Gear Patrol

Chainsaws and Husqvarna are pretty much synonymous. So when the venerable brand declares a chainsaw to be their most advanced you know it’s time to expect performance. Utilizing an all-new X-Torq 5.7 HP engine the Husqvarna 576 XP AutoTune Chainsaw ($910) utilizes an onboard AutoTune sensor to monitor the engine 20 times per second constantly…

Estwing was founded by Swedish immigrant Ernest O. Estwing nearly a century a go. Ernest had a talent for forging hammers from one solid piece of hardened steel and the rest as they say is history. Estwing tools are still made in the USA in Rockford, Illinois and this Estwing Claw Leather Handle Hammer ($26)…

Most of us have a go to tool for every job that comes across our plate. The POWER8 Workshop ($340) is a good all-in-one starter kit though for those just beginning the grail quest that is building a tool collection.

Plan on blazing trails or just cleaning up the yard anytime soon? Then consider packing the Gerber Gator Machete ($19). Measuring 25.7 inches long and weighing a light 18oz, it’s slightly bigger than that Swiss Army on your key chain. Overall the business parts amount to a 15 inch fine edge blade on one side,…

When it comes to endorsements, we consider a decision by law enforcement, armorers, and government to use a particular product to be a lofty one. That said, the Podbox is a highly customizable multi-application stow cart used by government agencies in 8 states and made in Morganton, North Carolina. Across the entire lineup of carts,…

Most men can probably provide the time with a flick of their wrist. Unless they’ve got a yard stick tattooed on your inner arm though, they probably can’t help with measuring out a door frame. That where the Stanley Tap Measure Watch ($44) comes in. It features an integrated 3 ft tape measure along with…

Each occupation has a tool they can’t live without. For a golfer, it’s his clubs. For a cop, it’s his gun. But unless you’re using a nine iron to smash in the window of an Escalade in Florida, or using a 9mm to accidentally shoot yourself in the leg in a New York nightclub, these…

Everyone knows that the only thing more embarrassing than your assortment of Dungeons and Dragons figurines is the collection of french fries and smashed peanut butter crackers that you’ve accumulated beneath the driver’s seat. Women dig a clean car, not as much as they dig a guy with hoards of cash, but at least you…

Calling a vehicle “mere” transportation is tantamount to speaking blasphemy. Acquiring our dream vehicle (wheeled or otherwise) is the first and highest hurdle. The second hurdle is how to best care for your baby. Tips: 1) Find a solid mechanic; 2) Use Klasse All-In-One Polish & Sealant ($24). There’s no wax or polymer in this…

Constructed of waterproof and grease-resistant Tarpaulin, the Timbuk2 Tool Shed $35 can handle being tossed around and is easily secured by an anodized aluminum buckle. Despite Toolmonger pointing out that it’s suited for the hipster-repairman or Timbuk2′s own claim of adoration by hairstylists, we still this case is great for that spare set of tools…

Those of you with serious swaths of property may laugh at electric push mowers, but for home owners with small plots to tend, they can be great. The Bosch Rotak Li Series ($300-$540) makes them even better — for a price — by eliminating the pesky cord in exchange for a lithium-ion battery that’s good…

The fact that we’ve covered the Dymo LabelManager before should have already tipped our hand to you guys that we’re into organization. Dymo has kindly reminded us though with the Dymo RHINO 101 ($20) that satisfying our need for order doesn’t always have to require batteries. Designed to be reusable and refillable, the RHINO 101…

D.I.Y.ers, builders, geeks, mechanics, wood workers, and all around fiddlers aren’t the type who normally need an excuse to find something to do. In the rare instance that your creation queue is dwindling though, picking up a copy of The Best of Make ($24) should keep you busy for at least a week or two….

One way to test the heat of your grill is to step right up, look at the grill temp gauge, and feel the burn on your already steamed person. Ryobi on the other hand offers a pleasant alternative with the Ryobi TEK4 Professional Infrared Thermometer ($69). As a point-and-shoot infrared thermometer, it instantly measures grill…

According to Webster’s Dictionary, the definition of pulverize is: to reduce (as by crushing, beating, or grinding) to very small particles. Well, the Pulverizer from Jackson Professional Tools is nothing if not appropriately named. Whether your abrading, atomizing, beating, braying, contriturating, crumbling, crushing, fragmenting, granulating, levigating, pestling, splintering, or triturating, the Pulverizer does a man…

There’s nothing, and we mean nothing, quite like the feeling of a clean car. In fact, it’s been proven (through our highly-scientific testing process) that a spiffy ride really does drive better. Typically, that means adding a trip to the wash to your already packed routine. That’s why you might want to consider booting your…

Big renovation projects and cleanups often result in big messes. Until recently though, tackling the issue of waste removal meant one of two things. Scenario one involved you blowing through a jumbo pack of hefty sacks after filling them one at a time and lugging them to the curb. Scenario two involved renting an enormous…

Discovering a niche tool that makes one’s task exponentially easier, no matter how small it may be, is one of the most satisfying feelings we can have as Gear Patrol product gurus (stepping off soapbox). Sure, a normal level is more than capable of helping decorators properly hang artwork, but the Johnson Level & Tool…

Unless you fondly call your den “Costco” then you probably don’t have a room as large as the behemoth warehouse pictured above. Regardless, we’re willing to throw a cool c-note down that you’ve seen that fan or a variation of it somewhere – most likely that last part of IKEA where everyone’s scrambling around looking…

Every man who has ever done handy work knows the value of a solid tape measure. In the age of integration though, Generation Tools decided to question why these useful belt companions couldn’t do more. The result is the SquareONE measuring system line ($14-7). It’s called a system because unlike dedicated tapes, this über tool…

There’s just something about the security of creating light that fascinates us. Either way, we get a chance to review a lot of flashlights here at Gear Patrol. ICON, a company that aims to be as well known for their design schema as their functionality, sent us a couple of their to check out and…

The name may be more than a little corny, but that doesn’t detract from this tool’s ingenious form factor. Made to be an all in one grab and go ratchet solution, the PakRatchet stores seven sockets along with 3′ extension inside its handle. The tool’s drive is formed from high-toque composite that won’t conduct or…

At Gear Patrol our love for clever practical items runs just as deep as our love for the ridiculous. These space saving stools from Kikkerland may not draw as much excitement from you as some of the other products we’ve featured on site, but they are tremendously helpful for reaching high things without cluttering up…

Appearing originally back in 1914 within the company’s Brooks Book for Motor Cyclists, Brooks recently decided to bring back this classic and classy motorcycle accoutrement with a modern twist. Made of stout leather that is vegetable tanned in Europe, bikers can choose from three color options shown above including: brown, black, and honey. The kit…

When the big three (Ford, GM, and Chrysler) all swear by the same brand of hammer you know you’ve got a striking tool worth looking into. American Hammers signature, lead alloy hammer is a sight to behold grip. It’s an American made, meaty son of a bitch, especially with the patented one-piece aluminum handle (shown)…

If you’ve ever tackled any home improvement product involving, nails, screws, or bolts, then you know how much of a time suck keeping track and holding on to them can be. Amazingly this simple, yet ingenious idea can solve all of these woes for less than $20. Made of durable 1680D ballistic polyester, the Magnogrip…

Though the same can’t be said of me, my father has always been a consummate knife connoisseur. He has constantly preached to me about Gerber knives and the quality that backs them. Upon handling their Crucial multitool for a few minutes, I saw the light (that was reflecting off the blade).

Ryobi hit the nail on the head with its well thought out TEK 4 line of battery-powered tools. Cordless tools are nothing new, what with all the saws and drills out there that get their juice from battery packs. However, the TEK 4 line-up addresses home improvement and job site needs with a new twist…

Last spring, we drew your attention to Lehr and their innovative trimmer powered not by gasoline but by clean-burning propane delivered in familiar camping-style cylinders. We were impressed all the way around. Now, we’re happy to report that the folk at Lehr have stayed at it, allowing their ingenuity to spread to other parts of…

As men, we’re pretty much genetically conditioned to love all things DIY. After all, why pay someone perfectly good money when we can just muck around with things we don’t really understand until they’re fixed (maybe). Over at one of our favorite sites,Lifehacker, they’re celebrating this truism with DIY week. Appropriately, there’s a rousing tribute…