Good morning, and welcome to the latest edition of This Week in Gear — your single-shot serving of an entire week’s worth of killer new gear pulled from our weekday editions of Today in Gear. Bookmark it to peruse over Sunday football and start your Monday completely up to speed. Here’s to another fantastic week.
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As thin as the iPad Air 2, yet lighter, the Xperia Z4 is Sony’s new flagship tablet. Similar to the Z2, the Z4 has a waterproof external USB port. It also features a 6,000mAh battery that can last through 17 hours of video playback, a 2K capable display and an upgraded to Snapdragon 810 processor. Also, it comes with office apps pre-installed to lure business users. sonymobile.com
The right way to navigate around a ski mountain has evolved beyond looking at a 2D trail map. Instead, look to your smartphone. This new app provides “the most detailed 3D ski maps ever made”. Along with sharing ski stats (vertical descent, speed and distance traveled), this app also allows users to share your location. Getting separated from a buddy is now an easy fix. Free
There are more A7 series camera owners than ever before. To meet the new demand, Sony has unveiled these three macro full-frame prime lenses: 28mm, 35mm, and 90mm. All are optimized for Sony’s full-frame cameras (A7, A7 Mark II, A7R, A7S). The 28mm will be released in May, the 35mm in April and the 90mm in July. dpreview.com
Unlike anything already written about the late Steve Jobs, this narrative has stories that have never been shared about Jobs by those who intimately knew him. He rose from an arrogant man to a somebody to an unrivaled visionary, and this captivating read tells his journey form start to finish. $18
Although it’s a minimalist take on the standard rucksack, it’s still super functional. Water-resistant and large enough to hold a laptop, this knapsack is easy to carry around and durable enough to handle years of abuse. As for additional specs, it has chocolate leather accents, light oatmeal-colored straps and two functional side pockets. $198
High quality audio in a compact package (4.5 inches high, 8.7 inches wide), Nano HiFi’s new NH1 speakers are a frugal and space saving alternative to a big home stereo system. The NH1 boasts up to 58kHz frequency response, extended bass radiator (XBR) and a pioneering multi-yoke technology for more far-reaching sound. Also, the NH1 is available in six different colors. $299
In this age of technology, whiteboards are fighting an uphill battle. But the Equil Smartmarker is helping their cause. This device uses the marker and whiteboard you already own to stream anything you write. Compatible with any smartphone, tablet or laptop; it’s a modern tool for businessmen who still utilize their whiteboard in meetings. $150
Stellavie’s newest line of movie director prints portraits the work of three of the most memorable men in cinema. Illustrated by Julian Rentzsch and printed on acid-free cotton paper stock, these small-batch prints reference the iconic scenes of these storied directors’ careers. $97+
The Ray Super Remote looks to buck the frustrating jargon that is our at-home devices. This 5.5-inch universal remote looks like an iPhone and can connect users to their television, music player and other home gadgets. Using algorithms to monitor your likes and habits, the Ray Super Remote will connect you to your favorite shows faster than ever. $199
Kevin Guilfoile’s A Drive into the Gap is a first-edition printing from Field Notes Brand Books. It depicts the journey of a bat used by Roberto Clemente to the hands of a 12-year-old boy and the connection it spurred between that boy and his ailing father. The interior is filled with recycled Neenah paper, meticulously designed and typeset to present this story in a most handsome form. $7
Snowfoot Alpine Shoes are specifically designed for inclined alpine pursuits. They allow you conquer the hill without the need for specialized ski-touring or splitboard equipment. They add buoyancy, stability and deep snow mobility to your classic mountaineering crampons. snowfoot.eu
Bulletprufe’s new Midnight line of denim jeans may be their most durable and comfortable line yet. Their industrial-strength Bulletprufe fabric blend is matched by a triple-stitched construction and double-reinforced yoke to eliminate rips along the seam. The only thing that these jeans are missing are your unique wear patterns. $78
Umbra’s Tangram Travel Organizer is an “origami”- like organizer that neatly packs away all your traveling essentials into an economically flat space. Inspired by the storied art of folding paper, the Tangram provides a portable carry-all that can vary in size depending on your need. $10
This is Apple’s first wearable product of any kind, and the company is calling it its most “personal” product yet. Read this story
An absolutely immersive virtual reality: that’s what the HTC Re Vive promises. It’s the product of a collaboration between HTC and Valve (the creators of epic video games like Portal and Half-Life) that features a 1,200 x 1,080 pixel screen in front of each eye, a 90 frames-per-second refresh rate, and sensors that’ll allow you to walk 225 square feet. Holiday Season 2015 can’t come soon enough. htcvr.com
Looking for spring office attire? ANACAPA is a new menswear brand that takes after both coasts. Designed in New York and crafted in L.A., their long-sleeve pullovers have a professional yet surf-inspired feel. The brand has a direct-to-consumer/pre-order business approach, so these high-quality, hard-wearing American-made shirts are affordable. And when summer arrives, ANACAPA makes a short-sleeve pullover ($99) as well. They’ll be taking pre-orders until March 17th. $109
Avid road cyclists and lovers of coffee table books, pay attention. This book highlights 20 must-ride climbs across Europe, the US and South America. Each featured ride is accompanied by key stats (height, length and gradient) and an abstractly detailed drawing by Nigel Peake. $25
For those in the market for a surfboard bag, look no further than Rareform. Their California bags are lightweight, durable and made from — get this — recycled billboard ads. Also, these bags come in a range of styles and sizes (shortboard, retro fish, longboard) that’ll appease anybody. $80+
It’s not about you hearing them, it’s about them hearing you. The Boom Mic is a unidirectional microphone that’s able to separate your voice from any outside noise. So if you’re on the phone in a noisy office or bustling Starbucks, this device won’t make you shout. It comes in two colors (black and silver) and is specifically designed for MH40 Over Ear and MH30 On Ear headphones. $129
The Apple Watch won’t be available for purchase until April 24th, but that doesn’t mean you can’t plan ahead. This new charging stand by Griffin has an angled cradle, which magnetically holds and charges the watch, and a molded base to hold your iPhone. $30
New from Nau this Spring is the Cranky Jacket, just in time for the March and April wet weather. The three-layer recycled polyester knit is breathable for when the sun is shining, while the DWR weatherproofing keeps you dry when the rain picks up. $325
Social media may seem instantaneous as it is, but it’s only switching gears. A new social media app, Meerkat, allows you stream live video and post it to your Twitter. The app is still in its infancy, but if it proves to be a faster way to share daily experiences, your iPhone’s home screen real estate will likely shrink by one square soon enough. Free
Think Scattergories, but R-rated (and verging on X). After that it’s all down to your imagination. kickstarter.com
So you don’t like the look of big clunking motorcycle boots, but you don’t want to ruin your shoes on the shifter? The Held Shifter Boot Protector is the answer. It slips on and off your boot and acts as a guard from shifter wear. It’s that simple. $8
It’s easy to over-rotate your focus when trying to get that perfect transition shot. The Manfrotto Follow Focus simplifies manual focusing so you can get more technical and precise transition shots with your camera. The Follow Focus effectively rotates the focus dial 90 degrees and allows you to set a specific range and speed of transition. $600
RFID microchips on your credit cards are great for speeding up your day-to-day purchases. They’re also extremely vulnerable to identity theft since thieves just have to walk by you with a scanner. Hex Convoy RFID-blocking wallets have scanner-blocking tech built into the construction so you can go back to strolling down the sidewalk worry-free. $35+
Now that you won’t need to hide your wardrobe under a heavy coat for much longer, it’s time for new duds. Start with a suit from Todd Snyder, who in 2012 was named Best New Menswear Designer by GQ. His White Label line of suits is crafted in a 19th-century Chicago factory with a fit that evokes Military formalwear, featuring narrow lapels and canvas interlining — a good choice whether you’re in need of a full suit or a mere sports coat. $595
It’s still the rainy season, though, so make sure you protect your new duds with a top-notch umbrella. The Alert umbrella from Davek is the highest notch you can reach: using a Bluetooth-enabled “proximity chip”, the umbrella sends an alert to your phone when you’re headed for the door without it, preventing you from getting caught in the rain on your commute back home. And of course the umbrella itself is strong, with a frame made of aircraft-grade aluminum and fiberglass. kickstarter.com
This 14 x 19 x 8.75-inch bag is your briefcase Monday through Friday and your weekend duffle the rest of the time. Its body is primarily canvas, so you can enjoy a bit more peace of mind carrying it than your typical briefcase, and its adjustable shoulder strap makes it extra useful. Vegetable-tanned leather accents give it a business-appropriate aesthetic, and several pockets make it as useful in the office as it might be at the beach. $825
The New Balance V.1 silhouette was the company’s most expensive shoe ever when it launched in 1982 — costing over $100. Now for the first time ever, New Balance has allowed an outside partner to tweak the original design. J.Crew‘s traded the original nylon mesh for suede, creating the perfect sneaker for the warm weather ahead. As with all of their collaborations, both pairs will be available in select stores in major metro areas as well as online. Don’t expect stock to sit around for long. $190 (★)
For those who seek to take goodwill with their good times, there’s ESPEROS, a new manufacturer of backpacks, weekend bags and totes dedicated to providing children in the developing world with access to education. 10 percent of proceeds from every purchase of an ESPEROS product are donated to charities like Pencils of Promise, among others; the clean and simple bags themselves feature water-resistant, Military-style cotton duck canvas. esperosbags.com
On that glorious weekend when the temperatures finally creep towards the 60s and 70s, be ready with Volcom’s new board shorts, featuring water-repellent four-way stretch fabric and materials made from post-industrial waste and plastic bottle, tied together with a cinch fly. Still need persuading? Kelly Slater just wore a pair of these at the 2015 Volcom Pipe Pro. volcom.com
