HoKENA LED safety flare Reivew + Giveaway!

Are you prepared for accidents to happen while driving in your vehicle? If you were to get hit, break down or have a tire pop while driving at night the last thing you'd want is for someone to end up hitting you because they didn't see your car pulled over onto the side of the road. Some roadside assistance kits come with road flairs, but they are generally a one time use item. 

I recently found out about a company called HoKENA, who produces LED flares that last a lifetime. It isn't just the flare that sets this company apart, but also the amount of care and thought that goes into each package. They sell their flares in a set of three for $34.99 and they arrive in a bright orange carrying case or if three flares isn't enough they also sell them in a five pack. As you can see the carrying case is significantly smaller than the box it is package in, why is that?

The three flares aren't the only thing you receive when you purchase this safety set. They also include a whistle, two screw drivers to make changing the batteries a breeze, two emergency thermal blankets and a window breaker/seat belt cutter. Every item in this pack is extremely helpful in a emergency situation and can be used for non-car type emergencies as well. 

Each flare is slightly larger than the palm of your hand and the design allows for a comfortable hold on the light when turning it on/off. You can place these on the ground around your car or you can use it's other two nifty features. The first is that it is magnetic and will stick to the side of your car, removing it is easy and it won't ruing the paint on your car. The second option is it has a plastic hook on the back of the flares that can be popped up so you can hang it on a branch, or even in your tent if you are camping because it has a solid white light that can be used as a flashlight. They are also water proof and will float in water so they are great to have on your boat as well.

The flares have nine different light modes, some of them blink in different patterns while others are solid. The mode that I thought was pretty neat is the Morse code setting that blinks out a SOS code. These are battery operated and each mode has it's own specific run time for if you were to leave it on, the longest is the solid red on low which will last for 35 hours! In most cases you'll only need these for less than 4-6 hours while you wait for a tow truck, fix a flat tire, etc. I like how compact they are because it doesn't take up a lot of space in my trunk or in my car if I prefer to have them up front. Looking at them you might think they are heavy, but they are actually pretty light weight so you can take them camping or hiking without them weighing you down..

The lights are BRIGHT, they are meant to be seen from a long distance away. I will be uploading a short reel on my IG page showing the lights and some of their settings if you are interested in checking that out. I am a big fan of these flares, My husband and I always like being prepared and these grabbed my attention due to being re-usable. The bright orange they used for these products is also an eye catcher and will help you know where your tools are at all times.

The bonus safety items that came in this are pretty useful as well. It came with a tool that is specifically made to help you escape your car if you were to become trapped due to an accident. One end has a window breaker, this is extremely helpful if your door becomes stuck shut because then you'll still have a way out and the other end has a very sharp blade designed cut cutting your seat belt off if it won't come unlatched on it's own. The tool came with a black holder which can be mounted inside of your car, and it is compact enough you can even stash it under your dashboard. 

Additionally there are two emergency thermal blankets that will help keep you warm/dry, a whistle that can be used to signal for help and two small screwdrivers to change the batteries on the flares or for another job you might need. The flares come with batteries so you won't need to worry about buying the first set. I need to pick another set of these up to have in my husbands car. If these LED flares sound like something you'd like to have in your emergency kit as well, head over to check out their website and also enter below to win a three pack.

PRIZE ALERT: One lucky winner is going to receive a  three set of LED safety flares.

This is open to US Residents only! Please remember if you DO NOT leave a comment on this blog post as your mandatory entry into the giveaway then all of your entries will be void. Doing the Daily entries will increase your chance of winning. Winners have 72 hours to respond to the notification email! 

This giveaway ends on 02/20/2021

Giveaway entry question: Leave a comment telling me: What is another emergency tool you like keeping on hand or having in your car?

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Disclaimer-  HoKENA has provided the products mentioned above for the review + the prize for a giveaway free of charge no other compensation was provided. However, no product compensation will influence the outcome of any review. My honest opinions are used in all reviews, they are solely my own & they may vary from others. My reviews are posted for readers in order to provide an informed decision before purchase. 

2020 Jeep Sahara Review!

This year we experienced a longer than normal period where it was a constant 100+ degrees outside, so now that the weather is finally starting to break it is the perfect time to go camping. Normally when we go camping we just take my car, however I needed to make a repair or two so I didn't want to take it up into the mountains, instead we rented a Jeep from a rental company up the road from us. 

My husband had been wanting a Jeep so we were pretty excited to get the chance to check it out and see how we liked it. The rental company provided us with a 2020 Jeep Sahara for what we'd be renting for the weekend. Both my husband and I have slightly older cars so they don't have all the extra bells and whistles that this truck does. This truck has a back up camera, Bluetooth connection for our phones/devices, a built in compass, keyless ignition and more. When driving this I did have a slight "Oh my gosh" moment that I felt silly about, this car has engine start-stop technology that I wasn't aware of prior to driving it. What does this mean? It means that when your car comes to a complete stop at a red light, stop sign, drive thru, etc. that your engine will turn off on it's own and will start up again once you take your foot off the brake. Not knowing this I thought the truck had died while I was driving it and had a mini "No Way!" moment thinking I'd have to take it back to switch for a different vehicle. All was alright though once I realize what was going on, the start-stop is supposed to help save fuel consumption and lessen emissions being released, it just makes it sound funny when you are stuck in stop and go traffic because your car will keep turning off and on.

While I really enjoyed some of the features the truck came with, there wasn't as much room inside of the Jeep as I thought there would be. We actually had to leave a few of our camping items at home, as I hadn't realized just how square the inside of Jeeps are so the back storage area is short and tall instead of being deep. Since renting this I've actually taken a look at other Jeeps as I've driven by them and have noticed that most people usually don't have a lot in the back, I noticed one woman had just her stroller back there and it looked cramped. It also seemed a bit stuffy up front where the driver/passenger sit, I am used to my car that has a lot more room in the front to stretch out while driving. 

One of the cool things we noticed about this truck is that the back passengers seat has it's own set of A/C vents right in the middle of the front seats, there is also open spots to put USB chargers and even an actual plug! The cup holders are also a nice side and have a little slot just incase your cup has a handle.

Everything in the front was pretty simple to figure out when it came to tuning the radio, turning on the A/C and hooking up my MP3 player to play when our cell phones weren't getting reception due to the mountain area. You'll also notice that the controls for the windows is on the center console instead of on the drivers side door.  Once the car is on your dark provides you with the outside temperature, the direction you are headed in, what radio station you are listening to and a digital speedometer along with the normal speedometer on the right hand side. The truck we were in also had a warning light on letting us know that it was out of windshield fluid. It also has automatic headlights that will come on when it is dark out, they will be on as soon as you open the truck door. 

 

The ride itself was very smooth, it had no issues with the mountains we had to drive up and down to get to our camping spot and it didn't have any issues with the curvy roads/dirt roads that we took. As with any car after a camping trip we did end up with a bit of dust and pine needles in the truck but it was really easy to clean out. It also did well on gas, we drove about 220 miles round trip  (all highway) and doing an errand or two near home, it used a little less than a full tank.

After testing out the Jeep and talking about it, my husband decided that he doesn't want to get a Jeep when we switch over to a new car for him. This Jeeps seems better suited for off roading for fun or camping for a couple vs camping for a family of four. Instead we are going to look into a small suv or truck similar to a 4-runner that offers more space in the back.

What are some of your favorite features that you'd like to have (or already do) on your vehicle? 

**This is not a sponsored post, I am not affiliated with the Jeep brand. This is a truck we rented ourselves for the purpose of taking camping, this is a post simply sharing my thoughts.**

Reviewing Decals from Chrisanne's Life + A Giveaway!

Car decals are a great way to show off the love you have for your favorite TV shows, Characters, and more. I had a few Disney themed stickers on my car, and a sticker of one of my favorite bands. I don't want to over load my back window with decals but I wanted to add one or two more to the mix, which is when I found Chrisanne's Life on Etsy. She creates a number of fantastic decals ranging from bats and spooky things to cute and cuddly Disney, she offers solid colors but she also specializes in holographic decals that sparkle in the sun. I received the chance to work with her and I will be sharing my review on her decals along with hosting a giveaway for two separate sets of decals! 

I was sent a assortment of decals in various sizes and colors to check out. The decals I received were a surprise to me, I had provided info on a few of my favorites from her shop and she put together the bundle you see above. The decals range in price from $3.49 for a small decal size up to $16+ for giant decals that are almost a foot in height. Everything was packaged perfectly to help prevent any bends while shipping, it also included instructions and a discount code for a future purchase. The decals feel well made, I've had decals in the past that were too thin and within a month the sun had completely ruined them, I don't believe I'll have that issue with these. 

You will want to clean and prep the area you will be adding the decal to, and you will want to grab a "transfer" tool, I find that a game card or credit card works best. After prepping your area you will want to slowly peel the back of the decal sticker off, I don't suggest removing it quickly because you never know what might happen. When I applied the bats decal, two of the bats had stuck to the white backing, however because I had removed the back slowly it was easy just to lay it back down, use my game card to rub the two that needed to stick better and then remove the backing completely with all of my bats intact. 

Once the decal is placed where you want it you can gently use the game card/credit card to smooth out the decal, removing any air bubbles you may have under the decal and it helps it stick to the new surface releasing it off of the applicator sheet. 

I haven't used all of the decals yet, I think I am going to add the Disney heartbeat decal to my laptop. The decals I have used look amazing, the moon has a range of gorgeous colors that really pop and also make Groot look very dirty. Oogie Boogie changes to different shades of green depending on the lighting, and the bats also change colors from silver to purple under the right lights. I love how easy these decals were to apply and the end results. 

These decals would make a nice addition to any holiday or birthday gift, I know a few people who would love several of the decals she sells. Disney and Spooky not your thing? No need to worry she has dozens of other designs that range from football teams to Zodiac signs so there is something for everyone. You've seen my decals, now are you ready to see the two giveaway packs? 

If you want to purchase additional decals from her shop use code MOON10 to receive 10% off your purchase, your purchase will help support a small family owned business. 

PRIZE ALERT:

There will be two lucky winners who will each receive a prize pack, there will be one winner for each of the following prize packs.

Prize Pack 1: Disney

Prize Pack 2: Hocus Pocus

This is open to US Residents only! Please remember if you DO NOT leave a comment on this blog post as your mandatory entry into the giveaway then all of your entries will be void. Doing the Daily entries will increase your chance of winning. Winners have 72 hours to respond to the notification email! This giveaway is hosted by ME and is not associated with any of the brands mentioned above.

This giveaway ends on 10/23/2020

Giveaway entry question: Leave a comment telling me another decal you love from Chrisanne's Life Shop, Also include WHICH prize pack you'd like to win #1 or #2.

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Disclaimer-  Chrisanne's Life provided the products mentioned above for the review + the prize for a giveaway free of charge no other compensation was provided. However, no product compensation will influence the outcome of any review. My honest opinions are used in all reviews, they are solely my own & they may vary from others. My reviews are posted for readers in order to provide an informed decision before purchase.

Diono Review!

**This was not a paid post. My honest opinions were used, they are solely my own & they may vary from others.The products mentioned below have been provided by Diono for the review free of charge.**

Like most children my kids think long car rides can be pretty boring without something to do, and my son likes taking naps on car rides so I want my kids to be as happy and comfortable as possible. When I hear Diono I always think about their car seats but what I didn't know is that they offer a range of car accessories as well and I was lucky enough to receive a few of them for a review.



Pop-up Trash Bin; I will 100% admit that my car can turn into an absolute disaster, mainly because there is no trash can so anytime the kids have something they want to throw away I have them just put it on the floor. Nasty I know! I do clean my car out once a week if that counts for anything though. This Pop-up trash bin helps solve all of those problems, it is a small can made from water resistant fabric. It takes "bag it" bags also sold by them but I just use grocery store bags, they fit perfectly and I have a ton of them so it is win-win in my book. This bin helps keep the car looking a lot nicer! Retail Value: $7.99



Seat Belt Pillow; This is something not only my son was excited about but his dad and I were pretty excited as well. My son falls asleep in the car often, he is four so he doesn't take naps daily but when he is tired he won't admit that he is thus won't take a nap but as soon as were in the car for more than three minutes he will pass out. We are always worried about the weird angles he gets into when he falls asleep so we knew this would be a big help to prevent his neck or head from being stiff when he wakes up. He loves this pillow, he even tried getting me to bring it into the house to use as a regular sleeping pillow because the cover is so soft. It has a Velcro strap that goes over the seat belt and then a piece of cloth sits over the belt to protect the childs face and neck. The pillow is 11" long and is pretty thick so it is as comfortable as possible. Retail Value: $8.97

Travel Pal; Even if we are only running to the store for a quick trip my kids always insist on bringing some of their stuff with us for the ride but they know to leave stuffed animals and such in the car (electronics get placed in my purse). Toys can sometimes end up on the floor and be forgotten, crayons get placed onto the seat for safe keeping until they need that color but Oh no! they forgot to pick it back up before getting out of the car because they didn't see it in the seat crack. This travel pal helps keep all of their belongings picked up and kept in once place, it even has drink holders in the front and pockets both on the outside and the inside so you can store all kinds of goodies in here.

How does it stay up on the seat while driving? It has a sturdy flap in the back that gets tucked into the backseat of your car that helps hold the basket in place while you are driving. My kids love having this between them and I love that it helps my car stay a bit neater. This retails for $9.08

The best part about all three items is that they can all be purchased for less than $10 and can all be found on amazon along with a dozen other helpful products.