Monday 6 December 2010

Bath Accessories - stainless steel, bath accessories


When I enter the bathroom this product catches my eye immediately as it is shiny and attractive. Have not had a single episode of a toothbrush falling out. It is easy to clean, just take top off, wash, and replace. Nothing negative to say, it is a good product. Two-Tone Harmony Stainless Steel Toothbrush Holder - Fine StainlessLUX Bath Accessory for Your Home

It's cheap, it's pretty, it works. I have a slightly larger than standard toothbrush and it still fits easily.



The only thing I've noticed is that sometimes the grippy part of my toothbrush snags on the hole and lifts the top off when I try to take the toothbrush out. That's not a problem though, just means I have to pay attention when taking my toothbrush out.

Looks very nice, and the combination of brushed and stainless will match most faucets, but it is very light. I had to put marbles in the bottom to keep it in place. Accommodates all but the fattest toothbrush handles and razors.

This is a nice toothbrush holder however it will only hold your standard sized toothbrush. I have some that have batteries in them and vibrate so they are slightly thicker then a normal toothbrush so those wont fit into the holes. Otherwise, it is pretty good.

This is a very attractive piece, but it's actually quite limited in terms of functionality. The limitation comes from the fact that the top part of the holder (the "lid," if you will) sits loosely on/in the container, with nothing to help secure it to the base. Although I appreciate having a removable lid to facilitate cleaning, I was expecting the lid either screw on or fit in tightly.



The problem with this design is that when removing a toothbrush with any kind of ribbing, textured grip, or rubberized handle, those features catch on the hole of the lid, causing the lid to lift up or fall off. The top fits in so loosely that the smallest amount of pressure causes it to rattle (at the very least), partially lift up, or completely fall off the cup. The very first time I removed my toothbrush (regular-sized) from this holder, the entire lid lifted up and fell onto the counter, and it's continued since. This happens to everyone who uses the holder, not just me.



So despite its good looks, I can't recommend this toothbrush holder. Getting your toothbrush should be a simple action, not one that requires you to remember to either gingerly remove the brush or hold down on the lid. - Tooth Brush - Bath Accessories - Toothbrush Holders - Stainless Steel'


Detail Products
Detail Reviews
Click here for more information


Bath Accessories - stainless steel, bath accessories stainless steel Bath Accessories - stainless steel, bath accessories

Jointer Knives - planer knives, freud


I have owned a 6" open stand Jet jointer for a few years now and I finally reached that point where a new set of jointer knives was unavoidable. After calling Jet customer service and learning that it would cost me alot (one might even say a ridiculous amount) to order the knives from them, I turned to Amazon. I soon discovered these Freud knives for about a third as much as Jet wanted for their knives (and half as much as Amazon wanted for Jet brand knives). I ordered, received, and installed them, and so far I have been happy with the purchase. I have jointed a fair amount of nicely figured, quarter sawn white oak and have no complaints so far. I am a big fan of Freud cutting tools and these seem to affirm my feelings.I recommend these to all who want good quality knives at a reasonable price! Freud C350 6-by-5/8-by-1/8-Inch Jointer Knives, 3-Pack

The blades that I received were decent, however, before using them I highly recommend lapping the back side on a Japanese wet stone. The edge as received was curled over from the sharpening process and will lead to a short blade life if they are not lapped before installing.

Installed these knives on my Jet J-60S jointer & am amazed at how much better they cut compared to the Jet knives even when they were new. Half the price and twice as good--in my opinion. Longevity remains to be seen. Great so far!

I received my jointer blades today and noticed the edges are defective on two of the three and even a bit rough on the third. There are small nicks along the edges (slight but noticeable). I am replacing the original Jet knives for this very reason. I have two Jet knives that are quite new, and one badly nicked one, so I took the best Freud knife and simply replaced the Jet with it. It's acceptable I suppose. For the cost, I didn't want to go through the hassle of returning. The difference between the Jet and Freud knives are 5 grams or 1/4 oz. so no biggy as far as balance goes. I wouldn't recommend their purchase!!

Easy to order these through Amazon, for sure, and much cheaper than the Jet. My jointer is a Jet JJ-6CSX. The Freud blades are thicker than the factory blades, and required that the gib screw head be flattened a bit prior to installing the blades. No biggie (a quick trip to the disc sander and Tormek), but the blades won't fit otherwise, at least on my set up. I also honed the burr off the back on an 8000x Norton waterstone. Haven't had them on long enough to tell about wear, etc., but I would assume they would be at least as good as the original product.

I was let down by these jointer knives for two reasons: 1) There is a healthy burr on them which required honing, 2) worse yet the blades have a bow in them, which then require firm pressure to the honing plate to knock down the burr. Otherwise only the ends of the blade back would get cleaned up. In fact there's enough of a burr that the bevel-edge will require honing as well.



Due to the bow in the blades, I'm not sure if my Veritas honing jig will straighten them out to clean up the bevel.



If I wanted to screw around with tuning up knives, why would I have bought new ones?



Hope you have better luck.

Couldn't be happier.



I agree with another reviewer... lap the back a few times on a 5000-8000 grit whetstone before installing. Other then honing, I have run over 4000 BF across these knives before re-sharpening. They hold thier edge well. - Planer Knives - Freud'


Detail Products
Detail Reviews
Click here for more information


Jointer Knives - planer knives, freud freud Jointer Knives - planer knives, freud

Iphone 3g Case - computer, accessories


This case is alright. I am not personally a fan of silicone cases, but I really liked the design and color of this one.



First off, the silicone case sticks to the phone a little, so when the case is on, there are spots that look different because they are stuck to the phone. Not a nice look. I didn't use this case very long. Only about a week. New Light Orchid Purple Butterfly Flower Garden Crystal Soft Skin Candy Silicone Case for Apple Iphone 3g 3gs

i've had this case for about 3 months now and i LOVE it! it slides in and out of my pocket easily and it protects my phone better than some of the hard cases i have used in the past! i get compliments on it all the time and i dont see myself switching cases anytime soon :)

This case is just as my wife expected from reading the reviews and such. It is a stiff silicone case with a pretty purple color (even on the black iphone). The pattern is faint, but still visible. There is the problem of that "grease" look with the silicone on the phone, but she still really likes this case. It fits nice and tight with the openings lining up perfectly. The seam around the edge is not that bad...in fact, she said she probably wouldn't have noticed it had she not read the reviews. You can press the covered buttons on the edges (volume, power) just as well as other cases. It seems to protect well and my wife puts it in her purse, in her pocket, on the counter with either side up or down,...she thinks it's great for the price.

Very reasonably priced case. The design is attractive and not overdone. Nice shade of purple, looks a little darker when fitted on the black iPhone back, so the design is not as pronounced as in the picture. Snug fit and does not wiggle around or move like some cheap silicon cases.

This is a great little case for your iPhone. It is sleek and durable as well as fun. Having it all one piece allows it to hold tight to the phone as if it were part of it. It fits like a glove and provides protection. With the black iPhone, the design on the back is subtle. However, still cute. I am very pleased with this item.

I've had this skin for over 1 year and I like it a lot. It was very inexpensive and much better than the one my husband bought directly from Verizon ( This one is 1 tenth of the price he paid and a much better skin). The case has been quite durable. I wish hey had more colors and designs available. The color is nice. The case does stick a bit to the bottom of the phone (like the other reviewers states), but that has not been a big issue for me. Overall a great item for the money.

I like this case! Its inbetween soft silicone and hard plastic. It isnt dark purple, and it is see through so on my black iphone you cant really tell its purple and you cant really see the butterfly design but its a case to protect my phone, and so far it is doing a great job! Buttons are easy to get to and it doesnt come too far over onto the screen. I would buy again

I was hopeful that this case would look good on my black iPhone-WRONG. It looks great on my sister's white iPhone though, so if you were fortunate enough to scoop one of those up it will look just like it does in the item pic. It is very difficult to control the volume buttons because the case covers the control, however if you like to keep your volume in one spot, without it mysteriously changing in your purse or pocket, then this will work for you. - Accessories - Iphone - Iphone 3g Accessories - Computer'


Detail Products
Detail Reviews
Click here for more information


Cleaning Cloth - cleaning cloth, nikon


2006, Amazon states;

Product Dimensions: 13.0 x 10.0 x 7.0 inches





There was no photo (until I uploaded one) so I thought this was the size stated, but turned out to be one of the little keychain bags with about a 5x5 cloth inside.



Works fine, just not what I thought it was, and didn't want someone else to think it was large also. See my photo for actual size next to some keys.



Update 4/8/2006



I see they added a photo of what I THOUGHT I was getting when I ordered.. see my uploaded photo in "customer" photos to see what they sent.





Edit 03/12/2008



Been used and washed many, many times now and still doing a good job. I keep it on my belt loop every day so outside bag is showing a bit of shine in spots and is a bit lighter in color now, but micro fiber inside is like new. Was a good $5 purchase.



Edit 07/29/2008



Looks like they have the original info problem replaced at this point in time...



Now there are new dimensions listed, but my old cloth still measures

7 x 5.5 inches.

Did they narrow it to 2.5 inches or is it another typo ?

I'd bet on another typo.



and since I'm here... weight on digital postal scale is 0.2 ounces ready to use 8-)



Yes, still working well and washed even more times...

just so you know, I use it for my plastic eye glasses not my camera lenses. Looking through the DSLR view finder in hot weather pushes my glasses into my face and makes a mess.. when shooting, I keep this cloth clipped high on the neck strap ready for fast action before next shot. Needs washing after each day of use in Summer heat. Nikon 8072 Microfiber Cleaning Cloth

I bought two of these Nikon keychain microfibre cloths before I realised they were just custom-branded Spudz, but I didn't pay any extra for it with the free shipping so it doesn't matter. It's very handy to have and the cloth is just like any other microfibre one, but it stores inside the attached elasticised cloth pouch. I don't know how useful the fact that it's 18% gray really is...but it'd be perfect if the pouch had a little elastic flap over the opening to keep out the lint from your pocket. If you like Nikon, get the Nikon one...if you like Sigma, get the Sigma one...but they're all Spudz.

Good advice from the other reviewer about the picture.

That having been said I have three of these and really wouldn't want to do without them.

These clean my camera's screen and the glass on my lenses without a scratch every time.

In my opinion almost a must have in your bag!

Good luck!

I am a working photographer with 5 years experience.



What can I say. It is a cloth for your lenses, nothing super special about it. It had a lot of lint/dust on it from the factory but a couple shakes and it works as promised. It has a little clip for connecting to you camera strap, and I see other pro photographers use it that way, just like the similar clip-on memory pouches, so it is there when you need it.VERY HANDY, but the little clip is "seriously" lame plastic and flimsy, if you clip it to your strap or camera then you will likely lose it in no time if you are anything like me.



Also the bottom is still open when you fold the cloth back into the pouch so there is potential to get dirt or dust inside the pouch if you are not careful, so shake it off real good before you use it or you could scratch your lens filter. I will not use this to clean the lens glass, this cloth is more for field use. I just use this cloth for smudges on my UV filter/Lens Protector usually cause by my finger slips. Clean your lens in a dust free environment. I will use a large more sanitary cloth for the actual lens glass. If you got your lenses as part of a DSLR instore promotion kit and your just shoot occasionally, like family stuff and trips then this is really all you need to clean your lens glass and filters. Just keep it clean and put away till you need it. If you have a lot of expenses lenses then you don't need my advice.



I have been using it every other day or so though keeping it in my camera bag till I happen across a sturdier clip from a piece of camping equipment or something. If you are considering this product then also consider the Nikon Lens Pen and the Giottos Large Rocket Blaster. Together all 3 of these products have you covered, all are a good value, they are really dependable, I use them all the time and no major complaints. Now go shoot.... well knock the dust off your sensor and clean your lens first.

Well i guess i expected more for the price i paid. The cloth is a bit shorter than i would like and when cleaning a lens it feels slightly awkward in my hands and difficult to get all edges/ areas with out worrying that i might accidentely lose my grip and scratch the glass with my nails. I could of just bought a micro fiber cloth at a pharmacy near the non-perscriptive reading glasses. But i guess the fact that it has a little clip thingy makes it handy to just hook onto bag instead of zipping it up in a pocket. Its cute though. - Micro Fiber - Cleaning Cloth - Photography - Nikon'


Detail Products
Detail Reviews
Click here for more information


Cass Conv Mp3 - automotive, cass conv mp3


I originally purchased this cassette adapter to listen to CD's in my Neon which did not have a CD player. This served its purpose well- great sound quality, the cassette was not loud in the cassette deck as a previous one had been, and I was finally able to listen to CD's in my car during the commute.Eight months ago, I traded in the Neon for a Jetta which had both a CD and cassette player, so the cassette adapter wound up collecting dust along with my old cell phone and other assorted items in my electronics graveyard. But this week I purchased an iPod, and I also got an iRock FM transmitter to listen to my MP3's at work and during the commute. Unfortunately that is not the best product in the world. I contemplated exchanging the iRock for a Belkin FM transmitter, when it was suggested to me that I try a car cassette adapter. I dug through the electronics graveyard, and almost thought I had thrown this out when I found it. I plugged it into the headphone jack of the iPod, then played the cassette on my stereo. The sound quality is excellent on this as well.This is an excellent product if you have a car with only a cassette player, and want to listen to CDs, or if you have an iPod and want to listen to MP3's cheaply and easily.A piece of advice, though for those who need the adapter for their CD player: you may want to opt instead for an actual car pack, which has a cigarette lighter adapter for the CD player, otherwise you'll be burning through the batteries like crazy. Walkman Car Connecting Pack for MD Walkman and CD Walkman (Model# CPA-9C)

This cassette adaptor couldn't be easier to use for playing music through car or stereo speakers. Cut the adaptor out of its plastic packing, stick it into a cassette deck, plug it into the headphone jack of your portable music player, and, voilà, music. It's really as simple as that. The adaptor requires no assembly or adjustments to work perfectly right out of the box.



This device works only with cassette decks that load with the tape to one side (not front loading), as the cable that connects to your portable device comes out of a short side, so check your cassette deck before purchasing this. The best part is that it works silently, allowing your music to sound as clear as it should. You can adjust the sound through your stereo or through the portable device itself.



I've used this both with a regular iPod and an iPod mini with great success. It's much better (and cheaper) than buying one of the FM stereo broadcasting devices because it's never dependent upon available airwaves and never needs re-tuning as you move from one radio zone to another.



Highly recommended if you plan on listening to digital music in the car. As long as your car has the correct kind of cassette deck and your portable device has a standard headphone jack, it will work without a hitch.



Update to review, several months later: This adaptor started making a clicking sound, and occasionally makes a terrifying electronic buzz that nearly scares me into accidents. It did spend the winter in the car, although my garage never gets below freezing. Unfortunately, I can't tell if this noise problem is because of my old car stereo or because of some electronic defect in the adaptor that cropped up after heavy use.

This is one of those products that simply works great. I've been using mine for about a year with my Apple iPod and I couldn't be happier.



You simply turn on your car stereo, insert the adapter into your cassette player as if it were a tape, insert the plug into your MP3 player, and start up your music. Easy! In fact, I never even looked at the instructions that came with it.



I think the sound is pretty good and it always works.



I had tried an FM transmitter and, maybe because I live in a very populated area, could never find a free FM frequency for the iPod, so threw it away.



One of the reasons I bought the car I did was because it had a cassette player so I could use a cassette adapter. Some cars are starting to come with inputs for MP3 players, so I expect that will be the way to go in the future.



Being able to play my iPod in the car for my long work commutes has saved my sanity!

Cassette adapters are generally better than FM transmitters, especially in urban areas. The problem is that the cassette player in your car has seen better days, played many tapes and is magnetized. The solution is easy: buy and run one of the cassette head cleaner / demagnitizers on the market. A good one is Maxell A450 Cassette Tape Head Cleaner, $2.95 on Amazon (through Office Depot). It's done wonders in my car.



A final word about expectation management: any non-direct hookup, either through FM or via cassette adapter, offers limited performance BY DESIGN. Frequency response and dyanmic range for FM radios and magnetic tapes are by far inferior to what you can get with CDs and MP3 players, and the additional signal conversions (analog to magnetic and back, or analog to RF and back) don't help much either. So expect a good solution from a cassette adapter, but don't expect CD quality. - Ipod - Automotive - Mp3 Accessories - Cass Conv Mp3'


Detail Products
Detail Reviews
Click here for more information


Cookware Accessories - grill, cookware accessories


I am a vegetarian and I use this grill press all the time. It's great for grilled sandwiches! It will help you make great stuffed french toast. Your hashbrowns won't be a sloppy, crumbly mess anymore. This heavy little bugger is perfect for the aforementioned applications and about 40,000 more but the thing I use it for on almost a daily basis is preparing tofu. That magical bean curd benefits tremendously from the steady pressure of a hot lodge grill press!

I bought this for my inside grill. I found when I cooked pork chops the corners wouldn't be quite done because they liked to curl up slightly. This has totally fixed my problem. I do have to adjust my cooking time because the press is a bit heavy & the meat cooks more quickly than before.

This press heavy enough for use as a small meat or sandwich press. You may need to get another one if you like to cook for a large group or like to cook different things in a large pan.



You will still need to season it a bit for sandwiches or they will stick. If you are just frying bacon, then the original finish will also season up in no time.



A basic, no-nonsense product. Handle will get hot.

A well made product. My only gripe is the petite size. As one person pointed out, this is my error for not doing my homework. However, my interest was in purchasing the large cast-iron grill, the press was offered when I made my selection and just from looking at the photos, it appeared to be more appropriately sized for the grill I was purchasing. Again, it was my error for not confirming the size before agreeing to the added purchase. If I had checked, I would not have purchased the press. It's good for one person and that is not the way we cook.

I just purchased the Lodge Logic Rectangular Pre-Seasoned Cast Iron Grill press recently and I'm very happy with my purchase. It's the perfect weight, and I've been using it to make paninis along with their 10 1/2 in. square grill pan. My paninis always come out perfect! The only thing I wasn't aware of was that the handle needed assembly, and it was a little difficult for me to put together, but I will still give it five stars because it's an excellent press! You can't beat the quality or the price. This is the best cast iron press I've ever used. It's very well made, and

will last forever.

Pre-seasoned is always the way to go. Thank you Lodge for the innovation! This means clean-up is easy and you have a huge head start on seasoning.



I like the grill press because it helps my food cook faster and it does keep things flat. The cast iron makes it nice and heavy. My only regret is that it isn't bigger. Mario Batali seems to have correctly figured out the press-to-pan ratio.



The press is still a good buy.

Cast iron is great to cook just about everything, or to re-heat food specially pizza and tortillas. With bacon don't even mention it, just use the press to get a nice result. When ever you wash any cast iron item just put it on the stove and flame dry it, to keep it from rusting. That works for me. - Cast Iron - Cookware Accessories - Cookware - Grill'


Detail Products
Detail Reviews
Click here for more information


Digital Picture Frame


I think this frame is great, it's a great little gift for someone that doesn't have alot of room or for an office desk. I think the resolution is great and the features are great too. It's very easy to work, I didn't need the instruction book at all. My slideshow shows every pic on my sd card so I'm not sure what other peoples problems are when they say it only holds 10 pics. This is not true. Great deal for the price! Coby DP700BLK 7-Inch Digital Picture Frame (Black)

The quality of the frame is fine. The picture quality is also fine for the price, and I like the option to store the pictures in an external SD memory card.



The frame, however, has two drawbacks. First, the controls in the frame make difficult to navigate the menus. Second, and most important, the frame has a very basic slideshow functionality that does not allow to play on random mode; thereby, the slideshow just sequentially displays the pictures in the media, which can be quite annoying if you have lots of pictures.

My husband gave this to me a year ago and I love it.

I can change photos regualary and it's nice to have home photos at work.

People waiting in our lobby love it too and always comment on the good picuture quality.

Definately buying this for those hard to buy for people.

I bought this frame for my father for Christmas, and he really liked it. He had no problems setting it up or loading pictures on it (using an SD card). The screen seems a little small, but considering how inexpensive this frame is (compared to similar-sized models), I can't complain. Great for setting up on an office desk.

This is a good quality picture frame for a reasonable price. At arms length, the pictures are visibly "blocky" due to the low resolution of the LCD. However, at normal viewing distances (three feet or so), this isn't noticeable, and the brightness really makes this frame shine. Viewing angles are excellent from side to side, and not bad from top to bottom. It's very easy to fill up a USB drive or SD card, insert, and power on to view photos. If you need to get into the menus to play with settings, you'll need to experiment a bit, as the manual is not very descriptive or helpful. All in all a nice little frame at a good price.

It's so hard to judge size when ordering items unseen from the internet. This 5x7" screen is more like 3.5x5" because they are including the size of the frame so right off the bat, I was disappointed when I opened the box and saw the small size of the frame.



Anyhoo, it was easy enough to open and set up but unless I'm missing something, there is no way for this frame to store the pictures that you put on it. You HAVE to plug it into your computer or leave a flash drive sticking out of it. Doesn't seem right...



The clarity and brightness of the pictures is great but the aesthetics of the frame itself are ruined by the protruding flash drive. And they don't include a cable to transfer any photos, so you'll need to supply that yourself.



Bottom line, I should have spent more money to buy a frame that had memory, a larger size, etc. I should have done my homework better...

I got this little frame for my office desk, and the size if perfect for just that. I would not recommend it for a home display, its simply too small. The instruction manual that this thing comes with is useless. It explains completely intuitive things like how to attach the stand, but leaves out how to manipulate the crude arrow buttons to actually save photos off your memory card or USB drive onto the frame. Speaking of that, thats where this frame really lost my love. It only holds about 10 photos. You must leave your memory card in it or your USB thumb drive in it at all times if you want to see more photos than the few it holds. My pics are on a thumb drive, and it looks really stupid sticking out the side of the frame. So just know that going in. I didnt, and had I known that I likely wouldnt have gotten this model. I really feel a digital frame should have enough memory to hold a decent amount of photos without having to sacrafice a memory card from your camera, or have a goofy USB drive sticking out the side. just saying...

I like that it just needs an SD card to enter pictures as well as using the computer USB. A great gift and Amazon got it here in a couple of days, long before Christmas. A little persistance will snap the stand in place though it is not easily apparent how it goes on.

This is a very simple photo frame. From my efforts to load pictures onto the frame, it is hard to insert your sd card and choose the pictures you want displayed. It wants to display all of them and the directions for choosing pictures are very vague. Also, from what I can tell, you have to leave the sd card in the frame. Just hope you remember to grab it when you go out the door with your camera!



It's not a bad frame; it's just not a great frame. If I had it do over, I would pay more for a better frame.'


Detail Products
Detail Reviews
Click here for more information


Digital Picture Frame Digital Picture Frame

40 Lb Weight Vest - fitness gear, exercise


Comfort - 5/5

Fit - 5/5

Style - 5/5

Structure - 5/5



I am not an expert, just a consumer. I purchased this vest and I am extremely glad I did. Actually, I purchased 2 others until I found this. One of those 2 being very overpriced in my opinion. I have the ZFO 40lb weighted vest, which I like but is a bit bulky and the sand can be messy, so that annoys me. There are 16 weight packets in the ZFO vest for the 40lb and each weight packet is much bigger than the Altus and Ironwear vests weights. I guess that's the reason it is bulky. I believe it looks better on my husband than on me. The vest is well made but I do not like the design. I do not leave the house with this vest. I use it for home exercises because I don't think it fits me right, like I said it is a bit bulky.



I also have the ironwear 30lb. It uses flex-metal weights which feels very good and is easy to remove or add. It is of very good taste in style and I love the flex-metal weights more than the steel and sand weights. However, I do not think the vest itself is as sturdy as the Altus or ZFO vests. It is one of the higher priced vests and the style/idea is great, but in my opinion the structure of the vest is not as strong as the other 2 vests. After a few washes and wearing, it starts to frill around the edges so I now have my needle and thread close by. Also, one of the zippers broke and another is on its way. Can be easily replace/repair. Other than that it is a nice vest that could have cost less. I would really love it if the vest was made stronger because I love the flex-metal weights and the Ironwear style is very fancy. I is a breathable vest.



MY FAVORITE: ALTUS WEIGHTED VEST



Altus is my favorite and my husband's too. Out of my 3 vests the only one I would buy again is the Altus. I have even ordered their ankle weights, and I will let you know how they fit when I get them. The Altus vest fits like a glove and my husband and I wear this more than the other 2 vests. The weights are evenly distributed. It uses steel weights, neatly placed in pockets covered with velcro flaps. It is a breathable vest and is very beautifully made to last. The removable weights are evenly placed at the front and back of the jacket. As you can see there is a pocket for you ipod. I love the wide shoulders on this vest. I have never had any shoulder discomfort using this vest. I sometimes keep it on most of the day on the weekends as I exercise more, and can't wait to use it for my exercises after work. I have done pushups in this vest withought a problem. I have done a lot of walking, jogging...etc. with this vest on. However, like everything else I believe you should look at all the other options and see what's best for you and your pocket. After explaining to a friend that I purchased the other 2 vests, she suggested I try this and I tried it in the store and bought it that day. It is better to fit it in the store due to differnt shapes and sizes of each individual. I really love my Altus vest and this is my review of it so I hope it helps. 40-Pound Conditioning Vest

This vest is a good deal bigger than it seems from the picture. I wouldn't recommend it for anything that requires much moving around; it's way too bulky and hangs down almost a foot below the waist (I'm about 5'-11). Also, the straps for tightening it don't allow for a tight and secure fit. I wouldn't get it for any training activity besides standing in one place with weight on. Spend a little more for a vest that sits higher and has a more snug fit.

This is a great vest, feels like very nice quality, no defects in my vest. Ipod holder is VERY nice and a great addition.





HOWEVER, I'm 5'11, and would not, personally, recommend this product to anyone under about 6' maybe 6'1 if you plan on using this for jogging unless you think you can withstand it.



As a male at my height, the vest seems a little to big for me, height wise. I jog 5 miles a night, and this vest is VERY sack tap happy. The straps seem to hold the top and mid portions of the vest in place well, but, the bottom part flaps and if you're male, it will continuously slap your family jewels throughout your run. It's not the end of the world but it does get a little annoying and hurts the longer you run.



Although it has this negative feature, I do still love this vest and will continue to use it. I've currently lost 23 pounds in 6 weeks using this vest when I do my nightly 5 mile jog, and eating healthier.



Best of luck,

Alan of Tx.

I was disappointed with the quality of the vest. The stitching was poorly done and used thin thread to hold the buckles together. After less than 1 month and about 5 workouts using only 20 of the possible 40#'s available, the straps were torn apart at the stiching. The Velcro really never held even at the first use. I am in the process of returning this to amazon.

Although I have only owned it for a month or so, this seems to be very tough, durable, and comfortable vest. I use it mostly for working out and running. My only complaint is that the upper velcro strap doesn't always hold. Other than that, I have been pleased.

Let me first say that this vest is unreal. It really adds to the workout I use it whenever I do cardio, dips and some back workouts. The quality i would say is really good the only grief I had with the vest was putting the sand bags in for the first use but once there in that's it. Also the top velcro strap doesn't attach properly anymore but that's not that big of a deal. I'm 6'2 230 pounds and the vest fits perfect. A must buy!

The vest is comfortable to walk in, walk stairs, or weight training, but there is a great deal of bounce to it when trying to run. The vest was a great price and it qualitfied for amazon prime so it shipped in two days for no additional cost.



The vest I got had blue reflective areas where as the pictured vest has the white stripes on it. As far as I can tell that is the only difference. - Weight Vest - Exercise - Fitness Gear - Weighted Vest'


Detail Products
Detail Reviews
Click here for more information


40 Lb Weight Vest - fitness gear, exercise weight vest 40 Lb Weight Vest - fitness gear, exercise

Spiral Saw Bit - spiral saw bit


This bit is similar to a standard drywall cutout bit with two differences. It is 5/32" in diameter rather than the stardard 1/8". Second, it had a cutting flute on the tip so that you can drill an entry hole rather than just punching through.



I used this bit with an RZ20 to cut window and door openings in OSB. The operation was performed just like cutting drywall around outlets. The drill-bit tip let me start the cut without first opening a hole with a separate bit. The 5/32" diameter made the bit strong enough that I could cut at a reasonable rate of speed without snapping off the bit as happens with the 1/8" diameter. The "tracing" tip allows the tool to follow the rough framing without digging in significantly. The openings ended up smoothly finished with the OSB cut flush to the studs making trimming out very easy. Much nicer finish and just as fast as using a Sawzall. Rotozip XB-MPGP2 Tracing Bit (2 Pack) - Spiral Saw Bit'


Detail Products
Detail Reviews
Click here for more information


Spiral Saw Bit - spiral saw bit spiral saw bit Spiral Saw Bit - spiral saw bit

Wrist Supports - glove, wrist supports


The suitability of these gloves depends on what type of lifting you enjoy. With padding on the palm and fingers, your entire gripping surface is cushioned. Such padding is common on bicycling gloves where hours of continuous pressure and vibration can cause numbness and pain. Yet, most serious lifters would probably forgo comfort for better control provided by unpadded gloves.



Traditional weight lifting gloves are made from durable but supple leather to prevent calluses and improve grip. The latter becomes critically important when perspiring. In my experience, having no padding is best - especially when lifting heavier weight. Basically, the compliance of the padding reduces your level of control. At the same time, there is an undesirable absorption of energy, albeit a miniscule amount.



The quality of the materials and construction of the Harbinger 1250 gloves is the best I have seen. Clearly, the expense in making these gloves is significantly higher than in other products I have owned by Nike and Gold's. Unfortunately, the generous use of thick split leather and padding provides insulation that causes excessive heat buildup. With heat comes sweat. I find myself taking these gloves off multiple times during my workout to let the sweat evaporate. It would be nice if there were perforations or large vents on the back to mitigate this problem.



While these gloves might be ideal for certain lifters who prefer comfort over control, I would counsel gym rats to purchase other gloves with less or no padding. Kudos to Harbinger for making a quality product, but these gloves aren't for everyone.





Pros

Superior materials

Excellent double stitching

Comfortable wrist wrap





Cons

Expensive

Excessive padding

No perforations to dissipate heat and perspiration Harbinger Training Grip WristWrap Glove (Large)

Well, these are truly the best top of the top gloves.

a b bit warm, not a lot air going inside, but excellent quality.



I bought this Large size, and was very disappointed to find out

i'm XL...

I never have thought to check in their site with see if the

size would fit me, because all my current gloves are Large and fits good.



Their definition of Large isn't exactly what you would expect, so

measure your hands before you order! (there's a guide in their website).

I am very satisfied with this product.



These are my first gloves with extended finger length, which I find now as a big plus especially when doing wrist curls. Wrist wrap works great for me with weak wrists. Padding is very good as well, without it interfering with normal hand fold. I read some reviews commenting on how uncomfortably warm they would get when used; I personally have not felt it; what I do agree with is that taking gloves off is not easy. I found that pulling fingers out first is the less difficult way. I actually wanted to buy the newer model which allows for machine wash, but Amazon did not have L size in stock.



These minor details do not demerit the 5 star rating though.

I work out 3-5 times a weeks, both machine and free weight. I'm not a heavy lifter. Usually, 10 reps (or close to that until failure), 3 sets per excercise. Just make sure you get the right size. Control and grip is perfect for me. I don't have excessive sweaty palms so no issue here.

I'm on my second pair (eventually you are going to tear them up depending on how hard you work out). Once I'm through these I'll buy them again, I have some wrist problems and these really help out a lot. The way the wrap is incorporated into the glove, IMHO, makes them more effective than just using a wrap.

I have bilateral carpal tunnel and I *love* these gloves. They really help keep the wrists straight and help you keep good form. I would thoroughly recommend them. I find the padding on the palm and fingers very comfortable. Definitely worth the money.

Great gloves. I'm not a heavy lifter, but use my gloves on average 3 times a week and these have held up great for about a year. I recently ordered a second pair from Amazon as the others were starting to wear out, but they held up a lot longer than other gloves I've used. The wrist strap gives extra support and I can't imagine lifting with out it now. Great gloves.

The gloves have a tight, solid feel, and are made of good materials. The manufacturer describes a new feature, "Innovative curved finger design that offers a natural, flexible and comfortable fit". That sounds good, but does not add any real comfort to the glove. You still have the excess padding when making a fist that makes it more difficult to grab the bar.



Pros:



Solid feel; good padding; good materials, overall design and craftsmanship; the "No Sweat" wicking system seems to work and there is no dark residue left on the hands after the workout, which is not the case with most manufacturers using cheaper materials.



Cons:



Excess inner padding affecting the grip; no "easy-off" feature offered by many other manufacturers; a wrist wrap that takes some tweaking to be comfortable.

I have used Harbinger wrist wrap's (1250) for many, many years and will continue to do so. But the fact remains the quality is not nearly what it used to be. I work out 5 days a week and I rotate 3 pair of Harbinger 1250's so I never use one pair more than twice a week. Years ago a pair would last several months with minimal wear, now within 1 month the leather wears down to the point that the barbells actually slip from the glove, this has been happening for a good year and never happened previously. Most likely they are using a lower grade of leather. Insterad of buying a new pair every 6 months it's now every 3. But my options are limited.... - Weight Training - Glove - Wrist Supports - Weight Lifting Gloves'


Detail Products
Detail Reviews
Click here for more information


Wrist Supports - glove, wrist supports weight lifting gloves Wrist Supports - glove, wrist supports

Ipad Charger - car chargers, ipad


I was looking for a 2 amp-er, not one of these cheap adapters that charge, but at an iPhone adapter rate.



This does the trick. Would prefer it in black, but my iPad is happy.



Those of you with GPS apps that suck a lot of battery power will be happy with this.



And the price is soooo right. CrazyOnDigital USB Auto Car Charger for Apple iPad (White)

This charger puts out the extra power to charge my iPad while in use. It fits my cigarette lighter socket perfectly and has a nice indicator light to let you know it's working. Good product at a great price!

This is not a universal USB ported charger, it comes with a permanent iPad cable attached. I was hoping to use it for other devices but can only charge my iPad, which it does well. Will have to return for a universal USB slotted charger.

The product picture shows the unit as having a USB output. The unit that showed up has a fixed charger for an iPad/iPod. The reason I purchased this unit was that it was supposedly a USB charger with a 2.1 amp capacity (as pictured). It is not. Luckily I have a friend with an iPad who is now using it.



It might work fine as an iPad charger. Just don't expect to charge anything non-Apple.

Got this to use in Ireland in the rental car and it worked great. My husband forgot his plug for the sony reader and we were able to use the usb plug from my nook in this and charge it and worked great. Of course it charged my nook too. Sorry I didn't try it on my IPad as it wasn't in need of a charge.

The connection between the cord and the iPad is intermittent. Sometimes I need to reconnect it several times to get it to charge. I'm not sure if it is a design flaw or a defective item but I'm not impressed. - Car Chargers - Ipad - Ipad Car Charger'


Detail Products
Detail Reviews
Click here for more information


ipad car charger Ipad Charger - car chargers, ipad

Turtle Beach - headphones, x11


I purchased the X11 for use with Xbox Live because of the problem of being able to use a mic if you also play with headphones for game sound. It seems there is a distinct lack of headphone-mic solutions that have the proper size plug to fit the mic jack on the controller, and that also have independent chat and game volume controls (kind of important if you want to be able to hear chat over game sounds). Thanks to Turtle Beach and their line of headphones this problem is solved. I went with these because I don't mind a wired solution since I play at my computer desk using my monitor and distance isn't a problem.



These headphones work exactly as advertised. If you follow the directions and set your chat settings on Xbox to work through the headphones and turn the volume up to 10 you will not have any problems hearing voice chat without having to crank your chat volume to max, as a previous reviewer wrote. After a week and a half of using these for various games (mostly Bad Company 2) I would say the sound is decent and the controls work quite well. The game and chat volume controls as well as the mute switch are all on the little inline control box for ease of use. The cord is very long so even if you are sitting across the room it should not pose a problem. There is even a velcro strap for tying up excess cord. The earpieces are nice and big so they cover the whole ear instead of crushing your ears plus they are nice and soft, overall very comfortable. The mic boom is much better than typical ones found on other headsets. It's a little longer than most and flexes easily to get it exactly where you want, yet is sturdy enough to stay in place. The pickup on the mic seems excellent also, plus with mic monitoring playing a portion of your talk back into the headphones there is no need to shout into it.



I do have three gripes with these headphones though. One is that the cloth lining on the inside of the right earpiece ripped on the second day of use for no apparent reason. All I did was wear them a few times and just placed them on my desk when not in use. I have no kids or pets who could have damaged them. I fixed this by taking a covering off another headset I had, cutting it down a little and placed it inside the earpiece. I did this because the plastic that was exposed was bothering my ear and this solution worked great without degrading the sound at all.



My second gripe is that there is a constant hiss in the headphones when they are plugged into the USB port for power, even without the volume turned up much at all. I tested it on various ports on the Xbox and on my PC also and it remained. It is not overpowering and does not detract from game play once game sounds are going because you don't notice it over the game sounds. It's just a bit annoying during quiet times when you can hear it. I feel a wired version of headphones should not have this problem if proper noise reduction is put in to counter the powering of the amplifier.



My third gripe is that when I wear these for awhile and then place them down on my desk a blackish type stain is left behind after awhile. I think it might be sweat interacting with the dye on the headphones then dripping out. It is still doing this even after a week and a half of use.



Overall I am satisfied with the headphones because they do the job and fulfill a need for Xbox Live that most other headphones and mics do not, combining both into one. The gripes are minor except the hissing so I took a star off for that one. Otherwise they have decent sound, a pretty good mic, and are simple to use.



PROS:



+ Decent sound, certainly loud enough to hear both game and chat.

+ Very long cord.

+ Independent volume controls for game and chat, and mute switch, all in the same place for ease of use.

+ Excellent mic with great pickup so you don't have to shout.

+ Comfortable to wear long term with big earpieces to cover your whole ear.



CONS:



- The right cloth lining inside the right earpiece ripped, exposing the plastic (maybe just bad luck on my part).

- Seems to leak black dye from the earpiece, possibly interacting with sweat.

- A constant low level hiss when powered, not bad enough to overpower game sounds but still shouldn't be a problem on more expensive headphones.



EDIT (5-10-2011)



I have been using these headphones for over a year now and they still work just as described in my above review. I would have to say that speaks nicely as to their durability. Ear Force X11 Amplified Stereo Headset with Chat

I bought my X11s to improve my gameplay in Modern Warfare 2 and to play at night while my family is asleep. I am so glad that I did. They have accomplished both objectives with flying colors. The sound quality is excellent. I can hear absolutely everything, even the faintest sound cues I could never hear before. Just the ability to hear footsteps, the direction that they are coming and what they are walking on makes all the difference in multiplayer. Before ordering them, I read many reviews that mention a hiss when the headset is plugged in and was a bit worried that this might be an issue. There is a hiss, but it is so negligible that it isn't even worth listing as a con. Almost all the other reviews that I've read that mention this hiss also mention that you can't even hear it during gameplay. Doesn't that pretty much disqualify it as a con? Honestly, these things could play Home On The Range until I put my MW2 disc in the drive for all I care. There has to be absolute silence in the game in order to hear the hiss. As soon as any music or in game action starts, it is gone, in no way hindering your gaming experience. I also didn't have any problem hearing this hiss while using the X11s with my iPhone for music or YouTube. The ability to control both the game and chat volumes works very well. I've played several very long MW2 multiplayer sessions with friends and I haven't had any issues with my friends hearing me or vice versa. I love that when you raise the game volume, it automatically adjusts the chat volume so that the game audio doesn't drown it out. Which is a good thing, because these bad boys are loud as hell when you crank them up. I have literally jumped in my seat during unexpected explosions. The volume and quality of the sounds make for a very immersive gaming experience. They are also extremely comfortable. Most of the time, I can barely tell they are there, even when I've had them on hours at a time. My old headset sat right on my ears, which would make my ears very sore, very quickly. Overall, I have to give these a five out of five. For the price, they just can't be beat. - Headphones - X11 - Xbox 360 - Gaming'


Detail Products
Detail Reviews
Click here for more information


Garmin Accessories - dashboard mount, gps mount


Of course I got a mount with my Garmin 205w, but I wanted to use it in two vehicles. I bought the extra one to use in my work truck when needed. It just makes is one less item to forget to get when transferring the unit back and forth between the two vehicles. ChargerCity GPS Garmin Nuvi Windshield ball & socket suction cup mount & Bracket unit holster bundle for Garmin nuvi 200 200W 205 205W 250 250W 255 255W 260 260W 265T 265WT 270 275T 285 285w 285t 285wt (Direct Replacement Warranty)

Beware of this product, I mounted the suction to my windshield and as soon as I put it on the suction piece broke off from the mount. I normally don't complain, but to have a product break in less than 5 minutes of having it in my hands is frustrating at best.

Do not buy anything from this seller.

My Garmin Vehicle Suction Cup Mount, which I bought from this company when it delivered it was strange that the protective foil on the holder as a stripped and restored.

When I tried to put the equipment in the same car was dropped after 2-3 minutes.

I tried to clean it and ask for another glass but again dropped.

Obviously someone has returned a product that was later sold to me.

Truly pathetic and miserable for 5-6 $

I can't really complain much because the cost (not incl shipping) was a few cents, but, MAN, they really don't make them like they used to. I'm not going to deal with it any more. I'm just going to buy a whole new friction holder/stand.

This suction mount is strongly holds in place just as well or better than the original that came with my Garmin device. The technical description on Amazon.com included a disc mount but I didn't receive a disc mount with my package. So I emailed the seller, and they promptly apologized and sent me a disc mount for the dashboard. Excellent customer service!

Item appears identical to factory unit. GPS fits perfectly into it. the factory unit "pulled" apart from the suction cup after about a year. this unit failed 4 months after purchase. Usage was occasional, at best. I have no choice but to purchase another one. hope it lasts longer though.

I had thrown away my original one, thought I would never use it. Stupid me. Anyways, I ordered this one. Was packaged in a bubble envelope, took it out, snapped the ball into the socket, suctioned it to my window, works beautifully. It's harder to get off of the window than it was to put it in there. :) - Gps Mount - Garmin Mount - Dashboard Mount - Garmin Nuvi 200'


Detail Products
Detail Reviews
Click here for more information