Category Archives: Travel

Product Reviews, Shooting Sports, Travel

Battle Cruiser Rifle Case

The EMG Battle Cruiser 40″ Hard Rifle Case has all the feature you want in many rifle case plus one more. It’s got ample room in its 40.5″ long interior to accommodate two or more guns and their accessories. It has a hard polymer shell with four metal locking buckles and two lock holes to attach your own padlock. The rifle case is TSA compliant so it can be used to travel with firearms or airsoft replicas (just be sure to check with the airport and airline for their specific rules).

It has 5.5″ of foam including two pick-n-pluck foam panels that allow you to easily customize the lower half of the shell to custom fit your guns, mags, or accessories. Similar to perforated stamps, pick-n-pluck foam is pre laser cut into cube columns so you can easily tear out the sections you need to customize the foam to exactly fit your gear.

The customizable pick-n-pluck panels allow this case to be used as a gig travel case for musicians. You could easily fit in multiple MIDI pads or DJ mixer or an electric guitar and effects pedals in this case. I was able to fit a 61-key electronic keyboard, sustain pedal, and AC adapter in the case with half of the padding removed.

While you can buy many 40″ hard-shell rifle cases, this one stands out because you can literally make it stand out. The front shell exterior has four 2″ wide velcro strips. This allows you to attach those hook-and-loop moral patches you pick up at at Ops, events, and CONs. And of course plenty of space on the outside to put on brand and band stickers.

This case is available from Evike.com through my affiliate link: https://www.evike.com/products/24529/#a_aid=moondog&a_bid=b467b403

Travel

House of Air

House of Air is the only trampoline park in San Francisco, CA. This venue is located in Golden Gate Bridge National Park, across highway 101 from the Presidio National Park. It is housed in a renovated aircraft hanger at Crissy Field, a former US Army Air Corp airstrip.

House of Air is a local favorite for kids parties, team-building, and the occasional snow boarder who wants to hone their aerial skills during the summer. It’s only 15 minutes west of Fisherman’s Wharf by car but tourists tend to pass by Crissy Field in favor of the Golden Gate Bridge next door.

As a local party venue, the House of Air is typical of other trampoline parks around the country. There are a number of tables located on the ground floor and on a 2nd floor terrace. Families can reserve tables as part of a party package for a 2-hour block of time, which includes access for kids and adults to use specific zones in the facility. There is a cafe that serves food to order and decent pizza (typical amusement park quality).

There is a large main area with dozens of connected trampolines. A small-kids only zone. And a trampoline dodge-ball arena. For advanced acrobats, about a 1/3 of the facility is dedicated to a training area for on-site instruction. The training facility has a locker room and showers.

House of Air also has two large private party rooms which overlook the training center. While more expensive than the table rentals, it is worth it for larger parties or for adult parties to be away from the clamor of the numerous kids parties on the main floor.

Unlike modern venues, House of Air does not have air conditioning. As a former airplane hanger, the front doors the building completely opens the front of the building up. The facility relies on San Francisco’s usually mild to clammy weather. So on some rare summer days, it can get uncomfortably warm and muggy inside.

By advised that parking throughout the Golden Gate Bridge and Presidio National Park is rarely free. So look for parking vending machines to pay for a toll tag to place on your dashboard before entering the House of Air or taking a stroll around Crissy Field.

For more information: https://houseofair.com/

Geek Out, Travel

Kinokuya NYC

Kinokuya is a chain of book stores that started in Shinjuku, Tokyo. In the 1980’s they opened up locations world wide providing Japanese language books to the Japanese business and ex-patriot community. Today they serve American Otakus.

Kinokuya occupies 3 of the lowest floors of the office building. In the basement you’ll find stationary, office supplies, and oddly enough their Studio Ghibli toys. On street level, you’ll find their books (many English language/Western travel books too). On the 2nd floor, are all of their manga, anime toys, Gunpla, and their café.

When I used to work on Madison Ave., my favorite lunch were bento boxes of chicken katsu from take-out shops on 40th St. I would carry them across the street and eating them on the benches around Bryant Park. On less busy days, I’d stroll over to Kinokuya just across the street from the western side of the park. I don’t quite remember as much of a manga or Gunpla is there is today, but I’m glad for it.

Gadgets, Product Reviews, Travel

Solar Back Up Camera

The Solarst rear view back up video camera kit was sent to me by MyGekoGear for this review. This is a solar powered wi-fi camera that fits on your license plate frame and allows you to wireless add a rear-view video camera to any vehicle. 

It’s an easy way to install a back up camera to a car, truck, RV or trailer without complicated wiring and professional installation. The license plate has a built in solar panel to recharge the battery powered camera which connections via WiFi to a 4″ LCD monitor that you install on your dash or windshield.

PRODUCT LINK

https://shop.mygekogear.com/products/solarst

15% Off code: MOONDOG15

Gadgets, Shooting Sports, Travel

Orbit 960 4K Dash Cam Review

I’ve been using a Veckle Mini 0906 dashcam for the last two years which I’ve been satisfied with but after using this Orbit 960, it’s blown my old cam away. The display had me a little worried because it didn’t look too sharp. But after I pulled the files onto my computer to review, the level of detail was amazing.

My only complaint is that the tail-gate and lane change warning features don’t seem to work. Or I couldn’t figure out how to make them work? One of its best features is probably the extra sticky suction cup.

Purchase this cam through Amazon through this link to help support us: https://amzn.to/3iSfTZx