Gear Patrol | Spirit of Adventure, Passion for Gear

Sun dial-it-up

So you want sophistication and mobility without having to buy a Rolls Royce Phantom? For a few hundred thousand dollars less, you can show off your Dunhill Solar Charger. Okay, so it probably won’t get you into a posh Manhattan nightclub, nor is it lined with burlwood and rich leather, but it will give you [...]

Top Grain

Instead of riding a disposable foam board you’re likely to toss after a few seasons, switch back to wood and ride a hand-crafted board built to last a lifetime. Using just one-third of the wood required for traditional boards, Grain Surfboards are predominantly made from Northern White Cedar wrapped around a mahogany frame. Super light [...]

Air Hoardin'

Had enough mad black tuner cars yet? It looks like there’s no end in sight, and that’s okay with us. Brabus recently released the automotive equivalent of an M198 Howitzer, the Brabus Mercedes-Benz 800 E V12 Cabriolet ($681,484) turning an already powerful convertible into an instant way to flatten the top of your skull. The [...]

Fast Feet

With the Women’s World Cup kicking off we’ve gotten a bit of the fútbol bug around the office. In that spirit, Puma has recently released their latest flagship soccer cleat the v1.11 ($180) and it’s fast. With a lightweight microfiber synthetic upper, the Puma v1.11 will help you win those 50-50 balls and blaze a [...]

Two casks, one great whiskey

Bowmore produces a full range of Scotch whiskeys, from the entry-level 12 year old bottle to the 25-year, plus some really rare drams that sell for thousands at auction. One of the most interesting in the whole lineup though is Bowmore Darkest ($70), aged 15 years. Bowmore Darkest is an apt name for this whiskey. [...]

E-Adventurous

Like a carbon fiber racing bike ridden by a 350 pound couch potato, the Timex E-Altimeter ($200) has the ability to make you look somewhat active without a Herculean effort on your part. With a sophisticated analog dial that goes beyond the oft pedestrian aesthetic of the “takes a licking and keeps on ticking” brand, [...]

Home-Grown Quality

One would expect intelligent design and exceptional function from a group of unsatisfied American outdoorsmen who previously scattered across the world to purchase premium alfresco gear. The only logical action was to take matters in their own hands and create an American bag company suitable for even the most austere mountain man, or, perhaps, even [...]

Coming Soon: Portable B&W

We’d be hard pressed to find an answer if you asked us to identify two pieces of audio gear we love listening to more than our Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin or PS5 headphones. But, we doubt you’d ever see us using them. Neither are exactly portable. That may soon change though with the upcoming release [...]

Do Rock the Jukebox

The Wurlitzer Digital Lyra Jukebox ($4,700) is not your father’s jukebox. Controlled through a 15″ touchscreen this modern interpretation of the jukebox can consume music from nearly every medium. Whether its CD’s, cell phones, memory cards or USB, the Lyra stores your entire library and playlist to its 320GB of built-in memory and can even [...]

Snow Might

Used on everything from the space shuttle (hat tip to you Atlantis) to golf clubs, titanium is an element that requires little explanation. It’s both lightweight and stronger than steel, and here in the form of the Snow Peak Titanium iPhone 4 Case ($120), totally bewitching. The ultra-thin case is made entirely in Japan using [...]

B Sleek

Ecco shoes have been known for dress and casual comfort. We’ve sampled some great oxfords and loafers in the office, but running shoes never really came to mind… until now. Ecco has released the Biom line, which essentially enhances your natural running motion, something heavily cushioned shoes don’t promote. We’ve gotten so used to deep [...]

Envy Green

The Mazda Miata (or MX-5 in current form) has clearly put its automotive stamp on the world. It truly is a purist’s car with great balance, a precise shifter and envied lightness and handling. A classic roadster for the modern world, indeed. Now, the Japanese automaker has come out with a special version for the [...]

If there’s one thing we’re thankful for, it’s smart people. People far, far smarter than us who can come up with things like the Solar Sinter. The brainchild of Markus Kayser, the Solar Sinter is a project designed to explore the possibilities of desert-based manufacturing — also, to aid in sparking a conversation about what [...]

The Darkness, Everybody

When it comes to your every day carry, the choices for the ideal pocketknife are endless. However, if you’re looking an EDC with a sleek all-black tactical edge, consider the Gerber Mini Covert Automatic ($125). Featuring a black lightweight hard anodized aluminum handle and a S30V partially serrated stainless steel blade, the Mini Covert is [...]

Say what you will about the current condition of America’s 46,876 miles of highways, but there’s still no denying their status as a marvel of modern engineering and planning. You may recall from middle school social studies (or more recent History Channel binges) that Eisenhower championed the federal highway project as a necessary undertaking for [...]