Deals, Fitness, Outdoors, Photography

Dawes Lightning DLX Review – Entry Level Road Bike!

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dawes lightning dlx review

My current ride is a legit Motobecane LeChampion CF, but not every cyclist is serious enough (yet) to drop a grand (or more) on a bike. The very cool Poseidon bike, which I reviewed here, is one alternative. (EDIT: I’ve also reviewed the Poseidon Triton, their updated road bike.)

I recently obtained an even more affordable bike, the Dawes Lightning DLX. While not flashy by any means, this solid road bike provides excellent bang for buck as either a casual ride or an entry into the world of road biking. Read the full Dawes Lightning DLX review below!

Continue reading Dawes Lightning DLX Review – Entry Level Road Bike! →

Outdoors, Photography, Video

Kershaw Skyline Review (EDC Knife)

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kershaw skyline review

Happy New Year! Now is the perfect time to start a constructive new habit.

Need ideas? You can steal one of mine – start carrying a knife with you, everywhere you go. For now, I’ve settled on one of the most popular options out there, the Kershaw Skyline (model 1760). Keep reading our Kershaw Skyline review to see why!

EDIT: Updated with video review below!

Continue reading Kershaw Skyline Review (EDC Knife) →

Photography, Style

Beckett Simonon Dean Oxford Dress Shoe Review

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beckett simonon dean oxford dress shoe review

The last time PRAKTICALA featured a pair of black oxfords was when we reviewed Beckett Simonon’s Caine oxfords. That was a long time ago.

Beckett Simonon recently sent me their latest update on the black dress shoe, the Dean oxfords, for review. Check out PRAKTICALA’s Beckett Simonon Dean Oxford dress shoe review below!

EDIT: Now, take 20% off your order with our exclusive promo code PRAKTICALA20!

Continue reading Beckett Simonon Dean Oxford Dress Shoe Review →

Business, Deals, Home, Money, Movies, Style, Technology

PRAKTICALA’s Favorite Deals for Black Friday 2017!

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black friday 2017
Recycled illustration from last year.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! Here are just a few of PRAKTICALA’s favorite deals for Black Friday 2017 (check back regularly for updates).

Movies

War for the Planet of the Apes (Blu-ray) – $8 at Amazon

X-men: Days of Future Past 3D (Blu-ray) – $7 at Amazon

Alien: Covenant (Blu-ray) – $9 at Amazon

Harry Potter: The Complete 8-Film Collection (Blu-ray) – $30 at Amazon

Video Games

Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End (PS4) – $15 at Target

Style

Beckett Simonon – many shoes $149 by clicking here and using promo code VIP149 (see our recent review for their Durant brogues here)

Home

Lodge 10-inch Cast Iron Skillet – $10 from Amazon (I now cook almost exclusively with this)

Simplisafe – $200 off the Beacon home security package, or 15% off any other new system package

Stay tuned for more Black Friday 2017 deals throughout the weekend!

Photography, Style

Seiko Recraft Automatic Watch SNKN45 Review

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seiko recraft automatic watch snkn45 review

You might have seen these relatively low-priced Seiko automatics floating around lately. They’re part of Seiko’s Recraft collection and seem like a bargain for an automatic watch. PRAKTICALA has its Seiko Recraft Automatic Watch SNKN45 review below – take a look at what we think!

Continue reading Seiko Recraft Automatic Watch SNKN45 Review →

Photography, Style

Beckett Simonon Durant Brogues Dress Shoe Review

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beckett simonon durant brogues dress shoe review

Beckett Simonon has grown quickly over the last few months.  There were only a couple of shoes on their website when I first bought the Caine oxfords for my wedding a few years ago. Since then, they’ve added several new products, including loafers, brogues, sneakers, bomber jackets, and backpacks.

PRAKTICALA did extensive field testing for their latest pair of shoes. Read the Beckett Simonon Durant brogues dress shoe review below!

EDIT: Now, take 20% off your order with our exclusive promo code PRAKTICALA20!

Continue reading Beckett Simonon Durant Brogues Dress Shoe Review →

Photography, Style, Video

Timex Weekender Fairfield Watch Review

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timex weekender fairfield watch review

Swiss automatic watches are great, but perhaps you aren’t ready to drop a few grand on an accessory. (Or even a few hundred.) No problem – several excellent Japanese automatic watches are available in the $100 range, including the Seiko 5 Sports, my favorite watch and daily beater.

Still, even 100 bucks is still a lot for the budget-conscious layperson. The good news is you can spend even less and still get a decent, respectable watch. While it might not be automatic, the upside is it’ll have exclusive benefits you can only get with a battery.

For a nice, inexpensive daily beater, it’s hard to find a better value than the Timex Weekender Fairfield watch.

Continue reading Timex Weekender Fairfield Watch Review →

Fitness, Outdoors, Photography

Motobecane Le Champion CF Review – Legit Road Bike!

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.motobecane lechampion cf review

Decent road bikes are expensive, especially brand name ones. Industry secret: bike frames, regardless of brand, are almost all manufactured by the same one or two companies in Taiwan.

A company called Kinesis manufactures frames for well-known brands like Trek, Diamondback, GT, K2, and Felt (one of my favorites). Guess what – they make the house-brand frames for Bikes Direct, an online only bike retailer.

The Motobecane Le Champion CF is Bikes Direct’s budget-friendly “house” bike, giving you reputable, high-end components without the premium price tag. Continue reading Motobecane Le Champion CF Review – Legit Road Bike! →

Art, Deals, Home, Money, Movies

PRAKTICALA’s Favorite Black Friday Deals for 2016!

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black friday deals for 2016

Happy Thanksgiving from PRAKTICALA to all our readers! We hope you enjoy the holiday with friends, family, and good times.

If you’re like us and are pinching pennies this season, here are some of our favorite Black Friday deals for 2016 that won’t cost you an arm and a turkey leg! No need to set your money on fire like in the reused illustration above! Check back throughout the weekend for updates!

Continue reading PRAKTICALA’s Favorite Black Friday Deals for 2016! →

Photography, Style

Beckett Simonon Suede Bomber Jacket Review

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beckett simonon suede bomber jacket review

Longtime readers already know I’m a big fan of Beckett Simonon’s shoes. I have a pair of Caine oxfords (which I wore at my wedding), as well as the Cohen loafers and some brown brogues.

Recently, the company has ventured into outerwear, with a suede bomber jacket meant to suit the professional just as well as the rock star. Read our full review below!

EDIT: Now, take 20% off your order with our exclusive promo code PRAKTICALA20!

Continue reading Beckett Simonon Suede Bomber Jacket Review →

Business, photography, style, and storytelling for the budget-conscious layperson