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One of Todd Snyder’s Best Watch Collaborations with Timex Is Just $99 Right Now

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Mid-Century

Need a versatile, everyday watch to wear with a suit or during a night out with friends? The Mid-Century, a collaboration between Todd Snyder and Timex, might be just the thing — and best of all, it’s just $99 today in both colorways, down from an MSRP of $158. Housed in a 37mm wide steel case, the Mid-Century features a quartz movement and comes on a soft leather strap from S.B. Foot Tanning Co. in Red Wing, Minnesota. Available with a silver dial on brown leather, this is one of our favorite collaborations between the NYC-based titan of modern American menswear and a longstanding watchmaking icon making some of the best affordable timepieces available right now.

Note: Purchasing products through our links may earn us a portion of the sale, which supports our editorial team’s mission. Learn more here.

Zen Love

Zen Love is Gear Patrol’s watch writer. He avoids the snooty side of the watch world, and seeks out food in NYC that resembles what he loved while living in Asia for over a decade.

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February 21, 2020 / Comments Off

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15 Delicious IPAs You Can Buy Almost Anywhere

The IPA still remains the king of American craft beer. According to a recent estimate from Dr. Bart Watson, chief economist of the Brewers Association, IPA accounts for roughly 35 to 40 percent of U.S. craft beer sales. Its popularity has sparked a sea of variations on the style over the years: New England-Style IPA, Double IPA, Triple IPA, Session IPA, Brut IPA, Lo-Cal IPA and so on.

Out of Beer Advocate’s top 10-rated US beers, five are IPAs. But these are the white whales most of us can’t get hands-on — Pliny the Elder, King Julius, Heady Topper. These beers require traveling to breweries on release days or ponying up for them online. But you don’t have to hunt these rarities down though to enjoy a good IPA. The beauty of America’s love of the IPA is that you can get a good one just about anywhere (even online). And the following 15 IPAs are about as reliable — and available — as IPAs get.

Additional reporting by Jack Seemer and Will Price.

Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. Hazy Little Thing

While Sierra Nevada’s iconic Pale Ale fits the guidelines for this list, the California brewery’s Hazy Little Thing falls more inline with today’s IPA tastes. This New England-Style IPA has taken the beer world by storm, at one point in October 2019 seeing an increase in volume by 160 percent year-over-year. It’s citrusy and fresh thanks to a combination of Citra, Magnum, Simcoe, Comet, Mosaic and El Dorado hops. When it comes to a Hazy IPA you can find in your grocery store, we find ourselves gravitating to this one more often than not.

ABV: 6.7%
IBU: 35
Brewery Location: Chico, CA

Bell’s Brewery Two Hearted Ale

There’s a reason Bell’s Two Hearted Ale has been voted by Zymurgy readers as the “Best Beer in America” for three years consecutively: it’s the definition of an American IPA and you can get it just about everywhere. Unlike the other beers on this list, Two Hearted Ale features just a single hop, Centennial, which gives it a floral taste and smell. If you’re counting calories, check out the recently released Light Hearted Ale.

ABV: 7%
IBU: 55
Brewery Location: Kalamazoo, MI

New Belgium Brewing Voodoo Ranger

While New Belgium became known years ago for Fat Tire (and then its incredible sour program), Voodoo Ranger took the beer world by storm when it was re-launched in 2017 as a unified series. New Belgium now produces at least five distinct Voodoo Ranger variants but the flagship IPA version is an excellent, clean-tasting IPA hopped with Mosaic and Amarillo (among Nugget, Cascade, Simcoe and Chinook).

ABV: 7%
IBU: 50
Brewery Location: Fort Collins, CO

Dogfish Head Brewery 60 Minute IPA

Led by the vision of Sam Caglione, winner of a 2017 James Beard Award, Dogfish Head makes what it calls “off-centered ales for off-centered people.” Its 60-Minute IPA may be the most centered beer in Caglione’s repertoire, however, as the impeccably balanced 17-year-old beer remains relevant as ever. It’s light gold in color, moderately bitter and incredibly crisp.

ABV: 6%
IBU: 60
Brewery Location: Milton, DE

Founders Brewing Co. All Day IPA

While All Day IPA might have been the most successful session beer in the country at one time, Founders Brewing Co. has had a fall from grace after a 2019 lawsuit in which they were accused of discrimination against employees. Abhorrent as that is, the liquid itself stands up. At just 4.7 percent ABV, it’s light in both body and mouthfeel, though surprisingly complex for a beer of its gravity. It also launched the now-standard 15-pack. But it may eventually be left behind in the dust as more Lo-Cal IPAs continue to be launched (All Day has 147 calories).

ABV: 4.7%
IBU: 42
Brewery Location: Grand Rapids, MI

Stone Brewing IPA

Founded in 1996 in Escondido, California, Stone Brewing has become one of the most respected craft brewers in the world. While the “Enjoy By” series and Neverending Haze have recently garnered praise from beer drinkers across the country, it’s the 20-plus-year-old IPA, which features eight different hops, that helped put West Coast IPAs on the map. It leans a little more on the hoppy bitter end of the spectrum, but it’s still very much a leader in the traditional IPA category.

ABV: 6.9%
IBU: 71
Brewery Location: Escondido, CA

12 Classic IPAs That Still Stand Up Today

If you can look past the hype, you’ll find plenty of solid IPA offerings from what are now considered big-name brewers. Here are 12 of them, all first brewed more than a decade ago. Read the Story

Lagunitas Brewing Company IPA

Lagunitas IPA might be the one beer on this list you can find just about anywhere you look — on tap and in bottles. Thanks to being owned by Heineken, even the diviest of dive bars oftentimes have a keg of this balanced IPA. The hop bitterness of this IPA is married perfectly with a caramel malt body that mellows out the hops and brings forward more of the citrusy flavors.

ABV: 6.2%
IBU: 52.5
Brewery Location: Petaluma, CA

Firestone Walker Brewing Company Mind Haze

Firestone Walker was one of the first nationally distributed breweries to find success with a shelf-stable hazy IPA. This tropically-flavored IPA is brewed with Cashmere and Mandarina hops and then dry-hopped with El Dorado, Idaho 7, Azacca, Mosaic and Cashmere.

ABV: 6.2%
IBU: 40
Brewery Location: Paso Robles, CA

Brooklyn Brewery East IPA

Brooklyn Brewery’s Garrett Oliver is a student of English brewing. As such, the iconic brewery’s East IPA (which became a year-round offering in 1996) blends British tradition with American innovation. British malt balances out the blend of hops quite well, creating a toffee malt palate and a clean hoppy finish.

ABV: 6.9%
IBU: 47
Brewery Location: Brooklyn, NY

Cigar City Brewing Jai Alai

If tropical Florida vibes were an IPA, it’d be Jai Alai. It’s bright and citrusy thanks to an impeccable blend of seven different hops. A standout for quite some time, it’s now readily available due to an ever-expanding distribution network from Cigar City.

ABV: 7.5%
IBU: 65
Brewery Location: Tampa, FL

Goose Island IPA

Goose Island’s flagship IPA harkens back to a little more of the piney, bitter IPAs. That’s thanks to the use of some more characteristically resiny hops like Pilgrim, Celeia, Cascade and Centennial. A grapefruit-like citrus is to be found though with a smooth flavor and a moderate lingering bitterness.

ABV: 5.9%
IBU: 55
Brewery Location: Chicago, IL

Revolution Brewing Anti-Hero

Chicago’s beloved Revolution Brewing may not be on the name-recognition level of some of the other breweries on this list, but it should be. First brewed in 2010, this flagship features a blend of Warrior, Chinook, Centennial and Amarillo hops for a unique floral and citrus combination that finishes clean and crisp.

ABV: 6.7%
IBU: 65
Brewery Location: Chicago, IL

Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. Torpedo Extra IPA

The second IPA from Sierra Nevada on this list, Torpedo Extra IPA gets its name from a dry-hopping device Sierra Nevada invented in 2009 called the Hop Torpedo. This essentially circulates beer with hops in a way that imparts flavor without bitterness. The beer itself, hopped with Magnum, Crystal and Citra varietals, is darker than most IPAs with notes of pine and citrus and less perceived bitterness than Pale Ale (despite a higher grading on the IBUs scale).

ABV: 7.2%
IBU: 65
Brewery Location: Chico, CA

Elysian Brewing Space Dust IPA

This classic West Coast IPA may not be as familiar to East Coasters, but it is most certainly a supermarket gem — especially since AB InBev owns Elysian and is pushing this beer hard in more and more markets everyday. It’s on the heavier side at 8.2 percent ABV but the bitterness is balanced by dry-hopping Citra and Amarillo. It’s a decent middleground between the old school IPAs of yesteryear and the en vogue fruity Hazy IPAs.

ABV: 8.2%
IBU: 73
Brewery Location: Seattle, WA

Oskar Blues Brewery Dale’s Pale Ale

Dale’s Pale Ale has been a craft beer staple since 2002 when it became the first canned craft beer in America. Much like Sierra Nevada’s Pale Ale, it harkens back to the popularity of the American Pale Ale (which is of course, America’s take on the India Pale Ale) before the haze craze. It features more pale malts and a citrusy hop character and is still just as pleasant to drink today as it was back in 2002.

ABV: 6.5%
IBU: 65
Brewery Location: Longmont, CO

The 15 Most Underrated Beers in the World

We asked 15 brewers from across the country to name a beer they consider underrated. When was the last time you had one of these beers? Read the Story

Ryan Brower

Ryan Brower serves as Commerce Editor and also writes about beer and surfing for Gear Patrol. He lives in Brooklyn, loves the ocean and almost always has a film camera handy.

More by Ryan Brower | Follow on Instagram · Contact via Email

February 21, 2020 / Comments Off

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The Best Leather Watch Straps You Can Buy

While we watch-lovers often categorize straps into several well-established types according to style and material (NATO, leather, bracelet, etc.), in truth it’s an oversimplification to lump all leather watch straps together. What type of leather are we talking about – full grain, top grain, nubuck, suede, cordovan? Is the strap a 1-piece or a 2-piece? Is it top-stitched all around the perimeter or does it feature vintage-style threading near the lugs?

All of these factors dictate which type of watch the strap will be appropriate for, and certainly, not all straps are created equal. What follows are 11 of our favorite leather watch straps from some of the best brands available from 3 continents:

Bulang & Sons Denim Blue Retro Leather Watch Strap

Easily one of the most striking leather straps we’ve ever seen, full stop. This beautiful band is handcrafted by Jean Paul Meniccuci, the OG of leather strappage, especially for Netherlands-based Bulang & Sons, and we’d be hard pressed to find something comparable from the other big players. Painted in a cool, denim-colored leather with a distressed pattern and using cream-colored edge stitching and natural leather keepers, the Denim Blue Retro strap pairs perfectly with a vintage tool watch and a beat-up pair of selvedge jeans. Available in sizes from 18mm through 22mm — including 19mm and 21mm for those pesky vintage watches — we challenge you to find a more unique strap for the money.

Bas & Lokes Everett Light Grey Suede

The Everett, a semi-bespoke strap from Australian company Bas & Lokes, is by far one of the most comfortable leather strap we’ve ever worn, period, the end. The suede on this particular strap is so supple that you barely notice it’s on your wrist, and probably wouldn’t notice at all if not for the blunt-force-trauma-weapon-size buckle and the weight of whatever watch you’ve got it sitting on. Additional details include edge paint in a complimentary grey color and side stitching in a grey waxed linen. With numerous lengths, widths and buckle finishes available on each of their straps, it’s possible to semi-customize a Bas & Lokes strap until it feels like it was made especially for your wrist.

Analog/Shift Stout Black Calf Strap

Everyone needs a black leather strap in their rotation, ready to go to accompany a thin dress watch or spruce up an otherwise playful tool watch. And though lizard or croc is a classic choice for such a band, a soft calf leather version is more versatile, giving you that formal look while remaining perfectly appropriate on a Sub. Analog/Shift’s version is made in Italy and comes in 18mm, 19mm or 20mm versions, so you can definitely dress up that vintage 34mm Rolex. With matching black stitching and keepers and a stainless steel pin buckle, this minimalist strap is the perfect companion to a serious watch collection.

Crown & Buckle American Made Walnut Boxcalf

While there are several styles of 2-piece strap available in C&B’s American Made Collection, the Walnut Boxcalf is a standout offering. This is a two-layer strap with an underside and topside made from matching “Boxcalf”-style leather, which is chrome-tanned, full-grain calfskin sourced from France. Boxcalf leather is typically used in high-end leather dress shoes, and the Boxcalf used in this strap is “boarded,” a process by which a tight grain is created that closes the hair follicles. This is an incredibly versatile color that will work well with a wide variety of dial types, and the slightly darker edge dying, as well as perimeter top-stitching and corner knots near the buckles, lend this strap a vintage look that doesn’t seem to be going out of style any time soon.

HODINKEE Bedford Strap Collection in Olive Green

The HODINKEE Shop began with a small collection of fine leather watch straps, and has been regularly updating its stock with new collections ever since. The company’s Bedford Collection, launched in 2019, is made in the U.S.A. and available in 10 colors and four sizes. Crafted from high-quality nubuck leather in attractive, subdued shades with off-white stitching, brushed buckles and calfskin lining, the Bedford is another strap that serves as the perfect compliment to a vintage piece, or an upgrade to a modern watch. The Olive Green version is our personal favorite, but there’s truly something for everybody in this high-quality collection, available from 18mm through 22mm

Worn & Wound Model 2 Premium Stone

Worn & Wound’s Model 2 Premium (show here in Stone) is essentially a refined version of their Model 2 Classic that uses a tapering design made of Wickett & Craig vegetable-tanned lining and Horween top leather. With painted edges in a complimentary color (the strap is available in 14 different colors), waxed cotton braided knots near the lug edges, fixed metal loop and leather keepers, the Model 2 is, for the money, simply one of the best leather watch straps available on the market. With all the different colors to choose from to precisely match the strap to your watch, not to mention available sizes in 18, 20, and 22mm, there’s a Model 2 Premium that’s right for every watch out there (except perhaps that pesky 34mm vintage Rolex).

HODINKEE Barrett Strap Collection in Navy Blue

If the Bedford is a bit too subdued for your taste, you owe it to yourself to check out HODINKEE’s Barrett Strap Collection. Crafted in a small, family-owned tannery in southern France, this group of six vegetable-tanned leather straps features a glossy sheen that’s sure to compliment a watch in steel or in a beautiful precious metal. Available in burgundy, navy, yellow, dark brown, red and tan in sizes from 18mm through 22mm, the Bedford straps are complimented with contrast stitching and polished buckles.

Molequin Grained Calf Strap in Taupe

Based in Brussels, Belgium, vintage Rolex enthusiast Michael Luther’s brand Molequin fashions straps in a variety of leathers, and their robust, thinly cut Grained Calf is far and away one of the best. Available in nine different colors, two lengths, five widths (from 18mm through 22mm), two spring bar choices and two buckle choices, the Grained Calf is particularly versatile in taupe. Pair this band with a monochromatic watch to maintain a subdued look or use it to counterbalance a timepiece with a louder dial. (Pro Tip: It’s worth springing for the quick-release spring bars, since you’ll likely want to throw this baby on multiple watches.)

Everest Bands Curved End Link Leather (for Rolex Submariner)

Michael DiMartini, founder of Everest Horology Products, conceived of an Italian vegetable-tanned calf leather strap with hypoallergenic lining made for Rolex wearers. The strap features an ABS plastic insert embedded at the case connection point for a precision fit to your Rolex Submariner (there are however several models of Submariner that are not compatible with the curved-end leather model, so we recommend checking the Everest website regarding compatibility). The curved-end leather Sub strap, available in nine finishes, is incredibly over-designed and ergonomic, with its precision-fit ends and steel buckle that looks robust enough to use as a weapon in close-quarters combat. For die-hard Rolex enthusiasts, an Everest strap is about as good as you can get.

Molequin Suede Collection in Taupe

The Suede Collection from Molequin is crafted from premium goat leather from France for uniform quality and feel. The result is a strap that’s low-key, subdued and perfect for a variety of watches, both vintage and modern. Available in 6 colors, two lengths, five widths (from 18mm through 22mm), two spring bar choices and two buckle choices, the Suede straps make use of a calf leather lining to prevent damage from moisture and sweat. We personally love the Taupe colorway, which pairs beautifully with all manner of dial colors.

B&R Bands Russet Le Mans Racing Watch Strap

Every self-respecting watch nerd needs a “rally” strap in his or her collection (or “ralley,” or “rallye,” or whatever). Essentially a leather strap perforated with holes, this type of strap accompanied vintage Heuer and Omega racing chronographs in the 1960s, but it looks good on just about any chunky tool watch. The Le Mans from B&R Bands, founded in 2009, is a modern take on this classic style, available in three sizes (18mm, 19mm and 20mm), two lengths, and several colors. Personally, we dig the Russet version, a dark brown with contrasting top-stitching and brushed hardware, that perfectly compliments darker dials.

February 20, 2020 / Comments Off

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