Gear Patrol

With age comes the ability to do a long highway cruise better than we ever could as a youngster. Summer’s right around the corner, so we’ve compiled above all the gear you’ll need to make new memories on the road. Get what you need and hit the road, Jack. Grab the wheel and point it west, take a buddy and leave the rest.

Finally the brightness of summer is on its way. Now, for the harsh reality: you’ve had plenty of time during the last five months of gray to forget where you left your last set of sunglasses. If you’re in need of a new pair, the beloved aviator never goes out of style, pairs well with everything from a suit to board shorts, and just looks damn good. Read on for the five best aviators for summer 2013.

It’s pretty clear that our staff is passionate about gear, and as we strive to bring you the best of the best, we also want to take the time to share our own personal favorites. These are the goods we personally own: our essentials. Over the next few months, we’ll bring you each of our writers’ 10 personal favorites. By the look of things, the selection will run a wide gamut, from heirloom pieces to the most practical of gear that can be easily procured — a gear fingerprint, of sorts. Last but not least, each will share one “holy grail” item that still remains the stuff of dreams, out of reach, but hopefully only temporarily so. This week, we check out the goods of Bradley Hasemeyer, GP’s Auto Correspondent and Behind The Wheel host.

Protective eyewear dates back to prehistoric times when Inuit people created snow goggles out of flattened walrus ivory. The accessory, before it was an accessory, also made its way through the ancient Roman and Chinese cultures as unique visual tools. It wasn’t until the early-1900s when tinted eyewear stepped unto the style scene, thanks in…

Almost everyone has owned a pair of aviators (thank you 2001), and when they realized they were unoriginal, they then bought Ray-Ban Wayfarers (circa 2006). Now you can’t turn around without seeing some variation on the theme – colored rims, lenses, brands, etc. This summer we’ve found a remedy: the Ray-Ban Clubmaster ($145). The iconic…

Ray-Ban’s Wayfarer sunglasses have achieved more than any sunglasses style the world has ever seen. They have been worn by too many famous people to count, on the streets, films, and magazines. As many potential buyers have discovered though, just because they are immediately recognizable by everyone doesn’t mean they look good on everyone. If…

We understand that aviators aren’t to everyones tastes, but that doesn’t mean the cheap $10 two-for-on knockoffs are going to work either. It’s your eyes after all. These sunglasses are designed with a lightweight metal frame and scratch/impact resistant lenses which assure you of 100% UV protection. What this means to you: Every man should…