Gear Patrol | Spirit of Adventure, Passion for Gear

Cutting-edge indeed

So-called “cloud services” hope to make transferring digital data via physical devices akin to cave painting in the near future. That hasn’t stopped pocket-tool legend Victorinox from evolving the classic Swiss Army Knife to house the latest SSDs and transfer protocols. Their new solid state drive line features a special single connector that’s compatible with [...]

The business end

Your average man doesn’t give much thought to knives, much less fixed blade knives. But if you’re at all a prepared man and you either get to the great outdoors with some regularity or you just want to be ready for whatever may come, you might want to include one of the Cold Steel Leatherneck [...]

Cuts like a knife

Just because an everyday carry (EDC) is all about necessity, doesn’t mean it can’t or shouldn’t have a bit of custom flair. The G. Wiseman Sodbuster Pocket Knife ($330), exclusive to Kaufmann Mercantile could be that special something in your pocket (cough). This “as good as they get” pocket knife is made by hand by [...]

Hammer of dawn

If Commissioner Gordon happens to be looking for an upgraded and portable Bat Signal, we’d say the Surefire UB3T Invictus ($695) could be easily retrofitted to light the Gotham night. Machined from hardened aerospace aluminum and anodized in matte black with tempered glass window it’s tactical excess in its most beautiful form. It features multiple [...]

Mighty Lite

A flashlight is a flashlight. Right? Think about all the times when you needed to reach for one in the house or the garage and the batteries were dead or if it did work, the beam was weak. Even moreso, your run-of-the-mill flashlight tends to be bulky (hence, bad for small spaces) and the beam [...]

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 [...]

Taking a bite out of weight

Just because something isn’t broke doesn’t mean you can’t tweak it. Recasting its popular, stainless steel predecessor the PocketToolX Piranha Titanium ($95) proves that lighter is better. 30% to be exact. An open wrench, pry tip, oxygen bottle wrench, metric wrench, scraper, box ripper, 1.5″ driver bit, knot un-tier, and the requisite bottle opener are [...]

Tool trick

Milled from solid titanium, the innocuous Barbar ($75) may look like some type of industrial throwing star, but those shapes and edges hide three tools: a bottle opener, prybar, and 1/4″ bit wrench. Avaiable in four colors, it also serves as a handy keychain or a perfect companion to its carabiner cousin. If you prefer [...]

Covert Currency

If you have secrets you prefer remain that way, or just feel like reliving the rush of Cold War espionage (nuclear fallout notwithstanding), then the Spy Coin Edition ITS Challenge Coin ($30) is for you. For this variant, ITS and Spy Coins began with a nickel plated solid brass coin, then hollowed it out to [...]

Cutting Crew

Find yourself habitually reaching for the kitchen shears whenever it’s time for an odd job or chore? Leave the comestible-cutter alone and grab yourself a Fiskars ShopBoss ($30). A veritable Swiss Army Snipper, the ShopBoss offers the best of heavy-duty cutting and a multi-function tool. Titanium coated heavy-duty blades with spring action, wire cutter and [...]

It's G.O.O.D.

Last year, the Gerber Crucial Multi-tool was so popular amongst our readers that we featured it not once, but twice. Revamped and updated, Gerber introduces the new and improved Crucial F.A.S.T. ($59) for 2011. The F.A.S.T. (Forward Action Spring Technology) blade features a combo edge blade and fires open with a snap like your standard [...]

You never know when you’re going to need some illumination

Whether you’re caught out after sunset on your bike, troubleshooting an uncooperative ’74 Beetle, plotting your pre-dawn summit bid, or finding a blown fuse in a dark basement, a good light source becomes invaluable. The problem is, you usually need different lights for different purposes and the one you need is rarely where you need [...]

Fixed Hunter

Crafting knives since 1975, Daniel Winkler draws inspiration for his blades from an era when essential equipment was vital to a woodsman’s livelihood — the 18th century. Unyielding quality would be a misnomer in describing this master bladesmith’s handiwork; instead, the caliber of workmanship Winkler fashions is that of a supreme virtuoso. Partnering with Orvis, [...]

The Darkness, Everybody

When it comes to your every day carry, the choices for the ideal pocketknife are endless. However, if you’re looking an EDC with a sleek all-black tactical edge, consider the Gerber Mini Covert Automatic ($125). Featuring a black lightweight hard anodized aluminum handle and a S30V partially serrated stainless steel blade, the Mini Covert is [...]

Lite, Light Bright

First things first, EPLI stands for Executive Precision Lighting Instrument ($60) and though we’re ambivalent on the government issue acronym, we do like what it offers: a slim form factor tactical light. Made from requisite high-grade aircraft aluminum with a military spec graphite anodized finish, the EPLI uses two AAA batteries to power its dazzling [...]