Our collapsible ferrocerium fire-starter takes all excuses and throws them into the fire!  This may possibly be the smallest ferrocerium fire starter on the market today.  Attach it to your key chain, throw it into your pocket or tie it to your pack but never again leave home without one.

here are many ferrocerium fire-starting tools on the market.  Some of these are high quality, some are small and some are self-contained.  We set out to create a tool that incorporated all of these features and then some.  While doing so we discovered that this product not only does the aforementioned, but it does it while being easier to use then tools more than twice the size!  At the end of the day, this little tool can be collapsed and returned to key-chain ballast duty.

Because the nanoSTRIKER™ is so small, we were challenged with developing a new type of ferrocerium rod striking tool.  We developed numerous prototypes and spared little expense to develop the most effective striker.  This revolutionary striker is constructed of two different grades of stainless steel to offer the best quality finish and excellent durability.  The 303 stainless steel component is hand polished then bead blasted for a great looking satin finish.  The 440C component is high-precision machined and finished in a heat-treat oven bringing it's hardness to more than 50 Rockwell C (that means really hard for us normal people).

Features:

Patent Pending Collapsible self-contained fire starter
Ultra-portable for keyring and pocket carry
Ferrocerium rod works when wet
Lightweight 6061 aircraft aluminum body
Stainless steel 440C striker hardened to >50HRC
Replaceable ferrocerium rod
More than 1000 fire-starting strikes!

Included in box:

    Split ring for keyring carry
    nanoSTRIKERtm with ferrocerium rod
    Extra set of o-rings
    Instruction Manual

Specifications:

    Length: 85mm
    Diameter: 9.7mm
    Weight: 14.5g (Titanium version weight: 22g)

Grab one in multiple colors HERE.

I'm definitely putting this on the list of things to buy if I get a little extra cash, and probably a bigger patio. The lights come from under the rails, and should be enough to play at pretty much any hour. Well worth it if you have the cash, and this isn't that expensive at $3000. Here's the details:

Price includes 2 Graphite Cues, Billiard Balls, Weatherproof Cover and Triangle
FEATURES:

    completely water & weather proof
    amazing night play; the world?s only lit pool table surface
    pockets and markers are also lit
    family and player friendly pockets
    attractive and light-weight (approximately 315 lbs); can easily be moved indoors or outdoors
    levels with ease no tools required
    most preferred pool table by women and their families
    play while it's wet
    place on patio, deck, poolside, lawn or indoors
    rails available in grey, redwood, and sandstone
    can stay outdoor or indoor all year around
    playing surface available in blue only (as shown)
    Outside dimensions – 92" x 52" x 31 1/2". Inside playing surface – 78 1/2" x 39 1/2"

BENEFITS:

    aluminum frame no rusting ever
    high density polyethylene rails, bumpers will not crack or split
    no glues of any kind used
    polypropylene plastic pockets complete with drain holes
    aluminum corner brackets and markers
    rail grooves for easy cue placement (cue saver)
    built in triangle hook
    easy assembly, lightweight and easy to move
    no tools required for leveling
    delivered directly to your home straight from the manufacturer

You can see more picture of it, and of course buy one, at the Outdoor 8 Ball site HERE.

There's not a lot of information about this on the site, which is annoying, but I guess it is pretty simple. It's basically two stainless steel buckets connected together at the bottom. If you're using it as an ice chest for beverages, the fire pit side becomes the stand. Need a fire pit? Flip it over and, you guessed it, the ice bucket side becomes the stand. It also has a built in bottle opener.

Sounds cool, but for some strange reason, they think this thing is cool enough to charge $900 for it. Pretty sure you could buy a couple of fire pits and several coolers, and maybe even a bar, for that amount of cash.

If you're interested though, you can check it out HERE.

Not a bad looking backpack, though for $179, it's a little on the expensive side for me. On the upside, if you're running around outside a lot, this would come in handy, and still look good. Here's the details:

The Sanction is a compact weatherproof rucksack designed to hold the daily essentials. Built to last a lifetime with waterproof fabrics and military spec. construction.

The Sanction also features multiple weatherproof compartments, urethane coated zippers, waterproof materials, and an internal frame sheet. Large zippered pocket fits laptop computers such as the 15in MacBook Pro, 13in MacBook Air, or iPad. Made in the USA with a lifetime warranty.

If you're interested, you can buy one HERE.

Ok, not sure one of these would be worth the price, but it would be a blast to hang out and play pool in the pool. Here's the details:

These weatherproof pool tables can be set within a swimming pool or any other outdoor location. Each extravagant table is custom produced and professionally installed. Many custom options and features may be added. Please contact us to discuss your needs. Prices begin at $6,500 (model displayed is $6,500). Ideal if seeking very unique and expensive presents.
 
Production time is approximately 4 weeks.

You can check it out HERE.

It's getting to be that time of year again when you can take the cover off the grill and fire it up. I'm looking forward to the first big cookout of the season. This is another one of those products that I'm not sure I'm all that interested in, but it might be worth trying out.

Here's the details:

ne of the most creative and flavorful grilling ideas for summer is also the simplest. Try grilling your burgers on these red oak planks at your next barbecue party and I guarantee your guests will be rioting for more! They’ll also impart a rounded, smoky finish for chicken, pork or beef. Planks can be scrubbed and used up to two times. Made in the USA. 6" sq.

You can grab a set for $16 to $24 at the Napastyle site HERE.

LAS VEGAS – April 26, 2011 – Kalamazoo Outdoor Gourmet™, the leading manufacturer of high-end outdoor kitchen equipment, introduced today at the Kitchen and Bath Industry Show its new line of Hybrid Fire Grills, the only barbeques that cook with three different fuels at once: wood, charcoal and gas. These unique grills provide the widest cooking versatility on the market, giving their owners the freedom to pursue any outdoor cooking technique they desire — using the fuel of their choice.

With cooking firmly established as a ?national sport,? the appreciation for sophisticated flavors has now moved outdoors to the grill. People better appreciate the subtleties that come from cooking with charcoal or wood, but also desire the convenience offered by gas burners. Up until now, several separate pieces of equipment were required to capture the benefits that come from cooking with different fuels.

Hybrid Fire Grilling System drawers, located above the gas burners and below the cooking surface, make it possible for these powerful grills to use any combination of gas, wood or charcoal. Simply leave the drawers empty to use a Kalamazoo as a gas grill. Or, load the patented drawers with wood or charcoal and use the burners to start the fire. Once lit, turn off the burners to enjoy the pure, dry heat of a charcoal fire or the flavorful smoke of a wood fire.

Custom-cast brass H-burners deliver superior power and control. Gas cooking temperatures range from 250ºF for low and slow cooking to 800ºF, making the entire cooking surface a searing zone and eliminating the need for dedicated searing burners. The grills’ burner configuration offers bigger, more linear control zones, giving the outdoor cook the ability to tailor the heat to a specific section. When using charcoal or wood fuels, cooking temperatures range from a low of 150ºF to a high of 1,200ºF.

The grills also feature a one-of-a-kind ignition system that pairs a dedicated ignition burner with electronic hot surface ignition. This new approach creates the most reliable ignition system. Additionally, the ignition burner can be used alone for low-temperature smoking and barbecue.

The Hybrid Fire Grill comes in four different sizes and 12 models. Built-in or free standing options are available:
* K500: two burners, 506 square inches of primary cooking surface, 50,000 main burner BTUs
* K750: three burners, 726 square inches of primary cooking surface, 75,000 main burner BTUs
* K1000: four burners, 1,012 square inches of primary cooking surface, 100,000 main burner BTUs
* K1500: six burners, 1452 square inches of primary cooking surface, 150,000 main burner BTUs

Pricing for the Kalamazoo, Mich.-made line of grills begins at $9,990. They will be available in summer 2011.

Sleek and streamlined, the grills’ minimalist exterior allows them to blend easily into any outdoor kitchen design aesthetic or patio setting. Ambient lighting makes the control panel easily visible for night cooking. The rotisserie motor and drive system are hidden within the grill cabinet.

“Kalamazoo Outdoor Gourmet has always been at the forefront of outdoor cooking innovation. The introduction of these grills definitely raises the bar for the entire industry,? said Pantelis A. “Pete” Georgiadis, president of Kalamazoo Outdoor Gourmet. “The Hybrid Fire Grills are the most versatile grills in the market, allowing the cook to be creative and enjoy cooking with any imaginable technique. They will outperform and outlast any other product in the market.”

You can check them out HERE.

Here's the details:

10 years ago, aviation consultant, flight designer and enthusiastic pilot, Aki Suokas, first dreamed of a radical new flight design that would weigh less than 70 kilos (154 pounds), including a drive train under 20 kilos (44 pounds). That magic weight limit determines how a new plane is legally classified.

The FlyNano single-seat fun flyer is now in the air, and will be officially launched at Aero 2011 at Friedrichshafen, Germany, 13 – 16 April. Aero is Europe’s premier aviation event. FlyNano comes in 3 basic variants: the electrically-powered series E 200, a petrol-powered Series G 240, and the uprated racing models Series R 260/300.

The FlyNano is extremely light thanks to innovative Finnish design solutions and an advanced carbon fibre composite construction. Wingspan is nearly 5 meters, nose to tail 3.5 m, and height 1.3 m. Maximum take off weight is 200 Kg (440 pounds). Speed range 70 – 140 km/h with a service ceiling of 3 km (1.8 miles). FlyNano’s true airspeed is about 140 kmh (87 mph) at 75% power with a theoretical operational distance of 70 km (43 miles).

Everyone has sometime imagined what it would be like to fly free as a bird. FlyNano is for the fun of flying – no passengers, no cargo – just you, FlyNano and the endless blue. If you’ve ever had a pilot’s licence, or had experience with ultras or micros, you’ll fly Nano right out of the box. The rest of you will need to learn the simple rules of the air. Minimum red tape – maximum fun.

Prices range from € 25.000 – 27.000 (about $36,000 to $39,000 USD)

You can read more about it HERE.

If you love the efficiency of gas grilling but long for the smoky flavor of charcoal, our smoker box is destined to become your favorite grilling accessory.

Can be filled with aromatic wood chips or fragrant herbs for all kinds of smoky flavor infusions.

Just soak your chips, place them in the base of the smoker box and then preheat the box on an outdoor grill.

To smoke select foods, place ingredients on the perforated tray, set over the base on the grill and cover with the lid.

To turn your entire closed grill into a smoker, remove the lid altogether.

Made of heavy-gauge stainless steel.

Dishwasher safe.

You can check it out for only $40, at the site here: http://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/stainless-steel-smoker-box/

Cool looking concept, though there's not a whole lot of information on it, namely how much one would cost. Here's what details there are from the site:

Zero is a wood fireplace for outdoor use designed for pleasant outdoor moments.
Design and art blend to form a new furnishing accessory and its mission is very simple: bringing people together.
In the garden, by the swimming pool, in the outdoor areas of hotels, restaurants and farm tourism centres to create always the right atmosphere for the fire.
It is provided with a closing disk that covers the combustion chamber, so as to prevent residual material getting out in the event of rain or wind.
Not just the fireplace but also the container for firewood which, when not in use, can also be a useful storage surface.

You can check this model, and all of the others, at the AK47 Design site HERE.