Gear Patrol | Spirit of Adventure, Passion for Gear

Gunmetal Great

Le Creuset’s wares have always been a staple of upscale kitchens, but we’ve never particularly liked their boisturious color options. This exclusive gunmetal gray version ($300) of their classic 7.25-quart round french oven done in collaboration with one of our favorite Southern publications, Garden & Gun, however, provides a tasteful upgrade to the deep black of raw cast iron, without going full-blown Martha Stewart. Like all Creuset’s ovens, it also boasts the lightest weight per quart of any premium cast-iron cookware available. Add one to your kitchen arsenal, and the presentation rating on your beef bourguignon is bound to improve, especially with french judges.

Buy Now: $300

First but not most

With smooth bokeh and a versatile zooming range, both Nikon and Canon full-frame shooters (e.g. Nikon D700 and Canon 5D Mk II) have continually relied on their respective 24-70mm f/2.8 lenses. The only problem? Canon’s option lands in around $1,300, while Nikon’s is nearly 2-grand, making the glass alone cost nearly as much as a base full-frame body.

Tamron’s newly announced SP 24-70mm F/2.8 Di VC USD should prove to be an interesting option for full-frame shooters, just like their ludicrously wide-ranged 18-270 f/3.6-5.6 (which we keep in our kit). That’s not just because it will inevitably be significantly cheaper than Canon or Nikon’s offerings — though it certainly doesn’t hurt. Instead, the real attraction is that it’s the first to offer built-in image stabilization, which Tamron calls “vibration compensation”. Exact details on costs and availability haven’t been shared, but it’s a good bet that this highly versatile, low-light f2.8 lens packed with an ultrasonic motor, 17-element design, and plenty of high-end glass will keep the price low just like its weight.

Learn More: Here

A touch more advanced

Headphones are the new status symbol in a world where everyone owns the exact same phone. So it’s not surprising that Parrot, maker of a wide range of random accessories for mobile devices including a remote controlled helicopter drone and the Asteroid car audio receiver, decided to enter the fray. Like the $1,500 Zikmu iPod speakers launched a few years back, their newly announced Zik headphones were designed by the guru of all things modern, Philippe Starck. While they aren’t the first set of cans to make use of Bluetooth connectivity to eliminate wires, a unique button-less design should help them stand out in the first class cabin, partially because of their sleek black exterior, but more likely because of the strange ear cup fondling their wearers will surely engage in.

Specifically, swiping up or down along the back of the right ear cup adjusts volume. Skipping tracks likewise works by swiping back and forth to the left or right. The audio will even auto pause each time it detects a user taking off the headset. Most phones will still have to “pair” with the headphones to work, but newer handsets equipped with Near Field Communication (NFC) such as the Galaxy Nexus can automatically sync by just tapping one of the ear cups to the phone. Noise cancellation technology rounds it all out, muting consistent background distractions both inside and outside the headset, so you can listen to Toni Braxton or take calls from grandma in auditory peace. Of course, there’s an app as well, which provides a wide-array of soundstage controls for discriminating listeners who can’t help but tweak settings. Ready to spring? Pricing and release dates are still under lock and key, so you’ll have to monitor the link below for news.

Learn More: Here

Tool House Rocks

The “ultimate workshop” is one of those rooms that frequently crop up in a man’s dream home ramblings, right between mentions of the Holodeck and a putting green. Even for those who’ve never lifted a tool in their life, the allure of escaping to an oasis of tinkering, away from the rest of the house (and its other inhabitants) is undeniable. Since most don’t inherit Doc Brown-type fortunes, TechShop is a growing startup that provides creators with unlimited access to 15,000+ square feet of shared workshop space, stocked with $750,000 of advanced machines, tools, worktables, sophisticated 2D and 3D design software, and other professional equipment — all for as low as $99 a month. Just in case you’re a little rusty on using things like the large rotary punch, TechShop offers training on every tool on the floor, as well as more advanced classes on honing those skills you haven’t touched since metal shop. So-called “Dream Coaches” can also provide direct advice on your individual project, and there’s a good chance other members might lend a hand or wrench too.

For those nurturing small businesses, TechShop offers free Wifi, a retail store for purchasing supplies, conference rooms, coffee, computer workstations, and even access to private workshops and storage for an extra fee, just in case you were worried about leaving your October Sky and This Old House DVDs at home. As of now, TechShop has locations in Menlo Park, San Francisco, San Jose, Detroit, and Raleigh, with new shops in Portland, OR, Brooklyn, and LA coming soon. Have fun, and try not to blow anything up.

Learn More: Here

If vistas are currency, then Montana more than lives up to its title as the “Treasure State”. Case in point: A Week in Montana by Preston Kanak and his shooting partners F9 photo and Eric Hines. The film was shot across various Montana locales using the Canon 5D Mark II, a repertory of glass (Canon 14mm 2.8, Canon 50mm 1.2, Canon 70-200mm 2.8, Canon 24-105mm), and the go-to time lapse weapon du jour: the Kessler Crane Cineslider — we’re itching to get our hands on one of these. The result is a film that’s not only gorgeous, especially in its wide-aspect format, but also inspired us on what to do next after we go fishing.

Snow Might

With enough bite to make a Yeti white with jealousy, Atlas Snowshoe has outdone themselves with the Aspect ($269). Built around an all-new traction system called ReactiV-Trac, the Aspect’ offers up tons of grip thanks to an angry saw-toothed perimeter. Something you’ll want when the powder gets especially naughty. A platform of offset webbing creates a springy platform, which not only absorbs foot impacts but also allows natural movement of the feet, and an elliptical nose makes for easy articulation. In a nod to the modern evolution of snowshoe users (think: adrenaline junkies), a low-profile design and PackFlat binding that easily accommodates bulky snowboard and mountaineering boots, makes for easy, light packing. Slogging through backcountry may not be the most dignified way to kill an afternoon, but when you’re looking to get out of the deep stuff — stat — it’s nice knowing that you can out-maneuver the odd drift or abominable.

Buy Now: $269

Everything just clicks

Plenty of goggle brands have introduced interchangeable lens systems over the last several years. The ability to swap lenses tailored for specific conditions has been a boon for powder hounds seeking an edge, but the changing process is still too tedious to do on the mountain. Rimless iterations made things slightly faster, but users still need to take them off to make changes, and can easily mess up the alignment if they aren’t careful.

Anon’s Magna-Tech system debuting on the newly announced M1 goggles utilizes six magnetic connection points to provide up to 20 lbs of retention force. This allows users to swap in six various tint styles with just a quick pull, all while keeping the goggles on. Unfortunately, your dreams of being the fastest lens draw in the West this season will have to be tabled, since Anon says the M1′s are scheduled to hit shelves next fall. Until then, you can check out the video of the system in action after the break.

Always Analog

The Pelle Leather Journal ($30) is another worthy addition to your analog record keeping repertoire. Inspired by the hard to find and broadly loved Midori Traveler’s Notebook, it features a sturdy leather cover with elastic retainer band and the ability to hold up to three different notebooks in one cover. The covers are made in the USA from American leather, a win-win in our book, err… mind. The notebooks themselves provide 28 lb paper, also made in the USA, that’s perfect for the fountain pens we often write with and can be had in either lined or plain paper. While we probably won’t pen the next great American novel in it, we’re definitely willing to try. Perhaps it’s time for a trip.

Buy Now: $30

Photos by Jon Gaffney

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 optimized for use on the iPad, since it’s built off of modern HTML 5 standards, it also works on other tablets and internet connected devices.

Setup involves inputting player names and the particular whiskies you’ve got on hand. Each spirit is then discretely poured into serving glasses — which are matched with printable tasting mats that will later be used to identify exactly what’s what. Next, players are asked to try and rate each spirit. The app includes an interactive flavor wheel to help aid players with their ratings and taste analysis, that breaks down the description process into 8 categories including rich, complex, smooth, smokey, hair on your chest, fruity, winey, and finish. Users can adjust the area on each wheel to create a visual flavor representation of each spirit. Once all players have had their shot at guessing and describing each drink, the taster with the most correct picks wins.

Ron Burgundy better bring his A game.

Editor’s Note: The design firm Zeus Jones who created Proof originally offered free promotional tasting kits shown above. Those are now sadly long gone so Proof is strictly a BYOW affair.

Learn More: Here

Roll Credits

Looking to go beyond iMovie on your iPad? Consider Avid Studio for iPad. Yup, the software behind some of Hollywood’s biggest films has now been condensed and touch-optimized for the tablet experience, and it costs just $5. Capture media through the iPad Camera Connection Kit or access stored media, and arrange everything quickly in a convenient, intuitive Storyboard mode. A precision frame-by-frame Timeline editor and a slew of studio-quality transitions, 3D animations and effects are also built right in to help turn your home movies into familial blockbusters. The app can also share directly with YouTube and Facebook (amongst others), and when you’re ready to go pro, export directly to Avid Studio (PC only). It may not be a $50,000 workstation, but for just five bucks, this is one mighty powerful app.

Buy Now: $5