Gadgethead 2.2

MAGAZINE

ISSUE 2.2

www.gadgetheadmag.com

Aroma R-Evolution OSPREY AXIS 18 BACKPACK

Snowboarding Highlight

UK

£4.95

INSPIRED BY YOUR SUCCESS

DriveStation™ Quad Direct Attached Storage USB 3.0

HD-QHU3/R5

Huge Capacity Direct Attached Storage Huge Capacity Direct Attached Storage

Buffalo Technology’s DriveStation™ Quad (HD-QHU3 series) is a 4-bay Direct Attached Storage device perfect for demanding SMB. The HD-QHU3 comes fully populated with high-reliability Buffalo Technology’s DriveStation™ WD Red™ drives in total capacities of up to 24TB.

Quad (HD-QHU3 series) is a 4-bay

™ The DriveStation Quad is RAID-enabled customised Direct Attached Storage deviceforperfect redundancy and capacity depending on your specific needs for demanding SMB. The HD-QHU3 and also comes with 10 licenses of NovaStor NovaBACKUP comes Essentials fully populated Business software. with high-

reliability WD Red™ drives in total

The DriveStation™ Quad features the capacity, redundancy, capacities of required up to 24TB. and performance for any demanding user – the perfect solution for backing up large servers, multimedia files, or databases. The HD-QHU3 series is sold fully populated with WD Red drives and total capacities of 8, 12, 16, or 24TB. HD-QHU3/R5

Features and Benefits • 4 bay Direct Attached Storage fully populated with WD Red™ hard drives - Available with 8, 12, 16, or 24TB capacities

• RAID-enabled for performance and reliability - Supports RAID 0/1/5/10/Spanning/JBOD

• Perfect for Server, PC, and/or Database Backup

Features and Benefits

- Also includes 10 free licenses of NovaStor NovaBackup Business Essentials

• Power Saving – Auto Power feature turns on and off automatically with your computer

4-bay Direct Attached Storage •• SuperSpeed connectivity with USB 3.0

fully populated with WD Red™ hard drives with 8, 12, 16, or 24TB capacities • RAID-enabled for performance and reliability - Supports RAID 0/1/5/10/Spanning/JBOD • Perfect for ™Server, PC, and/or Database Backup - Also includes 10 free licenses of NovaStor NovaBACKUP® Business Essentials • Power Saving – Auto Power feature turns on and off automatically with your computer ched Storage • SuperSpeed connectivity with USB 3.0 • 3 year warranty - Available • 3 year warranty

tation Quad

● Revell Build & Play Star Wars ● Bellroy Note Sleeve ● Flame Stower Editor in Chief Daemon Sands daemonsands@littlegatepublishing.com Sales Director Alex Smith alexsmith@littlegatepublishing.com Corporate Director Anthony Letchumaman anthonyl@littlegatepublishing.com Lead Designer Alina Sandu studio@littlegatepublishing.com Publisher Stephen Warman stevewarman@littlegatepublishing.com

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● ER 20 High-Fidelity Earplug ● Dayton Audio’s Indoor/Outdoor Speakers Io655wt ● Lumo Lift ● Guitar Pick Holder ● Zeiss VR One Virtual Reality Headset Page 20

● EarthQuaker Devices Terminal Fuzz ● ExoGlo3 Body Warmer ● Etymotic’s Mk5 Isolator Ear Phones ● Pipewerx ● Musto MPX Offshore Jacket (SM1513) Page 30

● Molecule-R Aroma R-Evolution ● Osprey Axis 18 Backpack ● Illuminated Apparel Glow T-Shirts ● Revell Control XS Nano Quad Micro Quadrocopter Page 40: Snowboarding Focus

● Rome Garage Rocker Snowboard ● Musto Evolution Matthiessen BR1 Primaloft Jacket ● Columbia Winter Catalyst Glove ● Sidas Ultra Thin Socks ● RAB Neutrino Endurance Jacket ● Rome 390 Boss Bindings 2016

HD-QHU3/R5

Gadgethead Magazine

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REVELL BUILD & PLAY STAR WARS Star Wars is back! That means for the foreseeable future we will be able to buy everything from pyjamas to toilet paper with BB8 plastered over it, good times. One of the more obvious merchandise areas is toys and that brings me on to the Revell Star Wars Build & Play Episode VII, specifically the Millennium Falcon. Aimed at ages 6 and up it comes with 19 separate parts that simply snap together, no glue or

paint required, to create a 1:164 replica of the Millennium Falcon. The attention to detail is brilliant for example they have included the new rectangular sensor dish after the starship’s circular sensor dish was knocked off as Lando Calrissian piloted it through the Death Star II’s interior as well as a retractable undercarriage and moveable gun ports.

However, this is not just a model kit, once it is assembled you can pop in

Rating

the 3 LR44 batteries that are included and the Millennium Falcon will make sound effects straight out of the movie and produce a lovely blue glowing light. The button is integrated in to the design of the ship so as not to spoil the appearance and adds to the charm of the wonderful toy suitable for any aged Star Wars fan. RRP £16.99

Pros • Strong construction • Good value for money • Realistic replica • Movie sound effects and lights • Easy to put together Cons • Not suitable for someone looking to spend time building it as it takes minutes to put together www.revell.de/en

Gadgethead Magazine

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Bellroy Note Sleeve Straight away I loved the way this product was packaged, people like to say you should never judge a book by its cover but the beautifully embossed, stitched and lined cardboard wallet hinted at a quality that was hard to ignore (with bonus points for being recyclable). The Note Sleeve, as with all the Bellroy products aims at keeping things slim, they eliminate leather in between the pockets to reduce bulk whilst designing the pockets as such to allow for easy access, for example the cheeky pull out tab is an innovative idea that slides any infrequently used cards but doesn’t make you fight to get them back when you require them. As well as that the Note Sleeve features 3 quick access slots, room in the back to keep unfolded notes, as well as another pocket, large enough for more cards and a wonderfully discrete pocket under a hidden flap which can be used for a few lose coins, an emergency £50 or hiding that embarrassing loyalty card you think your friends don’t know about. The wallet will take up to 11 cards but you will lose some of the slim profile if you insist on keeping every out of date gym membership and store cards for shops that don’t exist

anymore, it isn’t a magic portal but between 6 and 8 cards and a few notes it looks great. You don’t really want to put too many coins in this pocket as they aren’t particularly easy to get to so if you are looking for something to hold your coins as well this might not be ideal. As for the appearance of the Note Sleeve, it is handsomely built from premium vegetable tanned cow leather, demonstrates flawless stitching, with a tasteful lining and subtle embossed branding, Bellroy are so confident about their products they even offer a 3 Year warranty in case it doesn’t behave as it should. Due to the slimness and softness of the leather casing if you are a card hoarder and pack it out to the max or are in the habit of keeping it in your back wallet and sitting on it you will leave imprints on the outside and ruin the form of it so this maybe something to consider. To round up the Note Sleeve is beautiful, tactile and practical, after buying it you may not actually have any money left to put in it, but who cares style is everything and this wallet will pay you back by remaining faithful to you through the years. RRP £65

Rating

Pros • Available in 9 different colours • Premium vegetable tanned cow leather • Innovative design to keep a slim profile • Stylish

Cons • Not ideal for carrying coins • The outside casing can become imprinted if over filled

www.bellroy.com

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Rating

Pros • Helpful in emergencies or items that use lower wattage to charge up • Compact and light • Clever design • Unlike solar chargers can be used at anytime

Cons • Costly • 3W max output • Slow at charging and inconsistent www.stowerenergy.com

Flame Stower

More and more of our creature comforts depend on being charged ) sometimes on a daily basis) and as a result a wide range of outdoor chargers have hit the market using various techniques and giving you high hopes for your next camping/hiking trip. We have previously tested out the BIOLITE and have been somewhat spoilt with that as it worked very well, other products we have tested have fallen between working ok to not working at all. The Flame Stower falls into the former category, it is a great idea and hopefully with a little evolution it can be great but right now it is just ok. There are a lot of things we do like about this product, its thoughtfully designed, very light, compact and versatile, you can fiddle about with the stabilizers to get it at the perfect angle for your fire or camping stove.

For the best results you need to place the centre of the Fireblade directly over and in the fire a half inch above the flame source, fill the water bath with water (it will evaporate so make sure you keep it topped up to get the best out of the charger) the thermal energy is transferred to the Thermoelectric Generator (TEG), the opposite surface of the TEG is in contact with the water reservoir, one side gets hot as the water keeps the other side cool and the temperature difference generates electricity. There is a handy green indicator that will tell you when it is ready to start charging and it will charge anything with a USB cable and produces 5V with an average power of 2.5W and maximum Power 3W. Now here is where we came unstuck, the most important thing I would want to be able to charge when I am away from home is my phone, it’s my camera, my emergency contact, my Sat-Nav and my entertainment but when we plugged this in it was really slow to charge, the product suggests that 1 minute of charging equals 2 minutess of talk time but this just wasn’t the reality with our unit. It sat at the same 1% for a long time and crept up to 2% after 5 mins. The manufactures do say that the success does depend on your phone and fuel source but for me this is just something that might be useful in emergencies and not a camping essential, personally I would rather pay more for something more reliable. RRP $99.99

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Secure Your Data Hardware Encrypted (AES 256-bit) USB 3.0 External Hard Drive PIN activated (6-16 digits) Works with PC, Mac, Linux, Citrix, Android, Thin Clients and Embedded Systems

No Software required Capacities from 250GB, up to 2TB Administration feature allows 1Admin and up to 5 User PIN codes

Call +44 (0) 20 8991 6260 or visit www.istorage-uk.com

ER 20 HIGH-FIDELITY EARPLUG I love live music but after one particularly loud gig (NME Tour 2006) I was left with a ringing in my ears for nearly 2 months, I was only 18 at the time I realised I wasn’t invincible and was actually at risk of damaging my hearing for good. Etymotic, meaning true to the ear, have been researching hearing and protecting hearing since 1983 and have created the HighFidelity Earplugs with the aim of protecting hearing in loud situations.

I have tried wearing cheap earplugs at gigs so I can still go and jump around at the front but the sound is always muffled and distorted, the ER 20 High-Fidelity Earplug aim to simply reduce the sound level without losing the quality. I found that you didn’t lose much of the high tones and could hear vocals clearly, I’m not technical enough to know for sure how much it reduced the sounds by but a rough estimate would be half. The earplugs come with two sets of plugs, neck cord and a handy case, which took me far too long to work out how to open (just squeeze the ends together). They are small enough to be discrete with a good seal around the plugs which can make it a bit fiddly to change the plugs over but at least you know their secure.

Inserting them and removing them is simple and they are really comfortable

to wear, for the price these are good value for money that perform well, allowing you to protect your hearing without having to sacrifice the sound.

RRP $12.95

Rating

Pros • Comfortable to wear • Comes with neck cord, two plugs and case • Reduces noise level without greatly compromising the sound • Good value for money Cons • The case is a little fiddly www.etymotic.com

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Dayton Audio’s Indoor/Outdoor Speakers - Io655wt Speakers are everywhere at the moment so to lead the market in the wired variety you have to offer something a little special.

Please enter Dayton Audio’s premium indoor/ outdoor loudspeakers, the IO655WT. Everything about this speaker shouts quality. From the packaging, the design, the sound and feel.

They look equally as great above

your patio as they would in your living room. These are hardy units that are shockproof, dustproof and waterresistant so I can leave them anywhere.

The obvious question to ask about a speaker is what does it sound like.

The answer is bloody brilliant! It is fantastically loud and clear with an amazing range through the highs, mid range and most importantly a deep

bass. These speakers come with a 5 year warranty which again shows the confidence they have in their own ability.

Style and substance, great indoor/outdoor speakers at the very affordable price of $136 for these beauties. www.daytonaudio.com

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LUMO LIFT

Back pain is the most predominant chronic pain people suffer from and it is often developed over time through poor posture, I was eager to try this device as I suffer with back ache that can keep me up at night due to bad posture whilst sitting at my desk for long periods of time. The Lumo Lift is the first activity coach to focus in on bad posture and helps you form a good habit for a healthier body. A minor gripe to start with was the packaging seemed a bit slapdash, the label is full of air bubbles and it was a bother to get into as I was pulling at the lid for ages only to realise you open it at the bottom (perhaps this is more down to user error). It comes with a cool looking charger that charges the device from 0-100% in under 2 hours, two magnets (black and silver) to attach to your clothing without putting holes in them and a specially designed white magnet clasp to attach it to your bra strap, should you wear one. After getting it charged up, I downloaded the app on to my Ipad Air 2 which talks

you through the calibration processes in an easy to follow tutorial. The app itself is very simple, perhaps a little limited but gives you clear feedback as to how you have performed that day for example, “Good Posture Hours: 1, Goal: 4 hours” and “Steps: 4,102, Goal: 10,000, Distance:2.3 mi, Calories: 1,671”. The app also lets you set custom daily posture and activity goals as well as allowing you to change the length of time the Lumo Lift will allow you to slouch before telling you off. The Lift gets worn just under the collar bone or on the bra strap and lets you know when you need to correct your posture by giving off a discrete vibration that only you will be aware of, unless you are like me you can’t help to vocalise each time with an “oh!” or an “alright!” like I’m being told off by my mum for stooping. The lift works by patented biomechanics monitoring sensors that use angle displacement to measure when your body moves away from what you’ve calibrated as your standard of good posture. As well

as correcting your posture the Lumo Lift also has a pedometer to calculate your steps and when comparing it to my FITBIT Flex feedback the Lumo Lift it just as accurate. The packaging says what Apple products the Lift is compatible with and then refers you to the website to see the full list of compatible devices, this leads you to believe it isn’t compatible with android or windows but it is in fact compatible

with a select few. This little tool is stylish and light, to the point that I would forget I was wearing it (until it tells me off for slumping) and the app gives you just enough info about your activity to help you achieve a healthy and stronger body all together an innovative product that is worth getting if you suffer from back trouble.

RRP $79.99

Rating

Pros • 5 different Swarovski® Crystal Jewellery clasps and 5 coloured clasps available from their website • Small and discrete answer to poor posture problems • One of a kind product • Simple to use product and app

Cons • It’s not compatible with all devices, check the website to avoid disappointment • App is a little limited with the information it provides and what you can input www.lumobodytech.com

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GUITAR PICK HOLDER Sometimes the simplest ideas are the best ideas, the Personalised Guitar Pick Holder is a sweet leather wallet for your plectruams to live in. I tend to throw my picks in the case or put them in my pocket (never to be seen again in most cases) but this little holder comes with a stainless steel keyring that is now attached to my guitar case zipper but could also be attached to your keys or belt, wherever is most convenient.

The case is made from high quality cowhide leather and designed perfectly to fit guitar picks with two little pockets each holding 4-6 picks (I crammed in 13 picks ranging from .38 mm to 1mm) and

shuts with a snapper. It is beautifully made and can be personalised with a name or message on the front. Another lovely added touch is that you can chose to have it made from recycled leather, off cuts from hand bags etc that would normally end up in a land fill. Overall a very sweet and practical personalised gift. RRP ÂŁ10 or ÂŁ15 incl personalisation.

Rating

Pros • Beautifully made and designed • Can be personalised • Can choose recycled leather www.greengiftmonster.com

Gadgethead Magazine

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ZEISS VR ONE VIRTUAL REALITY HEADSET Zeiss is well known for producing high end optical lenses that all started off when Carl Zeiss founded the company in Germany and started producing microscopes followed by cameras and eventually, 60 years later, the virtual reality headset. To break it down It works by using two lenses in a headset, a slot to put your phone into and a selection of apps to download to work alongside this, and comes at a reasonably low price. Let’s start with the good, the headset is made from a tough plastic comfortable to wear with soft

padding around the eyes that doesn’t rub or leave marks, you can even wear your glasses with this headset, its looks great with a futuristic feel similar to the other headsets we have seen out there. The lenses magnify the image off of your smart phone screen, they produce a good image with only a little bit of distortion in the far corners. You will need to make sure you have the right tray for your device which are sold separately and current available in either iPhone 6 or Galaxy S5 or S6 a rather limited range. The headset itself

is good but you can’t use the headset without the apps and this is where the VR One becomes disappointing, I was surprised to find there were no buttons meaning you had to remove the phone every time you need to change the app, volume or anything which is a little annoying, there are 100s of apps ready to use with this device that are all free, great but the actual viewing experience was slightly unpleasant, there was no way of adjusting the focus with the VR One suggesting there is just no need but because of this some of the apps left me feeling a little dizzy and uncomfortable. The lack of controls actually means that some apps aren’t compatible, I also found I lost interest in the apps quite quickly for example the cinema app, I put it on and thought okay this is cool but after a few minutes I got bored and I doubt I would ever watch an entire movie like this, I did enjoy a zombie shooter game but sadly was still lacking in emersion. This is the kind of gadget that all my friends want to have a go at and go oooh and aarrh

over for a few minutes when they come over but would never buy themselves, it is a strange mix of a good product that can’t really be used for anything right now, it shows great promise but is more of a gimmick until the apps can be improved. RRP £124.99

Rating

Pros • Comfortable, durable head set • High end lenses • Reasonably priced VR Cons • Limited compatibility • Limited interaction within the apps • No focus adjustment • Just not quite ready yet www.zeissvrone.tumblr.com

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Rating

Pros • Solid construction • Produces a lovely Fuzz distortion

Cons • Only offers the one distortion www.earthquakerdevices.com

EARTHQUAKER DEVICES TERMINAL FUZZ

Fuzz is that dirty thick growl a guitar will make that most people would associate with rock and roll, it gives the impression of a broken amp and is created by using pedals like the Terminal Fuzz. The Terminal Fuzz is based on the legendary Shin Ei Companion FY-2 fuzz from the 70’s but offers more control with dials to regulate the output volume level, treble to reduce or add bite, the voice dial controlling the upper and lower midrange and most important of all, fuzz control. The Terminal fuzz uses analogue circuitry with true bypass switching and is hand made one at a time in Ohio.

When I first started playing I set the voice and fuzz and then tweaked the treble to play around with how clean or grimy I could make the sound, you can bring the fuzz up from a light gritty buzz all the way to an amp shattering synth style sound, similar to the famous riff in Spirit In The Sky. The pedal itself looks great with a cool urban skyline design and is a good piece of construction with the standard dials, it sounds brilliant on either humbuckers or single coils and also sounded great on the bass, nice and dirty. This isn’t a particularly versatile pedal and only offers one type of sound but it’s a strong sound which will dominate your guitars voice, when I mentioned this to a fellow guitar player he responded by saying, “that’s the same as going into a Chinese restaurant and complaining that they only serve Chinese food”, to which I promptly shut up. Saying that this pedal offers a lot of variations within this range and is a lot of fun, it’s such a popular and distinct sound and Terminal Fuzz delivers a delicious distortion that needs to be heard to be believed. Get your ears round some demos of this product and if you become as charmed as I am I’m sure you will agree it is well worth the money. RRP $165

Gadgethead Magazine

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EXOGLO3 BODY WARMER EXO² is a UK based design and manufacturer of heat therapy & heated clothing products, they use an ingeniously designed material called FabRoc which took 30 years to develop and is a lightweight polymer that produces FIR (Far Infrared Rays) heat energy when a low voltage is passed through it. its flexible which means you can produce a light weight item of clothing where the only wire is the one the battery pack connects too.

EXO² primarily design motorcycle and equestrian clothing but it can be used for a whole range of outdoor activities as well as provide possible health benefits with heat therapy. The ExoGlo3 Body Warmer has two chest panels and a large kidney panel that heat up surprisingly quickly and has three heat levels to choose from, it can last up to five hours depending on what level its set on. The 12V rechargeable power pack does take three hours to fully charge which is quite a long time but there is a number display on the power pack that tells you how much charge is left (1-9) which is really handy as a quick reference as to whether you need to top up the charge before you head out. It comes with a wireless remote so once the battery pack is stored away in

its Velcro pocket (inside the left hand pocket) you can change the temp and turn it on/off via the remote without having to dig it out each time. Each button emits a different noise so you can tell which button you have pressed without looking which can be helpful it isn’t very discrete I can’t think of an example of when you would need it to be quiet but you can always unplug it to turn it off. I kept the remote on the zip in dry weather or in the pocket in wet weather, the buttons are nice and big so it is simple to use whilst wearing gloves. The outer shell is made from Flylite fabric which is shower proof, windproof and breathable and is also machine washable. The power pack is a bit bulking in the pocket and can get in the way sometimes when sitting down, I would also love to see this in other colours other than black, possible with high vis or reflectors on for added protection. I was impressed with the details in the design of this body warmer, it is a clever product that can keep you cosy during a wide range of activities. RRP £179.99

Rating

Pros • Machine washable • Heats quickly • Wireless remote • Shower proof, windproof and breathable • Quilted so it is warm even before turning on • Up to 5 hours battery life • Men’s and Women’s fit available

Cons • Only available in black • Takes 3 hours to fully charge power pack • No option to turn off remote sound www.exo2.co.uk

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ETYMOTIC’S MK5 ISOLATOR EAR PHONES Etymotic have used their isolator technology to produce headphones that reduce outside noise and promote hearing safety, by blocking out background noise you don’t need to turn up your music to full to be able to hear it clearly. The Mk5’s reduces noise by 35 - 42 dB which make them ideal for wearing whilst at the gym or on the commute. I had a particularly annoying couple of women plonk themselves behind me on the train and started rattling on about their incredibly dull jobs and how Lisa from finance is always gossiping blah blah blah so I put the earphones in and even before I turned on the music it had drowned out their inane chatter. The sound quality of these headphones is pretty good for the price, you need to make sure you have a really good seal by twisting the headphones right into your ear canal or by using a different sized ear tip that way you will get the most out of the sound especially the bass which is perhaps a little lacking when it comes to bass heavy tunes. The Mk5 comes

with two sizes of 3-flange ear tips and a set of Foam ear tips which are nice and comfortable to wear, I personally preferred the foam tips as the stayed put in my ears and where as I found I would have to twist the flange tips in again now and when I removed them my ears felt hot unlike when I wore the foam tips. The headphones are made out of plastic so they are light to wear however it does mean the cord will tangle up within the blink of an eye but it comes with a handy little case and a clip that will keep the cord in place whether you are wearing them or not. Due to the low profile you can wear these headphones under a hat or helmet although due to the noise reduction please be careful when using the headphones if you need to wear a helmet, not a good idea to cycle when you can’t hear outside noise. All in all for the price these are acceptable headphones which provide great noise reduction and reasonable sound quality whilst looking after your hearing at the same time. RRP £54.95

Rating

Pros • Good value for money • Low profile • Reduces background noise • Protects your hearing

Cons • Plastic casing a little cheap and flimsy • Might not be suitable to bass heavy fans www.etymoticdirect.co.uk

Gadgethead Magazine

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Pipewerx.com bikes@pipewerx.com 01704 89 52 52

Pipewerx

I have owned many motorbikes over the years and throughout this time I have had some realisations about the unsaid rules of owning one.

Firstly, always buy the best you can because you get what you pay for and cheap is always rubbish. Secondly, always nod to other riders even if they don’t nod back, thirdly, get yourself on courses to keep yourself sharp and lastly get a nice, louder than standard, exhaust to be safe.

All of my bikes have had after market cans and one of the most memorable was a Honda Fireblade with an exhaust from Pipewerx. It made the Blade sound beautiful throughout the whole rev range and stood out with the distinctive X in the outflow. This has always been one of my favourites as I love a bit of branding in my outflow pipes.

Imagine my delight when Pipewerx agreed for GadgetHead magazine to test their latest offering, a new exhaust that hadn’t even been released yet.

Allow me to introduce to you the Titanium Tri-Oval R11 street legal exhaust. This pipe is a quality piece of workmanship from the boys in Lancashire who have been producing Street Legal or Race cans with a lifetime guarantee since 2006.

Exclusively, the Pipe is so new that these are the first pictures of it.

The official launch date for the R11 outlet will be at on the 28th November at the Motorcycle Live Show at the NEC so this is an exclusive for all you petrol heads. The 1st cans are being used in the BSB Superstock.

We will be writing a follow on piece with a full review and video in the winter/Spring when the pipe is fitted so you will see and hear it in all its glory!

The R11 Ti Tri-Oval’s are a steal at just £300.

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MUSTO MPX OFFSHORE JACKET (SM1513) Keith Musto, Olympic medal winner in sailing, founded his clothing company in 1964 and since then it has become the world’s leading offshore sailing brand - so when it comes to sailing apparel Musto know what they are doing and this jacket is a prime example.

The MPX Offshore Jacket is designed to spend a considerable amount of time on the water and Musto are licensed to use GORE-TEX - a brilliantly clever material that allows perspiration to escape whilst keeping water spray, rain or snow out. The GORE-TEX is bonded with the outer shell and the inner lining creating a 3 layer effect but without the layers moving about individually thus reducing the wear and tear meaning the jacket will last longer and comes with the promise, “Guaranteed To Keep You Dry”. There is so much going on with this jacket I’m not even sure where to start, as well as keeping you warm and dry against the harshest of weather for long periods of time, the florescent roll away hood has width & height adjustment and a rigid hood peak to carry run-off water away from your face, combine this with the inner and outer adjustable cuffs means nothing is getting into this jacket. A high fleece-lined collar

and fully adjustable and pre-shaped spume visor increases protection and adds to the warmth, hand warmer pockets on the chest and lower front are lined with fleece to keep hands warm and dry. The zips are protected with a double storm flap and a drainage channel, the large storage pockets are lined with mesh for drainage and are easily accessible to their contents even whilst wearing gloves. There are life jacket attachment points so you can take the life jacket and sailing jacket off and on at the same time which is a great idea. For added safety on the sea there is reflective print on the front and back and photoluminescent prismatic reflectors (glow in the dark bits) help increase visibility in low light. At the bottom of the list of important things to consider when looking at sailing clothing is probably stylishness but on top of all the technical features of this jacket it also manages to look good as well as being a joy to wear. The Musto MPX Offshore Jacket is tough on the elements whilst being gentle on the wearer and provides everything you could need during your adventures Offshore. RRP £499.99 but is currently on sale so grab one now!

Rating

Pros • Ultimate technical offshore jacket • Harsh weather protections • Warm and comfortable to wear • Available in 5 different colours • Hard-wearing and long-lasting www.musto.com

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MOLECULE-R AROMA R-EVOLUTION Being a life-long veggie-phobe when I heard that there was potential on making broccoli taste like chocolate and sprouts takes like strawberries, I thought my prayers had been answered.

At Molecule-R they have broken down the process of why we enjoy what we eat and drink to a scientific level and created a range of products to play with our senses and enhance the dining experience. The Aroma R-Evolution Fork set comes with 4 Aromaforks, 21 volatile aromas, 4 Molecule-R droppers, 50 Diffusion Pastilles and an instruction booklet, the pack looks exciting like a mini science lab so you may want a white coat and goggles instead of an apron when experimenting with this.

Molecule-R says that our taste buds can only recognise 5 primary tastes while the nose, capable of distinguishing the subtle flavours of food, actually provides 80% of flavour perception, meaning our nose is actually the key factor how we taste out food. By putting a couple drops of an aroma onto one of the diffusion pastilles and inserting into the fork while following the breathing technique you can experiment with various different food

pairings, some complimentary, some not so much. Before you get started there are some PROP strips that can determine if you are a supertaster (25%), average taster (50%) or a nontaster (25%), disappointingly both me and my partner were non-tasters meaning we have less sensitive taste buds which explains why we both love spicy food and can tolerate bitter tastes like ale, black coffee and dark chocolate, we still had a lot of fun with this kit though. One of my favourite combos was eating a little bit of chocolate cake and transforming it with the mint and ginger aromas. Some of the aromas didn’t have a big effect for example the wasabi and butter but the stronger aromas like smoke and chocolate were a lot of fun to play with. I can’t see me using it every night to sneak kale past my taste buds but it is a lot of fun and teaches you a few things along the way, get your mates round and start experimenting. RRP $58.95

Rating

Pros • Looks great • Educational • Host a dinner party with a difference • Fun

Cons • Doesn’t work for everyone www.moleculargastronomy.com

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Rating

Pros • Versatile • Plenty of pockets and loops to organise possessions • Reflector detailing • Weatherproof • Durable nylon body Cons • Tags occasionally came off the zips when tugging too hard www.ospreyeurope.co.uk

Osprey Axis 18 Backpack This is a rigorously tested bag, that has been used at least 3 times a week during the 6 months we have had it, it has travelled around London, been hiking in North Wales and Norway and recently went skiing in France.

Apart from being a little dirty it still looks as good as new, there is no wear on the bottom from being dumped on the ground due to the tough nylon material, the stitching is still perfect and the padding in the back and straps remains full and supportive.

The Osprey Axis 18 as the name suggests is an 18L bag that performs well in both the urban environment and in the great outdoors. Starting with the main compartment there is an elasticated laptop pocket that rests against the padding on the wearers back as well another sleeve for magazines, paperwork or a tablet whilst still leaving plenty of room for clothes and other essentials.

The pockets are lined in a light lime green material to make it easy to spot objects at the bottom of the bag. The next compartment houses a webbed organiser with 3 pockets suitable for

phones, wallets or mp3 devices and a key clip, on top of that is a scratch resistant pocket for sunglasses or small electricals that is lined with a soft scratch proof material which is a really nice touch. The bag also has two angled side pockets, a grab handle, Front bungee compression system (also useful for holding a jacket or jumper on walks), Sternum strap and detachable waist strap, LED bike light attachment point and Reflective graphics as well as EU hand luggage size compatible making this a really adaptable bag. The die cut EVA foam shoulder straps and spacer mesh back panel make the bag comfortable to wear for long periods of time and breathes well so you don’t end up with sweat patches. The only issue we had was that sometimes the loop tags on the zips would pop off when pulling too hard but it wasn’t difficult to reattach them apart from that this bag makes a great companion from the daily commute to weekend away or a hike up a mountain. RRP £45

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Illuminated Apparel Glow T-Shirts Sometimes we get a product in at Gadgethead that everyone wants to keep, this was one of those times. The Illuminated Apparel Glow T-Shirts are a lot of fun and what started off as a rather creative task soon resulted in a game of who can insult the wearer the most. Illuminated Apparel have invented a glow ink which is up to 10 times brighter than the standard glow inks available and have produced t-shirts with large panels of this ink printed on to it, by using the UV key ring that’s included or the flash light off your phone you can create images or writing that last up to 5 minutes in the dark before it begins to fade. Any light can be used but the higher the UV output the brighter it will be and the narrower the beam of light the easier it is to draw in detail, Illuminated Apparel sell a UV laser pointer separately for £6 which works brilliantly on it even from across the room. As well as being sold individually for fun Illuminated Apparel also offer a ‘Logo Embedding’

service in which you can embed your company’s logo or brand identity onto the ink design, a very cool way to gain brand exposure. The tops are available in adult and child, in fabric colours red, blue, black or white, with the glow colours coming in a choice of Super Green Glow (Brightest), Super Aqua Glow, Super Peach Glow, there are some with logos embedded options too for example hearts, dinosaurs or smiley faces. I would love to see these in vests and hoodies or tailored for women but as it stands they currently only come as unisex basic t-shirts.

Perhaps the novelty will wear off but at the moment we still love playing with the Glow T-Shirt, they are great for a night out or at a festival, a brilliant ice breaker that will certainly get you noticed, there was talk about getting them for an upcoming stag do, mainly so they can write insults on each other from across the bar (especially if anyone is attempting to chat up the ladies). RRP £20

Rating

Pros • Good fun • Machine washable • Available in 4 different colours & 3 different Glow Colours • Great for getting you notice on a night out • Optional logo embedding • Good value for money

Cons • Only available as a basic t-shirt • Only available in unisex sizes (no tailored women’s cut) www.illuminatedapparel.co.uk

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REVELL CONTROL XS NANO QUAD MICRO QUADROCOPTER The Revell Control XS Nano Quad Micro Quadrocopter is the smallest and lightest quad we have tested out measuring less than 4.5 cm (1.75 inches) in length and weighing just 11.5 grams (0.4 ounces). It is designed for indoor use but like most micro quads can be used outside in dry conditions with no wind (it will get blown away) and has built-in bright LED lights to make it easy to spot, as it is so tiny you don’t need to fly it too high before it can become difficult to see, the lights help with this but in bright daylight it can still turn invisible so we preferred to keep this little quad inside only.

Having said that it is very all or nothing when it comes to the throttle and can shoot off at an angle as soon it takes off so be prepared to crash and make sure you have plenty of room to play with it indoors away from valuables or it could get quite expensive. Revell says this is a good beginners quadcopter but as it is

so tiny and can take a little while to get to grips with the controls, it will require patience and a light touch to master.

We found that when we crashed the rotor blades would fall off more times than not but there are spares provided just in case you lose or break one. As you would expect the range is about 50 metres and the controls feature forward, backward, left turn, right turn, upwards, downwards, sideways directional functions and can be flown straight out of the box, however when it does need charging it takes 45 minutes for roughly 5 minutes flying time which can be frustrating. I understand the appeal of trying to make quads smaller but why do the controls have to be so small as well? We found it just made it harder to handle. For the price it is a good little toy but I can see why it is aimed at 14+ because it is too complicated for children, a group of late

20 somethings did spend an afternoon zipping this around the office (and trying to shoot it down with a Nerf Gun) laughing like school children so it definitely has got a place in the market.

If you haven’t got the money to splash on a quadcopter but you have got time and patience, or you are already an accomplished flyer and would like to try out something teeny tiny is could have appeal. RRP £29.99

Rating

Pros • Low cost • With time it can become quite manoeuvrable • Looks good • Good novelty factor Cons • 45 mins to charge for 5 mins fly time • Rotor blades come off when it crashes • Small controls Both • It can be erratic (we love and hate that) www.revell.de/en

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Rating

Pros • Great All Rounder • Wicked Design • Strong, fast and easy to ride www.romesnowboards.com

Rome Garage Rocker Snowboard This review comes from someone who only begun snowboarding on the dry slopes last October, I received the Rome Garage Rocker in December and I have taken it for two open lessons on the dry and eight days on the snow in Valmorel France.

I have grown very attached to this board like when you get your first bike, it started off by spending more time in the air and me on the carpet and witnessed me learn to link my turns and start carving up the snow.

This has been a great all- rounder to both help me learn and it is quick and flexible enough to keep it fun as my skills increase.

This is a 2016 season board and comes in sizes 148, 152, 154, 156, 159, 151MW. 154MW, 157MW, 160MW (cm), it has a TTT Core matrix which means it is a traditional board with a 100% nose to tail wood core allowing for pure snap and ollie power. With a Straightbiax Laminate and a XTRD the board is aimed at riders who make the most of any terrain they come up against with 90 degree fibres creating a fun playful flex along with being strong, fast and

easy to ride. It has Glass Reverse-V Stringer Technology which is a pop enhancing technology that increases ollie and nollie pop while still keeping it torsionally loose and butter.

The board is extremely quick, there is a blue I travelled down a few times a day where at the beginning you have to build up enough speed for a long flat, here I found the board really excel keeping low I didn’t get overtaken once and I left quite a few people in my wake. After a few days on the snow a friend kindly waxed and sharpened the board, the difference was noticeable my turns were sharper and the board was even quicker perhaps too quick for my skill set but still it was even more fun.

A beautifully designed board it has a black background all over with a red heart on the base and on the top what I can only describe as a grey ghoulish rib cage reaching for the heart in grey – it looks cool! I would highly recommend this board to boarders who are starting out or of an intermediary level as it just a great all rounder and with an affordable price of RRP $299.99

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Musto Evolution Matthiessen BR1 Primaloft Jacket The Musto Evolution Matthiessen BR1 Primaloft Jacket is a highly technical ski jacket produced by a British company that specialises in creating clothing that will first and foremost protect you from the harshest of all elements. Before we get to the technical side of things I have to admit our first response was how stylish this jacket is, we had it in Aruba Blue which is a lovely bold blue with red and black detailing and the asymmetric zip gives the design some edge as well as adding some comfort under the chin (there is nothing like the discomfort of a cold wet zip pressed against your face). The 4-way stretch shell fabric is tactile and light, but as well as being nice to wear Musto’s BR1 technology, combining fully taped seam and high

grade construction, means this jacket will keep you dry even in a downpour, so falling over on the slope or getting caught in some heavy snow isn’t going to touch it. As for keeping you warm the Evolution Matthiessen uses Primaloft insulation (originally designed for the US military) that stays permanently water resistant even after washing and retains its insulating properties and light weight even when wet. This jacket also boasts a whole heap of special features, some you would expect - like the powder skirt, Velcro cuffs, inner sleeves with thumb holes that help keep the heat in and a removable helmet compatible hood but there are also a few that we didn’t expect. The zip away neck gaiter is a nice touch which can be

stuffed into the collar when not in use, there is also a lazer cut bonded chest pocket for extra storage and the sleeves have no underarm seam to increase freedom of movement.

As well as all this there is also a mesh underarm for improved ventilation and breathability that can be zipped out and a concealed zip-up media pocket on the left-hand sleeve. The Evolution Matthiessen performed above our expectations and kept the wearer dry and warm on the slopes as well as being a great winter jacket to wear off the slopes.

RRP £449 but is currently on sale so like the MPX Offshore Jacket so grab one now!!

Rating

Pros • Warm • Dry • Lightweight • Breathable • Lots of technical features Cons • Maybe out of some people’s budgets • Only available in black or blue www.musto.com

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Columbia Winter Catalyst Glove This year was the first time I had ever gone Snowboarding (on actual snow) and I was given an itinerary of what I will need gloves, helmet, board etc and I will admit was a bit naïve as I didn’t give gloves that much importance.

On reflection after spending eight days in Valmorel France I realise now how fortunate I was to be able to test Columbia Mens Winter Catalyst glove, I wore these eight days straight and it was only when a friend was complaining about how cold and wet

his hands were I said “really mine are toasty warm.” What makes this even more impressive was the first day took a lot of adjustment from the dry slopes and I was falling over at least twice a minute, all I could really manage was toe edge breaking down the piste (it’s worth adding a big thanks here to all that came as no one videoed this to my surprise).

I can say without hesitation that these gloves are completely waterproof, the shell is made from 90%

Polyester/10% Elastane Stretch Max Softshell, the palm Pittards goat skin leather and the extremely comfortable lining is Omni-Heat thermal reflecting and insulated.

Features of the glove are the nose wipe on the thumb (used a lot!), one hand shock cord hem adjustment, removable safety leash, 3-Point precurve and lastly the long gauntlet. Love these..... RRP £90

Rating

Pros • Comfortable to wear • Completely Waterproof www.columbiasportswear.co.uk

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SIDAS ULTRA THIN SOCKS As mentioned earlier in this focus this was my first time Snowboarding and I had no preconceptions about any of the products I would be testing however I was thinking I had made a mistake when pulling the Sidas Ultra Thin Socks out of my suitcase while looking at what everybody else had packed, it felt like a PE Lesson at school and inferiority struck again over the lack of sock girth!

However it was too late now to organise a Plan B I had arrived - so I put the socks on and thought well at least they are comfortable even if I do freeze to death later! If I am honest I had completely forgotten about the socks as I was more scared about being dragged up the mountain backwards

on a button lift or maiming a small child.

When I noticed these socks was when I went back to the chalet for lunch, I took my boots off and my socks were dry, I then couldn’t remember any point where I had felt the cold. I brought two pairs of these socks and I only had to use the one, they are awesome and not only do they keep you warm but they didn’t make my feet sweat either.

The reason these socks worked so well is that they are developed with X-Socks technologies and the thinness of the fibre in the mesh and the semi synthetic materials used provide comfort and thermal regulation in all situations. Highly recommend and save room in your suitcase! RRP £44

Rating

Pros • Comfortable to wear • Keep you warm and thermally regulated • Feet Don’t Sweat www.sidassport.com

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Rating

RAB NEUTRINO ENDURANCE JACKET The Neutrino Endurance Jacket is a technical down jacket for modern mountaineering and light-weight ascents, designed for UK and alpine winter conditions which has been recently revised for autumn/winter 2015. RAB use high quality 800FP European Goose Down combined with Hydrophobic Down technology that greatly reduces water absorption and maintains loft so the Down doesn’t clump into horrible lumps like normal goose down when it gets wet, it also dries out really quickly. The Jacket has

a 30-Denier nylon fabric for the outer shell and durable light weight Pertex Quantum for the inner fabric, although it feels thin it is actually pretty resilient, obviously it isn’t invincible so it does need a certain level of care but for such a light jacket it can take some impact.

I really like how the pockets are under the insulation so they act as a glove as well and keep your hands toasty. The hood has been updated to a down-filled helmet-compatible hood, with a Velcrofree roll down system for stowing away.

The hood has a clever wire brim, that

Pros • Highly technical • High quality construction • 6 colours available • Updated last year with a velcro free roll down hood, 2-way YKK VISLON Aquaguard front zip, 2 YKK VISLON Aquaguard zipped hand-warmer pockets, water resistant Pertex Endurance facings at cuff and, antisnag velcro cuff and a revised fit with a slightly longer torso length

• Extremely comfortable • Warm • Lightweight • Resilient • Feels nice against your skin and pulls on easily over other layers Cons • Although the zip has been improved it does still snag occasionally www.rab.equipment/uk

creates a visa to protect you from not only rain and snow but also can block out the sun. The Neutrino Endurance Jacket comes with its own light weight stuff bag which is useful for stowing it away and the wire in the hood didn’t appear to suffer any damage whilst being shoved in and out of the bag. So what else… well the zip will unzip from the top and bottom making it suitable for wearing with a harness, the hood and hem have draw cords for better protection in nasty weather and it has water-resistant Pertex Endurance facings at the cuffs and hem. Another thing that I liked was that for a Stitch-through baffle construction Jacket it is a slim fit and you don’t end up looking like the Michelin-man and as for the colour, our sample was Pear, initially I thought it was a bit garish but I have to admit It grew on me to the point that I would choose it over the other 5 colours, it stands out which is important when out on adventures. My only gripe with the jacket is that although the zip has been updated to a 2-way YKK VISLON AquaGuard zip with internal insulated zip baffle and a soft chin guard, I still managed to get the outer material caught in it several times whilst zipping it up quickly, so my advice, take it slow when doing the zip up and you will have a near perfect down endurance jacket. RRP £275

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ROME 390 BOSS BINDINGS 2016 As I knew I would be reviewing Rome’s Garage Rocker board I thought it would be a good idea to review bindings from the same brand to get the best out of each product and give an optimum review. The Rome 390 Boss Bindings are quoted as bullet proof and bomb proof but are they Alex proof now that is the real test, they are in for a few weeks of uncoordinated boarding at its very best!

The bindings have their own customised flex and pop with the UnderWrap.2 Heel Hoop this is a Rome exclusive way of delivering toe-to-heel pop and side-to-side flex and also a V-Rod Baseplate which gives “correct flex” through toe-to-heel power and side-to-side tweak. To help with the comfortability factor they are equipped with a new Countour.2 Ankle Strap which is flexible, low profile and 3D shaped to cuddle your ankle and an OpenForm Strap which has lightweight simplicity for comfortable foot control.

Other features include a 390 Asym Highback, Full Highback Rotation with Channel Adjust, New EVA SubBase V-Pad, Multiple Strap Positions, QuickAdjust for Strap Length and a Full

Range Forward Lean Adjuster.

The bindings were very easy to screw on to the board, set the angle of how you want the bindings positioned and then affix with four phillips-headed screws, you then slot in the V-Rod Base plate and position to however much toe edge you prefer and set in place with one phillips-headed screw. The only vice I had with these bindings is after a day of aggressive riding the screws do come loose if you have only tightened them by hand, there was an incident where after I crashed (on the highest mountain at the resort) the bindings became loose and I had to walk 300 metres up the piste with cross winds to the medical centre to tighten them up – worst moment of the trip!! I would recommend using an electric screwdriver to get these as tight as possible so you don’t suffer a similar incident.

The bindings are extremely comfortable and easy to slip off and on and protected me from a lot of crashes for which I will be eternally grateful. Overall I am impressed by these bindings and Rome as a whole.

RRP $260

Rating

Pros • Alex Proof!

• Very Reactive • Comfortable with the ruggedness

Cons • The screws can become loose www.romesnowboards.com

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Roberts Radio WhatHiFi Advertorial.indd 1

06/05/2015 15:48