Gear Patrol

Helmets save lives at the “expense” of what some misguided cyclists think of as “looking cool”. They’re also bulky, and a pain to schlep once the ride is over. Two female Swedish design students spent seven years researching crash data and over $10 million developing a new form of head protection that avoids both of…

Our favorite season is right around the corner and it’s finally time to ditch the old gear without breaking the bank. Wintersport technology has come a long way since skiing in jeans and few companies are leading the way like Burton. Their new Jet Snowboarding Boot ($150) packs the tech in without the credit card…

Custom bikes are all the rage these days. Heck, we’ve even put our own version together. This latest Duke Harper No. 1 Bike Build is so slick, it might even qualify as a mobile work of art. Built in London, this custom bike is about as fancy as it gets. Essentially, everything about this fixie…

Golf, a game steeped in heritage and tradition, has been plunged into full-blown athletic competition in the 21st century, and most apparel has been pulled along with it. Martin Golf founder Rick Martin preserves golf’s timeless legacy through the use of natural fibers like cotton and wool to design full-cut duds that are sharp both…

In the film short “40 Years in Paris” shot and directed by J.C. Pieri, Frenchman Alain Massabova pirouettes through the City of Light in a visual tribute to both flatland BMXing and one of the world’s greatest cities. Massabova, a 40-year-old father, dances easily atop his orange bike, using skills gained over 27 years of…

Building upon their popular Sortie 26″ platform, Diamondback recently entered the 29er field with the Sortie 3 29 ($3,500), full suspension trail bike packed with technology and features. The larger wheels obviously contribute to the bike’s slightly larger size, but with the extra inches come several advantages — 29″ wheels have a larger angle of…

Confidence has long been considered a key component to a solid golf game — if you’re bold in your approach, the rest will take care of itself. For some, that assuredness is found through long hours on the range; for others, it’s in knowing that the boom stick coming out of their bag is Rickie…

When it comes to style, nobody rivals the Italians and when it comes to cycling, the same holds true. Where the two overlap though goes back to the days of the debonair campione, Fausto Coppi, laboring over the Alps on his Bianchi in a collared wool jersey and immaculate hair. While modern cycling is all…

Golf is a game that takes all of your concentration, while still demanding that you relax. You don’t need another task, like figuring out if you got your own ball mixed up with someone else’s — unless, of course, their shot happens to be in the middle of the fairway. The stainless steel Restoration Hardware…

Maybe it started for you the first time you watched a set roll in, before you knew what a set was, and gazed in open-mouthed amazement as the locals made it look oh-so-easy. Or maybe you just caught 30 minutes of Blue Crush on late night TV. Regardless of how you first fell in love…

“We have always held to the hope, the belief, the conviction that there is a better life, a better world, beyond the horizon.” These were the hopeful words of Franklin D. Roosevelt, a man born on the tail end of the industrial revolution, where we as a species first grasped the true, constructive, and destructive…

Surfboard wax sure doesn’t sound sexy but it’s a surfers most important tool, next to his board. Well, it’s high tide time someone took it to the next level. The Todd St. John designed Indoek Wax Kit is made from beautiful teak wood and replicates the shape of surfboard shaping planes and holds most circular…

Looking for a unique piece of sports memorabilia for your office or mancave? You could plunk down some serious paper for a rare, yet dubious collectable or you could go with something guaranteed to raise some eyebrows. Papafoxtrot, maker of those model cargo ships we love, have now partnered with design firm PostlerFerguson to create…

Everybody knows Nike. How could you not? The global sportswear company is ubiquitous, thanks to decades of developing gear and sponsoring athletes competing in every sport imaginable (seriously, they even sponsor Curling). But while marketing savvy has unquestionably assured the brand limitless time in the spotlight — there’s an equally innovative half to Nike’s success…

Now there’s officially a headlamp for every scenario. The Black Diamond Sprinter ($54) is designed for low-light runs departing from a consistent base of operations (a.k.a. your home) and perfect for twilight or dawn workouts. As the first headlamp to tout a lithium rechargeable battery, you won’t have to deal with swapping out AAs, but…

It’s hard to believe the 2012 summer Olympics are already upon us. While this year’s events will feel familiar, the athletes and venues have unquestionably evolved. The same holds true for the technology used to capture, record and share their feats with the globe. Long gone are the games of stark naked athletes, replaced by…

Fly casting is an art form. To non-fishermen, it may look like flailing a bullwhip — but in reality developing an effective cast is a continuous struggle. The Orvis Practicaster ($39) is a silly-looking 4ft rig that’s been dutifully scaled down for practice casting in smaller spaces, including the great indoors. It can’t offer the…

Serbian tennis ace Novak Djokovic’s new racket won’t send you to any Grand Slam events anytime soon, but the all new Head YouTek IG speed MP 18/20′s string pattern and increased strength without increased weight (only 315 grams) should improve your game, especially at the baseline where feel is crucial and where Djokovic excels. With…

Living in the city is an awesome experience. There’s plenty of things to do, new faces everywhere, and an energy that can inspire when the situation calls for it. But getting around a city, even with good public transportation, can be frustrating at times. With that problem in mind, often the easiest and least stressful…

If you’ve ever found yourself wondering what it would be like to be in London hitting a few golf balls off a floating barge on the River Thames, then you’re not alone. Yesterday, PGA athletes Sergio Garcia and Dustin Johnson did just that — teeing up a near the iconic Tower Bridge. Why? To celebrate…

Slap a logo on any hunk of metal and you have just jacked the price at least ten-fold. Kuat resists the temptation with the Dirtbag, a bike rack that probably epitomizes the paragon of simplicity and value. Sturdily constructed of steel with no moving parts, the rack attaches with bolts or screws to an available…

The Jetovator ($8,975) is essentially a motorcycle powered by the water jet on a (pre-existing) personal watercraft — allowing thrill seekers to ride above, on, or below the waves like some extravagant billionaire/genius superhero. Using pilot-like hand controls and a 50-foot hose for water, riders can fly up to 30 feet above or 10 feet…

Adidas introduced the concept of “boots with a brain” to the world last fall with the launch of the miCoach-toting Adizero F50 soccer cleat — but that was just the tip of the iceberg. Today, the global sports brand announced the miCoach Elite System, designed to track player performance for an entire team in real-time….

Has our resident Ironman-in-training inspired you to get fit? Then there might be some sweltering runs in your future. The Cool Point ($20) by training accessory maker Trigger Point can help balance your body temp during the dog days of summer by stimulating thermoregulation signals to your brain. Just freeze the encased gel pack for…

Fresh off the Euro 2012 soccer tournament, which showcased the most insolvent talented European nations, comes the Nike GS Football Boot ($300), Beaverton’s greenest, lightest, and most innovative soccer boot to date. Most of the material is derived from renewable castor beans, which require less water to grow and reduce environmental impact. That green material…

E-bikes are all the rage lately, giving riders the ability to pedal when they feel like it…or take a few minutes off and let the onboard motor help out. They provide something for the best and worst parts of all of us. The Smart BRABUS e-bike (TBA) takes the niche to the next level, combining…

If your bike is covered in duct tape and still needs a bit of cleaning after your last messy meal on the run, then perhaps F&Y Les Classiques wooden bike handlebars are not for you. Made in Montreal, Quebec via painstaking hand craftsmanship, the Les Classiques line is built with fine hardwoods such as Morado,…

Some floor pumps ensure the only workout you get is an exercise in frustration. Leaky chucks, short reach tubes, shoddy construction — they take up space and don’t put air in tires. Lezyne’s Alloy Floor Drive ($80) floor pump is the old Silca Track Pump reincarnate, plus. The well made Floor Drive features a 7000…

Surfing is as much an art form as a sport. The simplistic beauty of the waves, sand and sun is the basis of a perfect day hanging ten. Ingmar Beer Surfboards ($600+) make you and your board part of that candid aesthetic. Beer’s boards are hand-made in New York, but their design is an import….

As a general trend to more forgiving putter options for weekend warriors seemed to validate the putter’s size and complexity, last year’s TaylorMade Ghost Spider putter was an instant hit. But many golfers weren’t sold. Some felt the Ghost Spider was too massive or simply too hard on the eyes. Never being one to miss…