Category: Technology

Polar M430 Review

You ever check your wrist and realize there’s nothing on it? It might be time to get a smartwatch. Sure a regular watch can tell time, but a smartwatch can do so many more things. That level of complexity usually causes the  interface to be confusing.

The Polar M430 rethinks the entire process and makes it easy to get to the basics. Instead of a touch screen where you swipe all over the place to figure out where to go, you have five buttons on the side of the watch to navigate. The two on the left control brightness and go home. The three on the right go up and down as well as enter. This concept is quick and easy to grasp.

By default the watch tells you the date and time. You can switch it to heart rate tracking, steps, timers, etc. Personally I found the continuous heart rating tracking to be fascinating to watch. I’m used to my smartphone tracking my heart rate for a couple seconds when I tell it to, but to have a smartwatch that is able to follow the beat whenever and for however long  is pretty neat.

The Polar M430 is light weight and not bulky. It feels like a normal watch that you’ll wear whether or not your doing a fitness activity. With the screen always being on, I was worried that the battery life would be poor. In my findings the battery can last for several days. With the Polar M430 also being waterproof you won’t have to constantly take it on and off.

If you’re looking for a smartwatch that enhances your fitness data and is easy to use the Polar M430 could be the one for you.

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The Magnet Base Cable Wrangler Review

The Magnet Base Cable Wrangler is a designer-like solution to cable management. It’s both sexy and easy to use. The base unit is a small mound shape that helps elevate your cable above a table. It stores the magnet that will help stick your included cable firmly to this soft fabric material. Since it has a good amount of weight, the unit could additionally act like a paper weight.

The included Lightning cable is made of a similar color and fabric to the base unit. Silk has magnetized both ends of the cable so you can place either end on the base unit. Now if you want to use your own cord you can. Included in this package are three rubber tips that are magnetized so they will be able to hold a typical USB charger cord.

 

They do have another product that works hand-in-hand with the wrangler. The 2-Port Fast USB Wall Charger will help you charge two products at the same time. Instead of constantly having those two USB cords fall to the floor, you can magnetize them to the wrangler.

With these products, Silk has definitely created a ecosystem that helps organize your life in a stylish way.

WAMA Men’s Hemp Boxer Brief Review

My journey into hemp based products has now brought me to the nether-regions. WAMA Underwear started as a Kickstarter project with the goal to introduce men and women to hemp underwear. The vast majority of us probably have cotton, but its time to evolve.

At first, a lot of questions ran through my mind. Would the hemp underwea

r be too hot? Would the texture be rough? Would I like wearing boxer briefs instead of classic briefs? Not hitting any of these marks would automatically make it hard for me to recommend these hemp underwear even if they are better for the environment.

The minute you feel WAMA Men’s Boxer Brief you’ll notice how soft they are.  I didn’t have to stretch them out to fit them in either the waist, crouch, or leg area.  I didn’t feel too loose down there, I feel the proper amount of support and comfort as they wrap around my butt and legs as if someone is lightly holding onto them. I definitely don’t have this feeling when I wear my classic briefs or boxers. At 6’1″ 175lbs, I’m a size 34 so the WAMA Men’s Hemp Boxer Brief size for me is an XL, so they may run just a tad small.

The fabric mixture is 53% hemp, 44% organic cotton, 3% spandex. This all helps form its shape, stretch-ability, and texture.

 

The look of the WAMA Men’s Hemp Boxer Brief is another plus. It seems like they deeply thought about style when designing this product, which is interesting because this is underwear and is rarely seen. Of course you’ll want to show it off as it looks great and being made from hemp is definitely a conversation starter as there are many benefits to having hemp in clothing. Some are environmental such as hemp uses less water than cotton and does not require chemical pesticides or fertilizers. Other benefits directly effect our bodies as we wear it. It’s anti-microbial, has UV protection, and is breathable. As it wicks moisture away, I felt cool and less sweaty in the crouch which makes it pretty ideal for exercise.

Bottom line is that WAMA Hemp Boxer Briefs are a perfect design and fit that will add sexiness to your underwear collection while being environmentally friendly.

Swell Vision’s Bambo Fiber Boxers Review

When you wear something that feels so good you don’t even notice  you’re wearing it, life is officially GREAT, in my humble opinion. This is especially true when you’ve got a little something in the nether regions. My experience wearing Swell Vision’s Bambo Fiber Boxers reminded my of how Flanders felt in The Simpsons…

It’s simply crazy how soft these boxers feel. They’re made of 95% bamboo rayon and 5% spandex. So they stretch when needed, feel smooth and cool to the touch. I do think the biggest selling point for most guys will be that you won’t feel hot down there, but you never feel an uncomfortable cold. It’s just the right amount of coolness.

Since these boxers are made from bamboo they are several factors that stand out from typical fabric. Bamboo itself grows fast and uses little water. So this creates a fabric that is environmentally friendly to harvest. Bamboo fibers help fight odor on several fronts. They will wick moisture and allow it to escape as the fiber is very breathable.

If you’re one of those people that likes walking around in only your boxers then you’ll also like this next design feature. Swell Vision has created what they call a Smart Pocket. It’s large enough to put a couple items like cash, cards, and maybe even some keys. At first I was worried that with nothing in the pockets this extra piece would get in the way as I was walking around town, but I never even noticed it. It’s like it disappeared as I went about my life.

Of course that’s all great, but the design is where the party begins! There are six fun designs to choose from. I got campfire because I bring the heat to the party. There’s also shark, mountain, cannonball, moon and stars, and for those of you who want something more simple a solid black color is available as well.

By now you know that I love these boxers. If you like wearing boxers you’ve probably have never worn ones that felt like this. Try them out and let us know what you think in the comments section below!

Sanuk Hemp Sidewalker Surfer Review

Sandals and flip-flops are my enemies. I’ve tripped, slipped, and simply fell on my ass. Sure this can all happen with a regular shoe, but it’s less likely. Sneakers have better grip and protect your foot. Of course you look like a dork wearing sneakers on the beach it’s just what I did, until now!

Sanuk’s Sidewalk Surfer is a sandal/shoe hybrid. The bottom piece is similar to a sandal while the top is like a shoe. You put the Sidewalk Surfer on and your shoe won’t go flying off like a sandal. You won’t get those rubber burns on the top of your foot. You won’t hear that annoying click-clack sound of the sandal hitting your foot as you walk. Your foot is more protected from the elements and people stepping on your toes.

We usually wear sandals on the beach because they get wet and they get sand on them. Sandals dry fast and are easy to get sand out of them. If you get the Sidewalk Surfer it will take longer to dry, but no where near as long as a sneaker. It’s a single layer of fabric that is getting wet so you won’t feel sopping wet. With the bottom piece being very similar to a sandal removing debris is practically just as easy.

What stuck out to me about the Sidewalk Surfer is that this particular model is made out of hemp. It’s cool to know that you’re walking around with a sturdy eco-friendly material that will hold-up over time.

When I first tried on the Sidewalk Surfer, I knew that I could go anywhere with these shoes. They’re super comfortable both with socks and without socks. Walking around town, going to the gym, driving in the car the Sidewalk Surfer did its job. I forgot that I actually wasn’t wearing a sneaker. I can wear these shoes for hours on end. I’ve never been able to do that with sandals.

I went into trying these shoes out thinking that I’d wear them only at the beach or for taking out the trash, but as it turned out that is just the beginning of my adventure with these shoes.