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.

• The best projector for businesses with large, bright conference rooms is the BenQ MH741 Projector. It is incredibly bright at 4000 lumens and has true HD image quality.
• The best projector for small businesses is the Epson PowerLite 580. It is an ultra-short-throw projector that can cast a 93″ image from as little as a foot away, perfect for cozy offices.
• The best portable projector for business travelers is the iCODIS CB-300. It is handheld with an internal battery, and is equipped with a host of connectivity options to streamline presentations.

The Details

Whether you want to dazzle investors with a multi-media pitch or get the new hires up to speed on the intricacies of HR policy, a projector is a key tool for businesses of every size and industry.

No two businesses are the same, so every company needs to keep a few factors in mind when choosing a projector. Here are a few things to keep in mind when deciding which projector is right for you.

Businesses want bright projectors, and the brightness of a projector is determined by the number of lumens. Home theatres can get away with low lumen counts because they are in rooms with low ambient lighting. Offices have glass windows and don’t want to turn out the lights and draw the blinds every time a projector turns on. That means businesses should stay away from the legion of LED projectors that have appeared on the market in recent years. While cheaper than 3LCD and DLP options, most LED projectors don’t hit the 2500 lumen minimum most offices require. Of course, if your office is dungeon-like and you are fine with presenting sans illumination, you can sacrifice a few lumens.

The next thing to keep in mind is picture quality, which is determined by the resolution, or number of pixels on the screen. High resolution gives a higher picture quality and sharper image. This doesn’t matter much if your projector isn’t going to be casting anything more glamorous than excel spreadsheets and powerpoint presentations, but it makes a huge difference for any graphic design elements or videos. This mean you want WUXGA resolution which is 1920 x 1200 pixels. This is a true widescreen ratio and similar to aspect ratio on most new computer monitors, and best if you want crisp lively images.

One last thing to keep in mind is ease of use. Choose a projector with automatic alignment options if untrained employees will be using it on a regular basis. Also, see what kind of connectivity options the projector has so you know how you will get your presentation on to the screen.

The Best Projector For A Bright Conference Room

Floor-to-ceiling glass windows are the big thing in contemporary architecture. Natural light is a great way to keep employees motivated and productive throughout the day, but it makes projecting an image a difficult task. Bright conference rooms call for bright projectors, and the BenQ MH741 1080p DLP 3D Projector has a bulb as bright as the sun.

BenQ MH741 gives you 4000 ANSI Lumens of brightness, which is over 1500 lumens more than the recommended minimum for presentations in conferences rooms or other areas where there will be ambient light. This means no matter how bright the room is, your presentation will shine in full 1080p true HD with crisp whites and satisfying colors. No need to dim the lights and make your clients or board members feel like they are back in high school math class.

4000 Lumen brightness is accompanied by a contrast ratio of 10000:1 and true widescreen native aspect resolution of 16:9, although there are five aspect ratios available, so you can choose whatever works best for you. While images are quite 4k of some dazzling home theater projectors, the native resolution of 1920 x 1200 is WUXGA 1080p full HD quality. True HD is possible on screens up to 200,” which is large enough for virtually every conference room.

This projector also gives the presenter some breathing room. It comes equipped with 2D Keystone correction, which allows for horizontal and vertical adjustments up to 30 degrees. This makes alignment easier and lets he presenter stand in front of the screen without worrying about blocking the image. Corner Fit also gives flexibility and convenience in the alignment process by allowing the presenter to independently adjust each corner of an image.

The BenQ MH741 comes equipped with a few other features businesses might find useful. It has MHL Connectivity, which allows proposals and ideas to instantly be brought on to the projector from Android smart devices. It also has a 10W built in speaker, “blanking” mode which freezes the projected image while you browse through files, and writing templates for off-the-cuff notes onscreen.

The Best Projector For A Small Office

If your office is lacking the grandeur of a Fortune 500 boardroom, go with the Epson PowerLite 580 XGA 3LCD. It is a very bright ultra-short throw projector, which means it can sit just a few inches away from the screen, which is perfect for smaller office rooms and tight spaces. Presenters will especially like the fact they don’t have to worry about getting in the way of the light stream when standing in front of the screen.

The 580 XGA 3LCD bulb is a very bright 3,200 lumens, which means you can leave the lights on for most presentations. It has an HD XGA 1024 x 768 resolution built around 3 LCD chips, so that will eliminate the “rainbow effect”  some projectors suffer. This is a lower native resolution than Ultra-HD competitors like BenQ, but it is more than enough to maintain color brightness and keep your graphic design team happy.

It has a few other goodies most businesses will enjoy as well. A 16-watt mono speaker means that you won’t need to clutter the room with additional audio equipment. It also has a slew of connectivity options, including HDMI, USB, and wireless connectivity, so impromptu info can easily find its way onscreen.

The Powerlite 580 is a bright, technologically adept, useful projector that can cast a 93″ image from as little as a foot away.

The Best Projector For The Business Traveler

Going on an out of town sales call, but not sure if there will be a projector available? Bring along your own pocket projector to give a presentation on your own terms. Recent advances in LED technology have led to a proliferation of portable projectors at affordable prices. At first they were just a novelty item, but more recent models like the iCODIS CB-300 have enough brightness and battery life to make them worthwhile.

Released earlier this year, this DLP projector packs 1800 lumens and comes with a slew of connectivity features. While 1800 lumens isn’t quite bright enough to cast a clear image in a sunny conference room, it gives a brilliant display in rooms with moderate or low ambient lighting.

The CB-300 is a 720p projector that can play 1080p files and with a native resolution of 16:9 widescreen ratio. It casts an image the size of a large TV, or about 75.” This will cover a white office wall with a large screen with clear and precise images. It is enough for bare-bones excel presentations, and even good enough to show off graphic design work.

Casting your presentation through the CB-300 is easy. It has a Micro HDMI port, 2 USB ports, and a mini USB port. It has a 6000 mAh internal battery that can last for 2 hours, and a 12V plug for an external power source if you require longer performance. It even acts like a tablet, using Android OS 4.4 to run apps.

The post The Best Projectors For Businesses appeared first on Reactual.

• The most durable boots available are the Boss Engineer boots by Wesco. They are hand-crafted with the highest quality leather and have an extremely durable vibram sole. Wesco boots are hand-made in the United States and are resoleable. With proper maintenance, they can last a lifetime. They are available for around $455.
• Redback’s Bobcat Leather Work Boot is another quality option. Since they have Polyurethane soles, Bobcats are not resoleable. They do, however, last a long time with proper care and are more affordable at around $176.

The Details

Boot quality has declined over the past few decades, as manufacturers drift away from high-quality materials and thoughtful craftsmanship to mass-produced synthetic products. Brands that once represented quality, such as Redwing, have moved their factories overseas. Durable boots still exist, though. Wesco is a company that has been making boots for lumberjacks, motorcyclists, and workmen since 1918. Priding themselves on their craftsmanship, Wesco continues in the tradition of artisan-quality boot making. According to their website:

Wesco boots are built in our own factory, in our own backyard. Every boot is made from top quality, full grain leather. The integrity of materials used throughout our boot building process is above reproach—steel is used where another boot maker might use plastic—leather is always used instead of cork. Our dedicated Wesco boot-makers work as a team, hand-to-hand, in a 155 step-by-step process that requires skill, strength, and discipline.

Wesco’s Engineer model has removable shock-absorbing inserts that are ideal for motorcyclists. Its strap is fastened with nickel-plated hardware. They are stylish, and the shaft measures 11″ from the heel, which might be too tall depending on your preference. The price tag also puts them out of most people’s reach.

The Boss Engineer boots are available from Amazon for about $410.

Another Option

A less expensive but still reliable option is Redback’s Bobcat Leather Work Boot. Redback boots are made in Australia from 2.5mm thick leather and are 20% tougher than other work boots. The soles are handmade Polyurethane, which lasts for a long while if it is well-maintained. According to Redback:

The boots are made from traditionally preferred cement lasted method whereby the leather is wrapped under the insole and fused under heat and pressure with high tech Polyester and Polamide molten sealant/adhesive.

The Bobcat Leather Work Boot is available on Amazon for about $176.

The post The Most Durable Boots Available appeared first on Reactual.

To use Binchotan, you simply place a piece of the charcoal into a water pitcher, and leave it to sit for 6-8 hours. After this time, the water in the pitcher will be purified and mineralized.

It is recommended that the Binchotan stick be boiled in a shallow pan of water for 10 minutes every month to keep the exterior pores open. After four months, boil the charcoal stick again. If you don’t see a profusion of bubbles circulating around the charcoal stick when it is returned to the pitcher and water is added, the stick has reached its capacity to absorb toxins. At that point it is ready to be composted in the garden or used as an odor absorber in your refrigerator.

You can get Binchotan on Amazon: 1 pound of Binchotan costs about $18. A single pound will last you 3-6 months depending on the amount of water you purify, and the amount of contaminants in your water. You can also get a portable Binchotan bottle for on-the-go filtration.

Binchotan: A Super-Adsorbent Charcoal

Binchō-tan is only made in the forests of Wakayama, a province in southern Japan. The branches of Holm Oak trees are sustainably harvested then slowly fired in traditional kiln ovens over many days.

The very dense wood of a Holm Oak has a multitude of open pores through which the tree breathes, nourishes itself, and redistributes chemicals back into the earth. The microorganisms (which are utterly harmless to humans) that live in these pores efficiently decompose toxic chemicals like chlorine, pesticides and herbicides. This phenomenon of adsorption (not to be confused with absorption) ensures that contaminants stick to the active charcoal until it is completely saturated. This is why it is necessary to reactivate the binchotan every three months by soaking it in boiling water.

The fineness and high quality of binchō-tan are attributed to steaming at high temperatures (about 1000 degrees Celsius). Although it is often thought that binchō-tan burns hot, it actually burns at a lower temperature than ordinary charcoal but for a longer period. It does not release smoke or other unpleasant odors. Binchō-tan or white charcoal is harder than black charcoal, and rings with a metallic sound when struck. Wind chimes and a musical instrument, the tankin (“charcoal-xylophone“) have been made from it.

A number of Binchotan-inflused products are now on the market: Binchotan pumice stones. Binchotan body scrubs, Binchotan eye masks and even Binchotan facial soap.

The post Binchotan Charcoal: An Inexpensive Way To Mineralize and Filter Water appeared first on Reactual.

Moka Pot stovetop brewers produce a dense concentrated cup that’s something between espresso and Turkish coffee. Coffee is placed into a filter between the lower chamber (that you fill with water) and the upper chamber that will contain the finished beverage after brewing.

It works by passing hot water that has been pressurized by steam through ground coffee beans and produces a hot beverage similar to espresso.

Over 200 Amazon reviewers rated this espresso maker an average of 4.6 out of 5 stars.

The Bialetti Moka Espresso Maker is available on Amazon for $25.

The post Buy It For Life: Bialetti Moka Stovetop Espresso Maker appeared first on Reactual.

Tanner Goods is a small team of craftsmen in Portland, Oregon. They specialize in manufacturing heritage leather good. All of their sewing is done by a heritage saddle maker who started as an apprentice in the industry in 1964.

The company uses domestically sourced material. Their leather goods are cut from vegetable tanned English Bridle American leather, which is renowned for it’s ability to age beautifully and gain character over years of use.

They have a series of Heritage Belts which are burnished and waxed by hand. The belts take about two weeks to ship.

They range in price from $80 to $92, available directly from Tanner Goods.

The post Buy It For Life: Heritage Belts by Tanner Goods appeared first on Reactual.

• Intego VirusBarrier X6 ($48)
• Norton Antivirus 11.1 for Mac ($42)
• Kaspersky Anti-Virus for Mac ($33)
• PC Tools iAntiVirus (Free)
• Sophos Anti-Virus for Mac Home Edition (Free)

While the amount of spyware targeting Mac operating systems is dramatically less than the volume of malicious software targeting Windows, an increasing number of threats today take aim at applications—like browsers and multimedia platforms—that are not platform-specific. In other words, Mac users are often as vulnerable to modern malware as Windows users. For Apple users who dual boot with Windows or share files between PCs and Macs, anti-malware protection is even more important. Two companies, Symantec and Intego, offer dual-protection products for users who run both Windows and OS X on their Macs (see reviews below).

If you are interested in securing a Mac computer, I highly recommend The Mac Security Superguide by The Editors at Macworld. It’s a easy-to-read guide that cover all aspects of security on your Mac.

After a review of sites such as About.com, Amazon, Macworld, PC-Site.co.uk, CNET’s Download.com, TechRadar, and SecureMac.com, we have pinpointed the five highest rated anti-spyware utilities for Mac. (Remember: Don’t run more than one anti-malware utility at the same time; it will cause many more problems than it will solve.)

Intego VirusBarrier X6 ($48)

Pros:

• Detects both Mac and Windows malware
• Firewall included
• iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch scanning
• Free email support

Cons:

• Cost
• No phone or chat support

Source Details:

• About.com: 5.0/5.0 “the most full featured Mac-focused security solution available on the market today”
• About.com’s Best Mac Antivirus – Readers’ Choice Awards: 1^st Place (59% of votes)
• Amazon.com: 3.5/5.0 (8 reviews)
• CNET: “A robust solution”

Intego VirusBarrier X6 includes a firewall plus anti-phishing and anti-spyware features, making it a robust solution for those willing to pay its relatively high price. Also included is access to Intego’s customer service team, something that free anti-malware suites don’t offer. VirusBarrier X6 scans for Windows and Mac threats, and you have the option of disabling Windows threat monitoring if need be. Reviewers generally find VirusBarrier X6 to be light on its feet—it doesn’t drag down system performance. And because Intego is a Mac-focused company, updates for new Mac threats are quickly issued. An added bonus: VirusBarrier X6 includes scan options for the iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch.

Intego VirusBarrier X6 (2-User) is available on Amazon.

Norton Antivirus 11.1 for Mac ($42)

Pros:

• Leader in Internet security for Windows
• Doesn’t slow down computer
• Free email and chat support

Cons:

• Cost (Additional cost to detect Windows malware)
• No firewall
• No free phone support

Source Details:

• Macworld: 4.5/5.0 “a great option for anyone who is looking for a ‘set it and forget it’ antivirus program”
• PC Magazine: 4.5/5.0 “A top-notch antivirus with impressive bonuses”
• About.com’s Best Mac Antivirus – Readers’ Choice Awards: 3^rd Place (12% of votes)
• PC-Site.co.uk : 3.5/5.0 “one of the best options out there”

Norton Antivirus 11.1 for Mac is produced by the same company that offers the best-selling PC anti-malware utilities. Given the company’s focus on Windows, some reviewers think Norton Antivirus 11.1 for Mac comes off as an afterthought, but most find the product’s protection to be effective. In the past, Norton Antivirus has been criticized for dragging down system performance—a problem it seems to have largely overcome in this latest edition. For an additional cost, you can purchase Norton AntiVirus Dual Protection for Mac ($70), which includes Windows-compatible anti-malware features. Antivirus 11.1 for Mac does not include a firewall, but because OS X already has a basic firewall, this is not necessarily a demerit.

Amazon sells both Norton Antivirus 11.1 for Mac and Norton AntiVirus Dual Protection for Mac.

Kaspersky Anti-Virus for Mac ($33)

Pros:

• Free phone, email, and chat support
• Detects both Mac and Windows malware
• Flexible scanning options

Cons:

• Not full-featured

Source Details:

• PC Magazine: 3.5/5.0 “independent labs consistently put it at or near the top”
• Amazon.com: 4.0/5.0 (4 reviews)
• Macworld UK: 3.0/5.0
• About.com’s Best Mac Antivirus – Readers’ Choice Awards: 4^th Place (4% of votes)

Kaspersky has a solid track record making Windows anti-malware utilities. The company’s Anti-Virus for Mac will detect and eliminate both Mac and Windows threats. The product consumes few resources while operating in the background; part of the reason could be that it lacks the full set of features—firewall, link screening, resource monitoring—found in its Windows counterparts. Its ability to detect and repair malware is, however, highly regarded. Of the three paid anti-malware utilities here, Kaspersky Anti-Virus for Mac is the least expensive.

Kaspersky Anti-Virus for Mac is for sale on Amazon.

PC Tools iAntiVirus (Free)

Pros:

• Free for personal use
• Flexible scanning options
• Simple, low-profile interface

Cons:

• Does not detect Windows malware
• No phone, email, or chat support

Source Details:

• PC Magazine: 4.0/5.0 “Very Good”
• About.com: 4.5/5.0 “[provides] exactly the features you’d expect…as unobtrusively as possible”
• CNET: 4.0/5.0 “iAntiVirus is able to maintain a lower profile on your system by focusing on Mac threats only”
• TechRadar: 3.5/5.0 “Easy to install and use”

PC Tools iAntiVirus wins praise for its simplicity and low system impact. This free software does a good job of finding and removing malware aimed at Macs, but it will not pick up malware in files that can be shared with PCs. While this may be a deal-breaker for those looking for cross-platform protection, the upside is that iAntiVirus consumes few system resources and is easy to use. As with the other anti-malware utilities reviewed here, iAntiVirus keeps itself automatically updated and monitors your computer in real time.

PC Tools iAntiVirus is available through the manufacturer’s website.

Sophos Anti-Virus for Mac Home Edition (Free)

Pros:

• Free for personal use
• Detects both Mac and Windows malware
• Email alerts if malware is found
• No advertising

Cons:

• No phone, email, or chat support
• No firewall

Source Details:

• About.com: 5.0/5.0 “offers more complete scanning than most of its competitors”
• Download.com user reviews: 3.5/5.0 (18 reviews)
• SecureMac.com: 5.0/5.0 “more than what is expected from free applications”

Sophos Anti-Virus for Mac Home Edition is the free edition of SophosLabs’ paid, corporate anti-malware program. Unlike many free editions of software, Anti-Virus for Mac Home Edition doesn’t interrupt you with constant solicitations to upgrade to a paid version. If you run both Mac and Windows operating systems on your computer, or if you share files with Windows users, you’ll appreciate Anti-Virus for Mac Home Edition’s ability to detect and repair threats to both platforms. Sophos Anti-Virus also provides you with a great deal of scanning flexibility, offering real-time and on-demand scans with options for exclusion. The program lacks some of the bells and whistles of some paid programs, and Sophos does not provide any official customer support.

Sophos Anti-Virus for Mac Home Edition is available through the manufacturer’s website.

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