Gear Patrol | Spirit of Adventure, Passion for Gear

Built for speed... and production

A couple of months ago, news of the Nissan Juke-R Concept hit the web. Nissan execs Jerry Hardcastle and Paul Wilcox gave the project the nod and approached the minds at Ray Mallock, Ltd. in the UK, who subsequently chopped at Nissan GTR by 250 mm and saved the all-wheel drive system, suspension and beefy 485 horsepower twin-turbo V6 — much to the delight of automobile enthusiasts all over the world. The result is strangely magnificent, especially with the matte black paint job and the blacked out wheels, but it’s the performance and handling that really blow the mind for a car of this type. 160 mph, zero-to-sixty in 3.7 seconds and on-rails in the twisties capability.

Now for the big news… Nissan is putting it into limited production and added a horsepower boost to 545 ponies. The first customers are wealthy sheiks from Dubai (shocking, we know), and additional Juke-Rs are slated for production upon request and payment of substantial funds, not doubt, for this unique performance vehicle. Gear heads, rejoice.

Learn More: Here

Pick up your shift

When you want to hammer a sprint like a Norse god (think Hushovd, not some mythical comic book hero), whether for the finish line, a money prime or the next road sign, the last thing you need is a slow or missed shift. Shimano Ultegra Di2 electronic shifting brings faster, effortless shifts at the touch of a finger. Mirroring Shimano’s top-of-the-line, race-proven Dura-Ace variant, the Ultegra Digital Integrated Intelligence shifters are about 5 oz heavier on the bike while being $1,700 lighter on your wallet, but offer the same features. While most of the pro racers at this year’s Dana Point, California Grand Prix criterium were sporting Dura-Ace Di2, Ultegra was more common amongst the amateur riders who actually have to buy their own schwag.

Gear changes occur with precision and a light touch — so light, it takes some getting use to — and the front derailleur auto-trims in sync with rear derailleur shifts, making dreaded chain rub a thing of the past. The 10-speed rear derailleur has a crash-saver function, allowing it to collapse inward if you lay it down, leaving you only a pound of flesh to replace. The lithium-ion battery is good for about 1,000 miles, with a handy indicator by the handlebars to signal recharging time, which takes about 90 minutes. The later arrival of the Ultegra benefits from lessons learned on the racing circuit, allowing a reduction from four wires down to only two. While road cyclists can immediately take advantage of the lower-priced model, time trialists and triathletes will still have to go with Dura-Ace.

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Pocket Rocket

An aviation icon of the Korea conflict, and the bane of the MiG-15 (Russia-piloted or not), the North American Aviation F86 Sabre Jet was America’s first transonic fighter jet and the first designed with a swept wing to counter the leading edge compression wave of near-supersonic flight. Now wannabe fly-boys can unleash their inner “Maverick” with the Great Planes F-86 Sabre Jet, the first micro electric radio-controlled plane with a true ducted fan. The 30mm HyperFlow ducted fan unit gives the F-86 the power and thrust for everything from buzzing the tower to outstanding sport aerobatics. Wing overs, rolls, loops, Immelmans, split-S’s, rolling scissors — heck, Ace; add Nerf darts and pretend your neighborhood watch is the CIA hunting al Qaeda in Yemen.

The F-86 Sabre’s appearance matches the air combat maneuver realism. The factory-finished fuselage and wings feature details and decals for authentic markings and USAF insignia. The magnetic battery hatch is hidden under a realistic canopy, complete with a pilot figure. The included landing gear can also be attached for rolling takeoffs or removed for easy hand launching. For the true aficionado, Great Planes also offers the unique advantages of a transmitter-ready (Tx-R) equipped aircraft that allows existing lawn pilots to use their favorite transmitter.

Buy Now: $180

See right hear

Some of the best sounding speakers could use a pleasing aesthetic touch. A basic black box is nice and simple, but also a tad boring in the realm of desktop audio. If you have a desire for high fidelity and high-end looks, look no further than Well-Rounded Sound.

Using full range drivers with 100 Hz to 20,000 Hz, along with acoustically optimized enclosures, 6 foot pure copper wiring and case materials such as 100% New Zealand wool felt, carbonized bamboo and American hardwoods, the line from Well Rounded Sound (with names like Hot Dog, Boxer and Jack Terrier 2) employs a consistent cylindrical theme with numerous customization options. Beautifully constructed and made to order, you’d do well both visually and aurally to get a couple of these cranking out Mahler, Moby or Miles Davis.

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Knight Driver

Speed kills. Or should we say, speed kills golf balls. Long drives are generated from a delicate balance of raw, white knuckle speed and precession ball striking. Add a few MPH to you clubhead speed and you’ll start reaping the yardage gains immediately. Callaway’s RAZR X Black Driver ($250) aims to unleash your inner speed demon.

Some like it hot

Add kick and a little heat to your dirty vodka martini or bloody mary with a splash of 75 proof Stolichnaya’s “Hot” flavored vodka. Vodka-enthusiasts may be more familiar with this fiery jalapeno-infused liquor back when it was known as Stoli Pertsovka. Pertsovka is actually the general Russian term for pepper-flavored vodka, and all that’s really changed with Stoli Hot is the switch to more western-friendly branding.

While it’s apparently not the hottest vodka out there, this particular blend is still noted as a great option for adding heat and a range of heavy vegetal flavors including Thai basil. If you were feeling particularly adventurous and culturally laissez-faire, there’s the potential to take things from the bar to the kitchen and fire up pasta with spicy vodka sauce. Afterwards, fire-in-the-belly speeches could take on a whole other meaning.

Buy Now: $30

History in the Remaking

After a long absence, the once popular Amiga brand is back, courtesy of its parent company Commodore. The revival, dubbed the Amiga Mini, like a Leprachaun in a boxing ring, is short in stature, but big at heart. With obvious nods to its similarly named Apple counterpart, the Amiga Mini is made out of a sleek aluminium casing which comes in either silver or black. Under the hood, you’ll find a powerful Intel Core i7 3.5GHz (3.9GHz with Turbo Boost) quad-core processor, 16GB of RAM, NVIDIA GeForce GT 430 GPU complete with its own 1GB of RAM, and a 1TB hard drive. It also includes a slot load Blu-Ray drive and internal space for two 2.5″ hard drives. Note that all these options, with the exception of the Blu-Ray drive, are considered add-ons and are not included in the “barebones” price of $345. A fully decked out Amiga Mini will set you back $1345. Coming in at 7.5 inches square and 3 inches tall, there’s no denying that the Amiga Mini is a tiny powerhouse. Hot on the heels of the Commodore 64′s recent comeback, this revival of Amiga lets us wonder which unit Commodore will revive next…

Buy Now: $345+

In the hands of the Master

Over thirty years ago, a racing legend made his debut at F1, though his sterling career would sadly be cut short by a freak accident. Aytron Senna, as many of you have seen in the much acclaimed documentary Senna, possessed mad driving skills and the kind of talent that emerges but rarely, not just in Formula 1 but in automotive racing, period. Largely due to the excellently made film, there’s been a surge in popularity of Senna racing memorabilia, from his helmet to a racing suit that both commanded serious money at auction.

Next up is Senna’s first F1 steering wheel from his 1984 Brazilian Grand Prix opening. It will be auctioned at Silverstone. Though it’s curiously free of the modern, hi-tech F1 steering wheels that have been manhandled by the likes of Schuey, the simple wheel with Senna’s autograph would take the honored spot in your man-cave. Early figures predict a $20K+ purchase price, but it could go even higher. Sell your 2010 Honda Accord and you could own a piece of racing history.

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Save lives in style

Preparing for the worst is especially trendy now. Whether you believe nuclear war is about to break out, a zombie infestation is inevitable, or think the Mayans really had the inside scoop on the apocalypse – many individuals across the country have taken a liking to ‘prepping’. And, as with any trend, style and aesthetics cannot be left out of the mix.

German-based company Radius Design has added some elegance to that clunky first-aid kit hanging in your bathroom, stashed under your desk, or in the back of a closet. The First-Aid Box (~$66+) is a brushed stainless steel casing that holds the iconic red first-aid kit. A cutout section that resembles the iconic cross symbol allows for anyone to quickly recognize and grab the kit in case of an emergency. Available in two different sizes – home and office, the company also offers a refillable kit that you can purchase to supplement your own stash.

Buy Now: ~$66+

Any excuse to cut things...

Featuring one part cutting board and one part food storage unit (with a waste disposal unit to boot), the Curtis Stone Workbench slicing and dicing the most exciting part of your meal — in the off chance it wasn’t already.

Made from an Australian grown Victorian ash wood (from an eco-sustainable plantation), there’s no need to worry about your knives getting damaged chopping away on this thing. 3 stainless steel 1-cup measuring cups come included with the board, along with an additional steel scoop and an incredibly handy waste disposal drawer. When that’s full, simply pull it out and dump the contents in the trash. It couldn’t be more efficient, although, its large size means you’d better have plenty of cabinet space in your kitchen, unless you don’t mind proudly displaying this wooden beast at all times.

Buy Now: $300