Letter From The Editor: 2 Years Since Post 1
Get Ready To Be Heard
Today marks the passing of a 2nd year since I wrote Gear Patrol’s first post. A lot has happened since April Fools Day, 2007. Like you, we’ve evolved and continue to evolve.
We tossed around the idea of putting together a great prank for today: writing a full review of the Macbook Nano, changing the site to Gear King - The Illist Men’s Website Ever, or simply loading a picture of the Gear Girl we think will be on the cover of next year’s Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue (we’ve been right with Marissa Miller and Bar Refaeli).
Yes, that would’ve been great, but honestly we haven’t had time. The team here has been busy working behind the scenes on everything from making the site faster (we’re painfully aware of how slow it is) to implementing a better commenting system (to weed out douchebags and reward those that are helpful), to fixing my unrelenting oversights, to offering more, better, and relevant articles published multiple times, every single frakin’ day. We’ve also been adding more GP Staff Contributors to the mix, setting up more giveaways, and trying to build a community with our readers and with each other. It’s absolute mayhem here, but in a good way. Why? Read on.
Working on Gear Patrol is incredibly hard work, but we believe in what we’re doing here and we believe its catching on. It’s also an absolute blast. All of us here at Gear Patrol have real jobs, just like you. It’s in the few moments that our days’ responsibilities afford us (and nearly every hour outside of that) that we spend testing, reviewing, and sometimes even breaking the gear we receive. Our respective digs are chock full of awesome gear and resources discovered, purchased, and procured by Gear Patrol to make sure our reviews (however lengthy or brief) are valid and endorsed. It’s all part of our 5 Point Pledge.
You see, that’s the difference. We understand why a few hundred bucks extra each month makes a difference. Our cash is hard earned too, brothers. We also understand that you like great gear (hell, that’s the whole point isn’t it?). We’re not here to make decisions for you, but rather to provide insight from a guy that’s already used a product or just to show you some useful (some not) gear and lifestyle tips that maybe you never knew of. Think of it as a recommendation from that one buddy of yours who’s perpetually researching everything about anything and knows his stuff.
But it’s not all about us… and this is where you come in.
We’ve come to realize that all of you who send us leads, tips, and comments (or just lurk) are part of the fabric of the Gear Patrol community. We want to provide you an opportunity to not only advance yourself by what you read here, but to also help advance your fellow man. Tomorrow, we’ll be launching an opportunity to provide you with the tools to do that. Some of you men are going to find yourselves an invaluable part of the GP community faster than you ever thought possible.
Stay tuned, and get ready to be heard.
First of all, boss you look so damn handsome in that photo you keep posting. No wonder you founded the site. Seriously you should look into modeling. I know technically on birthdays people are supposed to give you gifts, but Patrick’s wanted to see you on those Calvin Kline underwear packets for sometime now,perhaps it’s time to grant his wish?
Secondly, I’ll give you a big kudos on being the driving force behind making Gear Patrol what it is today. This wouldn’t be the amazing online resource for men that it is now without your vision, talent and countless (and I mean COUNTLESS)hours of work. I also wanted to thank you on behalf of the rest of the staff for letting us jump on board to help. I’m sure the rest of the guys will speak their own bit later though.
Finally, the cake graphic is cool and all, but we should have found someone to add in that audio bit from Batman Begins, when Christian Bale sneaks up to Gordan for the first time in his office.Gordan asks “You’re just one man?” and Bale says, “Now we’re two.” That sound clip would have been awesome, but that’s just my two cents.
Anyway, cheers! Here’s to our staff, our readers, and many years to come!
With the magic of the internet and some Turboogling, anything’s possible:
http://www.moviedoo.com/ClipContentFrame.asp?Letter=&MovieTitle=Batman+Begins+%282005%29&ClipID=189
Ben, for your birthday I’m going to get you a procedure to remove your nose from Eric’s bum. Cheers to GP!
Patrick glad to see I’m not the only one who noticed the awkward “Rocky Apollo Creed beach run man hug” undertone to Ben’s comment.
Kudos to Gear Patrol for making it to year 2,we’re doing better than most start ups already. I can’t believe I have the opportunity to be “that one buddy of yours who’s perpetually researching everything about anything and knows his stuff.”, I was talking with a friend today about how cool it is. Thanks to Eric for starting the whole thing, and Ben, Patrick, and Brian for all the work they do behind the scenes. It’s amazing how far the sites changed even in the 6 months since I came onboard. Here’s to the future and GP world domination!
That last sentence should read “It’s amazing how much the site has changed even in the 6 months…” Far and changed just don’t go together.
I’ve actually thought that if GP could have a famous spokes person, Billy D Williams might just be the ideal candidate.
I hope you mean 1980 Lando/Colt .45 Billy D, as opposed to the current one that is just old.
I was about to say the same thing about the pic. Reminds me of the Capt. Morgan’s “The 4 Guys” commercial.
“The Eric’s money is no good here”
Good job guys…we kick arse!
Congrats to GP! Great balance of stuff, awesome attitude, fab community. Keep it up!!!
My highest esteem to you, my fellow Gear Patrol staffers. This is indeed a momentous occasion. My greatest wish is that this 2nd birthday, unlike for my kid, does not mark for GP a new stage of complete and uncontrollable insanity and food flinging.
Instead, I trust the next year will be one of unbridled growth for our little man-child of a website. I’m looking forward to having more folks to be subjected to my verbal rants; I’m even more excited to hear what they’ll spit back.
Thanks to each of you whose hard work in producing Gear Patrol brings enlightenment to the masses. Of course, we can’t thank our loyal readers enough for making it worthwhile (a preemptive welcome to those readers that don’t even know they are readers yet). In case you didn’t realize, stick with Gear Patrol and you just might find yourself knee-deep in the next big thing.
Cheers!
The cake is a lie.
and congrats!
Thanks Bob! Here at GP …we do what we must because we can.
Just a few short months ago, the realm of Gear Patrol didn’t even exist to me. Now I don’t make it through a day without checking in for all the updates and the next “gear” porn I can lay my eyes on. I’m truly excited to see the new roads to come.
Congratulations to Eric and the rest of the crew for an awesome job!