Gear Patrol | Spirit of Adventure, Passion for Gear

Blessed by the God of the Sea

In the 1960s, scuba diving’s popularity was booming, thanks almost entirely to one man: Jacques-Yves Cousteau. It was Cousteau who, along with Emile Gagnan invented the Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus (SCUBA) known as the Aqua-Lung. It was also Cousteau, whose French-accented voiceovers and globetrotting adventures on his TV series fascinated households worldwide. And as if [...]

This article is Volume 2 in our special Icons series for Timekeeping, written by our guru Jason Heaton. In case you missed it, be sure to catch our first Icons article, Volume 1: Super Compressor Dive Watch. 1970 was a year of great ups and downs for the mechanical chronograph. The vaunted Omega Speedmaster helped [...]

When most people think of a dive watch, the first thing that comes to mind is the prototypical ratcheting bezel, with its chunky flutings and bold markers. But there was another style of diver that emerged in the early days of recreational diving and found great popularity – the Super Compressor. To be clear, the [...]

Vorsprung durch Technik

Ask the average guy where the best watches in the world are made and he will undoubtedly say, “Switzerland.” After all, most of the recognizable brands like Jaeger-LeCoultre, Vacheron Constantin, Rolex and Patek Philippe hail from that neutral Alpine nation. It is partly the neutrality of Switzerland that has allowed these great names of horology [...]

Turning night into day

The idea of SCUBA diving at night can seem absurd, dangerous and terrifying to someone who hasn’t tried it. But for those who have done it, it can be exhilarating and downright addictive. The ocean becomes a different place after dark and a whole new set of creatures emerges from daytime hiding places – shape-shifting [...]

Puff Daddy

Most people who spend time in the high latitudes own some sort of insulated jacket or vest. And most of these ubiquitous puffy garments are filled with goose down, the undisputed king of insulation. But while it’s true that down has the best warmth to weight ratio of any batting, fall through the ice and [...]

Yule Time

‘Tis the season for wishes and we bet that a lot of Gear Patrol readers have a new watch on their Christmas lists. We do, too, so we rounded up ten of the most exciting and gift-worthy timepieces of the year for you to add to yours. Whether you’ve been naughty or nice is between [...]

New school waffle stompers

When you’re hauling a week’s worth of gear on rough terrain, nothing beats a heavy duty pair of thick leather backpacking boots. But let’s face it, most of the time, it’s a day hike to see some fall colors or a romp in a muddy dog park with man’s best friend. Then you don’t want [...]

Zen and the Art of Carrying Whisky

Titanium, the wonder metal, is used for a variety of things, from surgical screws to watch cases to bicycle frames. It is known for its resistance to corrosion, its incredible strength to weight ratio and its bio-compatibility. It is also difficult to machine and fairly expensive. But forget all that. Titanium just looks cool, which [...]

Hipster

Scotch must have been invented for autumn. Whether you’re warding off the chill on a Saturday afternoon in the bleachers, recounting adventures around a campfire or rewarding yourself for an afternoon of splitting wood, nothing warms the soul (and the belly) like a good single malt. And there’s no better way to drink it than [...]

Flieger Like an Eagle

While it is widely acknowledged that the best watch movements come from Switzerland, watch collectors and industry insiders also know that some of the best watch cases are made in Germany. Maybe it’s due to the strong heritage of craftsmanship and steelworks or just a national appreciation for good design and impeccable manufacturing. Companies like [...]

Let sleeping cats lie

Every car guy’s dream is to find a dusty vintage classic in a barn somewhere. And it does happen. The 1969 Maserati we featured here a few weeks ago was actually found, covered in an inch of bird guano, in a barn on the eastern end of Long Island. Well, today we’re featuring another “barn [...]

KubiK's Cube

Automatic watches are cool but collect a couple and you suddenly have the chore of winding and setting them regularly, or you have to maintain a strict schedule of wearing them to keep them running, which is no fun. A watch winder, which simulates the movement of the watch on your wrist, eliminates the annoying [...]

Italy's Muscle Car

Maserati is a legendary carmaker resurrected. After decades of false starts and forgettable collaborations (the 1980s Chrysler TC comes to mind), the Italian marque that made its name in racing between the World Wars is now firmly back in the hearts and minds of motoring fans. Despite the company’s seductive new releases, there is one [...]

Complications? Yes. Complicated? Let's discuss.

The follow-up to our last Timekeeping feature (The Dive Watch, Deconstructed), Jason Heaton delves into the hallowed world of the Chronograph. There is no other type of watch that requires as much interaction from its wearer as the chronograph. Even at rest a chronograph dutifully waits, its sweep hand standing still, alert and vertical, inviting [...]