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22 Jan 18:39

Olight H1R Nova

submitted by Mikey Bautista

When you think of a headlamp, you probably picture something pretty cut and dry—a lamp you wear on your head. But with a sophisticated enough design, it can be much more than that. Olight's new H1R Nova is a solid example of this. It takes a proven design and puts a new angle on it, offering more versatility as a powerful task light with plenty of carry options for up-close, hands-free work.

Two distinct features set the H1R apart from traditional lights. Up front is its angled head, packing a Cree XM-L2 emitter that can push out up to 600 lumens. Paired with a TIR bead lens, it gives off a floody beam useful for area illumination. With the included clip and magnetic tail, the H1R also won't get stuck with permanent forehead duty—now you have options for clipping it onto a pocket or bag, or mounting it onto surfaces for better lighting angles.

And then there's the H1R's charging cable. With the same width as the light itself, it's a compact way to keep its RCR123A battery charged, so you don't have to lug a bulky charger around everywhere to top up. A magnetic connection also keeps the light and cable safe from accidental tugs or yanks that could damage either.

Olight's H1R Nova gives you an everyday light that's more than a hunk of metal sticking out from your forehead. Pick one up in the tint of your choice from the Amazon link below.

Buy on Amazon

22 Jan 18:39

The Best EDC Gear from SHOT Show 2017

submitted by Bernard Capulong

This past week, EDC brands you know and love came together to show off their latest and greatest gear at the industry's biggest annual trade show—SHOT Show 2017.

The show is massive, with literally tons of new products on display within the tactical, hunting, and outdoor industries.

We scoped out some of the biggest names in the EDC scene to check out what they're bringing to the table this year.

In this quick post-show recap, we're giving you a sneak peek at some of our favorite new knives, lights, and other EDC gear we saw that should definitely be on your radar.

SOG's Surprising (and Impressive) Foray Into Urban EDC

When you think of a SOG knife, you might picture something textbook tactical—blacked out, aggressive design language, maybe a tanto blade and serrations here and there. That's why a few of SOG's new offerings for this year came as a refreshing change of pace. The SOG Terminus still looks and feels like the SOG you've come to know, but it's actually a non-locking, two-hand open slipjoint knife that measures in under 3” in blade length. It gives EDCers in areas with more strict knife laws the chance to experience what SOG does best.

The new SOG Baton series of multi-tools, however, came as the biggest surprise. They've tapped IDEO (an iconic design firm behind the first Apple mouse, among many others) for design help on these. The Baton series essentially takes multi-tool implements and delivers them in an entirely new form factor that's more discreet and elegant than the butterfly design you've come to expect from a multi-tool. The smallest Q1 includes scissors and a pen, the Q2 combines a knife and flashlight, Q3 gives you pliers, and the largest Q4 packs in the most tools, including a magnetic leather carrying case with bit kit. When these come out later this year, I can see them finding their way into plenty of minimalist EDCers' pockets.

You can check out the rest of SOG's new lineup on their site.


Gerber Brings it Back Home with USA-Made Gear

This year, Gerber's committed to putting out higher quality gear with premium materials and USA made construction. We've seen glimpses of that in their recently released Center Drive multi-tool and US Assist blades, for example. One of the new USA-made knives that caught my eye was the Shark Belly. It's an ambidextrous lockback knife with a practical sheepsfoot blade. It gets its name from the “gills” on the handle. It's also surprisingly lightweight, and its wire clip rides super deep and inconspicuously.

Another new Gerber knife, the Pocket Square, was designed specifically for the urban EDCer looking for a more modern look. It sports a sub-3” blade, clean lines, large thumb lifts and a liner lock.

Lastly, fans of Gerber's tactical pen, the Impromptu, can look forward to a couple of new colorways: a gunmetal grey and a flat dark earth.


CRKT Drops Over 60 New Knives for This Year

CRKT's booth was just knives as far as the eye could see. They're really pushing their field strip technology from the Homefront to new applications with a tactical and an urban version of the knife. But out of all of the walls, I was drawn most to the new knives designed by Jesper Voxnaes. To put it lightly, he has a knack for elegantly simple, ergonomic, and utilitarian shapes in his designs. You can definitely see that in the new CRKT Pilar, a compact minimalist's folding knife.

Check out all the new knives over at CRKT's site here. If you're into flipper knives, don't miss the Voxnaes designed Vizzle and Liong Mah's Remedy.


Kershaw and Zero Tolerance Push the Envelope with Futuristic and Classic Designs Alike

You should be hyped for what's in store from Kershaw and Zero Tolerance. I know I am. That's because Kershaw is really explicitly leaning into the EDC concept, and it shows in their knives. The designs are all so different from each other but individually impressive, with many of them focused on portability or everyday utility. For example, the Reverb is Kershaw's take on an ultralight camping knife, complete with G10 and carbon fiber handles, as well as a built-in carabiner clip to attach to your keys, belt loop, or bag. The Jens Anso-designed Fraxion is a sleek flipper knife that I can see becoming popular. Another new knife, the Dividend, takes the best of both worlds from the well-received Link and the classic Leek.

In addition to their all-new designs, Kershaw is also taking excellent designs from the past and bringing them back with a vengeance. You might remember the iconic ZT0777 (and a few… “derivative” knives from other brands). The Kershaw Natrix brings the best of that award-winning design to a much more accessible price point as a production knife. Kershaw's 2017 lineup also includes a collaboration with Al Mar Knives, injecting Al Mar's classic ultralight knives with Kershaw's SpeedSafe assisted opening and flipper tech.

See the rest of the upcoming knives at Kershaw's website.

My favorite knife at the Kershaw/ZT booth had to be 0055. It's based on the GTC Airborne, a custom design by knifemaker Gus T. Cecchini known for his innovative and futuristic knives. It has so much going on, especially in its highly geometric titanium handles. But looks aside, it also features a spring loaded hidden flipper tab that makes for a uniquely awesome deployment.

Check out the rest of the ZT lineup, including some crazy collaborations and newly developed colored carbon fiber handles at the Zero Tolerance site.


More Gear to Look Forward to This Year

As a brand, Benchmade has always put out beautifully designed knives. This year, they've outdone themselves with the 781 Anthem. It's an integral knife, meaning it's machined from a single piece of solid titanium. You might've seen this on a handful of framelock knives, but the 781 is the first integral to sport Benchmade's AXIS lock.

After last year's Tread wearable and Signal outdoor tool, Leatherman's keeping things lighter and simpler with their new lineup. The Juice CS3 (shown above) and the KBx are basically pared down versions of the mid-size Juice and Skeletool series, fitting into just a single “handle.” The CS3 packs a can and bottle opener, large scissors, and corkscrew into its handle, while the KBx combines a simple locking blade with a bottle opener/pocket clip.

Victorinox Swiss Army seemed to take an “if it ain't broke, don't fix it” approach again, sticking to what they do best. They told me some of their new colorways coming out later this year, and I'm sure a lot of you will want 'em for your EDC. We're talking premium materials and neutral colors instead of the brighter shades that might not blend in with the rest of your carry. Their full-sized Swisstools got refreshed with a new and improved, all-black finish to them shown above.

It wasn't just all knives at SHOT Show. As far as lights go, most were tactical designs, but there were a few standouts from SureFire, Streamlight, and Olight that caught my eye.

SureFire continues to innovate with the two-headed DBR Guardian, packed with their best technologies. One head throws light at a distance and can regulate regulate brightness at the same rate as your eyes can adjust to it using Intellibeam technology. The other head pumps out an even, floody beam for wide or up close work. You can access each head with their own respective push buttons, making operation even easier. It's like having several lights in one to handle any kind of lighting task.

Fans of Streamlight swear by a couple of their smaller lights: the Microstream and the Nano, both of which rank as two of the most popular and most carried lights on this site. The KeyMate USB marks another solid entry in their EDC-sized lineup. It's shaped like a key, but the entire blade of the key lights up. It's dual output with controls and battery indicators at the base of the key, complete with USB recharging capability and a carabiner clip for easy carrying.

Last but not least, 5.11 Tactical showed off a couple of solid new bags, as well as a few surprises. The COVRT Boxpack gets the black camo treatment in a more supple nylon makeup, but otherwise stays the same. They're also coming out with a new bag that's super low profile—especially compared to their classic RUSH series—called the Dart. See those rectangular imprints faintly peeking through its nearly blank pack exterior? That's MOLLE webbing all across the internal lining of the bag. So it boasts similar modularity to most tactical packs at the cost of slightly slower accessibility, but keeps a lower profile overall.

5.11 also teamed up with Griffin for a new set of phone cases and ultra rugged battery packs. But 5.11 was most excited to announce their new pants they've been developing for a decade, dubbed the Defender Flex jeans. I know pants aren't strictly the most relevant to EDC, but these are worth a mention—they're slim or straight leg jeans with built-in stretch for mobility, then just loaded with extra hidden pockets. For example, a longer coin pocket for a knife, and two hidden slit pockets along the back yoke for a large smartphone or even an AR mag.


Whew. Like I said before, the show was massive, so this recap doesn't even begin to scratch the surface of all the new gear coming out this year. As more of it becomes available, you'll be sure to see it here on Everyday Carry.

What new releases are you looking forward to most in 2017? Leave a comment and let me know.

22 Jan 18:36

An Easy Way to Peel Charred Peppers that Leaves You With Flavorful Stock

by Claire Lower

Roasting peppers for chili, soups, and stews is by no means a tough task, but peeling them can be a bit annoying. Though removing the skins under running water can help them slip off easily, you end up washing a bunch of flavor down the drain. Luckily, Serious Eats has a solution: peel them in a bowl of stock.

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22 Jan 18:35

Enhance the Flavor of Cocktails With a Few Drops of Saline Solution

by Patrick Allan

A pinch of salt is a great way for chefs and bakers to temper bitter flavors, but it’s a handy trick for at-home bartenders as well. Here’s how to make a saline solution that will boost the flavor of your cocktails.

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22 Jan 18:35

This Week's Top Downloads

by Andy Orin

Every week, we share a number of downloads for all platforms to help you get things done. Here were the top downloads from this week.

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22 Jan 18:35

Add a Versatile ThinkPad Yoga to Your Arsenal For Under $350, Today Only

by Shep McAllister on Deals, shared by Shep McAllister to Lifehacker

It’s not often that Amazon features a laptop as one of its deals of the day, so anyone who uses a desktop at home or work should definitely check out this $335 Lenovo Thinkpad Yoga for their portable computing needs.

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22 Jan 18:35

Rice Cooking Showdown: Stovetop vs. a Rice Cooker

by Kristin Wong

Growing up, our family’s rice cooker was a staple, like the refrigerator or the kitchen sink. It never occurred to me to not have one. As an adult, I noticed friends cooked rice in a pot on the stovetop. There’s nothing wrong with that, but let’s see which approach gets you the easiest and consistently best rice.

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22 Jan 18:35

Sunday's Best Deals: Protein Sale, ThinkPad Yoga, Wireless Flash Drive, and More

by Shep McAllister on Deals, shared by Shep McAllister to Lifehacker

Bookmark Kinja Deals and follow us on Twitter to never miss a deal. Commerce Content is independent of Editorial and Advertising, and if you buy something through our posts, we may get a small share of the sale. Click here to learn more.

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22 Jan 18:34

Gravity Rush 2

by cellmate707

Gravity Rush was with Danganronpa games while the best excuse you had to get a Playstation Vita. The unique game from 2012 about the young woman Kat who has the ability to change the gravity was a solid experience regardless of format, and developers in Japan Studio got it all to fit the Vita console like a glove. Not only commanded the game unique game mechanics, it was also wrapped in delightful sound and image that it was almost impossible not to be in a good mood.

In retrospect Vita become increasingly insignificant in the grand strategy of Sony, and it looked bad for a sequel. Fortunately, Sony has certain advice and given Japan Studio muscles to make a sequel to the much more popular Playstation 4. To recharge the launch they also released last one PS4 version of the first game (a similar strategy is also being done with the aforementioned Danganronpa series to recharge for the third game in the series, which means that Vita is becoming increasingly sidelined as regards exclusive titles). So the question is then whether Kat, cat Dusty and the rest of the gang manage to exploit the new powers, or whether this is a series that should stick to the handheld format.

Shortly after Kat calmed conditions in the flying city Witch Wild in the first game has Kat, South and Raven become trapped in a gravity storm and disappeared from Witch Ville. Where Raven has been of no one knows, but Kat and Syd have ended up in the mining village of Banga flying from place to place and operate mining operations under harsh conditions. On top of it all is not the cat Dusty to see, meaning that Kat can not use his powers to manipulate gravity. Fortunately not last this long, but it had not been a proper Gravity Rush games if not fun and games with gravity had been involved.

The first two hours of the game keeps a relatively low pace, and I know that the game is struggling to engage me as much as it should. The sites are small and opportunities limited. Gradually the game however far more open, and I get more and larger areas to explore. Along with this opens up besides more and varied side quests. Actually, Gravity Rush 2 have praise for the side quests are far more varied and at times even more entertaining than the main missions. To name something I have recorded movie and used the gravitational pull my order to force people to shop for food from a particular booth in town (they forgive me of course once they have tasted the good food). There is much playfulness and humor in side missions, just as I would expect from a Gravity Rush games.

Conversely, I have not such a good experience in terms of story missions. I am left with a feeling that the more the game opens up when it comes to environment, cityscapes and match opportunities, the less honed and sharpened becomes history missions. Not only that, but when you get halfway out into the story takes it all suddenly some unexpected twists. From there, the game gives me the impression that the story has been continued by a different writer, a feeling I will know up to several times the rest of the game. The more free Kat gets to gravity, the more I feel the story is drawn down. By the end of history it all feels like a patchwork in which four to five different script has been tried woven into one whole. Loose ends and unanswered questions hanging and throws at the end, despite the fact that the story to answer some important questions from the first game. I’d rather not use such strong words like “plane crash”, but it has several times been tempting to call AIBN …

You do not need to have played the first Gravity Rush to sit down with this game, but it helps. People and places from the first game are referred to on a regular basis, often without little context to go on, and sometimes it can almost be a little confusing even for those of us that cost us the first game. Here I miss the glossary, we could read in when memory is failing.

Should you however be one that does not care so much about the overall story, but will have a large and open city to revel in how you can constantly discover new things and play with gravity, is Gravity Rush 2 a game that comes to to offer a lot of fun. The game is much larger and more comprehensive than the original and the one think the game can not be bigger gets suddenly a new area to play around in.

The basic principle of the game is the same as its predecessor. One touch on one shoulder button allows you nullify gravity and floats, so you can put a new center of gravity can be attracted to when you press the shoulder button again. It’s not like Kat really flying, it’s more like they say in Toy Story: She falls in style. This is used as a basis for transport and the fight against Nevi-monsters.

The combat system and motion system works identically as before, but this time you get Kat eventually some new opportunities. She learns not really new attacks, but go rather to a different mode that modifies the attack pattern her something. The ability to switch modes gives a fresh contribution to the game mechanics and combat, and here utilized control capabilities of the PS4 in a good way.

Both attacks and other movements of the orbiting Kats ability to adjust gravity. It is often kept for himself, and one is therefore dependent on good overview and camera control to keep up. Unfortunately are shrinking game when it comes to camera. Especially in confined areas with walls and the like around it’s hard to keep track, especially when one is flying back and forth to hit or avoid enemies. Moreover, it is very easy to lose track of where the enemy actually is. A vision system where you unlock aimed at an enemy (not unlike that found in Zelda games) had done a lot to raise the quality.

However, there is one area where the game keeps good quality, then it is the audiovisual. The comic style is one of the most alluring at all Gravity Rush , where all the surroundings have feel to it which is heavily inspired by the French cartoonist Moebius (known for including Blueberry, Arzach and L’Incal). The characters have enough any clear anime pull over, but the overall visual style of Gravity Rush is far more French than Japanese. This is also evident in the fictional language of the game, which I envision is a kind of Japanese form of nonsense French (not unlike when Joey attempts to learn French in the TV series Friends). It sounds still not good, but I’m angry less now than four years ago. The music, however, is exactly as before, with wonderful orchestral jazz, delicious rhythms and mood blow ranks. Composer Kohei Tanaka deserves praise and praise for this soundtrack, which I hope emerge in future discussions on the best soundtracks from games of 2017 (a festive footnote: I often felt there was something One Piece of music, and when I turn up the composer’s CV Wikipedia I discover that Tanaka also is the main composer for anime series, which explains the association).

Should still be pulling something in this area, it must be said that there has been relatively little new with the graphics. It certainly looks good on PS4, but Gravity Rush 2 presses in no ways innards of the console to its limits. On rare occasions you also experience a dramatic drop in the visual update, but such cases can still be counted on one hand.

Although the reunion with Kat and Dusty are welcome and entertaining, would I still wish that the game was a notch better, not least when it comes to history. It all feels also more like a repetition of the same old, rather than giving the overwhelming feeling of something new and exciting that you got with the ace. With that said, there is much fun to be had in Gravity Rush 2 , and I believe that most fans of the first game also will find something to feast on here too. If nothing else, the game is worth your attention on the basis of the art style and not least the phenomenal music.