Today in Gear is our daily roundup of all the latest product announcements, drops and deals. Comments or concerns? We’d love to hear from you at tig@gearpatrol.com.
New & Noteworthy Releases
Obama Just Made this Slick New Bomber Jacket Pretty Hard to Get
It’s available for pre-order, but supplies probably won’t last long.
The Perfect Jeep Does Exist and This Is it
What more could you want than a 2013 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon with an American Expedition Vehicle JK350 kit and a V8 stuffed under the hood?
Should Athletes Eat Ancient Himalayan Plant Goo?
Hanah’s latest wellness-boosting product is Shilajit+, a supplement derived from decomposed plant matter that oozes out of the Himalayas.
The BMW M3 Has a Serious Competitor In the Tesla Model 3
If the stats are true, the Tesla Model 3 Performance is within striking distance of the BMW M3.
The Most Recognizable Sneaker Ever Just Got a Lot More Durable
Carharrt WIP and Converse made a very, very tough version of the Chuck 70.
This Is Garmin’s and Spotify’s Most Affordable Tracker Yet
Today, you can pick up the Vivoactive 3 with music, which is the most affordable tracker from Garmin with music yet.
Walmart’s Take on Ikea Furniture Isn’t Half Bad
Walmart’s new private-label furniture line looks a whole lot better than you’d expect. Here are the highlights.
The New Focus ST Is Incredible, and That Sucks
The Focus ST may be spectacular. But, there’s a reason a lot of great cars don’t make it to the U.S.
Fresh Deals
MWC GG-W-113 Military Watch
Save $23: The GG-W-113 is one of the classic American military field watches produced in large quantities for servicemen during the Vietnam War. This modern recreation, equipped with a Seiko NH35 automatic movement and updated to modern size (39mm), comes with two NATO straps and a 2-year warranty for just $212. — Oren Hartov
Jaybird X4 Wireless Bluetooth Headphones
Save Up to $30: Get a great deal on Jaybird’s X4 Wireless Bluetooth Headphones. They’re fully waterproof and can a 30-minute spell in water. According to the company’s CEO, Jamie Parker, they’re perfect for running and more intense activities, “from trail runs and mountain bike rides to summit scrambles and deep powder days.” Score a pair for $100 on Amazon — good for their lowest price ever. — Jack Seemer
Bulouva Lunar Chronograph
Save $153: While the Boluva Lunar Pilot Chronograph may not be the “Moon Watch” (that honor goes to the ever-popular hand-winding Omega Speedmaster), an earlier reference of this watch did indeed go to the moon. To paraphrase my colleague Andy: “When Dave Scott’s NASA-issued Speedy broke during the Apollo 15 mission in 1971, his Bulova kept perfect time throughout that mission and lived on to fetch over $1.6 million at auction in 2015. The brand’s Accutron technology, memorialized in one of my favorite Mad Men product pitches of all time, was also used in the instrument panels of spacecraft flown through the 1960s and 70s. Needless to say, the Accutron tech has proved its worth.”
While the purists out there might balk at the Ultra High-Frequency quartz movement in place of a hand-winding variant, the presence of a battery is more than justified by the watch’s incredible accuracy. You also get cool paddle pushers, a commemorative engraved case back and a sapphire crystal, which lends some modern tech to this old-school timepiece. With 50m of water resistance and a sleek steel bracelet, this 45mm chrono is an awesome everyday tool watch, and a throwback to an era of genuine NASA badassery. — Oren Hartov
Seiko SRPB3X “Baby Monster” Automatic Dive Watches
Save 60%: The Seiko 5 line of automatic watches typically offers bargains even at full retail price, but prices starting at $140 make it that much better a value. This model is dubbed the “Baby Monster” in reference to the popular cult-classic Seiko Monster dive watch, but it’s not at all meant for baby-sized wrists at a significant 44mm wide. Water-resistant to 100m, it should handle normal swimming and whatever else you can throw at it just fine. — Zen Love
Rain Design iLevel 2 Laptop Stand
Save over 20%: Get a great deal on Rain Design’s iLevel 2 laptop stand.
More than just lifting your laptop up off your desk, this workspace tool makes adjusting the tilt of your laptop screen easy thanks to an integrated slider. Additionally, rubber pads on the stand make for a non-slip surface that won’t scratch the bottom of your laptop while the matte grey anodization blends well with MacBook products. Not part of the Apple cult? No worries. The stand is built to accommodate a wide variety of sizes and brands. . — J.D. DiGiovanni
Barbour x Engineered Garments Jackets
Save 35%:British outerwear brand Barbour has been making durable weather-resistant jackets since 1894 and has a reputation for quality. Recently, the brand teamed up with NYC-based label Engineered Garments to reimagine a number of classic silhouettes. The collab pieces — a bomber jacket, a cropped jacket and a smock — are made in England from Barbour’s signature 4-ounce waxed canvas and feature raglan-sleeve construction. And now at End, they’re discounted by 35 percent and are priced to sell. If you need a lightweight layer to keep you dry this spring, these styles are definitely worth a look. — John Zientek
Lululemon Metal Vent Tech Surge Short Sleeve Shirt
Save up to 44%: Everything that makes a good workout tee is present in Lululemon’s Metal Vent Tech Surge Short Sleeve, which is currently on sale for up to 44 percent off depending on color and size. The shirt gets the fine details just right: it includes barely visible mesh holes to increase breathability, it repositions seams away from potential chafing zones and its tag is easily torn off (all Lululemon tags are).
Most importantly though, the t-shirt’s fabric is neither scratchy like merino wool nor plastic-y like other synthetics. And yet, it packs the benefits of both: it wicks away moisture, it resists odor buildup (and its heathered colors don’t scream performance). I wear it primarily for running — I own three, which I kept in heavy rotation while training for a recent marathon — but I after a handful of guides who work on Mt. Rainier told me it was their favorite t-shirt for climbing I’ve begun to wear it hiking and skiing too. — Tanner Bowden
Backcountry Fleece Sale
Save 30% Fleece is the quintessential four-season jacket, which means you’ll get lots of wear out of each one you buy. Right now, Backcountry sweetens the deal with 30 percent off a variety of fleece jackets from some of our go-to brands like The North Face and Patagonia. Whether you have a favorite and need to update, or you’re just getting your fleece collection started, this jacket will get lots of use. From heritage-inspired pieces to updated sleek styles, fleece comes in many forms, all of which will keep you warm on a spring run, a dawn patrol summer hike, around a fire in the fall and as a mid layer on the mountain this winter.
We’ve picked out a few of our favorite fleeces that are great for everything from going to and from the gym to a day spent exploring your city. — Meg Lappe
Today on Gear Patrol
The 20 Best Things to Cook with a Cast-Iron Skillet
The limits of a cast-iron skillet are typically one of two things: a general lack of imagination or foods with exceptionally high acidity. This guide fixes one of these things.
The Best Used Porsches We Found for Under $10,000
If you want a mint-condition Porsche, be prepared to pay a premium. But what does the selection look like below $10,000?
This Is the Perfect Desktop Accessory for iMac
Apple certainly approves – they started selling this desktop stand on their website.
Are Electric Mountain Bikes Ruining Trail Systems?
It’s undeniable that electric bikes are on the move in the US. But can these interlopers find common ground on our trails?
These are the Outdoor Watches Used by Four Prominent Explorers, Adventurers and Photographers
Which watch to use in the field is a very personal choice. Here are the outdoor watches of four prominent outdoorsmen and women.