Each and every month, Lust List rounds up the products that shook us all night long. This time we've got unique backpacks, iPhone-saving cases, cool music gear, hot chile booze and much more.
Timbuk2 Muttmover dog backpack
My mother's dog is a little fluffy menace. A Pomeranian, he looks like dog treats wouldn't melt in his mouth, but he's a terror. He goes completely bananas when other dogs are around, and gets bitey if you try to move him off the couch. Last time I tried to stop him from eating the cat's food, I had to go get a tetanus shot. The neighbors call him "Little Cujo."
The only time he's manageable is when he's in a bag. He loves a good bag, and it keeps him out of trouble. Everywhere he goes, Mother puts him in a duffel bag that's a bit too big and unwieldy. So I got her Timbuk2's Muttmover dog backpack, which both she and the little DFH (Dog From Hell) love.
It's a medium-size backpack, so it's easy for her to sling over her shoulder. It's more compact and manageable than the duffel, plus there's a carrying handle on top. The front panel zips open completely, making it easy for the devil dog to step inside. The liner is made of a slick tarpaulin material (with a nice paw-print design), which is easy to clean if he has a whoopsie. There's a ton of pockets for muzzles and Band-Aids, plus zippered portholes for him to stick his evil little face out. It includes a folding water dish. Timbuk2 told me the $118 Muttmover is so popular, it often sells out. — Leander Kahney
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac
Buy from: Timbuk2
A trail-worthy pint glass that doesn't sweat, keeps my beer cold longer and adds no metallic taste. What's not to like? Unless, of course, your wife discovers it's also perfect for keeping her tea hot (the outside doesn't become hot to the touch, thanks to the 16-ounce Hydro Flask True Pint's double-walled vacuum insulation).
The only thing to do is decide which of the five color choices I like best and order more. Luckily, the $21.99 True Pint was designed to be stackable. — Jim Merithew
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac
Buy from: Amazon
Portable flash drives aren't sexy, but when you're stuck with a 16GB iPhone, they can be a godsend. Leef's iBridge portable drives are designed to work with iPhones and iPads so you never run out of storage, no matter how many photos and videos you add to your device. Starting at $59.99 for a 16GB stick (with options up to 128 GB), iBridge helps you make the most of your iPhone's storage by providing a physical safe haven for all your favorite content.
The iBridge comes with a slick, minimalist app that helps transfer content from your Mac to your iPhone or vice versa. It's ridiculously easy to use and allows you to shoot photos or videos and save them directly on the drive. You'll have to shell out $199 for the 128GB option, but it's cheaper than splurging on a 128GB iPhone 6. — Buster Hein
Photo: Buster Hein/Cult of Mac
Buy from: Amazon
Ever wish you had your own guitar tech so you could focus on playing your ax, not tuning it? How about a quick change from the standard tuning to something different, like an open-E tuning? The $99 Roadie Tuner lets you do just that with a sweet little robo-device that will listen to your guitar strings via a Bluetooth-connected iPhone app and then turn those shiny tuning pegs all on its own.
The accompanying free Roadie Tuner iOS app has all sorts of tuning profiles that will help you become the next Joni Mitchell. The system works with acoustic or electric guitars, so you'll always be in perfect tune. Of course, we can't say the same thing for your bass player. — Rob LeFebvre
Photo: Rob LeFebvre/Cult of Mac
Sometimes a little angle makes all the difference. That's the premise behind the BaseLift, Twelve South's latest accessory for the MacBook. It's essentially just a stick-on flap that folds to become a mini stand, like a lot of iPad cases.
I've been using a BaseLift on my 15-inch MacBook Pro for the past couple weeks, and I have yet to take it off (it sticks on with adhesive and installation is super-easy). That's saying something, because usually I abandon add-ons like these after testing.
Twelve South claims the elevated angle means you'll type more comfortably, but I'm not sure I buy that. How typing makes you feel depends entirely on how your wrists are positioned relative to your forearms. So if your wrists are bent up at a sharp angle, you're going to cramp. That said, I haven't had any cramping issues while using the BaseLift. And I actually like having my screen elevated just a little. It makes a big difference when you're staring at a screen all day.
The BaseLift is compatible with all MacBooks (11-inch Air to 15-inch Pro), and costs $39.99. — Alex Heath
Photo: Alex Heath/Cult of Mac
Of all the bike racks I've had over the years, Yakima's FullTilt 5 is the best so far. I've always had trouble getting a bike rack big enough for the whole family but, like the name says, the Fulltilt 5 accommodates five bikes.
Everything is integrated and easy to use. Other bike racks frustrated me, with their fiddly straps or rubbery fittings that were always getting lost. The FullTilt's cradles are built-in, sliding up and down a rail for adjustment. Bikes are secured with big, chunky zip ties (which are fully removable, but still). It's the easiest attachment system I've encountered so far. Just put the bike on the rack and slide a couple of ties into the cradles on either side. The cradles include anti-sway arms to stop the bikes crashing into each other.
There's also a built-in security cable for locking the bikes to the rack. The cable is easily snipped by a professional bike thief, but it'll stop an opportunist from snagging a bike while you go to the bathroom or get lunch.
The FullTilt is hitch-mounted, with an adjustable AutoPin to accommodate 1.25-inch and 2-inch hitch receivers. There's a big red knob for locking the rack to the car. Conveniently, the same key works for both the hitch and cable locks. The rack folds all the way down for trunk access or folding flat for storage.
It's not the lightest (41 pounds) or the cheapest ($449) but overall, it's well-designed and well-made — a big, beefy rack for biking. — Leander Kahney
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac
Buy from: Amazon
I keep dropping my iPhone 6 Plus and knocking it off tables. I'm not sure why — is it because it's so big that it's slightly unwieldy? Or because it's so damn indispensable that I carry it everywhere? No matter the reason for my inexcusable clumsiness, it's undeniably true that the bigger-than-big iPhone has taken more hits than any phone I've ever owned. Shockingly, it's still in perfect condition, and for that I thank my Tech21 Classic Shell case.
There's nothing particularly lust-worthy about the case. It's got a clear back, which has yellowed a bit with age, and a colored ring around the iPhone's edge (mine's a slightly obnoxious orange). But there's absolutely nothing appealing about a cracked phone, and that's where Tech21's "Impactology" tech comes into play. The Classic Shell, which retails for $39.99, is made of a patented, shock-absorbing material called D30 that's designed to dissipate the force of impacts.
The end result is a slim case that makes the iPhone 6 Plus easy to slide into and out of my pockets — and a joy to pick up, unbroken, off the hard concrete I've stupidly dropped it onto. — Lewis Wallace
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac
Buy from: Amazon
With its natural wood finish base, classic lines and built-in speakers, the Max LP from ION Audio is a fantastic basic turntable that spins records at 33 1/3, 45 and even 78 RPM (for those rare classics you might have sitting in an attic somewhere). It's also set up to easily convert your vinyl into digital files for those albums from your youth that aren't available on iTunes or Spotify.
The speakers on the deck are serviceable, sounding a bit better than a smartphone and making things a little more portable, but you can always connect the Max LP, which retails for $99.99, to powered speakers or a component stereo system, using either a 1/8-inch audio jack or a red-and-white RCA cable. Stick a USB cable into the back of the Max LP and attach the other end to your Mac, and you can convert records super-easily with the included software. You can even digitize cassette tapes by connecting a separate tape player through the turntable. — Rob LeFebvre
Photo: Rob LeFebvre/Cult of Mac
If you're still using your TV or Mac speakers to watch TV, play games or listen to music, you owe it to yourself to try out Razer's affordable yet powerful Leviathan 5.1 Channel Surround Sound Bar. For $199, you get a solid speaker system that performs at a level challenging even more expensive multi-speaker hardware (it's certified Dolby Digital, Virtual Speaker and Pro Logic II).
This beast is a thin sound bar that looks like a minimalist boom box that you set in front of your TV or gaming monitor. You'll connect it via optical, audio cable or Bluetooth to your sound source. I've ended up making it my turntable and HDTV sound system, as the powerful bass response from the big trapezoidal subwoofer makes for a compelling home theater experience. It's perfect for that smaller living room, home office or dorm room where you want to push some serious air without spending a lot of scratch. — Rob LeFebvre
Photo: Rob LeFebvre/Cult of Mac
Next time you're rock climbing or engaging in some other crazy adventure with your iPhone, be sure to take along this sweet leash system from Kenu. The Highline Security Leash starts with a protective, texturized polycarbonate iPhone case that's thin enough to put in your pocket but tough enough to protect from random damage.
The killer feature here, though, is the bungee-cord leash, which solidly locks into your iPhone's Lightning port as well as a notch in the back of the case, making for a secure connection. There's a version for the iPhone 6 ($29.95) and a stronger one for iPhone 6 Plus ($34.95), so you know your lifeline device will always stick nearby, letting you feel secure as you whip it out while skiing down a crazy slope this winter. — Rob LeFebvre
Photo: Rob LeFebvre/Cult of Mac
Buy from: Amazon
I've always thought OGIO backpacks look too nerdy for any sane person to wear. When it comes to making tech gear, OGIO has always put function ahead of fashion, but with the company's new Ascent packs, style is finally getting the attention it deserves.
Like most OGIO packs, the Ascent comes with more pockets than even most nerds could use. There's a special padded slot big enough for a 15-inch MacBook Pro, another for an iPad Air and a few pouches for knickknacks to go with the two main compartments. They've even thrown in a Tech Vault at the top to store your sunglasses, camera and other easy-to-beat-up stuff.
Basically, if you can't keep your gadgets organized with this pack, you never will. Its style isn't flashy, but it looks more like an active-lifestyle backpack than the company's other laptop bags. And with a $99.99 price tag, it'll get the job done for cheaper than some of the more stylish options out there. — Buster Hein
Photo: Buster Hein/Cult of Mac
Buy from: Amazon
I've long had a soft spot for iPhone cases that also carry my cards and cash and allow me to leave my wallet at home. Unfortunately, most of them are big and bulky and unsuitable for already large handsets like the iPhone 6 Plus. But the CM4 Q Card Case is different.
Rather than employing a traditional wallet design with a cover that folds over the front of your iPhone and gets in your way, the Q Card Case is a more traditional soft-touch rubber case with a fabric pocket on its back. The Case holds up to three credit cards as well as some cash pretty comfortably, but it's a little tight when you first get it so you'll need to break it in. There is a small cut-out at the bottom of the credit card pouch that allows you to remove your cards easily. Even with three cards inside it, the Q Card Case isn't too bulky on a 6 Plus. It'll slip fairly easily into and out of your pocket, and it's significantly slimmer than a leather wallet case.
It also has a special feature up its sleeve (if you get the 6 Plus version) that I've found to be super-useful: A long, narrow notch runs alongside the back of the case; if you pull out a credit card and push it into that notch, it will act as a stand so you can prop up your phone for watching videos or typing with an external keyboard.
The Q Card Case offers great protection and it's super-functional. You can get it in five colors — black, gray, red, green and gold — for $39.99 from CM4's online store. It's also available for the iPhone 6 and the iPhone 5s at the same price. — Killian Bell
Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac
Buy from: Amazon
Usually when your bartender talks up a hot new drink, he's not referring to actual heat. But that's what you get when you add a half-jigger of Ancho Reyes liqueur to a recipe: restrained heat, plus subtle sweetness and exotic spices that will add an unforgettable dimension to your cocktail.
I got my first taste of this outstanding liqueur made with ancho chiles (the dried version of poblano peppers) during this year's International CES, when my Cult of Mac colleague Jim and I stumbled (probably literally) into The Chandelier, an eye-catching multi-story lounge inside The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas. We ordered a pair of American Gothic cocktails, a spicy concoction that expertly blends Woodford Reserve bourbon with Ancho Reyes, Amaro Meletti, chocolate mole bitters and house-made spiced chai-masala tea syrup. The drink was like a shining beacon of elegance and hope rising above CES's inevitable sea of free booze.
There's a lot going on in that American Gothic recipe, but it was clear Ancho Reyes played a key role. Once back in San Francisco, I had to track some down. It took a while, and cost a little north of $30, but I finally found some. A little goes a long way, but it's a genius way to heat up your next cocktail party. Plus: That old-school bottle looks sweet on your liquor shelf. — Lewis Wallace
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac
Buy from: WineWise
