COOL LAST MINUTE STUFF

 I have this stuff and swear by all of it.

RoboReel

I’m gonna’ start off with the most expensive thing on the list at $299 (cheaper on Amazon by a bit). It’s called the RoboReel. Now if you have a DIYer on your list who has all the gadgets and gizmos, I guarantee he doesn’t have this, and I also guarantee he’ll (sorry if you’re a lady and live in your garage, as I do) come up to you and make you come in the garage and see how it works. It’s an overhead 50-foot extension cord reel (12 gauge), but it’s a tad more sophisticated than that. First off it’s portable, so you can take it to a job site. It retracts automatically (duh) but the retract button is on the head of the cord; via a microprocessor that learns how far and fast you want it to retract. There’re also three sockets on the head and lights that tell you when power is coming down the line. Cut the line and it automatically kills the power, shuts down automatically in an overheat situation, it won’t retract when feeding a tool, and it’s the end of tangled cords and having to hand gather them. Video is here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=wICglE7kkkU; www.roboreel.com is their Website. This gets four-out-of-four stars for utility, three for price and four for adaptability (it can be mounted literally anywhere).

Stronghold Haywire Klamper

The Stronghold Haywire Klamper is a simple little tool designed to, well, join anything that needs to be joined that requires a clamp-like fixture to do so. Got a hose that let go? It’ll fix it. Shaft split on a wood maul? Ditto. Need to make a spear a la Rambo when he jumps on the boar? Ditto. It’s utility is only limited by your imagination. Made in Libby, Montana, this is a must-buy for any outdoorsman, boater, camper, hunter, fisherman, etc. The starter kit costs $24.95 and it comes with the heavy-duty but smack-in-the-head-why-didn’t-I-think-of-that tool, wire and instructions. All you need is a wire cutter. After you buy one, you’re going to want to buy a few more. Clever as hell and it works badass. Web is www.haywireklamper.com; go there and check out what you can do with it. Phone is 406-291-1453; e-mail: wes@haywireklamper.com. Four-stars for utility.

Bedsheets

I raved about these back in July when I bought my first set from these folks, and I’ve ordered another set since. I’ve yet to find any bed linen to beat their custom sheets — and certainly not at their price or quality. And they’re American made. My original write-up was here lrrpsworld.blogspot.com/2014/07/out-of-my-comfort-zone-adventures-in.html. From Cozytown Linens, www.cozytownlinens.com, of Pelzer, South Carolina. Toll-free number is 864-236-4968. Prices for a custom queen-size set and four pillowcases run around $180. Four stars for comfort and price, all the way.

Snap Stick

I swear by this stuff … and it’s the perfect stocking stuffer for anyone who uses anything that has metal or plastic zippers or snaps. Works like Chapstick. I use it for my foul weather gear snaps, wet and drysuit zips, boat canvas snaps and zips, etc. If it has to snap on and off or close smoothly, and it can get rusty or sun-dried, this is what you put on it. MSRP is $6.48 a tube, which is the size of a kid’s glue stick. AT marine and camping stores or from Shurhold, www.shurhold.com.