Have you heard of Skookum Dog?  Our friends at Tom Bihn have created a line of amazing dog paraphernalia that is not only comely and durable, but made in the USA! We got the Camp Mat in Large. This amazingly simple mat fits perfect in the back of the car and is super easy to take with us when we are on the go. Our pup has made the Camp Mat her bed when we bring it in the house, take her camping or take it with us on the road. The plush sherpa side is comfortable and warm for those cold car rides (in winter, that is) and the ballistic side is cool and durable for the summer. We have been using this wonderful mat for several months now and it still looks brand new. We have yet to wash it or feel the need to wash it. It’s really quite wonderful. We also…Continue Reading
Today we have the privilege of talking with Don Walker, founder of the North American Handmade Bicycle Show, and Don Walker Cycles. NAHBS 2014 is opening today in Charlotte, NC and 50 BUILT is here to cover the show. Stay tuned for a full coverage feature of the show and the frame-builders in attendance.     Can you give 50 BUILT readers some background on yourself up to this point? I grew up in Sacramento, Ca. and started racing road bikes at the age of 14. After I graduated high school, I went into the work force as an aircraft mechanic while still racing track, kind of part time. I spent 4 years working as a civilian on B1-B and B-2 Bombers. Around 1990 I wanted to take my skillset and make bike frames. It was a a way for me to stay with and give back to the sport…Continue Reading
So now that you know that I love mason jars, and you may or may not know that I obsessively use them as beverage receptacles, I must share with you a noticeable problem with this set up and a rather ingenious solution. Mason jars, being glass, sweat.  When your desired drink on the inside requires ice, condensation forms on the outside of the container and drips all over the place creating a ginormous watery puddle (especially if said mason jar is the quart-sized one filled with ice and iced tea).  I took to carrying around a small towel and setting my jar on it, but it would drip all over my lap when I picked it up to drink out of it.  It was very sad. I also tried to make tea in my mason jar.  The hot kind.  Clearly I have a tea problem.  But the jar got so…Continue Reading
I love mason jars.  No kidding.  It sounds strange, but they’re so beautifully simple – and versatile.  I put serving utensils in them, I use them as cups, and I have so often thought to myself, “I wish I could take this ‘to-go.’”  Cuppow, the geniuses that they are, have made it possible for me to take my mason-jar-contained beverage on the road!  AND their brilliant roadie lids are made in the USA! If you’re like me, you have mason jars coming out the wazoo.  My poor husband.  They’re everywhere.  I have wide-mouthed ones, regular mouthed jars, teeny tiny jars, and how!  Cuppow has a roadie lid for both regular and wide-mouthed jars, so no matter what size the jar, a Cuppow lid will fit.  I have been using a quart-sized wide-mouthed jar as my go-to afternoon iced tea or water receptacle.  The wide-mouthed Cuppow lid is perfection!  All you do…Continue Reading
Today we’re talking with George Chevalier, the man in charge of Marketing and Communications at Princeton Tec out of Trenton, NJ. Can you give 50 BUILT readers some background on yourself and the events that led up to starting Princeton Tec? Bill Stephens started Princeton Tec in 1975, in the back room of their Princeton, NJ dive shop. To kick things off, they dreamed up and built the first automatic dive timer. Next, the PTEC product line expanded to include everything a diver could need, from watches to gauge consoles, flashlights and even replacement mask and fin straps. They were ahead of the curve with flashlights, and eventually PTEC transitioned into a lighting company. Today, we design and manufacture lights for the Outdoor, Industrial, Tactical, Bike and of course SCUBA markets. While Bill has retired, his son and grandson are integral to the company today.   What has the road been like…Continue Reading
I have always envied women who could pull off the ‘jean jacket’ look.  I’ve never been able to swing it… that is, until now. Tradlands, an amazing company out of San Francisco, have put together some really great pieces.  As they themselves claim, they, “have designed pieces for the woman who drifts toward menswear and thinks, ‘if only this were made for me.’”  And they have!  I am certainly that woman. Though it’s a mite on the spendy side, weighing in at $187, I really think it’s worth every penny.  It’s a piece you’ll have forever and it’ll never go out of style. I was taught young to buy fewer things, but nice things. This is a nice thing. Their EMB Denim Shirt Jacket is an amazing feat. Not only does it fit stunningly, it is comfortable (no neck chafing like most denim shirts/jackets I’ve ever worn) and can be…Continue Reading
Baseball is a game of tradition. It’s an American pastime that deserves respect. It’s a beautiful game in all aspects from strategy to the equipment used. Every kid growing up needs a ball and glove, but they want a bat. Today we’re reviewing a bat by Warstic, that any kid would dream of having and any professional would be delighted to use. This Texas based company makes their bats from American White Ash with straight grains, Rock Hard Sugar Maple or Dense Yellow Birch, all designed for ultimate performance. The model we have used, and have drooled over, is the Whiskeyville Maple, Pro Designer series. It retails for $129 and comes with a full dip vintage black with a warrior flame Wartip®, and off-white engraving, including a free engraving of the player’s name. Sizes range from 31-35″ and bats take 7-12 business days to ship, since each one is made to…Continue Reading
When you buy a WIlson football, you are purchasing the only American Made ball of any of the major U.S. sports leagues. Not only does Wilson manufacture the official NFL football, ‘The Duke,’ in Ada, Ohio, but they also make NCAA and Highschool footballs in their USA factory. The ball we’re reviewing today is the Wilson 1003 GST football. The construction of the ball we bought is flawless. Seams are tight and straight and the feel of the materials is top notch. The 1003 GST is unique in that the white stripes on the ball are sewed on to create another level of grip and texture. This additional attention to detail makes for a great feel and better ball control, especially if you don’t have the big hands of an NFL or NCAA quarterback. The composite leather laces have a slight rubberized texture to them as well adding to grip…Continue Reading