Gadgets

The Streamlined Strainer

MJ Approved: Gear Lab Umbra Rinse Bowl and Strainer The 2-in-1 Umbra Rinse Bowl and Strainer has a colander that slides out from under a bowl and locks into place for draining, then slides back for storage (and turns the device back into a full-fledged bowl). It's simple, cheap, and, best of all, means that there are fewer dishes to wash. [$10; umbra.com]...

A Camera Bag That Doesn't Look Like a Camera Bag

MJ Approved: Gear Lab ThinkTank Retrospective 5 The two best things about ThinkTank Photo's Retrospective 5 camera bag are also the most obvious: The messenger bag-style carrier is soft sided and doesn't sport any labels or logos. That makes the Retrospective 5 the most casual-looking camera bag available, which translates to feeling less conspicuous and less limited by your equipment. On the streets of New York City, it means that both travelers and locals can prepare to shoot a beautiful sunset (or meal, if we're to be honest) without feeling like total tourists. The Retrospective 5's incognito exterior hides a…

The Burly Beauty

MJ Approved: Gear Lab Facebook just added to your Activity: This Article Close MV Agusta Rivale 800 Motorcycle The MV Agusta Rivale 800 brings raw muscularity to this brand's standout Italian design. MV Agusta says the bike's elements have been drawn together by "harmonious and discordant lines," while combining unlikely cues such as a dirt bike-style rear-tire hugger and a three-tipped exhaust system that resembles Batman's formfitting bodysuit. The best part? This wily thoroughbred, the company's first supermoto-style offering, has the mechanical bite to back up its visual bark, thanks to a 125-horsepower inline-3 power plant and a curb weight…

The Steadier Putter

MJ Approved: Gear Lab Facebook just added to your Activity: This Article Close Titleist Scotty Cameron Futura X Putter Last year, pro golfer Adam Scott requested a putter that wouldn't twist during his swing and ruin his line. The result? The Titleist Scotty Cameron Futura X, which has two weights on the rear bar and two beneath the face. The design has mass at the corners to steady its glide path and force the face to hang square to the ball at impact. Skeptical? The prototype putter helped Scott win the Masters. [$375; titleist.com]...

The Formfitting Runner

MJ Approved: Gear Lab Facebook just added to your Activity: This Article Close Under Armour Speedform Running Shoe To create the completely seamless heel cup in the Under Armour Speedform, designers headed to an unlikely place: a bra factory. Intimate-apparel makers are very aware that a close fit is key to comfort, and it's those manufacturing techniques that allow this running shoe to be stitch free from heel to toe, every section ultrasonically welded together for a snugger fit. [$120; underarmour.com]...

The Pasta Express

MJ Approved: Gear Lab[1] Facebook just added to your Activity: This Article Close[2] Lékué Pasta Cooker This Lékué Pasta Cooker proves that design ingenuity can accomplish miracles – like turning the microwave into more than a cooking appliance of last resort. Fill it with water, and pasta cooks fast without sticking. The vented lid doubles as a colander. Perfect for quick cooking at, say, the office, a hotel suite with a kitchenette, or anywhere else that has the ubiquitous microwave but no stove. [$35; lekueusa.com[4]][3] References^ MJ Approved: Gear Lab (www.mensjournal.com)^ Close (www.mensjournal.com)^ Lékué Pasta Cooker (www.lekueusa.com)^ lekueusa.com (www.lekueusa.com)...

The Sensible Sedan, Upgraded

View More Photos[1] 2014 Toyota Corolla Despite its perceived humbleness, the Toyota Corolla[2] is an undisputed icon of the automotive world. It has been at or near the top of the best-seller list for most of its 50-year (and counting) run, with an astounding 40 million units sold. Yet, like that friend who excels at most sports but isn't a superstar standout in any one, the Corolla has always been about pursuing the humdrum glory of sensibility: Always rock-solid reliable, but never a hint of sex appeal. Over the last five or so years, Toyota had grown ever more complacent…