This year, our team tested thousands of products to determine which products are worth your time and your money. The fruit of that labor is something we call the GP100, an annual index of the year’s best products across 10 of our most essential categories, from cars to fitness to tech. Feel like we missed something or disagree with one of the picks? Let us know at hello@gearpatrol.com.
Tech
Alienware Area 51m Laptop
Laptops are growing thinner by the minute, which is great for throwing them in your backpack, but has effectively set their specs in stone. Alienware’s beefy Area-51m laptop valiantly swims against the current with its 17-inch screen and 1.2-inch-thick body that provides a unique superpower: this eminently upgradable beast lets you swap out your RAM, CPU and even GPU with ease. Yes, it’s more suitable for a suitcase than a briefcase, but this is the rare laptop you’ll be able to use for a decade.
Maximum Processor: 9th Generation Intel Core i9-9900K (8-Core, 16MB Cache)
Maximum Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 8GB GDDR6
Maximum RAM: 64GB, 4x16GB, DDR4 2400MHz
Price: $2,000
Apple Mac Pro
Despite ludicrous powerhouse specs, like 28 CPU cores, 1.5TB of RAM and a whole mess of GPUs, Apple’s newest Mac Pro is arguably a masterclass in restraint. Unlike the 2013 “trash can” design that saw fit to fix what wasn’t broken, Apple’s latest overkill computer harkens back to the modular, rectangular retro-chic form of the mid-2000s for an exceedingly good reason: it just works.
Maximum Storage Capacity: 4 TB
Shape: Rectangular
Maximum GPU: 2x Radeon Pro Vega II Duo + Afterburner accelerator card
Price: 5,999+
Watch Now: The 10 Best Technology Products of 2019
[embedded content]
Disney+
It’s been more than a decade since Netflix kicked off the streaming age in earnest, and in that time, innumerable competitors have popped up to lay claim to your eyeballs. It’s into this crowded space that Disney+ is making its monumental landing. With an unparalleled archive including everything from all 30 seasons of The Simpsons to the latest Marvel Cinematic Universe blockbusters, the promise of new content from juggernaut franchises like Star Wars, and a low $7-per-month price tag, it’s destined to be a game-changer the likes of which only a behemoth like Disney could deliver this late in the streaming wars.
Classic Properties: Marvel, Star Wars, Pixar, Walt Disney Classics
Supported Devices: iOS, Android, Chromecast, Apple TV, Roku, Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and more
Upcoming Series: The Mandalorian, She-Hulk, Loki and more
Price: $7/mo.
DJI Ronin-SC
The Ronin-SC, DJI’s latest stabilizing gimbal — born out of camera-mount tech used on its drones — is designed with the masses in mind. Made specifically to stabilize popular mirrorless cameras, it’s smaller and lighter than DJI’s older two-handed models, making it a better buy for photographers of all stripes. Add to that the ability to physically track a subject and remote control from your smartphone, and what you get is a pro-photography tool that’s more accessible to hobbyists than ever before. .
Gimbal Weight: 2.4 pounds
Maximum Payload: 4.4 pounds
Battery Life: 11 hours
Price: $439+
Fujifilm GFX100
Big-picture medium-format cameras have largely been the purview of studio and landscape photographers who typically have the luxury of taking their time to carefully set up shots — and tens of thousands of dollars to spend on their kit. By pairing the creature comforts common to cheaper mirrorless cameras, with a luxurious medium-format sensor at a price that, while still astronomical, is significantly less than its competition. The Fujifilm GFX100 is making one of photography’s more exclusive formats available and practical for a new generation of shooters.
Viewfinder: OLED, 0.5-inch, 5.76 million dots
Number of Effective Pixels: 102 million
Video: 4K video at 30fps
Price: $10,000+
Google Pixel 3a
Editor’s Pick
In a field of increasingly four figure phones, Google’s Pixel 3a is notable not just for its screamingly modest $400 price tag. This comfortably competent, pleasantly plastic midrange phone also includes a stunning, flagship worthy camera that punches way above its weight. The result? A phone that’s not only a terrific value, but that challenges the very notion that a top not camera is a premium feature, and argues that it is instead an absolute necessity.
Display: 5.6-inch, OLED, 1080 x 2220 pixels
Body: Plastic
Headphone Jack: Yessir
Price: $400
Kindle Oasis
The Kindle has been the reigning king of e-readers for more than 10 years, but Amazon isn’t resting on its laurels. The 2019 model of its flagship Oasis reader is the latest — and maybe final — step in the brand’s quest to perfectly emulate paper. Its ability to delicately change the color temperature of the screen to easy-on-the-eyes shades of yellow is a small tweak to a winning formula, but one that may represent the end of a very ambitious journey.
Display: 7-inch touchscreen
Shades of Grey: 16
Waterproofing: IPX8
Price: $250+
Oculus Quest
By the standards of its technological ancestors, the Oculus Quest feels like a pipe dream. The all-in-one headset is a perfect storm of features pilfered from impressive but flawed predecessors. Wireless design, heaps of horsepower, hand-tracking controllers. An astonishingly experience, tied up in a bow with a comparatively low $400 price point, the Quest represents a new, accessible path for VR that could live up to the hype the original Oculus Rift fell short of.
Display: LED, 1600 x 1440 pixels per eye
Connectivity: Wireless
PC: Not Required
Price: $399+
Samsung Space Monitor
Monitors may be getting thinner, brighter and crisper but they’ll always take up space on your desk, whether you’re using them or not. Samsung wants to change that with its Space Monitor, unveiled at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) at the beginning of the year. With its adjustable built-in arm stand, it can do more than be a beautiful 4K display — it can also get out of the way and give you back your precious desktop real estate when you need it.
Screen Size: 27-inch or 31.5-inch
Resolution: 4K UHD
Refresh Rate: 60 Hz
Price: $400+
Sony a7R IV
Resolution or speed? Once, photographers were forced to choose between cameras with maximum autofocusing power and high frame-per-second shooting and ones with huge megapixel counts. The Sony a7R IV blows that dividing wall to pieces. With a 61-megapixel back-side-illuminated sensor, autofocus points covering 99.7% of the frame, and 10 frame-per-second shooting, it’s the best of both worlds. Sure, the menus are clunky and the video isn’t perfect, but the a7R series continues to redefine expectations as to what a camera can do.
Maximum Resolution: 9504 x 6336 pixels
Sensor Type: Full frame
Autofocus Points: 567
Price: $3,500
Audio
Astell&Kern Kann Cube
While it might be adequate for podcasts, a smartphone can’t deliver quality, hi-fi-level audio. However, with its great built-in digital-to-analog converter and powerful headphone amp, the Astell&Kern KANN CUBE can power your nicest pair of cans. You’ll also need music, of course, and it has support for services like Spotify, Tidal, Deezer and Amazon Music, along with the ability to play virtually any lossless codec imaginable. Topped off with fast USB-C charging, it’s virtually a full kit for the audiophile on the go.
Audio Playback: Native 32-bit/384 kHz
Supported Formats: WAV, FLAC, WMA, MP3, OGG, APE, ACC, ALAC, AIFF, DFF, DSF, MQA
Digital-to-Analog Converter: Dual ESS ES9038PRO SABRE DACs
Price: $1,499
AudioQuest DragonFly Cobalt
AudioQuest carved out a nice little niche in the hi-fi market, making high-quality USB digital-to-analog converters (DACs) for smartphones and laptops, but its latest portable powerhouse, the Cobalt, is poised to be a breakout hit. The highest performing DAC AudioQuest’s portable DragonFly series has delivered to date, it’s powerful enough to properly drive professional-grade headphones and monitors. It’s also power-efficient enough not to savagely sap your smartphone’s battery like its predecessors, making the Cobalt a small luxury actually worth considering.
Audio Resolution: Up to 24-bit/96kHz
Digital-to-Analog Converter: 32-bit ESS Sabre ES9038Q2M
Compatibility: Windows, Mac, iOS, Android
Price: $300
Watch Now: The 10 Best Audio Products of 2019
[embedded content]
Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700
Editor’s Pick
With its all-new system of eight noise-detecting microphones, the new Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 aren’t just the best ANC headphones out there and heir the throne of the legendary QuietComfort line. Their ability to isolate your voice and mute ambient noise can give you an almost magical ability to speak softly and achieve a sense of privacy while on the phone in a public place. It’s a truly innovative feature that fundamentally changes the way we use our tech.
Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.0
Charging Port: USB-C
Battery Life: Up to 20 hours
Price: $399
Ikea Symfonisk WiFi Bookshelf Speaker
For years, Sonos has been the comfortable king of mid-range audio, but the Sonos x Ikea WiFi Symfonisk Bookshelf speaker is the company’s confident expansion of its domain. At a paltry $99 (available through Ikea exclusively), the still great-sounding speaker makes it almost too easy to enter the Sonos ecosystem, or extend its reach throughout your home. That it can double as an actual, literal bookshelf? That part is just gravy.
Availability: Exclusively through Ikea
Drivers: One tweeter; one mid-woofer
Maximum Load in Shelf Mode: 6.5 pounds
Price: $99
Cambridge Audio Alva TT
Cambridge Audio has been in the high-end audio business for over half a century, but its latest turntable, the Alva TT, looks forward to the next 50 years. The first turntable with Bluetooth aptX HD streaming, it’s able to stream high-resolution vinyl tracks (up to 24-bit/48kHz) to any compatible wireless headphones, speakers or Bluetooth receiver for top-tier sound without all the wires. And if you’re feeling old school, you can still wire speakers directly to the Alva TT’s RCA connections.
Turntable: Direct drive
Cartridge Type: High-output moving coil
Bluetooth Codecs: SBC, aptX, aptX HD
Price: $1,700
Fender American Acoustasonic Telecaster
The lines between genre, once codified and reinforced by the recording industry, are blurrier than every before. It only stands to reason the lines between instruments would follow. Fender’s American Acoustasonic Telecaster, with a body designed to merge the traditional characteristics of electric and acoustic guitars like never before, is a innovative tool for a new generation of guitarists looking to create new sounds as much as they replicate classic ones.
Wood: Mahogany neck, back and sides; solid A Sitka spruce top
Pickups: Under-saddle piezo; internal body sensor; N4 magnetic pickup
Controls: Master volume; “Mod” knob; 5-way switch
Price: $2,000
JBL Link Bar
Soundbars can give your TV’s subpar sound quality a boost, but JBL’s Link Bar also upgrades your “dumb” TV to a smart one. Acting as a set-top box and a Google Home smart speaker, the Link gives you access to Netflix or YouTube and lets you control your TV with your voice. Even if your TV has built-in smarts, the Link is a one-step solution to clunky interfaces and infrequent upgrades, and one that can plug right into your next TV, too.
Drivers: Two 20mm tweeters, four 44x80mm racetrack drivers
Connectivity: Chromecast, Google Home, Bluetooth 4.2
TV Audio Out: HDMI Arc, Toslink optical
Price: $400
McIntosh MTI100 Integrated Turntable
All-in-one turntables make listening to vinyl easy and cheap, so it’s no wonder they’re in vogue. For high-end audio nerds, the lack of customization options is generally a significant downside, but not so with the McIntosh MTI100. Yes, it’s an all-in-one, but it features the company’s renowned high-end phono stage, tube preamplifier and class-D power amp. Add in MacIntosh’s signature black lacquer finish, large tactile knobs and lime-green glow, and the result is a form factor audiophiles like to scoff at elevated to a product of undeniable appeal.
Cartridge Type: Moving magnet
Stylus: Elliptical
Playback Speeds: 33-1/3 and 45 rpm
Price: $6,500
Schiit Ragnarok 2
Schiit Audio is a small California company that sells high-end audio components directly to consumers, resulting in superlative products that are surprisingly affordable. The company’s Ragnarok 2, a stereo integrated amplifier, is much more than the sum of its parts — but what makes it truly unique is its versatility. You can use it to power bookshelf loudspeakers and hi-fi headphones, or you can integrate it into a larger hi-fi system.
Power Output, Speaker Outputs: 60 watts RMS per channel (8 Ohms); 100 watts RMS per channel (4 Ohms)
Frequency Response: 20Hz-20Khz, -0.1db, 3Hz-350KHz, -3dB
Power Consumption: 500W maximum
Price: $1,499+
Sony WF-1000XM3 Wireless Noise-Canceling Headphones
As soon as true wireless headphones hit the market, the dream has been to see noise-canceling versions and 2019 has proven to be the year they have arrived in force. Sony’s WF-100XM3s, with their mouthful of a name and virtually peerless ANC abilities, are not only some of the best buds you can put in your ears right now, but a triumphant victory for the relative underdog which has beaten Bose and its upcoming 2020-release ANC earbuds to the punch.
Battery: 6 hours per earbud; up to 24 hours of battery life total with ANC turned on (with case)
Charging Port: USB-C
Key Features: noise-canceling, adaptive sound control, Quick Attention, works with Google Assistant
Price: $230
Outdoors
Adidas Terrex Free Hiker
As evidenced by the wave of Canada Goose jackets status-symboling down city streets these days, outdoor products and urban style trends continue to cross paths. At the confluence of function and fashion reside excellent items like the Adidas Terrex Free Hiker. This clever, sneaker-fied hiking shoe finds itself equally comfortable at both clubs and campsites. Active ingredients? Foot-hugging Primeknit uppers, energy-returning Boost foam soles and funky styling rarely seen on trails.
Weight: 13.5 ounces
Collaboration: Continental rubber outsole
Bonus: Waterproof Gore-Tex for an extra $50
Price: $200
Firewire Woolight Seaside
For all the “connecting with nature” allure it touts, surfing’s dirty secret is that most wetsuits and boards feature materials derived from fossil fuels that are harmful to the environment. Case in point: petroleum-based fiberglass fabric makes up nearly every board’s outer shell. For the Woolight Seaside, Firewire replaced that material with wool sheared ethically from New Zealand sheep — introducing the surf world to a naturally occurring alternative to unsustainable fiberglass.
Sizes Available: 5’2″ – 6’1″
Volumes Available: 26.5 – 46.5 liters
Fin Setup: Quad
Price: $840
Watch Now: The 10 Best Outdoors Products of 2019
[embedded content]
Gerber Compleat
The spork became a camp cutlery classic by uniting spoon and fork. But in doing so, sporks diminish the effectiveness of both utensils. The Compleat avoids this master-of-none trap; not only does it boast a separate spoon and fork, but also it has a dual-edge spatula (one edge serrated, the other rubberized) and a peeler-equipped tool that opens bottles, packages and cans. Slide the fork or spoon’s handle into the spatula for the coup de grâce: tongs.
Weight: 2.3 ounces
Materials: Heat-resistant nylon and anodized aluminum
Total Number of Implements: 8
Price: $30
Igloo Recool
As the mega-cooler wars between Yeti and its imitators rage on, Igloo is taking a different approach. The Recool — an entirely recycled-material, biodegradable 16-quart cooler — provides an Earth-friendly alternative to those pervasive Styrofoam units found at every gas station. Sturdy and reusable, it keeps beer ice-cold all day long. While it might not replace the giant ice chest in your truck bed, it’s easily the best, most conscientious cheap cooler around.
Weight: 1.6 pounds
Material: Compostable recycled paper
Capacity: 16 quarts (or 20 12-ounce cans)
Price: $10
Yamaha Adventure Pro powered by Magellan
![]()
The Adventure Pro is an advanced adventure tool that will help you explore further with your Yamaha. And you can share your experiences with friends and family along the way, too, thanks to its social media integration. The Adventure Pro also features GPS mapping and navigation, as well as online adventure planning — making it even easier to share your latest journey. Buy Now: $749+
Leatherman Free P2
Like its predecessors, the P2 is a plier-centric implement with handy functions that swivel out of its handles. The difference? Internal magnets allow the Free P2 — and its big brother, the P4, which adds saw and serrated-knife blades — to stay closed until the magnets are disengaged with a firm flick of the thumb, at which point the handles butterfly open without friction and lock with a satisfying click. The internal tools swivel open by pushing on tiny nubs, instead of wedging fingernails into annoying little knicks. The result? You can deploy every single tool using one hand.
Weight: 7.6 ounces
Knife Blade Length: 2.76 inches
Number of Tools: 19
Price: $120
Nemo Equipment Roamer
Sleeping pads keep shrinking, with the slimmest ones now packing down to the size of a soup can. But does smaller + lighter = better? Nemo says no with the Roamer, which addresses a camping reality: most of us make basecamp near our vehicles, so why not bring the most luxurious pad available? This pad self-inflates, is available in two sizes and is still lighter and comfier than the blow-up air mattress you might otherwise stuff into a tent. Sweet dreams.
Material: 50-denier stretch fabric, polyester top
Weight: 5 pounds, 3 ounces
Lets You Sleep Like: The happiest baby ever
Price: $210+
Salomon S/Lab Ultra 2
The first iteration of the S/Lab Ultra was widely available, but Salomon really made it for one person: world-class ultra-runner François D’Haene, who used it to win 50-plus-mile races (and set the speed record on the 211-mile John Muir Trail). Salomon has since gone slightly more egalitarian, releasing this pared-down design with a lighter yet more durable upper. Nonetheless, the streamlined profile, close fit and all-terrain tread remain, making this version the ultimate trail running shoe.
Weight: 10 ounces
Drop: 8mm
Waterproofing: None
Price: $180
Specialized Turbo Kenevo Expert
Editor’s Pick
A few years ago, early electric mountain bikes promised to revolutionize the sport. But that promise was overblown, because …well, they sucked. Specialized’s new Turbo Kenevo Expert leads the charge of the third generation of E-MTBs — the first ones that don’t. It’s designed to rip down hills and climb up them again with equal aplomb. Like a Leatherman, it can do things you probably never will, but it’s cool to think you might.
Frame: M5 premium aluminum
Battery: 700 watt-hours
Travel: 180mm (7.1 inches)
Price: $8,225
The James Brand Hell Gap
When you can buy a knife at the hardware store for $20, why would you spend $300 on a fixed blade you intend to prep a campfire meal with? Simple. Because a cheap knife won’t last. But the Hell Gap, with its purebred Crucible S35VN, micarta construction and timeless good looks, will. Plus, its distinctly non-tactical dress and reasonable size make it a joy to deploy at home, too.
Weight: 3.1 ounces
Length: 7.8 inches
Blade: 3.8-inch drop-point full-tang
Price: $299
The North Face A-Cad FutureLight Jacket
To create an ultra-breathable jacket, The North Face harnessed a process called nanospinning (a.k.a. electrospinning), in which liquid polyurethane is extruded through more than 200,000 microscopic nozzles into impossibly thin threads. Those threads are overlaid atop each other to create a lattice with thousands of gaps too small for water to penetrate, yet big enough to promote airflow. Laminate that membrane to fabric, and voilà: a truly waterproof-breathable snowboarding jacket like the A-Cad. Or a running jacket. Or the perfect mountaineering shell. With FutureLight, they’re all better equipped to handle the rigors — and weather — of outdoor sports.
Materials: 100% recycled polyester with brushed tricot backer and DWR finish
Weight: 2 pounds, 1 ounce (size medium)
Ideal Use Conditions: Whatever comes your way
Price: $599
Fitness
Allied Cycle Works Able
Allied Cycle Works sought to build something that maintained the feel of a road bike while possessing “the ability to take on much rougher terrain,” according to Sam Pickman, Allied’s director of product and engineering turned CEO. That might sound like the pitch for any gravel bike — and the Able sits near the middle of the increasingly crowded spectrum between road and mountain bikes. Yet with an innovative design that includes a raised chainstay, it’s uncommonly capable going off-road, despite its drop bars and lack of shocks.
Frame Weight: 3.75 pounds
Bike Weight: 17.85 – 18.96 pounds
Production: Made in Arkansas
Price: $5,499
Care/of Protein
Protein shakes are the quickest route to post- workout muscle recovery, but finding a clean protein source you love isn’t easy. Among the plethora of powders that launch each year, Care/of is a clear winner. A five-minute quiz personalizes the protein you need based on your workouts and goals — and pea, pumpkin seed and hemp- or whey protein isolate-based powder arrives within roughly a week. Mix with milk, almond milk or water and feel the fuel go to work.
Quantity: 18 grams of protein per serving
Flavors: Vanilla, chocolate, unflavored
Personal Touch: Literally has your name on it
Price: $28/15-serving tub; $15/5-serving packets
Garmin Fenix 6X Pro Solar
Yes, it has a traditional power supply too, but the ridiculously long battery life of 21 days in smartwatch mode extends to an even more ridiculous 24 days when your watch sunbathes. The vast majority of the juice comes from what resembles a simple design accent — a thin strip around the inside edge of the bezel. The Fenix 6X Pro Solar also comes preloaded with topographic and ski maps for more than 2,000 resorts and 41,000 golf courses around the world — just in case you need another excuse to hang out in the sun.
Bezel Material: Titanium
Water Rating: 10 ATM (good for everything but scuba diving)
Battery Life in GPS + Music Mode: Up to 16 hours
Price: $1,000+
Hoka One One Carbon X
Editor’s Pick
Studies show lighter shoes can mean faster times, and at under nine ounces, the Carbon X is considerably lighter than your normal everyday training shoe, while still delivering that all-important stable ride. And the beauty of the Carbon X is that it isn’t designed for elites on race day; it’s an all-inclusive, everyday shoe that’s bouncy and fun and probably the brand’s best iteration of rocker tech yet. It just might be the most democratic high-performance running shoe ever made.
Heel-Toe Drop: 5mm
Weight: 8.7 ounces
Use Case: Road running and racing
Price: $180
Hyperice Hypersphere Mini
Vibration therapy has taken over the recovery space, and this whimsical wonder will make you a believer. It’s small enough to toss into your gym bag or carry-on (yes, it’s TSA-approved), yet plenty effective: just 30 seconds of use will have you feeling the benefits of myofascial release. Grappling with plantar fasciitis, tight hip flexors, lower-back issues or sore pectorals? Three levels of pulsation ensure you’ll find the right degree of tension-relieving vibration for every muscle group. Smaller and yet more powerful than a traditional foam roller, the Mini will soon be your new go-to for everything from a foot roll-out to a deep-tissue total-body massage.
Diameter: 3.9 inches
Exterior: Silicone blended with a dense shell
Battery Life: Over 2 hours per charge
Price: $99
Jaybird Vista
Jaybird’s Vista earbuds are lighter and smaller than comparable wireless sport headphones, and they have a superior IPX7 waterproof rating, meaning they can withstand submersion in up to three feet of water. Three sizes of rubber inserts mean the Vistas cling inside the ear in a way that helps block outside noise, and the Jaybird app has a nifty feature that lets you customize the equalizer. But what cements the Vista’s case is, well, the Vista’s case. It’s tiny, so you can easily carry it in your pocket without it becoming obtrusive, even when exercising.
Driver Size: 6mm
Weight: 6 grams each
Fast Charge: 1 hour of playback after 5 minutes
Price: $180
On Running Weather Vest
Getting a running vest right is a tricky proposition. They can often be too bulky, awkwardly pocketed or just not warm enough. Then there’s this lightweight, streamlined gem. Its blend of thin yet insulating fabric suits crisp fall days, but it can also slip under or over another layer in winter. A water-repellent front protects you from spring showers, and the vented back spares you the wrath of the summer sun. Yes, Goldilocks, it’s just right — all year long.
Weight: 2.98 ounces
Key Material: Ultra-light Japanese stretch fabric
Storage: Waterproof pockets on chest and back
Price: $140
Reebok Nano 9
Reebok makes a point of ruling CrossFit, and its latest signature sneaker shows the brand at its best. The Nano 9 boasts ample breathability and cushioning, plus burly protective wraps that stabilize your feet for explosive lifts. A two-piece outsole encourages heel-to-toe movement, making it more run-friendly than earlier iterations. Those features add up to a shoe that craves punishing routines — an ideal scenario when you’re busting your 50th burpee of the day.
Key Material: Flexweave upper
Use Case: CrossFit WODs and HIIT workouts
Variety: Available in 21 colorways
Price: $130
ShakeSphere
Watch former British track champ Rick Beardsell show off his revolutionary shaker bottle on QVC and you may raise an eyebrow. Can this simple, capsule-shaped tumbler with no internal corners really use centrifugal force to purée fruit, skirting the hassle and mess of blending? But toss some bananas, powdered peanut butter, milk and whey protein into the mix — and be wowed by how the ShakeSphere makes post-workout recovery easier and tastier than ever.
Material: BPA-free plastic
Capacity: 700 milliliters
Shake Time: 60 seconds or less
Price: $20
Velocio Concept Bib Short
More than anything, the everyday rider’s cycling apparel should be comfortable — aerodynamically close-fitting, yes, but comfy above all. It often comes down to the chamois, the oh-so-critical protective bit of padding that sits where rider meets saddle. Velocio’s new approach involves the use of high-density foam and anti-vibration inserts integrated into the bib, enabling it to “float,” which minimizes seams and chafing. The result: quite possibly the most luxurious cycling shorts you’ll ever wear.
Composition: 70% polyamide, 30% elastene
Breathability: Laser-cut perforated ventilation
Production: Made in Italy
Price: $289
Motoring
Audi E-Tron
Competition in the electric vehicle world is heating up, and it was Audi that delivered the first EV with a truly premium experience and high-end build quality, even if the E-Tron’s 204-mile range doesn’t compete with EVs from other makers (like Tesla and Jaguar). Still, the crossover is exceptionally well-engineered, delivering its own brand of sporty performance. It moves the ball forward — for customers, for parent company VW and for the world we live in.
Powertrain: Dual asynchronous electric motors; all-wheel-drive
Horsepower: 402
Torque: 490 lb-ft
Price: $74,800+
Bentley Continental GT V8
When a car costs as much as a house, it has to work hard to justify its price tag. The Bentley Continental GT makes the job look easy. Slide into the leather-laden cabin, fire up the twin-turbo eight-cylinder engine, and the Conti takes off like a shot, hitting 60 miles per hour just four seconds into its run up to 198 mph (all while weighing two and a half tons with you onboard).
Powertrain: Twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V8; eight-speed dual-clutch automatic; all-wheel-drive
Horsepower: 542
Torque: 568 lb-ft
Price: $198,500+
Watch Now: The 10 Best Cars, Trucks and Motorcycles 2019
[embedded content]
Bird One
Shared electric scooters lead hard lives — which means good companies build them tough. Bird’s first conveyance built for purchase, the One, has tubeless wheels to prevent flats and a steel-reinforced aluminum chassis that’s four times tougher than its shared brethren. GPS and Bluetooth connectivity lets you use your phone to lock and track your scooter. Plus, you can score deals on Bird’s network of public scooters when you’re away from your personal wheels.
Range: 30 miles on a charge
Charging Time: 4–6 hours
Top Speed: 18 mph
Price: $1,300
Indian FTR 1200
Indian’s FTR 1200, its first all-new bike in half a decade, may be based off the brand’s modern FTR750 racer, but it draws the most inspiration from the Minnesota company’s rich history in flat track racing. A clean-sheet design meant engineers could start from scratch, and they optimized airflow into the potent V-twin by placing the airbox directly above the engine where the fuel tank would go. The effect? A lower center of gravity for superior agility.
Powertrain: 1203cc V-twin
Horsepower: 123
Torque: 87 lb-ft
Price: $13,499+
Jeep Gladiator
Editor’s Pick
Americans love pickup trucks, and Americans love Jeep Wranglers. So rather than attempt to build a new truck from the ground up, Jeep’s product planners and engineers chose to keep it simple, taking the four-door Wrangler — specifically, the all-new, more-refined JL generation — stretching out the wheelbase and affixing a metal box to the end of it. You can snag a well-equipped one for around $45,000; onsidering you’re scoring an off-roader, a five-seat family car, a convertible and a pickup truck in one for that price, it’s hard to see that as anything but the deal of the year.
Powertrain: 3.6-liter V6 or 3.0-liter turbodiesel V6; six-speed manual transmission; four-wheel-drive
Horsepower: 285 (gasoline); 260 (diesel
Torque: 260 (gasoline), 440 (diesel)
Price: $33,545+
Mercedes-AMG G63
New versions of the Mercedes-Benz G-Class come around less frequently than new popes. So when this year’s Gelandewagen arrived, it did so with roughly as much fanfare. For all the commotion, it takes a keen eye to tell the new “G-Wagen” from the old, at least from the outside; no such trouble occurs once you open the door, as the new G-Class finally boasts an interior worthy of a six-figure price tag. The AMG-tuned G63 version also cracks off mind-bending acceleration times without sacrificing the off-road ability that lets the G-Class be mentioned in the same breath as Land Rover and Jeep.
Powertrain: 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V8; nine-speed automatic; four-wheel-drive
Horsepower: 577
Torque: 627 lb-ft
Price: $147,500+
Porsche 911 Carrera S and 4S
Today’s 911 is many things the original was not. The cabin is decidedly high-tech, replete with touchscreens and a toggle-switch shifter. The extra-wide rear houses a turbocharged version of the traditional flat-six, mated to a new eight-speed dual-clutch transmission. (Porsche even says a hybrid 911 is in the works.) Change is the only constant here — well, that and round headlights. Perhaps that’s why every new version of the 911 keeps Porsche at the head of the sports car pack.
Powertrain: Twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter flat-six; eight-speed dual-clutch automatic; rear- or all-wheel-drive
Horsepower: 443
Torque: 390 lb-ft
Price: $113,300+
Ram 2500 and 3500
Heavy-duty pickups have become big business but maximum capability is only half the equation; today’s buyers want the same comforts they’ve gotten used to in other vehicles. In top-trim form, both the 2500 and 3500 are as tech-packed and comfortable as a luxury sedan. That’s not to say they can’t pull weight: the giant Ram 3500 cranks out 1,000 pound-feet of torque, giving it enough towing capacity to pull a small herd of elephants.
Powertrain: 6.4-liter V8 or 6.7-liter turbodiesel inline-six; six- or eight-speed automatic transmission; two- or four-wheel-drive
Horsepower: 410 (gas), 370–410 (diesel)
Torque: 429 lb-ft (gas), 850–1,000 lb-ft (diesel)
Price: $33,645+
Toyota GR Supra
Building a sports car is an expensive proposition, especially if you want it to be good. To create the fifth-generation Supra, Toyota got by like Ringo Star, with a little help from its friends: the folks at BMW. The spec sheet may have far more in common with the rides of the Bavarian Motor Works than with anything alongside it in the Toyota showroom, but that’s a feature, not a bug. With the fifth-generation Supra, Toyota chose not to let the perfect be the enemy of the good — and it delivered a great car as a result.
Powertrain: 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-six; eight-speed automatic; rear-wheel-drive
Horsepower: 335
Torque: 365 pound-feet
Price: $49,990+
Zero SR/F Electric Motorcycle
When an electric bike promises cost savings, environmental friendliness and one-of-a-kind thrills, you pay attention. Zero Motorcycles has been at this game for 13 years, outlasting fly-by-night competitors and even impacting Harley-Davidson, which just rolled out its first electric model, the LiveWire. The Zero SR/F flies contrary to the hallmarks of classic motorcycling: there’s no engine to purr, no gears to shift, no neutral to pop it into at a light. But any doubts whoosh away the moment you twist the throttle; try going from 0 to 60 miles per hour in less than two seconds. Green means go, baby.
Range: 161 miles in town; 99 on the highway at 55 mph; 82 on the highway at 70 mph
Horsepower: 110
Torque: 140 lb-ft
Price: $18,995+
Style
Aesop Gentle Facial Cleansing Milk
Aesop’s newest cleanser is gentle enough for dry skin and frequent face washers, but it was designed for tough tasks, too. It can remove a day’s grime, a post-workout sheen or a layer of makeup. This makes it ideal for active lifestyles, all skin types and for countertop-sharing with your significant other. Best of all, it nourishes skin while
it cleanses, thanks to the hydrating and soothing powers of panthenol and grape seed oil.
Texture: Non-foaming
Dosage: Half a teaspoon
Fragrance: Mild, woody, herbaceous
Price: 35
GilletteLabs Heated Razor
If heat is so crucial to a clean, effective shave, why doesn’t it play a more centralized role throughout the entire shaving ritual, rather than just the prelude? It’s a question that informed the first release from Gillette’s in-house innovation division, GilletteLabs, which combines technology and luxury to upgrade standard grooming routines (like the everyday shave). Its answer: the market’s first chargeable, heated razor, which posits mid-shave warmth is as important to a smooth shave as the warm-up.
Temperatures: 109°F, 122°F
Battery Life: 6 shaves
Cost of Razor Cartridges: $25 (for 4)
Price: $200
Watch Now: The 10 Best Style Products of 2019
[embedded content]
Givenchy Gentleman Cologne
For the third consecutive year, Givenchy released a fresh take on its classic Gentleman scent from the 1970s. The latest in the trio is an iris-infused citrusy fragrance that aims for subtlety over extravagance. Its opening notes wear lightly, while a satisfying trail of ambroxan and musk lingers longer. Pick it not to turn heads; that distinction goes to 2017’s black-label Gentleman. Instead, wear the new iteration to satisfy your own senses, or those of anyone who’s nuzzling your neck.
Size: 3.4 ounces
Notes: Citrus, iris, vetiver, musk
Original Release: 1974
Price: $88
KC Jacks
KC Jacks started when Eric Edwards, the owner of Kansas City clothing store E. Edwards Work Wear, reached out to Ryan Martin about creating a new brand of American-made workwear. Martin, the founder of cult-favorite denim brand W.H. Ranch Dungarees, saw it as an opportunity to refine a range of hard-wearing wardrobe essentials like t-shirts, jeans and sweatshirts. So he set to work bringing the collection to life, focusing on Californian manufacturing, domestic materials and good-looking, functional designs.
Knits: Heavyweight Texas cotton
Jeans: 14-ounce bull denim
Production: Made in Los Angeles
Price: $16 – $60
Levi’s Wellthread x Outerknown Western Shirt
Editor’s Pick
Since 2017, Wellthread’s discoveries have been featured in cobranded collections with California wardrobe essentials brand Outerknown. And the most recent season, released for fall, included an unprecedented version of the classic Levi’s Barstow Western shirt. Available in olive moleskin and indigo ikat, the shirts are made entirely of cotton — that includes the fabric, thread, label and even the buttons. This means they have the greatest potential to be recycled in the future.
SPEC: 100% cotton
SPEC: Olive moleskin and indigo ikat
SPEC: S-XXL
Price: $128
Montblanc x Bape Document Case
When the worlds of fashion and streetwear collide, the results can be striking. Take, for instance, the document case from Montblanc and Bape, which sees the German atelier’s sleek Sa ano leather briefcase emblazoned with Bape’s cult-favorite camo print. Similar to the 2017 collaboration between New York-based Supreme and Parisian luxury house Louis Vuitton, this piece combines the street cred of a much-loved Japanese label with the prestige and craftsmanship of a revered brand.
Material: Saffiano leather
Closure: Dual-zipper
Release Date: June 29
Price: $995
Tiffany & Co. Men’s Collections
Under the direction of chief artistic officer Reed Krakoff, Tiffany & Co. now offers full-fledged collections of jewelry, accessories and homewares dedicated to men. The men’s line is divided in two: the Tiffany 1837 Makers and Diamond Point collections. The two collections, Krakoff says, are for men with a less-is-more attitude, who seek heirlooms that don’t play into trends. “I would call them modern classics-to-be,” he says.
Number of Pieces: Approximately 100
Metals: Silver, gold
Vibe: Understated elegance
Price: $60 – $75,000
Viberg Chelsea Sneaker
Viberg’s boots have been the gold standard for over 85 years, but the brand has a new target. After five years of examining shoes by Nike and Jordan Brand, the Canadian boot maker has expanded its in-house o erings to include sneakers. Viberg’s Chelsea Sneaker merges a traditional wholecut upper with a street-friendly sole, and it’s executed with the same attention to detail and premium materials as the brand’s famous work boots.
Material: Italian suede cowhide
Sole: Vibram Fuga
SConstruction: Cemented
Price: $470
Veilance Rhomb Jacket
Veilance, the Arc’teryx offshoot designed for city dwellers, recently con- centrated its minimalist design aesthetic on warmer climes. The brand’s lightweight Rhomb jacket uses Gore-Tex with Shakedry technology to remain waterproof and highly breathable, thus utilizing the technical features of performance jackets without conspicuous colors or slope-focused designs. It’s developed for hot and humid urban wear, and it packs into a small internal storage pocket when not in use.
Material: Gore-Tex with Shakedry
Construction: Taped seams
Notable Features: Two open hand pockets and one internal pocket
Price: $650
Warby Parker x Geoff McFetridge Sunglasses
Warby Parker is no stranger to collaborations, and its collection with LA artist Geoff McFetridge might be its best yet. The oversized sunglasses — available in either rounded or rectangular styles — are based on vintage frames owned by McFetridge. They’re made from thick acetate and feature double-rivet details, sculpt- ed curves and scratch-resistant lenses. Available in two colors per silhouette, these shades deliver vintage style without the vintage sticker shock — each pair costs less than a C-note.
Materials: Cellulose acetate frame, scratch-resistant lenses
Styles: Edgemont, Atwater
Colors: Two per style
Price: $95
Home
Burrow Nomad Collection
The couches in Burrow’s updated Nomad collection are what happens when a company listens to its customers. Since the brand launched in 2017, consumers have wanted the option of lower armrests for more comfortable napping. They’ve also asked for a sturdier USB charging port built into the base, a chaise and — here comes the big one — leather. So Burrow responded in kind by giving them all of the above. How’s that for customer service?
Material Options: Leather or upholstery
Sizes: Club chair to sectional sofa
Assembly: Approximately 20 minutes
Price: $995+
Casper Glow Light
The year’s best sleep accessory was designed to wake you up. The Casper Glow syncs with users’ sleep schedules — it dims as you doze off and gradually lights up in the morning — but its true calling card is the ability to function as a motion-controlled flashlight away from the nightstand. With long battery life and variable brightness levels, it also functions as an mood light for reading or “Netflix and chill” in the other room.
Color Temperature: 2,700 Kelvin (warm)
Shell Material: Polycarbonate
Battery Life: 7 hours per charge
Price: $89 (single), $169 (pair)
Dosist Dose Dial
Dosist’s sublingual mint tablets aren’t like other edibles. They’re not gummies or confectionary. They don’t taste good. And they don’t get you stoned — which is kind of the point. Each one carries a small, controlled, predictable dose of cannabinoids, which gets you just the right amount of high, every time. Sublingual consumption also means you don’t have to wait an hour and a half for one to kick in.
Measured: 3.7mg of cannabinoids per mint
Tablets: 30 per Dial
Available: California
Price: $30
Elemental Beverage Co. Snapchilled Coffee
Even the best coffee go bad, and the culprit is always the same: oxygen. Elemental Beverage Co., makers of a new range of shelf-stable coffees that come in cans and bottles, get around the problem with a proprietary technique called “snapchilling” that cools hot coffee fast enough to ensure the beans’ original flavors aren’t destroyed by oxidation. Even the snarkiest of coffee snobs in your circle will be impressed.
$30 (6-pack) https://elementalbeverage.co/collections/beverages
Single Origins: Burundi, Ethiopia, Colombia
Shelf-Stable: Stays fresh 4 to 6 months
Available: Online
Price: $30 (6-pack)
Ikea Fyrtur
Smart blinds have always been a tough sell, but not because it wouldn’t be nice to ask Siri, Alexa or Google to let in the light every morning before leaving bed. Starting at $129, Ikea’s new battery-powered blinds require no electrical installation and can be controlled independently or as a group — meaning users can ask their virtual assistant to simultaneously raise or lower blinds in different rooms. The blinds are another example of what the 76-year-old company has always excelled at — popularizing the unapproachable. From designer chairs to niche gastronomy, its new smart blinds are no different.
Designer: David Wahl
Sizes: 8
Availability: Only sold at Ikea stores
Price: $129+
Kramer Shokunin Series
Only Bob Kramer could make a $1,600 knife seem like a steal. From his Bellingham, Washington, workshop, Kramer, widely regarded as America’s greatest living bladesmith, makes knives from scratch using custom-made steels, precious metals and artful handworked designs. His new Shokunin series, meanwhile, features kitchen knives made for more people. Available with fixed prices starting in the mid-$1000s, the knives are released in batches that feature different blade styles; so far, he’s released a nakiri vegetable knife, a santoku and a chef’s knife. To be clear, these are still Kramer knives, and they include many of his trademarks — wide bevels worked paper-thin at the edge, heavier-than-normal weight and incredibly high-hardness carbon steel.
Featherweight: 7.5 ounces
Tough: 62 Rockwell hardness score
Sick Handles: Cocobolo bamboo or blackwood handle available
Price: $1,600+
Sunday
Editor’s Pick
It can be tempting to write Sunday off as an organic lawn-care subscription box, but the company’s considered, data-driven take on lawn care presents a genuinely new way to care for a backyard. When a customer signs up for Sunday, they receive a kit to take a soil sample. From there, Sunday tests the contents of the soil to determine what vital nutrients might be missing and needed to better promote the health of the grass. Customers then receive products — which are comprised of materials like organic food waste from grocery stores and seaweed — that are meant to fill in the gaps. For $150 a year, the startup sends customers regular intervals of completely bespoke natural lawn-care products via mail.
Consistent: Three shipments a year
Location sensitive: Uses GPS data to assess sunlight deficiencies
Clean: No glyphosate used in any product
Price: $129+
ThermoWorks Thermapen IR
Thermapen has long been the first-choice instant-read thermometer for chefs and pitmasters of all stripes and skill levels. It’s faster and more accurate than its competitors; plus, the digital display rotates automatically for easy reading. And though it was already the best kitchen thermometer money could buy, ThermoWorks upgraded the design with a pro-grade infrared sensor. Use it to track heat levels in all the places you’d rather not put your hands — like a cast-iron skillet.
Margin of Error: Accurate to 1 degree Fahrenheit
Efficiency: Temperature reading in 2 to 3 seconds
Probe Length: 4.3 inches
Price: $139
Vipp Furniture Collection
Vipp’s new furniture lineup feels immediately Scandinavian. Its industrial appearance lends itself well to the sharp, minimalist lines you’d expect from a Danish designer while still highlighting natural materials, offering up a deeply cutting-edge take on a familiar genre of interior design. While other high-end furniture makers employ similar techniques, it’s Vipps uncanny ability to draw a cohesive conceptual line between an 80-year-old trash can and luxe modern furniture that makes this one of the best home-design releases of the year.
Selection: Sofas, chairs, coffee table
Materials: Powder-coated aluminum, upholstery and leather
Available: Online
Price: $950+
Wyze Bulbs
Not everyone wants to drop $50 on a single smart bulb. Thanks to Wyze, which burst onto the scene last year with a $20 smart security camera, connected lighting can be had for about the cost of a six-pack. The Wyze Bulb undercuts offerings from Philips Hue and Lifx with an $8 dimmable LED bulb that’s compatible with both Alexa and Google Assistant. No hub required.
Life Expectancy: 20,000 hours
Color Temperature Range: 2,700 – 6,500 Kelvin
Lumens: 800 (60 watts)
Price: $8
Drinks
Allagash River Trip
Allagash’s River Trip is an entirely crushable 4.8 percent ABV, 170-calorie ale packed into a 16-ounce can. It furthers what Allagash has been doing for decades now — effectively integrating the best parts of American craft beer into traditional Belgian beer styles — and, by way of a thoughtful mix of some of the biggest trends in beer, River Trip has more than earned its spot on the shelf.
ABV: 4.8%
Hops: Nugget, Cascade, Comet and Azacca
Grains: Local pale malt, local raw quick oats, 2-row base malt blend and Munich malt
Price: $12 for a 4-pack
Dims. Barbican Trolley
When Dims. launched early in 2019, it did so with a modest four-piece collection. Included alongside a solid-wood coffee table, a desk and a steel side table was the breakout hit: the Barbican Trolly. This bar cart is designed by New York-based industrial design studio Visibility and made from steel and ash wood.
The studio, which has had plenty of success on its own (Forbes’s “30 Under 30” list, Wallpaper* Design Award, Fast Co. Innovation by Design Award), describes the Barbican as “an architectural take on the bar cart.” It’s easy to see where they’re coming from: the ash-wood handle seamlessly extends from the top shelf like a cantilever, while the bottom tier’s retaining wall opens it up to far more possibilities than just beverage duty.
Colors: Green, black, white
Assembly: Zilch
Uses: Bar cart, trolley, rolling table, serving tray, etc.
Price: $350
Watch Now: The 10 Best Whiskeys, Beer and Drinks of 2019
[embedded content]
The Finnish Long Drink
The Finnish long drink — a carbonated, gin-based, grapefruit-forward alcoholic soda — doesn’t fit into any category of American booze. It’s not a spiked seltzer, and its founders say it’s not a canned cocktail, either. And it’s not particularly new; the lonkero, as it’s called in Finland, was invented by the Finnish government to satisfy tourists during the Summer Olympic Games in 1952, and thanks to the four friends behind the Long Drink Company, it’s now available stateside. Their canned version goes down like a cold Fresca, without the syrupy aftertaste. Pour over ice.
ABV: 5.5%
Distribution: Available online
Calories: 180
Price: $16 (6-pack)
Four Roses Small Batch Select
Editor’s Pick
The new Four Roses Small Batch Select is a blend of six recipes (different combinations of mashbills and yeast strains), each aged for at least six years, including the four recipes that showed up in Master Distiller Brent Elliot’s one-off, the 130th Anniversary Small Batch, which took home the title of “World’s Best Bourbon” in the 2019 World Whiskies Awards.
Small Batch Select is Elliot through and through; since taking up his role, he’s been releasing blends with some of the lesser-known recipes, like those made with their more herbal yeast. Also of note: Small Batch Select is the most premium Four Roses to ever see wide release. It’s the highest-priced booze of the permanent collection and, in a nod to current trends, it weighs in at the highest proof. And the company elected to skip the chill-filtration process, giving the whiskey a thicker, more oily mouthfeel. Previously, you could only find non-chill-filtered Four Roses at this proof if you were able to get your hands on the annually released Four Roses Limited Editions.
All Natural: Non-chill-filtered
Proof: 104
Serve: Neat, with a few drops of water
Price: $55
George Dickel Bottled-in-Bond
The exclusion of a whopping 13-year age statement on this bottle was either the best or worst branding decision in whiskey this year. Old whiskey sells, especially as age statements have become rarer and rarer. Perhaps the people behind this ludicrously priced $36 bottle of Bottled-in-Bond whiskey wanted to keep it a secret unto themselves; if not for the words “Distilling Season – Fall 2005” scrawled vertically on the label, they might have pulled it off.
Proof: 100
Age: 13 years
Mashbill: 84% corn, 8% rye, 8% malted barley
Price: $36
Haus
California startup Haus may very well be the first direct-to-consumer booze brand in the U.S. Its aperitif-like expressions, sold exclusively online, use grapes like wine and clock in under 24% ABV; that means Haus can bypass most states’ mandated three-tier distribution system, comprised of producers, distributors and retailers. The brand’s first offering, Citrus Flower, blends unoaked Chardonnay with lemon, cane sugar, hibiscus, grapefruit, elderflower and cinnamon for a low-sugar answer to the Aperol craze of yesteryear.
Clean: No additives, preservations, coloring or concentrates
Versatile: Mix with Prosecco, club soda or fruit juice
ABV: 15% ABV
Price: $70 (for two bottles)
Legent
Legent (pronounced lee-jent) begins as straight Kentucky whiskey, produced and aged for four years at Jim Beam’s Clermont, Kentucky, distillery. A portion is then finished in sherry barrels, another portion in red-wine barrels, and then Noe tosses the keys to Fukuyo, who blends the now three whiskeys to merge styles from opposite sides of the world into one neat, 94-proof package. “Blended” used to be a dirty word for Kentucky bourbon. Not anymore.
Flexible: High enough proof to mix, low enough for easy sipping
Boundary-pushing: Finished in sherry and red wine casks
Available: Everywhere
Price: $35
Old Forester Rye
Available year-round across the country, Old Forester’s entry-level, 100-proof rye is something of a whiskey chameleon: it’s rich enough to sip neat or with a splash of water; strong enough to stand up in a Manhattan; and cheap enough to serve as a house whiskey. It’s got staying power, so consider it up there with bottom-shelf greats like Wild Turkey 101 and Evan Williams Black.
Proof: 100
Age: No age statement
Availability: National distribution
Price: $23
Riedel Drink Specific Glassware
Riedel consulted with bar consultant Zane Harris for the first series of cocktail glasses to give ice the attention it deserves in mixology. The six shapes — Rocks, Highball, Sour, Nick & Nora, Fizz, Neat — are sized to factor in liquid displacement (or the lack of it) from your choice of ice, elevating your cocktail game without any effort. There’s a matching mixing glass ($60) and spirits decanter ($149) for completionists.
Material: Crystal
Sold in: Sets of two
Care: Dishwasher safe
Price: $30 (set)
Shacksbury Shorts
Don’t let the smirking, animated giraffe fool you — Shackbury Shorts is not a cutesy cash grab. Though the hard seltzer finds itself lined up against Goliaths like White Claw, it may very well be the sleeper champion of 2019’s hard-seltzer war. The Vermont cidery’s take on the biggest new category in booze is made with a New England apple cider base, featuring a touch of citrusy botanicals for complexity. It’s light and bright, with a champagne-like aftertaste. In short, it makes other hard seltzers taste like savourless sugar bombs.
ABV: 4.5%
Calories: 70
Cider base: Mac, Empire, Gala, Granny Smith and Golden Delicious Apples
Price: $8 – $10
Travel
AeroPress Go
The AeroPress was a revolutionary design, allowing one to brew delicious coffee on the go without much of the accoutrement typically used at home. However, AeroPress inventor Alan Adler knew it could be more portable, and to that end he designed a more compact version for the die-hard traveller. The AeroPress Go retains the concept and mechanics of the original system but folds down into a self-contained travel mug that can brew up to 15 ounces of American-style coffee at a time. And much like its big brother, the AeroPress Go costs less than $40 and can be cleaned in seconds.
Weight (including accessories): 11.4 ounces
Mug Capacity: 15 ounces
Packed Dimensions: 3.7 x 5.3 inches
Price: $32
Airstream Bambi
The four Bambi models may be Airstream’s cheapest traditional aluminum-sided trailers, but they lack for little compared with their larger, pricier siblings. In spite of the diminutive footprint — barely larger than an average parking spot — there’s room for all the comforts of home: a two-burner gas stove, a stainless steel sink, a refrigerator and freezer, a memory foam mattress, even a shower and a flushing toilet. And while towing can seem intimidating for those who’ve never tried it, a Bambi is small and light enough to be towed by family crossovers without concern.
Lengths: 16 feet, 19 feet, 20 feet, 22 feet
Weight: 3,000-3,900 lbs.
Sleeping Capacity: Up to four people
Price: $48,900
Watch Now: The 10 Best Travel Products of 2019
[embedded content]
Atoms Model 000
Brooklyn startup Atoms has created an everyday sneaker that’s both TSA and office friendly. Inspired by iconic tennis shoes, the Model 000 has a minimalist lace-up upper and comfortable foam midsole. It’s designed to be slipped on (the laces are stretchy) and worn without socks (an antimicrobial copper-lined insole kills bacteria). And to insure these lightweight kicks fit perfectly, customers can order quarter sizes for each foot.
Upper Material: Durable coated yarn blend
Insole: Antimicrobial, copper-lined
Sizes: Quarter sizes from 5.5 to 15
Price: $179
The idea of a “travel camera” is a confusing one in 2019. Just about everyone who’s traveling already has one on their phone, and odds are, it’s pretty good. So what makes a good travel camera, and why is this one so well-suited for the task? Outrageously high image quality is a must (gotta justify using it over your phone, after all) and the X-T30 has that in spades. That’s in part thanks to the excellent sensor, but it’s Fujifilm’s suite of lenses — especially its fast and compact prime lenses — that make the biggest difference. No portrait mode in the world can get close to the pure optical perfection of Fuji’s 35mm f/1.4.
Sensor Size: 26.1 megapixels
ISO Range: 160 – 12,800
Max Continuous Shooting: 8 frames per second
Price: $899 (body)
Mophie Powerstation Hub
On the road, trusted plugs are hard to find. Hence the appeal of Mophie’s Powerstation Hub. With two USB-A ports and one fast-charging USB-C on the side and a wireless Qi charger up top mean it can fuel smartphones, tablets, cameras and laptops on the go, either using the internal battery or through an outlet via the integrated fold-out AC plugs. It’s about twice the size of a deck of cards, so it’s easy to slide into even the most crowded of carry-ons.
Battery Size: 6000-mAh
Dimensions: 3.31 inches by 3.3 inches by 1.16 inches
Weight: 0.56 pounds
Price: $100
The latest bags from Nite Ize ensure your travel essentials stay dry, no matter the weather. The RunOff collection includes two packing cubes, a wallet, a phone pocket, a tech pouch and a toiletry bag, all of which utilize flexible plastic panels that have welded seams and toothless, waterproof zippers. They’re translucent, so you can easily locate your gear, and they’ll withstand full immersion in water for up to 30 minutes.
Material: Waterproof and dustproof TPU
Construction: Welded seams, waterproof zippers
Different Sizes: Six
Price: $25 – $55
PacSafe Vibe Econyl Sling Pack
Pickpockets run rampant in many parts of the world, preying on visitors and making off with their possessions. PacSafe’s new Vibe Econyl Sling Pack is designed to fend off any Artful Dodgers. The recycled nylon exterior is secretly armored with stainless steel mesh beneath the skin; RFID-blocking materials keep thieves from stealing your data if they can’t snag your physical property. The pièce de résistance: the interconnected locking zippers, which are practically impossible to open surreptitiously.
Volume: 10 liters
Weight: 1.25 pounds
Dimensions: 15.8 in by 9.1 in by 3.2 in
Price: $85
Anyone can snap a halfway decent shot with a smartphone, but some photographs just require the help of a tripod — problem is, traveling with one can be a hassle, given their weight and size. Peak Designs offers up a novel solution with its Travel Tripod. Constructed from either carbon fiber or an aluminum alloy, both models weigh less than four pounds but can handle up to 20 pounds of camera. And they fold up so tightly, you might forget you packed one.
Weight: 2.81 pounds (carbon); 3.44 pounds (aluminum alloy)
Weight Capacity: 20 pounds
Dimensions (Collapsed): 15.4 x 3.1 inches
Price: $350 – $600
Seiko Astron GPS Solar 5X
Automatic GMT watches may have the allure of Jet Age design and mechanical movements, but modern technology can make a timepiece far more useful for the modern-day traveler. Seiko’s Astron GPS Solar 5X is the world’s smallest, thinnest solar-powered GPS watch, and it features mind-boggling functionality: by synching with satellites twice a day, it can track itself across 39 time zones and update automatically, even accounting for Daylight Savings Time.
Case Diameter: 42.9mm
Winding: Solar-powered quartz
Time Zones: 39
Price: ~$2,437+
Cohérence Ruiz Packable Coat
The Armoury — a tailoring emporium with locations in Hong Kong and New York — was one of the first stockists to carry high-end Japanese outerwear brand Cohérence. Regular conversations between the Armoury cofounder Mark Cho and Cohérence founder Kentaro Nakagomi led to the creation of the Ruiz coat, an elegant, travel-friendly raincoat released this year. Inspired by a packable French army raincoat, Nakagomi transformed the functional jacket to complement the Armoury’s assortment of traditional bespoke suits.
Material: High-density stretch-jersey polyester
Colors: Navy and tan
Pairing: A hand-tailored suit or jeans and tee
Price: $1,250
Watches
Audemars Piguet Code 11.59 Perpetual Calendar
Audemars Piguet leans heavily on the popularity of the Royal Oak, but that didn’t stop the famed Swiss watchmaker from embarking on a radical departure for its newest watch collection. The Code 11.59 Perpetual Calendar features a mesmerizing aventurine dial, pink gold octogonal case and modern 41mm size. With its impressive movement and killer looks, it’s a watch that’s hard to knock, even if you’re not crazy about the rest of the collection.
Case Diameter: 41mm
Winding: Automatic
Power Reserve: 40 hours
Price: $74,500
Baltic Aquascaphe
Any watchmaker can reproduce a vintage watch spec for spec, but capturing the essence of a particular period without copying a specific timepiece requires a bit more grace. French microbrand Baltic pulls it off with Aquascaphe, a watch that draws from several midcentury classics, such as the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms. At 39mm, the Aquascaphe comes in a perfectly modern size, and its use of a commonly available Japanese automatic movement keeps the price well under a grand.
Case Diameter: 39mm
Winding: Automatic
Water Resistance: 200m
Price: ~$654+
Watch Now: The 10 Best Watches of 2019
[embedded content]
Bell & Ross BR 03-92 Bi-Compass
Bell & Ross has made a name for itself by crafting timepieces based on cockpit instruments, but some designs translate to the wrist better than others. The Bi-Compass, which draws on a radio compass once used by U.S. naval aviators, is one such watch. With its matte-black ceramic case and stark Super-LumiNova-coated indices, it manages to turn a vintage aviation instrument into a futuristic, wrist-bound masterpiece. It doesn’t hurt that it’s handsome as hell.
Case Diameter: 42mm
Winding: Automatic
Power Reserve: 38 hours
Price: $3,900
Blancpain Air Command
Editor’s Pick
Modeled on a vintage pilot’s watch from the 1950s that was never serially produced, the Blancpain Air Command is a masterpiece of midcentury watch design — or rather, the modern interpretation thereof. Featuring a flyback chronograph movement, rotating countdown bezel and a tachymeter scale used to compute speed and distance, the Air Command is a classic pilot’s watch. But it’s the use of modern materials, such as Super-LumiNova and sapphire crystals, that bring it firmly into the 21st century.
Case Diameter: 42.5mm
Winding: Automatic
Power Reserve: 50 hours
Price: ~$19,003
The original resin-cased G-Shock of the 1980s has a cool factor all its own, but the more substantive GMW-B5000V steel incarnation from Casio’s Full Metal series features a unique lived-in finish. And while black-ion plating and artificially worn edges give it a hard-worn aesthetic, solar charging and smart connectivity make it a premium, full-featured G-Shock for the fashionably oriented.
Case Diameter: 43.2mm
Winding: Quartz
Water Resistance: 200m
Price: $1,000
Christopher Ward C1 Moonglow
Most moonphase complications are tucked into a small window at the bottom of a watch dial. Not so with the C1 Moonglow from British brand Christopher Ward, which displays the current phase of the moon along with glowing stars in Super-LumiNova at the top of the dial. Even more dazzling is the rotating disc that carries the display — it remains constantly visible through the smoked-sapphire crystal.
Case Diameter: 40.5mm
Winding: Automatic
Power Reserve: 38 hours
Price: $1,935+
Monta Atlas
Getting your hands on a solid GMT-equipped wristwatch used to require a significant chunk of change — think: Rolex-type change. Today, however, smaller boutique brands are offering luxury products with refined aesthetics and modern technology at a much more stomachable price. Starting at around $1,600, Monta’s Atlas GMT packs dual time zones, multiple dial color options and a first-rate bracelet. And best of all, it’s thin enough to wear under a cuff, making it perhaps the most versatile GMT around.
Case Diameter: 38.5mm
Winding: Automatic
Power Reserve: 48 hours
Price: $1,410+
Panerai Submersible 42mm PAM00683
For this year’s Submersible, Panerai put its military dive-watch aesthetic into one of the most wearable packages in the brand’s 159-year history. That’s not to say Panerai cut any corners, of course. At 42mm wide, the Submersible retains a bold wrist presence. But it brings the line’s genuinely rugged qualities — like 300 meters of water resistance and a scratch-resistant ceramic bezel insert — and a solid Swiss automatic movement to more wrists than ever.
Case Diameter: 42mm
Winding: Automatic
Water Resistance: 300m
Price: $9,800
Q Timex Reissue
Modern reissues of vintage watches are common fixtures in today’s horological scene, but it’s tough to find one that’s both handsome and affordable. Enter the ultra-popular Q Timex, a nearly one-for-one reproduction of a 1970s watch with a squared-off case, woven steel bracelet and Rolex-inspired bicolor bezel that uses wallet-friendly quartz to bring vintage vibes to the masses.
Case Diameter: 38mm
Winding: Quartz
Water Resistance: 50m
Price: $179
Vacheron Constantin Traditionnelle Twin Beat Perpetual Calendar
Though supremely complicated in design and manufacturing, perpetual calendars are nothing new, horologically speaking. Vahceron Constantin improved upon the concept, however, with the Traditionelle Twin Beat. Making use of dual oscillators, it’s movement can be slowed down when the watch isn’t being worn, allowing for a power reserve of over two months. This way, if you don’t wear the watch for a while, it’ll remain synched to the current date information when you strap it back on.
Case Diameter: 42mm
Winding: Manual
Power Reserve: Variable (4 – 65 days)
Price: $199,000
A daily magazine of immersive stories, deals, buying advice, product-forward editorial, and reports from far-flung places.
More by Gear Patrol | Follow on Facebook · Twitter · Contact via Email
