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The Video Round Up: October 31st 2015

The Video Round Up is a new series highlighting videos and multimedia content that caught our eyes. Getting stoked on travel, good food, and extreme sports is best when shared with friends, so we’ll be posting a bi-weekly series on our favorite videos we find from every corner of the web. Have a tip or some awesome footage? Shoot an email to support@themanual.com

PAKPOD

PAKPOD super-versatile tripod (KICKSTARTER project movie preview)

We received this fun little product in the mail a few weeks ago to test during
Recommended Videos
Pakpod’s Kickstarter. Since then, our pakpod has been hung from bridges
while fly fishing, wedged into narrow cracks on gnarly rock climbing routes, and stashed in our day packs every single day. The genius is in the stake design – each leg can grab onto just about anything, and lock down, providing you more versatility in getting the right shot in tight spaces or less than cooperative weather. Originally designed with underwater shooters in mind, this mighty little tripod will become an indispensable tool for seasoned pros and amateurs alike.

Sony Action Cams: Travis Pastrana

Action Cam | Legend of Action Sports - Travis Pastrana | Sony

You’re probably familiar with Sony’s new action cams from our very first Round Up and behind the scenes look at Robbie Maddison’s Pipe Dream film. Sony continues to march on and recently signed action sports legend Travis Pastrana to the team. We can’t wait to see what his Nitro Circus crew comes up with, so stay tuned for some craziness.

Cannibal Canyon

Cannibal Canyon | Downhill Skateboarding on Donner Pass

Sector 9 Longboards and Redbull Media found a group of longboarders crazy enough charge down the 2.4 miles of Highway 40 through Donner Pass, CA. With top speeds of up to fifty miles an hour, and a total elevation change of more than 2,000 feet, this race to the bottom is way beyond our meager abilities on a board.

Birchbox’s Movember Ball Exam

7 Guys Perform a Testicular Self-Exam On Camera (SFW)

Not going to lie, watching this video made us feel more than a little awkward. Birchbox is an official partner in the Movember, so they are invested in keeping every man healthy, one testicle at a time. While don’t advise that you take a video of your own cancer screening, you should definitely check out their Movember Survival Kit while you get ready to grow your stache for the next few weeks.

Tactivate Wingsuite World Record

Tactivate Wingsuit World Record Attempt for Special Operations Warrior Foundation

On November 11th Jimmy Petrolia, a retired USAF Pararescueman, will jump out of a plane from above 30,000 feet in an attempt to break multiple wingsuit world records. His stunt is not just for bragging rights, but will raise money for the Special Operations Warrior Foundation, which provides support for the children of American Special Operations personnel who fall in the line of duty. Our hats are off to Jimmy and the entire Tactivate team. We’ll be following his efforts closely.
Austin Parker
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Austin Parker is a former contributor at The Manual Parker is a powder skier and sport climber and is no stranger hauling…
Beginner’s guide to cigar shapes and sizes — and why they matter
Why your cigar choice says more about you than your watch (and how to pick the perfect one)
A collection of cigars

Walking into a cigar shop and facing what seems like a million options is enough to make anyone panic. Cigars stacked everywhere, each with a strange name, size, and a slightly different shape from the last one. If you haven't done this before, it's tempting to just grab something, anything, and run!But hold on a second. Those shapes actually matter. They aren't just there to look fancy or make things confusing. The size and shape change the whole experience of smoking that cigar – how it tastes, burns, and feels. It's kind of like how driving a tiny sports car is way different than driving a big truck. Both get you where you're going, but the experience along the way is not the same.

What are cigar vitolas?

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The writer of one of Netflix’s biggest drama is taking on James Bond next
We still don't know who will star in this new installment.
James Bond at a casino

The news that Denis Villeneuve would be taking on the next James Bond film was certainly exciting for many, and as we continue to speculate about who might take over as 007, we're also learning more about who else will be working behind the scenes on the film.

We now know that Steven Knight, the writer behind Peaky Blinders, will be writing the next Bond movie. While Knight is best known for his work on TV, which includes Peaky Blinders and the recent Stephen Graham series A Thousand Blows, he's also the writer behind Spencer and Maria.

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Every new Game of Thrones spinoff explained
George R.R. Martin's television world continues to grow
Matt Smith starring in House of the Dragon

When it first aired on HBO in the early 2010s, Game of Thrones dazzled audiences with revolutionary special effects and terrific acting in a unique fantasy world. Based on author George R.R. Martin's series of novels, the universe depicts the battles between several different noble families as they try to climb to the top of the continent of Westeros, both politically and figuratively. The war scenes, family drama, and massive number of characters helped make the story feel fresh and new every time a new episode aired.

As Martin's attention shifted to television and away from his books, fans have looked to the TV series to finish some of the stories he couldn't finish on the page. Game of Thrones left fans wanting more, despite its poorly received finale, and a plethora of spinoffs are on the way. House of the Dragon already has two seasons completed, and there are several others in the coming years to look forward to.
House of the Dragon
House of the Dragon finished its second season in 2024. The show chronicles the heated family dynamics of the Targaryen empire almost two centuries before the events of Game of Thrones. The third season should pick up the civil war between Queen Rhaenyra's forces and King Aegon's after a slow-building conflict throughout the second act.

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