Tworld’s Adjustable and Foldable Rifle Bipod

Another day, another disappointing weapon accessory from overseas. The Quality Control in China on these products is abysmal, and the Tworld Adjustable Rifle Bipod is on exception. Parts were bent, damaged, scraped and jagged, possible from shipping, but possibly from poor manufacturing. Let’s get to the good on this bipod, though.

It can be easily mounted onto an existing swivel stud, or onto a Weaver or Picatinny style rail. It secures easily once you get the hang of it, and it takes some trial and error because there’s no instructions included. Plus everything is coated in that cheap machine oil, so a good wipe-down was in order immediately. The legs adjust from 6 to 9 inches, and can even be even set to different lengths should your blind or ground be uneven beneath you. The legs snap down hard and stay down, but do not lock, instead relying on tension from the springs that help actuate them. The non-slip rubber feet should hold the bipod in place long enough to get a sight picture as well.

The bad is, as mentioned, the terrible QC, the fit and finish is equally as bad too. The lack of instructions, the poor packaging, and the sheer size and weight. This is a bipod that you don’t want to have to pick up and shoot on the move with, as it will unbalance the rifle something fierce.

In the end, it’s a cheap $20 disposable bipod from China that you can use as a beater, or for seeing if that kind of target shooting is for you, and then buy something better made that won’t be delivered looking as rough as this one.

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I received the above product(s) free of charge from TWorld. I am not obligated to provide a positive or favorable review, just my honest opinion. I received no other compensation in exchange for my review. My review is based on my experience with the product and/or brand, which may differ from yours.

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AqtivAqua POLARIZED “Poseidon” Swim Goggles

Hubby’s been through more than a few swim goggles from various suppliers, and rarely have a pair been good for more than a couple of uses before they start to leak, or the anti-fog lenses fog, or some plastic piece breaks. These are the first, however, to claim to be polarized.

Polarized lenses not only reduce glare, they increase contrast and reduce eye strain. Unlike a traditionally tinted lens, they don’t just darken the field of view with various tints or shading in the lens, but block the horizontally polarized beams of sunlight. Generally this makes anything with polarized lenses more expensive than non, but the benefits for some greatly outweigh the costs.  So putting a polarized lens on a set of swim goggles seems like a no-brainer, since there’s rarely more sunlight bouncing around than when you’re in the pool in the summer, right? So far, these AqtivAqua® POLARIZED “Poseidon” Swim Goggles are the sharpest, clearest goggles I’ve ever used. Whether the lenses are truly polarized or just tinted perfectly, I can’t tell. But the sharpness and clarity both in and out of the water was stunning. They fit well around even Hubby’s giant pumpkin head, and there’s no leaks or fogging. They’ve only been used twice in chlorinated water, but both times on both of us they were comfortable, there was no pinching or binding, and they were easily adjusted on the fly to fit either of us. They are a touch on the bulky side and there’s not as much peripheral vision as we’re used to with our swim goggles. But other than that, we have no complaints. The zippered, molded storage case is a nice touch too, a real “value added” bonus. 

I will revisit this review after a few more uses, because testing and reviewing swim goggles has shown me that the first few uses are always perfect, and with exposure to chlorinated water over a season, the cheaper, poorly made ones tend to start fogging and leaking after about 5 or 6 uses. But as of now, these are Hubby’s go-to for lap swimming. Whether they stay that way, only time will tell, but AqtivAqua states on the Amazon listing: ” If for any reason you are not completely satisfied with your AqtivAqua® Swimming Goggles, contact us and we will provide a no-hassle full refund”. Alrighty, then. I say give them a try!

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I received the above product(s) free of charge from ActivAqua. I am not obligated to provide a positive or favorable review, just my honest opinion. I received no other compensation in exchange for my review. My review is based on my experience with the product and/or brand, which may differ from yours.

Classic Safari’s 6-Piece Outdoor Kit

We like being out of doors, and we like exploring, so when the opportunity arose to try out some “outdoorsy” type stuff, I was very happy to give some of them a go. And while we’re not experienced, or even regular, outdoors folks, we found Classic Safari’s 6-Piece Outdoor Kit perfectly adequate for the occasional adventurer!

When one is out on their own, one usually has to make due with whatever you happen to pack in your pockets or backpack. Rarely do we think about what could happen should venture too far astray or make a left at that fork instead of a right. With most of the gear packed into this kit, you could make due for a bit of time while you find your way back to where you meant to go. You get:

-A small set of binoculars with a 8×21 magnification that fold up very compactly for easy carry, and are pretty clear. They have a rubberized no-slip grip, lanyard and rubberized eye relief as well, and they even thought to include a small cleaning cloth!

-Next you have a plastic liquid-filled lensatic compass. It held north pretty well, as evidenced by Hubby’s Casio Pro-Trek watch that was significantly more expensive than this set.

-You get a multi-tool also, with 11 tools (straight blade, file, awl, sawblade, can opener, scissors, flat and phillips screwdrivers, corkscrew and one that for the life of me I could not get to open!), with common tools one might need on a day-to-day basis.

-There’s also a 9-bulb LED flashlight that runs on 3 AAA  batteries and has a rubberized tailcap on/off switch. Sadly the batteries are not included, and the light from this flashlight is pretty anemic, even in total darkness, but it beats being stuck n pitch-black, right?

-Lastly there’s a magnesium flint firestarter that, while appreciated, gave us a heck of a time generating a spark. I wouldn’t want to depend on this in an emergency, but it’s better than nothing.

All in all, the kit is pretty basic and would be a superb gift for a Boy Scout, young child or tween, or even the occasional nature walker that might not think to grab more than a water bottle before leaving. And they are better than being stuck out there with nothing, and in a pinch might even save your life. The canvas pack and webbed-nylon belt hold everything well, except the side pouches that things can slip out if one were to move around jarringly. I think the pricing is fair for the quality you get, and while none of these tools are close to professional grade, they do let you know which ones you’d use and certainly want to upgrade. And I can’t say enough about Skivu, the company that sells this kit. My first kit came missing the 11-tool “Swiss Army” type knife, and they expedited a whole new kit to me. That’s a company that stands behind their products. There’s a lot to like in this kit and think if you give them a try you’ll find a lot you like too!

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I received the above product(s) free of charge from SKIVU. I am not obligated to provide a positive or favorable review, just my honest opinion. My review is based on my experience with the product and/or brand, which may differ from yours.

Neosan Black Triangle String Bikini

Summer is finally fully upon us in Southern California, and with it a June heatwave, which means the pool for me, Hubby and the dog, not necessarily in that order. So with pool weather usually comes a quick updating of my bathing suits, and a staple for years has been the simple black bikini, like the one I was sent by Neosan.

Amazon is just full of sellers of inexpensive (or some might say “cheap”) bathing suits of dubious quality and very obviously stolen pictures from bigger manufacturers like Victoria’s Secret (who, incidentally, is getting out of the bathing suit game after this summer! Boo!). The product received looks nothing like the product pictured, takes weeks or longer to arrive, usually smell funny, with straps that break of seams that come unsewn. Neosan has none of those problems, and what you see is exactly what you get! The quality is amazing for the price for a set (Just $12.99 for top AND bottom) and the colors don’t fade after the first use. The black triangle bikini has removable padding and is double lined, with no worries of see-though fabric when wet like the last Neosan bikini I tried out. Both pieces sport tie closures for a customizable fit, and sadly, the seemingly popular “scrunch butt” back. Hubby loves it, me….not so much. The set does run a little on the small side, so if you’re worried about more modest coverage, order up a size.

A girl can never have too many bathing suits when you have a chlorine in-ground pool. The chlorine will chew up bathing suits and spit them out, so I try to only buy suits that are made to last a couple of years or more, and these Neosan bikinis are the goods. You get what you order, it looks and feels like it should cost 2-3 times what they charge, and they are affordable enough to buy one in every color! I recommend them highly for your summer fun in the sun!

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I received the above product(s) free of charge from NEOSAN. I am not obligated to provide a positive or favorable review, just my honest opinion. My review is based on my experience with the product and/or brand, which may differ from yours.

Ohuhu Lawn Aerator Shoes

Ug, Ohuhu got me again. I like HisGadget, their parent company (Or maybe it’s the other way around, I don’t know), but anything with the Ohuhu name is made cheap and not made to last. This last item is no exception, only this one was much worse than usual. These “shoes” are awkward, made poorly, and there was very little thought given to design or to function.

In theory, aerating your lawn is day one stuff with lawn care. You need to break up the soil for the lawn to be healthy, and as I said, in theory, should be a simple task. Ohuhu disagrees with me and threw the components for these “shoes” loose into a box and said “Figure it out”. I mean, there were spikes, nuts, and straps everywhere in the box. Just reaching your hand in was a puncture hazard. There were no instruction on how to lace the straps, and the nuts meant to hols the spikes in place either didn’t fit well or the hole was too big and they went right through. Emailing Ohuhu for some clarification went in the Ohuhu hole and as usual, I received no response from them, once again illustrating that Ohuhu only cares about making the sale, and you’re 100% on your own after.

Yes, this whole mess was loose in the box!

I did manage to mickey-mouse one shoe on, and it stuck down deep into the earth and stayed there when I tried to walk off. It didn’t help that the angles drilled for the spikes varied which meant a couple popped off immediately and I had to unstrap the “shoe” and pull it out of the ground. Walking in it was impossible, and I can only imagine if I had both on, I’d have been anchored in place or turn an ankle badly. As I said, the idea of these is great and very useful. The execution was absolutely awful and I wouldn’t waste your money on these.

• I got mine from Amazon, you can see them here.

I received the above product(s) free of charge from Ohuhu. I am not obligated to provide a positive or favorable review, just my honest opinion. My review is based on my experience with the product and/or brand, which may differ from yours.

As an aside, it might seem that I’m choosing Ohuhu products solely to dump on them. That is absolutely not the case. Ohuhu, like many of the companies from China and Taiwan, is one of many DBA’s from a much larger parent company. They offer products under a bevy of names, and it’s not until I’m approved to review it that I find out it’s actually Ohuhu. Rest assured, I would be 100% thrilled to never deal with another poorly made Ohuhu product again, but so long as they’re going to obfuscate who they are, I’ll probably end up with a few more before all is said and done.

NEOSAN Colorblock Bikini

Summer is almost here, and In Southern California, we’re gearing up for pool and beach weather. Part of getting ready fro the coming swim season is updating my bathing suits. From time to time, I like to change things up a bit, and NEOSAN was more than happy to oblige me with a sample of their wares to wear.

And while I like a few things about the suit, there are a few I didn’t like as much. Right from jump, the suit should have been double lined, because the white part, when wet, is almost completely transparent. No bueno for the beach, and a little risque even for the pool at home. Now, the padding in the top would cover any….shall we say, bits, that might show, but they are awkwardly shaped and make for a “lumpy” looking top. So it’s a real catch-22. The material is stretchy and doesn’t bind, and the first wear and wash I didn’t see any real color loss or shrinkage. Which is good because this suit is pretty low-rise in the front as is. I love the ties on the side for the bottom and on the top, which means I can semi-customize my fit. I ordered medium, and it fit like a medium, which is a nice thing when sizes on Amazon tend to run all over the place. I’m not as much of a fan of the “scrunch” back bottom. It makes the waistband dip and show some crack, which isn’t a good look on plumbers and isn’t on me either, plus it’s uncomfortable. That’s a trend I’d like to see go bye-bye. But the coverage on the back is moderate and other than the “scrunch”, I like it.

I wanted to wear the suit more, but the transparency of the wite portions is a major issue. I’m not a prude at all, but I definitely don’t want my cash and prizes out there for the world to see every time my bikini gets wet. So as much as I want to give this a 5-star rating, I have to say it’s more of a three because, really, a see-through bikini might be a hit with Hubby but isn’t my cup of tea. This issue might be limited to this style/color, but I would venture a guess that other, darker colors wouldn’t have this issue, and the cut and feel of the bikini I received is on par with Victoria’s Secret, at a fraction of the cost.

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I received the above product(s) free of charge from NEOSAN. I am not obligated to provide a positive or favorable review, just my honest opinion. My review is based on my experience with the product and/or brand, which may differ from yours.

Top Mates Aussie Finishing Sauces

We do a fair amount of grilling around here, especially since the weather tends to lend it self to extended outdoor times. And while our usual standby’s are always top-notch, one never wants to end up in a rut. When I got a chance to try Top Mates’ Aussie Finishing Sauces, I said you betcha!

 

A finishing sauce is a thing that can make a mediocre cut of meat into a masterpiece. Different from a marinade or grilling sauce, it’s best to use them right at the end of cooking to not burn them, and be a “top-note” flavor that compliments the dish as opposed to really permeating it. The good ones are like magic, and Top Mates makes some of the best I’ve ever tried. We got to try our choice of two flavors, and I chose Caramelized Garlic and Onion and Shiraz. And the are both 100% awesome. The Caramelized Garlic flavor right away knocks down your expectations by being at once herby, tangy, and rich. Want simple, easy-to-pronounce ingredients? How about this: Sugar, Garlic, Lemon Juice, Onion, Water, Olive Oil, Sundried Tomatoes, Canola Oil, Lemon Peel, Pectin, Spices, Salt, Citric Acid.That’s it. No science experiments, just real stuff, real food, real good. We used it to top a freshly grilled tri-tip roast, by brushing it on the top and closing the lid for about 5 minutes on a Weber Kettle. After that, we let it rest for another 7 minutes and sliced to serve with a little more sauce on top, and the compliments we got we stellar. The Onion and Shiraz  (Ingredient list: Red Onion, Sugar, Onion, Shiraz Wine, Red Wine Vinegar, Olive Oil, Port Wine, Pectin, Green Peppercorns, Mushrooms, Balsamic Vinegar, Salt, Spices. So simple!!) went on top of a grilled leg of lamb in place of our usual pomegranate reduction. With just the right amount of sweet with a rich, bold onion finish, this made our usual lamb a mouth-watering masterpiece. I can’t wait to mix it up and try these sauces on other foods. I’ve been told they pair well with cheeses on an appetizer platter, but so far, as a finishing sauce, we haven’t messed with perfection. I want to try every flavor!

Made from top-quality ingredients and easily paired with a variety of dishes, a little of these sauces go a very long way, because they are just packed chock-a-block full of flavor! Available directly from Top Mates shipped for free or even on Amazon (Free shipping for a limited time!), and only $11.99 per 10.2 ounce jar, I can see myself picking up the entire line and taking all our usual dishes from familiar to “Yowza!”. Top Mates even has a special running where you can mix and match two jars of their amazing finishing sauces, shipped to your door, for only $19.99. There’s literally no excuse to not give them a try. And Top Mates believes in their product so much, they offer a 30-day 100% satisfaction guarantee. Not to worry, I’m satisfied!

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I received the above product(s) free of charge from Top Mates. I am not obligated to provide a positive or favorable review, just my honest opinion. My review is based on my experience with the product and/or brand, which may differ from yours.

Ohuhu’s 12X Monocular Telescope, with Tripod, Case, and Cleaning Cloth

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We’ve been avid nature-watchers for some time now, and while it’s nice to watch from afar, sometimes you’d like a close up view without scaring nature away. The best way to do that up until recently had been for a cheap pair of binoculars I got for hubby at the County Fair years and years (and years!) ago. They were okay, and had decent magnification, but were dinky and cheap and not easily focused. Then Ohuhu offered us their 12X Monocular Telescope with Tripod. Nature just got a whole lot closer to us!

This Ohuhu Monocular Telescope has a big 52mm lens diameter, with an adjustable eyecup and comes with a tripod and cleaning cloth, as well as a wrist strap, lens cover and eyepiece cover, a durable carrying case, and is covered in a non-slip rubber “armor” coating that should protect it from minor drops, and the occasional bump. The field of view is wide and sharp, and the dual zoom action is smooth, making getting things in razor-sharp focus a breeze. I like that the lens cover stays attached to the body housing, and wish the eye cup cover did as well. The included aluminum tripod isn’t terribly sturdy, and the knob that attaches it to the telescope popped off a couple times, so I did have to hot glue it. But the tripod mount is a standard size, so it should easily mount to any tripod you might already have. And at only 10 ounces and only about 7 inches long it’s light enough ad small enough to take anywhere. It’s also waterproof, so inclement weather is not going to be an issue.

I didn’t know how much I was missing out on nature watching watching things from afar. Tall trees and far-off hills are no longer so tall or far so off. And when it comes to optics, Ohuhu nails it every time. This Monocular 12X Telescope is top shelf, and Hubby and I are loving it. It’s built to last, and because Ohuhu stands behind their products, you know you can count on them should anything go wrong.

 

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I received the above product(s) free of charge from Ohuhu.  I am not obligated to provide a positive or favorable review, just my honest opinion.  My review is based on my experience with the product and/or brand, which may differ from yours.

OxyLED’s MH20 LED Headlamp w/ Motion Sensor

Hubby, as we have established, is a flashlight nut. Little did I know, though, that this would extend to headlamps, too. However, there are few things as helpful and handy as a good, well made headlamp. And while OxyLED has made some real quality (and handy) products, for us, this one is just a little lacking, and I’ll go over why right here.

To start, it seems almost every smaller company fudges a little when it comes to reported lumen counts. Without professional equipment, you simply cannot accurately get an idea of how many lumens a particular light is. For instance, my husband’s 1st generation SureFire LED flashlight puts out about 80 lumens. SureFire is a pretty reliable brand, and their lumen outputs are also reliable. So it was a little surprising, then, that pointing both the SureFire and this OxyLED “200 lumen” headlamp at a bare wall, and finding the SureFire almost as bright. Now, to be fair, a great many things affect how much actual light is put out by an LED lamp. Quality of lens (this one is plastic, which doesn’t lend itself to longevity), quality of reflector (Again, more plastic), and quality of battery powering it (Alkaline batteries vs. lithium ion). So while the LED emitter in the headlamp might be rated for 200 lumens, it’s doubtful the output would be anywhere close to that. The throw of light is decent, and goes for about 120 feet before dissipating and becoming too diffuse to be useful. The beam isn’t that tight, either, and the headband mine came with had some little jagged bits that scratched Hubby’s head. The three AAA batteries used to power the headlamp are mounted in the rear, and the rubber-ish plastic case cover for the battery barely closes well and will do little to keep out serious rain or moisture. But, the upside is that it’s very affordable, light, and for the price puts out a decent amount of light that is useful in small, spaces, like a garage, or attic. It has a high, low, and strobe setting (ug, that strobe setting will make you nauseous after a while, too.). It doesn’t have any memory, so you must cycle through the settings with each use. It also has a motion sensing feature that turns the lamp on if it detects motion. I’m not sure how useful this feature would be to others, but for us, while being kind of neat, was also kind of useless.

Overall, while it could be useful, and is a great low-cost option for occasional use, there are better options out there that will last you longer and perform better, albeit for more money. While I liked the OxyLEd MH20 LED headlamp, I feel there’s some real drawbacks to it, enough so that if you plan on using it often or relying on it, you’re better served with another brand. However, keep in mind that OxyLED offers a 30-Day Money Back Guarantee, a 12 Month Replacement Warranty, as well as their Lifetime Support Guarantee.

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I received the above product(s) free of charge from Hisgadget and OxyLED.  I am not obligated to provide a positive or favorable review, just my honest opinion.  My review is based on my experience with the product and/or brand, which may differ from yours.

Ohuhu Solar Landscape Lights, 8-Pack

I’ve been trying to “finish” my landscaping for the last, oh, lets say decade or so, and while some areas are just the way I want them, others seem to be a continual “work in progress”. Like in the area of lighting. While the old standard of running a bunch of low-voltage line everywhere was fine in places, how many of us have electrical outlets 40 feet from the house?! And the longer you run low-voltage line, the dimmer the farthest lights get. Solar lights seemed to be my savior, but until recently they were very utilitarian, lacked any real flair, and didn’t stay lit long. And they were expensive. Then Ohuhu came in to save the day again with their 8-Pack of Solar Landscape Lighting, all for only $27.99? Sounds too good to be true!

This 8-Pack of Solar Lights is a simple and affordable way to provide accent lighting all around your yard, your pathways, your garden, and even your driveway, all without ever having to worry about whether the cord will reach an electrical outlet. They’re weather resistant, so your sprinklers should give them no issues. The units are made entirely of plastic, and the stakes aren’t the strongest, so don’t try putting them in any particularly hard ground. They have a single, bright white (almost blue) LED that shines bright enough to give a decent halo of light around them. Ohuhu says they’re good for up to 8 hours on a full charge. And while the looked nice and initially lit well and stayed lit throughout most of the night, I found as time went on that the lights dimmed quicker and quicker, and went out earlier and earlier. Hubby broke them down and might have come up with a reason why: The rechargeable battery used to power the units is a paltry 600 mAh nickel-metal hydride AA cell. That’s a really low powered battery, and despite Ohuhu’s claims of “dusk ’til dawn” capabilities, there’s very little chance of that being possible with so small a battery. But, placed in a full-sun area, you are looking at a good 4-6 hours of really attractive light, anywhere you want to place it!

So while I think there’s some room for improvement, this last generation of solar lighting has really changed my tune as to it’s viability and usefulness around the house and yard. Ohuhu continues to surprise me with the quality of product you get for the money, and the Ohuhu 8-Pack of Solar Landscape Lighting is no exception! And Ohuhu’s
30-day Money Back Guarantee & Full 12-month Replacement Warranty means there’s really nothing to lose!

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I received the above product(s) free of charge from Ohuhu.  I am not obligated to provide a positive or favorable review, just my honest opinion.  My review is based on my experience with the product and/or brand, which may differ from yours.