REVIEW – In college, someone once described my clutter as “organized piles of stuff”. It’s been a long time since my college days, and I try to keep my gear in order. Today I’ve got the BOND Travel Gear Tool Roll to review.
What is it?
The BOND Travel Gear Tool Roll is a nylon organizer with pouches and slots that comes in tan or black. I was sent one of each.
Hardware specs
Tough nylon exterior treated for water and abrasion resistance
Aircraft-grade aluminum hook to lock it down
3x pockets and “No slip” silicone-backed elastic holds items in place
Hangs anywhere
Double stitching and bartacking throughout
Lifetime Warranty
Dimensions: 7.75 in (20 cm) x 16 in (41 cm)
Design and features
The outside of the roll is held together by a single metal buckle that you slide into one of several slots.
Flip the roll over, and you’ll see the BOND logo tag. There’s a mesh zippered pouch on the inside. I was painting earlier in the day, so please excuse the paint on my hands.
Setup
I stuffed the pouch with a bunch of commonly used hand tools I use around the house, including small screwdrivers, multitools, tweezers, calipers, zip-ties, wire strippers and cutters.
Despite all this, it still folded up nicely into a compact package.
Performance
One thing I noticed is that once closed, the ends of the roll tend to curl up a bit, depending on what you put in.
What I like
Very simple and has a variety of slots for different items.
What needs to be improved
The ends that lift up kind of bother my OCD a little!
Final thoughts
The BOND Travel Gear Tool Roll is a handsome, sturdy package, but the exposed ends kind of bother me, especially given the price. It will depend on what you pack it with!
Price: $34.00 (each) Where to buy: BOND Travel Gear Source: The sample of this product was provided by BOND Travel Gear
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REVIEW – By now, everyone reading this post probably has a piece of opaque tape over the webcam on their laptop. We’ve seen the horror stories, TV shows, and news articles about cameras being hacked, as well as the famous picture of Mark Zuckerberg with tape over his laptop’s webcam. Now, rather than this ugly solution, there are these thin, sliding webcam shutters. I bought a random set on Amazon for under $10. It was listed as a 3 pack but actually came with 5 in the poly bag.
I installed one on my personal MacBook Pro (which has a black bezel), and can’t even see it unless I get the light just right. I know it’s there, though, because if I launch any app that accesses the camera, like FaceTime, the camera light turns on, but the image is totally black. A quick swipe of a finger and there is my smiling face. (Quick, slide it back!) I showed it to my Lovely Bride, and she wanted one for her MacBook Air. Since it has a silver metal bezel, it’s better to see, so that’s what’s in the picture.
If you’re concerned about your privacy, this doesn’t guarantee against hacking or surreptitious recording, but it does guard against images of your person or surroundings being recorded without your knowledge.
What I like
Quickly and easily closes off the webcam
Neat looking, no gummy tape
What needs to be improved
Doesn’t close off mic
Will slide open when in a bag
Not for phones or tablets, since it moves easily
Price: $7.35 Where to buy: Amazon Source: The sample for this review was purchased with my own funds.
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REVIEW – I’ve got EMT training but nowadays, most “injuries” I see happen in my role as Assistant Scoutmaster. Not only do I teach First Aid Merit Badge, but injuries are commonplace with active boys! You always need personal protective gear nearby, so I got a chance to try out the Condor EMT Glove Pouch.
What is it?
The Condor EMT Glove Pouch hold about 3-4 pair of disposable gloves on your belt or other equipment via snap closures. A split elastic seam on the front permits easy access to gloves, like a tissue paper box.
Hardware specs
Overlapping elastic to secure gloves or quick access
Holds 3 to 4 pairs of gloves
Multiple carrying options
Molle
Belt
Carabiner
Import
4″H x 3.5″W x .75″D
Olive Drab, Black, Tan, Coyote Brown
Design and features
Glove pouches are designed for easy access to disposable gloves. The gloves are accessed through the split elastic front. If you really want, you can unfasten the hook and loop closure on the top as well, but that’s an extra step.The rear of the pouch has a snap closure and MOLLE straps.
Setup
Here you can see I’ve threaded my Boy Scout uniform belt through the snap loops. I tucked the snaps under one of the MOLLE loops just to see if I could.
Performance
Here’s the glove pouch on the side of my Scout uniform. In this case, the color isn’t an exact match for my pants, but close enough.
What I like
That split elastic closure on the front face is really handy! It’s really like a tissue dispenser but for gloves.
What needs to be improved
The belt attachment is kind of gigantic at first unless you tuck in the excess into the MOLLE straps. Otherwise, you could probably attach this pouch to anything you can think of.
Final thoughts
If you’re tired of shoving gloves in your pants pocket, give your pockets a break and get a pouch.
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REVIEW – In my illustrious career, I’ve had EMT training and worked in a certain three-letter Federal agency, so “tactical” style clothing isn’t unfamiliar to me. This one from Condor caught my eye because it has that Cobra-style buckle, and is 100% non-metallic. Why is this interesting?
What is it?
The Condor GT Cobra Belt is a lightweight, two-layer belt with a quick release buckle.
Hardware specs
– 1½” nylon webbing (3000lbs tensile strength)
– Genuine COBRA® buckles by AUSTRIALPIN(500lbs tensile strength)
– Three rows of stitching to increase belt stiffness
– Hook and loop secure belt end
– Made in the USA
Not much of a box, but you do get the belt in a plastic bag.
Design and features
The most distinctive feature is the Cobra buckle. Let’s see how this works.
The Cobra buckle consists of two halves that are released when you squeeze the two tabs. It makes a nice, solid “click” sound when you close the buckle. It is important to note that you will probably not be able to thread the belt through your belt looks fully assembled. The buckle is about 2-1/8″ wide. To thread the belt, you’ll need to remove the male end of the buckle first. It was an extra step at first, but the ease of unbuckling made up for the initial step.
The loose end of the belt is held secure against your waist via hook and loop (“velcro”). I’ve had other belts like this that require belt loops or belt keepers to prevent stray ends from flopping around. Not the case here!
Here’s the belt on my pants. Note how the width of the buckle is unlikely to fit through most belt loops.
What I like
Most of the Cobra buckles I see are metallic. This one is completely non-metallic, so it’s a little bulkier. However, this also means you can go through a metal detector without issue- unless TSA makes you remove it anyway. The tactile click when you snap it together is really neat.
What needs to be improved
Like I’ve mentioned, you have to remove the male end of the Cobra buckle before threading the belt through your belt loops. If you dislike this extra strap, this is not for you.
Final thoughts
I actually like the non-metallic buckle. Because it’s not painted, the buckle will keep looking sharp after lots of use. The hook-and-loop end keeps me looking sharp despite any belt excess. This one is a keeper in my wardrobe.
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REVIEW – Robotic vacuum cleaners have been around for at least the last quarter-century, but the idea goes back much further. While they don’t look like Rosie from The Jetsons, the idea of a machine to pilot itself around your home, rather than you having to guide the nozzle of a machine around is home automation gadget dreaming at it’s finest. Xiaowa has released a new entrant into this category, the Xiaomi Lite, and sent one to The Gadgeteer for testing. Despite protests from Jack, our Sheltie, we’ve been giving this thing the run of the house for a few weeks now. Read on for the results.
Note: Photos may be tapped or clicked for a larger image.
What is it?
The Xiaomi Lite is a white disc 13.5” x 3.5”. It roams the floors randomly, sweeping dirt and debris into an inner dustbin. There is an IR sensor across the front that it uses to home in on the charging dock and to slow it down as it approaches walls. There are also two physical bumpers that tell it when it’s run into something. One is the entire front of the disc, and the other sticks up from the center front to measure the height of overhangs.
What’s in the box?
Assembled vacuum unit
Charger
Power cord for charger
Cleaning brush (with hair remover pick)
Instruction sheet with no Roman characters whatsoever
Design and features
The Xiaomi Lite (or Rosie, as we nicknamed it) is not programmable, as some units are. That said, there are some internally programmed obstacle avoidance actions, which may or may not be included in the instruction sheet. There are instructions given in very clear English when certain things happen: “Charging” “Starting with the cleanup” “Dustbin removed” “Dustbin replaced”. There are three buttons on the top center area and a flap door that can be lifted to reveal a containment box. This can be removed and easily shaken out into a trash can. It holds maybe a cup or more of debris. There are clear English warning labels to not rinse or remove the filter. I did clean the filter out with some canned air out in the yard since it gets a coating of fine dust after a few loads of dog hair and other debris.
To start the cleaning process, you simply press the illuminated power button, and she announces “Starting with the cleanup.” From there, it just ricochets around the room until the battery runs down when it returns to the charger and announces “Charging.” I only had it get stuck once under a piece of furniture where it stalled out and said some warning. (I was in another room and heard it dimly through the headphones I was listening to.) It had turned off the motor and was wedged under the decorative scrollwork under our hall tree. The only other times I’ve seen it get confused is around the chairs in our dining room. When all 5 chairs are under the table, that’s 24 legs with some truly random clearances. Rosie manages it well, but I think it is a drain on her batteries since there is so much hacking and backing involved.
There is another button to the left of the power button. When this is pressed, the Xiaomi Lite says “spot cleanup” (I think), and starts cleaning in concentric circles. This continues until the circle is about 4’ across, then reverses and going back to the center. (In an unplanned accident just before I posted this, the dog’s food bowl was kicked over, and the area needed a spot cleaning. Here’s the video.)
If you have a spill or especially dirty area, this would handle it well. I used this in the center of the sewing room, and it got almost a full canister of dog hair, loose threads, and tiny snips of fabric the color of the rug. This is a very nice feature.
The charger has a black window with some sort of homing beacon inside. It’s a 4” high x 5” x 2” tower with a 4” charging apron in front. There was never a time when the Xiaomi Lite ran low on battery and didn’t know how to get back to it, which is not the case for some, according to friends who have used other brands. We’re supposed to leave half of some distance to each side and 1.5 of the same distance in front to allow it to enter. (See photo below) We have it set about 14” from a hat rack and open in front and to the other side, and as I said, never had an issue. (see video of self-docking)
Setup
Setup is pretty minimal – unless you have stairs or wires running over the floor. If it’s safe for your toddler or your 90-year-old mother, the Xiaomi Lite can probably navigate it. If not, you’ll need to block off areas you don’t want it to get lost in. We close off the hall bath (two loose rugs), my office (too many wires), The Lovely Bride’s sewing room (fabric, pattern papers, and sewing machine pedals), and the master bedroom (cords under the bed for chargers and the Sleep Number pump.) Other than surprising Jack on more than one occasion (he won’t believe that just getting on the couch will keep him safe!), we really didn’t have any issues.
According to the website, you can use it with an Alexa-powered device. (We are the only household in the US that has held off from buying into this use of our Prime account.) There is also an app, but I could not get it to pair to my Wifi router. It’s not compatible with 5GB wifi.
Performance
The Xiaomi Lite runs fairly quietly and reliably. Obviously, it’s louder on hardwood floors than on carpet or rugs, but it makes the transition between the two without issue. (We have no shag, fringed, or loose throw rugs, which may be part of this. All of our rugs are straight-edged and short napped.) The Xiaomi Lite speeds up across open floors but slows when approaching a solid wall or furniture. If the obstacle is solid, it will just tap it, but if it’s light enough (like my Grandmama’s antique rocker), it may push it a bit. Sometimes, this results in trapping itself into a corner, which is irritating, but it’s rare.
What I Like
Picks up trash well
Returns to base to recharge reliably
Avoids most obstacles
Gets under furniture
What needs to be improved
No automatic start (without an Alexa device)
No known programmability
Seems very random in coverage
Final thoughts
I’ve been talking with friends since getting this unit, and have been surprised how many have one and use them constantly. During a visit to my doctor, for instance, she was having an issue with her chair being stuck under the table leg and I laughed and commented that it was similar to this robotic vacuum I’ve been testing out. This launched us into how they clean and different models, etc. She’s had them for years, and we talked about it for several minutes. I also read up on how some models map the home and can clean systemically, rather than randomly. While this is not part of the feature set of the Xiaomi Lite, the ones that offer this are also selling at much higher price points! If you want a basic automatic vacuum that will spot clean or get the greater part of the random household mess, this could be just the thing. If I didn’t have this, I’m not sure I would go out and buy it, because the carpet in the three rooms we block off still require dragging out the manual vacuum. If I could have it reliably run while I was at work, and know it wouldn’t get caught under a chair or caught up in one of Jack’s beds, it might make a difference.
Price: $149.99, normally $241.64 Where to buy: GeekBuying Source: The sample of this product was provided by GeekBuying.
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REVIEW – In college, someone once described my clutter as “organized piles of stuff”. It’s been a long time since my college days, and I try to keep my gear in order. Today I’ve got the BOND Travel Gear Tool Roll to review.
Flip the roll over, and you’ll see the BOND logo tag.
There’s a mesh zippered pouch on the inside. I was painting earlier in the day, so please excuse the paint on my hands.
Despite all this, it still folded up nicely into a compact package.
The rear of the pouch has a snap closure and MOLLE straps.
(500lbs tensile strength)
The Cobra buckle consists of two halves that are released when you squeeze the two tabs. It makes a nice, solid “click” sound when you close the buckle. 
It is important to note that you will probably not be able to thread the belt through your belt looks fully assembled. The buckle is about 2-1/8″ wide. To thread the belt, you’ll need to remove the male end of the buckle first. It was an extra step at first, but the ease of unbuckling made up for the initial step. 
Here’s the belt on my pants. Note how the width of the buckle is unlikely to fit through most belt loops.
