Gear Patrol | Spirit of Adventure, Passion for Gear

Not for Marshmallows

The concept of Hyper-Caffeinated Coffee-Flavored Marshmallows ($6) is just plain dangerous. Why deal with guzzling over 16 oz of piping hot coffee, or down one of the billion or so energy drinks brands out there if you could get the same effects from popping a cloud of sugary goodness? Yes, these will power-destroyers are packed [...]

Extended weekend

Simple, handcrafted leather accessories are the name of the game when it comes to San Francisco based Basil Racuk. Their lineup of exquisite leather goods abides by the formula of modern lines + fine leather skins + vintage linings down to the very last stitch and are all made in Basil Racuk’s Northern California workshop. [...]

When gold is second tier

In recent years the more subdued Panerai’s Radiomir has taken a backseat (for better or worse) to its more popular brother, the Luminor Marina, for which we have an unrelenting fondness. But, with a push towards ownership of elegant timepieces, Radiomirs are finally earning their fair share of the spotlight as a sophisticated, non-diving, gent’s [...]

Grin and Bear it

When would you use the terms “convenient shopping” and “survival kit” in the same sentence? Here’s your opportunity to exercise both when you purchase the Gerber Bear Grylls Ultimate Survival Kit ($50), an all-in-one save your bacon toolbag with the Man vs. Wild fearless host’s moniker emblazoned it, which provides 15 essential survival pieces in [...]

Creative Inspiration, Minus the Hangover

Hunter S. Thompson clearly had his own idea of what a proper minibar of the mind contained, and preferred carrying his version in a briefcase. For The School of Life and the Morgan’s Hotel Group, though, that name refers to a custom-made box designed to provide guests with a “midnight feast” of inspiration. Inside, buyers [...]

White is the new black

Let’s just get it out of the way. The Taylormade R11 is white. It’s designed to cut down on sun glare and reflections on the crown that can be distracting. Is it unique? Yes, for now. Does it warrant buying a new driver? Not really. I can’t remember ever being distracted by my driver. Don’t [...]

Impressive. Most Impressive.

If Darth Vader had been born in Detroit, this just might be his vehicle of choice. The new 2011 Cadillac CTS-V Black Diamond Edition ($70,000). Uncannily timed with the release of a similarly adorned steerable rocket sled, the Porsche 911 Black Edition, this iteration of the already stunning CTS-V adds upgraded interior materials like microfiber [...]

Lux Luger

Usually, when materials like carbon fiber, steel, ash wood and hand-sewn leather come together you expect to hear them with the likes of Bentley or Rolls Royce. But in this case, they form the components of Hublot’s luxury luge. Only ten of these sledges have been made, built in collaboration between Hublot and Lausanne University [...]

For the Ultimate Bakgård Party

The Viking Refreshment Station ($3,600) is to beverages and appetizers as Nimitz-class super carriers are to F-14 Tomcats. In the beverage department, its cold water sink performs double duty either as a, sink or cold water bottle bath that’s capable of holding two cases of drinks and can be plugged in to stay frosty. If [...]

Using a Canon 5D Mark II, Davy and Kristin McGuire created the Ice Book, a miniature theatre show that uses visual trickery through projection to bring a pop-up book to life. The premise sounds innocuous enough until you see the stunning results. Gear Used: Canon 5D Mark II, MacBook, Adobe After Effects. More at theicebook.com [...]

Let there be light(er)

Xikar, the cigar accessory powerhouse, has gained serious market share over the past few years, and there’s good reason behind it. Their original products, excellent build quality and lifetime product warranty are a serious draw for serious cigar aficionados. Case in point, the new EXII Havana Collection Lighter. Built off their classy EX Lighter Series [...]

Not flower, but V8 power

Formula One is ever-changing and 2011 is no exception. New rules, sometimes for the better, sometimes for the worse. At least we get to look the new vehicular offerings. One car to take notice of is Team Lotus’s T128. The UK-based team aims for this Renault V8 powered car with the high-tech Red Bull Technologies [...]

Mod-copter

If Apple built a UAV what would it look like? Well, it might look something like the Swiss UAV KOAX X-240. Winner of a 2010 Red Dot Design Award, Swiss UAV has been focused on developing smaller sized vertical take-off (think: helicopter) unmanned aerial vehicles for use by civilians and militaries. Partnered with Saab Aerospace, [...]

Get goosed

With record snows hitting many parts of the country, there’s no better time to suit up and face the harsh elements in a heavy-duty winter parka. From our cold weather experts up North, Canada Goose is a well-known name when it comes to keep you warm in extreme weather. Designed as much for hitting the [...]

Tuned up tuner

Collaborating with Cappellini, one of Italy’s top high-end furniture designers, Tivoli Audio has cranked up the design aesthetic of its iconic Model One Radio. Finished with a seven-layer high-gloss lacquer that’s available in three colors along with a silver Cappellini-embossed speaker grille, the Tivoli Audio Cappellini Model One Radio ($290) takes on an entirely new [...]