Gear Patrol | Spirit of Adventure, Passion for Gear

It might as well be an app

Hardcore adventurers, or guys who just beat the hell out of their watches, know that the Casio Pathfinder is unparalleled for the outdoor enthusiast. Their latest brute, the solar powered Casio ProTrek PRW5000Y ($480), comes with a trio of sensors that measure altitude, barometric pressure, temperature, and directions. A clever method of display, the watch hands, provides an easy analog style readout along with the digital display. But what about the telling of time, you ask? No worries, the watch also features 6-band atomic timekeeping for overkill accuracy on your next descent.

Buy Now: $480 (Available May)

Because your homage to Inception won't film itself

Mmmm. Pro gear. At long last, Sony’s pro camcorder with E-mount (think: exchangeable lenses) has arrived. The broadcast quality HD camera is far too much gear for the amateur, but it never hurts to dream. Right? At the heart of the modular-design Sony NEX-FS100 ($5,850-$6,550) is what the Sony calls the Super 35mm sensor — essentially an APS-C (like the Canon 7D or Nikon D7000) sized Exmor CMOS sensor — which means tack-sharp high-resolution motion pictures. The camera captures full 1080p at 24, 30 or 60 fps at up to 28 Mbps bit rates and includes a slew of other features including XLR audio inputs, 3.5″ LCD with 1.2x viewfinder tube, built-in GPS, quick/slow-motion, and SDXC card compatibility. Sony is even introducing a dust and rainproof variant. The kit includes a versatile optical steadyshot 18-200mm F3.5-6.3 lens (~11x zoom), but we can’t wait to see this little beast produces mounted with some prime Zeiss glass. Want more? Here’s some of Sony’s video eye candy.

Buy Now: $5,850 | Kit $6,550

Double or Nothing

We love our single malt whisky. So when we came across the Highland & Island Malt Stack ($115) from the Scottish “liquid deli” Demijohn, pinching — nay punching — was required to ensure we were still among the living. The top bottle contains a relatively unknown 12 year old Linkwood Single Malt from Elgin, that’s distinguished by a sherried fruit nose and a surprisingly smooth taste despite a 61.3% ABV bite. The bottom half includes a richer, 18 year old Bunnahabhain Single Malt Whisky from Islay, that taps in at 46% ABV. It’s characterized by hints of sweet honeyed nuts, which contrasts with the peat smoke taste that’s traditional for the area. Combined, the bottle is a superb treat for malted barley fans. Now the question is are you in the mood for 12 or 18?

Buy Now: $115

Cuff Yourself

If you fancy yourself a well-dressed man or just want to dress better, consider the elegant cufflink. Okay, so you can find plenty of novelty cufflinks in the shape of dice, beer cans and skulls, but what you really need is a set that sets you apart. The Dunhill Double Sided PP Cufflinks ($325) will serve that purpose, twice. Made from brass and platinum plating, one side features a subtle AD logo while the other sports a unique blue mother of pearl, allowing them to do double duty, depending on which end you choose. The best part is that they fold completely flat and travel well in the classy black leather pouch, included. Bond would be jealous.

Buy Now: $325

On the record

Since built-in gadget mics are about as useful as a 56k modem circa 2015, we rely on our trusty Zoom recorders here at GP for our recording needs. But, after testing out the new Tascam DR-07mkII ($150) we’re going back to double check our levels. As the latest iteration of Tascam’s popular handheld recorders, the DR-07mkII ups the pocket recording feature-per-dollar ante with an all-new design packed with features. The built-in dual cardioid pattern mics can be configured to record in XY or AB patterns for up-close or ambient recordings and features a microSD slot (2GB card is included) and powerful battery that’s good for over 17 hours of 320 kbps MP3 or 96 kHz WAV recording. Other handy capabilities like peak reduction, auto-record for hands-free operation, reverb effect (when bathrooms aren’t handy), quick menu access for common parameters and a clever overdub feature that lets you lay down a track on top of a previously recorded one. Your one man band just became a studio.

Buy Now: $150

Quoted Notables

What’s better than a Field Notes notebook for your jots, doodles and inspiration? A personalized Fields Notes notebook, that’s what. The Dry Transfer “________ Edition” ($10) still look like the classic kraft-cover version, but you’ll notice these lack the brand printed boldly across the front. That blank space is your pallet for mad-libbing to your heart’s content via dry transfer. Simply use the included kit and the FN-11B Application Template to create any label you fancy and stick it directly on the pad. The finished product will be something unique from the mind of you, just like those finger paintings you made as a child — only saner.

Buy Now: $10 (3-Pack)

E.T. should've been so lucky

Transporting your little tyke in a car is hard enough. Try it on a bike. Now try it with two. Now, jump through a burning ring of fire. Okay, you get it. It’s no picnic. If you use a trailer, it’s hard to see the kids and hard to negotiate a corner. If you use a rear seat, you can only transport one, and if you go for a tumble, it’s not pretty. Along comes the ingenious Ladcykel trioBike V2 ($3,815). Designed to transport children in extreme safety and convenience, it unifies an everyday pedal bike and a unique kid carrier to form a modern rickshaw trike that’s well-made, well-balanced and well, extremely cool. Approved and tested by the Danish (not the sweet roll) National Consumer Agency, the trioBike V2 passes more safety tests than you can think of. The bike itself has a very comfortable upright riding position, so don’t try pulling a Lance Armstrong, even though the trioBike V2 sports Shimano Nexus 7-speed gears and disc brakes. With the removal of the front wheel (and convenient undercarrier mounting), you can attach it to the carrier portion, which acts as a standalone carrier for two kids and should garner plenty of compliments all by itself. With 5 point safety belts, the seats in the carrier are also stain resistant. The retractable hood will dispel rain with ease with a front window for the kiddies and rear window so you see what the rugrats are up to. Just don’t start taking orders from them to jump any ramps.

Check out the Zigo Leader X2 Carrier for a lower priced alternative.

Buy Now: $3,815

It's Back, Back In the Tablet Groove

As much as we love to wave the Apple flag, we have to admire Samsung’s focus on preventing Cupertino from letting the iPad do to tablets what the iPod did to mp3 players. Case in point, after seeing just how thin the iPad 2 was, Samsung publicly acknowledged their 10-inch Galaxy Tab simply wasn’t good enough, and said they were going back to the drawing board. We expected something to emerge from the Korean tech giant’s brain trust later this summer as a result, but instead it took them less than a month to show the world they aren’t out of the fight yet. To learn more, keep reading on the next page.

Documenting a colossally bold journey to The Gates of the Arctic National Park, “The Edge of the Earth” follows Eric Dennis and company to the northernmost national park in the U.S. The park, located entirely north of the Arctic Circle, is seen by few and visited by even fewer, no thanks to its complete lack of infrastructure. Dennis’ film is a must-watch if you’ve got the adventure bug, and we challenge you not to be completely fueled for your next adventure after seeing it. Even more epic: the gear used for the two weeks of filming was powered entirely by the sun. Awesome.

Viewfinder is a series of captivating photos taken by the GP crew, culled from the web, dug out of our archives, or submitted by readers. These photos may or may not pertain to our regularly scheduled posts. Enjoy.

Coats of Dover

Constructed from their new, lightweight yet durable wax cloth blend, the Penfield Dover Jacket ($155) makes its Spring debut — just in time for that warmer-weather jacket you’ve been seeking. The Dover features weatherproof construction, zip through hood, leather detailing and pockets galore. Our color pick: red, but you can take a look at all the colorways after the jump.

Buy Now: $155

Your Media, All in One Place

Tired of shelling out cash every month to your local cable provider for channels you never watch? Well the Boxee Box is the best solution currently on the market for letting you access all of the digital content you love sans a monthly subscription. Its strange exterior isn’t the most home theater friendly design we’ve seen, but aesthetics aside, it still packs everything you’ll need to connect including an HDMI out port, wireless n networking, two USB ports, and an SD card reader. On the software front, Boxxee’s highly praised UI neatly organizes media from a variety of sources including Netflix, Hulu Plus, Vudu, and just about any other form of audio or video you have stored locally on a hard drive, SD card, or other networked computer. There’s also a fully functional web browser with Flash support and plenty of apps like MLB.tv NHL, and Pandora to add on to the media dog pile. Navigating through it all thankfully doesn’t require wielding a chunky full sized keyboard either, since a nifty dual-sided QWERTY remote provides all the buttons you’ll need in a palm-friendly package. If holding an actual remote sounds too old school iPhone and Android apps will let you do the same things via your phone.

Buy Now: $200

Protect Your Baby In Any Bag You Choose

Professional camera bags are a must for hauling your prized-optics collection from shoot to shoot, but they can be overkill. That’s why the ONA Roma Camera Insert and Bag Organizer ($60) fills such a nice niche. Measuring 10.5L X 7H X 4D, it’s designed to fit inside most medium-sized bags to make sure your camera and lens stay protected. Thanks to five exterior pockets, OCD-types can also keep accessories like a phone, and memory cards as snug as Shaq in a VW Beetle. Made from premium waxwear with leather side handles for easy removal, it’s perfect for those who can’t miss a photo op — granted you don’t intend to bring your Sigma 200-500 f/2.8 along.

Buy Now: $60