Hang posters without damaging your walls

When I was living in college dorms and in my first rental apartments, I had a lot of posters I decorated with that I really liked.  I didn’t want to damage them with tape on the corners nor holes from thumbtacks, and there were rules about damaging the walls, so I had to get creative when hanging my artwork.

My system involved cardboard, sewing thread, tape, and straight pins from my sewing kit.  It didn’t look great, but it saved my posters.  I wish I had GoodHangups back then because I could have easily hung and rehung my posters without damage to the posters or to the walls.

GoodHangups are a set of magnet-receptive stickers and little magnetic buttons.  The stickers adhere to the wall and are removable without damage to the wall nor residue left behind,  You can even move and re-use the stickers.  The stickers and magnets are designed to hold artwork of any dimensions, up to 624 square inches.

GoodHangups are available in sets of 8 for $14.89 up to a set of 100 for $99.99 at Amazon.

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Hang posters without damaging your walls originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on April 5, 2018 at 8:00 am.

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The UpCart Deluxe stair climbing handcart review

Several weeks ago, I wrote a news story on the UpCart and received some comments from our readers, including a request to review the cart. At that time, it was just a news story and I did not have one to review. Shortly thereafter, the owner of the UpCart Company saw the news story and comments and offered to send one for a review. So, here we go:

What is it?

The UpCart is a handcart built with 3 wheels on each side,  and it is designed to make taking loads up and down stairs easily, as well as going over curbs and the normal rough terrain that we usually use our handcarts for. The third wheel allows it to have traction and the ability to roll at all times since by design, 2 wheels on each side are always touching a surface.

What’s in the box

The UpCart Deluxe comes fully assembled in the box, and a nice wide and durable bungee cord is included so that you can just add your cargo, strap it in and go.

Design and features

The UpCart Deluxe is a well-designed lightweight handcart that uses 3 wheels on each side that rotate to make the curb climbing and carting up and down stairs much easier than the conventional 2-wheeled handcart. The handle from the base is chrome plated, 8 inches wide, 21 inches from the ground when closed and 44 inches from the ground when fully extended. The base and the wheels fold flat when closed, and measure 24 inches when flat at the widest point from wheel to wheel. The second grip just beneath the top handle is the lever that when pulled upwards, releases the handle to be extended or shortened.

When the handle is extended, the wheels are opened to the correct position for carting by depressing the base. In this position, the base that the load will rest on is 10 inches deep and 16.5 inches wide, and the distance across between the wheels is 19.5 inches.

The dimensions are very important for this review because this cart is very stable and without a doubt, the design and measurements are a critical part of the success of this cart.
The base of the cart is powder coated and in my testing, the metal felt like it could be cast iron but because the cart is relatively light, I could be wrong.

What I like

There are so many things to like about the UpCart. The fit and finish are pristine, and the design fits the purpose very well. I was very surprised at how lightweight it is and how skinny the wheels are, and yet it is remarkably stable. I tried to load it up with an unbalanced load to see if it would tip over and under what circumstances.

First, I loaded it with 2 boxes totaling approximately 80 pounds and it stood solid and with no issues.

Then I decided to use it for my cumbersome laundry bags and once again it stood steadfast on its own.

Finally, I packed on uneven parcels of grocery items and it handled the load like a champ.

I then took the groceries up the stairs, and other than the actual weight of the load, I had no problem getting the cart up the stairs. Once it started rolling, it was quite smooth, and it was the same going down the stairs.

I must also mention that it seems that it will easily handle the maximum load of 125 pounds as per manufacturer specifications.

What can be improved

While the UpCart is well built and quite strong, I do feel that the wheels could be slightly wider to better manage those rough parking lots with cracks in the asphalt. I would also like to see a mechanism built in to assertively lock the wheels open or closed. There were times when I felt unsure that the wheels would stay in position, albeit that they did.

Final thoughts

In my opinion, the UpCart Deluxe is without a doubt a well-built cart that may seem questionable from its looks but is very capable and in a very mighty way. Not only did it handle every load I tested without a hiccup, but it rolled across every surface I tried with such ease and balance that it is now a permanent addition in the bed of my truck. It has just about dethroned every one of my existing 2-wheeled carts. This is a good buy and serves a great purpose for anyone needing to carry loads within the specified maximum weight. I guess time will tell if it will stand up to the beating that my carts must endure, but I am betting that it will also do a good job at endurance.

Price: $99.95 MSRP
Where to buy: Amazon
Source: The product for this review was provided by UpCart.

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The UpCart Deluxe stair climbing handcart review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on April 4, 2018 at 4:00 pm.

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1.1.1.1 – DNS for faster, more private browsing

You can think of DNS (domain name system) as the directory of the internet. It’s the thing that connects the name of a website (google.com) to its IP address (8.8.8.8). With every action that requires internet access, the first thing that needs to happen is your device looking up the address of a domain. And that’s potentially a big problem, according to Cloudflare.

Many of the default DNS services on your devices are slow and can keep logs of every site you’ve visited, even if that site is encrypted. Cloudflare is trying to change all of that with the introduction of 1.1.1.1,  which promises faster domain resolution and more privacy than default DNS.

I’ve been using it for the past few days on my home WIFI router and on my mobile devices and it does seem to access websites a bit faster. I’m already running a VPN on those devices to mask my IP address, but this new DNS is another step toward more privacy online. The setup couldn’t be easier and can be done on any device or internet router, so why not check out their site and give it a shot?

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1.1.1.1 – DNS for faster, more private browsing originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on April 4, 2018 at 12:00 pm.

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Here’s a miniature chess set that fits in your wallet

What do you do when you fancy a game of chess, but don’t have a chess set in your gear bag? Check your wallet instead. That’s right, the Innovo chess set is so tiny that you can store the whole thing right in the credit card slot of your wallet. It’s a 3D printed set from Shapeways that’s been designed like a pegboard.

The blue nylon chess board breaks away from the chess pieces which “plug” into the board. Although all the pieces are the same color, you can differentiate between your pieces and your opponent’s by the hole in the center of some pieces.

It’s definitely a cool idea, but there are some major issues. First of all, what do you do with all the tiny chess pieces when you’re finished with your game and want to store the set back in your wallet? You’ll need some type of container for the pieces. But even more of a problem is the tiny size of the pieces themselves. It looks like it would be really hard to move the pieces around on the board without a tweezer!

The Innovo 3D printed chess set is only $12 from Shapeways if you want to check one out. Or you could just download a chess app for your phone and call it a day.

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Here’s a miniature chess set that fits in your wallet originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on April 4, 2018 at 11:00 am.

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Yellow Birch Outfitters PocKit and PocKit Pro EDC Pocket Organizer review

Need a way to keep your handful of small EDC essentials from banging around in your pocket?  Have a look at the Yellow Birch Outfitters PocKit EDC Pocket Organizer.  It’s basically a pocket with pockets that fits into your pocket.  But it’s much more than that!  Let’s check it out!  Gadget on!

What is it?

Yellow Birch Outfitters is a small, veteran-owned and -operated company that hand-builds all of its EDC and outdoor items in the USA.  The PocKit EDC Organizer is a pocket-sized organizer for those small but essential EDC items that many of us find useful to carry with us on a daily basis.  Its name derives from the fact that it is an organizational “kit” that can be carried in your “pocket.”  Clever!

Hardware specs

Per the Yellow Birch Outfitters site:

  • 1000d Cordura Nylon
  • Nylon No. 69 thread
  • YKK #5 zippers and pulls
  • Gutted 550 cord zipper pull silencer
  • Mil-spec tape
  • Dimensions – 4″ x 6″ for the Pro version, the standard version is a bit smaller

What’s in the box?

Jay Polaski, founder of Yellow Birch Outfitters, sent me two items to review: the PocKit Pro EDC Organizer – Modern Carry in Black (above left) and the PocKit EDC Organizer – Modern Carry in Coyote Brown (above right).  My initial impression?  Both of these items looked and felt very high quality.

A bit of explanation on the differences between the six (as of this writing) various PocKit EDC Organizers that Yellow Birch Outfitters offers.  There are two basic types, the PocKit Pro EDC Organizer and the PocKit EDC Organizer, the difference being that the “Pro” version has an added notebook pocket.  Further, the PocKit Pro has two variants: the Modern Carry, which has three slot pockets, and the Classic Carry which has four slot pockets.  Similarly, the PocKit also has two variants: the Modern Carry, which has two slot pockets, and the Classic Carry, which has three slot Pockets.  Got all that?  🙂

In the image above, you can see that the PocKit Pro EDC Organizer – Modern Carry (black, top) is a bit larger than the PocKit EDC Organizer – Modern Carry (coyote brown, bottom).  More on this below.

Jay was kind enough to include a patch with the Yellow Birch Outfitters logo.  Very cool!

Design and features

Let’s dig into features, starting with the PocKit Pro – Modern Carry EDC Organizer.  As mentioned above, both of these products looked and felt very high quality, which is due in no small part to the main material from which they are built, 1000d Cordura Nylon, a material that is often used in military-grade backpacks and accessories.  It is super durable due to its water-resistant and high abrasion resistance.

The zipper encloses the main compartment, shown in the image above.  No frills, just an open space to be used to store whatever you like, want or need.  Keep in mind that the 1000d Cordura Nylon is very water-resistant (though not water-proof), so you could even slip a smaller wallet or money clip in there, among other things, if you wanted, to organize cash and cards.
All Yellow Birch Outfitters PocKit EDC Organizers utilize YKK #5 zippers (YKK are widely known to be one of, if not the gold standard of zippers) as well as gutted 550 paracord silenced zipper pulls, all of which contribute to the high-quality look and feel of these products.  For this black colored PocKit Pro, gutted Coyote Brown colored 550 paracord was used to make the zipper silencer.  The paracord has been cleverly and carefully looped through the zipper pull and tied off in a way that prevents the zipper pull from clinking against the rest of the zipper, effectively “silencing” it.  I think the Coyote Brown Paracord against the black Cordura looks sharp.

In the closeup images above, you can also see the stitching of the Nylon No. 69 thread along the zipper, which is indicative of the quality of stitching throughout the PocKit.  The zipper stitching is tight and includes three rows on each side for improved strength.   Additionally, a nice touch is the small, brown Yellow Birch Outfitters logo tag on the outside of the PocKit.  Unobtrusive, subtle branding is always better than something that is obnoxious and screams, “HEY!  Look at ME!”

The side opposite the zippered side of the PocKit Pro – Modern Carry has a lot going on—three slot pockets plus a fourth, semi-concealed notebook pocket as shown above.  All of the pockets on both of these organizers use Mil-spec tape along their opening edges, as well as flanking the zippers, which contributes to durability.

Let’s start with the notebook pocket.  To demonstrate the notebook pocket, I slid one of my softcover 3.5″ x 5.5″ Moleskine Volant Pocket notebooks down into it.  This pocket is out of the way, but allows quick access to the notebook.  This pocket would reasonably fit other notebooks of roughly 3″ x 5″ size besides the Moleskine shown here, such as a Field Notes notebook or Rite in the Rain notebook, both of which are popular notebook brands amongst EDC practitioners.

In the image above, I’ve placed not only the Moleskine Volant Pocket notebook but also, working left to right, a Sharpie Twin-Tip permanent marker, a Parker Jotter ballpoint pen, a Lumintop Tool AAA flashlight, and a Leatherman Squirt PS4 keychain-sized multitool, which are four items I find myself needing or using fairly often.  I really like how the slot pockets are angled, which allows you to place items of varying lengths into appropriate locations in order to best secure them.

Nex,t let’s check out the PocKit EDC Organizer – Modern Carry.  As mentioned above, this style is a bit smaller than the “Pro” version, but with a very similar design and identical materials.

In the photo above, you can see that the zipper has been tucked inside at both ends and sewn to the main pocket body securely.  It may seem trivial or obvious, but this does help make for a stronger, more durable product.

As with the PocKit Pro EDC Organizer – Modern Carry, the PocKit EDC Organizer – Modern Carry uses a gutted 550 Paracord zipper silencer, this one in an Army green color, which I think looks sharp against the Coyote Brown color.

And again, the YKK #5 zipper is hand-sewn to the 1000d Cordura Nylon main body using the Nylon No. 69 thread, using three rows of stitching.  Attention to detail and durability are key here.

In the image above, I’ve placed, working left to right, the Sharpie Twin-Tip permanent marker, the Parker Jotter ballpoint pen, the Lumintop Tool AAA flashlight, and the Leatherman Squirt PS4 keychain-sized multitool, each of which fit just fine into the slot pockets, with the Sharpie sticking up over top of the PocKit just a bit.  A note here on the slot pockets: While the Modern Carry version with its two slot pockets performed fine for me, I think I would have found the Classic Carry version to be a bit more useful to me considering the items that I was using with it.

As mentioned previously and as can be seen above, there is a difference in size between the PocKit Pro EDC Organizer – Modern Carry and the PocKit EDC Organizer – Modern Carry.

Although the Yellow Birch Outfitters site states that each of the PocKit models has a 4″ x 6″ footprint, I found that the Pro version was a bit larger.  I measured the PocKit Pro at approximately 6 3/8″ x 4 3/8″ when empty, while I measured the other PocKit at 5 3/4″ x 3 3/4″ when empty.  

One of the items that I placed in the large zippered pocket of the PocKit EDC Organizer – Modern Carry was my Slim Fold Soft Shell wallet, the wallet that I EDC most frequently.The Slim Fold Soft Shell wallet fit perfectly inside, and still had room to spare for a few other small items.
The other items that I put into the PocKit’s outer slot pockets are shown above.They of course added a bit to the PocKit’s thickness, as seen above.

Next let’s check out how the PocKit fit into my pockets.  I only tested them out with a pair of jeans here; I didn’t test them in any of my cargo pants (the ones I wear most often and swear by are Eddie Bauer Guide Pro Pants), since these PocKit fit into the side pockets of them with no issues.  The jeans pockets were a bit of a different story.  Above, I’ve placed the PocKit into my front jeans pocket.  Even with these particular jeans having shallow front pockets, the PocKit fit down into them with little issue.Above is a pic of how I essentially had to adjust the PocKit while sitting—I had to slide it up in the pocket a bit.  Above is a photo of the PocKit after I had just loosely slid it into a back jeans pocket, just to give an idea of how the PocKit fit into a fairly standard-sized jeans pocket.

Above, I have pushed the PocKit all the way down into my back jeans pocket, and although it fit fine, it was a bit thick to sit on.

With the PocKit EDC Organizer – Modern Carry being the slightly smaller of the two, it worked a bit better for me for daily pants pocket carry.  The PocKit Pro’s slightly larger size was enough to make it more cumbersome for pants pocket carry for me.  However, if I were to wear cargo pocket style pants each day, I’d use the “Pro” version daily for sure, especially with its additional notebook pocket.

What I like

  • Durable! (1000d Cordura Nylon, YKK zippers, and 550 Paracord are all super durable)
  • Thoughtfully placed, well-designed pockets
  • Looks cool

What needs to be improved

  • A bit expensive, but for the materials and quality, I do understand why this is.
  • Maybe more color offerings?

Final thoughts

Yellow Birch Outfitters has something good going on here.  I really like both the PocKit Pro EDC Organizer – Modern Carry and the PocKit EDC Organizer – Modern Carry.  The pocket layouts are well-designed and the materials they built from are nearly bulletproof in terms of durability.  For me, the non-“Pro” version worked better for daily pants pocket carry because of it being slightly smaller.  I do like the “Pro” version’s notebook pocket, however.  While I do acknowledge that both versions of the PocKit appear to be expense for what you are getting, I actually think they are reasonable prices for items that are this well-designed and durable, that you may be able to use for a lifetime.  I liken the design, build and materials to something like GORUCK’s rucksacks—simple but useful in design, built with care in the USA from the highest quality materials.  As for myself, I can picture using both of the PocKit versions in my EDC for a long time.

Price: PocKit $39.99, PocKit Pro $49.99
Where to Buy: Yellow Birch Outfitters
Source: The sample of this product was provided by Yellow Birch Outfitters.

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Yellow Birch Outfitters PocKit and PocKit Pro EDC Pocket Organizer review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on April 4, 2018 at 10:00 am.

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