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.
New & Noteworthy Releases
This Is the First Apple-Approved Portable Battery With a Lightning Input
Yes, that means you can charge this non-Apple product with the same cable that you use with your iPhone, iPad and AirPods. Hallelujah.
This Is the Most Unique Tiny Knife We’ve Ever Seen
Serge Panchenko upends all preconceived ideas about what a pocket knife should look like with the freshly-updated Coin Claw.
This Smart Sprinkler System Could Cut Your Home’s Water Bill In Half This Summer
What makes the Rachio 3 unique is that it comes a new flow meter that can detect things like pipe leaks and broken heads.
These Are All the Reasons Why You Need to Buy This Forgotten French Sports Sedan
Believe it or not, this was one of the best performance sedans of its era.
Adidas’s New Running Sneaker Isn’t Really for Running, But It’s Still Sick
An update to a classic style from the ’80s, the ZX500 RM claims it’s a running shoe. But like, don’t actually run in them.
Fresh Deals
AmazonBasics Premium 18-Piece Knife Block Set
Save $23: You’ve heard it before: a sharp knife is the most important tool in the kitchen. So how about 18 of them? AmazonBasics’ Premium 18-Piece Knife Block Set, currently 35 percent off the normal retail price, is a solid buy for new, or infrequent, cooks who don’t need top-of-the-line cutlery. It includes an 8-inch chef’s knife, 7-inch Santoku knife, 8-inch bread knife and eight steak knives, among others. They won’t last forever. But at this price, you don’t need them to.
A Pair of Rug Sales
Save Up to 80%: Relatively hidden in the post-July 4th internet deal festivities are two sales the frugal homeowner should browse — both, as it happens, are on rugs. Wayfair and Houzz both have fairly absurd deals going on around the thing you thrown down under your living room furniture and at the entrance of your house.
Starting this morning, Wayfair’s sale has hundreds of rugs — runners to massive area rugs — marked down as high as 80 percent. Lasting until Wednesday of next week, Houzz has a similarly enormous collection marked as low as 75 percent off. Both brands offer free shipping on an item-to-item basis. — Will Price
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Forcefield
Save up to 50%: Not all motorcycle jackets and riding pants come with the best armor (some don’t come with armor at all), which, if you think about it, is the same as buying a car without seat belts, airbags and modern crumple zones. Sure, you can buy vintage cars for their style, but it’s just as risky to drive a vintage car now as it was back in the ’70s. Luckily, if you buy gear that’s sans armor, you can add it to your daily gear a lot easier than it is to add airbags to an old Porsche. And today, it’s even more affordable. Forcefield armored base layers and vest are on sale at up to 50% off. Now’s your chance to give yourself modern protection without altering your go-to riding jacket and save some money in the process. — Bryan Campbell
Get Awesome Outdoor Gear on the Cheap With This Sale
Save up to 55%: Backcountry is holding a major sale on a full range of outdoor equipment from The North Face. Save up to 40 percent on apparel, backpacks, tents and more. — Tanner Bowden
Today on Gear Patrol
Your Complete Guide to the Gear of the Tour de France
Wondering what bike Chris Froome is riding? Or what shoes Taylor Phinney is lacing up these days? We’ve got you covered.
The Best Entry-Level Receivers for Your Bookshelf Speakers
Want great stereo audio or integrate your bookshelf speakers in a home theater system? One of these receivers is right for you.
Acura’s New True Touchpad Interface Provides the Least Frustrating Infotainment Experience on the Road
The new True Touchpad user interface is probably the first infotainment control mechanism that didn’t make me want to bash my head on the steering wheel in frustration.
Instant Pot Max Review: Are New Features Worth the Price Hike?
The Instant Pot Max somehow folds more functionality into one of the most useful kitchen appliances ever made.
5 Pairs of Vintage Sunglasses We’d Buy Right Now
From Persol, Ray-Ban, Serengeti and more.
This Low-Mileage 1993 Mazda RX-7 Is Just as Affordable as a New Miata
To quote modern lexicon, ‘only ’90s kids will remember’ that 20-years ago, Japan was the leader in affordable performance.
These Three Vintage Rolexes Are (Kinda) Affordable
An Oyster Perpetual, a DateJust and an Air King for around $3,000.
The One Pair of Sunglasses I’m Wearing All Summer Long
After rotating through probably close to 100 sunglasses, I finally found the quintessential pair that I can wear to workout and to travel.