Our fearless editor Shawn Blanc is known to be an avid snowboarder, and with winter almost upon us, I think it's the perfect time to talk about Oakley's new Snowmad R.A.S (removable airbag system) Backpack ($225). Designed for cross-country treks, this bag can hold your snowboard vertically, or your skis in one of two positions: diagonal or A-frame. It also has multiple…
The new Papernomad cases by Griffin are interesting. Where most case manufacturers would recommend avoiding marks and spills, the Papernomad line is actually designed to be written on, sketched on, coffee-stained, and painted to your liking. It's essentially a blank canvas for your imagination — a lofty description for a gadget case, but fitting nonetheless. The exterior is made of a special…
One of my favorite ways to take my coffee on-the-go is with my Contigo Autoseal Tumbler. It keeps hot drinks hot for several hours, and cold drinks cold for half the day (not that it takes me that long to drink my coffee, of course). It only holds 16oz of liquid though, so if I'm having the kind of day where I'm…
The 11+ Felt Case is an attractive, hand-made case designed to protect a MacBook Air or full-sized iPad, as well as a few smaller items you might keep in your bag like cables and business cards. When opened, the inner pocket can double as a mousepad. We think this is an awesome solution for "light tech" travelers. Here's a view of the…
If you're the type of photographer who's always dreamed of carrying your gear like Hawkeye, then the Urban Quiver by Blackstone Bags should be right up your alley. Made of military-grade nylon and sporting a surprising amount of storage space despite its slim profile (including a dedicated smartphone pocket on the shoulder strap), the Urban Quiver is an awesome way to tote…
The ProTravel Carry-on by Minaal is a Kickstarter that caught my eye recently. Essentially, it's a backpack that was specifically designed with travelers in mind. The main pocket opens up wide enough that the bag can lie flat while you pack, and the full-length zips make it easy to retrieve any of your belongings without having to dig around for that one…
A handcrafted combination leather wallet + notebook cover.
Readers of this site, being aficionados of fine technology, are likely no strangers to running out of charge when they need it most. Until battery tech improves such that it only takes one charge to power a smartphone for a week, most of us will need a backup plan at some point. Enter the Dark Energy Reservoir. This portable, rechargeable unit can…
The Hack Lederware Sport Duffel ($239) is a canvas-and-suede bag that I think would be a perfect carry-on companion for air travelers. It sports a nicely textured exterior, with dual leather carrying handles and a detachable linen webbing messenger strap. As for storage, there is one main compartment with two inside pockets, as well as a couple of exterior zippered slip pockets.…
Remember the Grid-It organizer I wrote about a while back? Well as it turns out, the guys at Cocoon have made a backpack – the Cocoon SLIM ($80) – that actually incorporates a large Grid-It organizer into one of its two main pockets. The other main pocket can hold a 15" MacBook Pro, and there's even a separate iPad compartment. This backpack…
I'm going to let my Oklahoma bias show once again, this time with the Ruck Strap by HoldFast. Made in Tulsa, this camera strap is made of duck canvas and leather, and cleverly features a few places to keep small items. The two front pockets allow you to store credit cards, cash, memory cards, and other such things. The elastic band on…
If you live in a big city where lots of people like to get around on bikes, you already know that it can be difficult to find a good space to park your own bike. Or sometimes you have to park a vehicle far away from your destination and it would help to have a small bike to finish the journey. The…
Ohai ($5) is a journaling app developed by Steve Streza – former lead developer for Pocket – that uses the App.net API to help you track places you've been to. It's honestly a bit similar to Rego in concept, but the fact that it's built on top of App.net is pretty interesting to me.
Summertime is in full swing, and the weather here in Oklahoma City has been quite pleasant this year, unlike previous years where it's constantly 100°F or higher. It's perfect picnic weather, and I'm considering picking up a couple of these Yield Picnic Bags. Essentially, it's a tote bag you can carry your food and/or drink with, and when you get to the…
The Nomad Key Ring Lightning Cable ($25) is a miniature cable with a lightning adapter on one end and a USB plug on the other. It attaches to your key ring so you'll always have it with you when you need it. If you don't carry keys very often but do carry a bag everywhere you go, the Nomad fits quite nicely…
Remember that Journey Pack bag from Sons of Trade that I posted the other day? Well, there's another bag made by the same people that I think is also worth mentioning: the Satellite Sling. Unlike the Journey Pack, which is made from felt, this bag sports a matte cotton canvas exterior with a water-resistant nylon lining. It's a relatively small bag, but…
Ever since I picked up an iPad 4, I've been on the lookout for a bag that will snugly accommodate the device along with some other items. The Journey Pack by Sons of Trade ($139) seems to fit the bill nicely. It sports a sturdy felt exterior (available in black, olive, or gray) with water-resistant interior lining, and lots of little storage…
WWDC is right around the corner, which likely means San Francisco will soon be seeing a sudden influx of international tech enthusiasts. Many of them will be buying drinks for one another, and they might want to keep track of exactly how much money they're losing spending back home. Instead of doing mental calculations on the spot, they should use the Currency…
The AeroPress is an excellent coffee maker to take when traveling. I slide a dozen paper filters and a plastic bag of beans into the inside of the plunger whenever I'm going on a trip. The only problem is that the filters and beans have a tendency to fall out. To fix this problem, the guys at Able Brewing company made a…
I've said this before, but it must be very obvious by now that we love great bags here at Tools and Toys. Today I wanted to talk a little about this carryall by Billykirk, which they've dubbed the 'No. 165 Medium'. If you don't already know, Billykirk is an American company run by a couple of brothers (Chris and Kirk Bray) who…