Tag Archives for gadget

Gear review | The Clip by LittleBonsai

This is actually my boyfriend Andrew’s latest EDC acquisition, but he let me check it out so I could do a write-up. The Clip is essentially a multitool keychain that works as a money clip, bottle opener, earphone holder, and yes, keychain. It’s made by LittleBonsai, a new company that held a Kickstarter fundraiser for the Clip. I like that they make environmental sustainability a priority, too.

First impressions: this is a pretty sleek little keychain. I’m always amazed by great engineering–making a tiny item so versatile and useful. I also thought the packaging was simple and well-designed, which aligns with their sustainability mission.

The clip is made out of stainless steel and feels both light and durable. I’m a big fan of titanium so I would love a titanium version, but the stainless steel works well. I don’t wear jeans very often so I would probably clip it to my bag or maybe to the band of my skirts, and on LittleBonsai’s website there is a picture of someone wearing it on their pants while jogging, which is pretty clever since I hate bringing bags with me to the gym. This would also be useful while travelling, since the clip holds tight around material but not so much that it will tear through pockets (which some knife clips are known to do).

Summary:

For just $15, this is a nicely designed keychain multitool and great for those who don’t like to carry a lot of things in their pockets.

Cool websites for cool EDC gear, part 1

I guess it’s safe to say that I’m officially hooked on researching EDC (everyday carry) gear. I find the whole subculture fascinating, because EDCers take so many forms—some are outdoor enthusiasts, others are in the military, some are techies or fashion nerds, and some take it very seriously as choices that could be the difference between life and death. I consider myself to fall into the “urban survivalist” niche, but more on the style/practicality end, and because I daydream about the apocalypse in a romantic sense. However, I do think that preparedness is extremely important and something that more people should think about.

Luckily, some of my favorite websites make being prepared easy and pretty freakin’ stylish. The websites featured here are publications that cover more than just EDC stuff, but they often have products, reviews and info that I think you fellow EDCers will enjoy. In part 2, I’ll highlight some specific webstores to find particular pieces to add to your kit, and part 3 will discuss forums.

1. Popular Mechanics

I’m a huge PopMech fan—it’s actually one of my dreams to write for them someday. (They actually published a letter I wrote to them a while ago.) PopMech is a great EDCer website and magazine because they often do great reviews on new gadgets and tools, and they have a lot of articles about preparedness. Great writing on great topics = win win for me. It’s a good resource if you’re actually looking for specific items, but I like that they explore preparedness in depth. Their website is for the most part nicely designed, but sometimes their slideshows can take forever to load.

2. Gear Patrol

 

This is a fairly recent discovery, but I go on it at least once a day. GP is definitely great for stylish, outdoorsy people. They feature a lot of high end gear for people with different interests—fashion, technology, sports, interior design, etc. Often they have cool watches or wallets or things like that. The writing is fresh and succinct and the website has great photos. Everything is so shiny! It’s intended for men, so I hope they don’t think I’m crashing the party, but there are no good EDC websites for women. Maybe I should start one. And nothing will be pink! Although I kind of like pink, as you can probably tell by my website. I may change that though, just to stick it to gender roles. Why the heck does EDC have to be gender specific anyway? Everyone should own a sweet knife. Okay, I’ll get off the soapbox.

3. Cool Material

 

This is actually another website for men, but I don’t care, because the stuff it has on it is awesome. The interface of CM is very similar to GP (I suspect they are part of the same company or something) but they have different enough content that it doesn’t feel like the same website. They seem to have different focuses, too—GP feels a bit more oriented for outdoorsmen or avid travel, or just general “adventure” as their tagline mentions, although much of CM’s content could be applied to those interests as well. In any case, “cool” is an apt adjective for this site (and they have a webstore).

4. Uncrate

 

Uncrate is also new to me, but I’m so glad I found it. Once again, intended for dudes, but that’s okay. I’m kind of getting used to that. They have a rad selection of items. Just today they had a cool Moleskin pen and a super sexy vaporizer. And those ultra slick Corter Leather bottle hooks that I’m pretty infatuated with. What’s fun is that they have a “Your Stash” section so you can save items you like. Awesome idea. And, they have some good articles on movies, music and games, too. Their book list has some intriguing titles that I’m going to have to check out.

5. Cool Hunting

Another website that has earned its “cool” title, Cool Hunting seems to be more of a creative website rather than just gear-oriented, but it does feature some neat finds. This is definitely for the artsy EDCer, but don’t let that dissuade you if your tastes are a bit more rugged/tactical. Their web design is pretty snazzy, too.

What are your favorite gear/gadget websites?