THAT SLING YOU DO

A DVR lets you record a show and watch it later, though that’s only good if you’re going to be home sometime soon. But with the Slingbox 500 ($299.99; slingbox.com) you can record shows in your living room and watch them anywhere via your laptop, tablet or smartphone. And best of all, you don’t have to pay for an extra cable or satellite subscription. The 500 can stream full 1080p HD-quality to connected devices via Wi-Fi or HDMI, and users can even use it to share photos and videos from Android and iOS devices, making this a way to slingshot all that must-see content.

MY NAME IS HOOKAH

With a hookah, smoking tobacco becomes a communal experience. But why should smokers have all the fun? Much like an electronic cigarette, the 777 eCigs e-Hookah ($99.95; 777ecigs.com) uses an atomizer that turns e-Shisha (a version of the traditional hookah tobacco and flavor mixture) into vapor without the smoke, ashes or carcinogens of burning coals. It comes with two hoses, a rechargeable battery that lasts roughly four hours, and one bottle of e-Shisha in the flavor and nicotine level of your choice. It’s also a great conversation piece that lets you smoke — or vape, as e-smoking is called — without setting off any fire alarms.

ROUGH RIDER

Riding a bike with headphones isn’t exactly a good idea, but Scosche’s boomBOTTLE ($149.95; scosche.com) lets you bring the noize without blocking the outside world. The Bluetooth-enabled speaker slips into a bicycle’s water bottle cage and is not only rugged and weatherproof, with IPX4 splash-proof construction, but also utilizes a non-slip TPU exterior that can handle vibration from the road. The cylinder also houses a rechargeable battery that provides up to 10 hours of music, while the dual 44mm drivers and subwoofer pound out 360 degrees of sound, so you can have music that rolls with you.

THE HERO IN ME

Despite what our five-year-old imaginations told us, Underoos didn’t give us super powers. And even with the icons of Batman and Superman on them, neither will Under Armour Alter Ego Baselayer Compression Shirts ($34.95 to $44.99; underarmour.com). But with HeatGear Sonic fabric, they will help muscles stay warm, while the Moisture Transport System whisks sweat away and the Anti-Odor technology ensures that you don’t generate a super-bad smell in the process. Sure, it’s not underwear that’s fun to wear, but by making you look like Supes or the Dark Knight, you might get the added boost you need to finish the next mile.

SIPHON FILTER: COFFEE OPS

Most coffee aficionados agree that siphon brewing delivers the most flavorful cup of joe known to man. Made by Bodum, the PEBO vacuum coffee maker ($80; bodum.com) brews coffee through vacuum pressure, which ensures maximum contact with the beans so that no flavor escapes. Hot water rises to the top chamber and remains in contact with the beans for the perfect amount of flavor extraction. What falls back down is savory coffee that offers the brightness of the best drip brewers and the richness of a French press, but without the messy grounds. It requires more care than a run-of-the-mill coffee maker, but the PEBO delivers sheer caffeinated bliss.

TOTEM ROLE

We all want to be unique, and we all want to save the world. You can do both with the T3 messenger bags from Totem ($147; totembags.ca), since these cycle-friendly shoulder bags are constructed from “upcycled” materials, and thus no two are ever exactly alike. Made from truck tarps, promotional banners and even old bike tires, the bags feature a large front pocket with Velcro enclosure, while an upcycled seatbelt works as a shoulder strap. In addition to keeping used products out of landfills, the choice of materials also makes them durable and weatherproof.

© Copyright RosebudMag.com, 2013