All American Stetson Review

The Stetson name has been big in the cologne world for decades ever since the Coty Company released it in the 1980s; hoping to breathe new life into an old company, All American Stetson debuted in 2009. The thing about Stetson is that it's not so much a classic as it is just old. Modern tastes are vastly different from where they were 20 years ago so some of the formerly popular scents like Coty's 1981 'Stetson original' are now in the category of old man scent. All American Stetson is an attempt to appeal to a younger crowd, but is it worth the purchase?

With a new floral/aquatic scent and Tom Brady as the face of their ad campaign, Coty is trying hard for a new following. All American Stetson doesn't get points for originality; it's not something that shakes the foundations of the designer fragrance world with an innovative new scent. It's similar to others out there, but at least if it's an imitation it imitates some of the best fragrances. Something about it is similar to Aqua Di Gio, but just a little more generic and linear. The scent is long lasting and pleasant. The scent of All American Stetson is an interesting blend of sweet and powdery notes that complement each other while not being overpowering.

When we compare All American, or any Stetson variety for that matter, to top sellers like Armani it doesn't hold up, but when we compare the prices it evens out a little more. Currently the price would seem to reflect that the fragrance didn't catch on. It's not unheard of to find a bottle marked down for around ten dollars. The scent and longevity are good enough to be worth a $10 investment for a nice day at the office scent, but there are better options for a good cheap cologne. The final verdict is that there are certainly good things to say about this fragrance, but no one will be raving about it, and it's not the best out there, but if you want to smell good for cheap you might want to give All American Stetson a try.

Ab Roller with Pro Assist Review

There's kind of an obsession in the US with abs. Everyone wants a small stomach and toned washboard abs. This may stem from the fact that in this country we also like greasy fast food but not its obesity effects. The biggest obstacle in the way of toned abs is simply: Crunches are hard. To be quite blunt, they suck. I'll do hundreds of push-ups, I'll run, jog, lift, I'll do anything without complaints, but throw me some crunches and I'm ready to throw in the towel. It's for this reason that companies are always churning out new devices to make ab workouts easier. One of the cheaper options is the Ab Roller with Pro assist. This one goes for about $20 - $25 and claims to make firm abs easy by isolating the abdominal muscles while eliminating back and neck strain. Additionally this comes with the "pro assist" spring, which is basically just a spring that attaches to the back of the headboard to make the movements even easier. What they don't tell you is that the Pro Assist spring is completely worthless, but more on that later. First let's look at the claims.

Easy to assemble:

It is...mostly. I set it up i about ten minutes without reading the instructions (I'm a guy.) Well, I set up everything except the stupid spring in ten minutes. It took me a lot longer to figure out the pro assist part because it's a retarded design that can't be physically attached the way they tell you to.

Isolates abs and eliminates neck and back strain:

Well, it does make it easier to perform crunches without placing too much pressure on the neck and back, so you can perform more reps with the ab roller.

Pro assist spring ads a boost to your workout, cushions the neck, and adds fun to any exercise:

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!! If you call having a limp spring that frequently falls out of place under your head while you do crunches fun, then yeah. If having an unstable piece of metal wobbling under you throwing of your balance somehow helps in your workout, I don't understand how. This is probably the dumbest thing I've ever pulled out of a box.

Final Verdict: The Pro Assist part is a waste of material, but the ab roller itself has some value. This is not a miracle machine; you still have to work to see results, but if you hate regular crunches or have back problems, this may be a good $25 investment.

Iron Arms Review

You may have seen the "Iron Arms" forearm exerciser advertised on TV recently. This is a product that has been out for some time, but recently began a new ad campaign. The device was marketed under a different name and packaged alongside the ISO7X. At the time the company wanted to tie the Iron Arms to the concept of isometrics which was the foundation of the ISO7X. For this reason they marketed as "Iso-Arms." The same product is now in full infomercial hype mode looking to attract new buyers, but the question remains, is it any good?

First lets look at what the product is exactly. This is a device designed to target the forearm muscles. This is not a multi-function piece of equipment; it will not build biceps or give you rock hard abs. It is simply a forearm strengthening device. This is one selling point for the Iron Arms, because there are not a lot of products that specifically target this part of the body. While this is a selling point for some, it's important to mention that some others would say that such investments are foolish because any weight lifting logically uses the forearms, and as such, forearm targeted machines and exercises are unnecessary. This product is clearly geared toward those who feel that they need more strength and definition in their forearms.

If you are one of these people, this is a pretty good product. Essentially the Iron Arms consist of two spring loaded hand grips within a plastic figure eight frame. Reps are performed by twisting at the wrist which compacts the springs creating resistance. The motion can be done clockwise or counterclockwise to impact different muscles. The product does do an excellent job of isolating the forearms, and the impact on the muscles is quickly noticeable as you work.

In terms of the design, the product seems really cheap at first sight, but seems to be sturdy. The hand grips are well designed and comfortable, and the overall design is ergonomic and functional. When it comes down to it, this is a pretty simple device that simply does what it's supposed to. It's nothing revolutionary, but it's pretty good. $19.95 might be a little much for something that accomplishes the same results that could be achieved with weights, but If you're looking for an easier way to target your forearms, the "Iron Arms" might be worth a try.



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Blackheart Spiced Rum Review

Spiced rum has been a popular choice in adult beverages for years, and the undisputed leader in the genre has been Captain Morgan. In recent years, however, several new varieties have emerged offering a cheaper alternative to the Captain. These alternatives range from cheap knockoffs of Morgan to high quality budget rums. Most have nautical names like "sailor Jerry" and "Admiral Nelson" as a not so subtle connection to Captain Morgan. New to the scene is "Blackheart."

At less than $13 for a 750 ml bottle of this 93 proof concoction, Blackheart seemed like a steal, more so with the attached $10 rebate form. Because I'm dedicated to helping the public by providing good product reviews, I took the time to sample this one for those who aren't sure about making the buy.

The first thing I notice is that the bottle is nothing impressive, which is fine with me, that's how prices stay low. The label features a pin-up girl pirate and old style calligraphy on the front. The back of the label has some story about a sexy, seductive, pirate chick named blackheart who.........bla bla bla, who cares? They made it up because it looks cool on a label. The bottle and label, however, are not what's important. Let's get to what's inside.

The first smell after opening the bottle indicated something different from other spiced rums. The opening was notably darker and hinting at perhaps something more complex. The first sample taste was not so much complex as intense and offensive, however, this is to be expected when sampling a high proof rum standing alone at room temperature. To properly test Blackheart, it had to be mixed into a drink to see how well it blends.

Test One: Vanilla Cola. I love some Captain and Coke, so this was an important test. When I mixed the drink I was surprised at the smoothness. I could barley taste the alcohol, and actually wondered briefly if I had made a measuring error. My concern was short lived as I began to quickly feel the effects of the Blackheart. A smooth drink with a punch? Test one was a win.

Test Two: Lime Shooter. Spiced rum, lime juice, and a shot glass....interesting, but probably not the best idea for those of us over the age of 25. The drink itself was good in a "I'm doing horrible things to my body" kind of way. The Blackheart holds up as well as any other rum I've sampled in this shot.

Verdict: Surprisingly smooth without lacking strength, Blackheart is a pretty good value for the spiced rum enthusiast.