Gear Patrol

Add a touch of personalization to your grilling with the Sportula ($25). Its laser-cut heavy-duty stainless steel and hard maple handle will hold up to the heaviest cuts of carnage, and it’s available in a wide variety of laser-cuts, ranging from collegiate teams to hobbyist logos. Seeing your alma mater’s logo backlit with fire and…

We can always count on the creative individuals selling through Etsy to inspire us with the grass-roots feel and care that oozes from their products. This reclaimed wood tree swing ($150) from Philadelphia based PegandAwl for instance had us instantly reminiscing of summers as a kid, where the our only responsibility was to (try) and…

The genius who put a lighter at the end of a long stick is hopefully up for canonization in some religion as a finger saving saint. Clearly Zippo’s Flexneck Utility Lighter ($23) is the neck err…next evolution. Thanks to its flexible extension and slim powerful nozzle, with this in your hand, there’s no need to…

Gas grills equal convenience. Charcoal grills equal flavor, aroma, experience, and zest — or so the thought process goes. That’s why grill connoisseurs will often swear by charcoal, while the casual griller just wants a steak. Weber designed the Performer Grill ($330) with both audiences in mind. The grill takes the hassle out of charcoal…

The time for outdoor cooking may be slipping away, but with Thanksgiving right around the corner there’s certainly one compelling reason, if you don’t already have thousands, for keeping a deep fryer waiting in the wings.

The National Football League is in full swing and, if you’re like us, you are sprinting towards mid-season-tailgating form. So let us be the first to tell you that La Caja China #1 Aluminum grill ($320) is the surest way to obtain pro-status. Because a sizable crowd makes any tailgate more fun, La Caja China…

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,…

There are grills and then there are grills. The Grill ‘N Chill Tailgater with Draft System ($3,500) might be more accurately described as a party on wheels though (make that chassis). Yes, it will cook your meat thanks to a whopping 24,000 BTU infrared-grill that achieves searing heat in 3 minutes flat, but there’s more…

All outdoor chairs are not created equal. We have been to enough concerts, festivals, camping trips, BBQs and pool parties to know this. The Wilderness Recliner from GCI will be the best outdoor chair you buy. It has a patented auto fold system that allows you to carry the chair on your back like a…

When the calendar turns to August, the sports world looks pretty bleak. Yes baseball is in full swing, and NFL training camps are underway, but there isn’t much else to occupy our interests. Fortunately, it does bring us one step closer to September, and with September comes football and tailgating (a.k.a. pure joy). In preparation…

For most men, “watering your flowers” sits just a notch above “scrap-booking with your mother in-law” on your list of things to do. Slip n’ Slides however, are usually up there near the top, right next to riding a unicorn. Whether you’re a nature-loving horticulturist, or you’re inebriated and have access to a tarp, this…

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…

While the word grill typical inspires visions like this in our head, there’s something to be said for having an electric version on standby just in case. They’re also a great appliance for those short on space who want an alternative to broiling or pan frying. The Breville Smart Grill ($310) is a good option…

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…

Most homeowners are painfully aware that with the heat of summer comes yard work. Rather than break your back lugging brush and debris to the curb with your standard wheelbarrow, pick up an Allsop WheelEasy Folding Cart ($65). The WheelEasy container is composed of a vinyl-coated denier nylon that expands to a 3-cubic-foot basin when…

Grilling smaller food items can be a bit like playing Lemmings. Careful attention will insure much of what you started with will survive, but some poor morsels are bound to slip through the cracks. While there are many tools and techniques out there to help with this problem, this mesh chef’s pan ($50) from Williams-Sonoma…

Recapturing rain is a fast, eco-friendly way to conserve water used for your plants and garden. Problem is, as good as big recycled whiskey barrels can look, they often lack durability and water-sealing which leaves stagnant water susceptible to mosquito habitats. Remember: ~7 days from stagnant water to mosquito infestation. This 65 gallon Rainwater Urn…

After spending a long winter couped up, summer is the time for man’s best friend to cut loose. Especially if you have a backyard that they can explore even when you’re away at work. Dehydration though is certainly a concern that most loyal owners solve by leaving out a water bowl. The Doggie Fountain ($40)…

Still made in the USA, the Wichita, Kansas-based Coleman company has been producing the Coleman Steel Belted Cooler ($130) since the 1950′s. An ever-classic staple of Americana, this 54 quart cooler will carry 85 cans of your friend’s and family’s favorite drinks with heavy-duty construction that you can pass down. Yes, a generational cooler. The…

A new take on what would otherwise be just another boring putting mat, Sholf ($40) turns your patio or hallway into the epicenter of casual competition. Mixing the tools of golf with the strategy and scoring method of table shuffleboard, the game is one that pretty much anyone can play; Sholf pairs perfectly with a…

Besides a title that gets your mouth watering, Ribs, Chops, Steaks, & Wings ($14) has a singular focus on our favorite food group: meat. 40 simple meat-centric recipes make up this 132 page book. Everything from veal chops Oscar, to filet mignon, to Southern fall-off-the-bone spare ribs. Ray “Dr. BBQ” Lampe also takes you through…

When it comes to portable grills we really only have three words: Steak On Demand. Being the grill fiends we are, we chomped at the chance to fire up a Char Broil Grill 2 Go ICE Portable Infrared Gas Grill and Cooler Combo ($199). The verdict: the G2G-ICE will fights portable grilling battles by pulling…

YJust because you’re outside doesn’t mean you don’t deserve good sound. Bring the bass (and midrange, and treble) pool or patio-side with a Polk Audio Atrium Garden Speaker System ($599). We had an opportunity to trial the system this past month with a volunteer who offered up his patio (a rarity) and party (not a…

Now that the weather is getting hospitable, chances are you’re probably spending time outside in the evenings and enjoying your patio, deck, or porch. Outside of climate and a comfy chair to sit in, lighting plays a major role in setting the mood of your outdoor space. Based on our own personal preferences for a…

Mix up the ol’ grilling routine with grilling planks. Originating from the Pacific Northwest, grilling planks provide a direct infusion of moisture, oils, and flavors from a variety of woods into your food. On our fiery quest (literally) to better understand plank grilling, we found aFire Grilling Planks ($9) outperformed. Specifically, the Sugar Maple plank…

The most important piece of grilling gear after a grill and good meat is a chimney starter. Consider it less of an accessory and more of an essential, because you’ve got better things to do with your Saturdays than watching pyroclastics. The Weber Rapidfire Chimney Starter ($15) gets enough bulk briquettes or lump charcoal (try…

Clever design never escapes the eyes of our diligent editors, especially when it pertains to upgrading one’s home base. We can’t say if Vufold is the only company out there promoting this design, but the idea of combining the beauty of proper French Doors with the convenience of their sliding door counterparts definitely has us…

Bean bag chairs were never a bad idea, it’s just that Service Merchandise (remember them?) left us with a taste of cheap vinyl and NBA team logos. New Zealand based Coast proves that bean bag chairs can not only be comfortable, but also worthy of your discerning home’s outdoor space. Not convinced? Well, consider this:…

BMW Designworks and Snapper. Not a collaboration we would have expected, but most certainly welcome now that we’ve laid eyes on the new Snapper NXT riding mower. Designed by BMW Group Designworks USA and Snapper, the new NXT ($2,599-$2,999) manages to combine functionality and ruggedness you would expect in an advanced riding mower in addition…

Winter is the number one destroyer of patio furniture. Well at least that sounds like a slogan some wood finishing or furniture cover sellers would promote. Whether its true or not though, if you’re outdoor setup was ravaged by the elements during the off season, the Sawyer Adirondack from CB2 ($250) is an attractive chair…