We’ve made some new adjustments to Today in Gear, including a new publishing time of 4 p.m. in order to capture all the day’s new stories. Comments or concerns? We’d love to hear from you at tig@gearpatrol.com.
Cashmere Essentials from Naadam
Naadam has already greatly altered how the cashmere industry should operate — cutting out the middleman to give higher profits to nomadic herders in Mongolia while also passing savings along to the consumer. And at its customers’ request, the company has taken those savings even further with a new 100 percent cashmere sweater that costs just $75.
Naadam is able to offer this price by controlling every stage of the knitting and manufacturing process, having retooled decades of manufacturing inefficiency to develop less expensive cashmere products. But its suppliers still take steps that most others don’t (like old-school hand combing for cruelty-free cashmere). So the result is an extremely soft, sustainably made, luxury cashmere sweater that’s fair to everyone from start to finish.
New & Noteworthy Releases
If You Grew Up With PlayStation, It’s Now Your Turn to Get a Classic
The PlayStation Classic is a miniature version of the original PlayStation console.
Another Uniquely-Designed Watch Finds a Home on Kickstarter
The NU:RO is a years-old concept with a minimalist aesthetic and a wild dial layout.
BMW Overhauled Its Most Successful Adventure Motorcycle For 2019
If you’re aiming to take on an intercontinental ride, spanning time zones with stretches of massively varying topography, it’s hard to find a better way to conquer it than a BMW GS.
You Can Now Buy a Previously Unproduced Eames Design
Charles and Ray Eames’ radio design was ahead of its time in 1946.
A Mazda With a $30,000 Steering Wheel
With a set of shifter lights, two shifters on the back, 11 buttons, four scrolls, four dials and one LCD screen for basic readouts, there’s a lot to look at.
This Waxed Canvas Jacket Will Stand Up to the Worst Fall Weather
Heritage fabric from Halley Stevensons.
Instant Pot Released a High-Performance Blender That’s Half the Price of the Competition
Instant Pot has yet to release the latest Instant Pot, but it did just surprise release something in a completely different category.
At $33K, the Lexus UX Is the Premium Brand’s Most Affordable Car
My prediction is that Lexus will edge back up as a major threat in the US premium segment. And who knows? Maybe the UX will be a great car too.
Fresh Deals
Brooks Brothers Blazers
Save 28%: Since 1818, Brooks Brothers has provided men with well-made clothing fit for business, travel and various professional ventures. The NYC-based brand is a stalwart element of offices across the country for good reason: its classic designs and quality manufacturing are still some of the best. If you’re in the market for a new blazer and want to save on some timeless options from Brooks Brothers, head over to Nordstrom Rack now. The Two Button Notch Lapel Classic Fit style is 28 percent off and now costs just $250. — John Zientek
Patagonia Black Hole Bags
Save 15%: Patagonia’s range of sturdy water-resistant packs and duffels — the Black Hole line — are made from ultra-tough 900-denier nylon and treated with a special TPU coating to keep moisture at bay in just about any environment.
Pair these innovative materials with the all-around durability, ergonomics and attention to detail that Patagonia is known for, and you can be sure these bags are all you need for whatever journey lies ahead of you — plus they’ll help you look extremely cool while you sprint through the terminal for that morning flight home.— Andy Frakes
T-Fal Non-Stick Skillet
Save 74%: Why do we buy high-priced stainless steel cookware? It lasts longer, performs better, is (probably) used more than all your other cookware and provides greater value over its lifespan than cheap alternatives. Non-stick cookware does not follow these same rules.
Perhaps most importantly, non-stick cookware is not used nearly enough to warrant the pricetags more premium brands place on it. Its greatest feats are flippable eggs and its delicate treatment of fish. There’s also the simple fact that all non-stick pans have an expiration date, whether it’s advertised or not (the closest you’ll get is a warranty duration).
This is because — through heating, cooling, flipping, scratches and cleaning — all non-stick pans eventually shed their precious non-stick coating, making them completely worthless to cook on. Most even have a number of “releases” they’re good for (how many eggs you’ll be able to flip), but rarely make this information public.
This all adds up to a very happy ending — in the world of non-stick cooking, you’re better off buying cheap and simply replacing your pan when the coating begins to flake or food doesn’t want to come off it. And if you’re in the market now, T-Fal’s perfectly satisfactory non-stick skillet is a whopping 74 percent off on Amazon today. That’s down from $50 to $13. — Will Price
Fleece Jackets
Save up to 63%: Fleeces have been around for a while. More specifically, since 1981, when Malden Mills (now Polartec) teamed up with Patagonia to create it. The original stuff was thick, fluffy and pilled up after lots of use, but it was light and warm, even when damp. The two companies continued to refine the material (lighter, warmer) and it’s been so successful that now pretty much every outdoor company uses it to create technical and casual layers.
Fleece comes in a wide variety of weights and fabric styles now too — there’s micro-grid for high-exertion activities, thicker stuff for everyday wear and that original fluffy, sheep-like stuff is still around also. Fleece in all its forms, from full-zip to quarter-zip to pullovers, is currently on sale at Mountain Steals for up to 63 percent off. — Tanner Bowden
Today on Gear Patrol
McLaren Completely Changed Supercar Design With the “Boundary-Breaking” 720S
You’d be correct to say that McLaren — quirky, nutty, outrageous McLaren — has mastered the art of the everyday supercar.
How to Pack a Weekender Like a Pro
How do you avoid an unnecessarily heavy travel bag? Our editor weighs in on the top tips for packing a weekender well.
The Best Hiking Pants of 2018
Sure, you can pull on a pair of jeans and hit the hills, but a pair of hiking pants is a better decision.
Why You Aren’t Supposed to Polish a Watch
Polishing your watch can decrease its value.
5 Things You Need to Bike Across the World
After spending a full year riding from Amsterdam to Singapore, Martijn Doolaard is on his bike again. This time, he’s riding from Vancouver to Patagonia.
The 15 Best Desks to Deck Out Your Home Office
Building out a place to get work done at home can be difficult. Our collection of the 15 best desks for every price range makes it suck a bit less.
This Is Polaroid’s Most Advanced Instant Camera – And It Has Portrait Mode
It’s the first Polaroid instant camera to have two lenses, built-in Bluetooth and a companion app.