CONSUMERS : WedGees: Putting Those Slippery Specs on Retainer
A San Diego tennis player weary of his spectacles slipping during play has invented eyeglass retainers that work without cords or straps.
WedGees, designed by Bill McCulley, rely on a material from another sport, surfing, for support. McCulley cut Neoprene, a synthetic rubber commonly used to make wet suits, into a small, wedge-shaped sleeve that fits neatly over the end of each ear piece of an eyeglass, securing it behind the ear.
They fit most glasses frames, including safety glasses.
“They also relieve temple pressure from glasses and can be worn by both adults and children for sports, play or work,” McCulley said. “They’re especially good for little children, who don’t have large bridges in their noses, so they are always fussing with their glasses.”
WedGees, which retail for about $3, are available--in black, blue, red, gray, brown, orange, bright pink and green--in the Los Angeles area at all Sports Chalet stores, Bill’s Bicycle Center in Sierra Madre, the Nail Box in Malibu and Do-It-Yourself Heating and Air Co. in West Los Angeles.
They will be sold in all Oshmans sporting goods stores by late April.
Or you can order WedGees for $3, plus 50 cents shipping and handling, from GFG Enterprises Inc., 170 Sixth Ave., San Diego, Calif. 92101; phone, (619) 232-9526.
A Clean-Hands Job at the Gas Pump
Drivers who pump their own petrol may want to check out Pump-Eze, a new device designed to make pumping gas a “hands off” job.
Pump-Eze, made from nontoxic, low-density polyethylene, fits between the trigger and pump handle to keep the gas flowing--without your having to hold onto the nozzle.
They come in black, red, yellow, blue, day-glow pink, green, teal and orange. In Los Angeles, they’re available at all Camping World stores, or can be purchased for $3.50 (including shipping and handling) from ANR, 1300 E. Imperial Ave., El Segundo, Calif. 90245; phone, (213) 640-2528.
A Good Egg for the Hard-Boiled
Just in time for the traditional Easter egg coloring is the Eggsact Eggtimer, an egg-sized, egg-shaped timer. Plunk it in the pan with the eggs and it changes color when the eggs are hard-boiled.
The unusual timer is being marketed in Japan as a “high-tech American kitchen gadget” and is being purchased “in record numbers,” its Japanese distributor says.
The device is reusable, works with all sizes of eggs and at all altitudes, its American distributors say. It is available nationwide for about $2.99 in selected kitchen shops, drug and discount stores and supermarkets. Major U.S. chains featuring the timer are Walgreen Drugs, Thrifty Drugs, Lucky Stores, Wal-Mart, Ben Franklin, Pathmark, Shop Rite, A&P; groceries, Pamida’s and Meijers.
If you can’t find the timer in your area, it is available for $2.99 plus 85 postage and handling (Californians add 6 1/2% sales tax) from Golden State Distributors, 1704 Lincoln Blvd., Marina del Rey, Calif. 90291, (213) 450-8149.
