After seeing the Gadget Lab how-to project on making a ratty, thief-proof camera bag, the bigwigs at Lowepro couldn't contain themselves. "We make a stealthy camera bag, too," they cried, "You MUST test it!"

So I did. In reality, the Lowepro folks weren't nearly as pushy, but they did send over the Classified 160AW, a nylon and leather day-bag for photographers which is purposely styled to be less flashy than a normal camera bag. Is it the kind of bag which would let you pass unnoticed through the mean streets of Barcelona's pickpocket-laden tourist center? No. Is it a comfortable, capacious and capable bag for the photographer on the go? Let's see.

First, the looks. The Lady said that the Classified 160 looks like a bull and, in the top picture, you can see her point: The extended zipper that gives you access to the main compartment kind of makes the bag looks like a bull's head, if you look at it the right way. She is, though, from Catalonia, a part of Spain, so she could have been influenced by a childhood of bullfighting.

There is a bull connection, though. The nylon bag features some leather accents, most usefully the top-mounted handle and the ends of the zippers. They add some elegance, but also toughness where it's needed. There is also a nifty, stiff leather tab on the shoulder strap which will stop a camera from sliding off your shoulder:

Otherwise, the bag looks a lot more like the kind of thing a middle manager might use to tote his Dell brick -- not a bad thing for a low-profile design, but hardly the thief repellent that is the Gadget Lab rat-bag.

The Classified is meant to be a work bag rather than a storage or transportation bag, and it has enough cubby holes to squirrel away most of your stuff. Here's the front pocket:

The flap is secured by a nylon clip, as you can see at the bottom. It lifts to reveal two pockets - a front, non-padded one which is ideal for tobacco, and another just behind which, on the larger models, is big enough to take a notebook computer. This one is smaller, but that pocket still has room for my currently out-of-action Hackintosh, a 10" netbook (the trackpad is broken, if you must know). The zipper you see isn't another pocket. It actually unzips to reveal...

... an expansion, erm, flap. This will add a few inches to the front-to-back depth so you can squeeze a little more in. Inside the front pocket you'll also find this card holder, which hooks onto a strap inside the pocket via metal clip. It's also good for holding a set of keys.

There's also another, zippered pocket at the back, and underneath yet another pocket containing the usual Lowepro rain cover.

So, all your junk is taken care of. Onto the inside, which is big enough in this model to hold a camera with a lens, a spare lens or two and a flashgun, depending on their size. There are several inserts which use Velcro to grab onto the interior like a moron's tongue on a frozen metal pole. Moving them around can be tricky but once their in, they're not shifting. One of them even has a microfiber cloth for polishing your LCD screen.

The odd shape of the larger dividers is designed to hold a camera up close to the top for easy grabbing. Here is the splendid Nikon D700 sat snugly atop the leather tipped pads (shortly before I put it on the sofa, caught the camera strap on my foot and sent the body and lens flying to the hard tile floor. It's fine, but I just lost a year of my life due to shock):

When I go out shooting, I don't carry much -- usually the camera and either a strobe or a spare lens. So I took out all the inserts except one and just let the camera rest on the floor of the bag. As there is a removable (and thick) pad here, it felt perfectly safe.

Above you see the extra strap, and I couldn't work out what it was for. A quick email to Lowepro revealed the truth. One end loops around the main strap and the other clips onto one of the metal rings on the back of the bag. This allows you to keep the pack from swinging around. If you are familiar with a proper cycle courier bag, you'll be at home with the design, which sits between groin and nipples.

Conclusion

There are some downsides. The bag is very well made, but all that padding makes it both bulkier and heavier than our home-made version. On the other hand, this thing is built like a tank. You'd have to decide exactly what you need -- light and thin or thick and protective.

I had some trouble with the shoulder strap, too. I like to be able to swing the bag from my side around to my butt, and back again. The ultra-grippy shoulder pad means that this action drags on the shoulder of your jacket as you do it. A small point, but an adjustable pad would help. Once in place, though, the strap is very comfy.

While the Classified series isn't going to ward off the baddies like the home-made version, it's discrete enough to pass unnoticed in a decent part of town. It's also tough enough that I feel fine throwing it into the front basket of my bike without worrying about the contents. And if I ride fast enough, people think that a there's a bull charging towards them. Or at least, that's what I tell myself.

You can find the Classified 160 AW online for around $150.

Product page [Lowepro]

Grand Canyon 517 Black Sage Mint outdoor user-friendly functional soft padded square gadget SLR digital camera bags cases perfect for Canon EOS Diital Rebel Nikon D300 200 80 40 and many other SLR cameras with two three four lenses

Blackbird Guitars is now selling a nylon-stringed version of their Rider, unibody, carbon fiber guitar that is slightly larger than the steel-stringed original. The "Rider Nylon" is just as pretty as its predecessor — and someday I'll actually play one to find out how they feel.

The Blackbird Rider Nylon starts at $1,900.

Rider Nylon press release [BlackbirdGuitars.com] (Thanks, Jeremy!)

Previously • Blackbird Rider Acoustic Carbon Fiber Guitar
• SR-71 Blackbird by Lego Monster
• Story: SR-71 Pilots Show Off

Carbon fiber is showing up in some unlikely places, like in the body of a specially designed guitar. Blackbird has had a steel-string guitar on the market for about a year, and now adds this nylon-string version to the mix. This one's a bit bigger than its steel-stringed brandmate, but at an ultra-lightweight 3 pounds, it's every bit as travel-worthy.

We like the idea of an acoustic guitar designed from the ground up, using computer modeling to create an acoustically efficient sound chamber. Carbon fiber is so strong, the top of the guitar can be paper-thin for better sound. Blackbird creator and techno-luthier Joe Luttwak tells us his hand-made instruments have been improved, and sound better than any other travel guitars on the market.

But how does this $1899 guitar stack up to our comparably-priced Martin D-28, the gold standard in acoustic git-boxes? Joe says he'll lend us one of his Blackbirds to test soon, and we'll play them against each other. If this Blackbird sounds as good as it looks, we'll be flying into the dark black night.

The Blackbird Rider Nylon is an odd guitar, a mix of the traditional and the high-tech. First, the "nylon" in the name refers to the strings -- the guitar itself is made from carbon fiber, from the single piece body to the hollow neck. If we were making a carbon fiber guitar, we'd probably show off about it in the name.

Second, the guitar looks more like a Lute -- not a bad thing, but certainly a design departure for such a traditional instrument as the classical guitar. Less baroque is the "Soundscoop", a curved hole which sits up by the tenth fret instead of in the middle of the sound board. Blackbird says that this, combined with the all-in-one body and neck and the super-thin (1/32") carbon fiber contruction, provides better tonal response.

The Rider is built for travel. Blackbird claims that it is "nearly indestructible" (maybe Pete Townshend should try it out) and it fits in an airplane's overhead locker. It also weighs just three pounds. How much is this high-tech axe? $1900 for the nylon stringed classical version, and $1600 for a smaller, steel-stringed model.

Product page [Blackbird Guitars. Thanks, Jeremy!]

For the 3rd year in a row, we bring you the coolest collection of toys on the planet. As we do ever year we add one more number to the list from the year previously which takes us to lucky number 13.

Without further ado, here is the 2008 collection of the coolest toys around. From hand crank locomotives to a dinosaur that gives bouncy rides, these toys are perfect for kids of all ages. Enjoy.

The Hand Crank Locomotives

The hand crank trains makes me wish I was a kid again, or at least a kid with rich parents.

This is the heirloom locomotive reminiscent of the ones encountered at carnivals and fairs in the 1940s that uses the simple pushing and pulling of a child’s arms on a hand-crank to propel it around an outdoor track. Each of the two included locomotives is made from cast aluminum with stainless-steel crank handles, and supports a single child up to 100 lbs. Minimal effort is required of children as they crank, so each train glides easily on precision-crafted, cast-iron wheels with a familiar “click-clack” sound with no slipping. The 30′ diam. 12-gauge circular track is made of welded steel, and sets up in under one hour with the included fasteners and wrenches;  Includes two locomotives and track. Includes two nylon covers to protect locomotives. Ages 3-13.

Price: $4100

Snowball Blaster

Firing your Snowball Blaster is a simple process, pack the snow into the forming chambers, pull back the slingshot firing mechanism and let rip on targets up to 50 feet away. There are three forming chambers, which make three snowballs that are said to be perfectly spherical. You will always win the snowball fight as long as the snowball blaster is around.
Price: $30
[ via Geek Alerts]

EyeClops Night Vision Goggles

If your looking for a great excuse to buy the night vision goggles, ThinkGeek has you covered:

Here’s the situation: you wake up in the middle of the night and you have to pee. Real bad. But you don’t want to turn on all the lights, for they will burn your eyes with their incandescence. So, you either injure yourself, stumbling in the darkness, or you wet your bed. Neither is fun. If you have some of these awesome Night Vision Goggles next to your bed, you’ll be able to see in the dark and pee in safety and ease.

Ok, so you might think these things are just toys, the type that say “night vision” but really just have a pop out flashlight. Nope. These are the real deal; true infrared night vision, for the price of a toy. You can’t imagine the happy dance we did when we realized these worked really well. Now we can sneak around like the ninjas we know we are, in the dark, watching all - and you won’t be able to see us. Unless you’re a ninja too, and have some EyeClops Night Vision Goggles of your own.

Price: $90

[via Gizmodo]

UBERARC 3200

If your kid loves to build stuff, especially 7′ 10′ towers this toy is for them. Plus, any company that starts with the word Uber, you now they must be good.

This complete professional construction kit is for architects, engineers, students and anyone that loves to build! Build representations of existing sky scrapers, bridges, and other structures Create prototypes of your own designs Basic building techniques are provided which show you how to create load-bearing walls, curves, arches, etc. 8 Foundation plans are included Build a sky scraper from real blueprints Learn to build from blueprints. Full scale blueprints are included that teach how to build from plan views, isometric views, detailed views and more. Download and print your building permit and learn about wind loads and seismic loads.

Price:$275

Playskool Kota My Triceratops Dinosaur

An awesome, prehistoric friend, KOTA The Triceratops Dinosaur from Playskool is ready to accompany your imaginative child on all kinds of adventures. With lots of sound effects, including music, munching, stomping, and roaring, this baby dinosaur is a realistic creation. He even moves his head and tail and blinks his eyes. KOTA is built so that curious kids three and older and up to 60 pounds can enjoy a bouncing ride.

Price:$240
[via Geekolgie]

Nerf N-Strike Vulcan EBF-25 Blaster

The Nerf Vulcan is a belt-fed Nerf machine gun that opens a can of sponge tipped whoop-ass in whichever direction you aim it and squeeze the trigger. The ammo belts will hold 25 darts apiece and it will take 6 D cells to get it running. With batteries it tips the scale at around 8 pounds, so little ones it might be time to start doing some push ups.

Price: About $40,

[via Oh Gizmo]

Vtech - KidiJamz Studio

The Kidijamz is one of 2 VTech products to make the list.  It gives kids the power to record their own songs and music and play it back on a detachable music player. It has 10 different musical instrument sounds, five musical stylings, and three rhythm buttons. The Kidijamz allows your child to pretend to be a superstar DJ with the scratching disc and microphone with digital voice effects.

Price:$60

Remote Controlled Hovering Space Surfer

This is the remote controlled 9″ space surfer that hovers in the air, spins 360°, and moves left, right, forward, and backward–all while levitating parallel to the ground. Capable of indoor or outdoor flights, the space surfer has dual propellers that generate enough thrust to send the device from a stationary position to 66-feet in the air without requiring a hand-launch. The radio frequency remote control has proportional throttle and trim settings that allow it to be precisely controlled through climbs, descents, and turns. Made from durable EPP foam, the aircraft’s body withstands turbulent flights and crash landings.  Remote has a 27′ range and requires a 9-volt battery. Operates for 15 minutes after a 70-minute charge

Price: $80 $50

Vtech - KidiArt Studio

The Kidiart studio is basically equivaliant to photoshop for kids.

Show your kids just how creative they can be with a high-tech creative tool. KidiArt Studio easily connects to a television or PC so little artists can show off their projects for all to see. With KidiArt Studio, kids can take basic drawing and art lessons, create a full array of printable posters and cards, or make a family tree using real pictures! Use the digital camera conveniently located on the arm of KidiArt Studio to make stop motion animations. Also, when in PC connect mode, your child can save their creations, create custom e-Cards for friends, and print anything they’ve made.

Price:$60

Spinmaster Air Hogs Zero Gravity Micro Car

Forget those remote control cars that just scoot across the ground! These Air Hogs Zero Gravity Micro cars moves in three dimensions — across the ground, up the wall, and even upside down on the ceiling! By using a specially designed suction device, the car can climb a wall and maneuver just as it does on the ground.

Price:$25

Remote Controlled Ride On Sports Car

The remote-controlled ride-on sports car allows parents to control the driving, or if the parents are feeling a little wild and crazy they “relinquish control to the young driver at the touch of a button”. Both modes enable a top speed of  3 mph along with normal movement forwards, backwards, left, and right.  Operates for two hours after a 10-hour charge. Supports up to 45 lbs.

Price:$350

Falcon Helicopter

The Falcon radio controlled helicopter has the cool ability to shoot airsoft BB balls at unsuspecting onlookers. I can just imagine the possibilities. The batteries last for eight minutes of flight per charge. If anyone knows where you can pick one up, please let me know in the comments below.

via Coolest Gadgets

Fisher-Price Imaginext Spike the Ultra Dinosaur

The pre-historic world comes roaring to life with the Spike the Ultra Dinosaur, an Imaginext toy from Fisher-Price. Flashing lights, blinking eyes, and grunting dino speak make this big, green remote-control dinosaur a fun companion for adventurous play. Rugged and curious, Spike has a quirky personality that will draw children ages three through 10 into an exciting world of their own imagining.

Price:$130

If You Enjoyed This Collection Of Toys, Check Out Previous Years

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This implement is both a fork and spatula in one. You can use the fork to lift meat out of the pain. Then slide the nylon sheaths over the fork to turn the tool into scoops. The nylon scrappers are heat resistant and won't scrape the bottom of the pan.

At Meat Lifters/Roaster Spoons

It's over now — Acme Made has introduced their $40 SLR Bowler Camera Bag, which is cute in its own right, but I seriously love that it's not obviously a camera bag. That makes me feel safer traveling on public transportation with it, but at the same time, check it out — it fits in there perfectly and even has side pockets for your memory cards. Consider my Christmas list started.

You can also connect a CD player into the guitar itself so you can play along directly with the music, despite the fact that CDs are pretty much obsolete. Why they didn’t just build an mp3 player in it is anyone’s guess. Still, it’s a nifty instrument to have around. Especially fo those living in small apartments. The Yamaha Silent Nylon String Guitar will retail for a hefty $499.99. But silence is golden.

[Chip Chick]