Today in Gear is our daily roundup of all the latest product announcements, drops and deals. Comments or concerns? We’d love to hear from you at tig@gearpatrol.com.
New & Noteworthy Releases
Can This New Brand Finally Make Ski Boots Comfortable?
Dahu boots hopes to upend how we think about ski boot design (and comfort) with its innovative two-piece construction, but will performance be sacrificed?
The Last Time This Chef’s Knife Was Available It Sold Out in 24 Hours
This knife uses the same stuff Wustof, Victorinox and other power players in the Western knife game use for their nicer blades, except Made In's is only $89.
BMW Needs to Admit It Has a Problem
The M2 Gran Coupe will hit showroom floors later this year, but BMW must admit it has a problem.
We’re Obsessing Over This Gorgeous Backyard Upgrade
This is how you build the coolest backyard of anyone you know.
These Japanese Sweatshirts Look and Feel Like Well-Worn Vintage Favorites
Available in indigo and black.
Fresh Deals
Osprey Backpack Sale
Save 35% Osprey packs are built to keep you comfortable while carrying everything you need in a compact package. The suspension system won’t rub, most waistbelts are removable, and each pack comes with a lifetime guarantee — That’s a lot of potential backpacking trips. The anti-gravity suspension system is revered in the backpacking world, and your back will thank you, too. Whether you need a hydration sleeve, sleeping bag compartment or a removable roll-top tool pouch, the opportunities for your perfect pack are endless.
Right now you can save up to 35 percent off a variety of Osprey packs on Backcountry. Whether you need a 14-liter or 48-liter, there’s a size that’s perfect for you. We selected a few of our favorites, but there are many more available.
— Meg Lappe
Fjällräven Bergtagen Parka
Save $294: If you don’t live above the Arctic Circle, a parka designed for the conditions there might seem overkill for anywhere else. But consider the snow and winds that rip through your hometown during winter, or that a town in western Texas once experienced temperatures 23 degrees below zero, and a long, highly-insulated expedition parka like Fjällräven’s Bergtagen can appear a bit more appealing.
Fjällräven created the Bergtagen collection in partnership with the Swedish Mountain Guides Association for high elevation pursuits above treeline. The jacket is constructed with a polyester shell that’s filled with a hearty amount of the company’s G-Loft Supreme insulation, which is also polyester. Fjällräven created the jacket to be thrown on over other layers when the weather is at its worst, but it’s fully-equipped for practical use with four large outer pockets on the chest and toward the hem and two mesh pouches inside.
Like most mountain equipment, the Bergtagen Parka is lightweight and performance-oriented, but it isn’t the type of synthetic jacket that will compress for storage in its own pocket; it’s oversized to provide as much protection against the elements as possible. (This also means you should size down one or even two sizes.)
The Bergtagen is currently 49 percent off at Mountain Steals, a savings of nearly $300. If you’re looking for a jacket that can handle the absolute worst of winter, this might be it. And don’t let its high elevation origins deter you — after all, most outdoor apparel that’s perfect for wearing every day is designed with activities like rock climbing and mountaineering in mind. The same goes for the Bergtagen. — Tanner Bowden
Levi’s Sale Items Are on Sale
Save an Extra 40% Right now, Levi’s is offering a pretty big deal: special sale items are an extra 40 percent off. Hundreds of jeans, shirts, jackets and other great wardrobe staples are all up for grabs. Click through and use code WINTER40 at checkout, then tell a friend.— Nick Caruso
Clothing, Footwear and Accessories at East Dane
Save 70%:To celebrate the new year, online retailer East Dane is offering up to 70 percent a huge selection of clothing, footwear and accessories. The currently reduced inventory is comprised of brands like Belstaff, Gitman Vintage, Persol, Snow Peak and Wolverine, among others, totaling 715 items. To take advantage of the savings use the code HAPPY2019 when checking out, but don’t wait — this sale only runs through Friday the January 4. — John Zientek
Huckberry Boot Sale
Save Up to 40%: Ahh, wintertime. Slush. Snow. Rain. Cold. A general lack of enthusiasm for getting your ass out of bed in the morning.
If there’s one good thing about the wintertime, however, it’s having an excuse to throw on a great pair of boots, numerous styles of which are on sale right now on Huckberry. Whether you’re looking for a great pair of work boots to help you navigate the seemingly endless darkness of a NYC winter, or you’re using the onset of the cold to help justify the purchase of those sleek Chelsea boots you’ve had your eyes on for 6 months, now’s the time to pull the trigger. — Oren Hartov
Trails.com App Sale
Save 70% If getting off the grid is one of your new year’s goals, we are with you. After all, that’s one of the best parts of hiking and camping. We have to acknowledge this means your cell phone map is unlikely to work. So when the blazes disappear, and you can’t remember if you need to turn right or left at the fork, a trail map is imperative. While paper maps are fantastic, sometimes there’s no time before dawn patrol to find one. The easiest solution is a downloadable trail map. Trails is your source for maps of trailheads across the country for hiking, mountain biking, road biking and snowshoeing. With more than 100,000 trails saved, it’s a breeze to quickly download a map the night before or morning of a hike. Premium members have access to over 60,000 trail guides that will answer every single question you could have about hiking and camping. Right now, if you use code NEWYEAR2019 at checkout, you can save 70 percent on a premium yearly membership. It’s the easiest (and likely cheapest) hiking purchase you’ll make all year.
— Meg Lappe
KEF Q150 Bookshelf Speakers
Save $250: The KEF Q150 are really nice passive bookshelf speakers, especially for the price. They’re ideal for anybody looking for speakers to hook up to their stereo or AV receiver. Remember, these are passive speakers so you can stream to them (although there are ways around that, as you can connect them to a streaming amplifier such as a Sonos Connect:Amp). If you’re looking for more Ryan Waniata of Digital Trends wrote: “One of the best pairs of speakers we’ve heard at their price point, the Q150 are yet another brilliant feat of engineering to add to KEF’s storied audio canon.” Maybe the best part about them is that Amazon is now offering them for almost half off. The normally $550 bookshelf speakers are going for just $300 – that’s $250 off. The caveat is that only the black models are on sale. If you want white speakers, you’ll have to pay full price.
Today on Gear Patrol
Essential Gear for Car Owners: Be Ready for the Road
Living with a car, whether you use it primarily for work and commuting, long road trips or weekend drives out of the city, it pays to be as prepared as possible.
The Good and the Bad of the “iPod Shuffle for Spotify”
The Mighty Vibe is the most affordable Spotify offline music player. It's basically a new-age iPod Shuffle for Spotify Premium subscribers.
These 1920s Watches Were Produced Especially for Doctors
Both Rolex and Gruen made variants of a wristwatch aimed at medical professionals using the Aegler 877 movement.
The Complete Mercedes-Benz Buying Guide: Every Model, Explained
How to tell your GLA, GLB, GLC, GLE, GLS, and G-Class apart.
How to Get a Better-Fitting Road Bike
Make ill-fitting bikes a thing of the past.
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