Today in Gear is our daily roundup of all the latest product announcements, drops and news from Gear Patrol Studios.
High West
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It’s a lucky day for anyone with a Gympass subscription. The corporate wellness leader has announced a partnership with Apple Fitness+, making available the award-winning health and fitness service to all Gympass members at the Basic Plan and above. Apple Fitness+ offers access to thousands of workouts and meditations, and is compatible with Apple Watch for real-time metrics.
Today we’re taking a look at a whiskey-ski collab, a new piece of female-focused fitness tech and a genderless streetwear release. This is Today in Gear.
Today in Gear is our daily roundup of all the latest product announcements, drops and news from Gear Patrol Studios. Send your most pressing product questions to [email protected].
This Seasonal Collaboration Is a Perfect Pairing
High West
Hit the slopes fully prepared for Après on a pair of High West x DPS Koala 103 ($699) skis. Utah-based DPS has updated its tried-and-true Koala 103s with a softer flex profile and increased tail rocker to offer more stability and power, plus a custom design treatment courtesy of Park City–based High West Whiskey.
In 1964, Seiko introduced its first wristwatch equipped with a stopwatch function, and with it shepherded in a legacy of chronograph manufacturing. Now, 60 years later, Seiko is releasing a limited-edition Presage ($595) that is true to that original design. The Crown Chronograph features an automatic movement with manual winding, 41-hour power reserve, 39.5mm case, vintage-style box-shaped glass and a five-link bracelet. Only 5,000 units of this historic watch will be made available.
Garmin has debuted the HRM-Fit ($149), a heart rate monitor built to clip directly into a sports bra for optimal fit and security during any kind of workout. This first-of-its-kind design is extremely versatile and captures real-time heart rate data, running dynamics, steps, calories and intensity minutes, with up to a year of battery life.
Luxury streetwear designer Pas Une Marque has released their newest collection this week, Threads of Dissonance. This gender-agnostic collection, created in collaboration with surrealist artist Lennin Vásquez, features futuristic motifs like the Reversible Rust Dyed Trench ($1,600), which came to life through the re-use of rusted nails, nuts and screws to create a completely unique pattern. This edgy and unique collection is available now.
No matter what your 2024 resolutions are, it’s time to snag yourself a Papier journal to track your progress. The high-end stationary designer has released an eye-catching new Vivid Collection (from $27) that goes beyond daily planners. Reading, recipe, wellness and finance journals are all available to keep you on track, whatever your goals. Papier’s 15% off sale ends this week, so act now to grab your perfect planner.
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“I hope I’m not going to hurt your feelings,” I began my interview with Jack Mason co-founder and designer Peter Cho, “but I never really considered Jack Mason watches before the Strat-o-timer came along.”
I’m a watch enthusiast. I like watches that are made with enthusiasts in mind. That means I have certain expectations regarding specs, fit and finish, movement, and functions, in addition to how a watch looks. From its conception in 2015 until recently, Jack Mason was what’s known as a fashion watch brand. It should be stated that there is nothing inherently wrong with being a fashion watch, but among watch enthusiasts, a fashion watch is objectum non grata.
Fashion watches are designed primarily for aesthetics and aimed at consumers who really only care about how a watch looks. They tend to be affordable — sometimes disposable — and can be found at your local mall or department store. Dallas-based Jack Mason made a lot of good-looking, quartz-powered fashion watches sold at retailers across the country for affordable prices, and they had a lot of success doing it.
But times have changed, and so has Jack Mason. The brand launched the Strat-o-timer GMT in October of 2022, and it caught my attention immediately. While the watch snob side of me tried to dismiss the watch when it first began making the rounds on the watch blogs and YouTube — It’s a Jack Mason. They’re a mall brand. How good can it be? — the design and the lengthy spec sheet began to pique my curiosity.
To learn more about our testing methodology and how we evaluate products, head here.
A True GMT for the Rest of Us
A 40mm case. A classic and handsome GMT design that wasn’t too derivative of Rolex. A bidirectional two-tone bezel with a fully-lumed sapphire insert. 200m water resistance. A tool-free bracelet with an on-the-go quick-adjust clasp. Sapphire crystals on the front and back. And then there was the silver bullet: the Miyota 9075 automatic movement powering the watch.
Few would argue that the Strat-o-timer GMT is an unattractive watch.Photo by Johnny Brayson
A brand-new movement at the time, the 9075 would quickly revolutionize the industry by bringing an automatic “true” GMT — one with an hour hand that can be operated independently without stopping the movement, a handy feature when changing time zones — to the masses for the first time outside the pricey luxury watch space. Jack Mason’s Strat-o-timer was one of the first watches to feature the movement and was arguably the most desirable from both a looks and specs perspective. (The movement debuted on the Wilton GMT from Miyota’s sister brand Bulova a few months earlier, but the oversized and confusingly styled watch failed to excite many.)
I’ve spent the past month wearing the Strat-o-timer GMT, and the watch has not only met my expectations — it has exceeded them. The watch is beautiful, with the “Espresso” colorway’s black and brown bezel and dark yellow accents offering something different and unexpected. I also love the box sapphire crystal, which gives just the right mix of old-school charm and modern luxury. The sapphire on the bezel is a nice touch too, as is the liberal use of a mix of blue-glowing BGW9 and Old Radium Super-LumiNova on the hands and indices and the bezel’s numerals, respectively.
Espresso is my favorite colorway of the Strat-o-timer, though more options are on the way in 2024.Johnny Brayson
The jubilee bracelet is surprisingly well crafted, as is the optional Tropic rubber strap. Both are flexible and easy to adjust — and can be swapped without the use of a spring bar tool – plus the bracelet features an on-the-fly micro-adjust clasp that offers about 3/4″ of adjustability. The bezel action (48 clicks, bidirectional) is crisp, exact and satisfying, and the movement is even better than advertised. My example keeps time within COSC specs (Jack Mason regulates the watches in-house to +/- 5 seconds per day), the crown pops out confidently with no wiggle and winding the watch is as smooth as butter. The movement even looks decent, with some nice striping and a custom rotor all visible through a sapphire caseback.
If I were to nitpick, I think the finishing on the case is just OK — the lines aren’t very sharp and I’d like to see some beveling somewhere — but corners had to be cut somewhere to keep this spec monster under a grand. Also, the clasp on the bracelet is very long — I’d probably sacrifice some of the adjustability for a more compact clasp. But overall, the watch feels premium and extremely well thought-out. Compared to comparably-priced GMTs I’ve owned before that housed Swiss-made movements — the Lorier Hyperion, Zelos Horizons, Mk II Key West and Zodiac Sea Wolf GMT — the Jack Mason feels like the best-made watch of the bunch, with the best movement to boot.
Automatic "true" GMT movement for an affordable price
A loaded specs sheet
Cons
Case finishing could be better
Some may dislike the long clasp
Jack Mason Meets Lady Luck
Going back to my opening line to Jack Mason’s founder: Thankfully, I did not hurt his feelings. Peter Cho’s decision to pivot Jack Mason from being a fashion watch brand to one aimed at enthusiasts was a conscious one. And it required a pair of lucky breaks to pull off. The first was Cho’s decision to pull out of wholesale and sell Jack Mason watches exclusively through the brand’s own website.
“The reason why we did that was because the most important thing to me was having full control of my brand,” Cho says. “When you’re in stores, you start to lose that quite a bit. You don’t have control. You’re relying on a store associate to sell the product, and they’re just not going to have the intimacy with the brand and probably won’t tell the story. And that really kind of bothered me. I am a designer. I want to make a good product, and I want to be able to tell the story of that product: The ‘why,’ my thought process and that sort of thing.”
The decision to pull out of wholesale, while risky, wasn’t lucky. But the timing certainly was. Cho pulled Jack Mason from stores in January 2020. Just a few weeks later, retail shopping — and the world at large — was upended by the Covid-19 pandemic. “If we had not done that, then we probably wouldn’t be around today, to be honest with you,” Cho says.
After taking the brand in-house, Cho invested heavily in the website and began telling the sort of brand story he always wanted to. But Jack Mason wasn’t an enthusiast brand yet. It required one more lucky break, which arrived in the form of the Miyota 9075 movement.
The surprisingly attractive Miyota 9075 GMT movement is visible through the Strat-o-timer’s sapphire caseback.Johnny Brayson
Cho, who prior to founding Jack Mason worked as a watch designer at Movado Group, had a years-long relationship with Miyota already — the Japanese brand, a subsidiary of Citizen, is a huge supplier of quartz movements to fashion brands. So when Miyota was looking for brands to showcase their hot new movement, they wanted to go with someone they knew could create a worthy flagship product.
“Since day one of Jack Mason, Miyota really loved the product that we had to offer,” Cho says. “They were used to selling to the big fashion brand groups like Fossil and Movado — obviously, they could provide the most business — but they saw Jack Mason doing something different. Miyota’s strategy was they didn’t want the 9075 to have that type of mass appeal. They knew what they had in terms of the movement and were being highly selective. So they trusted us at the end of the day to do the movement, and it kind of fell into my lap.”
“I’ve got to go all in on this watch.”
With the secret weapon of an industry-shaking movement now in his arsenal, Cho knew that he would have to create a special watch to house it if he would have any shot at winning over the notoriously picky watch enthusiast market.
“I thought, ‘This is a serious movement and it cannot be lost in translation through the product that we had made before for a different type of customer,'” Cho says. “I’ve got to go all in on this watch particularly.”
So he did what any self-respecting watch nerd would do: He hit the forums and talked to other enthusiasts.
“There was a lot of searching on forums, being a part of forums, engaging with the people on the forums,” Cho says. “I was deliberately asking questions like, ‘Hey, what do you like to see in X, Y, Z?’ A particular platform that was really good for us is Watch Crunch. I signed up for that while the GMT was being designed, as myself, and was asking questions and doing the proper market research … Then I just tried to filter all of that — from a spec sheet point of view — into one product before really unleashing all the design qualities that I love about a watch personally. Ultimately, I’ll make a product that I like to wear.”
It’s safe to say that the Strat-o-timer has been a success. It’s drawn praise throughout the watch world while also changing the perception of Jack Mason among the enthusiast community. The brand has quickly become a mainstay at trade shows like Windup Watch Fair and even hosted the first Dallas edition of LA microbrand Nodus’s Intersect event in 2023. Last spring, it launched the Hydrotimer — a 200m automatic dive watch with a ceramic bezel — and in 2024, it plans on making over much of its existing catalog through an enthusiast lens, with launches like its first Swiss-made watch and other exciting models.
“2024 will be kind of a statement here for us,” Cho says. “We’re really showing, ‘Hey, this is where we are now.’ It’s bold, it’s a little risky, but those are my aspirations.”
Few technologies have ridden the hype train from zero to hero more quickly than generative artificial intelligence — and if there’s one product that has epitomized that, it’s ChatGPT. OpenAI’s large language model chatbot promised a revolution in how we interact with computers when it launched in late 2022, and its impressive (albeit still limited) capabilities led it to become one of the fastest-adopted consumer tech products in history and inspired competitors like Microsoft, Google and Apple to hurl billions of dollars at their own A.I. efforts to keep from being boxed out.
But you probably could have guessed that OpenAI’s wündertech wouldn’t stop with your phone. Now, ChatGPT is coming to the car.
On January 8th, at CES 2024, Volkswagen announced the forthcoming addition of ChatGPT’s A.I. features into new versions of its voice assistant, known as IDA, with the software arriving as a standard feature in many models and markets starting in the second quarter of 2024.
The VW ID.7 electric sedan, one of the new models that will offer ChatGPT — but perhaps not in the U.S. just yet.Volkswagen
The integration of the A.I. system into the vehicles is courtesy a company called Cyberdyne Systems Cerence, which is using its Chat Pro tech to help turn ChatGPT’s text-based call-and-response dialog into a voice-based setup. The integrated system, according to VW, will be capable of new features well beyond what current automotive voice assistants are capable of — though as with many of the grand promises associated with the current wave of artificial intelligence, few specifics were provided. (“In the future, A.I. will provide additional information in response to questions that go beyond this as part of its continuously expanding capabilities” was as far as the brand was willing to go in its release.) For now, VW says the system can be used to adjust the climate control and infotainment system, as well as answer “general knowledge questions.”
In the announcement, VW was quite certain to highlight that ChatGPT will not have access to vehicle data, and that all questions and answers will be “deleted immediately to ensure the highest possible level of data protection.” (We might argue that the highest possible level of protection would involve looking up the answer to your question in private browsing mode over a VPN, but hey, that’s just us.)
Look closely, and you’ll notice the front fascia on this GTI doesn’t match that of existing models — suggesting this is actually a sneak peek of the face-lifted 2025 GTI. Volkswagen
The new ChatGPT systems will be offered in the ID.3, ID.4, ID. 5 and ID.7 electric models, as well as the gas-powered Golf (presumably the mid-life refresh Mk8.5 version, based on the image above) and upcoming all-new versions of the Tiguan and Passat. That said, when (or even whether) we’ll see these A.I. smarts in our American cars remains a question mark; in its release, VW stressed that “the feature is being considered for the United States,” suggesting either regulatory hurdles or concerns that we Yankees may not be ready to harness the awesome power of being able to ask our car to summarize the plot of Huckleberry Finn on the drive to school.
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Editor’s note: Apple has announced the Apple Vision Pro will be available Friday, February 2 at all Apple Store locations and its website. Pre-orders will begin Friday, January 19 at 5 a.m. PST. It will come with a solo knit band and dual loop band, plus a light seal, two light seal cushions, a cover, polishing cloth, battery, USB-C charge cable and USB-C power adapter. Zeiss prescription inserts ($99, reading; $150, general) will also be available. Pricing for the Apple Vision Pro will start at$3,499 with 256GB of storage.
The big news in the tech world right now, in case you’ve been living under a rock, is the Apple Vision Pro — Apple’s new mixed-reality headset, which blends augmented and virtual reality into a single, sleek device. It was revealed on June 5 at Apple’s WWDC conference in Cupertino — where, as it just so happens, I was lucky enough to try the Vision Pro for about 30 minutes.
During the brief demo, Apple walked me through the setup process and I got to experience a number of VR and AR experiences. I was able to take a FaceTime call, check out some immersive videos and photos, browse the web with multiple windows opened, watch a few 3D movie clips and more.
I didn’t get to experience nearly everything that Apple showed the Vision Pro doing during the keynote — for example, I didn’t get to use it with a Mac, or with other Bluetooth accessories— but it was enough of a taste to really get a sense of the flavor of the new device. And, to carry the metaphor a little farther … it tastes great.
Here are some thoughts after my brief spin wearing the Apple Vision Pro.
The coolest thing about the Vision Pro: the way you control it.
The Vision Pro is unlike pretty much any other AR / VR headset, in that it doesn’t require any extra hardware for you to control it. It’s decked out with a multitude of cameras and sensors for eye-tracking and hand-tracking — and it works remarkably well.
To move your (mouse) pointer, you just look at the app or virtual button you want to press, and then tap your pointer finger and thumb together (either hand works); this acts as a click. To scroll, simply hold those same fingers together and pull up or down, left or right. It takes a bit of practice, but after a few minutes, it’s pretty intuitive. Honestly, it’s pretty incredible.
The other neat thing is, it doesn’t really matter where your hands are placed. You can have them out in front of you or resting at your side, and the device will still detect your movements. The cameras in the Vision Pro can do a remarkably good job at picking up your clicks and scrolls without making you work that hard. It feels natural and relaxed.
Apple
The second coolest thing: how it blends the real and virtual worlds.
The Virtual Pro is able to blend the real world and virtual reality in a way that feels both extraordinary and effortless. While wearing the headset and experiencing a virtual room, if somebody in the “real world” approached me or talked to me, the Vision Pro was smart enough to have them become visible in the virtual world. When looking at an immersive photo, I could see shadowy figures of the people walking me through the demo. And when I looked down, the Vision Pro was smart enough to show my actual hands and body while in the virtual world — it doesn’t make you feel like a head floating in space. No other VR headset is able to do that.
In some experiences, you also can rotate the digital crown (located on the top of the headset) to let in more or less of the real world. In a way, this allows you to experience a virtual landscape without completely cutting you off from the physical world. It makes the headset feel less claustrophobic than a lot of other headsets.
The immersive photos and videos are trippy (in a good way).
The Vision Pro can take immersive 3D photos and 3D videos — it’s basically Apple’s first 360-degree camera. And these immersive photos and experiences are freaking trippy. Apple showed me a photo of a kid’s birthday party that had incredible depth; the cake (and flaming candles) felt like they were right in front of me. There was a video of a bunch of guys around a campfire; I felt like I was there, in the conversation.
These 3D photos and 3D videos feel extremely personal. and I think people are going to love re-experiencing them in this way. The catch, however, is that they both require you to capture and experience them on a Vision Pro headset.
The Digital Crown is basically a Home Button.
The Vision Pro has two buttons. There’s a power button located above your left eye, and there’s a digital crown — a rotating dial that looks and feels very similar to the digital crown that’s on the Apple Watch Ultra and AirPods Max — located above your right eye. You’ll use the digital crown a lot. It’s the button you press every time you want the Vision Pro to re-center its screen(s) — something you do a lot with a VR or AR headset — and it’s the dial you’ll turn when you want to make the world you’re seeing more or less virtual.
Apple
The setup process is quick and smooth.
To get the Vision Pro up and running, you have to do a few things. You have to use your iPhone and Face ID to get your face fitted and scanned — if you have an iPhone with Face ID, you know what this process is like. Then you put on the headset, tighten side and headband straps so that they are snug, and the Vision Pro walks you through a few quick eye-tracking and hand-movement drills that take less than two minutes. All in all, the setup process is pretty much fast and painless.
One caveat here: if you normally wear eyeglasses, you’ll need to get fitted for some special optical inserts made by Zeiss. These will need to be specially ordered and likely cost a bit extra, although Apple hasn’t announced anything about how much extra these optical inserts will go for.
The hardware looks gorgeous, and is actually rather comfortable.
The price tag of the Vision Pro has been widely reported (and criticized) — it costs a cool $3,499 — but I can tell you that it certainly looks and feels like a premium headset. In fact, it’s easily the best looking headset that I’ve gotten to try out. Its front display is a combination of glass and polished aluminum. The fabric headband has a convenient BOA-style dial for tightening that’s similar to the lacing system on many popular shoes. And cord and battery pack (which is separate to not weigh down the headset, but seems a little awkward) didn’t really get in the way or bother me.
That said, the Vision Pro definitely still feels like a headset. It requires the straps to be pretty tight so that your eyes are perfectly calibrated — otherwise the beautiful 4K image that the Vision Pro creates isn’t going to appear as crisp and you’re more likely to experience eye fatigue. So even though it’s fairly comfortable and lightweight in terms of headsets, it’s still nothing like wearing a pair of eyeglasses. And I have some questions about how long some people are going to want to wear this thing in one sitting.
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If you’re watching Apple TV+’sMonarch: Legacy of Monsters, you know that a huge draw of the show is the larger-than-life titans, especially kaiju poster-child Godzilla. However, the story isn’t all about city-destroying monsters; at its core, it’s about humans trying to survive and understand a world of gargantuan beasts while also navigating uniquely human issues. And while the show itself is especially enthralling, it has also offered up a bit of gear spotting — displaying the prop team’s exceptional attention to detail and to-notch product knowledge.
In episode four, entitled “Parallels and Interiors,” the core team of human characters is split up in the frozen north of Alaska, far from civilization, searching for a means of rescue. In a particularly pivotal moment involving pencil shavings (and without spoiling anything), I caught a glimpse of an EDC icon, a Nagao Higonokami friction folding knife, in a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it moment.
And now, in “Axis Mundi,” episode nine — the penultimate episode — we’ve got an even better look. Now, I can confirm that the knife is, in fact, a Nagao Higonokami, and I’ve even narrowed down two possible models based on the features of the one highlighted in the show.
How the Nagao Higonokami fits into Godzilla’s world
In a universe rife with building-sized monsters, you might think something as small as a pocket knife is an insignificant item. However, this particular knife has played an important part in the plot even before episode four. Around when they met in the show’s first episode, a pair of characters — Cate and Kentaro — bond over their father’s propensity for his favorite pen knife, his use of it in sharpening his pencils and the shavings left in its wake.
To be honest, I was expecting that to be the extent of the EDC discussion in the show. However, I was surprised to see the knife actually make an appearance in episode four at the 35:47 minute mark. Sure enough, it was a Nagao Higonokami — a classic knife that’s been in production in Japan since the late 1800s. As mentioned, I don’t want to spoil the story for anyone, so, if you’d like to see it for yourself, I recommend signing up for Apple TV+ and watching the show from the beginning (it’s really good).
Why the Nagao Higonokami is significant to the EDC world
The Nagao Higonikami is a simple, elegant tool that hasn’t changed much (if at all) since it was first introduced. Following the dissolution of the samurai class in the late 1800s, swordsmiths in Japan were left largely without a customer base. As a means of combating this, Komataro Nagao, the brand’s founder, and a Mr. Murakami started to produce simple yet beautiful knives in Hirata, Miki City, in the 1880s.
Years later, in 1894, Tasaburo Shigematsu, a hardware wholesaler, evolved this idea with the creation of a knife that folded into its own handle, marked by a “Chikiri” (tail) on the end of the knife that served as a lever to extend the blade and a means of keeping it extended when held in the hand. Thus, the Nagao Higonokami was born.
While it’s difficult to tell which version of the knife is used in Monarch: Legacy of Monsters, it does appear to be a version with a brass handle and blue paper steel reverse tanto blade (one of the most classic, common formats for this particular knife). And now we can tell that it’s one with Japanese kanji etched into the side and with a cutout in the brass handle — which helps us narrow it down significantly (see the two most likely candidates below).
Of course, the brand also has a catalog of alternatives that, while largely adhering to the same iconic style, vary in colorways, materials and flourishes. You can find a good number of them over at Blade HQ (there are 81 listings as of the publishing of this article).
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When it comes to building the perfect training ensemble, it pays to start from the ground up, i.e., your gym shoes. Sweating it out in the wrong footwear can leave you disinterested, uncomfortable and, worst case, injured. That’s why not just any sneaker off the rack will do — you need worthwhile kicks to get the most out of every workout.
Like your running shoes or hiking boots, gym shoes should boast key features designed to support your movements, and your workout mode of choice can help dictate which pair is ideal. Thankfully, there are plenty of brands making damn fine training shoes these days, and choosing the best ones for you can be a simple endeavor … provided you have the right spotter for the task.
How We Tested
Ben Emminger
As fitness enthusiasts ourselves, we’ve tried out more than our fair share of gym shoes. Across multiple regimens and specialties, we’ve tested a number kicks to their full potential, highlighting how well they felt under the bar, around the box, atop the treadmill and beyond. There’s a gym shoe for seemingly every exercise imaginable, but these footwear phenoms stood out the most when it came time to perform at our best.
To learn more about our testing methodology and how we evaluate products, head here.
Reworked upper improves durability over previous versions
Responsive underfoot feel thanks to Nike React foam
Cons
Rigid heel is not as conducive to long-distance running
Slim midfoot might not be ideal for athletes with wider feet
Each Nike Metcon iteration is sure to bring attention, and we’re really happy with the latest rendition of this quality gym shoe. Boasting a reworked upper with textured overlays, these kicks proved to be plenty durable for all the trials we put them through. Also, these sneakers are surprisingly efficient at rope climbs, despite the brand’s decision to forgo a medial rope guard.
The Metcon 8s feature a reworked upper that’s resilient and sturdy for a slew of training disciplines.Ben Emminger
While the Metcon 8 falls short for running circuits — the heel clip is still rigid and uncomfortable at longer distances — this shoe remains our go-to silhouette for most training purposes.
For an in-depth look, read our review of the Nike Metcon 8.
Surge NRG Foam is very responsive, ideal for plyometrics and other dynamic movements
Patent-pending Stability Platform easily allows you to find that grounded stance during lifts
Cons
Can be stiff upon first few wears
Mesh upper could be prone to durability issues down the road
TYR burst onto the scene at the 2022 CrossFit Games, and after training in these shoes for multiple sessions, we can understand how the brand earned so many top 10 finishes with its first training sneaker. We love how stable the CXT-1s feel underfoot, creating a rigid base for heavy squats and deadlifts.
The TYR CXT-1s are some of the most stable gym shoes we’ve tested, ideal for heavy deadlifts and other barbell exercises.Ben Emminger
At the same time, the included Sure NRG Foam midsole provides just the right amount of energy return for agility training and other dynamic exercises. Our tester noted some durability issues across the mesh upper after heavy extended use, so you may need to order a replacement pair sooner rather than later, though.
For an in-depth look, read our review of the TYR CXT-1.
Puma’s original Fuse Training Shoes were a blessing to our workouts, offering up plenty of stability and support at less of a cost than other silhouettes. The newest version of this more affordable gym shoe just launched today, and no feature has been left untouched. Puma re-engineered the Fuse 3.0 with a focus on strength training and added a new dual-density midsole for improved comfort. A new last allows for wider toe splay, to increase balance, stability and comfort during short and long workouts. The 3.0 also features an updated Pumagrip outsole, with proprietary flex grooves designed for explosive movements and better traction.
A redesigned Hex TPY heel clip brings support to the back of the foot while the upper optimizes flexibility and breathability. The price has increased incrementally (up from $90 for the original and $100 for version 2.0), but the Fuse 3.0 is still a great value.
For an in-depth look, read our review of the Puma Fuse 2.0.
We’ve been big fans of Reebok’s Nano lineup for quite some time, and while the Nano X3 held a special place in our hearts — and carried the franchise’s torch quite well — the brand-new Nano X4 promises to burn even brighter. With this latest offering in the popular Nano X series, Reebok cut back on the material in the upper and redesigned the tech throughout the shoe, with the goal of increased breathability and a lightweight feel. At 12.10 ounces, the Nano X4 is just slightly lighter than the Nano X3 (12.4 ounces), but an airier upper treatment and a new mid-foot ventilation panel keep feet cool and nimble during more intense workouts.
The Nano X4 employs the same Lift and Run Chassis System as its predecessor, which allows the heel to change rigidity depending on your activity. Whether you are sprinting through a session or loading up for a big clean and jerk, these sneakers are ready to tackle the toughest cardio and resistance training challenges. The Reebok Nano X4 will be available for purchase on Reebok’s website and at select retailers starting on January 12th, in a range of unisex and women’s colorways — and additional pack drops will be available throughout the season.
Can’t wait till Friday? The X3 is still available and a helluva shoe. See our full review here.
Herringbone outsole pattern provides better traction during agility training
Available in low top and high top silhouettes
Cons
Minimalist design might not be everyone’s cup of tea
Rigid Superfabric upper takes a while to break in
Nobull sneakers have cut a worthwhile lane in the fitness community, offering up plenty of performance and style with each available silhouette. For our needs, though, we often lean toward the Trainer+ lineup, which boasts more traction and improved comfort over the brand’s flagship stable. If you want additional ankle support and coverage, Nobull also offers the Trainer+ collection in high-top silhouettes, which we’ve found are exceptional for static lifts.
The Trainer+ silhouette makes great use of the herringbone outsole pattern, providing improved traction for more underfoot security.Ben Emminger
While the minimalist profile might not be for everyone, these kicks make grabbing fitness by the horns much easier — and better looking, in our opinion.
Metal buckles along the straps ensure heightened durability
Cons
Toe box is angled heavily which can be constricting for some
Raised heel is not ideal for deadlifts
Looking for kicks that can support your Olympic lifting dreams? These Nikes offer impeccable underfoot stability thanks to a flared heel design that seemingly increases your footprint over a wider swath of ground. They also boast a dual-strap overlay for better tautness over the top of the foot. We do recommend, though, that athletes with wider feet pay close attention to the size chart. These shoes have a relatively narrow toe box, which can quickly become uncomfortable with extended wear.
Pebax plate improves energy return without taxing the lower body
Wide footprint provides ample stability underfoot
Cons
Cut-outs across the outsole footprint can pick up debris and gravel
Mesh upper can be surprisingly hot for some
The Mach X employs a Pebax plate that mirrors the responsiveness of some marathon sneakers, yet the rigid, springy sensation doesn’t tax your shins and lower body as much as its carbon brethren. The result? A running shoe that can be great for daily training with an optimal blend speed and comfort. Our tester did note, though, that despite the mesh upper, this shoe can run hot. It may be best to ensure the A/C is running indoors before darting off for a new PR.
For an in-depth look, read our review of the Hoka Mach X.
Cordura upper is prime for taking on the toughest training sessions
8mm heel-to-toe drop can suit most needs
Cons
Rugged material requires a break-in period
Heavier than other profiles at 10.8 ounces
Need a pair of gym shoes that are as tough as an RPE 10 deadlift? Consider these impressive kicks from Goruck. We love the Cordura upper as it can withstand plenty of abuse, albeit after a slight break-in period.
While a break-in period is necessary, it’s tough to find a gym shoe as tough as the Ballistic Trainer from Goruck.Ben Emminger
The Ballistic Trainers also boast a Gradient Density midsole delivering loads of stability and security underfoot. And these shoes are easy to clean, so your aesthetic stays stylish throughout your fitness journey.
Zero drop allows for full foot contact with the ground, ideal for pulling deadlifts
Stretch collar provides a comfortable sock-like fit at the ankle
Cons
Not as breathable as other gym shoes on this list
Some might not enjoy the lack of underfoot cushioning
Barefoot running has a faithful following, and thankfully its adherents can now find options that are as comfortable on the deadlift platform as they are on the road. Our top pick for barefoot running shoes features a stretch collar, making it feel like you’re wearing a tread-heavy sock.
The zero-drop nature of this barefoot runner means you can achieve maximum ground contact, whether striding toward the finish line or setting up for a max squat. While the barefoot style isn’t for everyone, for cross-training athletes involved in the movement, these should be your go-tos.
Versatile enough to sustain multiple workout disciplines
UA WARP upper promotes excellent breathability during training
Cons
Lacing system can place unwanted pressure across the top of the foot
Some athletes may want more heel-to-toe drop, particularly for squats
Keeping things fresh in the gym with varied workouts and exercises can help eliminate the monotonous vibe you can experience in training. As such, you want a pair of shoes that can easily transition from heavy lifting sets to agile CrossFit movements without hesitation. We were pleasantly surprised with how seamless the TriBase Reign 5s made our workouts, as the Micro G Foam midsole provided excellent stability in strength-based modalities while the UA WARP upper offered both abrasion resistance and breathability.
Just be sure to take the time before your workouts to fine-tune the lacing system. Our tester noted some unwanted pressure across the top of the foot, which they attributed to the staggered eyelet layout. A little finesse and attention can easily alleviate this issue, though.
Higher stack height and carbon plate creates a profile that’s more in-line with running-style workouts
If you can’t afford a supercar, these stylish sneakers from APL are a fantastic compromise. With McLaren-inspired notes throughout the profile, these kicks can take any gym wardrobe from lacking to luxe in one fell swoop. While we like the midsole for its cushioning and energy return, the geometry doesn’t lend itself to every exercise. In the same sense that you save your supercar for nice driving weather, it’s best to save these kicks for running or accessory work — no squats or deadlifts in these bad boys.
Simple slip-on design is easy to get in and out of
Multiple colorways fit for any style and personality
Cons
Holes across the upper can lead to “squeaking,” especially for athletes with high arches
Raised nodes across the footbed are comfortable and relaxing but won’t replace a normal recovery routine
Yes, you should have gym shoes for after the gym. We appreciate the intuitive and comfortable fit of these rubber shoes, and the raised nodes along the footbed are present enough to give your aching feet a relaxing sensation post-workout. Granted, these kicks shouldn’t be your sole (get it?) recovery protocol, but the underfoot experience is a great start.
A simple slip-on profile allows for easy on and off, which is great for keeping post-workout changes efficient.Ben Emminger
Plus, it’s hard to think of a colorway that Kane doesn’t offer with the Revive, making it perfect for those with vibrant personalities or athletes wanting a little flair to go along with their post-exercise aesthetic.
Unlike with your favorite pair of sneakers, there are a number of factors beyond style to consider when purchasing performance-oriented footwear. The following five are critical.
Fit
When it comes to proper gym shoes, you should opt for a fit that’s snug and taut yet not overly constrictive. You want your footwear to be locked in and secure as you pace through various lifts and exercises, so having a ton of room in the midfoot or toe box can potentially lead to errant stances and setups. If you’re looking for sneakers specifically for static lifts like squats and deadlifts, some room and flexibility in the toe box can be beneficial, but in most cases, a more snug fit is desirable.
Stability
A good lifting stance starts with a solid foundation, and if you’re not grounded in your footwork, you could be left off kilter when it comes time to move that heavy weight. As such, it’s important to look for a gym shoe with a flat outsole and reasonable heel-to-toe drop. While some may favor a more aggressive pitch in running shoes for the sake of flinging yourself forward, that’s not the case with dedicated gym shoes. You want to be as grounded to the floor or machine as possible, which means keeping the difference between your heel and toe box at a minimum.
Durability
You’re working hard in the gym, and all that determination can lead to some bumps and bruises across your gear. To keep you out of the footwear department longer between sessions, it helps to look for sneakers boasting durable upper materials as well as foams that can withstand some abuse. Tightly-woven mesh, ripstop fabrics and other tough-as-nails materials are ideal for these training demands.
Breathability
All that hustling and hefting will undoubtedly lead to some sweat and stink, so you want a footwear option that can dispel your perspiration quickly and efficiently. Look for silhouettes boasting some mesh pattern across the upper, as this textile can do a fine job of allowing air to flow through, keeping feet cool and collected. Just note, though, that shoes with ample breathability may be subject to some durability issues over time.
Grip
The easiest way to throw off your in-gym progress is with an errant slip or loss of footing. Try to find gym shoes that feature a rugged yet tacky outsole designed for ample traction across typical gym flooring. Naturally, you can cater your lug patterns to your environment — outdoor workouts will require a more aggressive tread — but ultimately, you want an underfoot grip that’s stable and secure.
Running Shoes Vs. Gym Shoes
If your main fitness activity is running, or if you frequent the treadmill more than the weights, there are some great running shoe options available to fit your needs. Just like different sports have different cleats, running shoes and training shoes are designed for their specific activities.
Training shoes often offer a lower heel drop to keep your feet closer to the ground. This can help add stability, especially when lifting heavy weights. Running shoes, on the other hand, are designed to cushion your steps as you move in stride, returning your energy in an efficient manner to propel you forward.
To keep your feet comfortable and your progress on the right path, it’s best to have separate shoes for training and running. Plus, having separate kicks can help preserve your running shoes for more cardio-focused endeavors.
It seems like every week there’s new headlines about electric vehicles: The hot new models are selling out, they’re not selling fast enough, there’s not enough charging stations and so on.
While the industry ebbs and flows, it holds true that EV’s are an important part of the equation when it comes to electrifying the country. California, for example, will ban the sale of new gas-powered cars by 2035. And as the year switched to 2024, new federal tax credits of $7,500 have gone into effect. Looking to buy an EV this year? Here are few of the qualifying cars: the Chevrolet Bolt, the Ford Lightning and the truck and SUV from Rivian.
Today we’re taking a look at an AI-powered pen, new Moon Boots and a soft cooler. This is Today in Gear.
Today in Gear is our daily roundup of all the latest product announcements, drops and news from Gear Patrol Studios. Send your most pressing product questions to [email protected].
An ASRV x Walden Collab
ASRV
This new launch from ASRV and Walden has us feeling pretty relaxed already. The collection offers a suite of products meant to add a little calm to your life (but, like, the type of calm that fits nicely into your sleek, modern decor). We love the Meditation Bench ($298), the Block Incense Holder ($78) and the Ceramic Mug ($68).
Moon Boots have always been a known quantity — footwear that shifts back and forth between cool and not-so-cool. But right now, they’re decidedly in. In fact, they’re the must-have winter boot. We’re lusting after the Ltrack Polar Shearling Off-White Boots ($455). The shearling and suede boots are trendy, and cozy, and are designed to keep your feet warm in chilly weather.
Just in: A new MagPack 12-can soft cooler ($200) from Brumate (It’s also available in 18- and 24-can options). The portable cooler is lightweight, durable, leakproof and made to hold up no matter where you take it. Choose between four colors: graphite, lilac, sage or blue.
The Nuwa Pen ($293) is just like a normal pen, except for the fact that it’s powered by AI. Write with it on paper like you would any other pen, and the Nuwa Pen’s cameras, motion sensors and algorithms digitize your writing so you can share it between devices. The pen is available in black and white, and orders will ship in March.
Hiyo, the Venice, California–based beverage company, just released its newest ‘social tonic’ flavor: Strawberry Guava ($45 for a 12-pack). The non-alcoholic seltzer is made with all-natural ingredients and is just 30 calories. The brand’s other flavors include Peach Mango, Watermelon Lime and Blackberry Lemon.
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These days, a lot of people might hear “Moonwatch” and think of a Swatch. Yes, the MoonSwatch captured the zeitgeist with its space-adventure connection — which, of course, actually belongs to the Omega Speedmaster Professional. But there’s another “moonwatch” on the market that deserves your attention, especially if you’re on a budget: Bulova’s Lunar Pilot, recently downsized to 43.5mm.
The modern Lunar Pilot watches update a model introduced in the 2010s — which were, in turn, reissues of a Bulova watch worn on the moon in 1971. They have real provenance and a very cool NASA-inspired, tool-watch design — and while they might not be as hyped or as inexpensive as a Swatch, they’ve got genuine tool watch cred and are far more suited to daily wear.
Love the MoonSwatch or hate it, Omega brought the lunar missions and astronauts’ watches to a wider audience, making Bulova’s Lunar Pilot more relevant and desirable than ever. Filling a niche in the space, these Bulova chronographs are legit, classic, and affordable links to an iconic story. And shaving off a couple millimeters made them even more wearable and more faithful reissues.
As you’d want from astronaut gear, the Bulova Lunar Pilot offers some technical vibes.Zen Love
The Bulova Lunar Pilot: What We Think
On August 2, 1971, astronaut David R. Scott had a problem. The crystal of his Omega Speedmaster had popped off, and he was due for a walk on the lunar surface. He instead grabbed his backup watch, a Bulova Chronograph reference 88510/01.
Bulova was one of the finalists for NASA’s official moonwatch, and this chronograph is the same design of that which lost out in trials to Omega’s Speedmaster. It proved itself on Scott’s mission, though — and when he sold it in 2015, it went for $1.6 million at auction. (The Omega Speedmasters that have been on the moon are technically government property, which means they don’t go up for auction.)
Given this space-based badassery, Bulova’s quartz reissues of that famous chronograph (from 2015 and 2017) have long been a popular favorite. They filled an important void for fans romanced by the history but not ready to shell out thousands for a Swiss mechanical watch.
Much like Omega’s Moonwatch, the Bulova Lunar Pilot with its monochromatic design was made to meet NASA specs. Zen Love
The first Lunar Pilot reissues, however, were larger than the original, at 45mm. So when the 2023 Lunar Pilots returned to the original’s 43.5mm, it was a welcome size change for several reasons: It’s more historically faithful and the downsizing allows for a number of design elements to shine — and though the watches are smaller and more versatile, they still feel like substantial, awesome tools on the wrist. In other words, it made one of the most compelling watches in the budget range even better.
It’s a Formidable Tool Watch
Bulova’s built a formidable tool watch that, armed with its dependable high-precision NP20 Accutron quartz movement, would be trustworthy on any space mission. Let’s talk about the crystal, for instance. It is impact- and shatter-resistant sapphire crystal, with anti-reflective coating; it’s flat, and sits atop the bare bezel, almost as if to say: I’m not popping out anytime soon.
The Lunar Pilot’s three-pronged quartz movement is accurate to within a few seconds per year. And though mechanical movements are cool, space explorers know that quartz technology is superior in almost every single way: it’s more accurate, more durable, and more affordable than traditional clockwork.
It’s as Thick as a Mechanical Chronograph
The Bulova Lunar Pilot measures 15mm thick. Zen Love
Returning to the aforementioned size once again: including that flat crystal, this watch is 15mm thick. That’s a hell of a side profile, one that you’d expect from a mechanical chronograph watch, though this one is quartz. You’ll notice the heft immediately when picking it up, especially if you’re accustomed to wearing smaller watches. What’s cool is, when you put it on, the design of the watch — I’ll call it balance — means that something this thick just feels right.
The sense is that you’re wearing an aerospace instrument, and one that if you needed to could be strapped to the outside of your spacesuit.
This effect is enhanced by the dual paddle pushers, which feel great to press. A three-register chronograph is always fun, and the Bulova Lunar Pilot’s high-frequency quartz lends a smoother sweep to the running seconds hand. As a chronograph, particularly in the blue-white panda version, it is really a wonderful watch.
Each Version Is Compelling in a Different Way
The newer 43.5mm models come in two colorways, as shown here. Zen Love
Speaking of those colorways. The black recalls the original watch worn by Scott — and, of course, an army of Omega Speedmasters. Though I found the black-on-black dial efficient at cramming lots of eye-pleasing markers and fonts into the smaller watch, it was really the blue-white panda version that shone during my testing. The texture of the dial adds significant depth, and the blue is a dark navy that nicely compliments the white markers.
This version of the chronograph is doing a lot: It’s a heavy-handed tool watch, but also offers a unique take on the classic, and doesn’t go overboard stylistically. If it’s not the best moonwatch Bulova ever made, it might be the most versatile.
Bulova Lunar Pilot: Alternatives
An obvious selling point of the Bulova Lunar Pilot is its price. That quartz movement means it’s not only more accurate than an Omega’s mechanical movement, but it also costs a lot less. Both versions will run you $895 at retail but expect to find them on sale even on Bulova’s site (not to mention the likes of Amazon).
It’s tough to find another watch with the combination of features and story of the Lunar Pilot for the price.Zen Love
You can still get the 45mm Lunar Pilots — which, in addition to having a lower retail price ($620 on a steel bracelet) to begin with, can often be found deeply discounted (check here and here).
That’s significantly less than the $6,600+ it costs to own a new Omega Speedmaster Professional chronograph. And though a MoonSwatch ($260+) will run you less, it’s, well, made of plastic (ok, a plastic-ceramic hybrid material called “Bioceramic”), and you probably have to bribe a mall employee to get one.
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Why should you buy hiking shoes instead of hiking boots? Well, it’s simple: because if you aren’t traveling over seriously rugged terrain or carrying a heavily loaded pack, you might not need the full-size version.
Hiking shoes are lighter and more nimble than boots, but they still come kitted out with features like Gore-Tex waterproofing, grippy rubber tread and supportive, durable uppers. As a bonus, many of them are sleek enough to pass as everyday footwear around town.
Hiking shoes are designed to be worn in myriad environments, so we tested them in a variety of conditions to truly test these shoes’ capabilities. We crossed streams in them, hiked up leaf and rock-strewn trails, navigated our way down steep and slippery inclines and powered through washed-out, dried up river beds. On our journeys, we kept in mind fit and feel, waterproofing, weight and traction. At the end of the day, the best hiking shoe for you will be the style that fits the best.
To learn more about our testing methodology and how we evaluate products, head here.
One of the main differentiators between a hiking shoe and boot is agility, and the X Ultra 4 GTX has got it in spades. Our favorite hiking shoe is as nimble as a trail runner, but provides all the stability and grip of a hiking boot — without the weight. The cushioning is comfortable and supportive, without being too squishy or cutting down on the responsive feel.
Although we wouldn’t recommend this for extended trips — it’s better suited for single-day hikes — the X Ultra 4 GTX shines in technical, varied terrain. If you’re looking for a hiking shoe that’s as supportive and comfortable as it is technical and capable, you won’t need to look much further than Salomon.
The Salomon X Ultra 4 GTX can handle washed out, treacherous trails as well as groomed fire roads — and everything in-between. Photo by Hayley Helms for Gear Patrol
The Unico comes from the birthplace of outdoor footwear (the Alps), and it’s a shoe designed to be a crossover between a hiking boot and a trail running shoe. Regardless of what it aims to be, it is an impressive piece of footwear, with an upper made of one single piece of Kevlar fabric. That durable exterior is lined with a sock-like wool liner that’s connected at the bottom of the shoe only so that it can “float” inside and better export moisture. The footbed is made of a blend of leather and coconut fibers.
The Unico is among the burliest hiking shoes to make our list, and that’s thanks to the materials that Naglev so carefully selected in its construction. The rubber outsole is stiff, and the Kevlar is borderline abrasive, but the Unico mitigates these factors with its interior wool liner and leather insole, both of which make the shoe far more comfortable than it looks. Unlike some of the lighter hiking shoes, it does require some break-in — if you’re looking for a more forgiving hiking shoe, check out some of our other picks — but the result is worth the process.
Best Budget-Friendly Hiking Shoe: Merrell Moab Speed
Merrell used its best-selling Moab as a base for a lighter, more nimble model called the Moab Speed that’s something of a hybrid between a trail running shoe and a hiking shoe. Despite its pared-down design, the Speed carries through one of the Moab’s most beloved characteristics: out-of-the-box comfort.
Our tester put in roughly 90 miles on a pair and found that the roomy toebox was ideal for longer hikes on relatively flatter terrain but second to the plush cushioning that makes these a truly comfortable set of hiking shoes. He noted that the lug pattern isn’t extreme and doesn’t provide significant braking — while we recommend them as a solid all-rounder, consider another pair if most of your hikes involve scrambling and steep terrain.
Danner’s most iconic hiking boot is the Mountain Light, which, despite what its name might have you believe, is notably not lightweight (but it is rugged as hell, though). The Trail 2650, however, actually is light. Danner says they’re 24 ounces a pair, the shoe is its lightest piece of hiking footwear yet. To get there, Danner built its upper with a combination of leather and mesh and used a Vibram outsole for traction.
The Trail 2650 certainly feels light on the feet, too. It fits much like a trail running shoe (the last that Danner used is based on them), but the construction includes a TPU shank and a heel counter, so they’re sturdy and supportive enough for hiking long miles on dirt and clambering over boulders. They’re available with or without waterproofing (a waterproof liner can make hiking shoes hot and lead to sweating) and they’re comfortable enough to wear around town as an everyday shoe, too. For all these reasons, they’re the ideal hiking shoe for most people and uses — for more technical, specific hiking shoes, keep reading.
Upper: Leather Working Group Gold-rated waterproof nubuck leather
Sole: Vibram Megagrip
If you’re familiar with Hoka’s running shoes, then you won’t be surprised by the thick wedge of foam that supports the Anacapa Low. But Hoka runners will quickly learn that the Anacapa Low’s sole is less bounce and more support (and durability), as a hiking shoe should be.
Alongside the out-of-the-box comfort Hokas are prized for, the Anacapa Low also boasts a few sustainable features worth noting: there’s recycled polyester in the collar, the leather used in the upper is certified by the Leather Working Group and the sock liner is 50 percent soy-based. The company actually used its mid-sized Anacapa as a template, resulting in a reinvented model that combines the feel of a sneaker with the durability of a hiking boot, which makes it easy to wear them running trails, or running errands.
Best Minimalist Hiking Shoe: Arc’teryx Aerios Aura
Arc’teryx isn’t as well-known for its footwear as it is for its technical apparel, but the Aerios Aura lives up to the brand’s high standards for quality. And like its clothing, the shoe packs lots of functionality into a clean and minimalist profile. Colors are coordinated and subtle, and the different materials that are present blend into one another almost invisibly; even the laces are fully integrated into the design, using loops of webbing instead of eyelets.
The lacing system might be the best part about the Konseal FL. It extends all the way down to the toe so that the fit can be adjusted and fine-tuned as much as possible, which in turn contributes to a better overall hiking experience, especially in technical terrain. The integrated system adjusts smoothly, too, so there’s less tugging and pulling to get the comfortable fit you need. The Aerios Aura don’t have as much cushioning as others on this list though, so fast-hikers and fans of lightweight minimalism will find the most use here.
For reference, the Aerios Auras are black — and after hiking the dusty trails near my home, both my shoes and socks were totally brown. Breathable mesh = lots of dust. Hayley Helms
Best New Hiking Shoe: Adidas Terrex Free Hiker 2.0 Low Gore-Tex
Upper: Abrasion-resistant mesh upper with seamless overlays
Sole: Continental rubber outsole
The mid version of Adidas Terrex’s insanely popular Free Hiker silhouette has made “best of” lists around the internet, including our own, but I’m putting my money on this new, low version of the Free Hiker 2.0 Low Gore-Tex. It resolves all the pain points of its predecessor, and is easily one of the favorite shoes in my hiking shoe roster. It’s not perfect, but it’s pretty damn great.
Although it’s a little weighty at 15.5 ounces for a men’s size 9, that bulk is justified in the protective and durable functionality of the shoe. Built with a burly Continental outsole and an abrasion-resistant upper with seamless overlays, the Free Hiker 2.0 Low Gore-Tex is more than capable of handling obstacles on the trail, and the midsole cushioning is more than enough to keep feet happy and pain-free after miles on the go. I personally found the mid version of the Free Hiker to be clunky, uncomfortable and oversized, but this new iteration solves all those issues; rather than just a new colorway or silhouette, this is a substantive update to an already popular shoe.
Proves sustainable materials can be just as effective as virgin ones
Feels much lighter than its actual weight
Cons
Not as responsive as a more technical hiker
More expensive than some traditional hiking brands
Weight: 13.5 ounces
Waterproofing: PFC-free DWR
Upper: 100% recycled polyester
Sole: Amazonian rubber (31%)
Veja is know for making lifestyle-oriented sneakers, so our tester was very pleasantly surprised at how much she liked the brand’s first-ever hiking shoe. Not only is it downright cool looking, it’s also insanely comfortable and made with over 40 percent sustainable materials. The outsole is made from Amazonian rubber, the upper is crafted from 100-percent recycled polyester and the shoe is protected from water with a PFC-free DWR water repellant coating.
Sustainability aside, this became our tester’s new favorite hiker for its comfort on trail: after a couple weeks hiking in the Fitz Roy, she was impressed with the stability, the wide toe box and the grippy, multi-directional crampons. If you’re looking for a cool and sustainable hiking option, she’s confident Veja’s got you covered.
Sole: Vibram Megagrip Traverse with Impact Brake System
Technically, La Sportiva’s TX4 is an approach shoe. Approach shoes, lightweight mountain footwear that rock climbers use to reach the base of a wall, typically feature a sticky rubber outsole to provide excellent grip, and the TX4 is no exception there. Its lug pattern and leather upper make it a great choice for full-time trail use, too, even if you have no intention of roping up and going vertical. Our tester praises its construction as “ideal for wet, muddy and loose rocky conditions,” which other approach shoes might not handle as well. Its low profile makes it ideal for use around town if you embrace the outdoorsy look. (And, if you do climb, this might be your new do-everything shoe.)
What Are Hiking Shoes?
A hiking shoe is a low-cut shoe with flexible midsoles and grippy, multi-directional lugs that provide both protection and speed on the trail. Similar to a hiking boot, hiking shoes are built to withstand obstacles on the trail, while maintaining a nimbleness a boot can’t provide.
Tread
There are varying types of tread on hiking shoes, each designed for a specific type of terrain. There are soles for steep and slippery hikes, for easy, moderate and advanced terrain and multi-purpose tread that can help you navigate different types of trails.
Waterproofing
Most hiking shoes these days come with an element of waterproofing — whether that’s in the form of a tightly-woven upper that naturally repels water or a membrane like Gore-Tex that protects are against wind, weather and water. Waterproof models generally run warmer than their more porous, breathable counterparts, but the difference oftentimes is negligible, and a little warmth is generally worth it for the value waterproofing provides.
How to Choose the Right Hiking Shoes
Choosing the right hiking shoe is entirely dependent on the terrain you’ll be hiking and of course, the shape of your foot. This definitive guide provides information on the best hiking shoes you can buy. In it, we break down each model’s key features, such as support, material, weight and more.
When I say “Mercedes,” I’m willing to bet that a Platonic ideal pops into your head. I can’t get inside there and take a look, but it’s probably a boxy sedan — one that looks awfully similar to the Mercedes-Benz model known internally as the W124, built from 1985 to 1995 — the progenitor of the E-Class.
The W124 is neither sporty nor menacing, and it was anything but rare; Mercedes built more than 2.7 million of them. Car enthusiasts respect the W124, but it’s not particularly valued, even with Radwood-era nostalgia raging to the point of disbelief. And it’s still a car that can go for relatively reasonable prices on Bring a Trailer — if it’s not the vaunted E500 Porsche had a hand in building.
But here’s the thing about this most anonymous and ubiquitous of Mercedes-Benzes: it’s one of the best cars the German brand has ever made.
Mercedes-Benz built cars to a different standard in the 1980s
The early ’80s were a different time at Mercedes. BMW and Audi weren’t the luxury competitors they are now, and Lexus did not exist. Mercedes produced cars with a much longer shelf life than most new vehicles today, and people paid handsomely for the privilege – a Mercedes 300E in 1986 retailed for the modern equivalent of more than $80,000.
As such, Mercedes could afford to let their engineers go hog-wild building the ultimate sedan with the W124 … and they did. It was as obdurate and indestructible as a Toyota, a versatile jackknife in the Mercedes lineup, and the basis for some of the brand’s most legendary performance cars. Mercedes hasn’t built anything quite like it since.
https://www.youtube.com/watch
The W124 is basically unkillable
Top Gear once memorably tried to kill a Toyota Hilux, but it was that show’s rival program Fifth Gear that attempted a similar feat with a used W124 Mercedes 300 TE wagon. It survived being flooded and took an artillery shell to the rear door, which left the front door mostly intact. The hosts eventually placed explosives in the engine bay as a final send-off … but while the hull was a burned-out wreck, the explosion only destroyed the electrical components. The car still could have been revived.
Or, to put it another way: there’s a reason the W124 was the preferred choice for Belgian armored vehicle manufacturer Carat Duchatelet before they branched out into Land Cruisers and other luxury SUVs.
W124s, if well-maintained, have been known to last pretty much forever. One-million-mile cars? W124 diesels have lasted for more than two million. If you find the details of a W124’s demise on a message board, it’s likelier to be an accident and insurance write-off than a fatal flaw with the car.
That isn’t to say W124s are obsessively reliable, as owners will attest. They were complicated machines with knotty electrical gremlins. Maintenance isn’t cheap (though cheaper if you can do it yourself), and later 1990s versions had corrosion issues with water-based paint. Those cars also had biodegradable wiring, which degraded far quicker than engineers intended. But if you’re willing to invest the resources, a W124 will not let you down.
Mercedes-Benz
The W124 was insanely versatile
Luxury crossovers mostly weren’t a thing in the 1980s and early 1990s, but the W124 chassis adapted itself to pretty much anything Mercedes wanted to throw at it. Besides the standard sedan, there was a longer-wheelbase limousine version and a shorter-wheelbase coupe. Mercedes offered the W124 as a convertible, and it also became an eminently sensible station wagon for families, with third-row seating and room for seven.
Powertrains? The W124 housed both gas internal combustion and diesel plants and used both manual and automatic transmissions. At various points, it had a 2.0-liter inline-four, a 6.0-liter V8, and just about every internal-combustion variant between.
Plus, it was the first production car fitted with Mercedes’ 4Matic all-wheel-drive cycle. If a W124 couldn’t do it, you likely needed a G-Wagen — which at that time was a specialized European military vehicle.
Mercedes-Benz
And two of Mercedes’s all-time most famous cars were W124s
AMG, before it became an official division of Mercedes, built the AMG 300E, better known as “the Hammer.” For the first edition, AMG took V8 engines from the S-Class apart and rebuilt them into the W124 chassis. The resulting product was a 375-horsepower missile that could take on the best efforts from Porsche and Ferrari — after the kids were safely deposited at school, of course. AMG’s 300E could accelerate to 60 mph from a standstill in 5.0 seconds – which qualified as missile acceleration in the 1980s — and hit a top speed north of 190 mph, which remains impressive.
The other heavy-hitter from the W124 lineup was the aforementioned Porsche-influenced car, the 500E. Mercedes wanted a V8 version of the W124 sedan and commissioned Porsche to figure out how to do it. The solution included wider fender flares, which made the 500 E too big to produce on the Mercedes line — so Porsche ended up building it in Zuffenhausen. It’s an incredible backstory, and also one that ends up driving the price.
This week marks an occasion in line with the latter, as retired Academy Award-winning actor and notorious recluse Daniel Day-Lewis was spotted taking a rare (and curious) meeting with director Steven Spielberg. And while the rest of the internet is wondering whether or not this means the lauded thespian may be coming out of retirement, something else caught our eye: his footwear. As it turns out, Day-Lewis (who is no stranger among menswear fanatics) has excellent taste in boots.
Here’s what’s so special about Daniel Day-Lewis’s boots
As mentioned, Daniel Day-Lewis is kind of a not-so-under-the-radar fashion icon, even when not projected on the silver screen. In fact, back in 2018, the Wall Street Journal credited him as the best-dressed man of the year. Vice caught onto the actor’s personal style that year, as well. But it looks like the trend continues here in 2024, as Day-Lewis was spied wearing a pair of Nicks Handmade Boots (his affinity for Nicks was confirmed some time ago on Reddit by user Stoic_sasquatch who works for the brand — meaning this isn’t the first time Day-Lewis has been spotted in the brand’s boots).
For those not in the know, Nicks is a deeply lauded and highly respected footwear manufacturer responsible for crafting footwear for the likes of loggers, wildland firefighters, ranchers, explorers, artisans and craftspeople — among so many others. What helps set the brand apart — besides a deep dedication to the craft and excessively high-quality materials — is a combination of the boots’ extreme customization (the brand will let customers pick nearly every facet of their boots’ construction, even including the arch profile, height of the heel and hardware) and the handmade nature of each individual order.
Nicks makes handcrafted boots tough enough for loggers, wildland firefighters, ranchers and so many others.Nick’s Boots
In fact, Nicks utilizes some very old-school manufacturing techniques — like handsewn stitchdown construction (here’s how it differs from Goodyear Welt construction) — that have largely been abandoned by other mass-market manufacturers. That means there’s a level of craftsmanship and attention to detail found in these boots that’s simply not found elsewhere (but for a few, rare exceptions, like White’s). Just as Daniel Day-Lewis picking these boots is a credit to Nicks, these boots lend credit to Day-Lewis’s exceptional taste.
So, which of Nicks boots is Daniel Day-Lewis wearing?
Unfortunately, due to both the custom nature of Nicks Handmade Boots and the blurriness of the photos of the famed actor, it’s pretty difficult to tell which boots he’s actually wearing. However, with a bit of digging and some discussion, we think we’ve narrowed it down to a couple of options based on the colorway, leather style, detailing and silhouette of these most recently spotted Day-Lewis boots.
If they’re not entirely custom, they look to be Nicks Urban Logger — perhaps obviously with some measure of customization — because of the style of the toe, lug sole, boot height, lace style, etc. They also appear to have an added kiltie (or false tongue), which Nicks can add to any boot.
If they are custom (which seems especially likely), our best estimation of the style is the Lace Up Heritage with the following selections: 6-inch boot height, HNW #3 toe, walnut roughout leather, antique hardware, standard toe, V100 lug, logger heel profile, moderate heel stack, and black edge. And again, they have that added kiltie.
Of course, beyond the fact that these are Nicks Handmade Boots, this is our best estimate/speculation. Regardless, if you want to look as stylish as this legendary actor, you can buy a pair for yourself — whatever your selections, you’ll get sturdy, fashionable boots that are hand-built to last a lifetime (or more).
2024 is shaping up to be a momentous year for the automotive industry. We already have a long list of vehicles we can’t wait to drive, but there are also some game-changing new vehicles we can’t wait to see revealed in their final production forms. Brands are reinventing themselves, and iconic cars are going hybrid and electric; 2024 should give us a much better vision of what the automotive future will look like.
Here are seven new vehicle launches that will define 2024.
2025 Toyota 4Runner
Toyota
Toyota has not confirmed a 2024 reveal for the 4Runner yet. But a new model is long overdue; the current gen — still rolling with a five-speed automatic transmission — entered production in 2009.
One of the most exciting changes could be a new hybrid engine. The 4Runner is expected to get the 2.4-liter inline-four hybrid bound for the Tacoma and Land Cruiser that puts out 326 horsepower and 465 lb-ft of torque. And rumored fuel economy for the hybrid could put it in the neighborhood of 10 mpg better than a Ford Bronco Badlands.
The current 992 generation of the iconic Porsche 911 is due for a mid-life cycle update, and based on rumors, reports and spy photos, the so-called 992.2-gen 911 is expected to arrive in calendar year 2024 — right in time to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the model first entering production in September 1964.
Don’t expect much of a revolution in terms of design — we wouldn’t expect that from an all-new 911, let alone a refresh — but according to Car and Driver, we could see a naturally aspirated engine return to the mainstream (i.e. non-GT3) models. Reportedly, this new 3.6-liter flat-six will arrive first in the 992.2 911 GTS before eventually spreading up and down the lineup — including, in turbocharged form, to the 911 Turbo models. In addition, the very first 911 Hybrid should join the lineup in calendar year 2024 or 2025.
Mercedes-Benz plans to go all-electric by 2030. That won’t be an issue for the traditionally gas-guzzling G-Class. Mercedes views it as a core vehicle in the lineup and has plans to create its own G sub-brand. We should see the electric version, which we saw in concept form as the EQG, arrive sometime in 2024.
We’re titillated by the prospect of a guilt-free G-Wagen, even if the eventual price tag makes it pure unobtanium. It’s also a chance for Mercedes to recast its lot on EVs when one could argue early efforts have been a tad underwhelming, especially on the aesthetic front.
In 2003, Lamborghini broke new ground with the introduction of the Gallardo — a V10-powered supercar that was more affordable, more manageable and more livable. than the V12 titans that had long defined the brand — to massive acclaim. After a 10-year run, that car was followed up by the Huracan, which built on everything the Gallardo did and improved the breed in spectacular fashion. Now, after another decade, it’s the Huracan‘s turn to pass the torch.
Lamborghini has officially been cagey about what to expect from the brand’s next supercar, but reports from knowledgable sources like Autocar and CAR strongly indicate it will ditch the beloved V10 engine for a new V8 that’s been developed in-house. (Turbochargers seem unlikely, but rumors suggest it could rev to around 10,000 rpm.) That’ll allegedly be combined with a hybrid system like the one found in the new Lamborghini Revuelto; don’t expect the smaller car to match that Lambo’s 1,000-hp output, but since the Ferrari 296 makes 819 ponies, we’d bet the Huracan replacement makes at least 820. And based on spy photos we’ve seen, it’ll look every bit as extroverted as we’d expect from a Lamborghini.
2025 Jeep Recon
Stellantis
We’re not getting an electric Jeep Wrangler — at least, yet. But 2024 should see the production version of the first American Jeep EV, the Recon. It looks sort of like a cross between a Wrangler and a Grand Cherokee … in a good way.
The Recon should pack Jeep’s Trail Rated badge, features people like from the Wrangler such as removable doors, and features that should be on the Wrangler, like an independent front suspension. It will also be Stellantis’s first full-bore EV in America after the Fiat 500e city car. Jeep says the Recon will hit dealers before the end of 2024.
Even less is concretely known about the replacement for Ferrari’s 812 Superfast and 812 GTS than is known about Lambo’s new supercar, but from what we hear, it should be exciting. Spy photos of what are believed to be the new front-engined V12 super-GT from Maranello suggest an even lower, sleeker design than the 812 and its F12berlinetta predecessor, with a silhouette almost reminiscent of the 550 Maranello. A lack of Europe-required “electrified vehicle” stickers on the prototypes suggest it won’t be a plug-in hybrid like the 296 or SF90.
Anonymous but apparently well-connected sources from the FerrariChat forum have claimed that the new car will pack a V12 that revs past 9,000 rpm, like the one in the 812 Competizione. And according to multiple posters, the car will be formally revealed to the Prancing Horse’s best customers at the Miami Grand Prix in early May. The rest of us would then likely catch our first glimpse that summer or fall.
2025 Porsche Macan EV
Porsche
Porsche already has an EV, the Taycan. But the brand is pledging to become an almost entirely (911 excepted) EV manufacturer by 2030. That means bringing its current combustion customers into the battery-electric fold. That starts with the Macan SUV.
The brand’s best-selling vehicle is going entirely electric in the next generation (though a refreshed combustion model should linger alongside it for a bit). And it should offer our best look yet at how Porsche plans to redefine itself as an EV brand, with new battery tech and new suspension and powertrain technology.
The United States government’s $7,500 federal tax credit towards electric vehicles has certainly been a boon towards the adoption of EVs, but actually knocking that money off the price hasn’t always been easy. At first, the money only came as a discount on your taxes come next season’s filing, and if you didn’t owe money to the feds, you wouldn’t see any discount. (We have a feeling the lobbyists at the American Institute of CPAs were behind that.)
Revisions to the credit process in 2022’s Inflation Reduction Act streamlined the process in some ways, but complicated it in others: the new law made the $7,500 a point-of-sale credit — no waiting for tax season — but it also made the requirements more stringent, including demands that vehicles must be made in North America and, as of 2024, must use batteries that don’t use minerals from select countries like China.
As a result, many vehicles that were eligible for government green in 2023 no longer are; it’s down to just six cars and trucks as of early January. Among the models not on 2024’s list: the Cadillac Lyriq and Chevrolet Blazer EV. In an effort to keep that from torpedoing sales of two of its most promising new models, however, General Motors is taking an unexpected-but-logical tack: it’s slashing the prices of both electric crossovers by $7,500.
The reduction shows up as the diplomatic “Ultium Promise Bonus Cash” on Cadillac’s website and simply as “Bonus Cash” on the Chevrolet one, but both amount to the same thing: $7,500 knocked off the price of a brand-spanking-new Ultium-platform SUV. It’s valid on all trims of both models, according to the websites, so you can pick and choose from the various configurations on offer.
The Cadillac Lyriq.CadillacThe Chevy Blazer EV.Jim Frenak-FPI Studios
GM is in the process of getting the 2024 Blazer EV and Lyriq certified as eligible for the tax credit shortly — the carmaker says it only needs to make changes to two minor parts to make them worthy. Once they do, GM will presumably cease to offer this deal. It shouldn’t make a difference to you, the buyer, since the tax credit is now redeemable at the point of sale — but if you have a particular aversion to, say, not taking free money from the government, this would be a good time to buy.
Of course, there’s another reason you might want to move on a new electric Caddy other than this GM cash-on-the-hood deal. Right now, the Lyriq RWD is actually cheaper than the rear-wheel-drive Blazer EV RS with the same powertrain and range. To paraphrase Billy Joel, this might be the ideal time for tradin’ in your Chevy for a Cadillac-ack-ack-ack-ack.
The North American Car of the Year Awards, often known as “NACTOY” for short, have been a fixture of Detroit’s International Auto Show in January since 1994. The show itself has moved to September in the last couple years, but the awards have maintained their traditional January time slot.
Here are the three NACTOY award winners for best car, truck and SUV in 2024.
North American Car of the Year: Toyota Prius
Tyler Duffy
The Toyota Prius and Prius Prime beat the Honda Accord and Hyundai Ioniq 6 for North American Car of the Year. It’s Toyota’s first win in any category since the Prius won back in 2004.
Toyota made the car better looking and sportier without sacrificing efficiency. The brand also doubled the EV range of the PHEV version. It’s not a surprising pick amidst stiff competition.
The Ford F-Series Super Duty edged out the Chevy Silverado EV and the new Chevy Colorado for North American Truck of the Year. It’s Ford’s sixth award across all categories since 2021, and the brand’s fourth successive year winning Truck of the Year.
We’re not too surprised with this pick either. Ford combined the comfort and versatility of the F-150 lineup with the ability to take truck performance to Built Ford Tough extremes if you need to tow a couple of elephants or a boat anchor.
North American Utility Vehicle of the Year: Kia EV9
Kia
The Kia EV9 won North American Utility Vehicle of the Year. The other finalists were the Genesis Electrified GV70 and the Hyundai Kona. It’s Kia’s second consecutive win; the EV6 took home the trophy last year. And it’s Kia’s third win in the category this decade with the Telluride winning in 2020.
We haven’t driven the Kia EV9 yet. But it’s a car we’re definitely looking forward to. Offering legitimate three-row family size with an EV at a (relatively) affordable price point has the potential to be game-changing.
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First up, a disclaimer: Apple doesn’t actually recommend using AirTags for pet tracking. If your pet is really off the grid (and off leash) — in the woods or other remote areas — an AirTag isn’t going to help much, since it needs to be in the proximity of other devices in the Find My network which can relay its position.
But that AirTag will help you find your pet if it goes missing in suburbia or another well-populated area. This is why a lot of people are still going to use AirTags for pet tracking.
As we mentioned above, Apple doesn’t necessarily recommend that you use an AirTag to keep track of your pets because it relies on needing a nearby iPhone to work. This isn’t ideal if your dog or cat runs out into the middle of nowhere. A more dependable option is a GPS pet tracker, like the Cube GPS, Link GPS or Tractive GPS. These use GPS and cellular services so they can better locate your pet. The catch is that they’re more expensive, both upfront and because you have to pay a monthly fee for the cell service.
Can you share AirTags will family and friends?
Yes! In September 2023, Apple rolled out iOS 17 which finally allowed you share an AirTag’s location with up to six family members and friends. Once shared, they can track the AirTag on their Find My app. This way if your dog goes missing, anybody that you’ve shared your AirTag with can help aid the search.
To learn how to share an AirTag with family and friends, read our guide.
Are AirTags waterproof?
No, but they are close. Each AirTag has an IP67 rating, meaning it can be submerged in one meter of water for up to 30 minutes. For context, this is not quite as water resistant as the latest iPhone 12’s and iPhone 13’s IP68 rating, which allows them to be submerged in six meters of water for 30 minutes. Basically, if your pet is prone to getting a little wet or even swimming now and again, an AirTag attached to the collar should be fine.
Does it matter which direction the logo faces?
When you place the AirTag in a holder, collar or harness, you typically have the option to have the white side or the shiny side (with the logo) facing outwards. It doesn’t matter which direction the logo faces. The AirTag will work either way.
Do the tags/collars come with an AirTag?
No, in pretty much every instance the AirTag isn’t sold with the tag, holder or collar — you need to buy them separately. You can buy AirTags for $29 each (or slightly less if you buy from Amazon). You can also buy a four-pack of AirTags for $99 to get a little extra savings.
This dog collar has a sleeve for your AirTag. It’s made durable and sustainable cork leather, and comes in two different colors: natural cork or black. It’s available in small, medium, large and extra-large sizes.
This is nylon dog collar with a built-in AirTag holder. It has reflected stitching all around the collar to help you see your dog at night. It’s available in a bunch of different colors and sizes (small to extra-large). And no matter what size you get, it’s going to cost less than $20.
GrandiUa
Etsy Personalized Leather Dog Collar with AirTag Holder
If you’re looking for a leather collar that can be personalized — with your phone number and your pet’s name — this is a great option you can buy on Etsy. It’s available in a bunch of different finishes and size. The only downside is that because it’s Etsy, wait time for orders tend to be more of an issue.
This Incase clip is made of the same tight-fitting, woven fabric as its other Woolenex cases. It’s available in two colors, graphite (pictured) or light pink.
The Belkin Apple AirTag Secure Holder is a keychain-style AirTag holder with a protective raised buffer to help prevent against scratches. It’s simple, affordable and it’s available in a bunch of different colors.
The Presidio SiliRing is Speck’s take on a traditional keychain accessory for your AirTag. It’s made of silicone and comes with a metal keyring. It’s available in several different colors.
Nomad’s Rugged Keychain is made of a combo of solid polycarbonate and durable TPU, and it has an IP66 water- and dust-resistance rating. It’s available in either black or white. Nomad also offers engraving services, so you can put your pup’s name and your number directly on the tag.
Casetify makes a lot of different AirTag Holders with designed from flowers to dinosaurs, stars to various different patterns — check them all out here. This “custom” one allows you to add your pet’s name (up to 11 characters) right on it. You can pick between several different colors, too.
The Presidio SiliLoop has a unique and elongated loop-through design, which is slip onto your pet’s collar or harness. It’s made out of soft-touch silicone and is available in several vibrant colors.
This is a durable AirTag holder that comes with a carabiner key ring, which makes it easier to attach things like luggage, straps and other key rings. Available in black or green.
This slim leather keychain is available in either black or brown. It has an adhesive on the inside to hold the AirTag in place. The black key ring is included.
According to data from Beer Marketer’s Insights, the amount of beer consumed in the U.S. dropped to its lowest levels in a generation. This is largely due to the fact that drinker preferences are shifting toward other alcohols, and in many cases shifting toward not drinking alcohol at all.
In this week’s other beverage news: At long last, Starbucks is allowing customers to use their own cups as part of the coffee chain’s efforts to reduce waste. As an added benefit, using your own cup will save you 10 cents. Pro tip: the cup has to be clean (baristas won’t rinse it out for you) and smaller than 40 ounces.
Today we’re taking a look at a relaunched waterproof jacket, a car-inspired bottle opener, nylon Sambas and more. This is Today in Gear.
Today in Gear is our daily roundup of all the latest product announcements, drops and news from Gear Patrol Studios. Send your most pressing product questions to [email protected].
Fresh Nylon Sambas
adidas
The shoe for cool kids just got that much cooler. Adidas Sambas are one of the most iconic sneakers ever, and this new version sporting nylon uppers is turning heads. The nylon Samba OG Shoes ($120) are available in an olive green and a deep inky blue and are made with at least 20% recycled material.
If you’re the type of person that needs to have the most aesthetically pleasing version of everything, then this bottle opener from Discommon Goods is for you. The Bottle Opener 3.0 ($79) is a sleek chrome tool inspired by ‘the prettiest supercars’ that will look like a little piece of art on your bar cart.
Mission Workshop relaunched the sold-out Squad Jacket ($335). The Squad is a waterproof shell that’s designed with street style in mind, and was inspired by the classic ‘coach jacket’ and FBI windbreakers. While the brand describes it as ‘decidedly non-outdoorsy’, the jacket’s waterproof and breathable three-layer fabric and seam taping provide the protection you need to brave the elements no matter where you are.
The aspen FR10 Loudspeaker ($9,999) is making us redo our budget numbers and seeing if we can possibly afford this dreamy speaker that’s changing what’s possible in home audio. It’s the brand’s most compact loudspeaker yet, and audiophiles will drool over the quality of the sound coming from the FR10, which also happens to look like a nice piece of home decor itself.
There are a few days left to back the Briiv Pro ($443) on Kickstarter and secure your own sustainable air purifier. The eco-friendly machine has AI-powered sensors, and the company says it can clean a 43-square-foot space in just 21 minutes. No only does it clean your air, but it looks more like a house plant — it uses moss and coconut inside its chamber — than a traditional air purifier.
2023 was an outstanding year for the automotive industry writ large. Supply chain issues finally eased, and despite rising prices, more expensive loans and UAW strike-related production hiccups, Americans bought more than 15.6 million new cars in 2023 — a 12 percent increase from 2022.
As a result, nearly every brand (that wasn’t Stellantis) had some new sales feat to peacock about in its press release at the start of 2024. But although sales performance across the board was excellent, certain cars still outperformed the baseline expectation — notching sales increases in the high double, if not triple, digits.
And it wasn’t just due to new models replacing dated old ones. It turns out an unexpected number of buyers saw 2023 as a time to invest in a new family minivan — all those COVID babies are getting old enough to require some vehicular lifestyle changes — or splurge on a pricey sports coupe, especially if it happened to be going out of production soon.
Here are 10 cars that dramatically outshot our sales expectations in 2023 without benefitting from a new model-based sales bump.
New vehicles certainly hog the glory, but used cars certainly deserve their fair share of respect. As the pandemic-related used car shortages have loosened and prices returned to more normal levels (if, perhaps, not as cheap as they once were), buyers are once again flowing back to the market for pre-owned rides in search of more affordable, more available alternatives to the fresh new sedans, pickups, SUVs and so forth hot off the assembly lines.
So with 2023 finally in the rear view, we’re taking a look back at the used cars that moved off America’s dealer lots in the greatest numbers last year, courtesy of data pulled together from iSeeCars.com. Many entries on the list are unlikely to surprise people with even a passing knowledge of what vehicles people in the U.S.A. prefer — hint: we like pickup trucks — but there are still a few surprises when it comes to the order. For one thing … who would have guessed so many people were keen on the Chevy Equinox?
Note: all figures refer to sales of used cars from one to five years old, and have been rounded to the nearest one-tenth of a percent of U.S. used car sales.
1. Ford F-150
Ford
Percent of 2023’s 1-to-5-year-old used car sales: 3.3%
This Fully Customizable Keyboard Is a Dream to Use
What makes a Higround Base 65 Keyboard worth talking about — by Gear Patrol Studios.
Higround
Presented ByHiground
Published
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Welcome to Talking Points, a series that looks at what makes certain products worth talking about, brought to you by Gear Patrol Studios.
Higround’s singular purpose is to create keyboards that are both out-of-the-box ready yet highly customizable, with killer graphics that make your peripherals centerpiece-worthy. With retro inspiration and modern design, these premium pieces look amazing and feel even better to use – for gaming, typing, work and more.
Now, the Base 65 Keyboard is here to make configuring your first keyboard — or falling in love with the last one you’ll ever need — all the easier.
Higround
The Backstory
Higround: The Best Looking (and Sounding) Keyboards
There really is nothing like the smooth feel and immensely satisfying sound of a premium keyboard, especially when it comes to the cutthroat world of gaming, where every keystroke counts. But Higround knows that keyboard ASMR shouldn’t be reserved for the gaming crowd only.
That’s why the brand offers keyboards like the Base 65 which provides out-of-the box performance while offering easy configuration. Translation: it’s the perfected daily driver for all your computing needs, and the ideal gateway to custom keyboards. The brand’s lineup includes drool-worthy, always-available designs and limited drops so stunning we’d frame them, if it wouldn’t put the ultra-buttery switches out of reach. Speaking of the latter, Higround has worked with the likes of Beats by Dre, Pokemon and Sonic the Hedgehog to create unique collabs.
The Gist
Why Is the Higround Base 65 Keyboard a Computing Essential?
The answer is twofold. First, the tech-y stuff: Higround’s signature 65 percent frame is compact but still has dedicated arrow keys for a roomy-feeling layout. The aluminum plate is highly durable and has excellent acoustics that make the sound of the included White Flame switches truly shine. The switches were co-designed with TTC for supreme feel and sound and are hot-swappable for when you want further customization down the line. Dual silicone dampening foam deepens the switch sound and adds heft.
An equal second to its technical prowess is the Base 65’s unmatched aesthetics. Available in a variety of colorways and design styles including a topographic pattern, and translucent opal and crystal keys, all versions of the Base 65 feature dye-subbed keycaps made from PBT thermoplastic. Plus, as an added bonus, the keyboard’s RBG backlights are fully programmable, allowing you to create any pattern you choose.
Our POV
The Higround Base 65 Keyboard Is Perfect for Work and Play
From the moment it’s unboxed, this keyboard will elevate your setup to the professional level — in look, feel and function. And with Higround’s endlessly customizable framework and thoughtful 65 percent key layout, it’s a peripheral that can grow and change as your needs and aesthetics evolve. Whether you want to elevate your set-up for work or play — or both — snag a Base 65 Keyboard today.
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On October 8th, 2023, 23-year-old Kelvin Kiptum won the Chicago Marathon and set a new world record with a time of two hours, 35 seconds, shaving 34 seconds off the previous mark. On his feet were prototypes of Nike’s newest super shoe, and while the feat itself made headlines, there’s another compelling piece to the swoosh puzzle: According to Nike Running senior product designer Bret Schoolmeester, Nike’s Alphafly 3 super shoes can last up to a whopping 250 miles per pair.
Compare that to the Adidas Adizero Adios Pro Evo 1s Tigist Assefa wore breaking the women’s marathon record Berlin last fall. While it’s not necessarily true they are “single use,” actual testing indicates they’d probably max out at two races of that distance, which leads to some pretty wild math. At $285, the Nike Alphafly 3 is a bit over half the cost of the $500 Adizero Adios Pro Evo 1s yet should take you roughly five times as far. And it’s finally available today.
There are a couple key components to the Alphafly 3 that get our attention: the first is the continuously rounded and rockered profile, which is striking to behold but also provides for a super-smooth transition from the heel to the forefoot. Second, Nike’s team shaved the weight 15 percent versus the Alphafly 2, with the new version coming in at 218 grams (just under 7.7 ounces). To compare, the Adizero Adios Pro Evo 1s weigh in at 138 grams (4.87 ounces) — a bit over half the weight.
The outsole is made from a new compound that cuts weight but adds traction, resulting in a lighter yet more resilient shoe. Other structural updates included a wider carbon fiber plate for more stability and an updated midsole, alongside an all-new Atomknit upper, optimized for multidirectional movement and breathability.
The Alphafly 3 during Nike’s testing trials with athletes. Nike
The Alphafly 3 doesn’t look like any other shoe on the market, and it also doesn’t run like any other shoe — every inch has been meticulously crafted by Nike’s engineers and designers to help you run a faster, more comfortable marathon.
How does this new super shoe compare to others?
While we’ve only seen prototypes in action thus far, Schoolmeester told High Snobiety that the Alphafly 3 has been worn by testers “up to 250 miles, and it’s doing really well.” This relatively generous mileage was made possible by people trying the shoes in a variety of seasons and locations, giving designers the data they needed to boost durability.
That’s where it dares to address one of our biggest beefs with super shoes: their combo of high cost and limited longevity, which really dings the appeal for non-elite racers. (Heck, some have even been called out for their lack of sustainability.) While the Alphafly 3s won’t last as long as more traditional running kicks do (300 to 500 miles), they should carry you far beyond a marathon or two.
Just under $300 isn’t cheap by any means, but the mileage and the accolades the shoe is already stacking up speak for themselves. So if you’ve got your eyes on a 26.2-mile PR this year, don’t sleep on giving the Alphafly 3s a spin.
High West
