We publish our weekly roundup of gear news for you to enjoy over the weekend. Savor it with your Saturday morning coffee, or use it to fend off the existential panic of Sunday night — it’s up to you. Comments or concerns? We’d love to hear from you at tig@gearpatrol.com.
This Week in Review
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Home
Why the Hell Does Your Chemex Have a Nipple? We Found Out
The button harkens back to a time before coffee snobs were as kitted out as the café down the street.
8 Gifts to Prep Your Recent Graduate for Their First Job
"Adulting" comes with its own aesthetic, and back-to-school shopping is over for recent graduates. Here are eight gifts to help them get started at work.
You Can Take My Hand Coffee Grinder from My Cold, Dead Hands
No, seriously. I think my hands are stuck in spasm.
28 Great High School Graduation Gifts Available Now
Need the perfect gift for the high school grad? We asked our team of gear obsessives to recommend their go-to products.
Big Green Egg’s Mega-Popular Grills Are (Finally) Available Online
From the biggest of Eggs to the smallest, the grilling company with a cult following is finally making its wares available online.
Looking for Affordable Furniture That’s Not Cheap? This Brand Is a Good Place to Start
Affordable San Francisco-made furniture delivered to your door.
The 10 Best Coolers of 2020
Looking to hide some sandwiches and 85 cans of beer from a bear? One of these will do the trick.
Your New Favorite Recipe Is This Grilled Pork Shoulder
The other white meat gets its turn on the grill.
20 of the Best-Looking Bottles of Whiskey You Can Buy
This time, we are judging a book by its cover.
Need a Father’s Day Gift? Consider Carnivorous Plants
Have a fly problem? Not anymore.
Is There Any Real Difference Between a $1 Pen and a $50 Pen?
A good pen should write well, and its ink should last for a long time. So why do people love $50 pens when $1 ones do the same thing?
The 11 Best Sheets to Buy in 2020
We tested 33 different bed sheet sets to find the best bedding for every type of sleeper, at every budget.
Motoring
The 2020 Porsche Macan Turbo Represents Maximum Value, Porsche Style
The Macan is brilliant, and the Macan Turbo is the best of the bunch.
Is This Cool-Looking Toyota Wagon Coming to America Soon?
Toyota filed a trademark application to name a car the "BZ." Could it be the Corolla wagon?
This Wild Pop-Up Rooftop Camper Is Basically a Super-Light, Nearly-Indestructible Tent
Clever carbon fiber construction makes this rooftop camper as convenient as a tent.
Want to Build the Ultimate Overlanding RV? Start With This Award-Winning Off-Road Bus
This off-roading bus won a Red Dot design award — and deservedly so.
This Porsche Is Pretty Much Perfect. But Porsche Still Plans on Making It Better
But you may not like it.
The Weirdest Cars Ever Made by General Motors
Like any manufacturer, GM has produced some head-scratching cars over the decades. Here are some of the weirdest.
Thule’s New Rooftop Tent Isn’t Just a Rooftop Tent. It’s So Much More
The Hybox Wedge makes life better for anyone looking to camp or carry cargo solo.
You Can Buy This Insane Cadillac Made for One of the World’s Most Famous Athletes
Perfect for anyone who loves the smell of pigskin, but hates the smell of strawberries.
Would You Believe an Electric Jeep Wrangler Could Be the Best Wrangler Yet? One Jeep Exec Does
The automotive market will change over the next decade. But Jeep still plans to have the most badass SUV around.
The BMW 5 Series’s 2021 Facelift Avoids the Awkward Grille, Adds More Tech
No ginormous Angry Pigs face here, thank goodness.
Which 2021 Toyota Supra Should You Buy? We Drove Both to Find Out
A difficult choice.
Ram’s New Hellcat-Powered Pickup Truck Looks Ready to Eat the Ford Raptor
Reports say Ram is coming after the F-150 Raptor with its biggest, baddest engine...and some help from Alfa Romeo.
The Subaru Crosstrek’s New Engine Isn’t Just More Powerful — It’s Super Fuel-Efficient, Too
The bigger engine gets even better highway mileage than the smaller one, the EPA says.
Enter to Win This Ram 1500 and Airstream Caravel, and You’ll Help COVID-19 First Responders
Help provide outdoor adventures to those who need a break... and maybe win the ultimate truck and camping trailer combo.
These Are the Most Reliable Lightly-Used Full-Size SUVs You Can Buy
Looking for a big ride at a reduced price? These are your five best bets.
This Is Our Best Look Yet at Nissan’s New Z-Car
Nissan's new sports car is coming, and it looks like enthusiasts will love the styling.
The Best Car Books to Get Your Dad for Father’s Day
Does your dad love cars? Here are five great books to give him for Father's Day.
Some of the Best New Motorcycle Helmets of 2020
Riding season has arrived. Here are some of the best new motorcycle helmets manufacturers have released for 2020.
These Are the Safest Cars You Can Drive, According to a New Study
The safest cars tend to be luxury SUVs...though there were some surprises.
Is Nissan About to Reveal the Electric Car Everyone Really Wants?
300-mile range, a practical size, and 0-60 mph in less than five seconds.
Ford’s Next Mustang Has a Familiar Name: Meet the 2021 Mach 1
Ford's is bringing back one of the most iconic names in Mustang lore.
Acura’s New Sport Sedan Is Almost a Cheaper, 4-Door NSX
A twin-turbo V6, Super-Handling All-Wheel-Drive, and a design that'll draw eyes for a block around.
Outdoors and Fitness
10 Workout Recovery Products That Feel Damn Good
These 10 items are worth stocking in your home, gym bag and travel kit -- you never know when you might need one.
7 Trainers Share Their Home Gym Essentials
We asked some of our favorite fitness pros what gear graces their domestic setups. Whether you have a lot of space or a little, they're got you covered.
This Premium Fitness Brand Is Selling New Workout Tees at Cost, but There’s a Catch
Ten Thousand, known for its premium fitness apparel that's favored by professional trainers, wants to bring amateur athletes into its product development.
This Loaded New E-Cargo Bike Is Surprisingly Affordable
The Radwagon 4 is packed with noteworthy upgrades, plus one hundred reasons to pre-order.
A Powerful Motor Is Hardly the Most Exciting Thing about This New Gravel E-Bike
The Cannondale Topstone Neo offers a democratizing combo of power and performance, as our tester learned when his parents saddled up alongside him.
5 Stay-at-Home Workouts We Are Loving Right Now
Cooped up with only a kettlebell? A sandbag? A skillet?? These sculpted social media stars have a revved-up routine just for you.
Need a New Hard Cooler? Just Get This
We love the Yeti Tundra Haul's chilled-out integration of a handle and wheels, and you will too.
The Best Hiking Socks Money Can Buy
Keep your feet warm, dry and blister-free.
This Might Be the Least E-Bikey E-Bike Ever — in a Good Way
Gogoro's eye-popping new Eeyo boasts half the weight and twice the style of the competition.
Style
Which Classic Menswear Brand Makes the Best Button-Down Shirt? We Found Out
We compared two of the most-recognized Oxford shirts on the market. Which one is right for you?
How to Trim Your Beard, According to an Expert
Mike Gilman, the founder of the Grooming Lounge, shares his advice for taming stray follicles.
This Affordable Acoustic Guitar Offers Big Tone in a Small Package
A new parlor-size guitar that packs a punch.
The Best Underwear for Men
Available in an array of fabrics like cotton, merino wool and high-performance synthetics.
I Can’t Get Enough of These YouTubers Slicing Shoes Wide Open
Looking for something new to watch?
Want the Perfect Summer Shorts? Get These
Summer can throw everything at you in a single day: hiking, running, swimming, casual dinner parties. These shorts can handle all of them.
17 New Style Releases That Are Perfect for Summer
The best style releases to come out this week, from sheer outerwear to slick service boots and more.
Like Patagonia Baggies? Then You’ll Love These Shorts, Too
Baggies are a classic summer short that have inspired many alternative shorts. Here are the ones you should consider.
Tech
5 Settings to Change on Your Mac’s Menu Bar Right Now
The menu bar is there to help you navigate your Mac seamlessly so that you can be your most productive self. Here's how to customize it so that it works for you.
HBO Max: Your 5 Biggest Questions, Answered
Already have HBO and wondering if you should get HBO Max? Here's what you need to know.
What Ever Happened to One of the MacBook’s Best Features?
The old connector solved a problem that today's USB-C connections fail to even address.
The Perfect Outdoor Office, 3 Ways
The essential gear you need to stay connected and work remotely.
Yes, You Should Still Be Buying CDs, Here’s Why
In this age of streaming and vinyl resurgence, the popularity of CDs has plummetted. Yet, there are a number of reasons to still listen to this forgotten audio format.
Want a Cheap New iPhone? You’ve Got Options
The real question: should you get a refurbished iPhone XR or a new iPhone SE?
Watches
These Are the Watches We’re Obsessing Over in May 2020
We're flipping our lids over a new Grand Seiko GMT, an AP Royal Oak Offshore, and more.
This Is Your Chance to Learn Basic Watchmaking from the Comfort of Home
The Horological Society of New York is offering virtual classes in basic watchmaking theory that you can enjoy from the comfort of your home.
Your New Skiing Watch Should Be This Camouflaged Bell & Ross
Summer may finally be here, but that doesn't mean we can't get behind this limited edition, winter camo-themed pilot's watch.
Some of Our Favorite Independent Watch Brands Are Holding a Virtual Summit
Our friends at Oak & Oscar are holding a panel discussion on boutique watchmaking on June 5th at 1pm central time. Don't forget to RSVP!
These Are the Best Watches You Can Buy Under $500
You don't have to drop a ton of money in order to get a great watch that, with a little TLC, could potentially last a lifetime.
This Ultra-Rugged, Genuinely Badass Watch Is Just $495
A special version of Luminox's ultra-rugged ICE-SAR Arctic 1000 Series featured a beautiful blue dial and a super-light Carbonox case.
This Sporty Automatic Watch is Made for Vintage Car Fans
The latest automatic watches celebrating Frederique Constant's relationship with carmaker Austin-Healey feature funky new colorways and retro styling.
How to Talk Watches: 26 Slang Terms Every Wannabe Expert Should Know
Our guide to watch slang will arm you with the lingo you need to sound like an expert and hang with the #watchfam.
Dive and Travel Functions Come Together in This Overbuilt Tool Watch
Adventurous world travelers who need a tough diver and multiple time zones will appreciate the new Delma Cayman Worldtimer Automatic watch.
10 Great Watches to Wear This Summer
Divers, field watches, smartwatches — there's no one "right" type of watch for summer. We round up 10 of our favorites for 2019.
This New Watch Was Re-Conceived in Response to the Public Health Crisis
The new Shinola Champ began as a watch for Olympiads, but the Detroit company has now dedicated it to frontline workers and an associated charity.
Need an Affordable Way to Store Your Watches, Knives and EDC? Look No Further
Drop's Cache is modular and has room for up to seven knives, three watches, a wallet, and two full-size pens or four small flashlights.
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