Ryobi 2,200 Watt Digital Inverter Generator

Click for larger versionWhen it comes to having power in the tailgate lot, the reigning champion has been the Honda EU series. This was primarily due to there being no competitors. But a new player is in the game. The Ryobi 2200 is the same size, more power, and almost half the price of the Honda. But how does it stack up?

Here's a quick run-down between the two.

	Ryobi	Honda
Starting Watts	2200	2000
Running Watts	1800	1600
Rated Amperage	15A	13.3A
Starting	Recoil	Recoil
Fuel Tank	1 Gal	0.95 Gal
Weight	51 Pounds	47 Pounds
Parallel Capable	Yes	Yes

In running both side by side, a feature that both has is a smart idle. This means that unless the generator needs more power, it will turn the engine at a lower RPM to keep your neighbors happy.  Both units ramp up RPMs quickly, but the Ryobi gets back down to idle RPMs faster.  Both units are inverter style generators, which is good if you will be running any electronics.  The Ryobi was great at powering our typical gear, which includes a home AV receiver, two DirecTV receivers, a 42" LCD, a 32" LCD, two scrolling LED boards, 2 crock pots and a roasting pan.

As you can see, both units are similar in size. The Ryobi has dual handles for better handling, as well as a one hand operated extendible handle for rolling across the lot. This might not sound like a big deal, but if you are joining up with friends, and you have the generator, it is much more fun to pull a generator than to have to carry it.  Honda has an option for a cart, but it is another $99.

The one thing that both units lack is an hour meter. I've installed one on the Honda, and it will be very easy to install one on the Ryobi. This will help you know when to change the oil, as well as exactly how many hours you have been hitting it hard!

Having a generator at the tailgate allows an entire new level of enjoyment.  Crockpots in the winter, roasting pans to keep food warm, television and music, party lights, it goes on and on.

Will the Ryobi dethrone the Honda as the king of the Tailgate Lot? Only time will tell. As more tailgaters step up their game, the Ryobi is certainly a strong player in the market. No longer do you have to spend close to $1000 on quiet power. No longer do you have to get a 100 pound noise maker. The Ryobi comes in a small package, gives BIG power, and sips the fuel. That is a win in this Tailgating professionals opinion.  I look forward to getting more hours under it as the season progresses.

Currently, The Home Depot is selling this unit for $599.

Coozie Coolers - Keep Those Drinks Cool!

We've all had it happen...  We get a frosty cold beverage out of the cooler, and get side tracked, and the drink gets warm.  Nothing worse than a warm drink!

Enter the Coozie Cooler.  This brilliant device is a small ice pack the shape of the bottom of a can, and sits in the bottom of your Coozie, keeping things cold while you tend to tailgating games, the grill, or whatever else needs attention.

They are cheap enough to keep a few in the cooler, so when you get a new drink, you can swap out for a new Coozie Cooler.

To buy your very own Coozie Coolers, check them out at cooziecoolers.com.

Being a good neighbor: Quiet generators

We've all seen it.  We've all heard it.  We've all been next to 'that guy.'  The big loud, smelly generator that they bought for Y2K.  While they put out a good amount of power, you will pay with your hearing.

Five years ago, I bought a Honda EU2000i generator.  Not only are they quiet, they are very fuel efficient. We've gone up to 8 hours on 1 tank (~1 gallon) of gas.

You can join two of these generators together to get even more power.

The Honda also has an "ECO" mode, where it will run at lower RPMs until the load increases.  Even at the higher RPM, it is still very quiet.

The first time I've come across one of these generators, I stood there like an idiot wondering if it was even on, because there was a noise maker generator across the aisle in the lot.

The problem with these generators is the price.  While they are spendy, as they say: "Buy once, Cry once."  It is money well spent for a great setup.

Can you paint a satellite dish? YES!

A lot of tailgaters bring either DirecTV or Dish Network dishes to the tailgate, and they are almost always the same dull gray that the factory puts on them. 

In researching, people say that you shouldn't paint them, and to never use a gloss paint.  When we started our tailgating, we used the factory dish.  Not long after, we painted the dish with a flat red, and it worked fine.

When we had our tailgate truck painted, we opted to have the dish painted with the same paint as the truck; a dark red with a clear coat put over it.  We then applied vinyl decals to it.  

Did it still work?  Sure did.  No noticable loss in signal.  So can you paint your dish and have it still work?  Absolutely.

Even with the gloss paint, we've never had a problem with a reflection melting the LNBs like some say can happen.

So get out there an paint your dishes!

 Picture from www.tailgatetruck.com

Scorzie. Keeping score in style!

Hello fellow tailgaters!

Today I got my hands on a great new product: The Scorzie.

The Scorzie incorporates a can coozie with a dual score keeper for your favorite tailgating game.  As you can see, there are two bands to keep track with.

My first concern when seeing pictures of the Scorzie was how easily it would be to accidentally change score during the REAL game (drinking).  

Don't worry, as there are positive steps for each number on the coozie.  Just enough friction to keep the numbers in place, but still easy enough to move.

I was really impressed with the quality of this unit.  They have done a great job with this.

You can get your own by going to the Scorzie website at http://www.scorzie.com/

Home Run Koozie

Created by Roy Henning and David Bauman, the Home Run Koozie Kit is a great product, even more so during the colder tailgating months.

The Home Run Koozie Kit started as an idea in the basement with supplies gotten at Menards, and after numerous prototypes, a production version was finalized.

The current theme of the koozies are baseball themed, though football should be coming in the future.

The velcro on the koozie is even strong enough to hold its weight if you were to apply velcro to a tailgating vehicle, wall, etc.  I've tested this out with great success, as you can see in the photo gallery below.

Roy is open to doing custom orders if the need arises.  You can find out more about the Home Run Koozie by emailing Roy or visiting their Facebook page here.

Stay tuned, as Tailgate Lot will be running a contest this fall to give away a Home Run Koozie Kit!

Go Big on Beer Pong

If you've mastered beer pong, and are looking to take on something a little bigger, you need to check out BEARPONG ($65).

BEARPONG is an oversized portable Beer Pong set that can be played anywhere. This set is great to thrown down at the beach, tailgates, poolside, cookouts, and yards.

My first thought when I saw this product was, you're going to need a helluva lotta beer to hold those cups down. Actually, they use a patent pending weighted system to hold down the cups...err...buckets. The deluxe set comes complete with 12 buckets, 3 balls, ball pump, and a unique carrying case to get you started.

You can check them out for more information at BearPong.com.

Weber Ranch Kettle Grill

With a cooking area clocking in at just over 1,100 square inches, The Ranch ($1,100) is the Weber Kettle Grill on steroids. This mammoth of a grill is able to accommodate multiple turkeys, roasts, chickens, or up to 19 Cornish hens! Originally designed for caterers and country club chefs, the Ranch Kettle is perfect for extremely large tailgate crowds.

Rugged, yet easy to use, this 37-1/2-inch-diameter grill features a patented tuck-away lid that slides conveniently into its holder. Two weather-resistant thermoplastic handles remain cool to the touch when you move the lid. A hinged cooking grate gives you easy access to coals and a removable ash catcher assures easy cleanup. With the same solid construction of all Weber grills, the Ranch Kettle has locking casters that allow for easy movement and the porcelain-enameled coating to prevent rust.

Best of all, the massive cooking area lets you have any number of different heating combinations, such as high heat for searing meat, a medium area for cooking it, and a low area for keeping food warm on the grill.

Track Down Tailgates With This Handy New Mobile App

Tailgate Scout is a new mobile web application developed by tailgaters to help you track down your friend’s tailgating location, and other tailgates nearby on game day. The app was mainly developed to help tailgaters find a single spot located amongst the vast area of tents and grills. It works great if you are trying to host a public tailgate, and want to get the word out, or if you just need friends to find where you parked.

Tailgate Scout currently carries the following features:

• Facebook sign on to leverage your existing social network
• Access on both Android and iPhone devices through the built in browser
• Maps and lists to pinpoint your friends and their tailgates
• Display all public tailgates nearby sorted by distance
• Location sharing through tailgate creation, check in, tweet button, and the mark your spot functionality
• Tailgate check in to earn points for your team
• Leader boards to track top teams, tailgates, and scouts for that day

You can check out the app by visiting http://www.TailgateScout.com on your iPhone, Android phone, or Google Chrome.

Campfire In A Can is Guaranteed to Heat Up Your Tailgate

With late fall and early winter peeking around the corner, it’s never too early to start to get ready for some cold weather tailgating. So, we know that taking down swigs of Jack will help you stay all warm and fuzzy inside, but to truly beat that cold chill you need to check out the Campfire In A Can ($240), the portable propane fire pit.

The Gas Can’s precision craftsmanship and 3-spoke burner design produces a good old-fashioned, roaring fire. Certified and tested to CSA standards, it produces up to 64,000 BTUs; it is literally the hottest campfire on the market. The product’s high-efficiency propane regulator and adjustable shut off valve allow easy control of desired fire size. Safe to burn on a wood deck or patio carpet, The Gas Can is the only campfire with a certified zero clearance to combustibles underneath it.

The Gas Can’s innovative pedestal style base provides safe and easy internal storage of the 10-foot propane hose and regulator. A realistic ceramic one-piece log set with super glow ceramic woodchips gives the fire an authentic wood burning appearance. The Gas Can’s aluminum canister top functions as a stand and a protective carrying case, and its collapsible handle folds flush for easy storage. It has a removable cooking grate that is perfect to throw down a skillet for those morning tailgate omelets.