Gail force winds, horizontal rain, frigid temperatures and even the poor British dental system couldn’t deter Padraig Harrington from defending his Open crown. Some questioned whether Harrington really won the crown last year or was given it, but no one can take away from what he did this week at Royal Birkdale. Paddy now becomes the 24th man to ever win multiple Majors and the first European in over 100 years to defend an Open title. It seems that the best preparation for a Major this year is to hurt yourself right before. I wouldn’t be surprised to see half the field show up to the PGA Championship at Oakmont a little gimpy.

We should also pass along our thanks to Greg Norman who stepped into the spotlight this week injecting his charisma and flair, like he did when he was the #1 player in the world, and filled an obvious void created by Tiger’s absence. He provided the media frenzy experts were convinced would be lacking. Just shows you what they know.

If you haven’t sacrificed years of your life to training and you’re not already in Beijing, chances are slim that you’ll be at the Olympics this year. Like most Americans, including myself, you’ll probably spend part of your August 8th week gazing at a jumbotron scoreboard (your HDTV) with an athletic beverage (cold beer) in one hand and the javelin (remote) in the other. But as realistic as the pictures on your plasma are, they can’t compete with the real thing. So, if you’re dying for a piece of the Olympics, grab a pair of the Made for Beijing Collection by adidas. [Additional images after the jump]
Read the rest of this entry »

It’s a cool 60 degrees out with bright blue skies and a gentle breeze at your back. Perfect running weather… that is, 3 months ago. With 90+ degree temps, soaking wet humidity and the blaring sun, you’re probably dreading those morning runs. While we can’t do much about the weather you’re experiencing, we can help you keep cool while you’re out there.

For this we bring you the Patagonia Runshade Top. This isn’t just your average moisture wicking poly-blend top. Patagonia went the extra step with four-way stretch shoulder panels to keep you mobile, and a deep center front zipper for venting, not to mention 30 UPF sun protection. A shirt that’s highly breathable, flexes with your body, and provides UV protection? It’s not hard to see why this isn’t one of our new favorite pieces of summer gear.

Cost: $45 @ Patagonia

Simply known as The Open. To be considered one of the all-time greats of the game capturing golf’s oldest trophy, the Claret Jug, is a must. Winning a Major Championship is career defining, to do it in the birthplace of golf is truly special. Read on for more of GP’s Salute to the British Open.
Read the rest of this entry »

If you’ve ever tried to calculate your golf handicap index then you know it’s a lot like rocket surgery, yeah… rocket, surgery. Fortunately for you Gear Patrol has a few mad scientists on staff ready to tackle such a challenge. I won’t go into the details, but you should at least know the following:

• A handicap is the average of your best scores, not all of them.
• Each score is adjusted for the difficulty rating of that course.
• Final scores are adjusted based on a maximum number of strokes per hole given your current handicap.
• You use a different number of scores depending on the number of rounds you’ve played.
• You should never use more than your last 20 rounds.
• Don’t expect to beat your handicap often; it only happens about 20% of the time.

If you’re going to improve you need to track your handicap. Gear Patrol has created a handicap index for you to download, use and share with all your golf buddies - FREE OF CHARGE. It’s just the kind of guys we are. We’ve also include a space to track Greens in Regulation & Putts per Round, two stats that are crucial to becoming a better player. Detailed instructions are included with the calculator.

Download link after the jump.

Read the rest of this entry »

Where there’s a will, there’s a way. And if there happen to be an endless supply of cash at hand then all the better.

Or so the thought must have been with the creation of Ski Dubai, a 242,000 square foot indoor ski/snowboard slope with year round snow. Ski Dubai features 5 runs that fall a total of 196 feet over 1300 feet enclosed in a 30 degree Faranheit environment. Ski Dubai also stakes claim to the world’s first indoor black diamond run. Either way, probably too tame for the skiers and boarders here on Gear Patrol, but hey, you know what they say: “When in Dubai…”

Interior image after the jump.

Cost: $50 per two hours @ Ski Dubai

Also See: Gear Patrol’s Ski and Snowboard coverage.

Read the rest of this entry »

The cross terrain design Pscyhlo-X is a titanium giant. It will take you from road to mud without a flinch. Some of many many features of this ~17lb bicycle are: replacable rear hanger, front derailleur pulley and barrel adjuster to swap out off-road and road derailleurs, wishbone mono-stay eliminates seat movement under breaking, top-routed brake and shift cables, and a carbon fiber pitch fork. Oh, and it looks killer.

Cost: $6,000 @ Moots

Also See: Review on Wired.com

The next time you head to the range to pratcie your swing take along a little extra help on your iPod. The good people at Golf.com now offer their instructional videos from GOLF Magazine’s Top 100 Teachers via podcast.

Best of all you’ll have access to all the latest featured GOLF Magazine videos that will be downloaded automatically for you. Just sync you iPod, grab your clubs and hit the mats.

Cost: Free @ iTunes [link will launch iTunes]

Also See: Bushnell Tour V2 Rangefinder

Show your MLB team fanaticism with a pair of Oakley’s all-new MLB Flak Jacket XLJ Sunglasses. The special editions Flak Jackets use Oakley’s Black Iridium interchangeable lens with high definition optics, 100% UV filter, XYZ optics to maximize peripheral vision and a hydrophobic lens (smudge-resistant) coating that repels sweat, skin oils and dust.

The MLB Edition Flak Jackets also include a laser etching of your favorite team’s logo.

Teams Currently Available: Dodgers, Red Sox, Cubs, Tigers, Diamondbacks, Angels, Yankees, Mets, Phillies, Padres and Mariners.

[Click On Image To Enlarge]

Cost: $160 @ Oakley

The warm weather is upon us and if it’s a nice sunny day, more than likely you’ll find me on the beach. Whether it’s over the weekend or you happen to call in sick (cough), there’s definitive gear you need to take with you when hitting up the local [insert place with large body of water and girls in bikinis here].

Today I’m going to cover the board short, a summer gear essential. Read on to find out why.

Read the rest of this entry »