Before there was olive drab canvas there was genuine leather military equipment, like these 4-slot German military magazine pouches. Measure 10-1/4" x 6-1/4" x 1-3/4" with a quartet of compartments at approx 1-1/4" x 1-3/4" x 8" deep with flip-down covers that fasten over brass studs. Has an angle-mounted 60” buckled strap with a 4" x 2-1/2" x 7/8" flapped pouch sliding on it. You’d need to roll your magazines pretty tight to fit in the slots, but they’d hold any number of Slim Jims.

You could go find the actual critters under the Antarctic ice, in space or eating rotten veggies in your garden, or you could just get our nice plush versions. Our cuddly bug collection includes: the fuzzy roly poly, called the pill bug, woodlouse and worse, that inhabits damp spots in your garden, but ours is 7” long in two-tone blue with a happy smile, perky ears and a tripartite tail; and the furry tardigrade, a fluffy version of a thing that’s normally darn-near microscopic, called a water-bear or moss piglet, that’s a bug relative--a crustacean that you don’t want in your bed. Our version is 9“ x 5” in powder blue plush, and it looks more like a six-legged furry hamster. These toys are considerably more pleasant than the real things, which your mother wouldn’t let you keep anyway. Plus they’re washable!

Sort-of maybe perhaps shaped like a little race car, it has a 2” long knife blade, 9/16” dia compass on a stick, 1/8” driver with bottle opener and file, #2 Phillips driver, awl and 1-1/8” corkscrew, plus a bore to hang it from your key-chain. Sides are black plastic. Go stuff a stocking.

Looks like a missing part from the Starship Enterprisingly, but it’s really just a dandy little 12VDC piston-action water pump. Originally used for medical purposes. Draws 600mA, has a rate and lift on the low side but should be fine for continuous use for you fountain fans. Measures an L-shaped 5-3/8" x 4-5/8" x 3-1/2", with barbed 1/4” output and 5/32” input diameters.

Yes, campers, you can now tote a teapot to the woods. This devilishly clever, collapsible silicone tea kettle measures 5-1/2" dia x just 1-3/8" when folded down to its stainless steel base, but pulls itself up (actually, you do the pulling) to stand 6-1/4” tall and hold more than 40 oz of water. Even has a locking spout, and a fold-away handle. Food-grade and dishwasher-safe, it’s good over any low flame as well as on electric stoves.

Great balls of air! The mighty AIRZOOKA is back--and as cool as ever! Looking like a plastic bucket with a handle and a flip-up gun sight, it blasts a puff of air up to 50 feet. Blow out candles from across the room (and avoid spitting on birthday cakes), spook the cat, disperse bugs, take target practice at styrofoam cups or buy a pair and play air-tag. Measures roughly 11” tall x 11” dia in bright blue plastic and is, frankly, much more fun than you would imagine.

These mysteriously appealing ball-point pens have black ink and a rubber grip at the business end, and a 5/8” dia rare earth magnet embedded in the end of a 1-3/4” long flexible rubber tail at the other end. Yep, you read that right--a magnet. So when they’re not in use they’ll just dangle from any steel surface--like fridges, file cabinets and belt buckles. We’ll pick a pair in red, aqua or black, because they’re all cute as the dickens.

This dipped, nominally 10K Ohm thermistor is on a heatshrunk and tubed 27” lead with a 6mm 2-pin Molex connector. Resistance drops as heat increases (NTC). Comes encased in a 1” x 1-1/8” plastic housing with a clip. AC takeout.

It doesn’t stain when you spill your latte on it. You pick from our selection of plastic (polypropylene) three-ring binders with 1-1/2” rings, measuring 11-3/4” x 10-1/4”. You choose berry, lime-ish green, or Wedgwoody blue with 1/16” thick covers, or the thinner, 1/32” cover, in blue only.

This 2” dia x approx 3/4” thick disc holds a retractable 1/4" wide, 60” long vinyl tape measure inside. Marked in 1/16” increments, it has 150mm, in 1mm increments, on the other. Has stop clicks and push-button rewind, and is on a 1” chain with a very cute 1-1/2” carabiner for attaching it to a key chain. In white and translucent neon colors, which we’ll select for you because in your busy life who has the time?

The boombox may be dead, but Boom Bags live on to fight the onslaught of all those ear-bud-wearing newbies. Play it loud with this audio take-out from the makers of Boom Bags carry-on audio luggage and backpacks. Our each is a self-contained stereo amp with 5W per side via 3” speakers, plus a 4” 8W subwoofer, all with metal mesh covers. Has 1/8” output, audio input and mic input with separate level control. Remote has a 15-foot range, and adjusts the subwoofer volume. Also has (3) USB charge ports, and comes with a 5-foot 1/8” standard headphone cord and power supply with a 6-foot cord. Remote has a coin-cell battery. Power LED is a standby light. Measures 13-1/4" x 12-3/4" x 1-3/8" thick. Build your own bag or box, or just hang it on the wall.

From our Unlikely Combination Division comes our first-ever wind-up vehicle capable of climbing any vertical ferrous-metal surface, like your filing cabinet or (non-stainless) fridge, thanks to tiny embedded magnets. Also chugs along on the horizontal. Measures 1-7/8" x 1-1/2" x 1-3/4" tall with the winder. In assorted colors that we'll decide on, thank you very much.

Oh, all right, go ahead. Convert any lamp to a touch-switch with this indoor touch-control plug. Plug it in and plug the lamp outlet through it, then touch any metal part of the lamp to turn it on or off. Handles up to 200W max. Packaging lists it for use with incandescent or halogen bulbs, but not CCFLs, and it worked fine with an LED bulb we tried. Measures 2-3/4” x 2-1/4” x just over 1” thick. UL.

Imagine a not-unteletubbyish space guy, but with a couple sets of rotors in his head, and the ability to hover. Has sensors on his feet so he knows where the ground (our your hand) is, and he’ll keep hovering. Plus his blue eyes flash on and off, like a short, intergalactic Frank Sinatra. Measures 5” tall with a 5-1/2” rotor-span. Powered by an internal battery, rechargeable via a USB port with the included 10” cord. Run time is 4-5 mins.

You pick the cord to cut: the microcord dispenser has (125) feet of 3/64" cord rated for 100-lb tensile strength, spooled on a handy belt holder with a recessed cutting blade. Measures 3-1/4" x 2-1/4" x 1-5/8". The paracord dispenser has (50) feet of 5/32” dia, 7-strand 550 cord in a plastic case with a belt clip and recessed cutting blade. Measures 3-3/4" x 3-3/4" x 2-1/2". Both are made in the USA by Atwood Rope. Sorry folks there was a typo on our latest email. Pricing on the 50-Foot dispenser with cord should have been $17.50 and not $7.50. Sorry for the confusion.

It’s a little jewelers loupe. The loupe is little, not the jewelers, although they could be short, but we’ve never actually seen the jewelers who use these, so…oh, never mind--it’s shiny brass and would look jewel-like hung on a chain. Measures a teardroppy 1-1/8" x 7/8" x 3/4" shape, and folds out to reveal an 18mm dia glass lens with approx 10X magnification.

Our each is tub of glitter putty, born at the confluence of silly putty and Ziggy Stardust, with (3) distinct layers of glittery gloop, which Paul, our VP for Gloop Nomenclatura, assures us are heliotrope, apple green and public swimming pool blue. Also smells like Dippity Do, but don’t put it in your hair. You’ll get 4-1/2 ounces, which is more than your mother would like you to have.

If Louisa May Alcott had moved on from Little Women and Little Men to little critters, she’d have been all over this collection of beasts. All approx 3” to 3-1/2” in hard rubber with articulated jaws, so they can look vicious or contemplative. We’ll send you a pack of (3) different ones, possibly including a lion, tiger, white tiger, hippopotamus, crocodile or cheetah.

Got boring throw pillows? We feel your boredom. Try these 18” square (a common throw-pillow size) nylon pillow covers to bring a touch of whimsy to your couch. You pick: the pug dressed as Henry VIII, as they will if left to their own devices; the cat dressed as Henry's daughter, Elizabeth I; or the corgi with top hat, bow-tie and monocle, which they wear when the queen’s not around.

From Marbleocity®, the STEM specialists who combine technical education with marbles to make it all more fun. You pick: the Archimedes screw-maker kit that will yield, yes, a working Archimedes screw in wood and plastic, approx 6" tall on a 4" x 6"base; or the Chaos Mountain-maker kit, which demonstrates the random action of mountain creation and will be approx 6” x 4” in wood and plastic when complete. Both are beginner-level, will take approx an hour to build, and include graphic-comic book instructions.

Stethos is Greek for chest. Indeed you can scope your stethos with this stethoscope, or your friend's or your dog's. But it works equally well for picking up any sound being transmitted through a solid medium. Listen to the air flowing through the heating ducts, the water in the pipes, the sounds of machinery, the termites munching on the floor joists!! The color does vary so we will select from what's currently available. We've had blue, teal, red, black, burgundy, green and purple, but there may be other colors yet to be seen! A great discovery device whether for biology or other pursuits. Not of professional quality, but not just a toy.

The sun is the only real fire that matters with this incredible torch. It’s an iZoom® accent light, solar-powered and light-sensor-activated, with an LED that flickers like an actual flame. Runs 8 hours on a full charge, and can be stuck in the ground on its included, adjustable-height stake, or mounted on the wall with the included connector. Also has a tabletop base for your more intimate tiki moments. Obviously it’s waterproof, and let’s see if your open flame can say that.

What do rotary tools have in common with fashionistas? Yes, it really is all about accessorizing. This set includes (20) shading bands, (10) fiberglass cut-off wheels, (21) assorted grinding stones, (3) polishing wheels, (45) woolen wheels and points, (36) silicone cut-off wheels, (60) sanding discs, (6) brushes, (5) diamond burrs, (8) high-speed steel burrs and drills, (3) mandrels and some polishing paste, all have a 1/8" shaft and come in a dandy wooden case. Case measures approximately 12-3/8" x 5-3/8" x 1-3/4".  Check out our best selling rotary tool here. Click!

We don't know the folks at TSA, but we're hoping they won't let you on the plane with this remote-controlled rattler, for everyone's sake. Measures approx 16" long with (22) segments and creeps along quite quickly when you push the forward, left or right buttons on the snake-eggish infrared remote. Remote runs on (3) button-cell batteries, included, and the snake is rechargeable via the included USB charge cord. (If you're USB-deviceless, get our 40579 USB-out wall plug.) Range is about 20 feet. We'll pick a snake in serpauthentic speckled gray, speckeld white, or green or orange, all with a nice retractable tongue.

Break free of cables with this passive RCA HDTV antenna that’s so thin it virtually disappears. Made to receive free HD/VHF/UHF signals, the antenna is a pair of extremely thin black plastic wings, each 14” long x 3” tapering to 3/8”. Overall, it’s 29” long x approx nothing deep. The center connector has a 50” length of thin COAX cable with an “F” connector to mate with the TV input. Marked refurbished, but you can’t tell them from new. A little assembly is required.

I am not a rock, I just look like one. I'm actually a 3-1/2" x 2" x 1-1/2" deceptively rock-like hunk of gray and black polyresin that's hollowed out to hold your spare key and hide among all the other rocks.

Jumbo blacklight measures 10-1/2" long x 2-1/2" x 1-3/4" and holds an 8" UV fluorescent tube plus a white LED flashlight on one end. Adjustable strap extends to 22" or lays flat. Takes (3) D-cell batteries. A must-have for security or crime scenes, but don't shine it on the furnishings in your hotel room if you don't want to be disappointed.

This take-out solenoid valve is a simple open/closed solenoid valve that is normally closed. It draws 100mA at 12VDC. Has 3/16" OD inlet and outlet at right angles to each other. Housing measures 1-3/16" long x 15/16" dia with terminals at the back end.

Our big square duffel bag is made of water-resistant polyester canvas in a digital camo design, perfect for members of the military or anyone who wants to hide luggage in the woods. Measures 25" long x 14" square with 14" square x 2-1/2" pockets on each end with slide-in compartments on the outside and a pair of 9" x 10" zippered pockets on the front. Light olive canvas handles and a matching detachable shoulder strap.

High tech comes to Am Sci & Surp!! It is here in the form of a Peltier junction, a thermo-electric device that translates electric power into heat, and perversely, into cool. Apply current @ 3-12 VDC to the gizmo and it extracts thermal energy from one face, thereby cooling it. The heat is dumped onto the other face, thereby heating it. Please note: you must use a heat sink on the hot side or the junction will fry itself, since it can quickly create a 65° C temperature differential in a no load situation. Stack two, or build a cascade to increase the thermal differential created. Or run it backwards. Apply heat or cold to the relevant face and produce a current. Amazing for science projects and experiments. Practical for coffee warmers, beer coolers and mini-refrigerator or warming oven applications. Comes with instructions. Large is 1-9/16" sq. x 3/16" thick.

From the official Sharpie® people, this set has (20) fade-, water- and smear-resistant markers: (10) fine point in blue, green, yellow, neon yellow, tangerine, both neon and leg-warmer orange, hot pink, red and brown; plus (10) ultra-fine point markers in black, navy, techno and nano blue, aqua, green, orange and optic orange, magenta and jellie pink. They’re for coloring the 12-page aquatic-themed coloring book. (Be assured that when it’s all filled in you’re permitted to color non-ichthyological things indefinitely with the same markers.)

You might know these as “diagonal cutters,” which is what electricians sometimes call them because “wire cutters” is too easy. These are 6" long, nickel-plated high-carbon steel with dipped handles so you don’t electrocutionate yourself.

This Olive Drab painted on the outside and shiny, reflective silver on the inside aluminum lampshade from Uncle is 7” dia at the bottom x 4-1/8” tall with a 1-5/16” hole non-threaded, in the top for the bulb. Plug the hole and it’s a bowl!

Turn the knob on this battery-powered lantern and watch the trio of 12-element COB LEDs go from nothing to 600 lumens. Measures 8-7/8" tall x 4-1/2" dia with a clear 4-1/8” tall window around the light, which has a folding handle and a bonus compass on top. You add (3) “D” cell batteries and you’re good for approx (6) hours, or more if you dim the light. We’ll pick one in red, blue or green because it doesn’t matter.

Our mini-coffin, in unfinished pine with brassish hinges and a clasp, is 6" long x 1-3/4" deep x 3" at the shoulders. You definitely want to think outside of this box, but it's perfect for gerbils, mice (just because you killed them doesn't mean you can't give them a nice send-off), Halloween and Day of the Dead displays, and tiny vampires. We use ours to store doornails.

We know you need accent lights, and we know you hate paying electricians. So…grab this 7-3/8” long x 1-1/8” x 1/2” silver iZoom® light bar, peel the back off the magnetic strip it comes with and stick it up anywhere. Has (10) LEDs and is rated for 200 lumens behind a frosted white lens. Has a motion and light sensor, so it only accents stuff in low light when it senses movement, which saves on the (4) “AAA” batteries it comes with. Lights for a 3-minute duty cycle.

These translucent plastic envelopes are 11-3/8" x 9-1/2" in a lovely blue-gray tint with a fold-over flap to keep papers from sliding out. Long side has a silver strip suitable for writing contents on with a marker. You'll receive (3) packs of (5) for a total of (15) envelopes, or enough to organize all those store discount cards you've amassed.

We named it for Billy, our very own social media maven, but the manufacturer, iZoom®, calls it a Security Flashlight. The solid heft and sturdiness of this this particular item cannot be understimated. Weighs a formidable 3/4-lb, and measures 14" long in black  aluminum alloy with high/low/strobe modes and a max 200-lumen rating for the single SMD (surface mount device) LED. On a 6" wrist strap, it comes with (3) “AA” batteries.

And then give us a little tweeze, and a couple more for luck. Our 4-piece stainless steel tweezer set includes: 4-5/8" long bent tweezers; 4-1/2” fine point; 4-5/8” cross-locks; and 4-1/4” blunt-tip stamp tweezers with 1/4” wide tips for you philatelists.

Bring back the '70s for nine bucks. Screw this red-green-blue LED prismatic, rotating bulb into any standard medium-base light socket and your room turns into disco heaven. Bulb will stand about 5" above or below the socket. Draws approx 6W. CJ recommends any Donna Summer album for use with it. Please note that the remote depicted on the packaging is not included.