Are you new to ice baths, or perhaps looking to hone your routine? Fitness editor Ben Emminger recently did us all a favor and put one of the buzziest recovery products — the Ice Barrel — to the test. In his full review, Emminger weighed the benefits of cold plunging against the actual labor it takes to fill and (convince yourself to) plunge, so new fans and dedicated polar plunge heads could read up and quickly get down to brass tacks. So what did his research reveal? You’ll have to read his full Ice Barrel Review to find out.
Today we’re taking a look at the Time-Eater, a new hiking shoe from La Sportiva and a down jacket that can transform into a sleeping bag. 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 tig@gearpatrol.com.
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Louis Erard and Konstantin Chaykin Unveil the Time-Eater
Louis Erard
This sporty, extra strange, extra over-the-top little wrist watch just dropped as two limited edition models. The Time-Eater (~$4,489) was inspired by Konstantin Chaykin’s imaginative Wristmons collection, and reimagines Louis Erard’s signature regulator. The first version arrives with a 39mm stainless steel case and purple ring encircling the mind-bending dial. The second boasts a 42mm case (also stainless steel), with a shiny green ‘hour-circle.’ Both are powered by the Sellita SW266-1 movement and available in a limited run of 178 pieces each — so act fast if you want to snag one for yourself.
If you love the decidedly steep and rocky flavor of hiking that's often required to reach a crag, La Sportiva's new TX4 R Approach Shoes ($179) might be for you. An exceptionally grippy Vibram Megagrip rubber outsole features aggressive lugs for confidence over variable terrain and a squared-off heel block helps you apply the brakes on steep descents. Best of all, thanks to the patented ESS resoling platform, the shoes can easily be resoled by simply replacing the tread and compressed platform. So stock up and hop up that mountain trail with La Sportiva today.
For its latest collection, Billabong teamed up with the Keith Haring foundation to create a splashy summer capsule. Fans can find everything from board shorts to bucket hats, with several styles designed from recycled materials. For example these board shorts ($70) are made with 90 percent recycled polyester. Moreover, the specific textile (i.e. the Recycler Four-Way Stretch Recycled Polyester Elastane Blend) is a new high-performance fabric made from recycled PET plastic bottles. So shop the collection today to bring home a colorful, eco-friendly piece for your beach kit.
Forget Camper Vans, Convert Your Kia Into a Campsite
Uni Camp
Unicamp debuted a new Pop Top that can be used to convert the Kia Carnival into a small camping rig. It can be deployed with the touch of the Kia Smart Key, and is configured to deploy or retract the tent in just five seconds. The sleeping space can comfortably fit a twin XL mattress (or a cozy camp mattress) and bear up to 485 pounds. It’s encompassed by a mosquito net with a small window, but fans can also add on a rear kitchen module to flesh out a full campsite. Right now, the Pop Top tent retails for an introductory $16,000 price tag, though the company plans to raise the price to $18,000 down the line.
This Down Jacket Can Transform Into a Sleeping Bag
Eddie Bauer
While winter gear may not be at the top of your shopping list, there’s no reason why you wouldn’t want to bring home Eddie Bauer’s new Downclime Alpine Parka ($479) because yeah — it unfurls into a full sleeping bag. Filled with 700-fill-power goose down insulation, the parka is built to withstand alpine terrain down to -35 degrees F. When worn just as a jacket, fans can tuck the lower sleeping bag right into the parka. Then, when it comes time to deploy and zip the bag up, they’ll be cocooned in a full mummy-style sleeping bag.
