Gear Patrol | Spirit of Adventure, Passion for Gear

Bookin' It Old School

Etsy maker “punkassjim” came across a photo of an antique electrical handbook and got inspired. The bold title and fun aside notes seemed to describe the iPad 2 perfectly. So, he decided to recreate the look into a set of custom iPad 2 smart covers. All of his wares are made by hand from leather [...]

Pickturesque

Experiment with your sound by giving these Corter natural leather guitar picks ($10) a strum. Besides looking great, this creative use of American certified vegetable tanned leather scraps provides a little more give compared to the traditional plastic variety, resulting in a slightly warmer play tone. Like any other faithful leather product, repeated use will [...]

Experience that shows

HoldFast is a new brand born from the passion of professional photographer and long time Gear Patrol reader Matthew Swaggert. After years of being frustrated with the overly complex, uncomfortable, and militia-styled gear that flooded the photography market, he decided to channel his experience and love of American heritage to create something better. The HoldFast [...]

Sperry’s Cloud Logo brand puts a trendier spin on American originals. The shipyard rigger boot features genuine handsewn construction, a removable, full length molded footbed, and Sperry’s own Wave Comfort System for added cushioning and air circulation. $140 | Sperry Top-Sider

The Wolverine Mayall is a new addition to the famed boot maker’s No. 1883 collection. Featuring a soft full-grain leather upper with a textured, plaid woven print lining, the 8” boot can be folded down for extra versatility, providing two distinctive looks. Thanks to a full-foam foot bed, these boots feature the same comfort and [...]

The D-ring collaboration from Free / Man and Wood & Faulk is comprised of 1.5″ thick, 10oz North American steer hide tanned in the English bridle fashion with solid brass or nickel plated brass rings. The end result is an extremely durable, yet flexible leather classic that will develop character with age. A collaborative logo [...]

Leather. Head.

Adventure, and the gear you take along for the ride never ceases to enthrall us here at GP. David Munson, CEO of Saddleback Leather Co. is a kindred spirit in that regard. Subsequently, we decided to sit down with him and pick his brain on everything from the best strategies for approaching world travel, to [...]

$395 | JWhulmeco.com

Schoolyard Carries

The Billykirk Schoolboy Satchel ($355) wins our vote for its timeless looks and size. Made from 100% vegetable tanned leather and measuring a shoulder-friendly 14″ L x 10″ H x 4″ width, it’s the perfect bag for hauling your tablet or ultralight laptop around town without being mistaken for a bike messenger. Removing the shoulder [...]

Protection Never Looked So Good

Sunglasses are a money pit for many. You eagerly drop $100 and beyond to buy a pair for the season, knowing they’ll be destroyed soon by stepping or sitting in the wrong place — if they aren’t lost before then. The Dom sunglasses holder by Barret Alley ($150) won’t change this law of the universe, [...]

Strapped For Class

You spent hours researching it and threw down stacks of cash to get that perfect camera setup. When the gear arrived, you attached the included strap to your rig, stuck your neck through, and immediately realized you’d transformed into Clark Griswold. Now that wouldn’t be so bad if a young Beverly D’Angelo appeared too, but [...]

One Beautiful Beast

Estwing was founded by Swedish immigrant Ernest O. Estwing nearly a century a go. Ernest had a talent for forging hammers from one solid piece of hardened steel and the rest as they say is history. Estwing tools are still made in the USA in Rockford, Illinois and this Estwing Claw Leather Handle Hammer ($26) [...]

A World Apart from Samsonite

We like pretty much every kind of leather good Bill Amberg comes up with, but we decided to share the Leather Lugger first mainly because it strikes a good balance between price, size and style. Available in Olive, Brown, and Grey (pictured above) color options, each bag is made by West Country craftsmen from hardwearing [...]

A Beast of a Belt

Tanner Goods produces their Standard Belt by hand in the enviable climes of Portland, Oregon. It’s constructed from 9/10 ounce,  1.5″ wide, heavyweight English Bridle Leather, has hand burnished edges, and has been properly branded with the Tanner mark. Our test model was in natural-finish leather with a Nickel plated roller buckle and keeper, plus [...]

Like Two Shoes in One, Hand Made in Maine

Combining two classic men’s shoe styles into one beautiful silhouette, these Deck Chukka’s are as stylish as they are well crafted. Created for fashion outfit 3Sixteen by shoe maker Quoddy, each pair is hand sewn in Maine with locked-stitched tips and kickers by one individual craftsman. Material wise, the shoes are made from Chromexcel leather [...]