyone to be quiet while he ‘hones in’ on the frequencies

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The resurgence in vinyl in recent years has allowed companies like Rekkord to really show their stuff off. When something moves from a niche interest to a more mainstream role, it can sometimes lead to a drop in quality but these guys based in the Black Forest in Germany haven’t compromised one bit! Each of their turntables are hand made and the vast majority of the components come from local sources, even the screws! And this is all so that they have complete control over the sound quality that comes from their turntables – now there’s dedication for you!

The F300 is an automatic turntable not a manual one. Personally, I find this gives me a lot of reassurance as I’m always petrified of dropping the arm on to the disc and wrecking the record or forgetting to remove the arm when the record is finished! Simply put, you press a button and the turntable takes care of the rest of it for you, settling the arm in to position and moving it back to its resting place when the record is finished, easy! The usual drawback to an automatic turntable is the fact that the armature is full of components that facilitate this and these can interfere with the tonal quality of the track. Rekkord have done their best to mitigate this – not just with handmade precision and locally made components but with things like having a carbon fibre reinforced headshell (carbon fibre has very good acoustic qualities akin to natural wood) for the cartridge to be mounted on, the base of the unit being made from MDF (this allows consistency across the range as opposed to natural wood and is cheaper– it’s also more environmentally friendly than acrylic, the other usual choice for turntables) and the aluminium platter topped with a felt mat helping to dampen unwanted resonance and noise by adding mass to the spin and so keeping the disc more stable. Everything that goes in to this turntable is there for a reason and made with materials deliberately chosen for their particular qualities, even going so far as to have the bearings made with specially designed tools to end up with as little friction as possible and making use of special coiled springs normally the exclusive reserve of the wrist-watch industry.

Carrying on with this attention to detail and providing for the consumer the F300 has been designed so that you can easily change to a different type of cartridge should you wish to use a different kind of stylus or have a cartridge that you prefer from the standard supplied (the AT91 is a perfectly good basic cartridge by the way, don’t feel obliged to change it just because you can!). With user-adjustable tracking and antiskate forces, you can set a cartridge to how you need it, aided by the mounting gauge to ensure you have the stylus in the right place.

So, with all this attention to detail, is the outcome any good? Perhaps unsurprisingly, yes it is! It’s fair to say that this is not a top of the range model, coming in at this price band but then, it doesn’t pretend to be. It’s solidly made, well engineered with attention and care given to its construction and is probably one of the best turntables you can get at this price range that you are likely going to use for a good few years. It can play 33’s and 45’s and most tracks came out sounding perfectly fine and, unless you’re a perfectionist seeking audiophile, will be plenty good enough for the majority of us

IstOrAge dAtAsHur prO+ C 32gb

Our previous reviews for data storage devices from the iStorage Datashur series have all been about the larger packs. When I say larger, it’s all relative of course – most of them fit easily in to your pocket and are perfectly portable. This one is the first I’ve reviewed that is small enough to fit on your key chain!

The Pro+ C comes with all the bells and whistles you would expect from iStorage – Its buttons are wear-proof, the shell can withstand being dropped up to 4 metres on to concrete and it can even avoid being crushed by up to 2.7 tons-worth of vehicle. As if that wasn’t enough, the internal components are coated in a tough epoxy-resin so even if someone does get inside it, they’re not going to get the essential components out with damaging them. Its IP68 rated water and dust resistance is pending (can last 30 minutes in water up to a depth of 1.5 metres and won’t let dust or dirt get in to it) but, knowing who this is coming from, I can’t see that not being awarded! It’s also waiting for a FIPS 140-3 standard rating (Anything using cryptography where US Government contracts are involved must have this as a minimum) and so far, it’s the only flash drive with this pending. You really can’t get much more security than that in a domestic setting!

I like the compactness of this storage device and the reassuringly rugged feel of it. I particularly like the addition of the Type-C to Type-A adaptor allowing you to access devices without a Type-C portal, a great idea and truly makes this storage device accessible on whatever device you need to use. Combined with the 8-15 digit PIN, this really is a safe and ubiquitous device for those that need to keep their data handy and secure.

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ISOtunes latest set of ear defenders have a rather sleek look in comparison to the other ear defenders in their range which is always welcome, if only to make it easier to avoid bumping in to things with them! But, much like their forebears they have all the things you come to expect on a set of ear defenders – IPX4 rated so they’re good for when it rains or when it’s a hot day and sweat is building up, 30dB SNR which reduces the amount of sound coming through to you ears by 30 decibels (that’s certified by the way) and a noise-isolating microphone allowing you to have crystal clear conversations when needed.

Those aren’t the only features of course. This set of ear defenders are compatible with Siri and Google Voice so you can tell them what to do with whatever you’re listening too that you’ve connected up via Bluetooth. A word of warning though, the Bluetooth is only version 4.2 and so some more modern devices may not be able to connect at all – check before you buy to save yourself a lot of grief! The battery is good for about 11 hours so should be more than enough to see you through a working day before re-charging once you arrive home and it doesn’t take long to do that.

The omni-directional microphones on the exterior monitor external sound and then send it through to the earpiece. If it detects a noise that is too loud, it will automatically either reduce it or block it out altogether (and does so in the space of milliseconds) so you only get to hear what you need to hear and you can be safe in the knowledge that your hearing will be protected from the majority of loud noises you’re likely to face.

£149.99

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The first time I was able to walk out with my own music to listen to was with my good old tape Walkman and a flimsy set of headphones. Then we walked on to a Discman (for CD’s, just in case you’re young enough to have no idea what I’m on about!) and, finally, translated to an mp3 player. And they’ve stuck thankfully! It still gives me pause to think that my old tape collection back then would take up a fraction of space on an MP3 player small enough to fit in my pocket these days…

The main issue with the Walkman was the inevitable moment when, despite your best efforts, the headphone cable gets caught up in something else and yanks it off your head (not to mention chewed up tapes)! Of course, no longer a problem as nearly all MP3 players these days are Bluetooth enabled and this one is no exception. The Majority MP3 player has the latest version of Bluetooth (5.3) installed ensuring the best wireless connection you could hope for and less likelihood of interference ruining your listening experience. Speaking of which, the sound quality is good too with plenty of range picked up on and translated smoothly to my earphones, especially for this price range.

The Player can store up to 16 GB’s worth of music (which equates to between about 3200 – 4000 tracks) as it is out of the box but you can purchase micro SD cards and expand the storage up to 128GB, although I can’t see many people needing to have such a vast range (around 45000 songs!) of music in one MP3 Player, but the option is there for those that do. Finally, the battery life is good, lasting around 35 hours before needing recharging via the USB cable provided and the menu navigation is very straightforward and easy to use.

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Salomon, based in France have been around since 1947 and have traditionally focussed on winter-wear, mainly as they are based in the French Alps! They’re stated goal is to “..drive change within our communities by creating more inclusive outdoor experiences.” and they aim to enable everyone that interacts with them, whether that is as a customer or supplier, to become an agent of change by ensuring items purchased have minimal impact on the environment. Through where and how they source their materials and even down to the chemical elements involved in the manufacturing processes, Salomon are very aware of their environmental impact.

Speaking of impact, that’s something that these shoes have covered. They seem to have been designed with flat surface running in mind rather than being an all-terrain piece of footwear (although, as I’m about to explain, don’t let that put you off!). The cushioning is extensive, providing a very light and bouncy feel when running. The drop (gap between heel and forefoot when standing still) is quite high at 10mm and better suits those who tend to land heel first when running. I can only assume this is a deliberate design feature so they can get all that cushioning in and it seems to work well. The tongue and collar are also fairly plush and snug fitting, giving you the confidence to just focus on your run.

The shoes come in 6 different colours and have quite a nice ‘back to basics’ design in my opinion, almost brings me to mind of buying trainers when I was a kid. The sole is pretty chunky too, so giving them an almost boot-like look to them. I can almost see them as a comfortable alternative for days when you’ll be mostly on your feet if you’re not in to that running thing.

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Triathlons are hard and the training is relentless so why not at least be comfortable and look good when you’re doing it? This hoodie from Compressport has been designed firmly with comfort in mind. It’s 68% polyamide and 32% polyester and has been weaved in such a manner that the material itself is soft to the touch with no coarseness that I could feel. This weaving has also been designed in such a way (a microfibre weave that acts like a mattress) that it helps with thermal regulation and so keeps an optimal body temperature for you, regardless of the actual conditions.

It has a nice, snug fit with the integrated hood and collar settling nicely around your neck and no itching due to the minimal amount of stitching required in this design. Oh, and that weaving I mentioned earlier is also responsible for making this hoodie very good at not retaining moisture – it wicks it away (the process by which it soaks up sweat from your body and transfers it to the surface where it can evaporate quickly) to ensure you stay comfortable and dry. The long sleeves have thumb-hooks at the end to help keep your hands warm and the hood is a good fit and stays on well, even if the wind is in your face a little.

It's not just functional though, it’s fair to say it’s not a bad looking hoodie. I normally wouldn’t go out wearing exercise clothes but this looks good enough to just be a regular hoodie. And if you need to run for the bus, added bonus, you’re ready to go! It’s also very light and folds up quite small so you can easily fit it in a bag if you want to take it off while out. Worth getting.

gOdOx VIrsO m2

There are many different types of microphones out there these days and choosing which one is going to work for you and whatever you need it for is essential. So, what are these ones good for? Well, they’re wireless for starters which is hardly revolutionary these days but, essentially, it means no awkward tucking away of stray wires or danger of snagging in the middle of recording and wrecking the whole shoot. It’s got pretty good range too – up to 200 metres transmission range allowing you to set up for long shots with ease and little worry that you won’t capture the moment.

But, let’s say you do lose the signal, what then? The thing I really like about this kit is the fact that the microphones have an SD card slot that can host a card up to 256GB in size. This can store up to approximately 400 hours-worth of recordings so even if you do go beyond the range of the

receiver, you’re not going to have wasted your hard work. It would mean some editing work post-production of course but this is a small price to pay for having to reshoot the whole thing!

The charging case is nice and compact, fitting the receiver and both transmitters in quite snugly (it’s around about the size of a smart phone) and the total weight is about 300g. The battery life weighs in at about 13 hours for the transmitters and 17 hours for the receiver. You can recharge from the case of course and it’s good for a couple of charges before needing recharging itself. Finally, this kit is compatible with Sony cameras due to a hot shoe mount, allowing easy wireless connectivity that ensures the audio is transmitted directly to the visual recording making it as easy as can be.

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On those rare occasions in this country where it’s hot enough to warrant a water pistol fight, what you got? An old washing up liquid bottle or a disposable water bottle or, if you’re really lucky some water balloons. Bit feeble to be honest. Whip this bad boy out and there’s no way you’re losing to an old washing up liquid bottle!

Not only does it shoot like any other water pistol (I say pistol, it’s bigger than that but ‘water gun’ sounds like you’re trying to control angry mobs of people trying to steal your water pistol…) in one mode, you also have another two modes: Burst, which fires a burst of 3 superfast ‘bolts’ of water that are sure to get anyone’s attention although this does drain the tank pretty quickly and Tournament mode that restricts your rate of fire but allows you to release a powershot with better range and impact. I had no idea things such as Water pistol

tournaments existed but I reckon I’m going to start looking them up!

As well as the 3 shooting modes the refilling is very quick and easy – simply dunk the barrel in to water and it automatically fills up in just under 10 seconds and you’re good to go again, just make sure to have a few strategic ‘re-loading’ buckets spread around your gaming area. You can also keep an eye on how full the tank is with the digital display and also how good your battery is to go. The Spyra Three is recharged through a standard USB-C port (charging cable supplied) and takes about 4 hours to completely charge. You get about 2200 shots from a full charge so it should be plenty for a good sesh of soaking! As for the range? You can get to about 35 foot with a regular shot and 50 foot with the Power Blast! I don’t think I need to say anything else do I?

Heres a word from our friends at Tracklements;

Building on the success of the wildly popular Fresh Chilli Jam the latest, steamy offerings from Tracklements are ….

Tracklements Rocket Hot Sauce Made with a fiery combination of Bird’s Eye and Scotch Bonnet chillies, this vegan potent potion is a shot of molten lava for burgers, tacos, pizzas, curries, falafels and fajitas. It’s superlatively moreish on pretty much everything.

Tracklements Sriracha Chilli Sauce Not all sriracha sauces are made equal! Tracklements take whole fresno chillies (for a fruitier flavour), chop and ferment them on site to make the base for their Sriracha which is what sets it apart from the competition. Made to a traditional recipe, a dash of fish sauce is added for an authentic tongue-tingling tang and intense heat. Splash on to cheese on toast, egg fried rice, corn fritters, pho, spring rolls, meat, fish or mix into mayo for a delicious chippy dip. There’s nothing that can’t be brought to life with this sauce, the zhushing up possibilities are endless!

Tracklements Smokin’ Chipotle Sauce This smokin’ hot sauce made with red chillies (for poke), smoked Chipotle chillies (for smokiness) and Scotch Bonnet chillies (just for fun) tastes sweet, smoky and spicey. Barbecues will wonder what they’ve been missing. It makes meats sizzle with suspense, veg explode with va-va -oom and tofu tingle with joy. Add to pulled pork, hot dawgs, veg kebabs and jackfruit in any form. It’s also utterly fabulous with the quick and easy traditional Mexican brunch favourite - huevos rancheros – fried eggs, served on corn chips and smothered with warm, spicey salsa. Si por favor!

Tracklements Rocket Hot Sauce, Tracklements Sriracha Chilli Sauce and Tracklements Smokin’ Chipotle Sauce RRP £3.50 for 150ml each are available individually from fine food delis and farm shops nationwide and online at www. tracklements.co.uk. But it’s well worth buying all three to have in easy reach to deliver a quick flavourpacked punch to make a myriad of every day dishes, dressings, dips and marinades go from fine to fabulous, in just a few shakes!

£3.50

wINds OF gAleCrest

Now, for a board game geek like me, I love the intricate in-depth rules that some introduce and even go so far as to add additional rules myself in an attempt to better represent how the game should play, in my humble opinion of course! But, I do realise Im a funny sort and that others would rather just have a light evening of entertainment without feeling the need to worry about the intracacies of multiple rules. Fine!

Winds of Galecrest accomplishes this well but also has a great undercurrent of bluffing and memory work due to the interactions of the various cards you will have in your hand. You are each the Captain of a pirate skyship and have a crew. You all start with the same crew members (and associated rules) but you only play one card per day of your voyage and this is where the bluffing and second-guessing starts! Each card will activate at 1 or more parts of the day (day, dusk and night) and they get activated as the day goes by so choosing what crew member to use in a day can be quite crucial as some of the abilities interact and countermand with others and can either cause you major problems or bring a boon, all dependent on what your opponents have done of course. At the end of each day there is a booty counter to collect and the pirate with the most booty at the end of your voyages is the winner.

What I really like about this game is the fact that all the tactical rules are on the cards themselves meaning no confused looking up of rules to break the flow of the game. It’s fairly easy to pick up and has a great depth of play with plenty of re-playability due to the fact that it’s reliant on the players themselves in a battle of wills and that will always be changing in every game you play. I won’t be needing to add rules to this!

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IsOtuNes Free AwAre

The Free Aware are a pair of wireless earbuds with noise-reducing technology that help to filter out louder and unwanted sounds and enhance sounds you need to hear. They achieve this through multi-directional microphones that pick up and exclude certain noises and enhance others so you don’t miss the important things and can hear conversations with ease. This makes them ideal if you’re out and about on the street and also handy if you’re working on a site (best with ear protectors over the top) as well as allowing you to cut out the irritating noises when relaxing at home or working out.

You have the ability to set the amplification level via a tap on the left earbud so you can choose how much outside interference you get and the really handy thing is that if an outside noise reaches higher than 85 decibels, the buds will either not feed it through to your ear or cap it at 85 decibels. It’s fast-acting too, taking just 2 milliseconds to kick in so you can be sure you’re protected from any sudden, loud noises.

The battery life extends to about 13 hours or so and the charging case is good for another two full charges before it needs recharging itself. The buds also have an auto switch-off after 2 hours and a standing charge time of about 60 hours so if you forget to charge them, they should still be good to go for the next day. You also get 6 pairs of ear tips so you should easily be able to find a pair that fits comfortably and they are IP67 rated so fine in all kinds of dusty conditions and can even take some water without there being a problem. Connection is via Bluetooth 5.2 which, although not the latest should be good enough for the vast majority of people.

I deA l FOr

prgr pOrtAble lAuNCH mONItOr

When you’re out on the driving range, it’s not easy to get much in the way of feedback of how you’re doing other than what you can see with your own eyes and your golfing partners’ assessment. Unless of course you’re getting coached by a Pro, but how many of us get that luxury? Thankfully we have portable launch Monitors and this is PRGR’s latest offering.

So, first of all you enter the club type you’re going to use and then you place the monitor between 3 ½ to 5 feet behind where you are going to be playing your shot. Then away you go, it’s really that simple. Once you’ve played your shots you can then view all sorts of useful information. The Club Head Speed tells you how fast your club is moving when it strikes the ball and the Ball Speed lets you know how fast the ball is travelling after you strike it. To get your Smash Factor, you simply divide the Ball Speed by the Club Head Speed but, to save you any headaches, the monitor works this out for you! Finally, based on these measurements, the device works out an estimated flight distance so giving you a good idea of how effective your shot would have been.

It's all presented in a simple, easy to read manner and you can toggle between Carry (the total distance the ball travels through the air) and Total (the estimated distance to the final resting place of the ball) to give you even more information to help improve your game. Based on other devices measuring at the same time, the information you get seems fairly accurate and is so due to a large amount of data PRGR has gathered through practice swings, making this a pretty reliable portable launch monitor.

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ZerOwAter 12 Cup

I remember having a water filter when I was growing up. Not had one myself since (absolutely no idea why – it’s a very good idea, especially given the ridiculously high levels of calcium in the area I live in! I reckon I’ve ingested enough limescale in my time to contribute towards coastal cliff erosion…) but one of the problems we always had was waiting for it to filter! There were 4 of us kids and on a hot day, you just couldn’t be bothered to wait, let alone pouring while the water was still in the pre-filter section, recipe for disaster!

This filter jug from Zerowater gets around this problem by providing a sealed lid that keeps the water in the reservoir. The total capacity is just under 3 litres with just under half a litre waiting to be filtered once there is space in the jug. You can freely pour to your hearts content and not worry about spilling any of it, my mother would have been over the moon! This is great, but what about the filtering process, how good is it?

The filter houses a 5-tier system that focuses on removing dissolved solids such as minerals, salts, metals (including lead) and other undesirable elements in your tap water. It doesn’t clear calcium or Magnesium (guess I’ll just have to keep contributing to cliff erosion…) but then, these aren’t unhealthy for you, quite the opposite in fact! The end result is a water that meets all the requirements that bottled water needs to hit to be sold. So now you have absolutely no reason to add more one-use plastic to the environment! Each filter is good enough for about 95-150 litres-worth of average tap water in the UK and they cost about £20 to replace. One final thing to mention is the fact that you get a free water quality meter so you can actually tell when the filter is starting to reach the end of its usefulness. Perfect.

ANker NebulA CApsule

Portable projectors have been around for a while now but have always suffered with poor battery life and lack of resolution, not to mention that most of them are designed to be literally hand-held and so require ninja levels of balancing skills before you can actually settle down and watch whatever it is you’re projecting – hoping it doesn’t get knocked over halfway through! This projector is different in that it’s been designed specifically to be the size and look of a drinks can and so benefits from the stability of that shape.

It projects at 100 ANSI (American National Standards Institution) Lumens which is considered a more accurate representation of light given out than your standard Lumens scale and can project with good clarity up to 2.87 metres (this is where the projected screen hits 100” – go beyond this and you start losing that crispness of image). You can, of course go for a smaller image and a 40” display requires setting up the projector at just over a metre away, still enough that it shouldn’t interfere with being able to watch whatever it is you’re watching.

Speaking of that, although you can cast on to this projector, shows and movies that are with paid streaming services are not supported unless you use their apps. The Capsule runs on Android 7.1 and so is really handy for those familiar with Android and it gives you the option to connect via Bluetooth and so can use your phone for the controls which to be honest, is easier than using the remote provided. It’s also worth noting that there is an HDMI slot so for those that prefer to connect using wires, it’s easy to connect your laptop and view via that for example.

There are many Android Projector options out there but you could do a lot worse!

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£324.98

I’m pretty fussy when it comes to cooking (Just ask my partner – she’s learnt to just let me get on with it when I start swearing in the kitchen!). Not just in how food is prepared and the combination of flavours but also how you get there – the methods you use and the necessary utensils and cooking vessels you need – it all makes a difference to the end product, not to mention life in the kitchen is a LOT easier when you have the right tools for the job!

This cast iron casserole dish is, unsurprisingly, a pretty weighty beast! But, the huge advantage of having a casserole dish made from cast iron is its fantastic ability to retain heat allowing all sorts of cooking and serving possibilities. Casseroles, slow roasts, hotpots – the list goes on and not only with what you can cook in an oven. The pot serves equally as well on a hob giving you free rein

to do curries, chilli’s, soups and whatever else you could normally make in a saucepan. The ceramic coating is fairly thick and can stand up well to continuous scrubbing but, as with all ceramic coated objects, PLEASE don’t take a scourer or wire wool to it, there really should be no need and you will gradually weaken the coating, shortening the lifespan of this useful cooking tool.

One thing I like about this casserole dish is the fact that, due to cast iron being highly magnetic, it will even work with a conduction hob (always a frustrating aspect of cooking, not having the right pot/pan for the cooker you’re using) yet the finish gives it a rather pleasing look that gives you no qualms with bringing this dish out to the table and serving directly on to plates – just don’t forget the oven gloves!

The vast majority of us these days probably store our media in a digital format of some description. Whether it be a streaming service or MP3’s stored on your laptop, it’s easy and convenient. However, the drawback to this is the quality of sound. I have all my music on my laptop and my partner is constantly complaining about the ‘tinny’ sound of the music coming through the speakers. If only there were a way to get a decent sound without losing any kind of quality? Oh, wait a mo…

Of course, the Ifi Audio Uno is hardly the first external Digital to Analogue Converter (DAC) but it is pretty good at what it does. It’s really unassumingly small and can literally fit in the palm of your hand and is Windows or Apple Mac compatible. You simply plug it in to your device with a usb-C cable and then attach your headphones or speakers and away you go, better quality music! It doesn’t even need an external power source. Unlike many other DAC’s, this one uses analogue rather than digital to control the volume. This means that they are not reducing the amount of data to lower the volume and so you don’t lose out on the richness of the music or audio you’re listening to – not a bad thing at all in my book!

The software is compatible with the majority of file formats out there so you should have no problems in that regard and there are three different modes to accommodate whatever medium you’re absorbing you’re sound through – Movie, Music and Game, all with subtly different tweaks to suit. I particularly like the Game mode as it makes all those low-volume sounds that little more clear and without having to spend a fortune on superduper headphones! Try to sneak up behind me, will you? Ha!

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If you’re creating video content for whatever reason, you’ll know it’s not always easy. You either have to rely on a friend that knows what they’re doing and is available or you need to do your best to keep your recording equipment in one static position and then map out the edges of the ‘frame’ to make sure you don’t go outside it or set up so that you’re watching the scene unfold to avoid going out of shot... I could go on but, put simply, it’s a lot of effort just to get a good video!

In very simple terms, the Pivo Max is a device that you attach to your smart phone, tablet or camera so that it can track you while it is filming. You pair it to your filming device via Bluetooth and let it do its thing! Included in the pack is a simple remote that allows you to zoom, change rotation, stop and start recording and change the mode. The Pivo Max has a range of tracking options: body and face tracking, horse and dog tracking and an Action Tracking option where you just outline a square of what you want it to follow so you can even be the secondary character in your video if you wish (maybe you’re filming a weather event or landmark feature). It has been primarily designed for those that post solo work-out videos such as personal trainers or show-offs but the possibilities of what you can do with this far outstrips that intent. You could engage in video calls and still be able to move freely around the room (ideal for professional trainers unable to get to clients’ homes for example), record house viewings on your own or you could even use it to attempt your own version of ‘Daft Bodies’ performance piece of Daft Punks’ “Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger” (check it out, it is SO cool!) not to mention the potential for film and media students to film their own performances and self-critique.

The battery life is good and runs at about 10-12 hours which should be plenty of time before you need to recharge and you can even plug your phone in while in use to keep that charged too and it can rotate a full 360°. All-in-all, not a bad bit of kit!

£239.99

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leAdjOy m1

Mobile gaming is huge but, trying to play games on a mobile phone is tricky at best and can often result in overheated phones due to the nature of surrounding your phone and not giving enough ventilation, not to mention the fiddliness of using a small touchscreen to game. The Leadjoy M1 is the latest mobile gaming controller to be designed specifically for iPhones and, more specifically, designed to help combat the over-heating problem.

It comes with a plate on the back brace that can host a magnetic cooler (note – this is bought separately) which is placed to have maximum effect when keeping the phone cool. Besides the obvious advantage of keeping it cooler to hold and use, this also helps to keep the internal components in better health, extending the life of your mobile.

The controller includes my favourite ‘new’ thing (getting much more common now!), ‘Hall Effect’ sticks for more accurate control and reaction time as well as analogue bumper buttons that you can also switch to hair trigger with the flick of a button to suit whatever you are using them for. The handles are nicely textured to help with grip so less chance of sweaty hands affecting your game play! The phone connects to the controller via a lightning port as well as the controller being able to be plugged in itself at the same time so you can charge your phone and controller while playing your favourite game.

Perhaps unsurprisingly these days, it's set up for remote play and is compatible with nearly all the most popular streaming services such as Steam Link, Xbox Remote Play and Amazon Luna allowing you to indulge in PC or games console gaming anywhere with a connection. The buttons are also re-programmable so you can modify it to suit certain games or set it up to reflect your favourite gaming system that you’re familiar with.

For more information on the Leadjoy M1 click here

mOuNtFIeld mm2603

Ahhh, British Summertime! Picnics, fresh air, lashings and lashings of ginger beer (hurrah!)… Oh, and gardening. Not my favourite thing I must admit but essential, nonetheless. Venturing in to the shed for multiple gardening tools each Spring and Summer is an adventure all by itself, not to mention the multiple trips to DIY stores and Garden Centres trying to find replacement parts… This thing manages 3 jobs in one however so should hopefully help cut down that part of the whole endeavour at least!

The MM2603 has a maximum length of 221cm when fitted with its longest attachment, the hedge trimmer, giving you plenty of reach and enough length to deal with the tallest of hedges. Of course, the head also swivels allowing you to evenly trim the tops of your hedges too, saving an awful lot of effort! The blades are paced at 2.5cm intervals so anything larger is going to need something more heavy duty but 2.5cm is pretty thick to be fair and most of us aren’t going to have much larger than that in our garden. The other two attachments are designed more for lawn strimming and bramble clearing. A typical nylon spool for light work and a 3 bladed metal attachment for those tougher areas of greenery.

This gardening tool is petrol-driven so it’s likely going to cost more than an electrically charged trimming tool to run over time, Mountfield do offer battery powered options as well. The trade-off is that it’s simply more powerful than most electric trimmers out there and far more likely to get the job done in a shorter period of time. Of course, this does mean regular trips to get petrol not to mention the awkwardness of having to get the fuel back home and stored safely, not to mention the additional cleaning and looking after a petrol-driven device needs but if it’s power you’re after, that’s the price you pay!

£352.84

Anyone else automatically think of Star Trek: The Next Generation’s premier episode when they saw the name of this bag? No, just me? No idea if it’s intentional or not but it certainly does conjure up images of exploration and exciting new frontiers which, intentional or otherwise is hopefully the kind of thing you’re in to if looking at this bag.

In case you were wondering, the ‘80’ in the name is referencing the amount of litres carry capacity this thing has and that’s huge! Most people can get by with a 40-50 litre backpack for a week or so of camping/hiking/adventuring so this is really for those that are looking to go on long journeys or adventures in colder regions. That extra storage is great if you’re out in the cold and need extra clothing or thicker sleeping gear for when you settle down for the evening. With that much carrying capacity, it’s likely to be a heavy bag when full so Osprey have focused on making the bag itself as lightweight as possible (the entire bag weighs just 2.5 Kg on its own) with durable yet lightweight materials (mainly recycled polyester) used in its construction. With practicality ever in mind, they have made the straps adjustable, breathable and with the ability to fine-tune them to suit your own body. Carrying on the practicality theme, they have also added attachment points on the bag so you can get other items from their range (like a Daypack, useful for a days trekking while you leave the Farpoint at base camp) if you wish.

My one grumble about this backpack is the fact that it’s not really waterproof and you need to purchase a separate waterproof cover for it, costing about a 1/3 of the backpack itself. Would it have really added that much weight to make it waterproof in the first place? Still, as long as it doesn’t rain, this bag should suit most adventurers admirably.

seNNHeIser sOuNdprOtex

Live music and concerts are great, but it’s fair to say our ears and hearing tend to pay the price the next day! Prolonged ringing in our ears, as well as being annoying can lead to headaches and even long-term damage if you subject yourself to too much noise. Obviously, you want to enjoy the music so straight-forward ear plugs are out (muffled and mostly bass getting through does not make for a good music experience!) but these babies from Sennheiser, the sound maestro’s, fit the bill perfectly!

Imagine being able to turn the sound down in real life but still being able to clearly hear everything? Well, that’s pretty much what these ear plugs do. They’ve been designed with a multi-filter effect – one filter reduces the sound and the other is a tuned membrane, meaning that you reduce both low and high frequencies in equal measure and don’t lose any clarity in sound as a result. On top of this, they’re very small and discrete so you won’t feel like a complete numpty wearing ridiculously over-sized ear protectors!

They are made from medical grade TPE and so shouldn’t affect anyone’s skin adversely and clean very easily just under a tap. Avoid using any cleaning chemicals as this could deteriorate the plugs over time! The set comes with 3 different sized ear tips so should suit any ear size and it also comes with a ‘full block’ filter on top of the regular filter. This is designed to make the plugs act just like a traditional set of ear plugs so if you have trouble getting to sleep or just want some peace and quiet on a noisy day, you’re sorted. The filter can be swapped out easily and kept in the storage bag provided so you don’t lose these tiny little elements.

£34.99

FreedOm

I hate to be ‘that guy’ but Autumn isn’t too far off and with it comes those frequent showers and downpours our country is so well-known for! If your old umbrella is a bit knackered or has holes in it, time to think about upgrading to a new one. Of course, the perennial problem with umbrella’s is their knack to collapse in on themselves as soon as a stronger than normal breeze arrives! Well, this is exactly the problem the founder of Weatherman, Rick Reichmuth found while he was reporting on extreme weather conditions. He endeavoured to design his own one and this is the end result.

The focus with this umbrella is strength and durability. Firstly, the shaft and spokes are made from industrial-strength fibreglass, lending a solid, sturdy feel. Its total weight is about 750 grams so a fair bit more than your average umbrella but this weight is re-assuring as opposed to too much. It doesn’t feel like it’s going anywhere soon and the handle is ergonomically designed for a decent hand-grip. They state it’s good for winds up to 55 mph which is a pretty strong gust and the kind of speeds that usually result in weather warnings so that is also reassuring. Not that this would be any good if it was a tiny canopy but they’ve got that covered too with a diameter of 44”, enough room for two of you at a squeeze or you and your dog when out on those essential walkies.

The fabric is water-repellent (would be a bit odd otherwise, let’s be honest, not to mention pointless!) and the canopies are vented so condensation doesn’t build up. When you want to store it, it folds in to a perfectly manageable 35” length. When you purchase this particular model, Weatherman makes a donation to the Folds of Honor Foundation that helps look after US war Veterans and their families.

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BOMBAZINE pendant

YELENA pendant

KEEGAN wall light

ARONA pendant