Conventional power tools for underwater conditions often rely on compressed air to function. However, the long tube that connects to an overhead compressor on the surface means that movement is sometimes limited. The Nautilus, created by Designers Alexander Kaula and Andreas Schmidt, aims to remove some of the restrictions and challenges imposed by underwater work.
Do you have a yearning for the good old days? Do you prefer to listen to music the old-fashioned way on vinyl records? Do you miss those seconds of crackles and silence before the music started? If you do, the Shinola Runwell Turntable may just be the latest piece of kit you need for your home.
Designed and constructed in Detroit from strong, durable and aesthetically appealing materials found locally and nationally, the Shinola Runwell is ready to use out of the box. You can hook it up in minutes and blast your favorite music there and then.
With a fully integrated phono pre-amp, it is fully compatible with almost all modern powered speakers and receivers. The pre-installed Ortofon Blue Cartridge makes both 33 1/3 and 45 vinyl records sound crisp with a tinge of nostalgia.
VPI collaborated on this with MDI of Lakewood, to produce an elegant turntable made from aluminum and either natural or black-toned wood.
So break out that old collection of vinyl or get yourself down to the local vintage record store and listen to music the way it should be enjoyed. Say no to the digital age with this clash of the old and the new in audio technology.
Women seem to have endless accessories for date nights and whatnot while us guys are left to a few select pieces, which makes it even more important that we find a standout and classy watch. The crew over at Ballardier have you covered with a range of quality watches ready for that important date.
Maybe it’s named the champion because it makes you look like a real champ when wearing it. Or maybe it is because you will win your date over with this touch of added style. Either way, Ballardier have come up trumps with this new design.
The watch itself is an exceptional item. They claim it is a symbol of overcoming life obstacles to remind you of your personal story and becoming a champion of your own narrative. The watch is simple with a snow-white dial complemented by a strap manufactured from real caramel leather. It matches nearly any outfit and is a timeless option for any aged gent.
It’s not just a-looker either, it has mineral crystal hardened glass and is water resistant at 50 metres. Get the date, get the watch, get the girlfriend, be a champion.
After years of working as an exploration geologist, Steve Derricott wanted a more stable family life. So in 1985, he and his wife Lori purchased Gfeller Casemakers, a leather goods company based in Meridian, Idaho. Derricott was familiar with the brand; he’d used Gfeller field equipment while working in the Western US on precious and base metal projects along with uranium, coal and geothermal resource investigations. The field equipment — including field cases, belt cases and hammer carriers, among other things — was the industry standard for field geologists and engineers.
Roy Gfeller, a part-time saddlemaker based in Franktown, Colorado, started the brand over 70 years ago. In 1946, Gfeller worked with a local geology professor to design a belt-carried field case for the professor’s students. “Western saddlers build rugged functional saddles that are comfortable for both horse and rider, using the finest raw materials available to assure strength and safety as well as long life in the saddles,” Derricott said. “Gfeller successfully brought the quality materials and durable construction methods of western saddlery to geoscience field equipment.” News of Gfeller’s well-made goods traveled quickly in the field and exploration geology community, and a wave of new customers led to an expanded line of products including belt cases, tool carriers and cases for other scientific instruments. By the time Gfeller moved to Big Timber, Montana in 1949, he offered a catalog with a complete line of field geology equipment.
Derricott was well-versed in Gfeller’s products when he purchased the company, and was keenly aware of the rugged environment in which they were used. Along with continuing production of the geoscience line, he and his wife strove to diversify the product line. They made a conscious decision to stay out of the horse tack and sporting good fields, and looked to develop new items in response to customer input, akin to the genesis of Gfeller’s original geology equipment. But with the new goods, Derricott wouldn’t sacrifice the functionality and quality the brand was known for. So he continued to use high-quality leather and hardware along with construction techniques borrowed from the Western saddler.
Now, Gfeller Casemakers offers a modest array of leather goods for daily use along with its traditional line of geoscience products. “We don’t build to a price requirement,” Derricott said. “We believe that is a surefire way to allow compromising of material quality and/or production methods into the business.” The brand’s Field Belt starts at $87 and Field Cases start at $224. More general items like Notebook covers start at $63, and Card Holders start at $34. “We build it right, price it fair and let the customer make the choice,” he said. “It has always been this way with Gfeller products.”
After three decades, Derricott is optimistic about the future. The brand has maximized production at its current location and plans to relocate to a bigger facility that will accommodate a storefront and larger staff. A successful collaboration with Best Made has offered brought Gfeller a wider customer base and increased interest in the brand has allowed for new product development. As time has passed, Derricott has not faltered from Gfeller’s user-driven products and values the connections he’s developed with suppliers and individuals. “Our greatest pride is in the relationships we have built with customers and dealers,” Derricott said. “They hold the future of this company.”
The sneaker release calendar is hilariously overwrought — with all the new colorways, slight redesigns, mini-collabs and hyper-limited releases, its become virtually impossible to keep up. These sneakers are our favorites of the month that you can actually get.
Released late in the month, the Trek Techs are the nth reimagining of one of America’s most iconic sneakers. The upper is a durable canvas, high rubber siding, a cushiony OrthoLite insole and the color-reversed Converse stamp on the ankle. The “hiking” laces give it a more outdoorsy look, but these are still better worn foot-to-pavement (check out our guide on foot-to-dirt shoes here). Gray, dark red, a nice mustard yellow and black are available as of launch.
Here’s to something that’s not Nike or Adidas. The Garden District pack of Saucony’s flagship Grid SD line is a two shoe ode to New Orleans, complete with the fleur de lis on each heel. The pack, which comes in purple or gray, released at the beginning of the month, and is available exclusively through SneakerPolitics.
Though you probably shouldn’t run in these, they may be okay for shorter jogs. Either way — the new PureBoost Go is super-comfy at the very least, a Boost sole, snug knitted upper and light overall weight make sure of that. Thanks to simple colorways and unaggressive contrast, they fold into most everyday outfits rather easily.
The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, in collaboration with CK Jeans, released canvas sneakers with Warhol’s face printed on them. They are simple (we’ll call them Chuck Taylor-adjacent) but interesting, and you probably won’t see them on every other street corner like you will other hyped sneakers (some on this list included). The stills adorning the shoes — white with an orange print, white with a light blue print, black with a purple print and black with yellow print — are taken from Warhol’s 1963 film Kiss.
Weird Adidas marketing strikes again, as the ZX 500 RMs, obviously a lifestyle shoe, are put forth as runners. They’re not, but as we said at launch earlier this month, they’re perfect for just about everything that’s not running or exercise. The look blends features from the casual and lightweight I-5923s and the techier EQTs and winds up with a clean, low-key sneaker.
At a rate of approximately 1,000 per week, new colorways aren’t typically something to get overexcited about. And while the new True White colorway of Nike’s Epic React sneaker doesn’t set itself apart that much, it’s still a gorgeous, clean and slightly eclectic update to a line that was starting to feel stale. The bright red React sole and lightning yellow accent make sure of that.
This silhouette needs no introduction. It could be argued AJ1s were the genesis of sneaker culture, and these are just the latest in a long line of excellence. Though the origin story of Michael Jordan taking the court in an illegal pair of sneakers (and, as the story goes, Nike paying the fines) is likely untrue, the legend still grows. This rendition, smothered in royal blue, sports a full-grain leather construction and the winged stamp of His Airness.
Let us take you on a journey of the world. Each issue of the Gear Patrol Magazine comes packed with adventures, guides and stories exclusive to the magazine. Stunningly designed, printed on high quality stock and ready for your coffee table. Subscribers received 15% off the GEAR PATROL STORE. Biannual. $35.
If you are a beer lover and have yet to learn about GrowlerWerks, you should change that today. They are a team of beer aficionados based in Portland, who take their 47 year’s worth of combined experience and pour it into designing and engineering more efficient and effective ways to store beers.
CNN, Eater and Cool Hunting all have a lot of positive things to say about GrowlerWerks and we think you will too when you check out the Matte Black uKeg.
The uKeg has a number of interesting names – pressurized growler, portable keg or a mini keg. Regardless of what you prefer to call it, it does the same job – keeps beer fresh and crisp. The newest addition to the family is the black matte finish model, which is striking, to say the least.
It comes in both 64-ounce and 128-ounce varieties and is capable of keeping beer fresh, whether it’s from the tap of the local brewery or bar or your own concoction for 2 weeks. It is able to do this thanks to the double layer wall and the vacuum-insulated stainless steel. It features adjustable pull handles and a pressure gauge and comes with a CO2 cartridge.
What are you doing just sitting there looking at it?
Damn Good Shoes
On more than one occasion in recent memory, we here at Gear Patrol have waxed almost poetic about Viberg’s shoes, sneakers and slip-ons — and that’s because they’re really, really good. The Canadian bootmaker has been turning out some of the world’s best footwear for over 80 years. Its latest release, a one-off produced for the Seattle-based retailer Division Road, is no exception.
This special edition of Viberg’s excellent slipper — one of our favorite travel shoes — is crafted by hand from a rich, natural Italian leather. It’s made with a Goodyear welt construction, meaning it can be re-soled, and features a dovetail heel for added durability. That combination means the shoes will acquire a little patina with every wear, and you’ll have them long enough to watch it deepen to a rich unique color.
While their $560 asking price might feel steep to some, handmade shoes this beautifully constructed are a rare thing in this world. And because their mainline cousins go for $540, paying an extra $20 for a version that will only get better looking with age feels almost like a bargain.
Last Updated July, 2018: This post has been updated with new picks for 2018.
Made in America. Those three words carry weight, now more than ever. Our country’s identity was forged and stitched by generations of makers, but over our short history, that identity’ changed. Now, most of us are consumers. The professions that built our nation shipped offshore to fuel our propensity for product. It’s no secret we consume at an alarming pace — imports of foreign goods topped $205.5 billion in November 2017 alone.
The good news is, many Americans still side with the home team, when given the chance. Instead of competing on price, our homegrown goods trumpet craftsmanship, engineering and pride as driving principles behind better products. There’s a sense of pride when reading Made in USA on a shirt tag, branded deep into a wallet or on the inside of a leather boot. Here’s where you can find the best brands still forging and stitching away.
Contribution by Matt Neundorf and John Zientek.
Red Wing, MN | Est. 1905 – For over a century, some of the world’s toughest boots have called Red Wing, Minnesota home. Originally designed to handle the harsh conditions of the mining, logging and forestry industries, Red Wing’s boots also offered a comfortable footbed — a rarity in 1905. Today, the Red Wing Heritage collection continues those founding traditions with a line of footwear still made to the same standards, all handcrafted in Minnesota. redwingheritage.com
Hermosa Beach, CA | Est. 1989 – Founded by Yuki Matsuda, Yuketen is the champion of skilled craftsmen. Its American-made boots are crafted in Maine using traditional hand-sewn techniques. The resulting boots show off a heritage process merged with top-quality materials and updated designs. yuketen.com
Rockford, MI | Est. 1883 – The shell cordovan (horsehide) leather used to create the original Wolverine 1,000 Mile boot was developed using a tanning process unique to the Rockford, Michigan-based company. Softer and more lissome than the competition of its day, that leather was also incredibly durable. Little has changed. There is a supple joy to sliding your foot into a new Wolverine 1,000 Mile boot, knowing the many miles to come. wolverine.com
Also Notable
Alden | Middleborough, MA | Est. 1884
Danner | Portland, OR | Est. 1932
Maine Mountain Moccasin | Rockport, ME | Est. 2012
New Balance | Boston, MA | Est. 1906
Russell Moccasin Co. | Berlin, WI | Est. 1898
PF Flyers | Boston, MA | Est. 1937
Rancourt & Co. | Lewiston, ME | Est. 1967
Seattle, WA | Est. 1897 – Terms like Tin Cloth and Mackinaw wool may seem alien were it not for Filson. Proudly made in Seattle, Washington, Filson has cemented a reputation for constructing consumer goods that can stand the test of time, almost welcoming punishment and mistreatment. Their clothing, bags and gear continue to exceed expectation whether in the backcountry or being kicked along a TSA lineup. filson.com
Los Angeles, CA | Est. 2015 – Phillip Proyce’s Lady White Co. is a California brand, top to bottom. For his vintage-inspired t-shirts, the cotton comes from Northern California, the fabric is milled and woven in Southern California, the recycled paper packaging is screen printed in Southern California and the shirts are cut and sewn in Los Angeles. Lady White’s other products include a range of vintage sportswear-inspired products like crewneck sweatshirts and socks. ladywhiteco.com
Houston, TX | Est. 1883 – For well over a century, Hamilton has been making some of the best custom shirts available. The brand now offers a range of ready-to-wear products, but still has a core custom business. Dress shirts, sport shirts and western shirts are available in a myriad of fabrics and fits — just contact the brand to get started on your own. hamiltonshirts.com
Also Notable
Schott NYC | New York, NY | Est. 1913
American Giant | San Francisco, CA | Est. 2011
Corridor | New York, NY | Est. 2015
Battenwear | Brooklyn, NY | Est. 2011
Taylor Stitch | San Francisco, CA | Est. 2008
Freemans Sporting Club | New York, NY | Est. 2005
Gitman Vintage | Ashland, PA | Est. 2009
New York, NY | Est. 2011 – Before starting 3×1, Scott Morrison founded Paper Denim & Cloth in ‘99 and Earnest Sewn in 2004. The brand’s boutique features a wide range of ready-to-wear denim, but specializes in making custom jeans for its clients. Pick from over 900 selvedge denims and have a pattern made just for you — sure, it’s expensive. But there’s nothing else quite like it. 3×1.us
Kansas City, MO | Est. 2009 – Founded by one of GQ‘s top menswear designers of 2013, Matt Baldwin’s Baldwin Denim has concentrated on a tailored approach to their Kansas City cut-and-sewn clothing. While their interests have expanded, their roots lie in jeans. With four cuts available in both raw and washed finishes, Baldwin has developed a loyal following of fashion-forward customers. baldwin.co
Raleigh, NC | Est. 2007 – Based in its namesake city of Raleigh, North Carolina, Raleigh Denim has been making waves in jeans since its inception in 2007. The products are cut and stitched without the aid of automated assistance — the old-school way, as they should be, by a hard-working team of expert American jean smiths. raleighdenimworkshop.com
Also Notable
Tellason | San Francisco, CA | Est. 2009
Shockoe Atelier | Richmond, VA | Est. 2012
Dr. Collectors | Los Angeles,CA| Est. 2010
Buck Mason | Los Angeles, CA | Est. 2013
Freenote | San Juan Capistrano, CA | Est. 2012
Imogene and Willie | Nashville, TN | Est. 2009
Jean Shop | New York, NY | Est. 2004
Providence, RI | Est. 2009 – “Perfection” is a term that gets tossed around far too often these days. But for the men and women working in Lotuff Leather’s New England workshops, perfection is the ultimate goal. The vegetable-tanned, natural and uncorrected hides are cut and prepared by hand to deliver an exquisitely crafted, luxurious legacy product — which Lotuff backs with a lifetime warranty. lotuffleather.com
Naples, FL | Est. 1917 – Founded in Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1917 by Russian immigrant Max Korchmar, the company started with visors for automotive headlights before it shifted to briefcases and luggage. It made products for the Army and Air Force during both WWI and WWII, and, more recently, has contract manufactured for some of the world’s best luggage brands. To put it plainly, its in-house line of bags offers one of the best values in the industry. korchmar.com
San Francisco, CA | Est. 2010 – With Joshu + Vela, Noah Guy offers a range of minimalist bags crafted from durable canvas and leather. Inspired by classic designs, the bags are made to stand up to daily use, getting better with every passing year. The brand’s backpacks and totes are standout pieces that could be incorporated into anyones weekly rotation. joshuvela.com
Also Notable
Billykirk | Los Angeles, CA | Est. 1999
Duluth Pack | Duluth, MN | Est. 1882
Goruck | Jacksonville Beach, FL | Est. 2008
Ghurka | Norwalk, CT | Est. 1975
DSPTCH | San Francisco, CA | Est. 2010
Mission Workshop | San Francisco, CA | Est. 2009
Kletterwerks | Bozeman, MT | Est. 1975
Portland, OR | Est. 2009 – Grovemade makes a wide range of functional well-designed pieces for the home and everyday use. Standout EDC pieces include a minimalist folding knife, a compact bifold wallet and an understated key ring. If you love understated design and quality materials, this is the brand for you. grovemade.com
Randolph, MA | Est. 1972 – The story behind Randolph Engineering is a fine example of the American dream still coming true in the later part of the 20th century. Founded by newly landed Polish immigrants in 1972 in Randolph, Massachusetts, the Waszkiewicz and Zaleski families continue to produce incredibly crafted eyewear that exudes iconic American style; just ask any flyboy. randolphusa.com
Detroit, MI | Est. 2012 – Few companies, if asked today, would suggest Detroit, Michigan, as an ideal place to set up up shop. But Shinola isn’t your average company. Shinola prides itself on being a beacon of rebirth in Motown, and their timepieces are hand assembled in the Argonaut building; their bicycles, whose frames are manufactured in Wisconsin, are also built in the rear of their flagship store, just off of famed Woodward Avenue. shinola.com
Also Notable
Tanner Goods | Portland, OR | Est. 2006
Dom Vetro | Los Angeles, CA | Est. 2012
Case | Bradford, PA | Est. 1889
The James Brand | Portland, OR | Est. 2012
Kika NY | Brooklyn, NY | Est. 2009
Poglia & Co. | Brooklyn, NY | Est. 2008
Craighill | New York, NY | Est. 2015
In the world of fashion, an outside perspective is often needed to challenge conventional practices. A fresh outlook is just what Lilly Lampe and Alex Robbins brought to their linen-focused brand Blluemade, which they founded in 2015. The husband-and-wife team were strongly entrenched in academia until just a few years ago, and didn’t initially plan on owning a clothing brand. But through their own explorations, the couple became engrossed with linen garments and decided to start their own company.
Based in Brooklyn, they source some of the best European linen available. The material they use is certified the Masters of Linen (meaning it’s produced entirely in Europe, from field to fabric) and meets OEKO-TEX’s 100 standard (denoting the fabric is made without environmentally harmful technology or chemicals, among other things). Blluemade makes garments for men and women that are immediately wearable and timeless, eschewing overt branding and trends. It’s fresh, exciting and luxurious — and far removed from the scratchy vacation-wear that many people envision when they think about the material.
To learn more about how the brand came to be and how an uncompromising focus on quality has served as a guide, we caught up with Lampe after she got back from a recent trip to Europe.
Q:
What were you doing before starting Blluemade? What made you want to start the company?
A:
Before we started Blluemade Alex earned his doctorate in Philosophy and was teaching philosophy full-time in Atlanta. I was teaching art history and working as a visiting art critic at area-universities and wrote art criticism, profiles, and features for national publications.
We fell in love with linen after years of backpacking and sweating through every summer. The older we got, the more professionalized our trips would become, and the more we needed clothing that wouldn’t be out of place in an art museum, studio visit, or exploring the streets of a city like Kuala Lumpur or Hong Kong in July. And we needed clothing that would dry quickly — we’d learned the hard way that cotton doesn’t dry overnight, and performance fabrics felt inappropriate to our personal styles and professional needs.
I started making clothes for myself for these trips; these early pieces would become the prototypes for our first collection, which was all women’s. Alex, on the other hand, was buying linen clothes in large chain stores, and while my fabrics got softer and stronger and performed exactly as I’d read linen would, Alex’s were itchy, uncomfortable, and increasingly ill-fitting after each wash. This discrepancy led us down a rabbit hole of linen quality variance, which is something we still continue to research and investigate.
We were already familiar with the conversation around heritage clothing and denim, namely, the ethos behind many of the makers, the eye to history and traditional details, and the commitment to quality and typically local production. This had already started to inform our decisions as consumers; when we confronted the difference between the linen clothing we wanted and what was being made, we wondered if we could contribute to the conversation with the knowledge we were starting to build in linen.
Q:
Do your professional experiences before starting the company influence decisions you’ve made since starting it?
A:
It’s safe to say our backgrounds in research and critical thought inform a lot of our approach to what we do, from design and how we choose materials, to greater conversations regarding the business and industry. Alex in particular never stops requesting linen samples from all over the world so we can always be confident what we’re buying is the best. He also is keen to read any new or old writings on linen making, the trade, and audience for this material.
Q:
What influences your designs?
A:
Design-wise, we’re influenced by workwear and vintage clothing from all over the world. Vintage sailing jackets, naval coveralls, dungarees, 1920s tuxedo shirts, 1950s Hawaiian shirts and spread collars, Japanese boro fabrics and apparel, early Americana, clothing we wore as children; there are all these little stories and memories buried in each design. Sometimes it’s a seemingly straightforward translation of a vintage piece which we’ve reinterpreted with brand-new materials. Other times we’ll be confronted with a vintage garment that ties in so closely to something we’ve already designed that we realize there was some deep-buried nostalgia that was there all along.
Q:
What drew you to linen?
A:
Linen is a perfect fabric. It’s breathable, sustainable, ideal for hot and humid conditions, moisture-wicking, temperature regulating, it ages beautifully, and when well-cared for can last for generations. It’s the oldest man-made fabric. Mummies were wrapped in linen.
Q:
Can you talk about where you source your product?
A:
We source our linen from Belgium for many reasons. When the flax plant is grown in ideal agricultural conditions (namely, Northern Ireland and the Flanders region of Belgium), it requires little to no additional water or pesticides to produce excellent materials for a quality cloth. The overcast, moderate climate of these areas produces tall and thin plants that reach towards the sun. The flax plant, like hemp and ramie, produces bast fiber, meaning the strands that comprise the resulting threads are made of long thin channels within the plant. These strands become the staple fibers of the thread. Unlike cotton which is measured in metrics like thread count, a linen thread will not be thinner or finer than the staple fiber, which means the agricultural conditions are vital to the final product. The length of the staple fibers has a large effect on the hand (industry term referring to the feel) of the final cloth.
In the areas I’ve previously noted, linen is a heritage product and as such, each step of the process is treated with care. The flax plant is harvested from the bottom of root to tip of the plant, resulting in staple fibers that are 20 to 24 inches long. In places like China and India where the hot climate produces a short, coarse fiber, the plant is cut at the base in order to save time, resulting in staple fibers of 2 to 4 inches. It’s at the meeting of staple fibers where the scratchy-feeling sometimes associated with linen occurs. It’s also what results in the “paper-bag effect” of wrinkly linen. Good linen has a covetable texture and a distinctive “rumple;” people in the industry say it’s the low-quality linen that wrinkles. Linen gets bad rap from the poor quality product that’s out there, but it can be so amazing when grown and processed with care.
There’s so much more I could say about how the 150-year old family-run mill we work with maintains 70 percent humidity in their weaving factory because that’s the ideal conditions for weaving linen, or get into the differences between wet and dry spun fiber, but already I’ve been too wordy.
Q:
Where is the line produced?
A:
We produce every garment in New York City’s historic Garment District. Local production was something we knew we wanted at the core of our brand, given how much it means to us as consumers, particularly in the unregulated global fashion industry. The Garment District has been a vital incubator for us; we have learned so much by having access and frequent conversations with the people we work with, and from the experience of spending so much time in the factories we work with week after week. We’ve come to really value the relationships we’ve built in the Garment District. We’ve publicly advocated for the Garment District against Mayor de Blasio’s attempts to remove the protective zoning; it’s allowed us and so many other emerging as well as established designers to start a business and learn from the ground up.
Local manufacturing not only provides valuable opportunities for learning, but we’ve seen first hand how vital it can be even for brands that produce overseas. There’s a large portion of work in the Garment District that involves fixing mistakes from large shipments returned from overseas factories. For companies that produce overseas against the tight deadlines of this industry, if a garment arrives stateside with serious flaws, there’s no time to send it back; these businesses rely on local factories to help them meet their deadlines and quality standards.
For us, producing locally isn’t just a passion; it’s also a commitment to quality and to doing things right the first time, rather than trying to save a buck and ending up in hot water. But at the same time, factories in New York have shrunk to the point where they can really only handle production in the hundreds. If and when we get to the thousands, we’ll likely be forced to start producing overseas. We’re not sure what the future holds, but for now, we are trying to keep things manageable inside the United States.
Q:
What does the future have in store?
A:
There’s so much I hesitate to put words to in terms of the future as so much is out of our control. But what I can say is that we’re branching out of linen to other natural fabrics! Linen is still central to what we do, but it’s been a wonderful surprise to have stores and customers approach us saying they love what we’re doing and love the linen we’re using, and that they’d love to see the designs translated into other fabrics.
We ourselves have been curious to expand our material choices, as we feel our choices shouldn’t be about creating arbitrary boundaries for ourselves. We’ve started buying luxurious silk-linen blends from Belgium as well as double-cloth Japanese cotton gauzes, and Japanese “typewriter” cloth, called so due to it’s tight weave. The typewriter cloth we buy is a combination of cotton, ramie, and linen, and it’s fascinating to see how these natural fibers perform when blended. We’ve also got leads on some incredible wools and hemps coming out of Japan.
District Vision, the Brainchild of British Olympic diver Tom Daly and Max Vallot the sports eyewear company established to provide runners and athletes of all levels and disciplines with protective gear, has recently released a new pair.
The Junya Racer is a shield lens that has a sturdy 8 base frame that wraps it as close to your head as possible ensuring you have the full-range coverage you need. The customized temples built with strong titanium cores keep the shield securely strapped to your face and head while maintaining a comfortable fit.
There is a choice of three different colours for the hand-crafted lenses – rose, yellow and G15 and as a standard for this type of product, are scratch and shatter resistant. In addition to those practical features, they have also been treated with an oleophobic to protect them against water and oil.
Did we mention that they look extremely hip and stylish? Which is unsurprising considering that Tom Daly has established himself as something of a style icon.
So, if you are looking to up your protective eyewear game when participating in your favorite sport or working out, cycling, running or whatever your passion is – this Junya Racer eye shield from Direct Vision might be just what you are looking for.
Jays have done it again and brought out some remarkable earphones that are perfect for a host of activities and daily usage.
This new addition to their range is a comfortable set and will not fall out easily, even when used for jogging and other high-octane activities. They are also fitted with a choice of 3 different sizes of silicon tips, as well as 3 foam tips to drown out background noises. So even if you want to listen to music or drown out children’s scream on the train, the t-Four earphones will have you covered. These earphones are controlled using 4.1 Bluetooth technology, so you can be assured that the beats will remain beating and calls will never be dropped. All topped off with 10-hour battery life, Jays’ trademark tangle-free wires and backed up with a year’s warranty.
The t-Four earphones are not just high performing but also sleek and stylish, coming in a choice of modern grey and black colors. Whether you’re listening to podcasts on your work commute or some motivational music at the gym, these earphones are the perfect option for the modern man on the move.
Sunglasses are an integral part of Gear Patrol staffers’ EDC whether we’re commuting in NYC or reporting on stories across the world. That said, the style and function of each pair vary as widely as the subject matter we cover. Some styles are strictly stylish, others are built for performance. Styles range from iconic brands like Ray-Ban to performance-oriented brands like Spy and Oakley. While certainly not a definitive list of the best shades on the market, these are the ones that won’t leave our faces this summer.
“For the longest time, sunglasses were a relatively-disposable accessory to my life. I viewed them from the most utilitarian perspective possible — all they needed to do was cut glare and block UV — both of which could be accomplished satisfactorily with a $20 pair from the gear shop rack or even the cheap Wayfarer knockoffs tossed out at every event. Cheapness offered the benefit of not caring if they were scratched or crushed. When a pro athlete friend gave me a card worth 70 percent off, I decided to find out if I was missing anything, and bought these. Now I understand why nice sunglasses are nice sunglasses. Even after four years, they’re still in pretty good shape, bar a couple of scratches and a loose arm. When they do finally bite the dust, I’ll probably buy another pair.” — Tanner Bowden, Associate Staff Writer
“Sunglasses are my guilty pleasure. I have many pairs. That said, these Ray-Bans are unique among my collection. None of my other pairs — Arnette, Smith Optics, SPY, Oakley, Electic — have thin frames, mainly because I don’t trust myself not to break them. But as I’ve had these bad boys for over a year now, I’ve learned something: if you look good in something, you take care of it. And damn do I look good in these.” — Tucker Bowe, Staff Writer
“I’ve only had this pair of shades for a year, but they’re one of the most comfortable pairs of sunglasses I’ve ever owned. The arms have sturdy spring hinges in them which help accommodate the fit. And the keyhole bridge allows them to stay secure on your face without putting any pressure on the bridge of your nose. They’re also lightweight, which adds to the comfort factor. If I’m going to be walking around the city all day or hanging out at the beach, this is my go-to pair as they’re ideal for extended periods of time if you’re not doing any running or a physically intense activity.” — Ryan Brower, Content Producer, Gear Patrol Studios
“I’ve been rockin’ with Oakley for years, and there’s one model in particular that I’ve always gravitated towards: the Holbrook, a classic design fused with modern Oakley technology. I’ve probably gone through four or five pairs over the last five years or so as I really put a ton of wear and tear into my shades. Holbrooks though are super rugged and durable and are designed for performance. Of the last 4 pairs I’ve had, they have all been the lower-end, plastic frame version. I recently came across the sleek, upgraded metal version and immediately fell in love. These bad boys basically haven’t left my face since I bought them back in April. The Prizm Sapphire Polarized lenses round out one of the best-performing pairs of sunglasses on the market.” — Alyx Effron, Account Executive
“Half the challenge of selecting a great pair of sunglasses is finding frames that work for your face, and it took me a long time to figure out that my low nose bridge and high cheekbones need something small and round. But once I got there, this pair from Billy Reid’s young eyewear line was a no-brainer. I like the leather-wrapped rims, but what I love is that the deep amber lenses make people look more tan than they actually are. It’s a fun effect in the summer, and looks even better in the fall and winter.” — Justin Fenner, Senior Associate Editor
“After the lenses on my go-tos got scratched-to-hell by the conveyor belt going through security at Newark Airport, I was constantly on the lookout for replacements. I never went out of my way to get a new pair — when it comes to sunglasses I wait until I cross paths with something I like. Call it shopping via serendipity. I happened across a pair of the Spy Optics Cliffsides and I was an immediate fan. It’s not flashy and it’s just old school enough for its own good. It’s hard to find sunglasses that fit my large head/face, but the thin matte black metal frame, smoked lenses and tortoise temples sit comfortably on my face all day and also slide perfectly into my motorcycle helmet (a crucial function) and go with nearly every outfit. I bought a cheaper pair of shades just so I didn’t wear these all the time and risk breaking or losing them, which is the most frustrating part because I never pick those up. I always grab the Cliffsides on the way out the door, every day.” — Bryan Campbell, Staff Writer
“Small tortoiseshell frames and silver metal arms in a flattering shape. What more can you really want in sunglasses? As someone who typically gets a new pair of sunglasses every quarter, it’s a miracle I’ve held onto these for almost a year. But seriously, these frames look good on basically every face shape and the tortoiseshell works for everything from an outdoor wedding to commuting on a bicycle. And, the pair is only $55, which is a steal considering how much you can spend on sunglasses these days.” — Meg Lappe, Staff Writer
“If there’s one thing kids like to get their hands on, its sunglasses. My two girls — at one and three years old — reach for mine incessantly, flexing the arms outward until they’re way too big or knocking them off my head to a nearly-guaranteed lens-to-rock fate. That’s why I’m digging Spy’s stylish Spritzer sunglasses right now—their matte plastic frame feels almost kid-proof, their polycarbonate lenses can take a pebble when I can sneak in a mountain bike ride, and, best of all, they’re cheap. At $65, they aren’t a huge loss when they succumb to kid torture.” — Ali Carr Troxell, Managing Editor, Editorial Operations
“I wear a few different pairs of sunglasses, mainly switching between Japanese-made styles by SALT. and David Kind. Aside from the incredible quality, the thing I love about these sunglasses is the superior optics that feature polarization and an anti-reflective coating. But another pair of sunglasses that is close to my heart is the Serengeti DR 6227. In high school, I commandeered a pair from my father that was manufactured by Corning Optics. They had Japanese-made frames and amazing rosy-red lenses. I didn’t know at the time, but they had some of the best lens technology available. The scratch-resistant glass lenses are polarized, photochromic and include a spectral control filter that enhances contrast by suppressing blue light and glare. They’re also impact resistant and have a polyurethane coating on the back of the lens for protection. Because the pair I got from my dad has some serious sentimental value, I recently scored a pair on eBay that I can wear worry-free. The frame is made in France, but the style and optics are very similar — they’re definitely not something you see every day.” — John Zientek, Staff Writer
Tech giants Apple have got into bed with Rapha, a brand known for their sleek cycling product designs. Together they have created a line of new products for the tech industry, both waterproof and incorporating Rapha’s Italian fabrications and signature style.
They are perfect for the working man on the move. The Italian craftsmanship and sleek tech use make for a stylish look to go with any of your professional and office attire.
The line includes products such as sleeves to keep iPads and MacBooks secure, backpacks, and zippered pouches and bags. All are made to fit apple products perfectly but can also be made useful with other devices. Despite Rapha’s involvement, Apple will be offloading the products themselves on their website and at their stores.
One thing to keep an eye on guys, is that Apple purchases are not covered by their usual warranty when not Apple branded. So, anyone wanting to return a Rapha branded product like these, will be disappointed.
We don’t want to give you second hand information! And we are not only here to tell you awful puns, but there is a watch you and the boys should know a little more about. No man is complete without a quality watch and no watch is complete without some of the features provided by G Shock.
The G Shock MT-G Watch is a fantastic watch perched on the upper tier of watch standards. It makes use of Bluetooth capabilities for business use and is water tight up to an impressive depth for adventuring and leisure use. A remote business task or a dip in the ocean is not going to be a problem for a watch of this standard. Costing around $1000 (USD), the watch may be more expensive than some models, but is an investment rather than a purchase.
Let us take you on a journey of the world. Each issue of the Gear Patrol Magazine comes packed with adventures, guides and stories exclusive to the magazine. Stunningly designed, printed on high quality stock and ready for your coffee table. Subscribers received 15% off the GEAR PATROL STORE. Biannual. $35.
Ask any well-dressed guy who his style are, and it won’t be long before you hear the name Nick Wooster. The menswear merchant and active collaborator has partnered with brands and stores of all descriptions to create exclusive products, but one of his most consistent relationships has been with the New York-based sneaker outfit Greats. (They’ve been working together so long that their slip-on sneaker is named in his honor.) Together, they created a collection of 11 new styles that arrived at Nordstrom just this week.
The offering, which ranges from $259 and $299, includes a few tame but well-made shoes, like all-black or warm tan suede iterations of Greats’ best-selling Royale sneaker. But there are also a few wilder pairs, like a Royale made from calf-hair dyed to look like leopard print, or a backless, tiger-striped clog.
The shoes are available at select Nordstrom locations, on its website, and at greats.com. And given how sharp they look — and how many fans Wooster has — we’d be willing to be they won’t be around long. Explore our favorites from the collection below.
The ‘70s were a golden age for mountaineering brands and a period where many companies opened up shop throughout the Western US. While it was a time of experimentation and growth, a few gear designs became industry standards. One great example is the teardrop backpack which featured two separate compartments to store gear: a lower zippered compartment (usually with a leather bottom) was ideal for heavy equipment, and a smaller zippered top compartment could be used for lighter-weight items like cameras.
Spartan in their simplicity, these bags were built by a variety of great mountaineering brands, from legends like Kelty and The North Face to lesser-known outfits like Class-5 and Wilderness Experience. Though these bags are now over 40 years old, they occasionally pop up on sites like Etsy and eBay at surprisingly affordable prices. If you’re lucky enough to pick one up, you’ll score a great American-made daypack that’s still perfect for short hikes and daily use around town.
Made in Maine, this ’70s daypack features a leather bottom and blue fabric upper. All zippers and hardware are intact and in working condition, and there is fading and wear visible on the fabric (which is expected considering this pack’s age).
This ’70s daypack was made when Sierra Designs was based in Berkeley, California. It has a thick leather bottom and unqiue U-shaped zippers, setting it apart from traditional straight-zip bottoms. The bag shows very light wear throughout and is a great value at this price point.
This is one of the most iconic teardrop backpacks, and The North Face has recently released a reissue of the style. But, like many reissues, it doesn’t come close to the original. This bag has a roughout leather bottom, a red nylon body and YKK zippers.
Made in Sun Valley, California, this bag is cut from blue Cordura and has leather lash tabs. It has padded shoulder straps and no noticable damage throughout.
Class-5 was a Bay Area mountaineering brand founded by a former head designer for The North Face. This ’70s daypack has a contrast Cordura bottom and leather lash tabs. Minimally worn, it features leather accents and a plastic buckle on the belt.
Made in Denver, this daypack has a white leather bottom and a blue nylon body. It features metal hardware and leather accents and lash tabs. The leather and logo show years of use, but the bag itself is in excellent condition.
Wilderness Experience is a now-defunct brand that was based in Chatsworth, California founded by three adventure-minded brothers (one of whom worked at Kelty). These bags are extrememly collectible and are prized for their meticulous details. This daypack has a roughout suede bottom, leather lash tabs and padded shoulder straps. It’s lightly worn, but in great vintage condition.
