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@@ -1,13 +1,13 @@ # Scratch + - mountainsmith fanny like an evening clutch for hiking. too small for a book, (rounded bottom makes it tough, fits a kindle though) works well for keys, wallet, stuff like that but that's it. comfortable as a sling, wide strap. - Action cams, underwater domes: https://www.amazon.com/Diving-Trigge-Underwater-Waterproof-Accessories/dp/B08L68TJ72/r https://www.amazon.com/GEPULY-Waterproof-Housing-Underwater-Photography/dp/B08TTP2KB8 - -The Go 3 +## Zenbivy Rave # Guides Existing @@ -1431,6 +1431,129 @@ contain microfibers: http://guppyfriend.com/en/ # Reviews +## DJI Osmo Action 4 Review + +DJI's latest version of its action camera, the Osmo Action 4, looks like its predecessor, but under the skin there are plenty of upgrades that make it a worthy GoPro competitor. The Action 4 features a new, larger sensor, new lens, and more support for professional settings like Log video capture. + +Sticking with the magnetic mount system of the previous model, while improving the sensor, means the Action 4 one-ups the GoPro on a few fronts, including just how easy it is to move the Action 4 from mount to mount. + +### What's New + +DJI's Action 4 arrived just before the new GoPro Hero 12. I will have a full review of that camera ready soon, but in the mean time I will note where I think the Hero 12 comes out ahead and where I think the Action 4 is a better choice. + +DJI's announcement for the Action 4 touts the new 1/1.3-inch sensor, which the company claims offers better low-light image capture. While the larger sensor does mean more light gathering capability (and it's larger than both the previous Action 3, and the just announced GoPro Hero 12), I found the results to be a mixed bag. + +Shooting side-by-side sunrise video I found that the GoPro came up with a better exposure. I matched it with the DJI, but I had to resort to manual settings, which you're never going to do in most scenarios where an action camera make sense—e.g. hiking, biking, climbing, etc. That said, in actual darkness, shooting around the campfire I did much prefer the results of the Action 4. Not only did it reveal more detail in the shadows, but I found the color rendering—always tricky when you mix firelight and electric light—to be much better than what I got from the Hero 12. + +Suffice to say that in some scenarios the Action 4 wins, and in others the GoPro. Don't read too much into low light performance though. While DJI's sensor is an improvement, no sensor this small really does very well at night. Most of the time, in daylight, I found the performance of the two cameras very similar. + +Most of the time I try to shoot Log video and do my color grading in software. The Action 4 can shoot in 10-bit D-Log M which gives you higher dynamic range footage, which then allows more color correction flexibility when editing. This trumps the Hero 11, which does not support true Log recording. But, to complicate your buying decision, the Hero 12 does support Log recording. + +I should also note that, while the design of the Action 4 is essentially unchanged from that of the Action 3, there is one tiny, but important, difference: the lens protector thread size has changed. That means the lens protectors are not interchangable and any filters that rely on that thread may also be incompatible with the new model. On the plus side, the rubber ring that was always falling off the Action 3 is now permanently affixed in place on the Action 4. + +Other new features include some improvements to audio recording in windy situations, support for the InvisiStick in all video modes. The InvisiStick is DJI's very long selfie stick that the camera will automatically edit out of your footage, much like 360 cameras do. + +A small new feature that I really like is the ability to customize sharpening and noise reduction by a number system rather than just a series of presets. + +### Where the Action 4 is Better Than a GoPro + +Perhaps the most overlooked part action cameras is how easy they are to use on a day to day basis when you're shooting with them. It's here that DJI and it's quick release magnetic mounting system just blows GoPro out of the water. The magnetic mount is genius, I said it in my review of the Action 3 and I'll say it again, GoPro has to come up with a magnetic mount system. Unfortunately it still has not even with the brand new Hero 12. + +DJI hasn't changed a thing about the mount system so far as I could tell and that's great news. This mounting system is rock solid, dead simple to use, and makes moving your camera between mounts so simple. Unfortunately I actually own a GoPro so after the Action 4 goes back I have to return to unscrewing my camera every time I want to switch mounts (there are third-party magnetic mounts out there for the GoPro, [like this one](https://www.ulanzi.com/products/falcam-f22-gopro-mount-to-dji-action-mount-magnetic-base-3235), but I have not tested them). + +The other ease of use feature I really like on the Action 4 is the front touchscreen. When you mount the camera facing you, it's easy to switch modes or tweak setting because the front screen is also a touchscreen and works just like the back screen. Not so on the Hero 11 or 12 where you need to turn the camera around to access settings. + +Finally, the other place the Action 4 is nicer to use on an everyday basis is the dedicated Q or quick settings button. This button brings up a settings screen that allows you to quickly change the settings of the camera. I do mean settings too, you can program in all your favorite modes and with a single button press move from shooting 4K 60 video footage to a custom photo profile (or any other custom profile/shooting mode you want). It's the ability to jump between both shooting modes that the GoPro lacks. With the GoPro you have to first switch shooting modes, then switch profiles within that mode. + +### Where a GoPro is Better Than the Action 4 + +Despite how much I like using the Action 4 on an everyday basis, there are several places the GoPro Hero 11 and 12 outshine the Action 4. The big one is the GoPro's ability to shoot 5K 60 frames per second video. I like 5K not for its resolution, but for the ability to crop footage after the fact and still have 4K video. The other use I have for 5.3K footage is grabbing still images from it, with the GoPro those still are nice, 24 megapixel images. Still, I recognize these may be edge use cases to most people. + +The other place GoPro comes out ahead in my side-by-side testing is still photography. The RAW files have much better dynamic range and are sharper. Again though, most people are probably shooting video primarily so this made not be a factor in your decision. + +Now the hard part, should you get an Action 4 or a GoPro Hero 12? This hard. Or easy, depending on how you look at it. Both the Action 4 and the GoPro Hero 12 are great cameras. No matter which one you get you're going to be capable of producing amazing video. + +The Action 4 has a better mounting system, better menu system, better battery life, and it recharges faster. That said, I ended up liking the footage from the Hero 12 more in most of my side-by-side tests (the exception, noted above, was night footage). The other place the Action 4 has an advantage is that the footage will integrate better with DJI drone footage, and it pairs nice with DJI's microphone ([8/10 WIRED Recommends](https://www.wired.com/review/dji-mic/)), which is one of the best mics I've tested. Between the three of those you really have a well-integrated ecosystem of moviemaking tools that a GoPro alone can't match. + +In the end, I think if you have never owned an action camera before, the Action 4 is the better choice for its superior ease-of-use, thanks to things like the Q menu system, and the front touch screen. If you already have a GoPro and want a second camera, or just like the GoPro's color rendering, then sticking with the Hero line probably makes more sense. + + + + +## Superkop Manual Espresso Machine Review + +Nothing makes me happier than when someone comes along and clears away all the technological clutter from a device to reveal it's simple mechanical underpinnings. When the result also looks better and works better than it's competitors, that's tech(less) nirvana, which is exactly what the Superkop espresso machine manages to achieve. + +The Superkop is an entirely manual espresso maker that needs nothing more than hot water and espresso-ground coffee to brew up a delicious shot. There's no touchscreen, no needless phone app, no digital nonsense, just the essential element you need: great espresso. + +Since it doesn't require anything more than hot water, when the zombie apocalypse comes, you can heat that water over a trashcan fire, brew that delicious shot, and calmly look up from your still-functional Superkop at the impending Zombie horde and say, "bring it." + +### Keep It Simple + +Hand pump espresso machines aren’t a new idea. They are in fact the original idea. + +They are still available today, mostly in the form of expensive, pro-level machines. La Pavoni is probably the best known brand, but most of its machines (and most modern pump machines) still require electricity (usually the heat the water). Go back further in history and you'll find very large, very complex hand pump machines designed for coffee shops. They’re amazing, often beautiful machines—some of them are Art Nouveau era masterworks—but not the sort of thing most of us can afford in our homes. + +The most practical hand pump machine I've used (and our top pick in [our guide to portable espresso](https://www.wired.com/story/best-portable-espresso-makers/)) is the [Flair Signature ($239)](https://www.amazon.com/Flair-Signature-Espresso-Maker-Bundle/dp/B07B2JPNW8/), which is hand pumped, but uses your body to provide the pressure necessary to achieve the 9 to 11 bars required for espresso. This works if you’re able to provide that pressure, but it is the one weakness of the Flair—you need to be strong enough to get that pressure. + +The Superkop steps into this market with a strong design aesthetic, albeit more industrial than Art Nouveau, but striking nonetheless and a clever way around the pressure problem. It uses a ratcheting mechanism in the handle to keep the pressure constant as you raise and lower the pump arm. It takes six pulls to get a full [Lungo](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lungo) shot, but you don't need to pull hard at all. + +At the same time, you do have some control over how much pressure is applied. You can regulate the pressure by the speed of your pumping, and this, combined with the volume of beans and how finely you grind them are the tools you have to control the finished result. And don't worry, there is an overpressure value that releases at 20 bars so you won't break anything. That said, try as I might, I could not get this release to trigger so I would not worry about building up too much pressure. + +As with all espresso machines, there is a learning curve to getting it where you want it. Use a scale to keep track of how much you're using and tweak your grind in small increments until you get it where you want it. + +After the usual fiddling with the grind, tamping pressure, and amount of grounds, I was able to consistently pull excellent shots with the Superkop. They were in fact, better than what I've been able to get from the Flair Signature, and better than most consumer-level home espresso machines, in part I think because of the consistent, constant pressure the Superkop achieves. + +Is it better than the espresso at your local coffee shop? That depends on too many factors to answer for everyone, but in many cases, yes, definitely. If you happen to live by a shop where the baristas really know what they're doing, maybe not, but in my experience traveling around the US for the last seven years, those are few and far between (if you have a good shop near you, [drop me a line](https://luxagraf.net/contact) so I can stop in if I'm in the area). + +What I like about the Superkop goes beyond coffee though. This is a machine built to last a lifetime. Or more if you know what you're doing. It's very well made, out of solid metal (aluminum and stainless steel) and wood. The lever and portafilter are made of polished stainless, and the portafilter is the industry standard diameter of 58mm, which means you can swap it out with any other portafilter. + +The only plastic part is the water cup, which is made from polycarbonate plastic, in part because it holds you hot water at temperature without needing to be pre-heating (as you need to do with the Flair and other machines). + +The weak points, from a repair perspective, are the internal seals along with the gas spring, which causes the brewing piston to slide back up. Superkop sells replacement springs and seals, but says it does not expect them to need replacing for at least five years. + +I should also note that, while I tested the standalone version which features a heavy wooden base, there is an optional wall mounting shelf if you have more wall space than counter space. I did not test it in this configuration, but I would want to make sure I could wall mount it into some studs or other strong support element. + +My final thoughts on the Superkop are that I wish there were more things like this, clever, mechanical things that solve problems without going digital. Should you buy one? They're definitely not cheap, but if you love espresso and want something that looks good in your home and will likely last a lifetime, the Superkop is a great machine. + + +## Cobb Grill Review + +The Cobb Grill is much more than a grill. It's a grill and a oven, with a saute pan, chicken rack, flattop plate, and (optional) rotisserie that packs up like a stack of tetris blocks into a package you can easily carry over your shoulder. + +Don't let the grill in the name fool you, the Cobb is a summer cooking extravaganza in a bag and well worth the money if you want to up your camp cooking game. + +### Corncob History + +It's been six years since I had an oven. Technically the [1969 RV I call home](https://luxagraf.net/essay/turn-your-own-wrenches) does have an oven. It just doesn't work, which makes me effectively ovenless. In the last six years I've [used a waffle iron as an oven](https://www.wired.com/story/waffle-maker-rants-and-raves/), and learned to cook with a dutch oven over coals. The Dutch oven experience has given me a new appreciation for older methods of cooking. That's part of why, when Cobb Grills reached out to ask if I was interested in trying their cooker, I jumped at the opportunity. + +While the Cobb is much more than a grill, I understand why that name is necessary in the United States where we never see people cooking over the kinds of small clay grill/ovens that the Cobb cooker was inspired by. The Cobb hails from South Africa and was originally made of clay (like most rural stoves around the world) to burn corn cobs (hence the name). That one grew into the Eco Cobb, an all-metal stove based on the clay version. + +Fast-forward some years and the Cobb has evolved into a light weight cooker that pack up ingeniously to give you a portable cooking device that can grill, bake, saute, smoke, fry, and boil in a package that's smaller than most of the portable grills in our guide. + +At first glance I was set to dislike the Cobb because it arrived with a box of custom charcoal and there is nothing I dislike in a grill so much as custom charcoal. What a blatant money grab. Fortunately, while the Cobb does make custom charcoal it calls Cobblestones—bonus points for that pun—they aren't necessary and after a couple of test cooks with the Cobblestones, I did everything else over brickets or coals scooped from a fire. It is a little trickier to get the heat precisely the way you want it with coals, but brickets I found worked fine and were simple to use. + +### Cooking on the Cobb + +There are several models of the Cobb, I tested the [Premiere Plus](https://www.cobbgrillamerica.com/shop/portable-grills/cobb-premier-plus-grill), which costs $235, and includes some extras like the Griddle+ and Roast Rack. I found the Premiere plus to be just big enough to feed five, though things did get crowded at times. The cooking surface of the Cobb Pr12″ diameter cook surfaceCobb also makes the Supreme, which is larger and would be a better pick if you're looking to cook for more than four on a regular basis. + +The design is similar in all the models though. There's an outer wire shell, that holds the "moat", which catches fat drippings, or can be filled with liquids (wine for example) to season whatever you're cooking. I often threw some potatoes in the moat and let them cook in the fat of whatever was grilling above. The results were outstanding. + +To be honest, I didn't grill that much on the Cobb. It works as a grill, but it lacks one component I consider essential: direct flame. The lack of direct flame does eliminates flare ups and smokiness (the Cobb is mostly smoke-free) but you don't get that nice sear and flavor of cooking over flame. To me that's fine. I already have a portable grill I love. What I don't have is an oven, so I did a lot of baking, roasting, even sauteing, on the Cobb. I made lamb and feta flatbread, roasted whole chickens, baked cobblers and crisps with fresh summer fruits, and even tried stir frying up some Yakisoba. + +The Cobb makes an excellent oven. Using a Cobblestone I was regularly able to get two and half hours of 300+ degree heat, more than enough to bake dinner and some dessert in most cases. After some experimenting I found that about 8-10 briquettes reliably generated about the same heat for about two hours. The hardest part of using briquettes was getting them started. I found that a bit paper grocery bag or egg carton below the charcoal basket did the trick, though I sometimes had to relight it several times. + +True to its claims the outside of the Cobb never got hot, or really even warm to the touch. The lid did sometimes get hot, but never as hot as I would have expected. The only thing I found awkward was what to do with the charcoal that was still burning after dinner was done. While the outside doesn't get hot, the inside obviously does and if you want to pack things up after you're done eating, you'll want to put out the Cobb right away because it does take a while to cool down. It wasn't any worse than any other grill—except maybe the Nomad, which can almost be transported hot—but it is something to keep in mind if you're taking the Cobb to the park or the beach for a cookout. + +Cleaning the Cobb in the field is a little awkward, especially if you used the moat with some kind of liquid (or cooked something very fatty). If you're near water you can pour some in while it's still hot and then wipe it out when it cools. The good news is that if you can just get it home the Cobb is dishwasher safe and pretty easy to clean up in the sink too. + +While everything I made on the Cobb came out delicious, it would not be my top pick of ways to cook a stir fry or to smoke. It just doesn't get quite hot enough to truly stir fry, and it isn't quite big enough for more than a single rack of rib or small brisket. Everything else though, it handled quite well and the included cookbook features a bevy of great recipes from beer can chicken to Paella. + + + + + + ## Insta360 Go 3 Review The biggest change in the Go 3 is arguably not the Go itself but the charging case. The new charging case, which Insta360 calls the action pod, has buttons to control the camera and a small, flippable screen for monitoring your shots. When you drop the Go 3 into the Action Pod you essentially turn your Go 3 into a GoPro. @@ -1464,7 +1587,7 @@ Where the GoPro (or the DJI Action 3) really outshines the Go 3 is weather proof That said, if you don't need the higher resolution and aren't planning to shoot underwater much, the Go 3 is a compelling choice. The tiny size and magnetic mounting system mean you can get shots that you just can't with bigger cameras like the GoPro. More importantly, you can get those shots fast—I often just stuck the Go 3 to road signs, the side of my vehicle (when parked), and tk. It's amazing how much easier and fun it is to film when you don't need to setup a tripod. Insta360 has done a good job of emphasizing this with the included accessories too. In months of shooting, I have never once spent more than a minute or two getting the Go 3 mounted how I want it. -Everyone I met while shooting wanted to know -- is it better than a GoPro? I don't think that's the right question though, they're really two different beasts. The GoPro is a reliable, high resolution beauty of an action camera and has been our top pick for years now. I think the Go 3 is well worth considering even if you already have a GoPro. It's compact form and long battery life mean you can use it in ways you can't use a GoPro and it has allowed me to get shots I would previous not even have thought of shooting. For that reason alone I think it's worth the money if you're in the market for a tiny camera. +Everyone I met while shooting wanted to know—is it better than a GoPro? I don't think that's the right question though, they're really two different beasts. The GoPro is a reliable, high resolution beauty of an action camera and has been our top pick for years now. I think the Go 3 is well worth considering even if you already have a GoPro. It's compact form and long battery life mean you can use it in ways you can't use a GoPro and it has allowed me to get shots I would previous not even have thought of shooting. For that reason alone I think it's worth the money if you're in the market for a tiny camera. @@ -4288,6 +4411,71 @@ All the accessories that work with the Hero 9 will also work here (so there's no # Rants and Raves + +## Radius Outfitters Tool Roll + +My grandfather kept his tools in the shed behind the carport. The shed was bare metal, utterly unbearable in the midday heat of the Tucson summer. It was a mornings and evenings place, before breakfast, after dinner. My grandfather bookended his days in the shed, surrounded by the tools he used to repair everything from trucks to TVs and radios. + +My father kept his tools in the garage, on a set of shallow shelves interspersed with peg board. There were heavy wooden doors to keep out the salt air of southern California. + +Tools must be cared for if they are to serve you well. Their enemies are heat, moisture, salt, dirt, oil, sand, grime, and carelessness. Sheds and garages are ideal storage places and have served generations well, but what do you do when you don't have either? I live in a vintage RV. Many live in apartments, condos, cabins, boats, and other homes without garages, shops or even a shed. + +For years I relied on plastic bins from whatever big box store was nearby when I needed one. There's even a photo of my tools in these boxes [in WIRED](https://media.wired.com/photos/6414b2ef9a1cb24af36f8167/master/w_1600,c_limit/3_BVARGAS_Wrenches-3.jpg). These boxes did an okay job of keeping my tools mostly dry and dirt free. They also fit in the limited storage areas I have. They work in other words, but they're not ideal. + +Plastic bins are terrible for organizing. I'm pretty sure I've spent at least as much time looking for my 9/16th socket as I have using it. They're also made of plastic. Fill them with heavy tools and start tossing them under your vehicle and they won't last more than a few months. + +Enter the Radius Outfitters Tool Roll, which has completely changed the life of my tools. Radius Outfitters makes overlanding gear, gear that's designed to hold up to the abuse of living (and repairing) on the road. + +Now I always know exactly where my 9/16th socket is—I can skip the searching and get to work actually [turning wrenches](https://luxagraf.net/essay/turn-your-own-wrenches). + +Tool Rolls are nothing new of course. Your local hardware store is full of them. I [inherited one from my grandfather](https://luxagraf.net/jrnl/2015/12/tools) that dated from when quality goods were still common. Unfortunately, tool rolls at the big box stores are mostly garbage these days—made of cheap nylon with poor stitching, weak threads, and thin zippers. + +This is where the Radius Tool Roll sets itself apart. It's of the old, well-built school. Made of 1680D Cordura, with heavy stitching (bartack stitching to reinforce seams), the Radius is virtually bombproof. I've been using it for months, tossing it around under the bus and my Jeep, working on gravel, sand, occasionally concrete, and, unfortunately, in the mud. The tool roll isn't very clean anymore, but otherwise it's held up perfectly to all the abuse I've dished out. + +There are three levels of tool sleeves on the inside of the roll, and it can handle up to 14-inch tools. There's also a zippered sleeve that perfectly fits my shop manual. At one end of the roll is a single zippered pouch, and the other end has two identical pouches (these are where I keep my sockets wrenches). It's enough organization to keep my basic tools neat and organized, but not so many pouches that I forget where I put things. Getting this balance right is no small thing in my experience, so kudos to Radius Outfitters for finding the organizational sweet spot. + +I'd also like to call out the leather handle, which is extremely comfortable, and something most other bags and rolls I've tried overlooks. This thing gets heavy when it's loaded full of wrenches, a comfortable handle is a necessity and again, Radius Outfitters gets it right. + +The only weak point of Radius Outfitter's Tool Roll is that 14-inch tool limit. There's no room for my breaker bar, larger wrenches, or oddly shaped tools like strap wrenches, multimeters, and so on. + +That's where the [Gear Box 3500](https://radiusoutfitters.com/products/gear-box-3500), comes in handy, for bigger stuff. The Gear Box is similarly well-made and well-thought out, with optional hook and loop dividers, and a magnetic lock mechanism. Unfortunately I broke the lock, but the box still functions without it. The 21-inch by 14-inch interior capacity gives me room for bigger items and slides into the same spot the similarly sized cheap plastic bin used to fit. + +That's all I have tested, but Radius Outfitter's also make [smaller organizers](https://radiusoutfitters.com/products/small-utility-organizer), if you have a set of tools that doesn't require the full roll or box, and well as some [very heavy-duty looking totes](https://radiusoutfitters.com/collections/heavy-duty-canvas-gear-totes) that might be nice for my small collection of power tools. All of the company's gear boxes break down to lay flat for storing. + +I spent the weekend I wrote this article sitting in a Walmart parking lot tracing electrical issues in my Dodge. A kind strange stopped to talk about the bus and ended up taking me to his friend's home garage, which was better stocked with tools than many professional mechanic's shops. While the man rummaged around in a bin of spare parts, I wandered around lathes and welding gear, thinking that the one thing I miss living on the road was the opportunity to have a shop like that, but at least with the Tool Roll I know that what tools I do have are well cared for, and with any luck, will be something my children can one day put in their own shops, whether that turns out to be a building or just a spot under the seat of their vehicle. + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +The quality of tools has been declining since I was born. WIRED's own Buy It For Life guide to things that last (ostensibly) a lifetime is sadly short of tools. + +Tools are only as good as their storage. + +Some of both of their tools are now in my tool roll. + +There are a few screwdrivers inside, some wrenches, files, and a plastic jar of the sort men my grandfather’s age seemed inordinately fond of keeping things in, their wives having doled out all the Skippy or Jif the container once held on sandwiches, or in cookies baked in ovens surrounded by Formica counters and build atop linoleum floors, surfaces of the golden age of petroleum, surfaces of the postwar three bedroom brick ranches of the West, well stocked with sugary sweet and creamy peanut butter jars destined ultimately not for the recycling bin but + +My cousins and I might have eaten the contents of this jar at some point, though it looks perhaps too new for that. Our children maybe. My cousin’s children. Mine have never seen a three bedroom brick ranch house in the desert. Never will. Not that one anyway. + +Inside the jar is an impressive collection of jeweler’s screwdrivers, tiny files, a loupe, a wire brush and a tool whose use is a mystery to me, labeled simply ATT. Not the Bell Telephone Corporation he worked fifty some odd years for, but ATT. Tools demand brevity. + +The rest of the bag is filled with larger equivalents of the same tools in the jar. The red and clear lucite handled Craftsman screwdrivers I remember hanging from the magnetic strip on the front of the shelf. The larger flathead with the wooden handle was always sticking too far out of another Jif jar, precariously leaning against the back wall of the workbench. + + +https://radiusoutfitters.com/products/tool-roll + ## Kettlebell Rave I hate running. If I am running, it's because I'm being chased. Or I am chasing something. |