Gear Patrol | Spirit of Adventure, Passion for Gear

Clean, drinkable water is critical to life on this planet and is a resource that those of us in first world countries often take for granted. That is, unless you’ve traveled far enough to know otherwise. In the past, though, portable options for purifying fresh water while traveling have been pretty dismal. Boiling, of course, [...]

John Allan’s has hooked up Gear Patrol readers based in the Chicago area with a major solid. We’ve got 25 exclusive invitations to the new John Allan’s Chicago Club opening (Thursday, May 14th) and we’re itching to give them away. Come rub shoulders with Men’s Health, John Allan’s team, a few Gear Patrol crew members, [...]

On-The-Go Disposable Toothbrush

There are times in every man’s life when he needs the feeling of a freshly brushed mouth but finds himself without the aid of a toothbrush, toothpaste, or water. In the past, he might have tried to get by with mints or gum, but we all know how ineffective those alternatives are after slamming down [...]

Diving The Mesoamerican Reef

It’s always a good omen when you see a shark on your first dive. We had dropped down to 80 feet on Palancar reef when I spotted the distinctive dorsal and pectoral fins of a five-foot blacktip. I banged my tank to get my wife’s attention and made the vertical hand-to-head signal for shark. The [...]

How About Happier Endings?

Admit it. As men getting what we bleed for every NFL Sunday for this past year, we have mastered the art of doing absolutely nothing to perfection. But rather than talk about how you should worship 1080p resolution while devouring honey-glazed duck wings topped with charred jalapenos, I want to share with you something even [...]

Editor’s Note: No, this isn’t from last night’s Lost premiere. Recently, Gear Patrol crew member (and adventure junkie) Jason Heaton ventured off to the Dharma Initiative Submersible Headquarters Jules Undersea Lodge. You’ve slept everywhere: the European hostel circuit, Everest base camp, countless beaches, and world-class ski resorts. What’s next? How about 30 feet underwater? In [...]

The holiday travel season doesn’t mean you have to bring along bulky games to keep yourself entertained. The Tumi Travel Charades features 56 suggestions on plastic sticks for acting out songs, movies, books and more. The entire games is housed in a compact leather, tubular case with a zip top making it easily packable. I’m [...]

200,000 Square Acres of Glorious Snow Wide-open bowls, entire slopes to yourself and your cronies… no waiting thirty minutes with idiots piling all over you with their rentals. Sounds impossible, right? Well, not at Ruby Mountain Heli-Skiing. The Ruby Experience is a haven for the snow-bomber with 200,000 square acres of pristine wilderness terrain to [...]

Don’t Throw Away That Water Bottle Just Yet If you do a fair share of traveling you probably know that staying hydrated is important. Outside of Las Vegas, you’re probably not staying in any hotels that take room humidity into factor, an important part of better sleep and avoiding dry/flaky skin. The Air-O-Swiss Travel Ultrasonic [...]

GP Protocol Rule #13 states that men should know how to pack. That being the case, having the right luggage and luggage accessories is essential, especially for those longer trips. Luggage stalwart Tumi, has an ingenius luggage accessory aptly named Tumi Packing Cubes. They’re ideal for organizing your socks, ties and other smaller items. Larger [...]

The Jim Beam Distillery. I can already smell the bourbon. Looking for a getaway this month? Vegas, Europe, Mexico maybe? Well, how about making a trip to Louisville, Kentucky? September is National Bourbon Heritage Month (bet you didn’t know that) and what better way to celebrate than partaking in the caramel-hued libation. Combine that with [...]

Set Your Training Free I don’t know about you but I’m tired of being cooped up in my gym. With Fall rapidly approaching there aren’t that many more chances to make my workouts al fresco either. But if you’re like me, you’re turning this into an opportunity. Stop running around the block or neighborhood and [...]

The Grand Canyon Only 1% of Men Have Ever Seen Just because it’s the Grand Canyon doesn’t mean it has to be boring. [Credit: Jay Patel] Purchase this image @ Jay Patel Photography We feature a number of travel destinations and getaways, but traveling for all intents and purposes, sucks. Getting stuck in an airport [...]

If spending time in southern Utah’s red rock canyons hiking 10-20 miles daily – without tents, matches, flashlights, sounds like your idea of a good time, then we’ve got the trip for you. Described as a low-tech wilderness experience, discover how to survive the harsh desert and push past the false limits your mind has [...]

For those of you planning on being at Beijing’s international coming out party this summer (aka, the Olympics), having these guys in your pocket should go a long way in helping you reach the festivities. Featuring the most popular attractions, venues and destinations in Beijing, each card clearly displays the location name, along with detailed [...]