GearFlogger

CycleTorch Shark 550R Rechargeable Bike Light

It's a great time to be alive if you like inexpensive, high-performing lights of any type. On the cycling front, CycleTorch has a great little light set to keep you out of the gutter - OK, maybe that's asking too much for some of you - and safely in your lane.

The taillight is a standard small red clip-on unit that comes with a flexible strap and bracket for easy mounting on your seat post. The front light in the set is a 550 lumen, compact, lightweight light in an IP65 dustproof and water resistant housing. The light features an easily operated oversize on/off button on top that cycles through high/medium/low/flash settings for respective runtimes of 2.5, 4.5, 9 and 20 hours. The light easily recharges overnight via micro USB. A nice feature is the power button is illuminated and changes from blue to red to indicate low power, so you won't be surprised in the darkness.

The light mounts to your handlebars with a nifty little quick-release strap, so if you're leaving your bike out unattended you can easily detach the light and take it with you. Overall the Shark 550R is a great little light that can compete with much more expensive models. The light throw is sufficient for urban and light-duty mountain biking, so unless you're a serious trail crusher or road warrior give the Shark 550R a look.

$29.95 at Amazon

Foseal OBDII Scanner

Most of us use a car regularly, and we know the frustration of seeing a check engine light come on when you're miles from anywhere. Luckily it's been mandatory for all cars manufactured since 1996 to have a little thing called on-board diagnostics version 2, or OBDII for short, built in.

OBDII is a little port with a variable number of pins, usually located on the driver side under the dash or steering column. Into this magic port you can plug an OBDII scanner dongle like the Foseal model shown here. The dongle will connect to any one of a number of OBDII apps. We tried the iOS version of OBD Fusion for $9.99 on our iPhone X.

The app connects to the dongle wirelessly, via wifi for this dongle, although more modern bluetooth versions are available that allow you to use your wifi router simultaneously which can be handy. Once connected the app reads the error codes that the dongle collects from the OBDII port and gives you much more readable and detailed information on what is causing your check engine light. With the Foseal you can even reset the light after fixing the problem, which may be doable based on your experience, the nature of the problem and the availability of parts.

The combination of a $20 scanner and a $10 app have the potential to save you a lot of money, since any visit to a competent mechanic will immediately exceed that amount. The app and dongle combination allow you to monitor quite a few parameters of your vehicle, and even create custom dashboards based on those parameters, e.g. RPMs, engine temperature, and other variables on one screen.

The one complaint we have is that the OBD Fusion app requires additional in-app purchases, called enhanced diagnostics, to unlock additional functionality, such as reading and clearing codes for airbags and other dealer-level stuff. The ED packs are available for Ford, Mazda, Nissan and Toyota but not for Chrysler products such as our Jeep Wrangler. A related complaint is the app doesn't read or clear tire pressure, which for off-road vehicles is a biggie. For that you need something more expensive like an AEV ProCal or Superchips FlashCal, one of which we'll try to review in a future article.

Overall the Foseal-OBD Fusion combo is helpful for basic check engine codes, and could quickly save you the hassle and expense of bringing your car into the dealer.

Foseal OBDII Scanner $19.98 at Amazon
OBD Fusion $9.99 at App Store

Brazos Walking Sticks

It's easy to get so caught up in the latest technology that you forget there are simpler solutions already out there that are sometimes just as effective in solving a given problem. Trekking poles, for example, have become lighter, stronger and more portable than ever, and are available in a variety of configurations and materials. And yet the problem - a third leg for walking stability - was probably one of the first problems humanity ever solved with a tool.

Brazos has a modern take on trekking poles with their beautiful, functional and affordable walking sticks. They come in a huge selection of styles and woods with options like ice tips, logo inlays and other fun and functional details. Most of all they just work, and they do the job with a ton of character: when was the last time another hiker commented on your trekking pole?

Their basic Free-Form Twisted Hickory walking stick, pictured, is both attractive and attractively priced. It's made from a single piece of hickory, a durable and strong wood perfect for this application. The finish is beautiful, with a twist in the middle part of the shaft, and a wrist loop for support. Available from 41 to 58 inches in length, this staff will serve for both support and if needed impromptu self-defense, and is tough enough you'll be able to pass it on to the next generation.

$55.99 at Brazos

Voke Energy Tablets

We'll never get an energy drink sponsorship here, since we believe that stuff - along with soft drinks, sports drinks and dessert dressed up as coffee - is just garbage for your gut: Chinese-made synthetic caffeine, high-fructose corn syrup or artificial sweeteners and magic ingredients from tropical rainforests that will cause you to fart unicorns and see double rainbows all day. Blah. If we're going to get our caffeine fix, we're going to do it the old-fashioned way, with a cup of all-natural, single-ingredient coffee.

Voke gives us another option: 75mg of caffeine from green tea leaves in a tablet, roughly equivalent to a cup of coffee or an 8oz can of Red Bull. It also includes magic ingredients, but at least they have the guts to say how much they are or are not supported by research. You're basically getting your shot of caffeine without all the garbage calories, just some trace amounts of plant-based ingredients of questionable value but no apparent harm.

The attractive-looking purple tablets taste like Tums combined with Fruit Loops and some unidentifiable bitter/metallic medicinal taste. They don't taste great is what we're saying, although hey, some may think otherwise, and a drink of water helps them go down pretty fast in any case. The tablets we received were in four round tins of seven tablets each, although it appears they've now gone to a paper package that includes fifteen smaller paper two-tablet packages.

Our very subjective experience is that Voke gives about the same pickup as a cup of coffee, which is to say it's helpful to combat the after-lunch slump or prepare for a focus-intensive task. Bottom line: Voke is a very portable, calorie-compact and ostensibly healthy way to get a caffeine fix. At just over a buck a tablet it's cheaper than just about anything except buying coffee in bulk, so if you're looking for a portable energy boost, it's definitely worth checking out Voke tablets. Just don't expect the double rainbow experience.

$33.95 for 30 tablets at Amazon

Lands' End Women's Ultralight Long Down Vest

Long down coats have made a comeback over the past few years, so it was only a matter of time before the style crossed over to vests. Lands' End lands a solid hit in the category with their Ultralight women's long down vest. It's designed for the town crowd, but works equally well in the backcountry.

The vest starts out with the highest quality insulation, 800 fill down. It's not just any down either, it's HyperDRY hydrophobic down for increased water resistance, and it's certified as responsibly sourced for good measure. Two zipped handwarmer pockets are complemented by an internal open stuff pocket that the entire garment can be stuffed into. A generous collar will keep your neck warm, and the zipper is two-way so it can be zipped up from the bottom for more ease of movement and ventilation. This makes it a great belay piece for use with a harness.

The cut, as advertised, is contoured and long and will fall around a woman's mid to upper thigh depending on her build and the cut selected. You can choose from regular, petite and tall. Vests are always great for maintaining core temperature while standing still, and also allowing ventilation when you're moving. Having the extra insulation around your hips is just more down goodness where you want it. We've saved the best part for last: the regular price is a steal, and even more so because it's on sale at the moment.

$69.27 (on sale from $89.95) at Lands' End

Bjorn Daehlie Airnet Wool Base Layer

Life is a delicate balance. Good and evil. Rich and poor. Warmth and ventilation. The first two, you're on your own. The last we can help with by recommending Dahlie's new Airnet wool base layers. Spoiler: it's not a generic base layer for everyone, but the people who will like it will REALLY like it!

The warmth comes from the 100 percent Merino wool. The construction is clearly high quality, with good stitching and just the right amount of stretch for a form-fitting piece. The ventilation comes from two design choices. The first is standard, the material being very lightweight. The second is what makes the Airnet special: much of the construction is a fine mesh material, almost like fishnet stockings.

The combination of lightweight Merino and mesh means the Airnet simply excels at cold weather aerobic activity. Winter bikers and runners and Nordic and Randonee skiiers and anyone else who needs to start cold and finish hot will love the way the Airnet layers work. Beware that the mesh goes all the way up the back of the tights, so if you plan on lounging around in the Airnets after your workout you'll be giving everyone a major dose of crack. Which, depending on your audience, may or may not be a good thing.

If you're hard on your base layers, or just don't like taking the extra step of washing certain clothing items in a mesh garment bag to protect them from the evils of velcro and other things in the wash that might snag, you might be better off with a traditional non-mesh base layer. If, however, you value ventilation above all else for your hot-and-heavy high-output lifestyle, definitely check out the Airnet. Nothing will get you going faster and keep you warmer and drier while you slay your winter dragons.

Men's top $89.95 at Backcountry
Men's bottom $59.96 (on sale from $89.95) at Backcountry

Muck Boots

Two decades after entering the market, Muck boots are already an American classic. Mucking is the process of removing manure from horse stalls. Having mucked about in our younger years in exchange for riding time at a local stable, we're familiar with the demands of the job, and if we could go back in time we'd bring some Muck brand mucking boots for our younger selves.

Today Muck offers a complete line of boots, and we're big fans of their winter styles. The men's Arctic Ice tall is a fantastic winter work boot. Tall enough to posthole through sixteen inches of snow and warm enough for sub-freezing temperatures, the Arctic Ice slips on and off easily for quick and dirty jobs. It's Vibram Icetrek sole provides good traction on ice, and the combination of rubber, neoprene, foam and felt construction delivers absolute waterproof performance plus comfort and warmth.

The women's Arctic Apres lace mid boot has all the same advantages in a shorter package with looks good enough for about-town use as well. The Apres mid has a stylish fleece cuff and leather upper, and has become the Sheflogger's go-to boot for going outside. Shoveling snow, walking the Littleflogger or heading to the lake for ice skating, the Apres lace mid does it all.

Arctic Ice Tall $190 at Muck
Arctic Apres Lace Mid $160 at Muck

SmartControl Fuel Can

In the recent 7.0 earthquake here in Southcentral Alaska, we were happy to have on hand a portable generator to maintain heat. But a generator - or for that matter a vehicle or anything else with an internal combustion engine - is not much good unless you can gas it up, so we were also fortunate to have a container with some extra fuel. And not just any container; we have a SmartControl fuel can.

The SmartControl is available in 1, 2 and 5 gallon capacities and is made by Scepter, a company with a ton of experience making containers for marine, military and recreational use. The SmartControl has a number of features that earn it the smart moniker. First is the spout, which makes pouring easy and hassle-free. Just use the heel of your palm to press the child safety lever forward, then squeeze with fingers and palm together to pour. The more you squeeze the more comes out, so you can pour a little or a lot, and you don't have to start your pour until you've got everything lined up. No more sloshing fuel around as you try to get the nozzle down to a fuel tank on a lower level.

The SmartControl is rugged and easy to handle, and exceeds ASTM and CPSC standards. Be aware when filling the SmartControl, it comes equipped with a flame mitigation device - a good thing! - so use a little care when inserting a fueling nozzle into the container. The nozzle has to insert within some plastic guide rails, no big deal as long as you pay attention. If you're looking for a great fuel storage and transfer container, trust the SmartControl to do the job cleanly and safely.

From $15.95 at Home Depot