Combining smooth nylon bristles with a concrete handle, UncommonGreen’s Concrete Shave Brush isn’t exactly a typical shave brush (and unfortunately neither is its price). Regardless, the engineered nylon bristles optimize water retention and lathering, and we’re totally for the bit of extra heft that concrete adds to the mix – just don’t drop it on your foot.
Find it at TheUncommonGreen – $65 [via]
Whether you’re deep within a forest or hitting mountain tops – literally anywhere in the world – the inReach SE Communicator keeps you connected. This relatively compact, easily packable device uses the Iridium Satellite grid, providing global coverage concerning SMS usage, GPS Locating with navigation, and social media sharing (hey, we’re not judging). Coupled this with a color touchscreen, virtual keyboard, impact-resistant & waterproof/dustproof casing to IP67 standards, plus 100 hours of battery life, we’d say this is a must have for any hardcore outdoor adventure crew – getting lost in the wilderness never looked this fun.
Find it at Amazon or Delorme (or check out inReach Smartphone to accomplish the same via your Android/iOS device) – $300
Not sold on the Pebble smartwatch’s no-frills plastic casing? Another option’s just out of the woodwork, and it’s instead opting for a more serious milled aluminum, black powder-coated casing. The Agent Smartwatch also packs Bluetooth 4.0 Low Energy for two-way communication with your smartphone, two processors (one for heavy number crunching and the other for sipping power in sleep mode), a 1,28-inch Sharp Memory Display that boasts faster refresh rates than E-Ink yet wastes less juice than typical LCDs, and a 3-axis accelerometer. Plus, it runs C# apps, meaning the developer and hobbyist market isn’t far behind.
Find Agent at Kickstarter – $150
Aside from keeping you BBQ sauce-free at the cost of looking feminine, no less, aprons don’t really accomplish much. Enter ThinkGeek’s Tactical BBQ Apron. Modelled after a bulletproof vest, this “apron” is fully equipped, sporting a legit MOLLE system, five pouches (three small, two large), hanging utility loops, two metal clips for hanging gear, an adjustable waist strap, and removable velcro patches on both front and back. Of course, its protective capabilities end at pool noodles, but for keeping all necessary gear within reach it absolutely kills.
Find it at ThinkGeek – $35
Cut a step or two from your morning routine with the Loop Tea Strainer. Slide back its metal strainer to scoop up tea leaves directly, then close and throw it in a cup of hot water – or don’t, and save it for use later, e.g. at the office. Regardless, we appreciate the sleek, easy to pack design, removable sliding cover (for cleaning), and utter simplicity of use – though that’s not to say that picking up tea leaves with a spoon is particularly strenuous.
Includes a stand. Find it here in black or white – roughly $21 [via]
Though it’s not yet been officially announced, word on the street is the 2014 M3′s getting some serious upgrades. Between a new twin-turbo-equipped 3.0L six-cylinder engine that grinds out 450 horses, reduced weight thanks to carbon fibre parts, an electronically-controlled limited-slip M differential, and an optional manual gearbox, the new M3 boasts an impressive 0-62 time of 4.3 seconds, a top speed of 155mph – or 180mph, should the electronic limiter find its way to the bottom of a trashcan – and stellar handling, just like its predecessors.
Expected late this year. Learn more at Auto Express – $TBA
Don’t let a technicality (i.e. the fact that most camping trailers would sink straight to the bottom of a lake) limit your adventures to the road. The Sealander Amphibious Camping Trailer is particularly easy to tow, weighing in at roughly 550kg, and can be outfitted with niceties such as a cooking and washing module, compressor cooler, chemical toilet, barbecue, and an 80-watt Sony speaker system. When a suitable lake is spotted, roll it in, and the 5-horsepower electric motor plus double-walled reinforced fibreglass shell handle the rest.
At first glance, Windcatcher’s Air Pad looks just like your run-of-the-mill inflatable mattress, until you realize it’s missing the typical tiny valve to blow into; instead, it’s got a single wide “valve”, designed from the ground up to inflate nearly instantly and to not require actually coming into contact with your mouth. Blowing into the valve pulls in surrounding air, inflating the mattress with just a couple of breaths, saving you plenty of time to reinvest into lounging around. It also deflates just as easily, is made from ripstop polyester, weighs 1.5 lbs, and can be propped up like a lounge chair using the optional Windcatcher Air Bag.
Hit up Kickstarter for deets – $80 (alone) to $100 (with Air Bag)
Apple’s sterile white iPhone dock lacks a little personality. KarasKustoms’ Projectone, on the other hand, is the polar opposite. Machined from a block of 6061-T6 aluminum, the dock features a perforated aluminum grill, a sleek anodized or rugged tumbled finish that includes black and silver as color options, and an internal passive sound amplifier (think megaphone) that boosts volume and microphone receptivity significantly. It also sports rubber feet, charges your docked phone by using your existing lightning cable, and works with most cases.
Go pledge at Kickstarter – $45+
Sixteen tools rolled into one a little larger than a standard house key? Sign us up. Atom, an injection-molded stainless steel multitool, delivers just that, featuring a bottle opener, three hex bolt wrenches, imperial and metric rulers, two flat head and two Philips screwdrivers, a pry bar, hex bit driver, protractor with 45 degree increments, two files – cross-cut and single-cut – plus a “ripping tool” for cutting cardboard, tape and softer woods that spares your leg when pocketed.
Get it in silver or tactical black at Kickstarter – $10+
Omega Titanium Wallet
Lansky TASK Apocalypse Kit
Leatherman Raptor
Under Armour Alter Ego Compression Shirts