Gear Patrol | Spirit of Adventure, Passion for Gear

Proof yourself worthy

Think you know a thing or two about malted barley mash, pot-distilled in Scotland? Well, the Proof Whiskey Tasting Game is the perfect social arena for strutting your palette skills against other Single Malt connoisseurs (or newbies). Accessing the free game simply involves pointing a web browser to the Proof Web App. While it’s been [...]

West Meets East

After 25 years as one of the world’s leading gin brands, Bombay Sapphire has finally introduced a new extension to the line, dubbed Bombay Sapphire East ($32) (42% ABV). Adding “East” to the name may seem a bit redundant given the Bombay branding, but the spirit has always been officially classified as a London Dry [...]

Get it before it’s gone

Always advocates for more beer, we’re happy to welcome Newcastle Founders’ Ale to the U.S. market. The new brew – which pays homage to Newcastle’s five founding breweries – is part of Newcastle’s Limited Edition series, which also includes Summer Ale, Werewolf and Winter IPA. Newcastle Founders’ Ale ($9) is a full-bodied, easy-drinking beer with [...]

Help bring this Irish spirit upstart, stateside

Poitín is essentially the traditional Irish equivalent to moonshine and holds a reputation for being one of the strongest spirits in the world, thanks to its 60%-95% ABV. Its Gaelic name references the small copper pots used in its distillation and the booze is commonly found throughout homes on the Emerald Isle. Poitín is in [...]

The First American Cookbook

American Cookery ($10) is the first cookbook written by an American. Strangely, the only details that are actually known about its author come from the words “American orphan” found on the cover. Other hints from the book’s text suggest she was a domestic laborer who lacked formal education. The book was published originally in 1796 [...]

One star resort

Part childhood camp, part adult retreat, all neo-luddite, Camp Wandawega proves relaxation doesn’t have to involve iPads and DVRs. In lieu of technology, Wandawega’s camp counselors — oh yes, there are counselors — are happy to point you to activities like lake fishing, archery, various court sports, or one of the many other non-internet-connected activities [...]

New Jerseys

Take a trip down memory lane and look at the unis worn by Bird and Magic, vs. Jordan and Isiah Thomas, vs. Lebron and Kobe, and you’ll see just how much the style of basketball has changed. The same trends have flowed through the college game. Yesterday, Nike unveiled what it expects to be the [...]

Flight by light

It may look like a mechanical dragonfly but Metin Kaplan’s “Sunrise” is not a Da Vinci helicopter. By harnessing the power of the sun, Kalpan’s project aims to make thermal-powered flight a reality for a wider audience — and if you’re wondering who needs slower, solar-powered aviation just think about its applications in filming, patrolling, [...]

Whiskey fit for a president

Maybe it’s just our nature to root for the little guy, but man, we sure love small batch bourbons. The industry giants put out some fine products, but it’s the smaller players that take up most of the space on our home bars. Like Jefferson’s ($30), a very small batch, hand-crafted and Kentucky-bred bourbon. Jefferson’s [...]

Claim in Style

Our ever-tasteful friends at Cool Hunting brought this new travel accessory from one of our favorite notebook brands to our attention. Much to our pleasure, these 3.75 x 2.25 pay direct homage to the company’s classic hard cover journals and feature rounded edges along with a matching elastic closure. Available in four color ways, the [...]

A better brew from Brooklyn

Kickstand started back in 2010 out of a shared passion for sustainably grown coffee and cycling. Founders Neal Olson, Aaron Davis, Peter Castelein and Benjamin Schleif mixed the two loves by biking their cold brew serving “mobile coffee stand” to various NYC outdoor markets, and they haven’t looked back since. The group’s success stems from [...]

Data Decadence

Jetsetting is a nightmare for untethered internet junkies — particularly when papa corporation isn’t footing the tab. Sure, most U.S. wireless carriers can keep the data flowing, but at their rates, careless users will lose their shirts faster than a night of craps at the Bellagio by just checking email. Frugal types may go through [...]

Pure and Simple

Prospector Co. is an independent men’s grooming brand that channels a similar vibe to the Portland General Store. All of their hand-blended, small batch products feature purely natural ingredients and are designed for those who care just as much about what goes on their skin as what they drive, eat, wear, or watch. Distinctive combinations [...]

The second coming

The Glenrothes Whisky’s vintage release program brings some very interesting drams to market, including the 1985 Vintage ($110). This whisky was laid down in barrels in 1985 and first bottled in 1997 as a 12-year old expression. It was a hit, so the company decided to age those original whisky stocks even longer and bottle [...]

Whoa, down in Mexico

With just 20 bungalows strewn across 99-acres of mountainside in Mexican wine country, Endemico Resguardo Silvestre might be the best reason to go South of the Border yet. Designed with eco-friendly mentality the demure, yet capacious rooms (each measures about 215 sq ft), called EcoLofts, are built from corten steel and elevated from the ground [...]