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Chas McGill
Oct 29, 2010

loves Fat Philippe
I need a travel backpack that should double as my carry-on as well as a daypack I can use when I'm at the destination. It doesn't need to be particularly big, but it should be able to hold a laptop (12"), kindle, notepad, and water bottle with a bit of room to spare.

My budget is ideally under £50 ($80). Comfort and durability are priorities since I expect I'll be wearing it for hours on end while walking around. I like the look of the Mammut Xeron at the moment.

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Chas McGill
Oct 29, 2010

loves Fat Philippe

Bhodi posted:

The best travel backpack that I have ever owned is the Osprey Porter line. I own a 45 (46). It's perfect for carryon because it fits exactly within carryon spec to maximize space, has padded sides (!!), hideaway straps to prevent catching on other bags in a cargo compartment of a plane or bus, and isn't over-compartmentalized which adds to the weight and detracts from usefulness.

The straps let it be converted into a messenger-bag type deal and it also has a carrying handle on the side. The two side-straps provide compression and there aren't any additional unnecessary buckles or whatever to catch on stuff. I also really like the fact that you can lay it flat and unzip it all the way down and flop open the lid so it's basically just a little travel suitcase :3:
That sounds good, thanks. It might be a bit too large for my purposes, but it looks like Osprey have some smaller bags as well.

Chas McGill
Oct 29, 2010

loves Fat Philippe

Bhodi posted:

The best travel backpack that I have ever owned is the Osprey Porter line. I own a 45 (46). It's perfect for carryon because it fits exactly within carryon spec to maximize space, has padded sides (!!), hideaway straps to prevent catching on other bags in a cargo compartment of a plane or bus, and isn't over-compartmentalized which adds to the weight and detracts from usefulness.

The straps let it be converted into a messenger-bag type deal and it also has a carrying handle on the side. The two side-straps provide compression and there aren't any additional unnecessary buckles or whatever to catch on stuff. I also really like the fact that you can lay it flat and unzip it all the way down and flop open the lid so it's basically just a little travel suitcase :3:

bunnielab posted:

For bags, I have whatever Osprey model is the smallest one with a waist belt and it is a near prefect day pack and is very comfortable even when loaded down with fishing gear.

Ended up getting an Osprey Farpoint 40 since the brand came up here twice and seemed to be an ever-present on lists of best backpacks. Seems sturdy and smartly put together, although getting into the main compartment could be hindered by the compression straps. Reckon it'll last me a long time though.

Chas McGill
Oct 29, 2010

loves Fat Philippe
My Tojiro dp has served me very well.

Chas McGill
Oct 29, 2010

loves Fat Philippe
Uh, what's a cool gift for my 10yr old nephew that isn't a computer game*? His principle interests are typing 'LOL' and 'BRO' at his friends on instagram, playing FIFA, playing on his Ipod, playing on his Nintendo Game Boy or whatever. I don't understand half of what he's saying these days. I'd buy him an educational toy or a hand crafted wooden artisanal set of building blocks or something, but I know better. Last year I got him a remote control helicopter. If he was a bit older I'd get him a swiss army knife or some other dangerous thing.

*He already owns or is about to get every age appropriate PS4 game in existence.

Chas McGill
Oct 29, 2010

loves Fat Philippe

Nostalgia4Dicks posted:

Most kids, cool kids or not, seem to dig legos

What about a pellet gun? (After clearing it with the parents of course)


Or some iTunes credit idk

sling shots are cool
I'd definitely get him lego if he didn't already have tonnes of it. I'd love to get him a sling shot, bow, crossbow, or air rifle, but things aren't the same as when I was growing up and his parents wouldn't approve.

Sentient Data posted:

If you're on the slightly pricier end, maybe a capture card or mic to be able to do their own streaming/lp. It may be unleashing another pewdiepie into the world, but maybe it's a psychedelic eyeball instead. If the kid's already that far into gaming, then it's pretty easy to say that the YouTube wave of celebrity/culture is a appropriate fit
This is an interesting idea since he loves Minecraft videos and stuff. I don't want to get him anything I'd have to act as tech support for, though.

Aristophanes posted:

Hmm. Maybe get him a nice headset if he doesn't have one already

A skateboard or a scooter, or, if he has one already, a GoPro (or a cheaper alternative outdoorsy camera) so he and his friends can make epic fail videos for our internet enjoyment

Memorabilia from his favourite FIFA team

Possibly try Rocksmith 2014 + a cheap electric guitar, so he can game and learn a marketable skill
Rocksmith looks good. It's a gamey thing, but it isn't entirely without educational merit.

SaltLick posted:

Learning guitar is one of the best ways to landing tail in college. Plant a seed that will sprout in 8 years.

But really having a musician education is known to improve brain function and who knows might even peel him away from the games.
My brother (the father of the 10yr old) bought me a cheap Squier Strat when I was 12 and it was instrumental (hoho) in getting me through adolescence intact, so I'm definitely leaning toward the guitar stuff. Pricey, though...and I'm not sure whether to get him a full size or 3/4 size one. Another problem is that he doesn't seem to be that into music, or at least, not music with guitars.

Thanks for all the suggestions.

Chas McGill has a new favorite as of 10:48 on Mar 18, 2015

Chas McGill
Oct 29, 2010

loves Fat Philippe
I want a super minimalistic wallet/money-clip that will last for years.

Chas McGill
Oct 29, 2010

loves Fat Philippe
Thanks for all the wallet recs. I went for one in the same range as the Magic Wallet and it seems OK. I may go even smaller with something like the Exentri City at some point though.

Chas McGill
Oct 29, 2010

loves Fat Philippe

budgieinspector posted:

I'm also looking for a ballpoint. Capped, rather than retractable. Medium point. Gel preferred.

Every pen I've bought, lately, has had weird little downsides (the cap doesn't fit on the non-pointy end, say, or the ink flow is odd). I've tried Pentels, Pilots, and Uni-Balls, and I'm starting to get irritated about having an opinion on writing instruments.
Muji gel pen? They're pretty cheap and I like them.

Chas McGill
Oct 29, 2010

loves Fat Philippe

m.hache posted:

Cheap, lightweight glasses for running that can be purchased online.

I used to use a pair of tinted safety glasses that sorta looked sporty to run but I can't for the life of me find them. Instead of going out to get another pair I was hoping to get a couple of burner pairs online.

Shipping to Canada.

I use Bolle safety glasses when I'm cycling. They were really cheap.

Chas McGill
Oct 29, 2010

loves Fat Philippe
I need recs for a microwave under £100 ($150). I'm toying with the idea of getting one with a grill as well, but I don't know if they're any good.

Chas McGill
Oct 29, 2010

loves Fat Philippe
Those are good ideas. Graduation dates are in the middle of June here so I expect a few people will be preparing to move already.

I am still open to suggestions for a fancy one that doubles as a grill, though!

Chas McGill
Oct 29, 2010

loves Fat Philippe
Need a basic scientific calculator for work. It has to have nice buttons (no squishy rubber stuff). Don't need graphing or anything.

Chas McGill
Oct 29, 2010

loves Fat Philippe
It can get moldy, but you can just scrape it off.

Chas McGill
Oct 29, 2010

loves Fat Philippe
My brother's girlfriend wants a makeup bag. Is there an Osprey of makeup bags?

Chas McGill
Oct 29, 2010

loves Fat Philippe
Something like this, but not animal print:

Chas McGill
Oct 29, 2010

loves Fat Philippe

Chas McGill
Oct 29, 2010

loves Fat Philippe

McOgre posted:

I know basically no one uses a dedicated MP3 player anymore, but does anyone know of a good one? I'm looking for something physically small, supports Bluetooth, and has/supports up to at least 64 GB of storage (it's okay if that would require adding a micro SD card to it). Preferably under $50. I see a lot of ~$30 ones online, but I worry about their quality, so I was just hoping someone has used one that wasn't poo poo.

Sansa Clip? Not sure if it supports Bluetooth though.

Chas McGill
Oct 29, 2010

loves Fat Philippe

Etrips posted:

The original Sansa Clip+ has been discontinued and is now $80.

Oops, still living in 2012 clearly

Chas McGill
Oct 29, 2010

loves Fat Philippe
2D or 3D?

Draftsight (2d) is free.

Chas McGill
Oct 29, 2010

loves Fat Philippe

colas posted:

What's good aftershave balm or cream for dry/itchy neck skin?

Nivea sorted all that out for me. It isn't that expensive as you don't have to use much of it.

Chas McGill
Oct 29, 2010

loves Fat Philippe

1redflag posted:

I am in the need of new exercise shirts. Ive just been using cotton undershirts as of late, as I don't like the feel of the few polyester shirts I've tried (as they get itchy or cause chaffing after an hour or so of running, etc), but cotton obviously stinks at moisture-wicking. I've looked into wool blends cursorily, but am afraid they will get too hot during the summer in Georgia. If anyone knows of a better YLLS thread to ask in, please show me the way.

Edit: VVVV any particular brands/lines you'd suggest?
Uniqlo air stuff. It's cheap, cool, and comfortable. Plus it comes in a foil package so you can pretend you're in the future.

Chas McGill
Oct 29, 2010

loves Fat Philippe

No comment on the rings, but what a website!

Chas McGill
Oct 29, 2010

loves Fat Philippe
Perfect for MEN who need to cut grapes and other small food items up so they're easier to eat.

Chas McGill
Oct 29, 2010

loves Fat Philippe
Any recommendations for a canvas backpack? Amazon is full of Chinese ones with loads of dodgy 5 star reviews. Under $100 preferable but if someone can swear by a bag or if it has a good guarantee I'm willing to pay more.

Chas McGill
Oct 29, 2010

loves Fat Philippe
Just for going around town so on the small side: enough room for a camera, light jacket etc. The main thing is that it's well made. Doesn't need laptop pockets or millions of compartments. Probably around 20ltrs.

Chas McGill has a new favorite as of 20:15 on Aug 2, 2016

Chas McGill
Oct 29, 2010

loves Fat Philippe
Yeah I was looking at waxed canvas and it's big money. That bag looks decent and I like how many colour options there are. Thanks

Chas McGill
Oct 29, 2010

loves Fat Philippe
I'm looking for a light softshell jacket with a simple design and no obvious logo - preferably hoodless or with a hood that can hide in the collar. I tend to layer with a jumper in Autumn so it doesn't have to be super warm. Let's say the budget is around $120.

Chas McGill
Oct 29, 2010

loves Fat Philippe
The answer to all this: Circulon Infinite.

Chas McGill
Oct 29, 2010

loves Fat Philippe
Are there any good reusable lint rollers around now, or do I just keep buying the sticky paper ones? This is for cat hair on clothes.

Chas McGill
Oct 29, 2010

loves Fat Philippe

colas posted:

Any recommendations for low maintenance houseplants? I can't keep anything alive.
Depends on your climate, but I've found the Ficus and the Sansevieria to be very hardy.

Chas McGill
Oct 29, 2010

loves Fat Philippe
I'm ordering my mother in a law a new lighter for her glass pipe. Are any of these rechargeable arc lighters worth it or are they just a gimmick? Otherwise, what's the best traditional lighter?

Chas McGill
Oct 29, 2010

loves Fat Philippe
What's the best rice cooker that works well with brown rice? I've started researching and seeing some offering a function for making sprouted brown rice, which I've never had before, but it sounds good. I like the look of this one - anyone used that brand before? I often see Zojirushi recommended as well.

Chas McGill
Oct 29, 2010

loves Fat Philippe

Beethovens Fist Symphony posted:

Can't comment on sprouted rice specifically, but I splurged on a Zojirushi cooker about 12 years ago and don't regret it. I use it about every other week and cook mostly brown rice, and it keeps giving me perfect rice after all this time. Pretty certain it will outlive me at this point which is way more than I can say for almost any other appliance I've owned.

Nice, that's good to know. I love long lasting appliances.

Chas McGill
Oct 29, 2010

loves Fat Philippe
I want a vacuum cleaner that is fully repairable and built with the expectation that it can be disassembled and reassembled. The bottom hose split on my shark vacuum and I thought it'd be easy to replace. Buying special long torx screw bits allowed me to get in there, but it simply refuses to go back together.

I'm guessing a classic Miele is probably the way to go.

Chas McGill
Oct 29, 2010

loves Fat Philippe

Happiness Commando posted:

I got a free shark on Craigslist. It had a split hose. Most frustrating 3 hours of my recent life to repair.

I gave up on it after an hour, I'll give it another try at the weekend, but I will be miserable.

Chas McGill
Oct 29, 2010

loves Fat Philippe
Does no one do the Thirsty Bird technique anymore?

Chas McGill
Oct 29, 2010

loves Fat Philippe
My Timbuk2 Tuck backpack is falling apart. What are the best lightweight rolltop bags with a laptop compartment? I'd probably get another Timbuk2 since this has lasted 6yrs of near-daily use, but would like some other recommendations. Price under $200 ideally.

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Chas McGill
Oct 29, 2010

loves Fat Philippe

Glottis posted:

I got into Amazon Vine, which has really opened my eyes to how much weird poo poo is on Amazon. I ignore 500 options then get one "backpacking chair" that weights 8 lbs. It's bizarre.

Welcome, you now have access to all the strangest poo poo from Shenzhen. Occasionally you'll get a TV or something though.

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