• Mattress: The Love and Sleep Mattress by Nest Bedding is one of the most affordable non-toxic mattresses (a queen-sized mattress costs about $600). The mattresses are handmade in the USA and ship quickly.
• Comforter/Duvet: 100% Yak Wool Duvet by Healthline. Yak wool is ultrawarm & hypoallergenic. See this article for more details.
• Comforter Cover: 300 Threadcount Organic Cotton Sateen Duvet Cover by Coyuchi
• Sheets: 300 Treadcount Organic Sateen Sheet Set by Coyuchi or Magnolia Organic Cotton Sheets
• Pillow: 100% Natural Latex Pillow by OrganicTextiles
• Mattress Topper: Serenia Natural 100% Natural Latex Topper or Pure Green 100% Natural Latex Mattress Topper by Sleep On Latex
• Mattress Topper Cover: Sleep On Organic Mattress Topper (80% Organic Cotton, 20% Polyester)

All of these bedding items are non-toxic, and hypoallergenic (meaning they won’t trigger allergies).

The blankets and sheets are also thermal regulating (meaning they help your body at an optimum temperature).

I have all of the products in my bedroom and have enjoyed them over the years.

Why Choose Non-Toxic Bedding?

We spend about one-third of our lives in bed. So choosing the right bedding is quite important. Our body also regenerates itself during sleep, and we absorb substances through our skin and our lungs during this process.

To create a non-toxic bed we must ensure that the mattress, pillows, and sheets are free of toxins. Specifically, the aim here is to avoid:

• Fire-retardant chemicals (PBDEs)
• Formaldehyde
• Boric acid
• Toxic dyes
• Bleaches
• Pesticides & herbicides

Most conventional bedding contains many of these contaminants. Unfortunately, some chemicals are even deliberately introduced, such as the fire-retardant chemical PBDE (or “Polybrominated Diphenal Ether”). To buy a mattress in the U.S. that is free of the PDBE, you need permission from a doctor. This is even though PBDE has been banned by Europe, Canada, California, and the state of Washington.

It’s also a good idea to avoid synthetic materials. Natural fibers allow for changes in body temperature, because they do not reflect heat and because they can absorb moisture.

More Information

The rationale for choosing chemical-free, organic bedding can be found in the book Sleep Safe In A Toxic World (this book is a great source of information).

See also the activist website People For Clean Beds.

The post The Best Natural & Non-Toxic Bedding appeared first on Reactual.

In terms of heat retention and the ability to be used as filling, these are the warmest fibers by weight:

• Qiviut [Musk Ox Wool]
• Yak Wool
• Alpaca Wool
• Camel Wool
• Sheep’s Wool

For more details, see my article explaining why these wools are ultrawarm.

After testing duvets filled with Camel, Alpaca, and Merino wool, I found that Camel wool is indeed the warmest inside a comforter.

All of these wools contain no lanolin so they are hypoallergenic and odorless.

They have good moisture “wicking” properties. This means that moisture is absorbed by the fiber. This keeps sweat away from being released to the outside of the duvet.

This is the duvet I found to be the warmest:

The absolute warmest duvet on the market is the Qiviut duvet:

Alpaca Duvet

This Alpaca duvet I have tested and it is also very warm:

• Ave Maria 400 GSM Alpaca Wool Duvet/Comforter

The post The Warmest Wool Duvets (Qiviut, Alpaca and Camel Wool) appeared first on Reactual.

• For well water or other problematic water, I recommend Big Berkey drip filters. These filters use a combination of ceramic and carbon block filtration. Overall, they are the least expensive type of filters to maintain.
• If you are only interest in a pitcher filter — this BWT filter will remove most contaminants
• If you are able to spend $1500 to $3000, “whole house” filters are the an inexpensive long terms option. These filters are installed at the pipe where the municipal water pipes enters your home. I recommend the whole house filter by Pure Effect.

The Contaminants You Want To Remove

Typically, you want to remove these contaminants from your water:

• Toxic metals (Lead, Mercury, Aluminium, Cadmium, Chromium, Copper, etc.)
• Additives (Chlorine, Chloramines, Fluoride)
• Chlorination By-Products (Trihalomethanes or THMs)
• VOCs and other Organic Compounds (Pesticides, Herbicides, Pharmaceuticals, Fuels)
• Bacteria and viruses (Giardia, Cryptosporidium, etc.)
• Radioactive substances (Radon and Uranium, etc.)

If you use municipal water, you will usually find these contaminants:

• Chlorine
• Chloramines
• Fluoride
• THMs (Trihalomethanes)
• VOCs (volatile organic compounds)

If you use well water, these are the most common contaminants you’ll find:

• Particulate matter (dirt, bits of leaves, etc.)
• Bacteria and viruses
• VOCs (volatile organic compounds)
• Radioactive substances

The Effectiveness Of Different Types Of Water Filters

Pitcher Filters

Pitcher-style filters such as Brita filters are inexpensive units, making them very popular with consumers. However, in the long term, they are actually one of the most expensive option. The filters cartridges require frequent replacement — the cost for 40 gallons is $7-10 each, or $130-$190 for 750 gallons.

Almost all pitcher-style filters use GAC or “granulated activated carbon” as the filtration medium. Typically, GAC is coconut husks that have been heated to a high temperature in the absence of oxygen and then granulated. These filters do remove some chlorine and hydrogen sulfide (rotten eggs odor) — but are not effective at removing VOCs, metals, pesticides or fluoride. Overall, they are not very effective water filters.

Faucet Filters

Filters that attach to your kitchen faucet are very similar to Pitcher Filters, but they do filter a little better than the pitcher-style filters. However, they have the same drawbacks — they are expensive to maintain and they do not remove many contaminants. You must replace filters every 100 gallons at $20-$40 each or $140-$180 for 700 gallons.

Colin Ingram, author of the The Drinking Water Book rates all faucet filters no higher than “Acceptable”.

Gravity-Fed Drip Filters

In my opinion, the best water filters are gravity-fed drip water filters. These filters are excellent at removing chlorine, chlorination by-products, fluoride, VOCs, pesticides, particulates and pharmaceuticals. These filters use “candle” type filters, which are widely available and can be customized to your specific filtration needs.

Gravity-fed filters require no electricity to operate — water is filtered as it drips from the upper chamber to the lower chamber. Because the water is filtered slowly, the filtration is much more effective than a faucet-mounted filter. Generally, slow filtration methods tend to be best.

Berkey is best-known drip filter manufacturer. They make good quality filters. You might also consider ProPur filters. Their latest filter, the ProOne G 2.0, will remove fluoride — including hydrofluorosilicic acid (few filters remove this contaminant).

These filters use carbon block filtration, which works by the process of adsorption (different than absorption). In this process, the carbon attracts certain contaminants at the molecular level, and the contaminants become attached to the surface of the carbon. Once the surface of the carbon is full, the filter must be thrown out and replaced. However, the ProPur filters can be periodically scrubbed, and thus reused for years.

These filter are certified to NSF/ANSI standards #42 (test for chlorine, taste, odor and particulates), NSF Standard #53 (tests for Cryptosporidium, Giardia, lead, VOCs and MTBE) and NSF Standard #61 (tests that toxins aren’t leached into water). They are manufactured in England.

Berkey filter are available from Amazon for about $300.

Overall Rating: Excellent

Reverse Osmosis Filters

Reverse Osmosis filters use a membrane which removes many contaminants from water. They are usually paired with a Granulated Activated Charcoal filter to remove chlorine. Most reverse osmosis filters are installed under the sink and have a holding tank. The semipermeable membrane separates many contaminates (which usually have a larger particle size that water) from the water and rejects a large amount of water in the process. The result is a waste of several gallons of water for every gallon filtered and many naturally occurring minerals (including calcium and magnesium) are also removed from the water.

However, they are quite effective filters, in terms of removing contaminants. However, they do not reduce VOCs or pesticides (unless a Carbon Block filter is included). They can take up to an hour to filter one gallon of water and the filters need to be replaced regularly.

If you want to go this route, I recommend the iSpring Reverse Osmosis System, which is quite reliable.

Overall Rating: Very Good

Countertop Distillers

Countertop distillers are effective water purifiers, but they take some time to distill water (for example 5 hours to distill 1 gallon). They also require electricity to run, and they give off some heat and the integrated fans make some noise. Also, most distillers do not remove VOCs (like benzene) because they have a lower boiling point that water. So they will vaporize together with the stream, resulting in a contaminated distillate.

Countertop distiller that get a rating of “Excellent” from Colin Ingram in the The Drinking Water Book are: Megahome Countertop Distiller, Waterwise 4000 and Waterwise 8800, Kenmore 34480 and Pure Water Mini-Classic.

Megahome Countertop Water Distiller

This distiller is sold under many brand names — it’s the most widely distributed distiller in the world. It has many quality components despite being inexpensive. It produces 1 gallon of water in 5 hours. The water is passed through a small granular carbon filter. There’s a sealed connections from the distiller to the water collection container, so there is minimal risk of contamination by air. The unit has a stainless steel boiling chamber that is easily accessible for cleaning.

The Megahome Countertop Distiller is available from Amazon for about $150.

Waterwise 4000 Countertop Distiller

This is a more powerful version of the distiller listed above. It has the same features but produces 1 gallon of distilled water in 4 hours. Also received an “Excellent” rating from Colin Ingram in the The Drinking Water Book.

The Waterwise 4000 is available from Amazon for about $320.

Overall Rating: Excellent

The post The Best Water Filters appeared first on Reactual.

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• The GermGuardian AC482522 is the best portable air filter available
• One of the air filters doctors recommend most, the Honeywell True HEPA Air Purifier is the best air filter for allergies
• The Holmes Desktop Purifier is the best value portable air filter

The Details

A portable air filter is a device that is used to purify the air in a room of impurities and pollutants. Air filter statistics from the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have shown that the air inside your home can be five to ten times dirtier than the air outside, and Americans spend an average of 90% of their lives indoors.

Portable air filters are intended to target specific contaminants, decreasing the levels in which they are detected in the room. In order to do this, the air is passed through one of more filters to remove dust, lint, germs and other pollutants. In a stationary (non-portable) purifier, the filter is inserted into the air return vents in a home. These materials include foam, fiberglass, cotton and synthetic fibers. A portable air filter is more versatile, and the same materials and methods are used in many of the best portable filters.

Some of the most popular air filter types are HEPA air purifiers, air filters that use activated carbon filters and others that use charged media filters. When purchasing a portable air filter with HEPA technology, it is important to look for one with a genuine HEPA filter, or “true” HEPA filter. Some may be advertised as “HEPA-like,” but these do not meet the high standards of a true HEPA filter.

Here are three of the best portable air filters on the market today.

The Best Overall Portable Air Filter: Germ Guardian AC4825

The GermGuardian AC482522 is just 22” in height and weighs a tiny 7 pounds, making it easily transportable from room to room. It features three fan speeds, is ultra-quiet and is best suited for medium sized rooms. The CADR rating is 100+, meaning it can clean more than 100 cubic feet of air in one minute.

This tower-like product from Guardian Technologies is the best available portable air filter on the market. The AC4825 uses three different filters that screen out almost all undesirable particles from the air by using multiple filters and systems.

First, the pre-filter uses activated carbon to remove odors and gases from the home. It also captures larger pieces of dust and pollen. The second filter is a True HEPA system that removes pet dander, dust mites, mold spores and pollen. True HEPA filters must meet strict guidelines to be classified as such. Therefore, you can be assured that the HEPA system in the GermGuardian filters out almost 100% of airborne particles as small as 0.3 microns. Lastly, the air is passed through short range UV light, also known as UV-C. This UV light is effective in killing germs and viruses such as E. coli and streptococcus.

The Best Portable Air Filter For Allergies: Honeywell Air Purifier

The post The Best Portable Air Filter appeared first on Reactual.

Swimbud’s redesigned Sport Waterproof Headphones are the best waterproof earphones of 2016. The new model comes with 4 different style of earbuds to adapt to environment and ear type. They are made with a rugged waterproof design and come with a 1 year warranty.

The Details

The Sport Waterproof Headphones‘ secure fit and tight seal separate them from their competition. In order for sound to transmit underwater, earbuds must form a completely secure waterproof seal inside your ear. If this seal is broken, the sound does not transmit under water and the earphones are useless. On a lot of other underwater earphones, it is common for the seal to break in mid-lap. When that happens it is frustrating to reseal in the middle of an aquatic workout.

Equipped with four different types of IPX8-rated waterproof earbuds, the Sport Waterproof is designed to hold a comfortable seal while submerged in water. They come with the Ergos for biking and running, Trees for lap swimming, Fins for watersports, and Mushroom for everyday activities.

The earphones sport third generation Hydrobeat audio technology which has audio fidelity that is clear enough to listen to music and audiobooks underwater. The audio fidelity does not stand up to the quality of standard earphones, and music will sound a little flat to audiophiles. Do not expect great bass quality from these things.

Unfortunately, they do not have Bluetooth capability. Instead they use a short 40 m cord with a 1m of waterproof extension.

The Sport Waterproof Headphones are available on Amazon for about $70.

Another Option

If you need waterproof headphones with Bluetooth capability, go for Plantronics BackBeat Fit Bluetooth Headphones. Although these aren’t the best for swimming, they have an IP57 rating, which means they can withstand fresh water up to 1 m for 30 minutes. They can go in the lap lane, but the seal will break. That said, they will work great on a rafting or boating excursion or in the weight room. An invisible nano-coating technology protects the earbuds against water and sweat during workouts and water related activities.

The earbuds have a flexible design so they remain stable throughout your workout. A set of built-in controls allows for easy pause, play, and skipping access, without having to pull out the phone or MP3 player. Their charge lasts for about 8 hours.

The Plantronics BackBeat Fit Bluetooth Headphones are available on Amazon for about $80.

The post The Best Waterproof Earphones of 2016 appeared first on Reactual.

This LED headlamp is capable of outputting 900 lumens in “burst” mode — but only for 30 seconds at at time (it must cool down afterwards).

However, in “high mode” it outputs 400 lumens and lasts an average of 3.5 hours in this mode.

The headlamp has regulated output, so it doesn’t dim as battery voltage drops, however the higher brightness settings eventually become unavailable. In mixed usage consisting of approximately 75% medium and 25% high, the high setting becomes unavailable after about 5 hours using 2300 mAh batteries.

The  Fenix 15-UE weighs 5.4 ounces (154 grams), this is excluding batteries and headlamp straps.

The photo at the top of the page shows the 15-UE in “burst mode”. Here is an example of it in action in “high mode”:

The maximum beam reach of the 15-UE is 583 feet (178 meters). The headlamp is IPX-6 Water Resistant –basically, this means it is splash proof but not submersible.

The LEDs used in this lamp are Cree XM-L2 U2 —  these are the highest-performing, commercially available single-die LEDs.

The Fenix 15-UE is available at Amazon for around $63.

The post The Brightest Headlamp That Uses AA Batteries (900 Lumens) appeared first on Reactual.

Our choice for the best high-capacity portable charger is the Goal Zero Yeti 400. This charger is easy to use, solidly constructed, and it features an informative LCD display. It offers several different charging ports — two USB outlets, one 12-volt DC outlet, and two AC wall outlets. In my tests, I found it capable of charging a laptop, an iPad, an iPhone simultaneously, while also powering an 12V car emergency light (see photo below).

The Details

Goal Zero is a company that focuses on producing portable chargers for remote locations. Their Yeti 400 charger, priced at $435, is designed to charge any device that requires less than 300W. The charger has a capacity of 33Ah (amp hours) — which is enough to fully recharge a laptop computer about 3-5 times.

The Yeti 400 itself can be recharged three ways — via a standard 120V socket, a 12V car cigarette outlet, or via solar power panel (sold separately). You can also chain it to another Yeti 400, which doubles the battery capacity. Strangely, Goal Zero officially names this product the “Yeti 400 Solar Generator” — even though you must purchase a solar panel separately to use it.

The Yeti’s LCD display is quite helpful — it has a graphic display indicating how much charge is left on the device. There is also an “input” indicator to show the amount of power it’s receiving while being charged. An “output” indicator shows total number of watts being output. You can use watt output indicator to estimate run-times. For example, the Yeti 400 (with 400Wh) should run a 100W light for 4 hours (400/100=4).

Inside the Yeti 400 is a 12V lead-acid battery — this makes the device fairly heavy at 29 pounds. Why doesn’t it have a lighter and more efficient lithium-ion battery? Because at this size, using a lithium-ion battery would cost about five times as much, or around $2000. The lead-acid battery is replaceable, and can be purchased from Goal Zero directly.

The Yeti 400 is available on Amazon for about $435.

Also available is the larger Yeti 1250 which is priced around $1400. This model includes a Anderson Powerpole output (a type of electrical connector used by Anderson Power Products).

Other Alternatives: High-Capacity Portable Chargers

Wagan 400-Watt Power Dome Jump Starter — this device is designed primarily to be a jump starter, but it does have a 12V 18ah battery inside, and it provides power via two AC outlets, one DC outlet, and one USB outlet — many reviewers had issues with this charger however.

NPower UBPS 1800W — this charger has a capacity of 60 amp hours. It can only be charged via an AC wall outlet (no solar charger or DC charging). It has one USB outlet, and five AC outlets.

Xantrex XPower Portable Powerpack – DC and AC outputs – $600

Nature Power Solar Home and RV Portable Backup Power Kit – solar chargeable – $1000

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