If you haven’t played any of the Meetal Gear series then MSG4 is a good way to get your feet wet. Guns of the Patriots is the fourth installment of the Metal Gear Solid series, by Kojima Productions and if you’ve seen the game trailers then you know this game is nothing short of bad ass.

Game synopsis, trailer and thoughts after the jump.

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Summer is officially here and if you are looking for a nice pair of sandals to rock with your linen pants and board shorts, look no further. Established in 1974 Rainbow is generally regarded as a high-end flip-flop (as opposed to ordinary foam rubber ones) due to their construction with a leather thong and foot bed. Once sold exclusively in California, Rainbow has grown to become one of the top three best-selling brands of sandals in the United States, along with competitors Reef and Teva.

Unlike most consumer sandals, rainbows have built-in arch support and mold to the wearer’s individual foot shape. Rainbow even recommends a number of “break in” procedures, to give your pair of sandals a custom feel.

I own 2 pairs of Rainbows and they’re the best quality sandals I’ve ever owned. Their low profile makes them perfect for stuffing in any type of bag and they have the comfort without all the bulk.

What this means to you: The official look you should be sporting when you’re talking to the babes and somehow utter the word “tubular”.

Cost: $42.50 @ Rainbow Sandals

Sometimes when I’m traveling abroad it’s kind of a pain in the arse to stay organized and remain compact. Usually I have my wallet in one pocket, passport in another, boarding passes in another, and a bunch of other gear spread out between the 10 pockets on my carry-on bag. Yes, it might be a personal problem, but I know I can’t be the only one with this issue because REI has developed a sweet travel wallet.

The REI travel wallet is thin with the dimensions of a paper back book. It might not fit in your pocket, unless you have pretty big one, but it is a nice repository for all your travel stuff. From a company that makes all types of gear for the adventurer in mind, you know a lot of thought has gone into this wallet.

Features include: Clam-shell design, eight interior card pockets, three larger pockets to hold: passport, tickets, itineraries and receipts, two interior zippered mesh pockets, interior pen pocket, and exterior pocket for airline ticket. Constructed of 420-denier nylon for durability.

What this means to you: Being organized saves time , so have another round at the airport bar my friend, cause you’re good.

Cost: $19 @ REI

Just when you thought you couldn’t get enough sports data crammed into your life, with 10 ESPN channels in 11 different languages, ESPN finds a way. That’s right guys, the ESPN universal remote is the real deal and not a hoax. Like any other universal remote this one unifies all your remotes into one and is claimed to have an easy setup and be simple to use.

So what makes this remote the “Ultimate Remote”? With this bad boy you’ll no longer have to sit down and watch a game with your laptop, blackberry, and 20 remotes. Why? You may ask, because this thing does it all. With its LCD display and WiFi access, this is the iphone, of the remote world.

It’s Click365 wireless network you’ll have access to instant updates to TV listings, sports, weather, news, and real-time access to sports news, scores, game updates, box scores, standings, ESPN.com, fantasy leagues, stats, schedules. Now if this doesn’t keep you on top of your sports trivia game, I don’t know what will.

Don’t get me wrong all around coverage of everything sports is pretty cool, but this remote also has some other cool features that aren’t sports related and are more in tune to the entertainment side. You can get personalized multi-day program guides for broadcast, cable, or satellite television and browse TV listings right on the remote without needing to change the channel or even turn the TV on.

What this means to you: With a Hi-tech remote like this, you can guarantee you’ll be the only one who can use it, thus the TV will always be your domain.

Cost: $299 @ Amazon

From the Editor - Good things come in pairs, right? Well, I’d like to introduce you to the second of Gear Patrol’s two new contributing editors. Undoubtedly, you’ve seen Thomas’ posts already, but it’s time for a formal introduction. Lord joins us from Fort Walton Beach and we’re pretty stoked about what he’s bringing to the GP team. So, without further adieu…

Writing an introduction for one’s self isn’t really an easy task. You try to think about things to say, but everything sounds cocky and conceited. Then I start to think… this is Gear Patrol after all, so how would I review myself?

Well, it’s safe to say I’m a big enthusiast of all things “gear” related. You can expect no shortage of posts covering a large range. It’s safe to say I lean on the sarcastic side and sometimes my humor might be out there, but that’s just what I do. (Ed: sarcastic writers at GP? surely you jest…) Whether it’s playing video games, paintball, working on cars, I like to immerse myself in all types of things. I consider myself a jack of all trade, a master of some and adventurous enough to try most things once.

Career wise I’m a Systems Administrator and served in the Air Force for 8 years - having spent time in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and South Korea.

I am originally from the Republic of Panama where I was born and raised, but spent some time residing in the states as my father was in the military and on the go. I currently live in Fort Walton Beach, which is a laid back spot with white sandy beaches and emerald green water. Don’t be jealous.

What does this mean to you: Plenty of rhetoric describing your soon to be favorite gear. Grab a brew, because I’m sure I’ll be having one, and let the reviews roll…

Thomas can be reached for questions or comments via e-mail at any time. If you want to read all of Thomas’ posts, consider bookmarking his post thread.

I was put onto the roots a couple years back. Their blend of hip hop with live instrumentals gives them that distinct sound and sets them apart from the other groups we hear polluting the sound waves.

The Grammy award-winning group has just released their 10th album release, Rising Down. The title comes from William T. Vollmann’s treatise on violence entitled Rising Up and Rising Down.

In my opinion this is probably their most politically influenced album yet, but don’t take that the wrong way, there are plenty of upper tracks with head bobbing beats.
The album contains a large number of guest vocalists like Mos Def, Talib Kweli, Common, Patrick Stump (Fall Out Boy), and the album has a more synthy sound than their previous ones. All in all this is a must have for your music collection.

What this means to you: The Roots create hip hop in its purest form and Rising Down is an instant classic.

Cost: $10 Amazon