Editor’s Note: It’s pretty clear that our staff is passionate about gear, and as we strive to bring you the best of the best, we also want to take the time to share our own personal favorites. These are the goods we personally own: our essentials. Over the next few months, we’ll bring you each of our writers’ 10 personal favorites. By the look of things, the selection will run a wide gamut, from heirloom pieces to the most practical of gear that can be easily procured — a gear fingerprint, of sorts. Last but not least, each will share one “holy grail” item that still remains the stuff of dreams, out of reach, but hopefully only temporarily so.
Our inaugural Staff Favorites features Mr. Jason Heaton. Fittingly so. As one of GP’s most seasoned writers and a consummate adventurer, Jason’s assignments have flung him across the world: diving in Bonaire, cycling across Sri Lanka and an upcoming ascent of the stratovolcano, Mt. Rainier, to name just a few. Combined with his enduring love of men’s watches, vintage goods and all things Americana — not to mention a quietly proficient hand at both fiction and technical writing — Jason has managed to claim our unspoken nomination for “American most likely to replace Bond” here at HQ. Always curious for more gear, the daunting Minneapolis native helms our Timekeeping section, but his work also graces the pages of HODINKEE and Revolution, amongst others. Below (and above in clickable imagery form) are Mr. Heaton’s favorites.
Rolex Submariner
This watch, the now discontinued reference 14060M, was a 40th birthday gift from my wife, and I plan to wear it on my 80th. The Sub will no doubt be in better shape than I will be at that age. The new, improved Submariner is a superior timepiece on paper, but I prefer the old school version.