Gear Patrol

Since 1963, we’ve enjoyed six generations of the Corvette and five versions of the Mustang. Nine different Presidents have called the White House home and we have listened to vinyl give way to tape, CDs and eventually the digital download. We’ve also had 50 years of the Stanley PowerLock tape measure, a product that has clearly stood the test of time and continues to enjoy its reign at the top.

Nature’s been an insufferable ______ as of late. Get in some haymakers of your own in the final round this year and be ready before the bell next season with the Husqvarna 1830EXLT ($2,500) 414cc Track Drive Hydrostatic Snow Blower.

You’re not the guy who has a frequent buyer card at Sears, so you can’t always find the perfect tool in your less-than-organized garage. Perhaps a versatile multi-tool would be your best ally. Multi-tools have been around for twenty years, and they’re not going away anytime soon. Today’s multi-tools are better than ever, with innovative designs that are only limited by the imagination. If you’re wondering what all-around multi-tool to purchase, we have five of the best full-sized multi-tools on the market today.

Know an aesthete who dabbles in handy work? Italian company USAG has been in the tool biz since 1926, and their USAG 3LV 3 Compartment Tool Box ($127) has all the durable chops you’d expect from, well, a metal box.

The cordless drill is the most useful tool in any man’s bag. Untethered power and portability combined with the ability to go from drill to drive in mere seconds make it the go-to grab for most projects around the house. While the 18V and 20V bit-twisters of the world have homes on the belts of contractors and semi-pro weekend warriors alike, breaking out the big guns just to hang a picture or tighten some screws is well, overkill — plus every now and then things can get a little tight. Whether you’re just beginning your collection or adding to the fleet, the torque and twist-time offered by today’s 12V versions rivals many of their corded counterparts, minus the heft; that can often be the difference between completing a job and cursing til the cows come home.

As mother nature continues to channel Tony Danza — reminding us of who’s the boss of this marble — on an increasing basis, proper emergency preparedness is more important than ever. The Goal Zero Yeti 150 Solar Generator is a breadbox-sized lifeline for powering both critical gadgets like lights and radios along with all of the touchscreen comforts of an upper middle class home.

With over 300 patents and almost ninety years of experience under their belts, the toolmakers at Festool have a reputation for Über-engineered innovations for the discerning craftsman. The Festool CMS Router Table ($1,200+) is their latest piece of all-aluminum handiwork for cabinetmakers looking to soften some edges without cutting any corners. Seamless integration of either…

Feeling hosed by your current big box hose? Dramm ColorStorm Hoses ($53) are the Rolls Royces of the home watering world, built with professional nurseries in mind. Made in the U.S.A from molded EPDM rubber and crush-proof nickel-plated couplings, they’re designed to resist kinking and maintain flexibility even in temperatures as low as -25 degrees…

You lean on him all year-round to assist, assemble and install everything from kitchen cabinetry to those amazing Patagonian rosewood floors you love so much. He tirelessly tackles the disparate demands of Honey-Do lists and familial fixes without so much as a peep. And yet, of all the men featured in our 12 Guys of…

If you’ve ever tried to free-hand paint a straight edge after a four-shot Americano, you’ve most likely failed. But even without the caffeine hit, you know it’s no easy task; painter’s tape sometimes makes things even worse. With the Black & Decker EasyEdge Powered Paint Edger ($35), your molding, windows and door edges will be…

If we hear one more story about an impending zombie apocalypse, we’re packing up our stuff and humping it to the upper reaches of Canada. Our supplies? A crapload of MREs, an accompanying supply of Pepto, several crates of whisky and The Cell Machined Survival Kit ($75+). The minds behind this baton-like kit are looking…

Standing in your front yard with a severe case of bed head while wearing stained overalls and whacking away at your rather overgrown landscaping with a machete just might scare the neighbors. Clean yourself up and then break out the rather benign-looking but highly effective Bahco Swedish Brush Axe ($54). Designed to clear both brush…

Though the thought of jumping in a pile of leaves brings back fond childhood memories, the adult reality is that raking is a royal pain. Not too many technological advancements have been bestowed upon the humble garden rake (it’s not even exciting enough for witches to ride), but the Fiskars Leaf Rake ($25) has the…

You’re a man who likes to work around the house, taking on everything from home repair and tinkering under the hood to even more personal projects like building your own furniture once in a while. Pat yourself on the back for your self-sufficient ways. Then, use the moment of reflection to understand just how much…

From time to time we like to check in on what’s going on across the pond. The Queendom, if you will, never disappoints us with its take on art and design — a skew that can seem a bit wonky to our Yankee eyes. The Fire Extinguishing Device (~$123) from Tusch und Egon (sounds German,…

Whether it’s installing brake pads or inhaling barbecue ribs, things we love involve messes. And until there’s a sink or shower in every single garage, garden or BBQ shack in the country, we’re left to our own devices to get clean. Grime Boss Hand Wipes ($20+) work hard to get you (at least somewhat) presentable….

Previously only sold abroad, the Kenwood Cooking Chef ($2,000) has finally whirled its way stateside. This culinary version of the Jetsons’ Rosie one-ups the traditional stand mixer by not only whisking, hooking and mixing (at variable speeds), but by heating and cooking as well. A safe, energy efficient induction cooking plate attached to the Cooking…

Sitting Bull used his hands, your grandfather used a crowbar, and if you use either of those items today you’re being silly. Appreciation of the past doesn’t mean we need to suffer its inefficiencies. When seconds count, lives are at stake, or a nasty camp job needs an ass-kickin, the TNT Emergency Survival Tool ($215+)…

The most innovative thermostat not on the USS Enterprise is now 20% thinner and encased by a premium solid stainless steel ring — designed to reflect the wall colors around it. The Nest 2.0′s ($249) display also ditches the old sensor grill for a smooth lens. Those obvious cosmetic changes are nothing compared to the…

Dribbling water pressure and kinked garden hoses can make outdoor chores as sluggish as a back-ordered iPhone 5. Fortunately, the Briggs & Stratton Amplifi Hose Powering and Storage System ($200) changes the way you clean and water, providing an all-in-one hose, maintenance-free amplifying pump, multi-spray wand and storage container in one portable, compact unit. The…

Studies show that we spend between 16 and 31 minutes a day (that’s between one and two years over a lifespan) searching for things like keys, remote controls, eyeglasses, dry shotgun shells and clean underwear. Pretty depressing, eh? The Worx SD Semi-Automatic Power Screwdriver ($50) aims to chop off a few minutes by providing a…

Often, when you’re a hammer, every problem looks like a nail. So good on Hardcore Hammers for busting their own paradigm with the Hardcore Hatchet ($45). The move is a natural one for the hammer makers — from one artful, useful expression of wood and metal to another. Like their hammers, every hatchet is individually…

Home improvement is your thing. You’ve got the desire, the Bob Vila skill set and even the time — just not the space for every tool your heart desires. Bosch’s PPS 7 S Pull-Push Saw just made your life that much easier by combining a table saw and a sliding miter saw, so you can…

Mark our words, the revolution is coming, and it will be 3D printed. Scrappy startup Makerbot has always led the charge to make this advanced technology accessible at the consumer level, and their latest creation, the Makerbot Replicator 2 ($2,200) is the next logical step. The biggest advantage of the new machine is its 100…

Electrical trade professionals or efficient Mafioso just gained a new tool for faster job performance. Milwaukee’s M12 600 MCM cable cutter slices up to 600 MCM, 750 MCM Aluminum, 1 3/16” communications cable or fat Cohibas with ease. The portable tool’s scissor jaws make round cuts in tight spaces with a two-speed 12 volt power-ratcheting…

If you’re the kind of guy who enjoys antique automobiles and vintage style, but not interior design, Griot’s Garage Vintage Racing Signs are a perfect (and easy) decor choice. Reproduction prints of 20th century race posters, the signs are printed and powdercoated on 24-gauge steel with rolled edges and holes with grommets for quick hanging….

Filling a toolbox is no cheap venture. For the cash-strapped, the Black and Decker Matrix Modular Tool System provides a unique opportunity to build a quality fix-it arsenal with minimal bank roll trauma. Using B&D’s Quick Connect System, the tool’s included drill/driver head can be swapped out for up to six other options including an…

Because keeping a sailor around to swab your decks is a little too “Village People” for our tastes, the Vileda Virobi offers a Jetsonian solution to keeping your floor pristine. It’s similar to the Roomba iRobot but with an electrostatic cleaning pad, and features an autonomous navigation system that works the Virobi around the room…

For those of you preparing to go away to college, let us give you a little heads up. When arriving on campus you will have but one goal: get your parents out as soon as possible. Unfortunately, they will have already put in place a preemptive defense. Along with the bed and bath, they’ve also…

We’re pretty particular about the ways we’d like to go out: eaten while fighting a Great White, zapped saving the President during an alien invasion, etc. The lithium ion battery-powered iRobot Looj 330 Gutter Cleaning Robot ($300) is the perfect tool to keep falling from a ladder off that list. The treaded bot trundles through…