Awesome Living

Sun Company’s stainless steel luggage tag not only labels your bag, but packs a bunch of handy functions for everyday tasks. It comes with a leather strap and includes Phillips and flathead screwdrivers, nine sizes of hex wrenches, a spoke wrench, an inch ruler, a pry tool, and a bottle opener.

There are tens of thousands of miles of abandoned railroad tracks in the U.S. Ryan Randomness explores these defunct rails using a gas-powered, two-seat go-kart that rolls on custom-made polyurethane wheels, and he shares videos of his journeys on his Instagram and YouTube channels, like this trip to the Goat Canyon Trestle.

This tiny and minimal keychain tool is more versatile than it looks. The 3″ long Rhino Bar is machined from a solid stainless steel bar, has grip indentations, and won’t bend or break under pressure. Use it to pry apart things, remove staples, open packages, and scrape paint or glue. It can also turn flat-blade screws.

Here’s another sweet-looking piece of gear from Dango’s Ultem collection. This compact compass is perfect on a keychain or in your pants’ fifth pocket. It features a CNC-machined body fabricated from durable, heat-resistant plastic in translucent gold. The liquid-filled compass will last for years and help guide your way no matter where life takes you.

Gutting a freshly-caught fish isn’t the most pleasant of tasks, but if you have to do it, you want the right tool for the job. The Gutsy incorporates a serrated scaler, a gutting hook, a scoop hook for clearing out veins, plus a bottle opener for celebrating a job well done with the day’s catch.

We love Snow Peak’s titanium mugs, but most of them come in a drab grey. If you’re looking for something with a little more color, check out their anodized mugs. These single-wall cups come in matte purple, green, or blue finishes and hold up to 15.2 oz. of hot or cold liquid. Folding handles help save space in your pack. They sell a double-wall insulated version too.

Scrimshaw art dates back to the late 18th century as a product of the whaling industry. But you won’t have to catch Moby Dick to make your first piece of scrimshaw. This kit from Mollyjogger includes a bone-handled pocket knife, a steel scribe, India ink, a tracing tool, and a variety of designs so you can customize your knife. Choose from a Trapper or Lock-back style knife.

Ring in the New Year with Freixenet’s most popular cava, Cordon Negro Brut. Affectionately known as “Black Bottle Bubbly,” this inexpensive sparkler from Catalunya, Spain, is the world’s #1 imported sparkling wine. Crisp and creamy Cordon Negro Brut’s delicate bubbles are best served as the heart of mixed cocktails like Mimosas, Spritzes, and Bellinis.

The AroundFire table lets you and your friends gather around the grill instead of leaving your grillmaster off in a corner somewhere. The table folds up small, and its hanging fire mesh basket works with charcoal, wood, or pellets. Its adjustable legs extend from 15″ to 22″, and it doubles as a fire pit. Available in 4-to-6 and 8-to-10-person sizes.

This unique tabletop clock from Iain Gellatly’s Retro Gear Laboratories displays the time on a pair of backlit analog gauges, accented with a bright Nixie tube pilot light. The Industrial version has a wood case and a steel front panel, while the Steampunk version has a vintage wine case with a brass face. It even automatically sets its time with a Wi-Fi connection.

This palm-size screwdriver has a stubby handle, but its adjustable-length bits can be extended to provide reach into tight spaces. Its ratcheting mechanism helps turn screws faster, and its ergonomic handle provides excellent grip. The kit includes six double-ended magnetic bits for turning a variety of screw types.

Want that special round ice you find at fancy cocktail bars? The IcyForge is a tabletop ice maker that cranks out perfect, crystal-clear spheres of ice for your drinks. It makes two bubble-free 5.5cm (~2.2″) ice balls every hour and has a capacity of a dozen in its bin. It also has built-in UV sterilization, and is compatible with home water purifiers.

This small but useful EDC accessory keeps keychains, carabiner clips, and other hanging items from tangling. It’s made from durable Ti-6Al-4V titanium alloy with a smooth-spinning 360º swivel joint. Sold in a 2-pack in a natural or black finish. It also works for hanging planters, wind chimes, or other small home decor items.

While a handful of restaurants make their own ramen noodles, many turn to companies like Sun Noodle to make high-quality noodles to serve their guests. Eater takes us inside family-owned business that produces more than 300,000 portions of the chewy Japanese noodles each day, delivering them to dining establishments around the nation.

The Chirp massager improves on other percussive massagers by covering a much greater surface area. This helps break up muscle tension and provides relief faster. It offers a 5-speed reversible mechanism and its eight independent rollers spin to deliver an invigorating treatment. Comes with a hands-free base for legs, feet, and hard to reach spots.

Paul Jackman has made a lot of drink coasters out of recycled pallet wood. This time, he made a bunch of coasters that look exactly like real pallets. After designing a 1:10-scale model on his computer, he got to work fabricating 200 of the tiny replicas, complete with laser-engraved logos. You can grab a 2-pack on the ISOTunes website for $50.

Apparently, it’s not proper etiquette to use your spoon like a shovel. We say screw that. Go all in on the idea with these playful teaspoons that look like miniature shovels. The 4-piece set comes in a stainless or gold finish and in either round or square blade versions. They’re great for digging into desserts.

Scrub away the day’s sweat and grime with this exfoliating black bar of soap on a rope from Byrd. The bar combines activated charcoal and jojoba beads to remove impurities and exfoliate dead and dry skin, while shea butter helps smooth and moisturize. Gentle on all skin types.

Gear Aid’s Balta hatchet is a compact and versatile camping tool. In addition to splitting wood for kindling, it can hammer in and pull out tent stakes. It features a full-tang 420 stainless steel blade with a stonewashed finish and a textured grip. Comes with a plastic blade protector with a built-in belt clip.

This modern home is anything but a traditional cabin. Levi Kelly takes us on a tour of this unique rental property in Hocking Hills, Ohio, known as The Block Tower. Its stacked 4-story construction packs in five bedrooms, three bathrooms, cozy living spaces, a hot tub, and multiple decks that overlook the surrounding woods. Book a stay on Airbnb.

Those of us with facial hair know the importance of keeping it clean and well-groomed. The Beard Scrubber from Tooletries is a game-changer for keeping your face in tip-top condition. The hex-shaped tool has pointy yet flexible silicone bristles that work their way through even tangled hair, cleaning your beard and helping to exfoliate your skin.

Keep all of your bicycling gear neat and organized with Topeak’s perfectly-sized gear pack. Its three main compartments separate your shoes, helmet, and accessories, while external pockets can hold a change of clothes and other items. Its hard shell makes it easy to pack and helps protect contents.

This versatile pocket tool offers horizontal and vertical driver sockets and packs numerous bits in its magnetized body. It can also open bottles and boxes and has a built-in hex wrench and rulers. Available in a 29-in-1 version with 6mm shaft bits or a 36-in-1 version with 4mm shaft bits.