Today in Gear: November 7, 2014

SurfacePad for iPhone 6 & iPhone 6 Plus
The new SurfacePad guards the iPhone 6/iPhone 6 Plus like mithril without bulging out of your pocket. Made of high quality Napa leather, the case is equipped with two card slots and even folds back into a hands-free display stand. $40

Amazon Echo
Say “Alexa”, and the machine wakes up. Featuring an array of 7 microphones, 360-degree omni-directional audio and a downward-firing 2.5-inch woofer and 2-inch tweeter, the Echo is expertly tuned to answer any of your voice commands, even if it’s already playing music. Whether it’s relaying news or weather, answering your questions or pumping Springsteen, the constant wi-fi-connected Echo is always rearing to obey. $199

Juniper Ridge Christmas Fir Cabin Spray
Founded by outdoor enthusiast and “mushroom forger” Hall Newbegin, Juniper Ridge is the world’s only wild fragrance company. What does that mean? Their colognes and unique scents are distilled from real nature — plants, bark, moss, mushrooms, etc. This cabin spray features hints of pine, cedar and northwest fir, all from the forests of Mt. Hood. $30

2014 Ural Motorcycles MIR
A motorcycle for the road less traveled, Ural took their latest inspiration from the space mission Shuttle-Mir. Talk about Interstellar. Flashing an orbital white exterior with a blue pearl clear finish, the MIR has a solar battery, an MRA windscreen and a sidecar accented with a custom tonneau cover. Only 20 will be built, so it’s a limited, limited edition machine. $16,999

Kaleidescape Cinema One
There are so many ways to watch movies, why would anybody buy a device specifically geared to play them again? Here’s why: the 2014 Red Dot Design Award-winning Cinema One is a confluence of pristine picture quality and high-fidelity audio. Able to store up to 100 Blu-Ray-quality movies — or 600 DVDs — you can load already owned flicks or download new ones via the Kaleidescape Store, the only place that offers downloads with audio/video fidelity equal to that of a Blu-Ray disc. kaleidescape.com

OakStreet Bootmakers Campus Chukka
Justify it however you want — an investment? — but dropping over $400 on some shoes is no laughing matter. What these OakStreet chukkas have is lasting power and obvious style. Handcrafted with chocolate Horween Orion waterproof suede, oiled leather Waterlock soles and calfskin lining, they’ll mold to your feet for the next few years. $426

Bonavita BV1900TS Drip Coffee Brewer
A fraction of the cost of high-end machines, Bonavita’s new drip coffee brewer requires just two main ingredients: great beans and pure filtered water. Recognized as part of the Certified Home Brewer Program by Specialty Coffee Association of America, this one-touch machine features a stainless steel-lined thermal carafe, a 1500W heater and an optional pre-infusion mode. $190

The 12 Guys of Christmas: the Globetrotter
Whether it’s a comfortable pair of slacks or the ultimate travel bag, making him feel like travel royalty is only a good buy away. This is the best globetrotting gear of 2014 — gifts so good he’ll feel right at home, even when he’s getting familiar with a TSA agent. Read the story

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