• 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.

• The brightest flashlight is now the Imalent M18 which shines at 100,000 lumens. It costs about $670.
• Another very bright flashlight is the Acebeam X70 shines at 60,000 lumens. It costs around $550.

The Brightest Compact Flashlights and Headlamps

• The Acebeam X80-GT is the brightest compact flashlight — it shines with an impressive 32500 lumens. It costs around $280.
• The brightest headlamp is the Lupine Betty Rx14 — it shines with 5000 lumens and costs around $1095.
• The brightest flashlight that uses AA cells is the Nitecore EA81. It shines at 2150 lumens. It takes eight AA batteries and costs about $120.
• The brightest headlamp that uses AA cells is the Fenix 15-U — the maximum output is 900 lumens. See a full review.
• The brightest headlamp that uses 16580 cells is ThruNite TH30 — maximum output is 3350 lumens
• Surefire has released the Titan Plus, a new keychain flashlight that produces 300 lumens at the highest light mode. It costs about $81. See the full review.

Brightest Compact Light: Acebeam X-80-GT

The Acebeam X8-GT0 shines at 32500 lumens — impressive for such a compact light!

It runs on six 18650 rechargeable batteries and has a beam range of 525 meters.

It is waterproof and impact resistant to 1.2 meters.

Home page: Acebeam

Another Bright Compact Flashlight: Thrunite TN36 UT

The Thrunite TN36 UT6 is a compact flashlight that outputs an impressive 7300 lumens. It runs on four 18650 rechargeable batteries. It’s waterproof to IPX-8 Standard (1.5 meters) and impact resistant to 2 meters.

The Thrunite TN36 UT6 is available on Amazon for about $230

The Brightest LED Flashlight That Uses AA Batteries: Nitecore EA81

The brightest flashlight with AA batteries is the Nitecore EA81, which shines at 2000 lumens. It takes eight AA batteries and costs about $200.

It’s waterproof to IPX-8 Standard (1.5 meters) and impact resistant to 1.5 meters.

The Nitecore EA81 is available on Amazon for about $280.

The Brightest Keychain Flashlight: Titan Plus

Surefire has released the Titan Plus, a keychain flashlight that produces 300 lumens in its highest light mode. Before this release, the brightest keychain light produced about 80-120 lumens, so this threefold increase is significant.

I’ve purchased this light and will be testing it soon. The 300-lumen mode lasts about 1 hour using a AAA Ni-MH battery.

All Surefire flashlights are designed and built in the USA, although some components are still sourced outside the US. Surefire says:

We do import a few components – most notably, the finest light emitting diodes (LEDs) from top-notch manufacturers outside the country – to incorporate into our products. All of that said, we do rely on as many American-made parts and components as possible, and the assembly of these components is done under our watchful eye in the U.S. to ensure optimal quality.

The Titan Plus is available from Amazon for about $81.

The post The Brightest LED Flashlights appeared first on Reactual.

Jeans Made In The U.S.

• AG Jeans — Los Angeles, California — jeans (only selected products)
• Jean Shop — New York, New York —  jeans
• Levi Strauss & Co. — San Francisco, California —  jeans (only selected products)
• Rag & Bone — New York, New York —  jeans (only selected products)
• Raleigh Denim — Raleigh, North Carolina —  jeans
• Tellason — San Francisco, California —  jeans
• The Stronghold — Los Angeles, California —  jeans
• True Religion — jeans

Accessories Made In The U.S.

• American Optical — sunglasses, eyeglasses
• Bollman Hats — Adamstown, Pennsylvania — hats
• Buffalo Gold – Goodnight, Texas – Bison wool clothing
• David Hart & Co. — New York, New York — neckties
• Dodo Case — San Francisco, California — iPad / iPhone cases
• Edgar Leather — Tallahassee, Florida — leather goods
• Faribault Woolen Mills — Faribault, Minnesota — blankets
• Geier Glove Co. — Centralia, Washington — leather gloves
• The General Knot Co. — Bedford, New York — neckties
• Gfeller Casemakers — Meridian, Idaho — leather goods
• Noble Buffalo — St. Louis, Missouri — leather belts
• Leather Man Limited — Essex, Connecticut — belts, accessories
• Optimo Hats —Chicago, Illinois — hats
• Pierrepont Hicks — Minneapolis, Minnesota — ties, accessories
• Randolph Engineering — Randolph, Massachusetts — glasses, sunglasses
• Shuron — Greeneville, South Carolina — glasses, eyeglasses
• Solesu — Belleville, Illinois — leather belts
• Tanner Goods — Portland, Oregon — leather goods
• Wiley Belts — Charlottesville, Virginia — belts, leather goods

Luggage Made In The U.S.

• Accessories Unlimited — Portland, Maine — bags
• Acorn Bags — California — cycling bags
• Artifact Bags — Omaha, Nebraska — bags
• Bailey Works — Portsmouth, New Hampshire — bicycle bags
• Billykirk — Pennsylvania — bags, leather goods
• Beckel Canvas — Portland, Oregon — bags, tents, etc.
• Buzzline — Fort Pierce, Flordia — bags
• Dandux — Ellicott City, Maryland — bags
• Domke — Hauppauge, New York — camera bags, accessories
• Duluth Pack — Duluth, Minnesota — luggage
• Emil Erwin — Nashville, Tennessee — luggage, accessories
• Estex Mfg. Co. — Fairburn, Georgia — bags
• Equinox — Williamsport, Pennsylvania — bags, outdoor gear
• Frost River — Duluth, Minnesota — bags, tents
• Ghurka — New York, NY — bags, leather goods, accessories
• Goruck — Bozeman, Montana — bags, hats
• Johnson Woolen Mills — Johnson, Vermont — bags, clothing, accessories
• Joshu+Vela — San Francisco, California — bags
• J. W. Hulme Co. — St. Paul, Minnesota — briefcases, bags, accessories
• Klein Tools — Lincolnshire, Illinois — bags, accessories
• LL Bean — Freeport, Maine — luggage (only selected products)
• Makr — Orlando, Florida — luggage, accessories, leather goods
• Mer — Brooklyn, New York — luggage
• Moop — Pittsburg, Pennsylvania —bags
• Port Canvas — Kennebunkport, Maine — canvas bags
• Red Oxx — Billings, Montana—  adventure luggage
• Topo Designs — Denver, Colorado — bags
• Tough Traveler — Schenectady, New York — bags
• Triple Aught Design — San Francisco, California — bags, accessories
• Utility Canvas — Gardiner, New York — bags, accessories
• Wm. J. Mills & Co. — Greenport, New York — bags
• Wood&Faulk — Portland, Oregon — bags, accessories

Clothing Made In The U.S.

• Anderson-Little — Tamarac, Flordia — navy blazerslected products)
• Berle Manufacturing — Charleston, South Carolina — trousers
• Beyond Clothing — Seattle, Washington — outdoors clothing
• Bill’s Khakis — Reading, Pennsylvania — khaki pants, clothing
• Brooks Brothers — New York, New York — clothing, sportswear, footwear, accessories (only selected products)
• Bemidji Woolen Mills — Bemidji, Minnesota — clothing, blankets
• Camber — Norristown, Pennsylvania — tee shirts, sweatshirts
• Carhartt — Dearborn, Michigan — workwear, outerwear (only selected products)
• CC Filson — Seattle, Washington — outwear, bags, accessories (only selected products)
• CEGO — New York, New York — custom shirts
• Commonwealth Proper — Philadelphia, Pennsylvania — shirts
• Centralia Knitting Mills — Centralia, Washington — outerwear
• Crescent Down Works — Seattle, Washington — outerwear
• Ebbets Field Flannels — Seattle, Washington — jackets, jerseys, accessories
• Engineered Garments — New York, New York — clothing, bags, accessories
• Epaulet — Brooklyn, New York — shirts, ties
• Gitman Brothers — Ashland, Pennsylvania — woven shirts
• Hamilton Shirts — Houston, Texas — custom shirts
• Hart Schaffner Marx — Chicago, Illinois — tailored clothing
• Hertling Trousers — Brooklyn, New York — pants
• Homage — Columbus, Ohio — tee shirts, sweatshirts, accessories
• Individualized — Perth Amboy, New Jersey — woven shirts
• Langlitz Leathers — Portland, Oregon — motorcycle jackets
• New England Shirt Company — Fall River, Massachusetts — shirts
• Oxxford Clothing — Chicago, Illinois — tailored clothing
• Pendleton Woolen Mills — Portland, Oregon — sportswear, blankets (only selected products)
• Pointer Brand — Bristol, Tennessee — clothing, denim, workwear
• Post Overalls — New York, NY — clothing
• Ramblers Way — Kennebunk, Maine — wool clothing
• REI — Kent, Washington — outdoor clothing  (only selected products – see their “Made In USA” section)
• Rogue Territory — Los Angeles, California — clothing, accessories
• Round House — Shawnee, Oklahoma — denim, workwear
• Self Edge — San Francisco, California — clothing
• Schott NYC — New York, New York — outerwear
• Spiewak — New York, New York — outerwear
• Sterlingwear — Boston, Massachusetts — outerwear
• Steven Alan — New York, New York — sportswear, accessories (only selected products)
• Stormy Kromer — Ironwood, Michigan — hats, clothing, outerwear
• Taylor Stitch — San Francisco, California — shirts
• Thom Browne — New York, New York — tailored clothing, sportswear
• Vanson Leathers — Fall River, Massachusetts — leather jackets
• Western Mountaineering — San Jose, California — down jackets, sleeping bags
• Wrath Arcane — Cleveland, Ohio — sportswear

Footware Made In The U.S.

• Allen-Edmonds — Port Washington, Wisconsin — shoes (only selected products)
• Altama — Atlanta, Georgia — boots
• Arrow Moccasin Company — Hudson, Massachusetts — footwear
• Chippewa Boots — Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin — footwear (only selected products)
• Danner — Portland, Oregon — footwear
• Darn Tough — Northfield, Vermont — socks
• E. Vogel — New York, New York — boots, shoes
• Fox River Mills — Osage, Iowa — socks
• Keen – Portland, Oregon – footwear — (only selected products)
• Limmer Boots — Intervale, New Hampshire — boots
• LL Bean — Freeport, Maine — boots
• New Balance — Boston, Massachusetts — athletic shoes (only selected products)
• Oak Street Bootmakers — Chicago, Illinois — shoes, boots
• Oliver Moore — New York, New York — custom shoes
• Perry Ercolino — Doylestown, Pennsylvania — custom shoes
• Quoddy — Perry, Maine — footwear
• Rancourt & Co. — Lewiston, Maine — footwear
• Red Wing — Red Wing, Minnesota — footwear (only selected products)
• Russell Moccasin Co. — Berlin, Wisconsin — footwear
• Townview Leather — Dexter, Maine — footwear
• Vincent & Edgar — New York, New York — bespoke shoes
• Weinbrenner — Merrill, Wisconsin — footwear
• Wesco Boots — Scappoose, Oregon — footwear
• White’s Boots — Spokane, Washington — footwear
• Wigwam — Sheboygan, Wisconsin — socks
• Wolverine – boots (only selected products)
• Yuketen — Hermosa Beach, California — boots, shoes

Tools Made In The U.S.

• All American Pressure Cooker — Wisconsin — Pressure Cookers
• Ambruster Tent Company — Springfield, Illinois — Canvas Tents
• Annin & Company — Roseland, New Jersey — Flags
• Baxter of California — Los Angeles, California — Men’s Grooming Products (only selected products)
• Benchmade — Oregon City, Oregon — Knives (only selected products)
• Buck Knives — Post Falls, Idaho — Knives
• Estwing — Rockford, Illinois — Axes / Wood Splitting
• Field Notes — Portland, Oregon — Notepads, Writing Instruments
• Fisher Space Pen — Boulder City, Nevada — Writing Instruments
• Klhip — Ketchum, Idaho — Nail Clippers
• The Good Flock — Portland, Oregon — Technology Cases
• Jacob Bromwell — Tempe, Arizona — pots, pans, accessories
• Klein Tools – only selected products
• Leatherman — Portland, Oregon — Multi-Tools
• Luma Labs — Portland, Oregon — Camera Straps
• PortaBrace — North Bennington, Vermont — Camera Bags
• Pocket Pin High Pro – Knoxville, Tennessee — Golf training equipment
• Rada Cutlery — Iowa — Kitchen Utensils
• School House Electric — Portland, Oregon — light fixtures, home accessories
• Scout Books — Portland, Oregon — Notebooks
• Springbar Tents — Salt Lake City, Utah — Canvas Tents
• Snap On Tools – only selected products
• Steelcase —  Grand Rapids, Michigan — Chairs
• Streamlight — Eagleville, Pennsylvania — Flashlights
• Surefire — Fountain Valley, California — Flashlights
• The United States Playing Card Company — Cincinnati, Ohio — Playing Cards
• Vornado Fans — Andover, Kansas — Fans
• Wiggy’s — Grand Junction, Colorado — Sleeping Bags, Outerwear
• Wilson Bohannan Co. — Marion, Ohio — Padlocks
• Woodman’s Pal — Boyertown, Pennsylvania — Machetes
• W.R. Case & Sons — Bradford, Pennsylvania — Knives
• Zeroll — Fort Pierce, Flordia — Ice Cream Scoops
• Zippo — Bradford, Pennsylvania — Lighters

Audio Gear Made In The U.S.

• Audio by Van Alstine — Woodbury, MN — preamplifiers, amplifiers, digital-to-analog converters, and phase inverters
• Ayre Acoustics, Inc. — Boulder, CO — full line of audio and video components
• Audeze — Headphones
• Car Audio Factory — Richmond, TX — subwoofer enclosers
• Carr Amplifiers — Pittsboro, NC — guitar amplifiers, made by guitarists for guitarists.
• CI Audio — Port Hueneme, CA — headphone amplifiers, monoblock amplifiers, and power supplies.
• Fargen Amps — Sacramento, CA — all tube (not solid-state) guitar and bass amplifiers
• Grado Labs — Brooklyn, NY — high-quality headphones and phono cartridges (their SR80-i is one of the best headphones under $100)
• KCS Loudspeakers — Sun Prairie, WI — custom horn loudspeakers
• Klipsch –  Hope, AR – audio gear
• Koss Headphones – Milwaukee, WI – headphones
• Manley Labs — Chino, CA — Hi-Fi and professional recording gear
• McIntosh Labs — Binghamton, NY: fine audio and home theater sound systems
• Mohu, Inc. — Raleigh, NC — makers of the LeafTM, a USA-made indoor HDTV antenna
• Moog Music — Ashville, NC — miniMoog Voyager analog monosynth, MoogerFooger guitar pedals, and Etherwave theremin
• Ohm Acoustics — Brooklyn, NY — high-end speakers for audio and home theater applications
• Orb Audio — Sherman Oaks, CA — Mod1 and Mod2 satellite speakers for flat screen and home theater applications, handmade in the USA. “Small Speakers for Smart People”
• Schitt Audio – Audio Gear
• Synthesizers.com — Tyler, TX — modular analog music synthesizers, assembled in USA with domestic and imported components
• SVS — Ohio — speakers and subwoofers for music and home theater
• Wavefront Technologies — Los Angeles, CA — theremin musical instruments and accessories
• Westone — Colorado — Earphones
• Woo Audio — New York — amps
• Zinky Electronics — Flagstaff, AZ — electric guitar amplifiers & accessories

Camping Equipment Made In The U.S.

• American Outdoors — coolers, boat totes, camp chairs, etc.
• Arc Flashlight —Phoenix, AZ — LED pocket flashlights that run on a single AAA battery
• Awl for All —Arlington Hts., IL — indispensable wooden-handled awl for repairing leather, canvas, and vinyl outdoor gear
• Butler Bags —Cedar City, UT — sleeping bags, bedrolls, and gear bags
• Cascade Designs —Seattle, WA — manufacturer of camping gear of all sorts (including Therm-a-rest self-inflating camping mattresses, MSR camping stoves)
• Equinox. —Williamsport, PA — makers of ultralight backpacking gear, including sleeping bags, tarps, ponchos packs, and totes
• EZ-Sales and Mfg. —Gardena, CA— American-made hammocks, folding aluminum camp chairs, cots, and canteens (only selected products)
• Feathered Friends —Seattle, WA — sleeping bags, outwear, and comforters
• Fuerte Cases —La Mesa, CA — waterproof protective cases for laptops, PDAs, firearms
• Kirkham’s Outdoor Products —Salt Lake City, UT — manufacturer of Springbar and AAA canvas wall tents
• Nalgene —Rochester, NY — water bottles, bike bottles, travel mugs, and other “hydration necessities” (only selected products)
• Northern Lites —Wausau, WI — high-tech, lightweight snowshoes for all uses, from racing to hiking
• Open Country Campware — aluminum camp ware kits, plates, pots, and canteens made by Metal Ware Corp. (Two Rivers, WI)
• Outdoor Research —Seattle, WA — shelter systems, headwear, gaiters/footwear, and storage systems/stuff sacks (only selected products)
• Princeton Tec — headlamps, outdoor gear, bikes lights
• Purcell Trench Mfg — Addy, WA —ultra-lightweight camping grills and tarp shelters
• REI — Kent, Washington — outdoor equipment  (only selected products – see their “Made In USA” section)
• TarpTent —Redwood City, CA —ultralight, mobile shelters made with US materials in Seattle, WA
• Tektite —Trenton,NJ — LED flashlights and lanterns, divelights, and marker lights

Bikes Made In The U.S.

• Ahearne — Portland, Oregon — bicycles
• A.N.T. Bicycles — Holliston, Massachusetts — bicycles, bicycle accessories
• Bilenky Cycle Works — Philadelphia, Pennsylvania — bicycles
• Brooklyn Machine Works — Brooklyn, New York — bicycles
• Calfee Design — La Selva Beach, California — bicycles
• Courage Bicycle MFG Co. — Portland, Oregon — bicycles
• Cygolite  — bike lights
• Davidson — Seattle, Washington — bicycles
• Fast Boy Cycles — New York, New York — bicycles
• Gunnar Cycles — Waterford, Wisconsin — bicycle frames
• Hufnagel — Portland, Oregon — bicycles
• Independent Fabrication — Somerville, Massachusetts — bicycles
• Ira Ryan Cycles — Portland, Oregon — bicycles
• J.P. Weigle — Lyme, Connecticut — bicycles
• Lightspeed — Chattanooga, Tennessee — bicycles
• MAP — Portland, Oregon — bicycles
• Metrofiets — Portland, Oregon — bicycles
• Moots Cycles — Steamboat Springs, Colorado — bicycles
• NiteRider  — bike lights
• Outlier — Brooklyn, New York — cycling clothing
• Pereira — Portland, Oregon — bicycles
• Phil Wood —San Jose, California — bicycle components
• Princeton Tec — bikes lights
• Richard Sachs Cycles — Chester, Connecticut — bicycles
• Seven Cycles — Watertown, Massachusetts — bicycles
• Signal Cycles — Portland, Oregon — bicycles
• Six-Eleven Bicycle Co. — Roanoke, Virginia — Bicycles
• Steelman Cycles — Redwood City, California — bicycles
• Strawberry — Portland, Oregon — bicycles
• Tet Cycles — West Branch, Iowa — bicycles
• Townsend Bicycles — Monrovia, California — bicycles
• Waterford Precision Bicycles — Waterford, Wisconsin — bicycle frames
• Worksmen Bicycles — Queens, New York — bicycles

The post A List Of Goods Still Made In The USA appeared first on Reactual.

Best Design: The Z-Bar Mini LED Desk Lamp

The slender Z-Bar High Power LED Desk Lamp features high-tech power-saving LED bulbs in a minimalist frame. With its angular black aluminum housing and unique pivot, it belongs on a Berlin engineer’s desk or in the lobby of an upscale New York architect.

The ingenious design extends beyond aesthetics; this is a seriously bright light that uses very little energy. The Z-Bar’s six daylight white LEDs generate about 240 lumens of light and only expends 9 watts of energy.

If 9 watts is still too much energy usage for your taste, activate the built-in 4-step dimming function to produce a softer light for even less wattage. This feature works incredibly well when you are unwinding prior to bedtime. Lower the light before you fall asleep to adjust your brain to get ready for bed.

The thin circular base is weighted to keep the light from tipping over, and adjustable joints can be placed in almost any position without tightening or loosening knobs or screws, simply move the light to where you need it and the lamp will hold to form.

The Z-Bar is the winner of I.D. Magazine “best of category” award. It is available on Amazon for around $300.

Best Overall: Lumiy Lightblade 1500S

If you find your desk lamp’s brightness underwhelming, buy a Lightblade and let there be light. This is the LED desk lamp for those who want only the brightest crispest replica of perfect natural light. With 1100 lux of brightness and a high CRI, the Lightblade can transform even the dreariest space into a warm and bright zone of productivity.

The Lightblade’s radiant lighting comes from its cool and warm white LED’s for a color rendering index of over 90 CRI. A light’s CRI determines its ability to accurately display an object’s full color. The higher the CRI, the more faithfully the color is displayed as if it would be in natural light. The Lightblade’s high CRI makes it a perfect choice for artists and other professionals who require brilliant vibrant colors.

The lamp has other desirable features, including an omnidirectional pivoting head for better control of the lighting. It also has touch sensors that control brightness and monitor energy expenditure.

The Lumiy Lightblade 1500S is available on Amazon for about $100.

Best Value: TaoTronics Smart LED Desk Lamp

The TaoTronics LED Desk Lamp is perfect for those who want bright light at an affordable price. 30 dollars gets you  410 lumens of power and up to 11 levels of brightness, perfect for any setting. The best feature of this lamp is its versatility. It includes 5 color modes, which function as temperatures that you can adjust depending on your need. The soft uniform light is ideal for reading and doesn’t flicker like other value options, while the natural light is perfect before bed. It also has an incredible lifespan. According to the manufacturer, this lamp is rated to last for 50,000 hours and uses 75% less energy than incandescent lights with similar brightness.

The Smart LED desk lamp also looks elegant.  An adjustable gooseneck gives further control over light positioning and brightness, while the blend of silver metal looks modern and can fit in any room. 

The TaoTronics LED Desk Lamp is available on Amazon for about $30.

Most Customizable: The Softech DL-90 Multi-Function LED Desk Lamp

Softech‘s latest LED desk lamp offers an astounding amount of customization for total brightness control. You decide the lighting mode you want and the DL-90 will conform to your request. The lamp has 27 high-power daylight LEDs with a 90+ CRI that comes extraordinarily close to natural light.

The lamp has four distinct lighting modes and 40 brightness levels in total for total precision. The first two modes are for desk work: a reading mode with mid-range colors (4300K-5300K) that are easy on the eyes, and a study mode which has a high range color temperature (6000K-7000K). The lamp can also be switched to a relaxation mode and a sleep mode — these have softer, warm color temperatures.

This lamp uses 10 watts or less of power to provide light equivalent to a 100-watt incandescent bulb. It lasts about 40,000 hours or 20 years of normal use. An automatic turn-off feature extends lamp life even further.

The Softech DL-90 lamp is available from Amazon for about $70.

Most Versatile: BYB E-430

Clamp-on desk lamps are a great option for those working who need high-quality illumination but are working with limited desk space. The award-winning design of BYB’s E-430 dimmable LED desk lamp delivers energy-efficient lighting from a slender device latched onto the side of your desk. It has a swivel lock socket that tilts in any direction, whether it’s on the desk or not. The adjustable arm is matched by a flexible head and includes built-in dimming strips.

It delivers 4 lighting modes and 6 levels of brightness, ranging from study mode to bedtime mode. We also like that the lamp is rated for 50,000 hours and comes with a 5-year warranty.

The BYB E-430 is available on Amazon for around $110.

Best Smart Design: TaoTronics TT-DL27 Desklamp

Take advantage of four distinct lighting modes with this versatile smart LED desk lamp from TaoTronics. You can set the lamp to sleep mode, study mode, reading mode, or relax mode, each delivering a customized LED distribution designed to satisfy your needs. And if study mode is likely to become sleep mode, you can just activate the 1-hour off timer on the lamp to make sure it shuts off as you drift to sleep.

I also enjoyed that you can swivel, rotate, and bend the head and neck of the lamp to fit your lighting needs. Just tilt the head to activate a wide 62cm2 area of light, enough to illuminate your entire desk area. The metal arm and sturdy base are hallmarks of great construction, making sure the light doesn’t fail on you.

The TaoTronics LED Desklamp is available for around $35.

The post The Best LED Desk Lamps appeared first on Reactual.

The Brightest Keychain Flashlight: Titan Plus

I received this flashlight, and it’s very bright and solidly constructed. I personally carry this light on my keychain. But others might find it too large — if this is the case, I would recommend the compact ThruNite Ti3 (see below).

All Surefire flashlights are designed and built in the USA, although some components are still sourced outside the US. The company says:

We do import a few components – most notably, the finest light emitting diodes (LEDs) from top-notch manufacturers outside the country – to incorporate into our products. All of that said, we do rely on as many American-made parts and components as possible, and the assembly of these components is done under our watchful eye in the U.S. to ensure optimal quality.

The Titan Plus is available from Amazon for about $90.

The Brightest Compact Keychain Light: ThruNight Ti3

The brightest compact keychain flashlight, the ThruNite Ti3 shines with 120 lumens in its highest mode. This is a very small light — it’s only 2.76 inches (70mm) in length. Its body is a titanium alloy, and at 0.56 ounces (16 grams) — this makes it one of the lightest keychain lights.

The ThruNite Ti3 uses just one AAA battery and costs about $13. It’s fully IPX-8 waterproof — it can be submerged up to 2 meters.

Here is the ThruNite Ti3 in action on its highest mode:

Personally, it’s all the light I need to travel through the forest at night.

One negative for me — when the Ti3 is first turned on, it starts in “firefly” mode (.5 lumens), and it requires a couple of more twists to get it to”medium” mode (12 lumens). However, if you keep the light off between 2 to 10 seconds and then turn it on, the light will turn on in the last mode accessed, thankfully.

The ThruNite Ti3 is available at Amazon for around $14.

The post The Brightest EDC Flashlight (300 Lumens) appeared first on Reactual.

• Samsung Galaxy Active Pro: Certified and tested to be military standard (MIL-STD-810G) for drops, shocks, vibration, rain, dirt, mud, sand, water, altitude, freeze & thaw, temperature range, temperature shock, and humidity
• Samsung Galaxy Tab Active2: Similar to the Pro, less expensive
• WinBridge S933L which runs Android and its rated at IP68 (this guarantees protection in water up to 1.5 meter deep for 30 minutes. It also ensures dust and shock resistance)
• Vanquisher 8″ tablet, which runs Windows and is IP67 rated (protection in water up to 1 meter deep for 30 minutes. It also ensures dust and shock resistance)

The Details: The Best Waterproof Tablet

Samsung’s Galaxy Active Pro is a ruggedized version the flagship Galaxy tablet. It is protected by protective silicone edging and a sturdy internal frame. It has an impressive IP67 rating, which means it has complete protection against contact from dust and is safe in up to 1m of water immersion.

I has some other ruggedized features:

• Water-resistant touch screen
• Glove mode for winter use
• Includes IP68-Certified Samsung S Pen
• Facial recognition for unlocking while wearing gloves

The Galaxy Active Pro is available on Amazon for around $745.

The post The Best Waterproof Tablets appeared first on Reactual.

• ZTS MBT-1 can test more than 30 different battery types and gives meaningful, accurate readings.
• The ZTS Mini is an affordable and portable alternative. It tests 15 battery types.

The Details

Musicians, professional photographers, hobbyists, parents, and anyone else who is a frequent battery user should invest in a quality professional-grade battery tester. Be cautious of the slew of cheap Chinese battery testers available for sale on the internet. These products do not give an accurate reading, and instead will do little more than tell you whether or not your battery is dead.

Consider the Amprobe, the best selling battery tester on Amazon. It is available for $7, which sounds too good to be true because it is. As expected, it is flimsily constructed and gives iffy reports on rechargeable batteries. As many reviewers noted, it is only good at identifying dead batteries. Worse, it gives inaccurate battery readings and gives artificially high “good” readings on batteries that are on the precipice of death. That can cause unfortunate mix ups, like taking a battery “good” on charge to an important photo-shoot, only for the flash to die after a few snaps.

Luckily, ZTS makes a quality tester that gives a dependable reading. This battery tester is manufactured here in the United States and gives an accurate measurement in a very short period of time. Just place the battery on the nickel-plated brass contact and wait for the bar at the top to show what percentage charge the battery holds.

It tests almost every battery type, including NiMH, Lithium-Ion, Alkaline Lithium, Coin Cells, CR1620 Cells. It has a row of six LED testers that gives percentage reading of how much life the battery has left.

This is not a portable tester — it weighs over a pound and is 8 inches tall.

A Portable Option

If you want a professional quality battery tester that can fit in a purse or glove box, ZTS has the MINIMBT. The Mini is exactly half the MBT: half the size, it can test half the number of batteries (15), and is half the price.

The Mini tests 1.5v alkaline (AA, AAA, C, D, N), 1.2v NiMH/NiCd, 3v photo lithium, and 9v alkaline batteries.

The post The Best Battery Tester appeared first on Reactual.