It’s no secret that American cycling has suffered like a dog under the relentless allegations brought to light by the US Anti-Doping Agency, an organization hell bent on seeking due punishment for cyclists who used performance enhancing drugs to better their careers. Spurred by thorough investigatory tactics and irrefutable evidence, countless US cyclists confessed to using PEDs throughout a whole slew of events, from the Tour de France to the Olympics, all typically in the years prior to 2007. The coup de grace came when once-hero Lance Armstrong, whose seemingly untouchable seven Tour de France titles were a symbol of inspiration to millions of Americans, finally threw in the towel and confirmed what countless skeptics had ranted on for over a decade.

As the dust settled, many brilliant careers were cut short or put on suspension, forever casting them as bad men amidst an even worse culture. Regardless of the validity surrounding these judgments, the sport has continued to pedal on, yet where does this leave American cycling, both for the fan and the rider?

America’s Greatest Race. This title, aptly given to the Amgen Tour of California, describes in three words one of the nation’s most prestigious and successful sporting events, with roughly 750 miles of beautiful terrain. The route, which started in Escondido and finished in Santa Rosa, acted as stadium last week as 16 professional teams from around the globe squeezed every last drop of energy into eight days of battle between man, bike and road.

The Amgen ToC has solidified its reputation as the nation’s most triumphant bike race, offering a hearty platform for domestic athletes to showcase their talents to a large audience. Despite the fallout from Lance and his syringe-prone US Postal teammates, this year’s edition saw American riders shake off the naysayers and cynics, eventually leading to a first place overall victory by 24-year-old Washington native Tejay van Garderen, as well as a stage win by Tyler Farrar of Garmin-Sharp.

Can this momentum be carried onward for years to come? Given such anti-drug advancements like the biological passport, which detects irregular blood levels over a period of time, one can hope that integrity and class returns to US cycling’s reputation, much as was exuded in the days of Greg LeMond and his now sole American Tour de France wins.

From the Horse’s Mouth

An insight into these sorts of things can only be stretched so far, however, and there comes a point where it is a blessing to hear from those actually in the trenches, racing side by side against some of the world’s most fit athletes. Bullz-Eye had the chance to cash in on such insider info by recently talking with Ted King of Cannondale Pro Cycling, whose team won two of the eight stages in this year’s ToC and have had an extremely successful European racing season.

Ted is not only known for his stellar international cycling career, but also a razor sharp wit and command of the written word, which both have contributed to him becoming one of the most popular racers from the US.

BULLZ-EYE: You are not only a college graduate, but got started in cycling relatively late. Did you ever look enviously at the riders who were groomed from a young age though junior development squads? Did you feel you had to work extra hard to play catch up?

TED KING: By in large, no. Sure, it’s wild to see the talent coming up from kids racing at the ProTour level at an age that I wasn’t yet even riding a bike. But I think my college education as my entry to the sport has me more well-rounded and ready for what life serves up. I could wax poetically about this all day long, but at the end of the day, I’m thrilled with how this career has unfolded.

BE: Countless US pros were left without contracts for 2013, which is no doubt a major blow to one’s livelihood and identity. Seeing as longwinded careers in any sport are never set in stone, do you feel it is important to have a backup plan, such as a degree, and perhaps be more cautious when plunging straight from high school into the professional circuit?

TED KING: You hit at least one of the points I was glossing over in the question above on the head. Cycling, like any professional sport, is fickle. Contracts run generally one or two years, and after that, it’s what have you done for me lately. In the grand scheme of life, and not just cycling, I think having a backup plan is wise. But that’s why I preach collegiate cycling so much; it’s as fun and competitive as you want to make it, while still providing a college degree and some cultural awareness.

BE: Can one embrace the phrase, “Don’t out all your eggs in one basket,” and still display the vigor and drive needed to reach the upper levels of cycling, or do you feel a 100% commitment is crucial?

TED KING: That’s tough to say. Because if you’re in the tip-top highest rankings of the UCI, then you’ve likely been racing from the age of eight and you’ve likely always been the absolutely highest level of cream rising to the top. You’re the best of the best and you didn’t find cycling on a whim as a collegiate athlete. I think it’s still easy to stay well-rounded while at the top echelon of the sport; read, write, public speak and embrace the culture in which you’re surrounded. That all being said, it’s far, far easier said than done as well as few and far between when you see it in reality, since professional sports are so full of immediacy and living in the now.

BE: Is it safe to say that the Tour of California can hold its own with the European stage races in terms of beauty, competition and overall class?

TED KING: If I’m picking up what you’re putting down… yes. The Tour of California is among the finest races on the planet.

BE: Are there any sights or experiences that are a must for you when in California?

TED KING: A post-race swing through In-and-Out Burger will likely be on the to-do list. Even more than that, I’m pretty stoked to finish in Napa rather than racing north to south as years’ past. I won’t let wine country escape my grasp.

BE: How important is it to have familiarity with a route, and is there any benefit from having some mystery?

TED KING: It’s important but not decisive. Sure, due diligence will certainly help for making up a few seconds here or knowing when to attack there. But in reality, the mass of the peloton dictates pace. Again, I could go on about this one at length, but the two letter answer is no.

BE: When racing the ToC, how does the cycling scene community on the west coast differ from that east where you grew up? Or in Europe?

TED KING: North American cycling culture in general is more enthusiastic. I think European cycling culture is often so commonplace that some fans don’t really embrace just how cool the spectacle of cycling is as it rips by their town. There is certainly some naivety since professional cycling is still considered a foreign sport here in America. But knowing that and recognizing that we’re ambassadors for the future of the sport is special. Then, for east compared to west here in America, I think the biggest difference is just proximity. Everything is closer and therefore more convenient back east. A two-hour drive to a weekend race seems like the standard for us right coasters, but trekking the length of California or from CA to NM would be an apparent eternity.

BE: You’re a major presence on Strava. Do you feel that this international web of online support is an added motivation when times get tough? How about Strava as a training tool?

TED KING: It’s flattering the outpouring on Strava, with people posting comments and virtual pats on the back after big training rides from all over the world — friends and family back home or people whose names I can’t even pronounce. It doesn’t directly evoke added motivation, but for sure it inspires some of my tougher rides or through nasty weather even just subconsciously. As training, I think it’s awesome for the elite amateur. On the high professional level, we’re not comparing race notes or climb times. One of my favorite uses is coming to a new geographic area and using the Explore feature to check out just the right length climb for the specific intervals I have to do. That’s extremely handy.

BE: It seems that Americans have done well in the GC since the inception of the ToC. What do you think it is about the ToC’s route environment that brings out the best in domestic riders?

TED KING: Everyone ups their game when it’s time to race on their home turf. It’s no different in Italy, Spain, Australia, or here in America. Pride? Compatriot one-ups-manship? I don’t know, something like that.

BE: Races can be a bit monotonous to viewers who aren’t involved in the sport, which seems like a disservice to a sport that launches the human body up and down some of the most challenging and beautiful landscape on Earth. Do you think there is any way to make cycling more appealing on TV, such as the GoPros used in 2012?

TED KING: Don’t get me started on this. If we can know every single bit of telemetry regarding car racing down to the ten-thousandth of so-and-so measurement, but we then scan a camera at a bike race and don’t know even what group we’re looking at or where they are in the race, we’re missing something huge. Camera angles, live telemetry, in-race commentary, are a start. It’s a sport steeped in tradition, so we’ll see how long it takes for these things to catch on.

BE: What is the most useful piece of advice you have ever received, in regards to the sport?

TED KING: Wear sunscreen.

BE: Do you think cycling has the ability to enhance a person’s writing skills, given that there are prolonged hours of focus, inner monologue and thought building?

TED KING: For the right person, absolutely. Without being vain whatsoever, are those people rare? Yes.

BE: ToC successes such as Levi Leipheimer and Chris Horner have experienced great longevity in their careers, is it a huge relief to know there is the potential to carry on your life’s passion for many years to come?

TED KING: A huge relief? Ha, no, not one bit. I’ve known for years that you peak physiologically in your early 30s and you can maintain some incredible form into your late 30s and early 40s. It’s certainly nice to know that I could continue that long, but I’ve already been at this game of professional racing for nearly a decade. Life is an adventure. Only time will tell what and when the next chapter will bring.

BE: In a recent article by VeloNews, Mario Cipollini told Dan Wuori that riders nowadays lose some of their allure/mysticism by cataloguing their lives to various social media outlets. Personally, one of my absolute favorite things about your influence within the sport is the fact that you do just that and detail your exploits. Taking this into consideration, do you feel that Cipollini has a valid point, or that fans can only benefit from immersing themselves within riders’ lives?

TED KING: While Cipo’s allure and mysticism arguably exceeds mine, I think he’s from an entirely different generation of cycling — not to mention an era that doesn’t really embrace social media. So I lean to the latter of those two; riders who use social media well can put themselves on display, but to whichever degree they please. It’s all about having a filter, both as the person issuing social media and the person absorbing it.

Rugged. Bold. Stout. These are but a few manly words that come to mind when browsing through the masterful blade work of Daniel Winkler Knives. These days, forged cutlery seems to be an oddity in the market due to mass production. However, Daniel Winker, master Bladesmith, has combined the traditional craft of metalwork & tradition and shaped a selection of blades that are unique, versatile, and spectacular in their own regards.

The blades, which have found their way on the consumer market such as the set of Last of the Mohicans and in teams from the United States and Allied Special Operations, are hand-forged and crafted based on an individual’s specifications and needs.

Quality and Design like No Other

The blades, forged by the hands of the Master Bladesmith (honored by the American Bladesmith Society), has seen its share of awards, including:

• 1998 – BLADE Magazine “Best Utility Hunter”
• 2002 – “Best of the West” Best Knifemaker
• 2009 – Most Innovative Design

The traditional blades, ones designed that you would happen across in the early America’s, use some of the most rugged materials available to a Bladesmith such as Damascus, Elk antler, rawhide, antique steel & patina, and even items like horse hair and beads for a flourish.

The types of blades that fall under the “traditional” label include:

• Belt knife
• Bowies
• Camp knife
• Hawks
• Hunters
• Patch knife

A second set of offers by Daniel take the tactical angle through a variety of belt, field, hunting, and military-grade knives, and onward to other blades such as rescue & stealth axes, tactical daggers, and a jungle knife perfect for cutting down large brush.

To put things into perspective: many of Daniel’s knives are in use by Naval Special Warfare Development Groups and other special forces – so if the military and those readily seeing combat rely on the blades by Daniel than you can rest assured they’re going to live up to your demands.
The simplicity of the design and features is what makes many individuals flock to the blades offered by Daniel; they strip the conventional, mass-produced feeling that so many knives have seem to adopt and brings it back to the true feeling of a sturdy, reliable, cutting tool.
Likewise, sheaths for the blades have been extensively field tested for practical use though many owners have made their own modes to accommodate their style.

Overall, the keen eye and commitment to high-quality materials under the control of Daniel’s talent has forged a series of knives that will not only have you doing a double take but will become the dream of any individual that needs a blade they can rely on.

Overview

Holding a knife can immediately swell emotions of the rugged outdoors even if you’re the city type. The blades are of high enough quality and design that they could be framed or used as a gift but the real value is their usage out in the wild – so keep that in mind while choosing your knife.

The blades, by Daniel, come at a hefty price but the level of workmanship that goes into each warrants the price especially when you need a reliable piece to get the job done. Availability, due to the extensive time to forge the blades and high demand for Daniel’s work, can be scarce so it’s important to get in touch through his website in order to know of the next available listing otherwise you could place a custom order for a unique blade to your specifications.

There are a lot of reasons that people choose to go camping when they’re hunting for ducks: they get to get out of the house for a while, they enjoy some beautiful scenery, and there’s a ton of fresh air to go around. Before you head out however it’s important to get yourself properly prepared and make sure you’ve got all the proper equipment in place so that you can actually enjoy yourself while you’re hunting.

As with any kind of camping trip, make sure you’ve got some kind of canopy or tent with you to not only give you a centralized location, but to also protect you from the elements as best as possible. The fact is that sometimes the weather can be unpredictable and even though the forecast calls for clear skies, you might find yourself in a bad situation if you haven’t got housing with you. You can find some great canopies and tarps at CanopiesAndTarps that will do quite nicely while you’re duck hunting.

Secondly, you should make sure that where you’re planning to hunt will allow you to do what you’re looking to do. A great deal of states have an open policy on waterfronts, allowing people to hunt ducks freely throughout the daylight hours, but you’re going to want to make sure that you’re allowed to camp out there overnight. You can talk to the gaming commission or check the laws online.

While it might seem like common sense, make sure that you’ve got enough supplies to last your entire camping trip. There’s nothing worse than finding out that you haven’t got enough stuff to last you and you have to cut your trip short or run into town, breaking the atmosphere completely. It’s recommended that while you bring only what you need, try to bring a little extra with you to ensure that you won’t be caught in a compromising situation.

If you plan to stay for a few days, bring a small cooking stove with you. A grill will work too if the laws permit that you use one. You can’t live off rations for a week long trip, so it will be nice to have something to actually cook the ducks with rather than just eating crackers the entire time. Again – make sure the laws permit it.

Although you’re probably going to be right near water, bring some fresh water with you so you can properly clean the ducks before you cook them while you’re camping. If you plan to catch fish while you’re out, the water will come in handy for them as well. Never use the lake or river water to rinse off your food as it could be too dirty and mar the meal; always bring plenty of fresh water from home and don’t automatically assume that fresh water will be provided.

If you don’t want to hunt in a public gaming area, you do have the option of setting up camp in a private land. Always ask permission before you do this from the owner of the territory and make sure they understand that you’ll be camping there and not just spending the afternoon. Likewise, make sure you inquire about parking; you’ll need to know if they let you park on their property or you’ll need to find a public lot to stow your car.

Camping out while you’re duck hunting is a lot of fun and a great experience, but without the proper tools or information available, you could find that it can be quite less enjoyable. Make sure that you have everything ready and prepared before heading out so you can make the most of your hunting trip.

I had the opportunity to try out several new polo shirts from Golf by James Warren, a clothing collection that utilizes Europe’s best fabrics with a distinctive American style. The Par for the Office polo is pictured above in navy blue and the Wall Street Golf Polo is pictured below in bright red.

Right away I noticed the quality of these Italian-made shirts, both using 100% cotton, along with the distinctive designs. The Par for the Office is their signature short sleeve luxury men’s polo using double mercerized cotton. The fabric is very soft and smooth giving it a clean a crisp look, and it would work nicely in a number of settings both day and night, including with a blazer.

The Wall Street Golf Polo is a notched short sleeve button down polo in an exclusive Italian cotton pique, so the woven style gives it a more textured feel. The look and feel of this polo is more casual and probably works best for a round of golf and daytime settings.

Both polos feature the company’s signature snap “lifestyle” pocket with self embroidered logo located at the bottom left of the shirt in the front. If you tuck in the shirt this pocket will remain hidden, and it’s very convenient for holding keys, cash or a credit card. Both shirts also feature a vented hem and are machine washable.

While you’ll be sporting a very traditional look with these polo shirts, you can see that they both have very distinctive features that set them apart from your traditional polo shirt. If you’re looking for excellent quality and a unique twist to your golf and causal attire, you should definitely check out these shirts and other products from Golf by James Warren. Check out the website for more shirts, sweaters, and jackets that “defy traditional boundaries.”

For years, Coors Light has been telling us when our beer is cold enough to drink with their cold-activated bottles and cans. Now, they’ve taken the concept to the slopes with cold-activated skis and snowboards, in partnership with ski and snowboard manufacturer K2. World class K2 athletes Andy Mahre, Zach Crist, Shaun McKay, Ryan Schmies, Dan Ray and Tim Eddy — AKA, the Coors Light Six Pack — embark on a four-part documentary to see what it’s really like to live for the cold. Check out the trailer above to get a look at these awesome skis and snowboards!

It’s amazing how quickly expectations can change and perceived limitations can be expanded. I remember crossing the finish line of my first half marathon in 2010 and thinking there was no way I’d ever run a full marathon. “If somebody told me to go do that again right now,” I said to my wife after the 2010 Columbus Half, “I’d punch them in the throat.” A little extreme, perhaps, but at the time, it was an honest reaction to the horrifying thought of finishing a 13.1-mile race and turning around to do it all over again. Not a chance.

Soon after Columbus, though, I signed up for my second half marathon and started to more seriously consider running a full. What changed? Eventually, the exhaustion and nausea from that first race faded and I realized that I was now as intimidated by the thought of running a full marathon as I initially had been by the thought of running a half. Once I began training for Columbus, though, and my mileage started creeping toward double digits, that 13.1-mile target felt less and less daunting. I understood that race day would still be a challenge, especially if I had any chance of hitting my target time, but with each bump in mileage during my training, my confidence continued to grow. With that experience under my belt, I knew the same thing would happen while training for a full marathon.

That faith convinced me to take the plunge and sign up for the 2011 Chicago Marathon. Shortly after clicking “submit” on the online entry form, my faith had vanished. What had I just done? I could barely drag my carcass across the line for a half marathon; what made me think I could double up for a full? But I was committed, thanks in no small part to the $145 entry fee, so I mapped out my training plan and set to work. Sure enough, once my long runs crept up to 12, 14 and 16 miles, that faith returned and then grew in the coming weeks. Unfortunately, race day went unexpectedly awry for a couple reasons, but I finished. A few weeks later, with the bad taste of the disappointing race still in my mouth, I signed up for the Phoenix Marathon in January, and a couple days after that, I received an invitation to run the Tokyo Marathon in February as part of the international press tour. Sure, why not?!

Within about a year, I went from being terrified by the thought of running a full marathon to finishing three in the span of four months. The idea seemed crazy at the time, but I stayed true to my training and finished Phoenix and Tokyo with relatively respectable times. Now I know that, with the proper time and amount of training, any goal is possible. However, it seems I’m only able to carve out the time needed for the proper training when I click that “submit” button and sign up for a race. It worked for Columbus and Chicago, and it worked again when I signed up for the Akron Half Marathon recently. I had intended to take a short break after Tokyo to allow my body some time to rest up, but that “short break” wound up lasting about five months. I kept trying to kickstart my training again but there were always more important things to do.

Then I promised a friend that I’d run the Akron Half on September 29 if he signed up as well. It would be his first half marathon, my fifth, and that promise wound up being the motivation we both needed. I only squeezed in about two months of training so I wasn’t in the kind of shape I’d like to be in for a big race, but I still finished pretty well this past weekend and, more importantly, I challenged myself again and thoroughly enjoyed the race.

Have you been thinking about running a full or half marathon, or even just a 5K or 10K, but haven’t found the courage to hit that “submit” button? You’ll be amazed by how motivated you become when you finally sign up for that big race, and even more surprised by the surge in confidence you’ll enjoy once you fully commit to your training and start logging those miles.

In my preparation for the Akron Half, I had the pleasure of trying out a few different products that added a little something extra to this round of training. The latest, greatest gizmo or accessory won’t magically turn you into a world-class runner, but it can definitely help you improve along the way or just make the training seem a little less grueling.

PYLE GPS SPORTS WATCH

The majority of my competitive running came during my high school days, long before the advent of GPS devices, so I always measured my training runs the old-fashioned way: by driving the route and hoping for the best. I started using GPS apps on my iPhone for more accurate tracking but found that to be a hassle, particularly when I needed to check my mileage during the run. This Pyle GPS Sports Watch proved to be the perfect solution.

The watch comes with a 2.4 GHz digitally coded wireless heart rate monitor that you strap to your chest during a run, bike ride or other physical activity. For me, though, the GPS tracking and customizable displays were the biggest draws. The watch has four main modes: Compass, Time, Navigation and Workout. Workout mode works with the navigation system to record and display information such as distance traveled, average pace, workout duration, calories burned, heart rate and more. Even better, you can choose what data is displayed in each of the three main zones of the workout mode. For example, knowing what I needed to average per mile in the Akron Half to hit my target time, I programmed the watch to display my pace in the main zone, with the overall time in the top zone and the distance traveled at the bottom. This kind of customizable functionality makes the Pyle GPS Sports Watch that much more useful for whatever activity you have planned.

Water resistant up to 30 meters underwater and containing a rechargeable lithium polymer battery, this compact wrist computer made my training much more effective and precise. You can even use the watch to help plan your route and then analyze your workouts afterward. It takes a while to get the hang of all the bells and whistles, but you’ll soon see that it’s all time well spent.

JAYBIRD WIRELESS BLUETOOTH HEADPHONES

Some people enjoy running with music, and some people simply can’t stand running without the distraction that their music provides. I, on the other hand, find the distraction…well, distracting. I often zone out if I’m listening to music during my runs and find at the end of my workout that my pace is typically slower in those cases. That’s not such a bad thing when I am simply putting in some long miles where pace doesn’t matter much and the distraction would be welcomed, though, and it was on one such run where I popped on these wireless Jaybird Sportsband Bluetooth headphones, paired them with my iPhone and hit the pavement.

I initially was worried that the headphones would become uncomfortable after such a long run and maybe slide out of place, but they sat snugly and comfortably on my ears throughout. Integrated controls on the Sportsband allow you to easily control the music (play, pause, skip and volume control) with a click, and it’s equipped with apt-X audio codec for pristine sound quality with plenty of kick. The Jaybird comes with a lifetime warranty against sweat, its rechargeable battery allows for up to eight hours of music time, and with its concealed microphone, it can also be used as a Bluetooth headset for your phone. In short, these sleek headphones are awesome whether you’re on a run, cutting the grass or just taking care of some chores around the house.

ADIZERO FEATHER 2

Runners are particular; about their training schedules, their pre-race meals, the kind of energy gel they use, their choice of socks, their race-day routine, you name it. Most significantly, though, they’re particular about their running shoes. I’m no different: I find a shoe that I like, and I usually stick with it. If they hold up well to all the miles, if they’re comfortable and, of course, if I remain injury-free while using them, I’ll keep coming back to the same shoe company, and often the same shoe, for years. So in the interest of full disclosure, I am not an Adidas runner. I generally like Adidas for my everyday tennis shoes but had never run in a pair when the 6.7-ounce adizero Feather 2 arrived at my front door.

Obviously, the weight of the shoe first caught my eye. I love a lightweight running shoe, particularly near the end of a long training run or race, and these adizero Feathers are lighter than my beloved trainers of choice by a full pound. Wow. In fact, they’re one of the lightest everyday running shoes on the market thanks to the SprintWeb mesh construction, which significantly reduces weight while combining excellent breathability with support and comfort. As the cherry on top, the adizero Feather 2 comes in eight slick color combinations — I love the flash of my blue/orange pair, and there’s bound to be a color combo perfect for you.

With so much going for it, the adizero Feather 2 certainly grabbed my attention. I can’t claim that I’m ready to make the switch – what can I say, I’m stubborn – but the lightweight makeup, comfort and style of the adizero Feather 2 make it a trainer to be reckoned with.

Ah, but when you find a Bluetooth speaker with those unique options, sleek design, modern look, and a surprisingly deep and rich sound output? That’s a speaker well worth owning. Measuring 5.5″x3.5″x2.5″ and weighing less than a pound, the super portable Turtle Shell wireless boombox from Outdoor Technology packs one heck of a punch. No flat, tiny sound from this little dynamo. The music playing from my iPhone through the Turtle Shell was crisp and deep with more than enough juice to kick an impromptu party into gear. Granted, this won’t replace your proper stereo system, but it’s not meant to. Instead, drop the Turtle Shell into your bag or even the pocket of your cargo pants whenever you head out the door, and you’ll never leave your tunes behind.

While this little boombox easily passes the sound test, its most appealing feature is its portability, and not just because of its size. The Turtle Shell is the first Bluetooth-enabled speaker to offer a built-in threaded tripod mount that will allow you to mount the speaker to almost anything using the optional Turtle Claw all-purpose clamp. Simply attach the Turtle Claw to the bottom of this rugged and waterproof speaker and then mount it to your bike handles, your kayak, a baby stroller, whatever. Or attach a carabiner to the steel loop under the Turtle Shell and then hook it to your belt loop or jacket during just about any outdoor activity. Of course, the threaded base allows the speaker to be mounted onto any camera accessory, such as the mini tripod that I used to test the Turtle Shell while cleaning my office the other day.

A rechargeable Lithium-Ion battery offering up to 8-10 hours of playback, an integrated microphone for speakerphone functionality, and a Bluetooth range of up to 33 feet further enhance this speaker’s versatility, and the integrated controls allow you to answer a call, play/pause your music, skip to the next track or just pump up the volume at the touch of a button. Plus, the Turtle Shell doesn’t discriminate against non-Bluetooth devices, allowing you to plug in just about any device with the 3.5mm input jack. In other words, the possibilities are virtually endless with this awesome wireless speaker, making the Turtle Shell the perfect addition to any hiking expedition, bike tour, camping trip or anywhere else in need of some spontaneous tunes.

Want to get your own Turtle Shell and contribute to the speaker’s introduction to the world? Head on over to Kickstarter, help launch the Turtle Shell by backing Outdoor Technology’s project, and enjoy exclusive rewards that include Outdoor Technology gear, Turtle Claw mounting clamps and, of course, Turtle Shells in seven different colors.

It may not be easy, but it is possible to make a living as a professional gambler. Before making this kind of commitment, however, be sure that you know just what it takes to walk away from a consistent and dependable day job to move out into the world of the unpredictable paycheck. Most professionals save up to ensure that they have at least one year’s worth of living expenses before making the commitment. There is plenty of stress and anxiety surrounding gambling without needing worry about from where the family’s next meal will come.

Advantages of Being a Professional Gambler

Being a professional gambler is a lot like being self-employed. You get to make your own hours, work when you want to work and for the most part you don’t have to answer to a boss. Aside from visions of winning millions of dollars, the independence of the profession is probably what draws people in and makes this career option appealing. This is not a 9 to 5 job that requires a time card. Most of the time, a player is completely independent and has the ability to pick and choose the amount that he or she works. It could be live online blackjack in the morning and something completely different in the evening if you want.

Being a professional gambler also comes with some of the tax benefits that a self-employed person or independent contractor would enjoy. Losses are calculated to detract from tax liability and all expenses related to gambling including travel, food and even networking is often a tax write off. It is important to keep accurate records of all wins, losses and money spent to ensure that when tax season comes around, you have everything you need.

While these benefits are great, there are very few people that have the ability to become a professional poker gambler. People watch TV and see men and women walking away with large sums of money for sitting at a table and playing cards. They have no idea that one win is not enough to make a person a professional. That win may only cover the losses from other games earlier in the month or year. It takes discipline, determination and a considerable savings to get started.

Disadvantages of Being a Professional Gambler

It takes a lot of money to get started in professional gambling. Most players set aside money that will support them throughout the year in case they go through a losing streak. Even with money saved, each time a person joins into a game, he needs to pay some money upfront. The more money the players front, the more money the jackpot is worth. In this case, you need to have money to make money.

This means that you need to have a considerable amount of money before you declare yourself to be a professional. You can use gambling to accumulate your money and get the experience you need to be a professional, but don’t leave behind all of your other options until you are sure that you can sustain yourself.

Stress is often another drawback to the life of a professional gambler. If you spend one night playing live roulette and lose it all, the worries start immediately. If you have had a bad luck streak, there is a chance that you could go an extended amount of time without any type of payoff. Most people expect a regular paycheck and they depend on the consistency. When you are a professional gambler, you could go months with no wins but are still steadily using up your cash reserve.

It is possible to become a professional gambler and leave a desk job with all its benefits to take on cards at a table. It isn’t easy and many people will try and fail, but the opportunity is out there.

If you’re like us, you want to take your music everywhere you go but sometimes, that’s easier said than done. The market is littered with all sorts of Bluetooth speakers these days, but portability, durability and sound quality are all very hit or miss. Of course, headphones are the easiest solution but not always the safest, depending on your activity and surroundings, and besides, how can you share tunes with your friends if you have headphones crammed into your ears? Don’t be selfish.

The all new Turtle Shell boom box looks like an optimal solution, the first Bluetooth-powered speaker to offer a built-in threaded tripod mount that will allow you to mount the speaker to almost anything for instant on-the-go music. You can also use the optional Turtle Claw all-purpose clamp for even more mounting options, or just attach a carabiner to the steel loop under the Turtle Shell. Check out the video above for more ideas. The durable speaker meets IP5X standards, so don’t worry about dust, grime and water, the rechargeable lithium-ion battery offers up to 10 hours of playback, and it even comes with a built-in microphone so you can use it as a speakerphone.

We haven’t had a chance to test out the Turtle Shell yet, but as soon as we have one in hand, we’ll be sure to post our review. In the meantime, you can be one of the first to own a Turtle Shell if you help fund the project by pledging via Kickstarter, and in return, the guys at Outdoor Tech are offering lots of cool gear as a thank you.

Want to read more about the Turtle Shell? Check out this review from CNET following the Turtle Shell’s debut in January at CES.

Just the Stats:

* Height – 20.5”

* Width – 14.0”

* Depth – 12” to 14”

* Made of 1680D Military Grade Ballistics Nylon that is puncture and waterproof

* Customizable/interchangeable faces

* A seemingly infinite amount of pockets and storage space

* MSRP $139.00

In case you couldn’t gather from some of our previous reviews, the fine folks at SLAPPA have managed to win fans on this site with their high quality bags, gear and cases over the years. Now, since I’ve been using one backpack or another since my days of arranging 16-player “Halo” LAN parties in high school, when I found out that it would be my turn to review SLAPPA’s newest line of backpack, I was excited, but also curious. After all, I’ve been going through backpacks of various makes for years now, and while some have admittedly held up and performed better than others, I’ve never owned one that generates such prolific levels of praise, like the SLAPPA models seem to. I just couldn’t imagine how a simple backpack could be such a big deal. It’s appropriate, then, that this new line of backpack is called the M.A.S.K. Jedi Mind Trix, because this wasn’t the backpack I was looking for, or expecting.

No, what I got was something else entirely. To call this stylishly designed bundle that contains a mini galaxy of storage options a backpack doesn’t conjure the necessary image that you need to fully appreciate it. In fact, calling it a backpack almost insults the efforts of other, lesser manufacturers that sell a product called a backpack, because despite their well intentioned efforts, they have no way to compete with the Jedi Mind Trix.

What makes it so great? Well, first you have to start with the storage capacity. I loaded this thing up with my PlayStation 3, my laptop, all the cords and controllers for both, two bottles of water, my sunglasses, my copy of “Broom of the System,” a notebook, pens, my iPod, a set of DJ headphones, and a light jacket held by the Jedi Mind Trix’s new exterior carry straps. When I was done, I swear that the backpack laughed at me. There was still an inconceivable amount of free space left that I couldn’t imagine uses for. Even better, when I put the backpack on, I immediately found out why there is a price jump from the standard packs I had used over the years, and this one. Thanks to the design of the M.A.S.K., neither myself nor the backpack suffered from any strain due to the weight. Not only were my shoulders supported comfortably by the cushioned straps, but the padded SLAPPA logo on the back actually worked to ease my burden. Thanks to the incredible level of internal cushioning, I also took additional comfort in knowing that everything I had just put into the backpack was equally protected as well.

Besides the practical features, the SLAPPA models are also known for their incredible style, and this one is no exception. It features the same customizable face, linings and graphics options as the other models in the M.A.S.K. line, and in many respects reminds me of the wide range of customization options available for the Alienware line of computers. What I mean is, it uses its sense of style not as an excuse to raise the price point, but rather as a natural extension, or warning even, to the superior product that lies underneath.

Still, I wasn’t going to be sold on first impressions, and decided to plow my way through the product honeymoon phase by seriously road-testing the SLAPPA out in the concrete jungle that is Manhattan. With the intention of heading for the market, I loaded up with all of the usual things I may need for a usual trip out (many of the items I listed above, minus the PlayStation 3 to leave room for groceries) and set off. Riding the subway with the Mind Trix almost felt like cheating. Any need or want I could possibly require was easily accessible even in the cramped car, and the crowded conditions didn’t impede me at all in accessing them. At the terminal, even the NYPD couldn’t resist snagging a look at the backpack as I was stopped for a random search (though I couldn’t help but notice that other, lesser backpacks and there wearers got to proceed unbothered). Once I was back on the streets, I was suddenly surprised that I had yet to really notice the weight I was carrying, even after extended use and with the blazing heat that day. But it was at the market that I truly fell in love with the Mind Trix, because even though I had left for that trip reasonably loaded with goods, everything I needed that day (delicate, breakable items included) fit easily into compartments that I was sure just moments ago were filled to capacity.

When I got home then to find that everything I had brought was still in perfect condition, I threw up my hands and resigned myself to the fact that I was not going to find a serious flaw with the Mind Trix. Take heed, potential backpack buyers: though the Mind Trix is being touted as the ultimate line in gamer carrying packs (a statement that’s authenticity is not in doubt), I can’t imagine the use that you would want out of a backpack that SLAPPA couldn’t  accommodate and do better than any other competitor. I can sympathize if you’re saying to yourself that you don’t need a more expensive backpack for the level of use you would get out of it, but I only wish I could have gone back in time and bought a SLAPPA instead of a host of lesser backpacks, and undoubtedly saved money in the long run. I could endurance test the Mind Trix over an obscene amount of time, and I have no doubt that I would break down well before it did.

If you’re one of those people that scan to the bottom of a review for the final verdict of a product, I will oblige you here. If you want a backpack, you want the Jedi Mind Trix. If you need a backpack, you need the Jedi Mind Trix. Even if you didn’t know, now you do.