Get off the couch and give your thumbs a rest. Tony Hawk: Ride ($120) is a new video game starring the godfather of grinds that utilizes a new hands-free skateboard-like controller. The hoverboard-esque controller packs in accelerometers and motion sensors that get you physically involved in the game, letting you skate around, propel yourself, and trick out just as you would on a normal board. Except no helmet or pads required. Tony Hawk: Ride will be available for Wii, PS3, and Xbox 360.
There's little reason for anyone to pay more than 30 grand for a coffee and tea set, but the amount becomes slightly more tolerable when it's an unquestionable work of art, and the Alessi Silver Tea & Coffee Tower (£20,000; roughly $33,500) certainly qualifies. Created by London-based designer Zaha Hadid, this striking piece of functional fancy features a long, flat teapot, a skyscraper-like coffee pot, a milk jug, and a sugar bowl, all designed to fit together following a template built into the carrying tray that allows for different looks based on how the set is being used. Truly unique.
Simple, straightforward looks belie the versatile utility of the L.L.Bean Hunter's Tote Bag ($25-$35). Available in three sizes, this all-purpose bag is made to stand up to abuse of the outdoorsman with features like a 1,200-denier polyester shell, durable, water-resistant thermoplastic interior coating, a full-length zipper top, overlapped seams, and an extra layer of polyester reinforcement for the bottom, but is just as handy for urban tasks, such grocery runs or booze transport.
Add a little spice to your holiday TV routine with It's A Very Sunny Christmas ($16). Despite complaints over its full-length film pricing, this double-length episode of Sunny is packed with even more crude humor, foul language, and selective violence than usual, which sounds like a perfect antidote to the slew of sanitized classics that pervade the airways in December.
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Care for your dry lips, skin, and the occasional burn with Rosebud Salve ($6). Made from cotton seed oil, aromol, and essential oils blended into a special petroleum base, this reddish salve helps sooth dry lips, can condition and moisturize dry, cracking elbows and knees, and as an added bonus also doubles — or is that triples? — as a diaper rash remedy.
Tackle the winter weather head-on in Keen Summit County Winter Boots ($110). While designed for utility and not fashion, the Summit County isn't bad-looking, either, and offers a host of useful features, including tall weatherproof uppers with nylon panels for added flexibility, KEEN.DRY waterproof barriers for added protection, brushed polyester linings for wicking away sweat, durable non-marking dual-climate rubber outsoles for secure footing on any surface, KEEN.WARM bamboo/polyester insulation to keep your feet warm in temperatures down to -35º F, and more.
For all you two-door addicts that have longed for a CTS but couldn't handle the family-friendly nature of the sedan, feast your eyes on the 2011 Cadillac CTS Coupe ($TBA). Coming standard with a 3.6L V-6 and six-speed manual transmission — a six-speed automatic with Driver Shift Control is an option — this stylish Caddy also offers either 18- or 19-inch rims, integrated iPod connectivity, a pop-up navigation system, Bluetooth, remote start, a rear camera system, a 5.1-channel Bose audio system, LED vertical lighting, touch-pad operated doors, and a RWD powertrain. If that isn't enough to entice you, simply wait til later in 2010, when the beastly 556hp V-Series arrives.
If you're the kind of baseball fan that likes to wear your support on your sleeve — in a rather literal fashion — then the Rawlings Baseball Glove Leather Briefcase ($425) is for you. Made from genuine Rawlings baseball glove leather, this handsome tan case offers multiple pockets, including an expandable document pocket, removable computer cradle, and organizer pockets, as well as nylon lining and a glove-laced handle. [Thanks, James]
We love our craft beers here at Uncrate, but there's nothing quite like tasting something you cooked brewed yourself. Brooklyn Brew Shop Kits ($30) offer everything you need to make your own ale, including a one gallon glass jug, an airlock, tubing clamp, thermometer, and more, all designed to be displayed with pride — unlike that Mr. Beer kit you picked up at Big Lots oh so many years ago.
Break with tradition while staying boardroom ready with the TX Linear Duo Watch ($675-$690). This linear chronograph watch melds a sporty, unique curved-face dial with a more conservative leather strap, and also features a stainless steel build, buckle closure, and water resistance down to 50 meters. It might not be the cheapest timepiece around, but it's also a hulluva lot cheaper than your average Breitling or Rolex.
No matter how many frequent flyer miles you've racked up, we can all use some help maximizing the space inside our luggage. Spacepak ($30-$98) accessories help you do exactly that. The system of bags — available for clothes, underwear, shoes, suits, and more — allows garments to undergo double compression, virtually doubling the usable space inside your carry-on.
We're a bit conflicted when it comes to these gorgeous Amalgam Fine Model Cars ($4,300-$4,700). On one hand, they're meticulously detailed, getting the finer points of some of the world's most desirable cars — including the engine cover, paint, logos, taillights, shifters, and seats — correct down to the last thread. On the other, they also cost as much as a not-so-desirable but ever so more useful real car. If you feel the need for a 1/8 scale model of the Bugatti Veyron 16.4, Lamborghini Reventon, McLaren F1 LM, or Ferrari FXX Evoluzione, however, you won't find a finer reproduction than these Amalgam models, lovingly handmade in the U.K. [Thanks, Jon]
Whether you're climbing an actual mountainside or a slick indoor wall in the city, Five Ten Coyote Rock Shoes ($90) have you covered. These low-cut climbers feature a slip-lasted design, ultra-sticky Stealth C4 rubber outsoles for maximum grip and durability, full-wrap rands and deep heel cups for added traction, and an unlined, split-leather upper to allow your feet to breathe as you focus on your ascent.
Get some new gear for your kitty or pooch while helping out some less-fortunate animals by picking up some Found Collars & Leashes ($42-$76). Produced by local craftsmen in the Brooklyn, NY and New England areas, the orange collars and harnesses are made from Waxwear 100% cotton canvas that's coated with animal safe wax for weatherproofing and increased strength, while the leashes and leads are made from custom-made, ultra-strong rope, with whipped ends for added durability and solid brass o-rings and solid bronze clips for years of use. And 25% of all the profits goes directly to the Louis Animal Foundation, a non-profit that spays/neuters and finds homes for animals.
Take your big-screen with you — sorta — with the Cinemin Swivel Portable Projector ($300). This diminutive dynamo utilizes DLP projection technology to display a screen up to 60 inches in size on nearly any surface. Features include 480x320 resolution, a rechargeable battery good for over two hours of use, included international power adapters, and a 90-degree swiveling design that removes the need for a mount or tripod. Just don't expect to blast faux graffiti onto city walls in the middle of the day — the Swivel works best in extremely low-light conditions.
