Channellock has put together a great general purpose tool roll set, and in my opinion it is the best tool set they offer. The Tool Roll No. 3 Gift Set includes the: 430 tongue & groove plier, 420 tongue & groove plier, 337 cutting plier, 3017 long nose plier, 526 slip joint plier. These 5 tools are a great addition to a DIYer's small collection of tools, and can be used for many of the most common DIY tasks. This is not some cheap tool set either, and should last a lifetime. Channellock sent me this set for review, and they also sent the one I gave away last month.

When installing windows or doors you need to use shims to help hold the frame level and plumb. Typically you would used the classic wood cedar shim or you would use the newer plastic or composite shims. But now there is another option on the table, air shims. The air shim I am talking about is called a WinBag, and it is actually a small inflatable bag that expands with a few hand pumps of air to fill gaps ranging from 2mm to 50mm (0.078" - 1.968"). Once you use the WinBags to get your project level and plumb, you can then fasten it to the wall, remove the WinBags and fill the gaps with expanding foam. The WinBag has a weight load rating of 100kg (220lbs), so it shimming and moving possibilities are endless.

Is is fair or even possible to call a ToolRank Pick just from seeing a product demonstrated in a video? Well, that is pretty much the case for the Hat Grabber. The moment I saw it in action on video I knew it had the potential to be a real winner; all I had to do is test it out for myself to make sure it worked as well as advertised and confirm my suspicions.

If you remember, the Hat Grabber is a small hardhat add-on that claims to better hold your hard hat on your head. The people over at Hat Grabber were cool enough to send over a few of their Hat Grabbers so that my co-workers and I could test them out and see if they really worked. We are a crew that seems to have our hats on the floor more then on our heads, so we were the right guys for the job.

I pick up a pair of Blaklader pants a year or so ago, and picked up a second lighter weight model just a few moths ago. I have had to time to spend with both models and have come to the conclusion that they are the best work pants that I have ever used. Not only do the pants have a ton of great features and are tough, but they are also very comfortable.

Could Blaklader take these already great pants and make them any better? Well it appears the answer is yes, with the addition of their X1600 work pants. One of the key factors for the durability of Blaklader pants is their use of super-strong Cordura fabric in areas of the pants that see the most abuse. The old pants use this Cordura fabric for the kneepad pockets, but the new X1600 pants use Cordura for the kneepad pockets, most of the front of the pants, and now the utility pockets. Even the leg cuffs are wrapped in Cordura. If you look at the photo, everything in black is Cordura fabric, the rest of the pant is made out of 13oz 100% cotton fabric.

The X1600 pants also feature some new design changes. Under the right Cordura leg shield, on the thigh, is a zipper pocket that can be used to store gloves, or a hat. The kneepad pockets now feature two different shelves to hold kneepads, and better allows the pants to fit all body types. You might also notice the pants have more loops, pencil slits, and even a place for a jobsite ID badge.

There is no mention of price, but I know Cordura fabric is not cheap; regular Blaklader pants cost around $50, so you should expect to pay a lot more for the X1600 that will be coming out this September.

If I could make a request, I would ask that Blaklader make more color options available as well as different fabric weights. I live in sunny SoCal, and do not want to wear anything black or anything that heavy in the summer.

Blaklader USA