So you watched A River Runs Through It on cable the other night and, your brother’s gambling issues aside, you’ve decided to try fly fishing. What do you need? Well, you could start with just a hardware store rod, reel & line, a few flies in a plastic box, and some clothes you don’t mind trashing. But you’ll enjoy yourself a lot more if you have some decent gear in hand. Lucky you — we’ve got everything you need right here.
Inside the head of a typical addict
Why Fly Fish?
I’ve heard that question answered a lot of different ways in 23 years of flinging sharp wire & feathers at the finned ones. For some, it borders on the mystical. People talk of otherworldly feelings or suspension of time (as in time spent fishing doesn’t count against your allotment here on planet Earth).
For others it’s a religious experience.
Mortgage house, book ticket, feed soul
Have Rod, Will Travel: Three Bucket List Fly Fishing Destinations
If you have a hankering for more exotic fish than you can find in the nearest stream, river, or lake, consider packing a bag with a few travel rods and the rest of your gear and giving destination fly fishing a try. That’s all well and good (great, really), but as always, you should strive for the cream of the crop. Here are three trips worthy of the bucket list of any fly fisher.
A Fly Fishing Legend
30 Minutes With: Lefty Kreh
Lefty Kreh is one hell of a fisherman. He’s lots of other things, too: retired outdoor editor of the Baltimore Sun, accomplished photographer, prolific author, father and grandfather, teller of stories, entertainer, absolute legend as a fly caster. It seems, though, that all of these things orbit around the first one. We sat down with him to hear about his 32nd book, common casting mistakes, how he was introduced to the sport, and much, much more.
A visit to fly fishing paradise
Off the Grid
This video, a special cut of “Off the Grid”, a full-length fishing documentary about finding and fishing in places that are untouched or simply outside the norm, pretty much has it all. There’s a quick summary of the epic trip that makes up the entire film, full of monster fish doing their best jaws impressions on happily bobbing flies; then we get to meet two young trout bums living the dream in northeast Ohio.
Today in Gear: June 13, 2013
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Pling Pling is a new app for iOS and OSX that allows groups of people to communicate via quick voice-based messages. Record a simple message and Pling it to others who can listen to your comment and add to the conversation. Anyone else feeling compelled to send some ironic — and hilarious — You’ve Got Mail communiqué? No?… just us then. joinpling.com |
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OVVO Optics Born in 2011 from materials developed during the Cold War, these German- and Polish-made frames are laser-cut titanium-steel composite with screw-less hinges. The optical and sunglass frames come in a plethora of creative, colorful (and very European) designs, weigh only 0.6 ounces and are engineered to last two long lifetimes. ovvooptics.com |
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Pioneer XDJ-R1 All-in-One Wireless Performance DJ The newly announced DJ system is the first in the industry to apply iOS control capability; this allows DJs to control their beats via an iPad or iPhone app, even in places where a wi-fi network isn’t available. Great for the modern DJ relying more and more on mobile technology to put a new spin on his craft. $899 |
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Umbra Rinse Bowl And Strainer This is what many of us deal seekers would call a “two-fer” — a combo strainer and bowl designed especially for rinsing fruit. The Collander piece swings out of the way when you’re rinsing and up like a knight’s visor when it’s time to drain. Pretty much a Medieval Times cook’s dream gadget. $10 (★) |
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Polk Audio Woodbourne Speaker The Woodbourne, named after a neighborhood in Baltimore (does that mean it comes with bullet holes?), is two feet of handsome speaker, featuring a wood top and a curvy, wraparound fabric cover with minimalist buttons. Be it Bluetooth, AirPlay, aptX compression, auxiliary inputs or optical input, the two long-throw drivers, two tweeters and 4-channel amp kick out the sound in style. polkaudio.com |
| Icon 1000 Chapter Motorcycle Jacket Available in brown or grey/black Brazilian leather, the Chapter looks as good as it performs. CE approved shoulder, elbow and back protectors keep your vulnerable bits well sheathed, and a removable vest liner is ready to keep you warm on those long rides. $600 |
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Pentax Q7 The Q7 aims its adorable little guns squarely at the Instagram set with a powerful 1/1.7-inch sensor and interchangeable lenses. Use their online configurator to choose one of 120 color combinations (we’re partial to orange and black). $500 |

Walkaround Guys: 5 Best Everyday Kit Lenses
Kit lenses have a bad reputation for being the cheap training wheels of the photography world, built solely to make the DSLR buying process more approachable for thrifty consumers in search of a one-stop upgrade. These knocks against the category aren’t completely unfounded, but you shouldn’t let the general snobbery of experienced photographers steer you away from a good deal or convenience. There are a variety of kit lenses that are still a tremendous value and a great starting point for building a glass collection, whether they’re purchased with a camera or on their own. Here, you’ll find a few of our favorites across a variety of major brands and setups.
Meet the media manager of the future -- and it's not made by apple
Qvivo is the Cloud Media Solution of Your Dreams
Qvivo is a new cloud media service startup that claims to succeed where most others have failed in offering a dream streaming solution for video and music fans with large digital libraries. Starting at $1.99 a month, Qvivo offers unlimited cloud storage for movies, tv shows and music that can then be streamed through any modern web browser. We put the service through its paces and came away extremely impressed.
Bolster your photo app-titude
Hot Shot: Five Apps to Help You Shoot Like a Pro
Whether you’re trying to capture the grandeur of the Grand Canyon or just snapping a selfie of your abs (not again, Anthony Weiner!), utilizing a set of great photo apps is key. Give the Earlybird Instagram filter a break and read up on our five favorite photo apps.
Take cover, so no one catches you watching it
Killzone: Intercept
Videogame fans get a bad rap. For all their insistence about the artistry and sophistication of the medium, gamers exist in the minds of other creative artists as….well, something like this guy. “Killzone: Intercept”, a lavishly produced live-action short based on the popular game franchise, does substantial damage to that conception.
Today in Gear: June 12, 2013
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BeltCraft Custom Belts Tell NYC-based BeltCraft your specifications online — choose colors, finishes, stitching, width, cut — and they’ll make you a custom pants lashing, right here in the USA. Name and post your belt design to their website and you’ll earn $2 for every person who buys it, as well as $2 for a different charity each month. A bespoke Karma mine. beltcraft.com |
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Café du Cycliste Apparel This line of cycling apparel is très français. Based in Nice along the French Riviera, Café du Cycliste has lines for men and women, for pro types and for the (slightly) more casual rider. Retro touches on fabrics like Merino wool and anti-odor weaves combine to make these polos, shorts, and compression garments rather chic, no? cafeducycliste.com |
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2014 Toyota Corolla Toyota’s latest entry in the continuing battle of world’s best selling car sports far more pep than their previous snoozer of a compact sedan. More angular and aggressive, and with more space, a CVT, two available power trains and a low 2,900-pound weight, this Corolla is relatively impressive all around — especially in the MPG department. toyota.com |
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DIY Pizza Pie Mark Bello’s Pizza a Casa pizza school teaches the art of pie perfection, but now anyone can access his tutelage via a new iOS app. Videos, photos and guides teach how to make sauces, throw dough and stock a pantry with the right ingredients. Just add chianti. $5 |
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Hlemmur Square Let’s say you’re in Iceland and have recently suffered your own personal economic crisis, but your taste for suitable quarters hasn’t diminished. Check in to Hlemmur Square, a new Reykjavik property that combines hostel and luxury hotel accommodations under one roof. Colorful and comfortable, the five-storey building has a restaurant, live music in the lobby and balconies in the hotel rooms. hlemmursquare.com |
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NuForce Mobile Music Pump This take-with-you headphone amplifier optimizes your portable media device’s audio output with either over-ear or in-ear cans. 20 – 20 kHz frequency response ain’t bad for the price of a nice dinner with your better half. $59 |
Fervent Footwear
Happy Socks
In fashion, it really is the little things that make a big difference. The little things Happy Socks does just happen to be bigger. The Swedish-designed combed cotton socks are bold in all the right ways, playful yet fashionable, sui generis without being obnoxious. Their colorful creations are a great fit in today’s bold style moment, the perfect eye-catching touch to draw the kind of stares you’re after. Read on for more on the brand.
Our Favorites: Grey Stripe Sock ($12) | Big Dot Low Socks ($10) | Gray, Orange and Blue Argyle ($12) | Stripe Half Sock ($12)
Timekeeping Icon: Rolex Cosmograph Daytona
Today, the Daytona is one of Rolex’s most popular models, and no one is surprised when a rare vintage model achieves a half-million dollar hammer price at auction. This is ironic, because not that long ago, Rolex dealers could hardly give these models away. It’s not too often that a watch goes from a sales dud to a piece for which people will wait years (just for the honor of paying full retail price), but that’s what makes the Daytona such a fascinating story.

Automotive Horology: A Compendium of 10 Iconic Cars & Watches
Wheels and gears, second hands and tach needles, power trains and power reserves. Men have always been fascinated by time, speed, accuracy and power — and the beautiful combination of high-end timepieces and exotic roadgoing automobiles captures these obsessions appropriately. And whether the watch of choice is used to measure lap splits or to simply echo the same kind of quality and heritage as his car, you can be assured that careful time was taken to select both. We match up some of the best in timekeeping and automobilia in Gear Patrol style.
Life on the water
Walk on Water
Walk on Water opens with a powerful kayaker tearing through daunting rapids with astonishing ease. The film waits a long while to reveal that its subject, Greg Mallory, is paralyzed from the waist down. Mallory, who lost the use of his legs after a skiing accident, has found in kayaking a warrant for living life normally, a source of joy in the wake of a terrible tragedy.
Industrious engineering
Want This, Get This: IWC Ingenieur Automatic or Christopher Ward C20 Lido
What’s a nearly broke watch collector in love with the IWC Ingenieur Automatic to do? In this week’s Want This, Get This, we searched for an affordable alternative — and found one in the Christopher Ward C20 Lido.
Back in Black
Breakdown: Mac Pro
In July 2003 picture messaging was a luxury, SARS was a global concern, and Apple had just introduced its futuristic and incredibly powerful Power Mac G5. The drilled-out brushed aluminum tower looked like a prop from The Matrix Revolutions (also debuted in 2003, not worth remembering). Fast-forward to nearly 10 years later, and Apple is finally introducing a form-factor update to its longstanding pro desktop tower. Boy, did they go big.
Today in Gear: June 11, 2013
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Microsoft Xbox One Microsoft just announced pricing for its new flagship gaming system, the Xbox One, due for a November launch. To the chagrin of everyone, espeically teenage boys subsisting entirely on allowance and lawn-mowing money, at $499 it’s priced a bit higher than anticipated. $499 |
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PlayStation 4 The PlayStation 4 will be released in time for the Holiday season and it’ll cost just a buck shy of 400 clams. They’ve finally revealed the looks of the thing too, and on design alone the black monolith may be worth every |
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OSX Mavericks Sporting a new name (sorry, Sea Lion), OS 10.9 is packed with great new apps and improvements. Foremost are improvements to battery life and responsiveness, including a great new feature called App Nap that partitions power only to those apps to which you’re paying attention. Mavericks also brings in great iOS apps like Maps and iBooks, which now both sync across all your devices. Tags and tabs in Finder, a broadly integrated Safari and a brand new Calendar app fill out the improvements to the existing Mac software. apple.com |
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iOS 7 The world’s most popular mobile OS has gotten a stellar redesign, along with a host of major and minor improvements. The gorgeous new interface features multiple layers and semi-translucent icons, lending it vitality and functionality its two-dimensional predecessor lacks. Along with beautiful design improvements (including a parallax-controlled background that shifts as you move the phone), iOS 7 comes with a powerful new camera, a vastly improved browser, enhanced multitasking capabilities and even a new Siri. These major upgrades are well supplemented with slight but necessary fixes like notification syncing, activation lock, and a redesigned app store. apple.com |
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iWork The long-suffering second fiddle to Microsoft Office may have just eclipsed its Windows counterpart. The new iWork comes with iCloud integration; from both Windows and Mac computers, users can now edit and sync their documents across devices using only a web browser. If Pages, Numbers, and Keynote weren’t already on your radar, now is the time to take note. apple.com |
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New Mac Pro A major update to Apple’s long forgotten pro desktop. Apple has completely re-engineered every component to redefine power computing. Check out our breakdown for more info. apple.com |
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Macbook Air with Haswell The new ultra-portable gets a slight bump in speed — but the real news is its drastically increased battery life. The 13-inch edition goes from 7 hours to an incredible 12 thanks to some massive batteries and an electron-sipping Haswell processor. $999+ |
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Apple Airport Extreme 2 Looking like a cookie dough tube of Airport Expresses, the new Airport Extreme uses 802.11ac technology to nearly triple the data rate of previous 802.11n. Also new is Beamforming, which allows the base station to “target” devices with 802.11ac wi-fi and direct a stronger signal in their direction. $199 |
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iTunes Radio Apple finally enters the booming music-streaming arena. Replete with customized stations, Siri integration and a powerful recommendation engine, iTunes Radio is poised to gun for Spotify’s market share. The service, which lands this fall, will be free with ads; iTunes Match subscribers will get the service ad-free. $25/year |

Learn To Ride: Two Wheels Stir the Soul
So now that you’ve chosen which starter steel horse suits you best, you’ve got to figure out just how to ride this thing safely — the only thing uglier than a bike confined to a garage is one on its side. Getting out with your knees in the breeze is the best way we know to decompress and let the work week wash away, but before you swing a leg over and head out on the highway on your first bike you need to understand a couple guiding principles. We’ve compiled them for you.
Don't Mind If I Ducati
Taming the Beast: 2013 Ducati Monster 796
In the world of thrilling machines, Ducati registers somewhere between Ferrari and Alfa Romeo — this on two wheels, of course. Offering bikes ranging in price from $10,000-$30,000 and covering a range of “yeah, that makes sense” to “humans aren’t supposed to travel that fast”, the brand has a legacy and heritage dating back to 1926 that it maintains with pride today. This is especially obvious in the 2013 Ducati Monster 796 ($10,000).
Behind the Wheel: Star Motorcycles Bolt & Bolt R-Spec
A day of cruising sunny, funky San Diego is enticing enough without a brand new ride underneath you. All the better, then, when Yamaha brought us to downtown San Diego for a well-organized day aboard their new Bolt, an American-style bobber — an exercise in convincing some die-hard riders that their bike is a viable alternative to Wisconsin iron.

Staff Favorites: Eric Yang
The ninth installment of our Staff Favorites series features none other than GP founder, Mr. Eric Yang. Eric is, cliche be damned, the heart and soul of our team, and his vision and aesthetic define everything you love about what we do. Few people know that he can survive for days at without food or water, subsisting on a diet of symmetry alone. His first language was Photoshop. Helvetica was inspired by his childhood doodles. Michael Bay calls him for advice on being epic; errors fix themselves once caught in his knowing gaze. He was “old school before old school became new school”. He is the most fastidious man in the world. As we’ve found to be the case with all our staff, the gear speaks to the man.
Today in Gear: June 10, 2013
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Mission Motorcycles Mission R The Mission R would be stare-worthy even if it were just a normal screamer. This cheaper version (yes, $30k is cheap in this instance) of the electric, race-ready Mission RS is powered by a 160-hp liquid-cooled three-phase AC motor; the base model’s 12kWh battery provides a 102-mile range, which can be bumped to 17kWh (140-mile range) for some extra dough. Its big brother does 0-60 in three seconds, and the R shouldn’t be too far behind. $30,000+ (★) |
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Brews Cruiser 6-Pack Bike Bag You need to transport your small-batch home brew on your fixie, but how? This canvas 6-pack bag secures more easily to your crossbar than other leather iterations by using velcro, and, most importantly, you’re bound to have it before anybody else. $69 |
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PGA Tour Caddie for iOS Access to info on 40,000 courses worldwide — including 3D flyovers of each hole — and the ability to track shots, clubs and statistics make this PGA-approved app the aspiring pro’s friend. Speaking of pro, upgrading to the paid level adds real-time distance info, specific club recommendations and over 175 tips and drills to up your game. Free |
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Ray-Ban Box of Stories Embracing their “Never Hide” spirit, Ray-Ban commissioned four artists to make comic books that market some of their new sunglass styles. The artwork is worth a look, as are the new glasses, but questionable text is reminiscent of a high school Spanish textbook. box-of-stories.com |
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Bose QuietComfort 20 Headphones The longtime headphone maker’s latest offering shrinks their famous noise-canceling tech into a more portable form factor. With a comfortable in-ear design, a li-ion battery with 16 hours of play time and a toggle button to control acoustic noise canceling (a first for this line), you can jam for hours and still interact with the outside world. $300 |
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American Trench Dark Navy Trench Coat There comes a time when your 8th grade anorak no longer cuts it. Made entirely of tightly woven, water-repellent cotton and featuring a button-on hood, American Trench’s trim-cut coat combines technical outerwear and old-world craftsmanship. $725 |
Full body, full wallet(?)
Want This, Get This: 2009 Chateau Petrus or 2011 Leonetti Merlot
You know the pinnacle of wine-making remains in France. Well, so do all those newly minted Chinese millionaires, and they’ve driven the price of Old World red wines sky high. This is especially true for top-end Bordeaux, which carry the highest cache among French wines. Those of us without a state-sponsored fortune, trust fund, or impending Wall Street bonus, however, have to look elsewhere for quality wine. Here are two splurge-caliber choices, made in the same style, of the same grape — merlot — though one comes without the inflation of appellation.
Capturing California
Portrait of a Photographer
Say “Northern California” to most people and their minds jump to San Francisco. For 25 years, though, photographer Marty Knapp has shifted perceptions with his stunning images of Point Reyes and its surrounding areas. This beautifully shot exposé from Vertical Online dives into the history of the storied photographer: how he ended up devoting his career to such a stunning place, what inspires him, and his own personal lens on the art he creates.



















































