Gear Patrol | Spirit of Adventure, Passion for Gear

Over the years, we’ve raved about Billykirk’s products and founders, and their latest laptop sleeves ($219+) reaffirms our love. It’s a classic Billykirk piece – blending chic with toughness, and elegance with durability. Featuring hand-stitched Horween leather, a Chicago asset since 1905, this sleeve exudes rugged class. In any boardroom or meeting it sends a [...]

Some call it a science, some call it an art. Regardless of how you choose to define it, in the process of wallet making, two elements are absolutely essential — functionality and form. The folks at Feit have brought these two universal principles face to face in the 2012 Spring Hand Sewn Collection. Their Handmade [...]

Shoot in style

Dress up your favorite shooter with the A7 Original Camera Strap II. Each strap is made in the U.S.A. by a family-owned NYC based leather manufacturer. Color options include black, brown, or a slightly pricier but reversible olive and gray edition. Whatever color your prefer, it’s guaranteed to look classier than advertising your camera model [...]

All of your cards, all in one wallet

One of our favorite camera accessory companies Holdfast, started by professional photographer and GP reader Matthew Swaggert, has just released the perfect piece of gear for managing your memory cards and money. The 4.35″ Indispensable Photographer’s Wallet ($45+) features a foldable design with three pockets. The exterior slide pocket holds IDs and the various other [...]

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 [...]