Staff Picks: Henry Phillips, Deputy Photography Editor

Editor’s Note: As a collective, the Gear Patrol staff is a wealth of knowledge about products — everyone is an expert in his or her own right. Of course, every story we publish is a testament to that. And in our personal lives, we pursue our product passion, too. This series is our way of showcasing and sharing our insights on products we inpidually endorse, love and own. Our hope is that you enjoy it all — and perhaps discover something new as you meet our staff over the next few weeks.

My first paying job was as a shop rat at Ski Center — a Washington DC ski shop that sold patio furniture during the summer. My second paying job was at Hudson Trail Outfitters, which sold bikes during the summer and not much during the winter. I spent probably half my net earnings from each place on products, poring over wholesale catalogs and ProForm sheets. Forty percent off here, sixty there. Maybe that’s a pervasive theme in my picks: some attempt to rekindle the joy of getting more than I paid for. Whether it’s a $3 shirt or a $3,600 watch, a sense of value is imbued in all 10 items.

Gildan G200

$2.22. Seriously, that’s how much these shirts cost. Fifteen of these suitably comfy black tees cost me less than one shirt from J.Crew.

Aprix Suede Sneakers

Brendon Babenzien was a creative director at Supreme and then started NOAH, which is basically Supreme for 30-year-olds. Part of that was introducing Aprix sneakers, which are some kind of excellent hybrid between a Tretorn Nylite and a Common Projects Achilles. They’re nice but not precious, the materials are solid and they’ve got a silent “X” in their name.

Patagonia Baggies

I think I’ve had a pair of baggies in my closet since I was, like, four. Blue, black and red are preferred; mesh liner cut-out is a must.

Wahoo ELEMNT

As far as bike computers go, I was a full-on Garmin Edge devotee for half a decade, but, somehow, Wahoo produced an infinitely better device out of nowhere. It’s easy to use, the display is uncluttered and beautiful, it fully leverages my phone for complicated settings adjustments and workout uploads, it talks to all my stuff without issues and it isn’t bogged down with stuff I don’t care about. I have the original ELEMNT, but if I were to buy one now it’d be the Bolt, which is a little smaller, a little cheaper and just as rad.

Tudor Black Bay Black 79220N

How great is this watch? Answer: so great. Tudor introduced the Heritage Black Bay Black way back in October 2015 and then screwed it all up in 2016 by putting in an in-house movement and messing up a couple details. The movement swap is fine (though it did make the watch a little thicker), but the brand changed the dial to be in better parity with the rest of the modern Tudor family, swapping the vintage Tudor rose logo to the modern shield and changing the text from the fun-loving “smile” to the infinitely less cool straight. The 79220N probably won’t be a classic or anything, but I’m madly in love with it.

De Cecco Radiatori

A very rare but impossibly perfect pasta shape, radiatori retains sauce like none other and has the best mouthfeel in the game. Throw your shells in the trash.

Hiroshi Sugimoto: The Long Never

Hiroshi Sugimoto’s been putting out books for 25 years, and work for way longer than that, but all his primary subjects — movie theaters, perfectly horizoned seascapes, lightning strikes — have this kind of enduring power that just works. I’d love to have a print of his someday, but for now, I’ve snagged a recent book that, technically, is kind of dumbfounding. It’s 65 works hand-tipped onto 140 pages covering most of his career. It’s silk bound and signed and it sits in an aluminum slipcase.

Applecare+

I drop my phone so much. I also refuse to get a case. $29 screen fixes do a lot to balance out my idiocy.

Aime Leon Dore Topcoat

Bought this from their winter drop last year, as I was desperately looking for a green wool top coat. I tried everyone before bumbling into ALD’s then-pop-up, now permanent-ish shop in the Lower East Side and buying the last one off the mannequin. It’s double breasted with peak lapels and it’s really fuckin’ green.

The Grail

Peugeot 504 GL Break

It’s maybe (definitely) a little cliche to pick a car as a grail, but how sweet is this ’70s ‘geot? Ninety-seven horsepower, four on the floor, tan leather and room for a golden retriever. Ideally, it’d have danger-spec French yellow headlights, but that’s probably an easy swap.

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