Tailgate TV Stand

Check out the Tailgate TV Stand, a hitch-mounted swiveling flat panel TV mount that is Made in the USA.  This gets the TV out of the back of your SUV, or off that shaky table that everyone seems to bump into.

The Tailgate TV Stand (TTS) comes in two different sizes, standard and heavy duty.  The main difference between the two is the weight capacity, with the standard holding up to 40 pounds, and the heavy duty holding up to 70 lbs.  There is also a "tailgate down" model that will swing over the tailgate when it is lowered, due to the extended hitch tube.  Not shown here is the addition of an accessories tray that mounts to the vertical tubing.

   

Setting the TTS up is extremely simple.  After unboxing, place the hitch mount into the 2" reciever of your vehicle and secure it with a standard 5/8" pin.  Next place the pivot arm in the low friction bushing on the hitch mount.  Finally put the TV support arm into the bushing of the pivot arm.  You can then mount your standard flatpanel mount onto the TV support arm (standard flat panel mount not included, since there are many different styles out there, and most people have a mount already).

  

The quality of the TTS is top notch.  It is powdercoated for durability.  The connections between the swiveling pieces moves extremely smooth with or without the supplied lubrication.  It is very effortless.

If you set your mount on the TV correctly, you can even swing the TV entirely into your SUV in cases of bad weather, or to help with glare.  I know a lot of people set up tents at the back of their ride, and having the TV in the SUV frees up that much more space.

 

As you can see in the above pictures, the TTS comes apart and stores away in a very small, compact area.  This is critical when you have a lot of gear to load into your vehicle.  Like I mentioned above, the TTS goes from sitting in your vehicle to being set up in less than 30 seconds if you are pushing it.  Super fast, super easy, and great looking.  The logos on the tubing look good, and there is plenty of space to add your own logos to it for that personal touch.

 

If you want to find out more about the Tailgate TV Stand, check out their sites:
Web: http://tailgatetvstand.com/ 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TailgateTvStand

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SmackHat: Halloween Modification Complete

We've said it before, we love the SmackHat.  After having some pops, we thought the SmackHat needed the Halloween treatment.  Check it out:

Can't wait for gameday!

Check out www.SmackHat.com.

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FanMug! A Helmet In Your Hand

The FanMug is a replica helmet that is also a coozie or mug for your drink.  It will comfortably hold bottles and cans, as well as poured liquids. It keeps cold drinks cold and hot drinks hot.

The FanMug was created by long-time sportscaster Doug Lessells in Columbus, Ohio.  He did a great job of nailing the look of a helmet, down to the facemask clips and screws.  It also separates into two pieces, so that the inner cup can be cleaned in the dishwasher (top rack safe).  No worries, as this is a BPA Free product.  The inner cup is also microwave safe.

As mentioned above, the FanMug is pretty versatile. When not in season, you can use it as a mug or desk caddy / pen holder at work!

Currently, you can find the FanMug in 15 NFL teams, 19 NCAA teams, and will set you back $11.99 apiece, or you can buy a 4-pack for $39.99.

  

  

  

Getting the FanMug in hand, it is very comfortable to hold.  I've tried many different grips on it; all being very comfortable.  The big thing is, though, it keeps your hand away from any hot or cold beverage that it is holding.

The FanMug will definately get you some looks at the game or in the office.  

Check out more about the FanMug at their website: http://www.fanmug.com/
Like them on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fanmug

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TUNZ Rocks the Lot. Wireless Bluetooth Speaker

TUNZ is a new rechargable bluetooth speaker system from TYLT.  Coming in black, you can modify it with the included bands (see more below).

Input Voltage: 5V 0.5 Amp (Micro USB)
Output Charging Current: 4.75V - 5.25V - 1 Amp
Lithium Ion Battery: 2,800 mAh
Battery Charge Time: 6-7 Hours
Bluetooth: Version 3.0 
Output:80dB Max Output
Connectivity: 3.5mm Input and output jack / Bluetooth
Touch Controls: Volume, Play, Pause, Answer & End Calls
Weight: 12.9 oz.

The Tunz comes with a small carrying bag, 3 different color accent bands (red, blue and black) that help with vibration, a USB cable for charging, and a 3.5mm cord for non-bluetooth devices.

 

One of the great features is a built in NFC chip.  This allows you (if your device is NFC enabled) to touch your phone to the speaker, and have a pre-defined set of actions happen.  For instance, I configured it to turn on bluetooth, pair with the speaker, disable my ringer, and start Pandora.  Pretty slick!

Another nice feature about the TUNZ is that you can actually plug your phone in to it to charge it.  Granted, this isn't going to be the same as plugging into the wall, but when you need some extra juice to keep the party rockin', it comes in very handy.

Having the bluetooth worked well at the tailgates.  You can turn the speaker to full blast, then control the volume with your phone.  You can interact with your phone as you would normally do.  If you get worried about the battery in the unit dying, you can press the bluetooth button and the phone button at the same time, and a nice voice comes on and tells you how much battery you have left.

The size of this speaker is also remarkable.  As you can see from the picture, the speaker itself is the size of a standard smart phone (Motorola Moto X).  Big sound from such a compact unit!  Coming in at 12.9 ounces, the weight isn't too terrible.  The unit feels very well constructed in hand.

After using the TUNZ speaker for a while, I'm very pleased with it.  In our tailgating, the person working the grill can be away from the action, but having a speaker next to it makes the job a bit more enjoyable.  And knowing that you can just take the speaker wherever you need to go is a bonus.  This is certainly a great addition to any tailgate!  It gets plenty loud to keep the mood up, and offers so much more over a standard speaker.

For more information about the TUNZ rechargable bluetooth speaker, they can be found at:
Web: www.tylt.com
Twitter: twitter.com/tyltproducts
Facebook: www.facebook.com/tyltproducts

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SmackHat: A Helmet For Your Ride

When heading to the tailgating lot, the SmackHat is one of the greatest ways to show your team pride on your ride.  We've seen flags and magnets, which are a good entry level.  We've seen the newer products like WindowFanz that are getting to the next level.

But the SmackHat is a HELMET that attaches to your car with rubberized magnets to stay in place while going down the road.

The SmackHat is a youth sized helmet with real team colors and authentic logos on it.  It also comes with a youth size football jersey that makes a great storage bag.

The magnets do a great job of holding the SmackHat in place while going down the road.  Our test vehicle is about as un-aerodynamic as they come, which would put a bit more strain on the magnets than normal, yet we topped out at 76 MPH at one point, and upon arrival, the SmackHat had not moved an inch!

 

We tend to get a lot of traffic past our tailgate, and almost everyone made comment about how cool it was to see a helmet mounted on a car.  It is simply not something you see every day!  Many wanted to see that it was really just magnets holding it on.  Although it requires a stiff yank, you can get the SmackHat off and back on with ease.

There was no noticable road noise from the SmackHat, which was nice.  Some times flags can get a bit loud when you get to higher speeds.

When sitting out in the open like it does, you are bound to smash some bugs.  Cleaning the SmackHat is as simple as mild soap and a microfiber cloth. 

We are very pleased with the SmackHat.  This is something that is certainly raising your tailgating to the next level.  Right now the SmackHat sells for $110. Check them out at http://www.smackhat.com now!
You can also follow them on:
Twitter - https://twitter.com/smackhat
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/SmackHat

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JamCooler Keeps The Party Rockin'

Check out the JamCooler.  This is a perfect party on the go.  Holding up to 100 cans of beverage, this bad boy will crank out tunes with 600 watts of power to the JBL speakers.  Everything in it is marine grade, so no worries of shorting anything out.

The JamCooler has a battery life of 10 hours, provided by two deep cycle batteries.  You can charge the batteries with any standard car battery charger, which, with 10 hours of life, isn't a big deal.

To get the tunes, you can use any Bluetooth audio device (iPhone, iPod, Android phone, etc), or plug into the standard 3.5mm jack.

This cooler is Made in the USA via Orlando, FL and Chicago, IL.  Custom designs are also available.

Here's how to contact JamCooler for more information:
Web: http://jamcooler.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thejamcooler
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JamCooler

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WindowFanz

There are a handful of ways to show your team pride while driving to your favorite tailgate lot to cheer on your team.  We've all seen the magnets on the doors and flags stuck in the windows.  But what most haven't seen is a new product called the WindowFanz.

The WindowFanz is a half mini helmet that sticks to your window as you drive down the road.  As you can see, it is held in place by three suction cups, and also a tether strap that mounts inside the car.  This great design allows you to put your window down partially while driving without having to worry about the helmet falling off your ride.  If this were a flag, it would be laying on the side of the road!

If you choose, you can also remove the tether strap and place it almost any flat, smooth surface, be it a home window or an RV window.  As you can see in the pictures, I have even attached it to the side of a bookcase!  You can also see how shiny the helmet is.  The construction of the helmet and tether are both very solid.  I have no worries about it failing anytime soon.

 

  
 

Driving down the road, there is no vibration or wind noise generated by the WindowFanz.  You will, however, get a lot of looks from others in traffic.  I had multiple people ask about it while driving around town.

Currently, there are a number of college and high school teams available for $29.99.  And it is worth mentioning that the WindowFanz is made and assembled right here in the USA!

You can find out more about WindowFanz at: http://www.windowfanz.com/
You can also follow them on Twitter: https://twitter.com/windowfanz

EZ Grill - Portable Grilling Made Easy

Sometimes, you want great grilled foods, but don't have access to a grill.  The EZ Grill is a portable, disposable grill that is fully recyclable. When you open the package, you will fina a foil pan, stand, grill grate and all natural instance charcoal.

Simply unpackage the grill and light the bag with a match, and you are good to go in about 10-15 minutes.  The amount of sustained heat from such a small package was impressive.  We were able to grill 4 thick burgers without issue, and still had heat to spare.  It should produce usable heat for 1-1.5 hours.  We've also run hotdogs and beer brats on this grill, simmering the brats on the EZ Grill for 15 minutes before grilling them.

   

 

I never thought a portable grill would be as handy as this unit. It is as easy as can be. Grilling is easy, clean up is easy, and the cost is down right cheap.

I keep a spare EZ Grill around for those terrible times when you are grilling on a propane grill, and you run out of gas (we've all had it happen).  The EZ Grill is certainly a winner!

Grill Grates Are Simply Amazing

If you are like us at TailgateLot, sometimes they gear you bring to the tailgate isn't as nice as you'd use at your house.  We have an old grill that we've make to look like a football helmet and mounted on the front of our rig.  The problems with cheaper grills is that they can start to show their flaws when cooking a lot of traditional fatty tailgating foods.

Enter the Grill Grate.  This is an addition to practically any grill out there, as they sit on top of the existing grates.  They will help to reduce and eliminate flare up and provide more even cooking.  Knowing our grill, and the devestation it takes, I was very interested in this product.  

The Grill Grates are made from aluminum, and the panels come in many different sizes.  They interlock forming a solid surface to grill upon.  Once installed, the Grill Grate will give you new dimensions in cooking, as they will provide infrared heating to your food, along with conduction and convection.  

I used hamburgers as my first test of the Grill Grate.  After a few minutes on one side, I gave them a quarter turn, and let them cook a few minutes longer before flipping.  The marks that the Grill Grate leaves on the food is gorgeous.  The cooking was extremely even, and best of all, NO FLARE UP AT ALL!

My next test was a steak.  The Grill Grate shines with steaks.  In the 2013 World Championship Steak Cook-Off, the top 3 finishers all used GrillGrate!  In fact, 1st place the past three years has been grilled with Grill Grate.  I'm not a world champion steak griller, but even my steaks came off looking world class.

Grill Grate is a must have for any grill setup out there.  Gas, charcoal, you name it.  The end product tastes great, and looks even better.

Check them out at: http://www.grillgrate.com
You can also follow them on Twitter: https://twitter.com/grillgrate

Chill Puck. The Next Generation of Can Coolers

On the hot days of the early tailgating season, if your drinking pace slows down, you run the risk of having a warm beer at the end of your can.  The Chill Puck aims to combat this problem.  The Chill Puck consists of a freezable plastic disk and a Chill Band that holds it to your can, giving the can a sweet base of ice to sit upon.

As you can see from the pictures, the band helps keep the puck in contact with both major sizes of beer cans, the traditional and the slimmer Coors Light can.  These will also fit tightly into a standard collapsible coozie.

Freezing the pucks is a quick proposition.  Toss in the freezer overnight.  When you are ready for action, just press your can down into the puck and the Chill Band will grab hold.  I'd recommend having two of these bad boys, so you always have one in the cooler staying cold for its chance at glory.  If your beer isn't cold, don't expect a miracle.  This won't make it ice cold, but it WILL keep a cold beer cold longer.

The Chill Puck currently comes in white, gray, black and glow in the dark green.  For an additional fee, you can get a custom design of your very own.

Check out their website at: http://www.ChillPuck.com/
Follow them on Twitter at: https://twitter.com/chill_puck