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This Swanky Rose Gold G-Shock is Affordable and Tough as Ever

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Casio x Kith


Classic Casio G-Shock models like the squarish G5600 series and the rounder G6900 are famously indestructible, inexpensive, and encased in plastic. (Never mind the irony that premium-priced, metal-cased versions of these iconic G-Shocks seem to work so well — because they do.) Following the release of recent G-Shock GM6900 watches with steel outer cases in black, silver, and yellow gold finishes, a collaboration with apparel retailer Kith NYC has resulted in an even swankier limited edition in rose gold.

Props to Kith for choosing a positive (dark-on-light) LCD display for its vastly superior legibility (and its classic style). This tier of metal-cased watches, in fact, merely represents a steel cover atop a more traditional plastic inner case, so none of the famous G-Shock toughness should be compromised. (If you want fully metal-cased G-Shocks, these are available, though they’re more expensive and not yet available in this 6900 form.)

Kith’s G-Shock interpretation stands out most for its rose gold case, but there are a number of other notable details and Kith branding that differentiate from other GM6900 models. The prominent button at 6 o’clock is emblazoned with “KITH” instead of its usual “G,” and the resin band and its rose gold-toned keeper also feature the retailer’s logo.

This is a limited edition for the partnership available at physical retail locations and on the Kith website, though the number of pieces produced has not yet been confirmed. It also commands a price premium of $150 in this version over the non-limited yellow gold version directly from G-Shock, which is typical for such special-edition G-Shocks. The Kith x Casio G-Shock GM6900 has a price of $380 and comes with two Kith-branded resin straps in black and white.

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.

More by Zen Love | Follow on Instagram · Contact via Email

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The Next Big Japanese Whisky Is $40 and Available Everywhere

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Tenajak-who?


For the first time in a long time, a reasonably priced Japanese whisky has made its way to the US. A combination of corn and malt whiskies aged between three and five years, Tenjaku is the first Japanese whisky to retail for under $50 since Suntory dropped Toki into the US market four years ago.

Not much is known about Tenjaku other than it’s rolling out across the US now, is bottled at a very light 80 proof and will retail for $40, according to Whisky Advocate. Both the malt and corn whiskey portions of the blend are also aged in bourbon casks.

In the four year gap between Toki and Tenjako, Nikka’s From the Barrel offering — available most places for $50 to $70 — came the closest to achieving “everyday whiskey” status. By and large, Japanese whisky is overhyped and overpriced; its fame thanks in large part to labels with kanji type, rarity and plenty of international award recognition.

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

Will Price is Gear Patrol’s home and drinks editor. He’s from Atlanta and lives in Brooklyn. He’s interested in bourbon, houseplants, cheap Japanese pens, and cast-iron skillets — maybe a little too much.

More by Will Price | Follow on Contact via Email

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The Rarest Game Console Ever Can Be Yours… For Just $360,000

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Not everyone gets to own a Nintendo PlayStation


Back before Nintendo decided to make the cartridge-based Nintendo 64 and before Sony decided to make its line of disc-based PlayStation consoles, there was a brief collaboration between the two giants. The result? The rare, prototype “Nintendo PlayStation.” It obviously never came to market, but a prototype is up for auction and may well go for upwards of $1 million.

Its original owners came into possession of the strange piece of video game history through a bankruptcy auction that included items from a former Sony CEO. The strange device, one of only about 200 hundred prototypes ever made, is the only surviving console known to have survived. The auction, which will continue for 21 more days, has already attracted big bids, with the price already up to over $300,000 and is attracting attention from people with mountains of cash, who you’d be hard-pressed to outbid.

The owners of the console reportedly turned down a $1.2 million offer to purchase the device outright, which says plenty about how high they expect the number to go. This could wind up being the most expensive video game console of all time.

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

Eric Limer is Gear Patrol’s tech editor. A resident of Weehawken, NJ, his current obsessions include mechanical keyboards, mechanical pencils and Formula 1.

More by Eric Limer | Follow on Instagram · Contact via Email

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This Affordable Espresso Machine Has Everything You Need to Make Barista-Level Coffee at Home

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Breville’s Barista Express


To the frustration of many would-be espresso nerds, getting into espresso is no easy task. And by no easy task, we mean it’s expensive as hell. At a bare minimum, you need a decent espresso maker, a scale and a high-end burr grinder. That’s why all-in-one espresso makers equipped with scales and grinders represent the best value in espresso makers. And one of those machines, Breville’s Barista Express, is on sale today.

The usually $600 machine looks confusing but isn’t — turn the power on, choose single or double, press the corresponding brew button (denoted by symbols of one and two cups of coffee) and espresso is made in under a minute. Plus, Breville’s steam wand makes lush, foamy milk without any requisite skill or know-how. Get one for $120 off today at Amazon.

Gear Patrol also recommends:
Gaggia Semi-Auto 14101 ($349)
Delonghi La Specialista ($949)

Breville Oracle Touch ($2,000)

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

Will Price is Gear Patrol’s home and drinks editor. He’s from Atlanta and lives in Brooklyn. He’s interested in bourbon, houseplants, cheap Japanese pens, and cast-iron skillets — maybe a little too much.

More by Will Price | Follow on Contact via Email

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One of the Biggest Tech Events of the Year Just Got Canceled

<!–One of the Biggest Tech Events of the Year Just Got Canceled • Gear Patrol<!– –>

Coronavirus is having a growing impact on consumer tech


Mobile World Congress, held annually in Barcelona, Spain, is one of the biggest international tech events of the year. The international show is typically home to (or at least concurrent with) announcements from some of the largest phone-making companies across the globe. Not this year, however, as it has been fully canceled on account of concerns about the coronavirus.

Yesterday, the governing body behind the event announced the cancelation citing “due regard to the safe and healthy environment in Barcelona and the host country today” and “the global concern regarding the coronavirus outbreak, travel concern and other circumstances.”

Mobile World Congress isn’t the only consumer tech event that coronavirus may have disrupted. Analysts have suggested that the supply chain disruptions the virus is causing in China could also impact the planned release of the new Xbox and Playstation consoles later this year, and potentially the new iPhone as well.

Further delays are only predictions at the moment, but the outbreak is making it increasingly clear to even casual consumers how the supply chains used to produce all your favorite gadgets is a global web with roots that almost always trace back to China in one way or another. It’s a good a reminder as any that these products don’t just grow on trees.

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

Eric Limer is Gear Patrol’s tech editor. A resident of Weehawken, NJ, his current obsessions include mechanical keyboards, mechanical pencils and Formula 1.

More by Eric Limer | Follow on Instagram · Contact via Email

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How to Look Your Best for Valentine’s Day

Valentine’s Day, anniversaries and first dates all bring out the same stress to impress: You’ve got to clean up your act and look your best for your date. You owe it to that person to present your best, brightest self, and odds are that they’re going to return the favor. (If it’s Date 1, then a lack of effort is a big red flag.)

This readying regimen requires more than a shower and a hasty shave — but it doesn’t demand you go so far out of your way, either. In fact, many of the steps are simply best practices for your overall grooming regimen, too. They’ll help you look great at work, for job interviews and even at the gas pump. (Hey, why not look great pumping gas?)

These are the things you can do on the day of (and in the days leading up) to ensure that you look and feel sharp — and in turn, look and feel confident, too.

Get a haircut 2–3 days before

Even if you get a skin-tight fade, that haircut always takes a couple days to “settle in”. And even if you get the same haircut each and every time, you should take zero gambles on date night. Besides, if you have the freshest fade in the world, it signals that you got this haircut solely for the date itself. And instead, you want to look sharp while flying somewhat under the radar: Your cut should convey that you look great, but that you do so every single day. Plus, if you get a same-day cut, you might risk some clippings falling onto your shoulders or into your G&T. (Please at least take a shower.) The one exception we’d offer is for guys who shave their entire head: A day-prior shave is your best way to have a polished dome minus any nicks and cuts.

Shampoo the day before

Shampoo strips your hair of its buoyancy since it sucks away all the natural oils that nourish and soften your hair. On the one hand, this underscores the importance of conditioner (and that you should always condition your hair separately, and after, a wash). On the other hand, it proves that you need not wash your hair every day, because a simple rinse (or a standalone conditioning) can flush away much of the grime and product buildup without drying out your hairs. Apply this rule of thought on date night: Shampoo the day before, so that your hairs have a full 24 hours to collect natural, nourishing oils. Then, on the day of the date, simply rinse it out, no shampoo, and enjoy a cooperative, voluminous coif.

Oh, and maybe best to pick a dandruff-fighting, scalp-soothing wash, like Davines’ purifying shampoo. It never hurts to fight flakes while washing dirt and grime.

Purifying Shampoo by Davines $32

Shave smarter and safer

Do yourself a favor and review our guidelines for a healthy, hygienic shave. It’s important to apply these rules each and every time you shave — chief among them, using a clean, sharp razor that has properly been stored and dried. Secondly, you should follow a meticulous, slow shave regimen that opens the pores and calms the skin, cuts hairs while preventing friction, irritation, and bumps, as well as closes and cleans the pores at the conclusion. Doing all of this allows you to shave close to the occasion — even in the hours prior, without risk for redness and razor burn.

Check your eye bags

Rarely is your date the first thing on your day’s agenda. And even if it were, we’d still have the same advice: Treat your tired, strained eyes — liven them up with a caffeine-packed eye cream, a depuffing serum, or a firming eye mask. There is no reason to arrive at your date looking downtrodden and poorly rested; it’s the first thing your date will notice. Each of these products takes mere moments to apply (to clean skin, ok?), and the masks can work their wonders in 10–15 minutes. Follow with a moisturizer and, if you’ve still got dark circles, some skin-matching concealer. (See below for more on that.)

We love Kiehl’s caffeinated eye cream, Jack Black’s depuffing gel, and skynICELAND’s firming eye masks.

Eye Fuel by Kiehl’s $24

Eye Balm by Jack Black $25

Hydro Cool Firming Eye Gels by skynICELAND $32

Minimize pores, mattify shine

If you’re naturally oily or always sweaty or simply nervous, then you’re right to worry about a shiny forehead. Slowly but surely, a film of oil will form across your face, and you’ll find yourself wiping away at your brow all night. Not a good look. Instead, get ahead of the matter by applying a mattifying, pore-minimizing lotion before the date. It soaks up oil and prevents you from looking like a bike reflector all night — plus the best products go on clear and light. Menaji’s shine eliminator is a prime product for these reasons.

For what it’s worth, date night is a good time to opt for a lightweight, oil-free moisturizer, too. Apply something like Baxter of California’s oil-free moisturizer as a base layer for your anti-shine product.

Liquid Powder Shine Eliminator by Menaji $36

Oil-Free Moisturizer by Baxter of California $26

Spot-check yourself

Every single adult should have a concealer in his or her skin tone. It’s the best way to cover up dark circles and bad blemishes. Plus, if you match your tone properly, nobody will notice the difference. This little stick is your best friend and the last step in your pre-date skincare regimen. Simply blot it onto any red spots or dark circles, and your date will never know the difference. (It’ll take your mind off of the discolorations, too, which is perhaps even more important.)

NARS has more than a dozen skin tone options with its concealer stick, and won’t rinse away until you wash your face.

Concealer Stick by NARS $26

Pick an antiperspirant

Say what you will about antiperspirants — the unknown effects of using aluminum, or the stains some antiperspirants leave on your shirt. These products are lifesavers, and you should keep one on hand for the moments you absolutely need them. For some guys, this is daily. For others, just ad hoc for date night and job interviews. (Heaven forbid the HR director or Hinge date hone in on your sweaty, musty armpits.) Plus, some of the best antiperspirants, like that from Dove Men+Care are engineered to prevent clothing stains. So, there’s yet one less worry.

Stain Defense Antiperspirant by Dove Men+Care $5

Sign off with a signature scent

If you don’t wear a fragrance, your date may not know the difference. And that’s perfectly fine. However, if you wear an incredible scent, your date will not only notice, but s/he will also compliment the cologne and ask its name. That’s a high honor, as it reflects your good taste — not to mention, it gives them a very significant and positive association between you and that brilliant scent.

If you don’t yet have a go-to fragrance, then read our guide to finding a signature scent.

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

The 4 Best Bookshelf Speakers of 2020

The guide to the best bookshelf loudspeakers of 2020 covers everything you need to know before you buy your next pair of audio equipment. We tested a whole host of speakers to find which ones will make the best addition to your home stereo system.

The Best Bookshelf Loudspeakers of 2020

Bookshelf Speakers 101

1. Q Acoustics Concept 300

Q Acoustics is a relatively new loudspeaker brand on this continent but it’s one that you should pay attention to. Having already made a significant dent in the U.K. and Europe against some rather stiff competition from rivals like KEF, B&W and Wharfedale with its affordable but over-achieving 3000-Series, Q Acoustics is now pushing hard into the high-end with the Concept 300 stand-mounted full-range bookshelf loudspeaker.

Best Overall Bookshelf Loudspeaker

Price: $4,499/pair
From: amazon.com

What We Like: The Concept 300 deliver unrivaled levels of coherency, clarity and presence in a stand-mounted design that can compete with significantly more expensive loudspeakers – not that $4,999 isn’t rather expensive for a two-way bookshelf design. Low-end performance is surprisingly deep and taut making them adept with all kinds of music and they will never be the weak link in your system. The slightly scary-looking Tensegrity tripod stand utilizes cutting edge acoustic isolation and plays a significant role in the sound of the Concept 300 – image solidity and soundstage depth are first-rate. Paired with the right amplifier, these are end-game loudspeakers that also look the part.
What We Don’t Like: The Concept 300 need a really good amplifier to really shine. Not the last word in dynamic punch. Stand design might make you nervous even though they work amazingly well.

2. PSB Alpha P5

PSB have been manufacturing award-winning loudspeakers for over 40 years. Audio industry legend Paul Barton plays a significant role at Lenbrook (NAD, PSB, Bluesound) designing not only the PSB and Bluesound loudspeakers, but also the NAD headphones. Rather than pursue building cost-no-object loudspeakers which Barton could do with his access to significant R&D resources, he has focused on the entry-level and products like the Alpha P5 that are remarkable loudspeakers.

Best Budget Bookshelf Loudspeaker

Price: $400/pair
From: amazon.com

What We Like: The Alpha P5 have a lot of competition below $600 but they manage to win the day with an impressive level of transparency, detail and dynamic punch that works with almost every recording you try. The midrange is superb and the bass response from such a small two-way pair of loudspeakers is resoundingly taut and agile even with electronica and hip-hop and driven with entry-level integrated amplifiers. Also the build quality is very high for the price. You can drive these with 35-50 watts and wipe the floor with any wireless loudspeaker for many years to come.

What We Don’t Like: The Alpha P5 sound a lot better with superior amplifiers and that will force you to stretch your budget. The top end can sound slightly etched as compared to the midrange and low end which are far more balanced. The Alpha P5 start to lose their remarkably coherency when you push them too hard – not ideal for blasting Iron Maiden or Tool at really loud listening levels.

3. Wharfedale EVO4.2

Wharfedale is one of the oldest loudspeaker manufacturers in the world and one of the best at designing affordable high-end loudspeakers that can really reproduce a full-range sound that won’t crush your bank account. The EVO Series is a rather radical departure from the acclaimed Diamond range. They not only look more refined but also sound dramatically more polished and dynamic. They’re built overseas to keep the price down, and you’ll be grateful when you open your wallet.

Best Affordable Full-Range Bookshelf Loudspeaker

Price: $1,000 / pair
From: amazon.com

What We Like: The EVO4.2 sound positively like floor-standing loudspeakers when positioned on solid stands and they don’t require a subwoofer either. Midrange is clean sounding with a warm tonal balance that makes them ideal for a lot of solid-state and tube amplifiers. These are not very hard loudspeakers to drive and they can play very loudly without losing any sense of control or focus. Plus, they’re built like tanks and a remarkable value for the money. AMT ribbon tweeter has remarkable extension and a highly detailed presentation that will illuminate better sounding recordings.

What We Don’t Like: The EVO4.2 require heavy-duty stands – prepare to spend $300-500 for a pair that will do these loudspeakers justice. The slightly laid-back presentation might make some listeners think they are not ideal for rock, metal, electronica – and they would be 100 percent wrong if they don’t give them a chance. Beware: these are capable of taking you down the audiophile rabbit hole where you’ll spend years trying every amplifier you can to see what else they can do.

4. Dynaudio Focus 20 XD

This Danish loudspeaker giant has decades of experience designing and building some of the world’s best midrange/woofers and tweeters, and a real understanding of what 21st-century music listeners expect in an active/wireless system. The Focus 20 XD incorporate a very powerful 150-watt amplifier inside each speaker and support for high-resolution digital audio streaming. Like everything they do, the Dynaudio Focus 20 XD are built to the highest standards and benefit from some 40 years of driver research that give them a serious sonic advantage.

Best Active/Wireless Bookshelf Loudspeaker

Price: $6,000
From: crutchfield.com

What We Like: Some may not immediately like their laid-back presentation, but it works better than most for long-term listening at moderate-to-loud volume levels. Dynaudio builds world-class tweeters and the result is a very smooth, airy and detailed top end that makes even horrible recordings easy to digest. The Focus 20 XD can completely vanish in your listening space on good stands reproducing a deep and relatively wide soundstage. Bass response is articulate. The internal amplifier maintains a really strong grip on the woofer but this loudspeaker is not going to shake your room. If you prize midrange refinement and tonal accuracy over a front-row presentation, the Focus 20 XD will be for you. The ability to tweak the loudspeaker to match your room with the rear controls and app is a huge plus.

What We Don’t Like: Being tied to an ecosystem isn’t going to be for everyone. The laid-back presentation will not excite you right away but the Focus 20 XD will grow on you the more you listen and discover little nuances in each recording. These are not bass crunching loudspeakers for those who need that level of low end punch. Require expensive stands to really strut their stuff.

Why Bookshelf Speakers?

Smart speakers have taken a considerable slice of the loudspeaker market over the past twenty-four months, with Amazon and Google both announcing superior-sounding versions of their Echo and Google Home smart speakers, Apple releasing its first-ever smart speaker, and traditional speaker companies, like Bose and Sonos, also getting in on the action. With their ease of setup, their ability to control your smart home gadgets and answer questions, as well as wireless play with other smart speakers, it’s no wonder that smart speakers have traditional loudspeaker manufacturers running scared.

But there will always be a market for bookshelf speakers. Why? Because stereo sound is special. Music that was recorded in stereo, needs to be listened to in that format unless we are content with listening to single loudspeakers again that attempt to simulate stereo or even surround sound with multiple drivers packed into an enclosure the size of a coffee can. Stereo bookshelf loudspeakers do a rather convincing job recreating the soundstage; the physical space (studio, garage, music hall) where the recording was made and that illusion of being there with your favorite artist is a big part of the experience. They also reproduce the scale of the recording in a far more convincing way; crank Led Zeppelin’s “Kashmir” through an Apple HomePod and you will discover just how poorly smart speakers reproduce the dynamics of a challenging track.

Active Versus Passive

Wireless smart speakers are also limited by the amplification that the manufacturer has stuffed inside; space limitations almost dictate the use of Class D or switching amplifiers that are more efficient than traditional linear amplifiers, which require large heatsinks to dissipate heat. Class D amplifiers have improved greatly in recent years in regard to sound quality and require less space, are cheaper, and weigh less.

If you really care about sound quality, you have plenty of passive (which require amplification) and active loudspeaker (with built-in amplification) options to select from. Passive loudspeakers are more flexible as you can experiment with different types of amplifiers, DACs, and placement options. Active loudspeakers are a better option for listeners who don’t want the added expense of multiple components, and an equipment rack filled with cables. The trade-off with any active loudspeaker is that you are committed to how the final product sounds. There is no way to try another amplifier or DAC (Digital-to-Analog Converter) to alter the sound. Active loudspeakers also require at least one of the loudspeakers to be plugged into the wall; limiting how you set the speaker up in your space. One thing is for certain, there is no shortage of affordable passive or active bookshelf loudspeakers for all types of spaces.

Analog or Wireless

It’s also worth considering wireless bookshelf speakers if you want the option to stream audio straight from your laptop, tablet or computer. A lot of newer models have either built-in wi-fi, Bluetooth or both. In addition to being really easy to use, this added connectivity gives wireless bookshelf speakers a few distinct advantages over bookshelf loudspeakers. They don’t require a direct connection to both an amplifier and source, like traditional analog speakers. They have fewer restrictions as to set-up locations or built-in amplification. And they most likely support the streaming services that you already pay for.

In the past, the major Achilles’ heel for wireless loudspeakers was sound quality, but that has taken a major leap forward in recent years, with products like the KEF LS50 Wireless and Devialet Phantoms. Wireless loudspeakers now feature high-performance internal amplification, phono pre-amplifiers, DACs, and support for major streaming platforms such as Spotify Connect, Airplay 2, Tidal, Pandora, and others. The one thing to always remember with all wireless loudspeakers is that they still require a power source — they’ll take up a wall outlet — and some wireless models require a tether from the master loudspeaker to the slave as the amplification is only built into one speaker.

Hot Take: France Is the Whiskey World’s Next Big Obsession

The fifteenth dram in my flight of French whisky is Armorik Double Maturation Single Malt, and I’m slightly relieved it’s the last. It looks delicious, especially golden thanks to the copper hue inside New York City’s Brandy Library, and tastes even better. Owner (and Frenchman) Flavien Desoblin hints that he’s got a few more bottles stashed away, but my palate is tapped out. “We don’t sell many French flights,” he laments, gesturing to a near-full Brenne 10-Year Limited Edition bottle that he’s had for a few years. “It’s a shame because this is a very exciting time. Soon, French whisky could be as big as Japanese whisky.”

It’d be easy to mistake Desoblin’s giddiness for the burgeoning French whisky category as national pride, but when you consider that France is the number one consumer of whisky, per capita, of all countries, and that there are currently 60 active distilleries in France, while another 40 have applied for licenses in the past year alone, you can see where Desoblin is coming from. We’re about to get hit with a crush of French juice, right as Japanese distillers are forced to discontinue age statements — and even some blends — because we drank it all.

Between cognac, Armagnac and brandy, French distillation has deep generational roots, but the demand for whisky is far higher. “French law limits cognac production to specific months so the distillers started making whisky in the off-seasons,” Desoblin shares. “When cognac wasn’t doing great, farmers got government subsidies to uproot grape vines to plant barley and other grain fields. Now everyone’s realizing the terroir in many regions where smaller distillers are cropping up is really suited for the grains.”

Now a hotbed of distilleries, Brittany is considered the origin of French whisky. Home to makers like Armorik, a distillery that’s been churning out under-the-radar, pot stilled single malt juice that rivals any scotch in a blind tasting for decades. Desoblin notes that the terroir not only factors in the glass — a whisky from Charente (a cognac region) or Gers (an Armagnac region) will have a different flavor profile than an Alsace (a riesling region) offering — but it’s used as a vital marketing tool to differentiate brands since the French whisky is still too nascent to have a distinct style unto itself.

Common traits do emerge, evident after my too-expansive flight. Generally, French whisky isn’t big and bold, like American offerings; it’s elegant and silky, soft and round, palatable and balanced. If this all sounds like Japanese whisky, you’re on the right track. “The French palate likes substance and complexity,” Desoblin says. He points to Alfred Giraud Heritage, a triple malt blend aged in extremely rare ex-cognac casks that is so absurdly divine, I attempt to lick any remnants from the empty dram. “This is the turning point of French whisky,” he beams. “It’s incredible. When we look back in fifteen years, we’ll say [owner and founder] Philippe Giraud changed the whole game.”

The kicker: the liquid in the bottle is a mere three years old, far less than high-end whiskeys made Stateside. If you were French, or you knew Philippe Giraud, you might not mind.

The whisky inside the Alred Giraud Heritage bottle is the result of decades of blending and aging knowledge. Giraud is a renowned name within the cognac community. Philippe’s great-grandfather Alfred, for whom the brand is named, was the cellar master of Remy Martin for more than 30 years, while Philippe’s uncle was a master cooper (a barrelmaker). “We’ve since built a distillery,” Giraud says, “but we started buying the best distillates we could find. We debated because we could have a single malt in a few years, but we have four generations of blending knowledge. We wanted to use it.”

Those choice single malt selections, including Rozelieures from Lorraine and Armorik from Brittany, were perfect for Georges Clot, the brand’s master blender (another former Remy cellar master, too). They’re placed into new oak casks, made from a Giraud family forestry operation. “We cut our trees and split the wood because the wood has to stay outside in the rain and the cold for one to two years,” Giraud explains. “You want the rain and weather to wash away the strongest tannins, but you still need enough to give the whisky structure.”

Twelve to 18 months later, the first marriage happens and the blend heads into the ex-cognac casks, all of which are at least 30 years old, with plenty pushing 50. “[Ex-cognac casks] gives it sweetness and a gourmand touch that’s typical of old cognac,” Giraud says. “You can taste a hint of it and it’s even in the nose, to some extent.” The rareness of the casks means the whisky is rare, too; a mere 5,000 bottles of Heritage are produced annually (a subtly peated iteration, Harmonie, is limited to a scant 2,000), and it’s only for sale in New York, though a few additional states will see it in 2020.

Recently, the distiller became the first French whisky to malt its own barley, after outsourcing frustrations abounded. By growing, picking, and malting its own barley, Giraud believes complete control over the process will enable a higher quality product. Downfield, Giraud is experimenting with different kinds of wood and casks that contained Armagnac or white wine, hoping to have a new innovation on shelves by the winter.

Desoblin notes that hurdles and headwinds still exist for French whisky. “Japanese food, particularly sushi, has become integrated into our lives, so whisky as an extension of that was something we can easily understand,” he says. “French food and culture don’t have that same level of penetration, so it’ll take a bit to catch on.” Our bet: it won’t take long.

What to Look for

Editor’s Note: Due to limited production, distribution in the United States isn’t widespread, meaning few French whiskies are widely available. Check for availability at your local liquor store.

Alfred Giraud Heritage Malt Whisky

The one to beat. Floral and spice notes meld well and hints of pear pop on your palate. The new oak creeps in slightly but is balanced by the sweetness from the cognac. If you can find it, it runs between $150 and $200.

Rozelieures Rare Single Malt Whisky

This single malt from Loraine was the first from the region to open, back in 2000. It matures in old sherry, cognac, and sauternes casks, and the resulting liquid is rich and luscious, with plenty of dried fruit notes. Rozelieuers’ Smoked version, made with local peat, is equally divine. You can find it for about $50.

Moutard Esprit de Malt

Champagne producers Moutard age this two-year-old whisky in ex-champagne barrels and ex-ratafia barrels. The latter is a fortified wine produced from champagne grape remnants. You can taste the youth in the glass but it’s lively and delicious. It’ll come to the US later this year.

Armorik Double Maturation Single Malt

Aged for at least 12 years, this drinks like a single malt scotch. Some notes of the sea seep into the maturation process from coastal Brittany distiller Warenghem, who only uses local oak and grains, giving it a wholly unique and full flavor with a long, welcome finish. Where available, it’s typically around $80.

Brenne Single Malt 10 Year

Four perfectly blended single barrels comprise this soft, fruity, super-drinkable ten-year-old. Hints of honey and cherries shine through. While it’s light-bodied, it’s heavy on flavor. You can drink this one all night.

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

How to Store Every Type of Winter Garment

Before winter and spring trade places, you might want to think about what to do with all of your cold-weather garments. Once the mercury goes through its seasonal growth spurt, you should keep in mind not only where your winter closet will live but how to store it. The process can be annoying at best, teeth-pulling at worst, but we’re here to make it easier.

Before you store, prep

Launder your clothes, dry clean your coats and delicate garments and clean and condition your winter boots. Before you get ahead of yourself, it’s imperative to do some pre-packing prep. If you don’t do the laundry legwork now, damage will happen later in the form of mildew, bugs and odors.

Repair your clothes. Next winter’s sudden arrival isn’t the moment you want to realize that your coat has a hole in it, or your winter boots need a resole. Do future you a favor and take care of that now.

Get rid of what you don’t need. Now is a great time to assess and scrutinize your closet. Edit your wardrobe down by either donating, giving away to friends and/or selling clothes you don’t use anymore. For clothes that are beyond repair, find a local fabric recycling center that will take your clean but damaged goods and properly upcycle or dispose of them.

Where to store your clothes

Store your clothes in a place that’s cool, dry and dark. Excessive heat and light can damage your clothes and light exposure can cause colors to fade, so, if you’re using a see-through container, you want to find a space that isn’t too hot or bright. Mildew can form if the space is too humid, so make sure the space is dry, too. If that’s not possible, you can try and regulate your container’s humidity using humidity packs.

This could be under the bed, tucked away in the closet, a commercial storage unit that’s humidity and temperature regulated. Though you can store your winter clothes in the attic, they can get pretty hot in the summer (depending on your location, of course).

What you need

Storage containers. Plastic storage containers are great for stacking, and for keeping pests and moisture out. They’re also see-through, which makes it easy to find your stuff come next winter. Wood and cardboard boxes are often coated with materials that contain chemicals that can eventually damage your clothes.

Good plastic containers will stack easily and snap shut. Discreet versions can also fit under the bed. Fabric storage containers are great for longer-term garments that need to breathe such as wool sweaters, though they aren’t as easy to stack.

12 Quart Stack & Pull Box by Iris $20

6 Quart/5.7 Liter Storage Box, White Lid with Clear Base (Pack of 12) by Sterilite $21

Canvas Under Bed Storage Bag by The Laundress $60

Vacuum storage bags. These vacuum-sealed bags cut down on the bulk of your favorite winter garments like down jackets and duvets. However, these aren’t ideal for garments with natural fibers like wool and cotton that need to be able to breathe.

Vacuum Storage Bags by Spacesaver $25

Fabric garment bags. These will keep your coats and suits fresh while keeping moths out.

Garment Bags by Univivi $14

Cedar and lavender. Cedar and lavender sachets and hangers offer protection from pests and keep your clothes smelling nice. Cedar shoe trees also absorb moisture and help shoes retain their shape.

CedarFresh Clothes Protector and Storage Accessories Value Pack by Household Essentials $13

Cedar Adjustable Shoe Tree by HoundsBay $20

Lavender Sachets by Lavande Sur Terre $16

Humidity packs. Keeping these stored with your winter clothes can help keep the humidity in a healthy zone, preventing mold.

2-Way Humidity Control by Boveda $14

Air Purifying Bag by Moso Natural $10

Acid-free tissue paper. Wrapping your delicate garments in acid-free tissue paper can help protect them from other clothes while also preventing creases from folding.

Acid Free Archival Tissue by The Linen Lady $19

How to store different garments

Outerwear

Long wool coats should be hung with cedar blocks and in garment bags. Folding your long coats and stuffing them into a box can lead to damage, causing it to wrinkle and leaving it exposed to moths. To keep its shape, hang your coat in a garment bag with some cedar or lavender sachets. The garment bag will allow the natural fibers of the coat to breathe and maintain a natural humidity while the cedar or lavender will prevent moths.

Use a vacuum-sealing bag for synthetic puffy coats. Vacuum-sealed plastic bags help save a ton of space on bulky garments like down jackets. And because most down jackets use synthetic fabric shells, they won’t be negatively affected by the non-breathable plastic.

Sweaters

Store your sweaters in plastic containers with cedar/lavender sachets. Plastic containers aren’t totally airtight and will allow your sweaters to breathe. Again, cedar and lavender to keep the critters from noshing on your knits. You’ll also want to store your winter-weight sweaters at the bottom of the containers with lighter clothes on top. This will help prevent your thinner clothes from creasing.

Shoes

Clean and condition your shoes and boots. Winter’s done its damage to your footwear and before you pack away your stompers, you need to clean ’em up, remove the salt stains and condition them.

Stuff them with shoe trees. Cedar shoe trees are the best way to maintain your shoes’ shape, remove moisture and reduce odors. Alternatively, at least stuff them with newspaper. For tall boots, make sure to use boot trees or stuff the newspaper all the way through the shaft of the boot.

Store them in cotton dust bags. Cotton dust bags prevent dust from accumulating on your shoes while still allowing them to breathe. They also help prevent critters from making your shoes a new home.

Accessories

Store them in a breathable container with dividers. Containers with dividers make it easy to pair the myriad of winter accessories like scarves, beanies, socks and gloves. And, as above, stash them in your container of choice with cedar and lavender.

How to Treat Your Closet Like a Collection

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“If you’re investing in your wardrobe, whether or not we’re talking about custom suits or even sports equipment and gear, you have to take care of it if you want it to last,” says Julie Ann Clauss (née Orsini), who’s stored some of the world’s most beautiful clothes as an archivist for Tom Ford. “That includes being diligent about cleaning and storing the right way.” Read the Story

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

Sony’s Noise-Canceling Earbuds Are Cheaper Than Ever

The Sony WF-1000XM3 are the company’s newest wireless earbuds with active noise-cancellation. They normally cost $230, but right now you can get them for $198 on Amazon. It’s the most affordable that they’ve ever been.

The Sony WF-1000XM3 are essentially wireless earbud versions of Sony’s WH-1000XM3 over-ear noise-canceling headphones. They both have the same color palette and utilize the same app, which lets you adjust the EQ of the music as well as toggle with the noise-canceling settings. They also are some of the best-sounding wireless earbuds you can buy.

In my opinion, the Sony WF-1000XM3 sound better and have better noise-canceling abilities than the AirPods Pro. However, they fit differently which some people may or may not like. (For example, I like the fit of both AirPods and AirPods Pro better.)

That said, if you don’t have an iPhone or you don’t like the way the AirPods Pro or regular AirPods fit, are some of the best wireless earbuds out there — are right now they’re at their lowest price ever.

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

A Rye Whiskey Made by a Famous Bourbon Company Was One of the Best Things I Drank Last Month

Every month, a huge amount of booze moves through the Gear Patrol offices — beer, wine and a whole lot of whiskey. Here are a few of our favorites.

Elijah Craig Straight Rye Whiskey

Elijah Craig Rye. What?

Made of a mashbill of 51 percent rye, 35 percent corn and 14 percent malted barley, it’s only a couple percentage points off its Heave Hill rye predecessors, Rittenhouse and Pikesville (plus, according to the distillery, it’s made with older whiskey). The bigger difference is the proof. At 94, it’s sturdy but noticeably less hot than its 100 and 110 proof cousins. This, combined with a more mature spirit, makes it a little easier to sip neat or on the rocks. I get a lot of honey, cinnamon and cardamom on the first sip and a bitter chocolate nuke on the followthrough. Some bad news: availability is limited to North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Oregon at launch, with rollout beginning later this month. The suggested retail price is $30. — Will Price, Assistant Editor, Home & Design

Stone Brewing Never Ending Haze

Stone Brewing is the latest nationally-distributed brewery to figure out how to make a shelf-stable Hazy IPA thanks to a little help from oats in the malt base. The California brewery’s Neverending Haze IPA is a crushable 4 percent ABV beer that has the look and mouthfeel of a New England-style IPA, but without the fast degradation of one (but it should still be consumed fresh). The brew pours a cloudy orange, with overwhelming peach aromas. Mosaic and Citra hops give this low-ABV beer notes of tropical fruit with a pleasant grapefruit bitterness finish. — Tyler Chin, Editorial Associate

Creature Comforts Brewing Co. Table Beer

It’s no secret that we’re big fans of the lower ABV trend breweries of all types are gravitating towards these days. One particular low-ABV style we’d love to see more of is the table beer. Our friends at Creature Comforts released their seasonal Table Beer and it’s hitting all the right notes for us. It’s bright, snappy and floral easy-sipping Belgian-style blonde ale that you could drink all day long. It’s a nice change of pace to have in the winter and certainly one we could enjoy any time of the year at just 4.2 percent. — Ryan Brower, Commerce Editor

Ar Pe Pe Rosso di Valtellina

When most people hear ‘Nebbiolo,’ if it evokes anything at all, it’s generally big, grippy, maybe-oaky Barolos and Barbarescos. Ar Pe Pe’s take comes from Valtellina right on the Swiss border and way further north than its more famous siblings in Piedmont. The result is a lighter wine that has all those classic Nebbiolo berries and leather and tannins but is toned down by a little more acid, a little more minerality and a significantly lighter body. Never mind that the price is reasonable for a weeknight “nice bottle” and Ar Pe Pe is a standard bearer for quality, modern winemaking in Italy. — Henry Phillips, Deputy Photo Editor

Bell’s Light Hearted Ale

Although there have been a plethora of low-cal IPAs to drop already this year (and more to come), Light Hearted Ale from Bell’s Brewery was certainly one of the beers we were most excited about for 2020. It clocks in at 110 calories, 9 carbs and 3.7 percent ABV but packs more IPA flavor than lots of normal IPAs. Brewed with Centennial and Galaxy hops, the hop character plays more to tropical notes than that of its older sibling Two Hearted Ale. While it’s just hitting all markets now, we’re certainly excited about crushing this one all summer (and year) long. — Ryan Brower, Commerce Editor

Springdale Beer Company IPA

Does it seem like there are too many IPA styles to keep track of these days? Yes. But we’d argue there’s room for one more with Springdale Beer Company’s revamped “bi-coastal” IPA. That’s to say they sought to strike “a balance between tropical bliss and pleasant bitterness.” Combining Citra, Amarillo, Galaxy and Sultana hops it marries the best of East- and West Coast-style IPAs for a beer that we’re pleasantly surprised with. This 6.2 percent IPA is only available in the Northeast. — Ryan Brower, Commerce Editor

Goose Island Beer Company So-Lo

Another low-cal IPA from a nationally-distributed brewery? Goose Island tested So-Lo in Chicago last year and it was a huge success, leading to it being rolled out nationally in January. We had gotten to try it at the Bourbon County Stout tasting last November and it was the perfect palate cleanser for that evening of heavy, bourbon barrel-aged stouts — especially at only 3 percent ABV and 98 calories. It packs plenty of hop character with Idaho 7, Kohatu and Chinook being used while bringing a full-body profile thanks to oat flakes and carafoam malt. So-Lo is going to be an underground gem of the low-cal IPA style in 2020. — Ryan Brower, Commerce Editor

These 9 Upcoming Products Will Seriously Upgrade Your Next Winter Adventure

Fresh off a couple days of backcountry skinning and sk’riding (skiing and riding) and three days trekking the floor at Denver’s Outdoor Retailer Snow Show, our heads are still spinning. Blame the altitude, the 80-plus meetings we took or 1,000-plus products we saw — or maybe those final night margaritas. Regardless, it’s a lot to process. 

But now that we’re coming up for air, we can take a moment to reflect on everything we saw and start to make sense of it. In the big picture, a ton of awesome stuff will be dropping for next winter. But zeroing in on our favorite upcoming releases, a couple of trends emerge.

The first one is accessibility. From a layering jacket that’s simultaneously warm and breathable to the perfect winter duffel and hiking shoe to snowboard and ski bindings that make life easier on the resort and way off-piste, several innovative new products stand out simply by lowering the many barriers to entry of cold-weather activities. 

The second one, critically, is sustainability. We’re stoked to see that apparel and gear makers are taking more and more steps to make use of existing resources and minimize footprints, be that in the form of solar-powered gear, an eco-friendly hoody or an earth-friendly reinvention of a product most of us rarely think about: ski wax. 

The future of cold-weather adventure can be scary to think about: it’s hard to know how long the powder will last. But as long as the passion we saw this past week remains, you can be sure we’ll be making the most of every flake. Without further ado, here are our Editors’ Picks for the best upcoming winter products. 

Additional contributions by Tanner Bowden and Steve Mazzucchi.

We attended the Outdoor Retailer Snow Show 2020 and covered it extensively. To see all of our product coverage, not just our award winners, you can head here.

Adidas Terrex Free Hiker C.Dry

Adidas proved with the original Free Hiker that sneakerhead-approved style and trail functionality aren’t mutually exclusive. With the upcoming winterized C.Dry version, it’s demonstrating that it can maintain that visual appeal within a highly technical set of features. The Free Hiker C.Dry uses a stretchy Primeknit upper that zips instead of laces, and Gore-Tex’s insulated Duratherm waterproof membrane supports it with weatherproof warmth. Adidas also gave the boot a grippy Continental rubber outsole and its beloved and springy Boost foam.

Black Diamond StoneHauler Duffel

When nearly every equipment maker has added a rugged duffel to its collection in recent years, it takes a lot to make one stand out (let alone win an award). But the StoneHauler does that, thanks to carefully designed features. Inside is an integrated storage bag that cinches shut, enclosing and separating anything that might be dirty from the rest of your stuff. The 35- and 45-liter Pro models even include an exterior-access padded laptop sleeve and the requisite backpack straps. To top it off, Black Diamond made all the StoneHauler duffels with an ultra-rugged fabric that’s 100 percent recycled.

Houdini Mono Air Houdi

It’s a sad reality that the more science progresses, the more we learn about the damage some of our manufacturing processes can do. For example, microplastic pollution in our waters, the byproduct of microfiber shedding from synthetic fleece. Upstart Swedish brand Houdini and Polartec teamed up to do something about it, and this hoodie featuring Polartec Power Air — a microfiber fabric that traps air and generates heat in small pockets — is the result. It boasts the performance of traditional fleece but sheds fives times fewer fibers. It’s also made of 73 percent recycled fibers and can be recycled again. The fact that this slim-fitting, functional garment is as comfortable and stylish as they come is just a bonus.

K2 Clicker x HB Binding

A couple weeks back, we applauded the efforts of CLEW, a German brand that won an ISPO award for rivaling Burton’s Step-On binding with its own innovative tech. Now K2 has leapt into the fray, revamping its Clicker tech with a new system featuring a highback and toe-heel mounts to better mimic the feel of a classic strap-in set-up. Potential advantages over Burton’s approach? K2 Clicker boots can still be used with traditional bindings, and the process of getting in and out may come naturally to cyclists, as it’s somewhat similar to engaging an SPD pedal. Not unlike the Marker binding below, we’d love to spend more time with the Clicker x HB to fully vet it, but our limited exposure has been promising.

Marker Duke PT Ski Binding

Marker has long been a critical player in the ski binding space, but Salomon earned yards when it released its versatile uphill-downhill Shift binding. Marker’s comeback will finally arrive in the Duke PT, a transformer of a binding with a removable toe piece that lets backcountry skiers walk uphill with 10.6 fewer ounces beneath each foot (weight counters rejoice!). When it’s time to ski down, the toe piece locks back into place and stays there thanks to a lever that engages when skiers click in their boots.

MountainFlow Eco-Wax

Here’s something you probably don’t think about much: all that petroleum-based wax on the bottom of your skis or snowboard slowly sloughs off into the snowpack, and last year, an estimated 2.5 million pounds of the stuff wound up in U.S. waterways when the snow melted. Enter MountainFlow Eco-Wax, an exhaustively researched and tested blend of plant-based waxes and oils that rivals the performance of traditional ski wax and costs the same or even less. We tried it out on some Colorado slopes and hardly noticed it, which is exactly what you want from ski wax. 

POC Cornea Solar Switch Goggle

Taking a bold swing in a snow optics market flooded with photochromic, LED and interchangeable lenses, the Solar Switch is a  liquid crystal lens that changes its tint in response to dynamic conditions, darkening when the sun is bright and lightening in clouds or shadows, quickly adjusting to accommodate everything from bluebird days to tree runs. And because it’s solar-powered, you never have to worry about charging it up or running out of juice on the slopes.

The North Face Summit L5 FutureLight Ventrix Jacket

Never mind its jargon-y mouthful of a name; all you need to know about one of The North Face’s newest jackets is that it combines two of the brand’s most impressive technologies. FutureLight is an incredibly breathable waterproof shell that launched this winter, and the somewhat-older Ventrix is a lightweight and breathable insulation. Combined in this jacket, they work to create a warm mid-layer that can hold its own as an outer layer too. Together, they prove The North Face is thinking creatively about how it mixes and matches its various apparel innovations.

Yakima CBX Solar Roof Box

Like it or not, electronics are part of heading to the outdoors. When they’re at their best, they improve rather than impede the experience. By integrating a solar panel into the lid of its forthcoming cargo box, Yakima is ensuring that happens by letting you charge an external battery or power bank while you cruise to your campsite. Sunflare produced the panel for Yakima’s purposes and made sure that it’s lightweight, thin and can stand up to anything that comes after it, like hail, falling sticks or an errant trekking pole. No surprise, then, that it was named Product of the Year at the Outdoor Retailer Innovation Awards — almost as lofty an honor as cracking our list.

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

There’s a Ton of New Stuff at Ikea This Month. Here’s the Best of It

Ikea is giving shoppers a reason to stop by its stores in February. The Swedish powerhouse is launching two limited collections — the Frekvens and the Borstads — and adding over 50 new pieces to its permanent collection. And keeping in line with the brand’s ethos, everything is well-conceived and affordable. To see all Ikea’s latest drops, go here.

Frekvens Collection

Ikea and Teenage Engineering, a Swedish creative collective, collaborated on the limited-edition Frekvens line of gear designed to help you host the “ultimate home party.” The highlight of the collection is the array of portable speakers that can be combined to create a sound system for whatever the party entails.

Tjillevipps

Baskets! Finally, Ikea has a range of natural material baskets to toss stuff in. The limited collection includes blanket holders made of bamboo, rattan, seagrass, banana fiber, poplar and jute
that come in a range of sizes and shapes. It’s not

Borstad Collection

The Borstad collection is a farmhouse-chic line of goods focused on spring cleaning. Think handwoven baskets, steel rinsing tubs and wooden drying racks for a look that says “I don’t like to do chores, but when I do, I want to look like an extra on “Little House on the Prairie.’”

Permanent Collection

And finally, Ikea will be adding dozens of items to its permanent collection. Key pieces include a variety of textiles in varying shades of green, a versatile cabinet with an attached mirror and a collection of woven baskets.

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

Tyler Chin is Gear Patrol’s Editorial Associate for Editorial Operations. He’s from Queens, where tempers are short and commutes are long. Too bad the MTA doesn’t have a team like Ed-Ops.

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11 Style Essentials Every Guy Should Keep at His Desk

You’ve made your office desk nice and cozy. It’s got all the hallmarks of a good desk: a calendar, photos of your dog and loved ones, succulents. You’ve made your desk a home. But when it comes to style, is your desk equipped with everything you need to make it through the day looking your best? Probably not. If you’re caught in a pinch, left home in a rush, forgot about that important meeting, these are the style essentials for the office that you shouldn’t be caught without.

Cologne

First impressions are important. Assuming you’re well-groomed and well-dressed, the next thing someone will notice is your scent, whether it’s bad, overbearing or, style God forbid, both. If you’re not sure what to go with, read this and once you’ve settled on a scent, read this.

Hair Product

Whether it’s a particularly windy day or your hair’s enjoyed a good snooze wrapped under a hat, you’ll want to make sure your ‘do is looking right when it comes time to meet that important client (or post-work date).

Mints

Coffee and cigarettes might be a balanced New York breakfast, but not the best when it comes to conversing with your boss about a raise. Or really, any conversation with literally anyone.

Lip Balm

Not that anyone should judge you on your skin, but having lip balm at the ready is really more for your own comfort than it is for anyone else. You’ll thank yourself later when you get to the office realizing that you left your lip balm in your other pants.

Lotion

See ‘Lip Balm’ and apply the same reasoning.

Nail Clippers

Hang nails are not fun. Not for you, not for the client who’s hand you’re about to shake. Why not get this Japanese one?

Lint Brush

For pet hair, dandruff or, maybe worst of all, pilled knits, you’d do well to have a lint roller in your drawer.

Fabric Pen

If you’re anything like me, hot sauce can and will happen. And, not always in your mouth.

Umbrella

You checked the weather right before you left work, but in spite of our best efforts, the weather often has other plans.

A Full Suit/Change of Clothes

Maybe your office is super chill, or maybe your office is a suit and tie situation. Whether it’s for a surprise meeting with high-profile clients or there’s just too much hot sauce for that fabric pen to handle, an extra change of clothes could save you.

Sewing Kit

You should know how to sew a button. You never know, the button that falls off could be the one holding up your pants.

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

Buying Smart Light Bulbs for the First Time? Here’s What You Need to Know

The first thing to know is that, compared to other smart home tech, smart light bulbs are simple. They’re almost exactly the same as conventional LED bulbs, but with a whole host of added benefits.

The Advantages of a Smart Bulb

You can do a host of other neat things with smart light bulbs that you simply can’t conventional LED bulbs, too. Most of them have to do with control.

Remote control: You can turn smart lights on or off even if you’re not home. All you need to do is have your smartphone connected to Wi-Fi or LTE, and a compatible smart home app at the ready.

Create schedules: You don’t need to turn your lights on or off manually. With schedules you can set them to turn off or on (or otherwise change their settings, at a certain time every day or night. If you have multiple smart lights you can have them all set to the same or different schedules, too.

Create scenes: A “scene” or “room” in the context of a smart home is a group of devices all working together. For example, you can group the three smart light bulbs that are located in your bedroom together, name them “Bedroom,” and then turn them all on or off with a single voice command: “Hey Google, turn off bedroom lights.”

Brightness control: Not every smart light bulb is dimmable, but many are. Dimmable smart light bulbs are neat because you can adjust the brightness without having to adjust a physical dimmer. You can adjust it via an app or using voice commands.

Energy efficient: The vast majority of modern light bulbs are LEDs, and that includes most smart light bulbs. They’re naturally more energy-efficient than traditional incandescent bulbs, but the fact that they’re smart means you can always check on them; if you’ve left a light on by accident, you can turn it off from anywhere you have a Wi-Fi or LTE connection.

What to Look Out For

There are many different smart light bulbs that you can choose from in 2020. Not all of them work the same way or have the same capabilities, however. Here are some common questions to ask when considering your choice.

Does it need a hub? Some smart lights connect directly to your home’s Wi-Fi network so  you can easily control them straight from your smartphone or with a voice assistant. Others, require an extra piece of hardware, like a hub or a bridge, to do the exact same thing. Knowing if the smart lights will need extra hardware, which also adds an extra expense, is one of the most important things before investing in smart lights.

Is it compatible with your other gear? The other big important thing to consider before buying a smart light bulb is knowing whether it will work with your home’s smart ecosystem. Not every smart light is compatible with Amazon’s Alexa, Apple’s HomeKit, the Google Assistant or IFTTT, so you need to check beforehand.

What do you want for light color and temperature: If you’re willing to spend a little more, you can buy smart lights that have various colors and temperature effects. For instance, Philips Hue’s White And Color Ambiance smart bulbs can shine in millions of different colors and various shades of white light. These smart lights can also adjust the temperature of the light throughout the day, which can help you better wake up or fall asleep.

Smart Lights or Smart Switches/Outlets: Which to Choose?

Smart lights are great smart home products but they aren’t great in every scenario. For example, an area in your home that has multiple lights controlled by a single light switch probably isn’t a great situation for smart lights. A better solution for such a scene, like a large family room with lots of overhead lighting, would be to buy a smart switch instead, such as the Wemo Light Switch, instead.

Smart switches are generally a little cheaper and can be used to control the “dumb” lights that you already have. This also means that you can use smart switches to control any light bulb. On the downside, smart switches usually require more installation — typically some light wire-work — and they can’t be used to create scenes. While most smart light switches are able to dim the lights, they definitely can’t adjust the color or temperature like you’re able to with a lot of smart light bulbs.

The Best Smart Bulbs You Can Buy Right Now

Philips Hue White

Best Starter Bulbs: Philips Hue makes the most popular smart bulbs. The company’s “White” smart bulbs can’t produce the many shades of color as the “White and Color Ambiance” smart bulbs, but they’re cheaper, still dimmable and work in much the same way.

Compatibility: Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant
Smart Hub? Optional

Philips Hue White and Color Ambiance

Best Multi-Color Bulbs: These are the best option for people who really want to play around with all the customization options smart bulbs have to offer. Like the company’s “White” bulbs, they work with pretty much smart home ecosystem and you can control them with your voice. The big upside with them is that, via the app, you can adjust the smart lights to change to one of 16 million colors and shades of white. The downside is that you need to use the Hue smart hub (included in the starter pack) to get the most out of them.

Compatibility: Apple HomeKit, Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, Samsung SmartThings
Smart Hub? Yes

Wyze Bulb

Best Budget Bulbs: At just $8 a piece and even cheaper in packs, you’re not going to find a more affordable smart bulb than the Wyze Bulb. And it’s actually pretty versatile to boot. It’s compatible with both Amazon’s and Google’s smart speakers. You can adjust its brightness and color temperatures (from warm to cool). And if you use Wyze’s other smart home products, you can have the Wyze Bulbs perform tricks like lighting up when certain sensors are triggered, like when motion is detected by a Wyze Cam.

Compatibility: Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, IFTTT
Smart Hub? No

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Ikea Tradfri

Best Decorative Bulbs: Ikea’s first smart filament light bulb is beautiful, dimmable and relatively affordable. Its tinted glass helps create a warm, moody light. The only downside is that you’ll need to buy a smart hub, the Tradfri gateway ($35), to get the most out of it, such as the ability to control with voice controls or work with Ikea’s ecosystem of smart home products (consisting of motion sensors, LED light bulbs and some light panels).

Compatibility: Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant and Apple HomeKit)
Smart Hub? Yes
Note: Purchasing products through our links may earn us a portion of the sale, which supports our editorial team’s mission. Learn more here.

10 Products That Will Make Skiing Awesome in 2021

North America’s biggest outdoor industry tradeshow is on right now. Catch up on our highlights and follow us on Instagram for up-to-the-second coverage!

Skiing isn’t the foundation of the winter sports scene, it’s the bedrock. It only makes sense then, that skis, and the gear associated with skiing, are a primary focus of the biggest outdoor industry trade show in North America. Ski gear has come a long way in the past decade — no, nobody says “parabolics” anymore — but gear makers still find ways to push the sport further each season. Here are some of the latest examples.

Line Blade

Price: $900
Release Date: Fall 2020
So many skis these days try to give you everything you could ever want; lightness and power, float and edge control. Some do an excellent job of it, but we’re just as impressed by a ski that knows its place and owns it. Like the Blade, which Line made with one thing in mind — carving. After all, not all days are deep.

Marker Duke PT Binding

Price: $725+
Release Date: Fall 2020
Salomon proved that skiers no longer have to decide between uphill and downhill capabilities when it introduced the Shift binding, and it was only a matter of time before Marker followed suit. The Duke PT is by no means a copy though — its unique construction uses a toepiece that’s removable to keep weight down on the uphill. When it’s time to descend, lock it back in for full security.

Black Diamond Cirque 22 Vest

Price: $160
Release Date: Fall 2020
Black Diamond calls the Cirque 22 a vest, but you should think of it as a backpack. We’re not saying that it’s misnamed, just that it packs more utility than you might believe otherwise: it can carry skis, climbing skins (in a separate compartment), a helmet, avalanche safety tools and more.

Faction Agent 3.0 & 4.0

Price: $849, $899
Release Date: Fall 2020
Faction’s ski touring-focused Agent collection claims the best strength-to-weight ratio of any ski Faction makes (and it’s won awards that back the claim). For Winter 20/21, Faction is expanding the line with the wider 3.0 and 4.0, which have waist widths of 106mm and 116mm, respectively. That’s excellent news for those of us who like deep snow and don’t mind walking to get to it.

Sweet Protection Looper MIPS

Price: $159
Release Date: Fall 2020
When World Cup skiers top speeds of 75 miles per hour, they do so with an enormous amount of trust in their helmets. Sweet Protection has inspiring such faith for a decade and a half, and it’s latest helmet adapts racing tech for more casual skiers and snowboarders. The Looper MIPS has a shell with varying zones of elasticity and rigidity to provide protection without excess bulk and comes with a MIPS liner.

Dalbello Quantum Series

Price: Quantum Asolo Factory Boot $950
Release Date: Fall 2020
As with skis, today’s skiers want one pair of boots that can go everywhere. Dalbello has provided that with the resort- and backcountry-capable Lupo for years, but it’s never produced a touring-specific model until now. To create the Quantum Series, Dalbello is using an infrared welding process to bond two pieces of the shell, allowing for varying contours and a better overall fit. That, coupled with a lacing system that includes Dyneema and the ability for custom fit work, makes for a backcountry boot that’s lightweight, powerful and comfy.

POC Cornea Solar Switch

Price: TBA
Release Date: Fall 2020
The latest goggle technology allows skiers and snowboarders to ditch spare lenses entirely — when conditions change, they can adjust the tint with the push of a button, thanks to electrochromism. The best of them still use batteries and buttons, though, but not POC’s Cornea Solar Switch. The new goggle adapts to light conditions instantly and automatically and draws all the energy it needs to do so right from the sun.

Black Crows Justis

Price: $960
Release Date: Fall 2020
The Justis bridges the gap between two Black Crows all-mountain favorites. Where the Navis has a traditional rocker profile and the Daemon full reverse camber, the Justis makes do with early rise in both the tip and tail. Black Crows sandwiched a double titanal plate into its layup for power and, with a 100mm waist, created a ski that can pretty much go anywhere.

RMU Outdoors Ski Pack

Price: TBA
Release Date: Fall 2020
RMU started out making skis, but it proved itself to be a formidable power in the bag world when it introduced the travel-oriented Core Pack and BRFCS. We’re excited to see expertise from both realms combined into one product that brings tons of features — a helmet sling, rear zipper entry and dedicated avalanche tool organization, to name a few — to one slim, chairlift-friendly profile.

Rab Khroma Tour Infinium

Price: $100
Release Date: Fall 2020
Go to any ski resort, and you’re bound to see the locals eschewing dedicated ski gloves for a pair of leather Kinco’s, likely purchased at the hardware store or gas station for $20. Rab’s new Khroma Tour Infinium glove gets at the same idea — it has nimble leather fingers — but upgrades it with a Gore-Tex Infinium back and cuff. It is more expensive, but it’ll also last longer than a season and stay warm on cold days.

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

Tanner Bowden is a staff writer at Gear Patrol covering all things outdoors and fitness. He is a graduate of the National Outdoor Leadership School and a former wilderness educator. He lives in Brooklyn but will always identify as a Vermonter.

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The 15 Best Office Chairs of 2020

This definitive guide to the best office chairs of 2020 explores everything you need to know to find an office chair best suited to your needs, including ergonomics, price, aesthetics and features.

Long has the doom of sitting been forecasted. Published papers aplenty have argued that a stationary life is shorter and trouble-ridden, and the primary workarounds are many — standing desks, frequent breaks, stretching, taking walks and so on. But none address the simple fact that, sometimes, to get shit done, we simply need to plant ourselves in a chair and get after it.

Luckily, a number of companies are working to beat each other at building the best office chairs, even though they all know it’s not possible. No one chair is the best for everyone, so take our guide with lots of salt. If you can, go to stores and showrooms in your area and sit down, lean back, lean forward, pull levers and ask questions about everything. Your back, muscles, various joints and brain will thank you.

The Short List

Best All-Around Office Chair: Knoll ReGeneration


Beyond taking our “Best Value” category by way of a price most people can swallow mixed with smart design, it received one of the most valuable recognitions in product design — a Good Design Award — after it’s release in 2012.

The ReGeneration is the affordable update to the legendary Generation chair. It adjusts to your weight, posture and weird leaning tendencies on the fly (up to 270 degrees of posture change). It’s also warrantied for a whopping 12 years. It’s the proud owner of various highly-touted sustainability acronyms.

Knoll is the master of the office chair, and the more accessible version of its lauded office seating boasts the most useful functionality, comfort, extra options and looks at the most reasonable price point we found. Make sure to get the mesh-backed version if you run hot, and adding in the lumbar support comes highly-recommended by reviewers (though you may have to contact Knoll or the outlet you intend to purchase from to arrange this).

Best Budget Office Chair: Alera Elusion


Being on a budget does not mean settling for design of a lower quality; it means identifying smart engineering at price points don’t trigger panic attacks. The Alera Elusion, which is also our best option under $200, is just that. It’s mesh-backed and features loads of recline and tension adjustment options for just $190.

If your definition of budget is a bit more expansive, we recommend Herman Miller’s Sayl chair, which is made with better materials and has a better warranty behind it — not to mention a company with a legendary reputation. That said, the extra $200 to $250 you’ll need to shell out for a Sayl makes an impact large enough to favor the more affordable, impressively-built Elusion chair.

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Best Office Chair Brands

Humanscale

An extreme and praise-worthy focus on sustainable, eco-friendly design and gorgeous aesthetics come together with research-backed ergonomics at Humanscale. A through-line can be seen in all Humanscale’s more recent products — simplicity. Simplicity urged forward by the late American industrial designer Niels Diffrient in his partnership with Humanscale, which yielded two of the most notable and respected chairs ever — the Freedom and Diffrient World.

Herman Miller

Herman Miller is the company behind many of the most iconic pieces in the era of mid-century modern but its catalog has far more to offer than famous lounge chairs. When Herman Miller released the Aeron office chair, it instantly became the, or at least one of the, best makers of office seating the world over. The American brand’s most notable office chairs are likely the Aeron, Embody and the newly released Cosm, a fully passive ergonomic chair with a few unique-unto-itself features.

Steelcase

Where Herman Miller and others work in a variety of furniture areas, Steelcase narrows its gaze to furniture with a performance and sustainability bend. The 105-year-old company is unrelenting in its focus on research-guided design, and it is most known for the Gesture, Leap and its auto-adjusting (and fairly new) SILQ.

Allsteel

Allsteel is function and performance driven above all else. It bullied its way into office gear in the early 20th century making steel electrical boxes and lockers (it would take until the middle of the century to add its first chairs) Not all of its seating is beautiful looking (except for the Acuity, which is), but it is all based on the science of ergonomics.

Knoll

Like Herman Miller, Knoll was (and has become again) mid-century royalty. Also like Herman Miller, it didn’t fall off the face of the earth. Knoll still peddles high-end, luxurious home furniture aplenty, but its office seating, the Generation line in particular, is a revelation. Ergonomic, good looking and sold at price points low and high, Knoll covers the spectrum of what you need now and in the future.

Best Budget Office Chairs

As with most products of the budget variety, temper your expectations. There is no sub-$100, $200 or even $500 office chair that does all things for all people, or performs equally to premium chairs. Expect materials that don’t necessarily ensure a long life and may not look stellar. That said, these chairs are ergonomic. Our budget picks are simply the most affordable you can go without sacrificing your health and wellbeing at work.

Best Office Chair Under $100: Flash Furniture High Back Mesh Chair


This mesh-bodied, high-back chair from Flash Furniture is the best and most versatile chair we’ve found under $100. It has an adjustable headrest (ideal for those who like to lean back), holds more weight than most dirt cheap options, has a tilt tension adjustment knob, offers firm lumbar support and isn’t absolutely atrocious to look at. If it’s missing anything (other than quality materials that would drive the price up), it’s adjustable armrests, but that’s the lowest number of serious compromises you’ll find out of seating in this price category.

Best Office Chair Under $200: Alera Elusion Chair


It looks as simple as any other chair you’d run into at Staples, but it isn’t. Alera’s Elusion chair borrows features like a full mesh back for breathability, a waterfall-edge seat cushion to maintain regular levels of leg circulation and more comfort customization than chairs fives times its price.

Its only limiting factors are aesthetics (it is rather boring to look at) and the use of cheap materials, which means it’s likely not a great long-term seating option.

Best Office Chair Under $500: Herman Miller Sayl


This is an affordable take on Herman Miller’s manually-adjusted office chair. The webbed, unframed back is supported by a suspension tower (and inspired by the a notable landmark in the designer’s home city of San Francisco), which allows for a twisting and turning in the chair to remain both comfortable and well-supported.

The arms slide up and down, the recline tension is adjustable, the chair is certified to seat a person up to 350 pounds and it does all this for just south of $500. When the chair released, it took home a flurry of “bests” from judging panels and events, including the Industrial Designers Society of America, International Design Awards and FX International Interior Design Awards. This is no ordinary budget seating.

Best Ergonomic Office Chairs

Ergonomic design, to some extent, is present in all seating, but not all chairs can be called ergonomical. By way of built-in automatic adjustments or manually turning knobs and pulling levers, great ergonomical chairs are the ones that conform to the human body, and the best do that to specific human bodies, no matter their weight, height or posture. These are those chairs, in every specific taste and style we could think of.

Best Value Office Chair: Knoll ReGeneration


Value is a function bound to the holy price-quality balance. Our choice is Knoll’s affordable, somewhat recent addition to its line of Generation seating — the ReGeneration. Starting just north of $500, ReGeneration adjusts to your weight, posture and weird leaning tendencies on the fly (up to 270 degrees of posture change).

Knoll is the master of the office chair, and the more accessible version of its lauded office seating boasts the most useful functionality, comfort, extra options and looks at the most reasonable price point. Make sure to get the mesh-backed version if you run hot, and adding in the lumbar support comes highly-recommended by reviewers (though you may have to contact Knoll or the outlet you intend to purchase from to arrange this).

Best Office Chair for a Standing Desk: HAG Capisco Puls


As illogical as it sounds, standing and raising desks do need seats of their own. Portland-based Fully specializes in supplying only the best ergonomic seating for the modern workspace (it’s most known for the Jarvis adjustable height desk), and the Capisco was the very first product it stocked.

It allows for seating in any way that’s comfortable to you — stool seating, cross-legged, side sitting, sitting backwards and so on. Essentially, it encourages non-static working and provides the means to act on that comfortably.

The Capisco Puls is the slimmer, newer and more affordable version ($300 cheaper) of the chair. Looking at the greater standing desk chair market, you could settle for less, but you’d be doing yourself a disservice.

Best Office Chair for Gaming: Vertagear Triigger 275


The proliferation of the racing-style chair as the defacto “gaming” chair is sad and dumb. The best gaming chair is not about immersing the sitter in the game or looking cool — it’s about support, customization and the ability to remain cool for hours.

Vertagear’s Triigger series of chairs is just this, and the 275 model is the best balance of price and useful features. Though we’ve praised chairs that automatically adjust to all users in this guide, gaming requires a chair fine-tuned to the player. The Trigger 275 allows you to adjust armrest height, seat height, backrest height and lumbar support. And because it’s a mesh chair, you remain cooler for longer, and it doesn’t look juvenile (though you can get it with white, red and blue accents).

The brand offers a premium option, too — the Vertagears 350 comes with an aluminum frame and calfskin leather accents for a couple hundred dollars more.

Best Office Chair for Home Use: Blu Dot Daily Task Chair


Blu Dot’s mantra: bring good design to as many people as possible. As such, the Midwestern company’s designs ride the “I could afford that if I wanted to” line more than any modern furniture brand, and it’s all original, sturdy and hardwearing. The Daily Task Chair isn’t a loud or boastful piece to bring into your own home, but it’s interesting, a bit retro and comes with a few foundational ergonomic perks.

Best Mid-Century Modern Office Chair: Eames Aluminum Group Management Chair


The Eames Management chair is from a time gone by, when office hierarchy was defined by corner offices, over-sized desks and, in this case, a luxe mid-back desk chair. What does that mean? It’s behind some others on this list in the ergonomics department, but it’s miles ahead in style. An aluminum frame, MCL leather and a distinctly mid-century look define the Eameses instantly recognizable seat. (Note: if you regularly spend working hours in your home office chair, we recommend leaning toward the more ergonomic-focused options in this guide.)

Best Office Chair for Conference Rooms: Steelcase Silq


A lack of fiddling with knobs and levers is what separates a good conference room chair from the chair at your desk. When people are coming in and out, there’s no time to pull out a manual to adjust the secondary recline tension. Steelcase’s conference room-minded Silq chair is one of the few examples of affordable passive ergonomics. Other than height, everything about the chair adjusts to the sitter automatically.

Best Office Chair with a Headrest: EuroTech Ergohuman


Truth be told, if you’re serious about you’re reclining, you better be serious about having a chair equipped with a headrest. Thinking about reclining sequentially, you press your back against the chair, lean back and your head loses the natural support of your neck and body. This causes you to tense your neck, which creates soreness and leads to further problems down the line.

That’s what chairs like Eurotech’s Ergohuman aim to solve, while limiting sacrifices to the chair’s comfort level. The superb lumbar support, various tension and height adjustments, a very handy pneumatic lift system that raises and lowers the chair smoothly and a supportive (but still comfortable) headrest brought together on the Ergohuman make for office seating that’s equal parts impressive and satisfying to take a seat in (hint: get the all mesh version if it’s available — it’ll stay far cooler than a faux leather seat cushion one).

Best Passive Ergonomic Office Chair: Herman Miller Cosm


The success of Herman Miller’s office seating line is unquestioned (just look at our list), but this might be the largest departure from that line since it began. Where our “Best Value” choice was of the old school of passive ergonomics, Cosm is of the new.

Apart from aesthetics and sizing options (the high-backed Cosm is stunning online and in person), the primary functional difference between the two is a single, completely unique innovation — the ability to use your weight to adjust tension to you without the need to slide your body forward or lift you up at all. This sliding and lifting lifts your legs ever so slightly up, resulting in added tension to the body.

It’s a subtle difference, but one no other company had managed until Cosm. In fact, the only reason Herman Miller didn’t release an auto-adjusting chair prior was its inability to solve the riddle of the lifting legs.

Best Leather Office Chair: Humanscale Freedom


American industrial design legend Niels Diffrient authored many products of great importance, but this was his magnum opus. The Freedom chair marks the beginning of the shift away from manually-adjustable office seating (primarily because most people don’t actually know how to adjust the chairs properly) and to self-adjusting chairs.

Specifically, the Freedom chair handles all recline tension and tilt functionality itself, while still allowing you to slide the seat backward or forward and the armrest up and down. Since its release, a hundred or more self-adjusting chairs have cropped up, but few have done so as elegantly as the Freedom chair.

Its base model ships in a PU leather upholstery (as almost all “leather” office chairs do) with a die-cast aluminum frame, but you can special order real leather upon request.

Best Office Chair for Small Work Spaces: Humanscale Diffrient World Chair


Few manufacturers set out to make office chairs specifically for small spaces. This chair, also designed by Diffrient, has armrests that can be lifted or lowered to slide under a desk when not in use, a back high enough to allow for comfortable reclining and a width on the slimmer end.

Instead of chairs requiring manual adjustment via knobs and levers like most task chairs before it, the Diffrient World adapts to the sitter automatically (it was one of the earlier task chairs to do this). It uses your body weight as a counterbalance to allow for seamless and steady reclining and the whole thing is a springy mesh that’s just tight enough to sink into, but not so much to the point of sagging and stretching. It’s also guaranteed to last for 10 years.

Best Luxury Office Chair: Herman Miller Embody


This is not luxury in the plush leather, animal skin, bedazzled sense; it’s luxury in just how effective it is at what it does. Herman Miller puts it this way: “so intelligent, it makes you think.” It prioritizes and glorifies movement above all else — movement lessens muscle tension and increases blood flow, thereby increasing the amount of time your brain operates at a high level, which in turn makes for better work.

Thought up by the late and great Bill Stumpf (father of the Aeron chair) and designed by Jeff Weber with the guidance of a team of 20 physicians and doctors in physical therapy, ergonomics and biomechanics, it uses the human body as its blueprint — a spine with a flexible rib cage bends and turns are you do, and redistributes pressure to lessen tension.

All told, it’s an expensive, luxury office chair, but not because of whims of fanciness and wealth, but because it is a throne built on the idea that a chair doesn’t have to be a health-negative.

Honorable Mention: Herman Miller Aeron


The Aeron is the chair against which all other chairs are measured. Not even the worthy competition on this list challenge its status as the most influential office chair of the modern era.

Released in 1994, Aeron is the chair that bookended a shift in task seating design, from a form-first to function-first industry. Its critical, commercial and cultural successes are many. It ushered out clean lines in favor of shapes contouring to the human body, and was the first hugely successful mesh chair. It is among the most customizable designs ever conceived. It’s earned a permanent place in the Museum of Modern Art. It’s even 94 percent recyclable, a feature years ahead of its time.

Though the Aeron chair is no longer seating du jour, in style and function, its importance and power is unrivaled.

Will Price

Will Price is Gear Patrol’s home and drinks editor. He’s from Atlanta and lives in Brooklyn. He’s interested in bourbon, houseplants, cheap Japanese pens, and cast-iron skillets — maybe a little too much.

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4 Noise-Canceling Headphones That Are on Sale Now

If you’re looking for a solid pair of wireless noise-canceling headphones, but don’t want to fork over MSRP prices – we’ve got you covered. Below, you’ll find four great deals on some of our favorite noise-canceling headphones by Sony, Bose, Sennheiser and Jabra.

Sony WH-1000XM3

Sony’s flagship noise-canceling headphones typically cost $348, which is what they’re going on Amazon and Sony’s website, however you can get a pretty sweet deal if you shop on eBay. It’s selling new, black or silver models for $270

Bose QuietComfort 35 II

Even though these aren’t Bose’s flagship noise-canceling headphones anymore (that title now belongs to the Headphones 700), the QuietComfort 35 II are excellent and arguably more comfortable and travel-friendly than the above Sony’s. They’re also on sale on eBay.

Sennheiser Momentum Wireless 2

The price is a little bit of a misnomer, here. That’s because Sennheiser just released a newer version of this headphone, the Momentum Wireless 3, and is likley trying to phase out these new-year-old models. That said, these are great-sounding noise-canceling headphones with a great industrial design.

Jabra Elite 85h

Jabra’s noise-canceling headphones have been getting rave reviews online. In his review, David Carnoy of CNET wrote that “The Jabra Elite 85h is a good alternative Bose and Sony noise-canceling models for slightly less money, particularly if you value call quality.” And now Amazon is selling these headphones for an extra $50 off.

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

These Are Best Bourbons of the Year, According to the World’s Leading Whiskey Expert

Love it or hate it, longtime whiskey writer and critic Jim Murray’s tastebuds have the power to make bottles disappear off shelves. Containing upwards of 1,500 individual bottle reviews, his annual Whisky Bible is a guide to the good, bad and ugly of the whiskey world. It also crowns what Murray believes are the best whiskeys of the year. And as he’s gone on record saying, he believes Kentucky is making the best whiskeys in the world. Here are Murray’s picks for the best bourbons of 2019 (find the full list of winners here).

1792 Full Proof

World Whisky of the Year: This year, Murray crowned a $45 bottle of bourbon the absolute best whiskey of the year. Made at Barton Distillery and owned by the Sazerac Company, 1792 Full Proof, a no-age-statement whiskey from a lesser-known producer, is not a whiskey one would expect to win such an award. We expect it to fly off shelves in the coming weeks.

E.H. Tayor Jr. Single Barrel Bottled-in-Bond

Best No-Age-Statement (Single Barrel): Buffalo Trace’s E.H. Taylor line is made with its famed Mashbill #1 (the same as Buffalo Trace, Eagle Rare, George T. Stagg, etc.) and always Bottled-in-Bond. Its Single Barrel expression is slightly more difficult to track down than the more available Small Batch, and typically runs about $55 to $75 in stores. Though it doesn’t bear an age statement, because it’s Bottled-in-Bond you can be sure it’s aged at least four years.

Russel’s Reserve Single Barrel

Best Aged 9 Years and Under: Made by Wild Turkey, this mid-priced, readily available bourbons has been a good value for years. At a solid 110 proof, it’s a non-chill-filtered bourbon aged in extra-charred American oak casks, imbuing the whiskey with added vanilla and caramael notes. Find it in most markets for around $50.

Elijah Craig Barrel Proof

Best Aged 10 to 12 Years: A perennial award-getter gets more awards. Elijah Craig Barrel Proof drops three times a year and its contents are aged for at least 12 years. Due to its unusually high proofs (regularly above 130) and significant maturation, it’s one of the “biggest” drams you can pour. It’s usually available between $65 and $80.

Pappy Van Winkle 15-Year

Best Aged 11 to 15 Years: The first of two Pappies to land in Murray’s winner’s column. No, you likely won’t find it at retail prices. If you want to know more about America’s most famous bourbon, read this.

Michter’s 20-Year

Best Aged 16 to 20 Years: Michter’s 20-year-old juice is selected by Master Distiller Pamela Heilmann and sourced from an unknown distiller. It’s nearly impossible to find at stores, even after a two-year release hiatus to stabilize supply. What you pay for this bottle is up to the seller.

Pappy Van Winkle 23-Year

Best Aged 21 Years and Up: A king of kings. The 23-year-old Pappy is the most valuable of the wheated wonders and will not be had without strong connections or a fat check. Expect to pay multiple thousands of dollars.

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

There’s a Massive Sale on One of Our Favorite Helmet Brands Right Now

Fall may be here and winter closing in quickly, but you’d be hard-pressed to know it based on the climate across much of America these days. Skiiers may not be stoked about that, but motorcycle riders sure are. And if this added burst of nice riding weather has you stoked to hit the road every chance you can before the snow flies, then why not take this chance to grab a new Arai helmet for up to 60 percent off at RevZilla’s closeout sale?

The sale covers a wide spectrum of Arai’s high-quality lids, with numerous colorways, liveries and styles to choose from. Helmets for both off-road and on-road riders are up for grabs, with several versions of Arai’s VX Pro for the former and plenty of variants of the DT-X (as well as examples of the Signet-X and Quantum-X) for the latter, all for hundreds of dollars less than you’d pay at the store.

We’ve culled a few of our favorites below, but if you don’t see anything you like here, hit up RevZilla’s site directly to peruse all the options up for grabs.

VX Pro 4 Bogle Helmet by Arai $750 $390

DT-X Helmet by Arai $600 $400

Quantum-X Sting Helmet by Arai $830 $450

DT-X Edwards Legend Helmet by Arai $740 $400

VX Pro 4 Dazzle Helmet by Arai $750 $300

DT-X Pace Helmet by Arai $730 $400
Gear Patrol also recommends:
Bell Eliminator Helmet ($400)
Shoei RF-1200 Helmet ($486)
Bell Bullitt Helmet ($400)
Note: Purchasing products through our links may earn us a portion of the sale, which supports our editorial team’s mission. Learn more here.