A Year Ago on Gear Patrol
Hlaska Surly Navigator Blazer
Bolstered Blazer
A perpetual conundrum facing stylish men is the ability to look good without seeming dressed-up. While there are many techniques to walking this fine line, owning fashionable and purposeful outerwear that looks great without appearing like you just came from the office can help tremendously. Hlaska’s Surly Navigator blazer/jacket ($375) is a great example that [...]
Yamaha MCR 140 Micro Component System
Home Audio, Beyond Black and White
The Yamaha MCR 140 ($399) has two major things going for it. The first is that outside of performing the functions of your typical micro-audio system, thanks to Yamaha’s proprietary yAired technology, it can play uncompressed audio wirelessly from your iPod/iPhone using a simple dongle that eliminates the syncing hassles associated with other tech like [...]
HitchSafe Vault
A Different Kind of Backup Plan
The HitchSafe Vault ($70) may not be relevant to those of you lucky enough to drive something like the 2012 Ford Mustang Boss 302 Laguna Seca, but if your whip has a tow hitch, then it may come in handy just when you need it most. That’s because this solid steel vault is designed to [...]
Ostendotech CRVD 43″ Curved Display
Displazing
If the idea of owning a ludicrously big monitor is something you’d consider “luxury” then consider the Ostendotech CRVD Curved Display ($6,500) 100% pure excess. Distinguished by a 43″ diagonal viewing area and 2880×900 resolution, Ostendotech states that the CRVD’s seamless curved screen engages 75% of human peripheral vision, for an unmatched enveloping effect. Thanks [...]
Chroma Asymmetrical Poultry Shears
Chicken Little'd
When you’re viciously attacking poultry, simple principles of physics apply. In this case, asymmetrical leverage. The Chroma Asymmetrical Poultry Shears ($50) will not only conquer & divide the biggest bird, but the serrated 9.5″ Japanese steel blades can even cut wire or bottle caps, and separate for easy desalmonellifying. The latest addition to our kitchen, [...]
Oreck XLAUTO Car Vac
A Different Kind of Suck
Everyone knows that the only thing more embarrassing than your assortment of Dungeons and Dragons figurines is the collection of french fries and smashed peanut butter crackers that you’ve accumulated beneath the driver’s seat. Women dig a clean car, not as much as they dig a guy with hoards of cash, but at least you [...]
Winery Dogs of New York
Vino's Best Friend
Finally, a book that celebrates two of our favorite things: wine and dogs. Photographers Andrea Jacoby and Marjorie Adams recently published Winery Dogs of New York ($40), the fourth and latest edition in a collection of books about dogs that work and play at wineries. The vino-loving, canine-adoring couple visited over 70 New York State [...]
Kontextür Viktor Black Nickel Razor Holders
Shaving Essential
Leaving that nice new razor on the bathroom counter, or worse, exposing the blades to the counter surface, is contradictory to a clutter-free bathroom (you have a clutter-free bathroom, right?). Problem is, the options at Bed Bath & Beyond aren’t just dime-a-dozen, they’re also painfully absent of good design. The Kontextür Viktor Razor Holders ($45) [...]
StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty | In-Depth
The Wait is Over (South Korea Rejoices!)
It was the spring of 1998. The Lewinsky Scandal was in full swing, Windows® 98 had yet to be released, and Billy Crystal hosted the Academy Awards. Most importantly however, the original StarCraft was released. Eight months later the StarCraft expansion pack, Brood War, was released, providing fans with hope for a potential sequel and [...]
Nerf N-Strike Stampede ECS Gun
Slumber Party Conflicts? Resolved.
The Nerf N-Strike Stampede ECS ($55) is not the toy of your childhood… unless your childhood involved laying waste (safely) to entire villages. Powered by six D batteries, The ECS (Electronic Clip System), pumps out one of the gun’s three included 18 dart clips in mere seconds. In case you’re a little rusty on Nerf [...]
Allen Edmonds Cedar Shoe Tree
Great Shoes Live on Trees
The Allen Edmonds Shoe Company has been making quality shoes since 1922 and our own experience with a pair of Allen Edmonds McAllister Wing Tips has certainly proven that. First becoming popular after outfitting the Army and Navy during World War II, Allen Edmonds has since moved on to style thousands of influential men, including [...]