Tworld “Tactical” Red Laser Beam Dot Sight

Self and home defense are not things taken lightly in this house. From security gates, security cameras, to locks on every door and window, we try to leave nothing to chance. We also own a number of firearms. But they are only any good if you can hit what you are aiming at, and short of lots and lots (and lots and lots) of practice, there are a few add-on accessories that can remove as many variables from the equation as possible. Night sights, flashlights, and yes, even lasers.

A pistol is a staple in home defense, for good or for ill. There are those that believe a rifle or shotgun is superior, but let’s be honest: whatever makes the bad guy go away will do. Shot placement means more than your choice of weapon or caliber, and even the fellow with the most range time will be shaky and full of adrenaline when things go south. So, in theory, a laser will help you keep your shots center mass on the bad guy, or the 10 ring on the range target, with a little more accuracy and not making your house (or the neighbor’s) Swiss cheese. It also won’t affect night vision as much as a bright tactical light either. This laser does all that in theory, but since neither Hubby nor I have had time to range test it since the arrival of our new puppy, we can only say it certainly looks the part. It easily mounts to a variety of weapons with Picatinny or Weaver rails, but is quite large and the adjustment screws don’t seem to have a way to lock them (Hubby says some blue Loctite might work), so you may be constantly having to re-tighten the mount and/or zero it back in,  and without a bench vise that last part will be very tricky. It’s also quite long, as you can see from the pictures, as the end of the laser extends even beyond the frame of a large semi-auto pistol, and quite a distance beyond the end of a compact-ish pistol. You turn it on from the little button on the back, which means mounting any closer tot he finger guard makes turning it off and on impossible. It’s not heavy, but with the size it is I’d have expected it to project better in full daylight. It’s nearly impossible to see in full sunlight, so it’s useless at an outdoor range. What you have here is essentially a compact, office laser pointer with a simple universal aluminum mount.

The major advantages here are the super low price and near universal mounting capability, as well as availability of LR-44 type button cell batteries (this unit takes 3, & yes they are included) as a high-quality weapon laser can run you upwards of $50-$100 or more. This one is just $11.99 (at the time of this review), but you can see all the shortcomings of a cheap laser here, and honestly, I would not trust my life, or my family’s, to this product. Fine for an indoor range to practice, or maybe for a tacti-cool look, but functionally it leaves a lot to be desired.

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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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VMI Sports Vasogen Xt Pump-Activating Vasodilator in Mali-Blueberry Breeze

 

Against my better judgement, Hubby wanted to try out a new supplement for pre-workouts, and while the ingredient list looked promising, the flavor was such that we might not know whether this mix is good or works well. So, here we go again with Hubby taking over the reins.

When one goes into a new pre-workout mix, the very first thing you want to look at is the ingredient list and research if the ingredients they claim are in there work.  So after much Google-Fu, I found that most of the ingredients in VMI Sports’ Vasogen Xt looked promising. There’s some sucralose, maltodexterin, and artificial flavors, but most of your bigger supplement companies will include these now a days. The smell upon opening wasn’t too off-putting, but the flavor…that flavor. VMI Sports sent me “Mali-Blu Berry Breeze”, and as a general rule I tend to avoid “blu”‘s or “berry”‘s because they’re usually super sweet. This one is tooth-achingly sweet. I tried watering it down, but the last thing you want before a workout is pounding 18 ounces of water to be sloshing around in your gut. Okay, new product, maybe I just have to get used to it. The next day I’m dreading it. The day after, I can’t finish it. By day four, I’m back to my old pre-workout because I can’t stomach this stuff. I tried contacting VMI Sports to see if I could exchange the flavor they sent for one of the other two (Tiger’s Blood, Hawaiian Pump), but I got no response. I tried once more but was met with crickets, so I’m not sure if they don’t care or know and don’t want to hear it. Whatever the case is, I couldn’t use enough of the product for a long enough period to tell if it works well or not. It might be good, it might be a bunch of sugars and a pinch of their proprietary ingredients. But for $37.03 for 30 servings, I’ll stick to the companies that address a customer’s concern and don’t make me sick to my stomach with artificial sugars.

VMI Sports did include quite a few samples, including one each of the other flavors of the Vasogen XT, which to their credit were much better flavors, so it might have been the luck of the draw for me. But I can’t rate the one I got very highly, because frankly, the flavor is disgusting. There’s a lot to like about this product, and the company, like being made in the USA and using some quality ingredients that have proven research, but if the flavor is so off-putting you can’t drink it, and the lack of response from the company make me pass on this product.

Poor guy. He can’t win for losing. So while VMI Sports Vasogen XT seemed promising, the company’s handling of a customer concern and flavor issues is enough for me to knock a few stars off. Oh well.

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I received the above product(s) free of charge from VMI Sports. 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.

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.

Grizzly Gun Care Non-Toxic CLP

 

One of the most overlooked parts of gun ownership is maintenance. For your weapons to perform as they were designed one must take maintenance seriously. And one of the best ways to do that is a good CLP, which stands for “Clean, Lubricate and Protect”.

Grizzly Gun Care gets this and has provided a better than average CLP that gets the job done, all without being as toxic as the industry leading CLPs! That’s right, a lot of the big names or CLPs you’ve heard are the best are seriously toxic, like, loaded with carcinogens. The best of the new generation of CLPs recognized this and reformulated to non-toxic mixes that still perform to Mil-Spec standards. Grizzly Gun care is no different. It cleans out the carbon fouling on my Husband’s M&P 15, and doesn’t stink to high heaven either. There’s an almost pleasant scent actually, and it leaves a thin film of protectant that inhibits corrosion well. It is thicker at room temperature than the old Hoppe’s No. 9 he used before, which means it won’t run and dribble everywhere you don’t want it and nowhere you don’t. It didn’t clean as well as the aerosol product Hubby used previously, but got everything respectably clean, just not the “factory new” clean Hubby tends to prefer for almost, well, everything. It seems to work best on fresh fouling, not older build-up.

If we’re splitting hairs, it’s more expensive than the aerosol stuff Hubby used previously, and you got 6 ounces of that versus 4 ounces of Grizzy’s CLP. But he always finished off with a grease as well, and when you combine the price of the two, if you want a one-and-done solution, Grizzy is on par price and performance wise. So if you want an all-in-one solution that isn’t toxic, doesn’t stink so bad you need to crack open all the windows, and stores well for a fair price, Grizzly Gun Care’s CLP is the product for you.

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I received the above product(s) free of charge from Grizzly Gun Care. 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.

Nature’s Nectar L-Arginine Supplement

Hubby has been taking L-Arginine supplements for a circulation problem in his foot for years, and it’s been extremely helpful in that regard. It’s also been a regular staple in his pre-workout powders and regimen for quite a few years as well, so we’re always on the lookout for a newer, better product.

And while it’s a decent supplement, it’s about on par with other’s he’s tried in the past, no better, no worse. It’s also contains some minimal amounts or L-Orinthine and L-Glutamine amino acids as well, they’re not at levels sufficient to have any beneficial effect to your workouts. Taken with his preworkout powder, it’s a nice little boost but the effects don’t last, and there’s even some emerging research that the effects of L-Arginine are purely placebo. I’ll leave that debate for another day and simply state that Hubby had nothing bad to say about this supplement, but at $10.95 for a thirty day supply, it’s a little on the high side for regular supplementation vs. say, a powder.

Nature’s Nectar offers a 100% Satisfaction Guarantee, so if you try it and don’t see any benefit, you can get a full refund via Amazon’s return process. So it’s kind of a risk-free situation to try an L-Arginine supplement and see if it takes your workout to the next level!

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I received the above product(s) free of charge from Nature’s Nectar. 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 Knee and Ankle Supporters

 

Hubby is always in need of a new knee and ankle braces, because as anyone who uses them regularly knows, they wear out fast. Elastic goes bad, velcro stops holding, whatever the case may be. I thought I was signing up to try some from a company called Green Life. When I was approved to test them, I found out it was Ohuhu. Again. So let’s dive right in.

I tried to approach these braces with an open mind, with the knowledge that Ohuhu absolutely doesn’t stand behind their products and offers almost no after-sales support whatsoever. The Ohuhu “breathable” ankle brace arrived at the same time as the knee brace, and both stunk to high heaven. I don’t know what these overseas companies are putting into these rubbers, neoprene and cloth, but they all have a very bad smell to them that just does not dissipate. The positive marks I can give the ankle brace is that the velcro grips very well, and it stays in place. The negatives are that it’s on the small side, which means there’s not as much support as one would like. It’s made from polyester which absolutely does not breath, and your foot and ankle will be sweating in this after a couple of hours. And the smell. Goodness, the smell. I don’t know why these things from China smell the way they do, but it’s unbearable. Even after washing, the smell stayed (Don’t wash it in water over 60 degrees Celsius [140 degrees Fahrenheit, for us in the U.S.], by the way. So a hot water wash to kill microbes and bacteria is out.). And lastly, it’s $1 more for this ankle brace than one from one of the larger U.S. companies providing an identical item. The big difference being this Ohuhu one ships free from Amazon with Prime, whereas the more well-known company’s brace is one of Amazon’s dreaded “Add-On” items. It’s an okay brace, but I’m not a huge fan and neither is hubby.

With the knee brace, despite Ohuhu claiming “Seller Warranty:-12-Month Replacement Warranty, -30-Day Money Back Guarantee, -Lifetime Support Guarantee”, it’s been my experience after numerous products tried out for them, there is zero, and I mean none, aftersales support or recourse if something goes pear-shaped. No via email, not via Facebook, nothing. It’s made of the same polyester fabrics as the ankle brace, and while it’s stretchy and the rubber and neoprene keeps it 100% in place, it does not breathe at all. It’s made small, so the support is minimal, but on the plus side you don’t need to slide it up your leg to wear it, it opens up completely to wrap your knee. It also suffers from the same issues with a horrible smell that the ankle brace does, and washing does not get it out. I’ve made hubby put them in plastic market bags in the garage because I can’t get the smell out of them. At $9.99 (free shipping with Prime), it’s affordable, and cheaper than the alternatives from other major brands, but for me, if I can’t wear it because it stinks, it’s not going to do me any good. So it’s up to you if you want to pay a little more and get something with better coverage, support and no smell from another company, but I don’t recommend this brace either.

In the end, both braces are relegated to outside duties and light duties at that, considering the low levels of support they provide. After multiple washings in hot(ish) water, I cannot get the smell out of them, and there’s no way I’m wearing them out of the house with that smell. They’re cheap, and they ship free, and stay in place. That’s about all the good I can say about them, but I do not recommend either, and I’m not Ohuhu’s biggest fan either.

Ohuhu products are available on Amazon.com

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.

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.

Silicone Devices Comfort+ Wireless Waterproof Bluetooth Earbuds

 

I’ve had a coupe of different sets of bluetooth earbuds, some good, some not so good. Sadly, I feel these Silicone Devices “Black Edition” Comfort+ Bluetooth Wireless earbuds fall into the “not so good” category. The sound is lacking, and for the life of me neither I nor Hubby could get a fit where the earbuds stayed in our ears. So let’s go over these, shall we?

Right off the bat the sound was tinny. Now, I don’t expect earbuds to deliver the full audio experience over-the-ear cups would provide. But I expected them to be at least the equal of the last pair of bluetooth earbuds I tested, and they weren’t, by a long shot. The sound wasn’t as full, there were almost non-existent lows, and the volume levels were noticeably lower. And that’s when we could get them to stay in. Any rigorous activity and we’d be picking them op off the floor quite quickly. And we tried all available combinations of earbud sizes, and these Silicone Devices Comfort+ in-ear headphones, to their credit, come with plenty. Alas, we just could not get a decent fit. They paired with all our devices quickly, thanks to the bluetooth 4.0 technology, but the range, advertised as about 30ft., was probably closer to 15-20 feet. We found the battery life was adequate, and held a charge for a fair amount of time, almost the full 4 hours advertised. Since it takes a few charge cycles for a lithium-ion battery to achieve it’s full capacity, for me, that’s close enough. I can’t say either of us really worked up much of a sweat wearing them, because they tended to come out of our ears fairly easy. Lastly, there was the price. Similar styles of earbuds (sometimes identical  looking) can be had for 50-60% of the $49.87 price point these are currently selling for on Amazon. I can’t, based the performance I witnessed and heard, see what value there is to be had for these in-ear headphones at this price.

I liked the carry case they came with, and I like the plethora of ear bud tips that they came with. I like that you’re not tethered to your device, and that the charge lasts a decent amount of time. They paired quickly, and with every device we own with no problems. But I don’t like the tinny sound, they don’t stay in my ear well, and the price is really too high for the quality you’re getting. I really can’t recommend these Silicone Devices Comfort+ In-Ear Bluetooth Headphones. Sorry.

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I received the above product(s) free of charge from Silicone Devices.  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.