Gear Patrol | Spirit of Adventure, Passion for Gear

Tempo al tempo

With the annual watch trade show, SIHH (Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie) about to get underway in Geneva, now is as good a time as any to revisit one of the stars from last year’s show, the Officine Panerai PAM00372 ($10,400). For those who are new to the game, Officine Panerai was originally founded [...]

Light the fires and kick the tires

IWC has fired their first volley of SIHH 2012 and it’s right on-target. Say hello to the new Pilot’s Watch Chronograph TOP GUN Miramar. Named for the birthplace of modern naval air warfare where the best of the best go to get better, this anti-magnetic timepiece sports an advanced in-house flyback chronograph movement within its [...]

Further, farther, faster

Adventure filmmakers big and small have more tools than ever for producing their work in the wilderness, thanks in part to the continuous improvements of camera equipment and filmmaking technology. Of course, the vision wouldn’t be anything without the dedicated creativity put forth by the storytellers — the writers, directors, cinematographers, editors, and producers. Lastly, [...]

Bronze is beautiful

If there were a contest for the “it” metal for dive watches in 2011, hands down the gold medal would go to… bronze. Yup, 2011 was the year of bronze, which at first blush might seem to be an odd choice for a watch meant to spend the bulk of its time strapped to your [...]

Rubber wonder

If you know someone who’s into watches — dive watches, in particular — then chances are they’re also into straps. The reason for this is easy enough to fathom: a strap change offers a quick, inexpensive way to change the look of a watch, and even better, it’s a do-it-yourself proposition. Yet, while most switch [...]

On holiday, off grid

No matter the destination or pursuit, there’s one unpredictable constant that entwines throughout the spirit of adventure — the ever-changing natural elements. Rather than limiting your lifestyle or altering your approach, we’ve compiled this list of 10 critical items that belong in your outdoor gear arsenal. Some you may be familiar with, some you may [...]

God of the Sea

In 1992, COMEX diver Theo Mavrostomos completed a daring 701 meter saturation dive, which might explain the odd-numbered depth rating of the first watch released from new brand, Ægir. In fact, this depth rating is no coincidence, but rather an intentional homage from company founder and professional commercial diver, Todd Caldwell, to Mavrostomos’ herculean achievement, [...]

Lessons from Green Berets in the Colorado Rockies

“Open Road” is an ongoing series of dispatches written and photographed by guest correspondent, Foster Huntington, during his epic cross-country adventure for his upcoming book by Harper Collins. Foster is the creator of Arestlesstransplant and The Burning House. Check out previous parts of the series here. My alarm went off at 2:15am on Thursday, the [...]

Editor’s Note: Foster Huntington is the talented force behind A Restless Transplant and the hugely popular tumblr The Burning House. Recently, Huntington embarked on an epic cross-country adventure to document unique individuals and the things they care about for his upcoming book to be released by Harper Collins. After sharing his plans with us first [...]

Cooler than the Fonz

It’s tough to wear a leather jacket nowadays without looking kind of… goofy. Most of the ones you find at the mall are pleather-looking, blobby, and look like crap in a couple years. Schott has been making their leather jackets since before the A2 jacket was officially standardized for the Army Air Corp in 1931. [...]

Slip into something more stylish

For years the velvet slip-on loafer has been a viable alternative for black-tie footwear. Three friends from Miami have set out to bring them into the mainstream. Born from a desire to have a pair of shoes with their school emblem for graduation, Del Toro shoes produces a huge variety of styles, from solid colors [...]

Stylishly shocking

Wireframe sunglasses are a departure for Electric Visual, a company who has built a reputation for their snow goggles and nylon framed sunglasses. The departure has been a good one, neither ill-conceived or hurried. The frames are well-built with hinges that flex, just so, to avoid the obnoxious flimsy feeling and offer 100% UV protection. [...]

Drinking Like You Mean Business

Face it, sometimes getting wasted with friends can take place under adverse conditions. When you’re doing tequila shots behind enemy lines, cheesy glass shot glasses you picked up in Cabo aren’t going to survive long. Time to call in the heavy artillery with the ShotShell AmmoCrate ($400. Six super-durable stainless steel shot glasses made to [...]

The hardest thing to do is simplify your life

Like many others here at GP, I have a reserved section in my film library dedicated to manly, adventure-travel documentaries. The voyages and endless possibilities of Mother Nature transform my couch into a vessel of exploration and put me hot on the trail for adventure. Filmmaker Chris Malloy’s 180 Degrees South ($18) is no exception [...]

Strong and slender protection for your iPhone 4

The glass back on the iPhone 4 is a work of art, no doubt about it. The only problem is that it’s also a bit fragile. There’s plenty of cases out there, but they can be bulky and take away from the clean lines of the phone. Why not replace it with something cooler and [...]