Valentine's Day Gift Guide - Mantry - The Subscription Box for Men

About Mantry

Mantry is the leading Food-of-the-Month club for men in North America.

The definitive destination for modern men looking to discover American artisan food and how to cook and entertain with it, Mantry is an engaging food lifestyle resource. With an exacting filter and relevant voice that aims to inform and inspire, Mantry delivers remarkable products, stories and food experiences today’s man can appreciate, enjoy and share. 

My Thoughts

There are tons of subscription boxes out there, but Mantry was made just for men.  They scour the artisan food market to find some of the tastiest items, sure to appeal to the male pallet, and ship them right to your door. This month, my husband got to try out one of their crates and it was a fun surprise. He enjoyed the extensive variety of items that were included and even the unique packaging. They actually use a crate, which men can store in their man cave long after the food is gone.

 Each month the crates has a special theme. This month was "Hecho en America II", so everything in the package had a Mexican theme and most of it had a bit of a kick to it, making it the perfect way to spice up your Valentine's Day. The crate held an impressive amount of meats, condiments, spices and other items that my husband loved. Inside the crate is a flyer with information about each product, including the state of origin. Check out all the goodies we got to try.

Aurielia's Dry-Cured Chorizo - This Chorizo is great as part of a breakfast of eggs and beans, but also an amazing snack with crackers. 

Elixirs Salsa Verde - Add this to a taco or use it as a dip for your nachos. Either way, this is a spicy treat you're bound to enjoy.

Just Cook Ancho Rub - Give your chicken some bite with this tasty rub.

Fiddyment Farms Chilli Lime Pistachios - Nothing goes better with a cold tequila than a handful of nuts. These pistachios are a such a spicy delight, you'll need that drink to wash them down.

Liber & Co Texas Grapefruit Shrub - Grapefruit flavored tequila? Yes please! Just add a splash to some seltzer water for an exotic drink that will leave your mouth very happy.

Olive & Sinclair Cinnamon Chili Bar - Chocolate with a major kick. This combination of sweet and spicy will have your mouth watering.

These are only a few examples of the monthly goodies you'll receive if you subscribe to Mantry. Every month they send out a new crate with a new theme. If you're looking for a unique Valentine's Day gift for a special man in your life, Mantry would be a great choice, whether you choose to send just one crate or splurge on a subscription.  If you'd like to learn more about this fun subscription box, you can visit their website. Also be sure to check out their social media.

Twitter
Face Book
Tumbler
Instagram

Holiday Gift Guide: ThermaCELL ProFLEX Heated Insoles

ThermaCELL Heated Insoles

Remote Controlled Heat for your Feet

ThermaCELL Heated Insoles are the latest innovation in outdoor comfort technology. They keep your feet and toes warm in the coldest conditions, at work or play. 

ThermaCELL's foot warmer offers convenient remote operation, no wires or external batteries, and at least 2,500 hours of toasty heat to warm cold feet for about four winters of heavy use:

• Rechargeable foot warmer is operated by a wireless remote control while the foot warmer is inside your shoes or boots
• Uses high-tech wireless thermal technology—no wires, extension cords, Velcro® straps, or battery strap brackets, and no batteries mounted to the ankle, shoe, or waist
• Charge lasts up to 5 hours of constant use (on medium heat setting)
• Powered by rechargeable, built-in lithium-ion polymer batteries embedded in the foot warmer insoles
• Adjustable to three temperature settings to warm cold feet by remote control: no heat, medium (100 degrees Fahrenheit), and high (111 degrees Fahrenheit)
• Can be recharged at least 500 times using the included charger.
• Recharges in 4 hours or less
• It’s how to keep feet warm while hunting, working, or playing outdoors
• Small, lightweight remote control operates Heated Insoles and fits into a pocket or attaches to a belt
• Water resistant
• Fit easily into your shoes or boots
• Less than half the cost of other wireless remote systems
• Tested by SATRA, worldwide leader in footwear testing, research, and development

Package includes: 2 Heated Insoles equipped with integrated rechargeable lithium-ion polymer batteries; 1 remote control with battery; 1 lanyard; 1 drawstring travel bag; 1 global charger; 1 instruction booklet

Customizable Sizes for Men and Women

Fits men’s shoe sizes 3.5 to 13 and women’s shoe sizes 4.5 to 14

• Can be trimmed to fit almost any shoe size

HOW HEATED INSOLES WORK:
Heated Insoles use state-of-the-art thermal technology with a built-in thermostat.  So they get warm, but not hot, to the touch.

Your feet won't get too hot and sweat, and they won't get too cold. That's because ThermaCELL Heated Insoles heat to a specific temperature, based on your remote control setting:

• Medium 100F
• High 111F

Heated Insoles are designed to keep your feet at the optimum temperature you select.  Once Heated Insoles reach that temperature, they temporarily turn themselves off.   Then they'll turn back on when needed - just like a house thermostat.

This thermostat-driven smart technology is what sets ThermaCELL apart from other products on the market.

Insert ThermaCELL Heated Insoles into the footwear you already own. They turn almost any footwear into heated boots or shoes. These versatile insoles are…

• Water resistant
• Comfortable
• Durable
• Customizable to most foot sizes

Plus, they cost only 5 cents per hour to run.

Note: ThermaCELL Heated Insoles are not intended to, and won’t ever, get as hot as disposable or chemical foot warming pads like HeatMax Toasti Toes®, which often cause feet to sweat.

Visit ThermaCELL Heated Insoles on their website, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.

Our Thoughts

My husband likes to hunt in the fall and winter months, and we've invested a lot into keeping him warm in the frigid Minnesota temps.  ThermaCELL's Heated Insoles sounded like a perfect addition to his winter hunting gear, and he was very interested in trying them.  I laughed and told him how spoiled he was having a remote control for heating his feet!

We were hoping the Heated Insoles would arrive in time for our annual Wisconsin deer opener hunting trip, but they didn't.  Which was fine, because it ended up being 51F!!  Crazy weather!  They did arrive the day after we got home.  He took them out to field test them in one of our Wildlife Management Areas a few days later when the temps dipped to -16F in the early morning, with a high of -3F that day.  LOL, talk about a temp change! Now, he wears really thick super insulated boots, and as usual, wore two layers of wool socks - one thick, one thin.  ThermaCELL recommends keeping the Heated Insoles "off" while walking (and any other strenuous exercise), then turning them on once you are more stationary.  So, once in position out in the woods, he used the remote to turn them on. 

ThermaCELL's Heated Insoles are a pretty cool idea.  Retailing at $100 - $130, they not only have a remote control that you can easily clip onto your belt, they have two heat settings and should be good for about 5 hours.  They have a thermostat, just like a house thermostat, that turns on and off automatically based on the temp setting you choose.  And they top out at 111F, which is warm enough to keep your feet toasty but not hot enough for them to sweat.  The only downfall we could see for the Heated Insoles was the battery is embedded and cannot be replaced.  ThermaCELL now offers the ProFLEX Heated Insoles, which has removeable (and replaceable) batteries. The ProFLEX retails at $150 - $179.

He came back home after about 4 hours, and reported his feet were getting cold and he couldn't feel the heat from the Heated Insoles at all; he wasn't sure they even turned on - but he wasn't about to take his boots off to check while it was that cold out.  So, we both checked them after he got inside.  I could feel the heat with my fingers when I pressed on the insoles, but stepping on them with my bare feet, I could not.  According to the directions, ThermaCELL recommends wearing medium to lightweight socks with the Heated Insoles, and since my husband was wearing two layers of wool socks, he didn't feel the heat.  ThermaCELL's directions also say if your feet are already warm, you may not feel the heat from the Heated Insoles, so that explains why I couldn't feel it with my bare feet but I could with my (cold) hands.

Next up, I had another family member, my mom's husband, who enjoys outdoors in the winter test them out.  He used them while putting up Christmas decorations. 

The temp was 11F, and it was a lot of standing in place - so, not strenuous exercise, which means he could keep the Heated Insoles turned on.  He has good winter boots, but less insulated than my husband's super-insulated winter boots. He was also wearing less sock insulation than my husband did. He liked the Heated Insoles, however, after a couple of hours he reported his heels were warm, but his toes were cold.  He has some nerve damage in one foot, so it's extra important he keep an eye on the temp of his feet.

After reading through all of ThermaCELL's instructions and FAQ's, I think the Heated Insoles would be better in somewhat warmer temps, our temps may have just been too cold for the Heated Insoles to keep up with.  Mom's husband is an avid ice-fisherman with an insulated fish house (so it's warmer but not too warm inside the fish house), and I bet ThermaCELL's Heated Insoles will keep his feet nice and warm - and sweat-free - while he's ice fishing.

If you're looking for a Christmas gift for the winter sportsman (or woman!) in your life, the ThermaCELL Heated Insoles might be just the thing!

Thanks to ManCave, Your Man Doesn't Necessarily Need to Smell Like HIS Man Cave

By Tara.

I have a few products to share with you today, all for HIM. I mean, really, it's okay for him to have a man cave or in our case, a garage, but you don't want him to smell...well...too manly. LOL

ManCave intends to make sure your man doesn't smell too man cavey, or at least not like smelly socks, old cigars, or fuel.

I received the following items and passed them on to my husband for his expertise.

Moisturiser.

What they say: ManCave’s innovative natural oil-free face moisturizer is enriched with bioactives and UV filters to create a soothing easily absorbed formula.

What my man says: "It's like aftershave." While I don't see why you can't use this on your entire body, it IS intended for the face. Unfortunately we haven't had much sun around here lately and it hasn't been warm enough anyway for him to test out its UV filters. The smell--WONDERFUL. I'm just going to throw this out there about all five products right now, as they have the same scent. It's fantastic. Def no complaints on the smell. This moisturizer is very strong and he has been using it like an aftershave. It's non-greasy and has helped soothe as well as keep the dry skin at bay.


Facewash.
What they say: ManCave’s Willow Bark FaceWash combines natural extracts to refresh, waken and purify skin leaving a fresh, healthy appearance - without drying your skin.

What he says: I'll be honest. I had a hard time getting any comments out of him from this. I will say he had no complaints. He just said this was all right. I get the impression he likes it; he just isn't sold enough to stray from his usual facewash. Why? I think he finds this too "runny". He prefers thicker face wash, creamy, and this is like shower gel or hand soap. But he did say it lathers and cleans just fine. Smell? Again, thumbs up.

Shampoo.
What they say: ManCave’s Caffeine Shampoo combines Panthenol, Shea Butter and Vitamin E with the stimulating effect of Caffeine to gently cleanse and minimize hair loss.


What he says: "A little goes a long way with this stuff. One small dollop and I get my entire head. I don't need to use as much shampoo as with other products." Does it minimize hair loss? I'm not sure. He'd have to use it a long time for me to judge that. I can say with all honesty though that he doesn't dandruff while using it and he's normally an anti-dandruff shampoo kind of guy.

Shower Gel.
What they say: ManCave’s Cedarwood Shower Gel is a natural body wash combining a deep forest fragrance with an invigorating cleansing action to energize your skin and senses.


What he says: "I like the way it lathers. It's not too runny and doesn't get all over the place and drip off your loofah before you can lather it up and put it on your body." This was a winner with him, and me, as I can smell it on his skin after his shower. Great scent. And combined with the other products mentioned, he's not battling the usual dry-skin wars.

Deodorant.
What they say: ManCave’s Aluminum-Free Deodorant uses Silver Citrate to remove bacterial odor, keeping you naturally protected for up to 24hrs.

What he says: "I don't care for it." While we def liked the other products, this one was a miss for both of us. I actually tried it one night before bed and I woke up and smelled awful. This stuff is NOT a body odor fighter. I'm not sure what it's missing. It may be healthy, but it's not much of an antiperspirant. It's also very runny. If you accidentally pull the wrong end of the cap off, it spills like water. The husband used it for all of maybe two days before he went back to his normal brand. He said he noticed he stank, and that was just after 8 hours of work. Would it hold up to 24? I don't think so. :/

All that being said, a bonus with any ManCave product is it's made from natural ingredients including 12 essential oils and are safer for the environment. See the leaping bunny on their products.

Also, there is free shipping on any order totaling 50 dollars or more.

Holiday Gift Guide: Tastosterone - The Best Cookbook for Men

**Product was received in exchange for an honest review**

The holidays are approaching and it’s about that time to begin searching for gift ideas. For any moms that are looking to find the perfect gift for dad, TASTOSTERONE: The Best Cookbook for Men is one to add to the shopping list. There are many things men will instinctively purchase on their own, such as tools and technology; however, many tend to forego purchases that could boost their confidence and sex appeal. TASTOSTERONE, written by cook, blogger and author Debra Levy Picard, helps men to navigate around the kitchen, where they will ultimately find independence, health, nostalgia and love through cooking. 

TASTOSTERONE offers men an attractive road map of more than 100 recipes, tools, techniques and tips for cooking up delicious dishes. The cookbook speaks to men of all ages – the son, husband, father, single guy, newlywed, college student, retiree, divorcé and widower. Whether he’s a top chef or has never set foot in the kitchen, he will be able to master the simple recipes found in TASTOSTERONE.  

Our Thoughts

What do you get for the man in your life who has just about everything? Well for me, it's a cookbook that is simple. If the man in your life is anything like mine, he doesn't cook very often and you do most of the cooking. Right? Well, with the Tastosterone cookbook he can cook for you without having to ask a bunch of questions.

The cookbook is simple. It gives a list of what items are needed in a shopping list and what you may have on hand already. There is simple, numbered directions for making the dish and there is a large picture on the left side of the page so he can see if his concoction matches or is at least close to what the dish should look like. 

Quite honestly, this cookbook doesn't have to just be for the man in your life. It works well for women too! I know that there are some dishes in this book that I am dying to try my hand at! I give this cookbook a solid 5 stars!  

You can also check out this book on their website or Amazon (available in paperback or  for Kindle)! 

** I received no form of monetary compensation for this post. The thoughts expressed are strictly my own and have not been influenced in any way.**