Whether you’re a staunch believer in time-honored traditions, like having an excuse to pop open a bottle of bubbly, or you just enjoy watching the parade of the fairer sex’s cocktail dresses, New Year’s Eve is upon us.

It’s been a big year (in a good way) for Gear Patrol, and we hope the same can be said of your 2008. Regardless of what’s to come in 2009, we hope that you’ll let the crew from Gear Patrol face it with you; we’ll be reveling in the joy and commiserating in the pain, just like you. A toast to men:

* holding a glass of champagne *

Here’s to the moments we shared. Here’s to the moments we were spared.
Here’s to the friends we made. Here’s to enemies, may they fade.
Here’s to making it worth the time… it really has been quite sublime.

Happy New Year from the entire Gear Patrol Crew.

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A Cabernet Sauvignon Made With Passion… And Luck

Good Cabernets have typically been the domain of French wine producers, but for JAQK, a Napa Valley/Sonoma Coast based winemaker, that’s part of what makes the High Roller (their flagship wine) so special. Not to mention its gorgeous bottle with poker chip inlay.

High Roller is made from 100% Napa Valley grapes (51% benchland / 49% hillside) refined with egg whites and aged in French oak casks. After sampling a few bottles ourselves, we found the taste to be smooth at first, with a refreshing finish and balanced aftertaste. Appropriately - just as JAQK proclaimed it would be.

See photos of the final steps in JAQK’s cork-to-casking process.

Editor’s Note: I paired High Roller with a pasta topped with tomato sauce and portabello mushrooms, but it also goes well with prime rib or lamb chops.

Cost: $70 - $750

Also See: Cork Pops Legacy Wine Opener | Oronoco Rum

Back Seat Drive? Not When You Can Back Seat Watch.

It’s no fun having Jeeves drive while you’re sober, if it means missing your shows. Ten years ago, you were living the high life if you had a DVD player in your car. Now the standards have changed. This is America, a.k.a the land of convenience incarnate. You can order your groceries on the internet, hold 30,000 songs in the palm of your hand, and even buy pre-cooked bacon. So, it goes without saying that mobile TV is a must.

Luckily, if you’ve got three G’s and a desire to out-floss virtually everyone else on the road, installing this 5 inch dome on the top of your transport will allow you to access up to 185 channels via Direct TV. This means that you can watch the same episode of SportsCenter over and over again, while in motion, anywhere that satellite reception is available. The dish’s built in GPS also allows for automatic detection of local channels based on your current position.

Better still, if you’re already a Direct TV subscriber, adding a mobile programming package to your account costs only $4.99 a month. Otherwise, you’ll pay $49.99 a month for a mobile-only subscription. Special video equipment is also a non-issue since the A7 is compatible with virtually all factory-installed and aftermarket video systems.

Editor’s Note: As if getting to say that you have satellite TV in your ride isn’t enough, did we mention that Trac Vision also produces tactical navigation systems designed for use in “battle management and weapons systems?”  Awesome.

Cost: $2,995 @ KVH.com + Direct TV Subscription.

Also See: Direct TV NFL Sunday Ticket | Harmon Kardon GPS 810 Guideplay Navigation System

From Patrick Tuttle: Any man that goes from writing about racing bikes, to shoe racks that blur the line of form vs. function, to a shout-enducing pie company is A-OK in my book. Hardly a day goes by that I don’t get an email from Ed with an idea for a Gear Patrol article. To say he’s excited to be part of the crew would be an injustice. Truth be told, we’re just as elated to have him. Besides, we need a little laid back West Coast attitude to offset our New York tendencies.

Writing a self-bio was as effortless as creating your own tombstone epitaph. Needless to say, this was not the easiest post; however, I feel it’s very important that the Gear Patrol community recognize that the gear reviewed on this site is thoroughly selected and approved by real people. I’m proof of that.

Born and raised in Southern California, I’ve been chasing the next adventure since an early age. Most stereotypes have a modicum of truth, but the one about Orange County folks is spot on. Most of us are fanatics for anything outdoors. You can always find me breaking a sweat cycling (probably chasing down someone with a better bike), hiking, camping, or boarding. Providing the opportunity to engage in a wide range of activities, California is a prime place to field test the gear that I’ll bring to the table.

I see Gear Patrol as an authentic site where men can be updated daily on the greatest items from around the globe. That said, you can trust me to deliver only the gear worthy of your hard-earned dollar.

Fresh. Clean. Simple.

There are plenty of products that I want to evolve and grow in complexity. Cars and electronics are definitely on the top of my list. I demand that those items provide me plenty of facets to tinker with. However, with today’s trends, everything seems to be getting more and more complicated.

Sadly, this seems to hold even for items that should remain basic - one category of which is men’s grooming products. San Francisco based company Every Man Jack, is on a mission to simplify our lives by delivering a straightforward grooming experience. They know that taking care of your skin and hair shouldn’t require dozen of steps involving complex and expensive products.

Whether you need lotion for your dry skin or a reliable facial cleaner, Every Man Jack has a self-explanatory product line that delivers exactly what it promises on the label. The best thing about each of their products is the clean and crisp scent that will leave you smelling like the great outdoors.

Editor’s Note: As if this wasn’t simple enough, the Beginner’s Luck Kit includes everything you need to stay so fresh and so clean. Sometimes, simple is just plain better.

Cost: $25

Also See: Axe Hair | Aveda Men Pure-formance Grooming Clay | Men-U Ultra Concentrate Shave Creme & Facial Moisture

2008 will be immortalized as the year I saw grown men fall to their knees as portfolios crumbled and 401k’s vanished. 2008 will be recalled as the year I saw America show the world we were a country of people that could be fooled once, falter twice, yet still demonstrate resiliency and innovation through a defining election. 2008 will be seen as the year I felt capital punishment fitting for white collar crimes (Bernie Madoff). 2008 will be known as the year I saw Tiger woods sink that ridiculous 15 foot putt at Torrey Pines and a tall lanky swimmer named Michael Phelps become a national hero. 2008 will be remembered as the year I officially became obsessed with a television show called Mad Men. [continued after the jump]
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