This Week in Gear: February 29 – March 4

Good morning, and happy weekend. A lot of people would consider this two-day respite a bookend to the five-day workweek, but why can’t Monday through Friday bookend the weekend??? We may never know. What we do know is you’re about to catch up on all the gear news you missed this week. Get to it before you carpe your damn bookended weekend.

eero Home Wi-Fi System

In this day and age, ::BUFFERING:: shouldn’t a guy be able to start streaming ::BUFFERING:: a movie in his kitchen, and feel free to ::BUFFERING:: finish it on the couch? The geniuses at eero have made the no-dead-zone, no-fluctuating-signal-strength, full-home-WiFi-coverage a distinct reality. Their system of daisy chained devices (sold in a set of three or as additional single units) communicate with each other wirelessly, needing only one hard line connection to provide unshakeable internet freedom to entire spaces, regardless of interior layout or proximity to the main hub. This is the good looking way to democratize high-quality Internet access to an entire household.

Mind Journal

Men, more often than not, we don’t do a fantastic job expressing our inner thoughts and feelings (your faithful author included) — because it’s difficult and uncomfortable to do so. But it’s a supremely healthy, helpful, and, truth be told, life-changing thing as well. Gathering your friends for group therapy isn’t necessary; simply writing down your thoughts and concerns will do wonders. Really. This journal is everything we love: high-quality paper; smart, man-made leather; it’s designed to lay flat; it comes with a durable case. It’s also everything we need: questions to draw the deep stuff out of our brains, a helpful guide for beginning journalers, and a promise of more peace of mind.

Nikon DL Premium Compact Camera

Super capability in a small package — Nikon’s newest is a line of three fixed-lens cameras that punch well above their weight. Innate zoom and macro abilities will come in handy for any skill level; 20.8-megapixel BSI CMOS sensors will pump out super hi-res images regardless; go further and record 4K video at 30 fps.

Timberland Mono Grey Boots

Timberland is known for their now-iconic yellow boots. Take that same time-tested formula and apply a soft gray monochromatic colorway and you’ve got a 6-inch nubuck boot that’s almost as ready for spring as we are.

Bézi Polished Beard Oil

From Bradley Hasemeyer, Correspondent: This 100 percent natural blend of rare oils is teeming with vitamins, antioxidants and essential omegas. The oils soak into the skin and hair, providing a polished and healthy look without greasiness. The fresh, sophisticated scent dissipates quickly, leaving a faint spiciness.

Star Wars x Nixon Watch Collection: The Light Side

Last year Nixon gave in to the dark side and alongside the Star Wars brand created a line of watches designed after our favorite villains from a galaxy far, far away. Maybe it was a New Year’s resolution, maybe they met an tiny, super chill green dude; either way, they’ve seen the light. See-Threepio, Artoo-Detoo (how many nerd points is correct spelling worth?) and the rustic Jedi look are all captured in timepiece form.

Topo Designs Mountain Daypack

All new for 2016, the Daypack features a U-shaped zipper on the main compartment for easy packing, big side pockets (Nalgene-bottle-sized), a 15-inch laptop compartment and daisy chains for all your other EDC/mountaineering gear.

SanDisk 128GB Flash Drive

From Tucker Bowe, Tech Writer: At Mobile World Congress, SanDisk announced their newest USB Type-C flash drive, which is already available in the US. The device comes in four capacities (from 16GB to 128 GB) and allows users free up space on their smartphones, tablets and laptops. It’s fast (150MB/s2) and can slip on your keychain, and because it links up with SanDisk’s Memory Zone app, managing your data is as simple as stalking your friends on Facebook.

Brita Infinity Smart Water Pitcher + Amazon Dash Replacement

If you’re anything like us, you hate being reminded of how peasants live. (They drink… tap water.) But sometimes life gets in the way and we forget to stock up on fresh water filters — and by the time we realize, it’s too late. This #connected Brita pitcher will monitor filter life and automatically order replacements from Amazon when it’s time to restock.

Askov Finlayson x Hygge & West Wallpaper

First of all, yes, people still use — and love — wallpaper. Second, wallpaper doesn’t have to suck and/or look like your grandma’s “davenport” after three bad acid trips. This collab has produced two distinctly masculine wallpaper patterns (“Snow” and “Wood”) in colors that’ll soothe even the most savage of bachelor pads.

Doro Grill Fork

There are fewer more gratifying moments in a man’s life than when, after building a perfect bonfire, he searches for the perfect stick to whittle into a marshmallow skewer. But if you’re a perfectionist looking for an even finer moment, try this set of two “grill forks”. You’ll still have to find a stick of sorts, but instead of whittling, you slide it through the device’s tension spring and heat your delicious sugar poofs to caramelized glory.

Stillhouse Moonshine

Say you’re at a wedding in the Appalachian mountains, officiating the ceremony. Say you’re a specific combo of nervous/excited, so the groom’s father offers you — on the sly, with a knowing wink — some moonshine. Say you don’t remember anything after the exchange of rings. Now, years later, you want to relive that particular experience, but remember it, and fondly. Stillhouse offers their line of [legal] moonshine, made from estate-grown corn, in stainless steel cans. We can’t wait to drink sip it (and not go blind in the process).

Ford Fiesta ST200 (Sorry, Euro-only)

We Yanks have the distinct privilege of having access to perhaps the biggest bang-for-your-buck hot hatch out there: the Fiesta ST. Now our European brethren can (kinda) get in on the action, with a 200 horsepower, streamlined version of their previously dulled-down Fiesta ST. You can’t buy it here, but… look at it. Might be worth a passport renewal…

Fitbit Blaze

The latest fitness tracker from FitBit is aimed at moderate exercisers who want to monitor their steps, heart rate, calories and sleep activity but who don’t need all the myriad smartwatch functions we’ve seen from other trackers. It’ll hold a charge for 5 days, it’s somewhat water resistant and there’s no need to keep your phone handy in order to track steps, etc. — just sync up later on.

David Bowie: A Reality Tour

From Nick Milanes, Culture Writer: Bowie’s last-ever tour was a perfect portrait of a rock star settling comfortably into his sunset years. A Reality Tour, recorded during a show in Dublin, Ireland, captures a warm set stuffed with classics, deep cuts and highlights from later in his career: a stripped-down rendition of “Life on Mars,” with just Bowie and a piano; “Breaking Glass,” a shambling callback to his darker days; and “Fall Dog Bombs the Moon,” one of many more politically inclined tracks from his later years. It’s Bowie, loose and enjoying himself, charming the pants off a crowd that loves him unconditionally. All this, on three translucent blue vinyl discs — it’s quite the send-off.

Cable Matters Surge Protector with USB and Phone Holders

How many times have you asked a friend or party host if there’s a place you can charge your phone? A lot — that’s how many. (By the way, maybe try charging your phone yourself.) This new wall-mounted surge protector offers two USB slots, three 3-pronged outlets, and two slide-out trays that’ll hold your annoying smartphone while it saps away at your friend’s utility bill.

Hiking Trail Models by Nice Trails

Next time you and yours take a (literal) hike, when it’s suggested that you all snap a keepsake photo, gently, smugly clear your throat and shake your head. Inform everyone in attendance that in place of a cute selfie, you’d rather immortalize the day with a 3D print of the trail. Nice Trails uses GPS data to fabricate full-color, tabletop renderings out of 3D-printed sandstone.

The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD

From Jack Seemer, Staff Writer: When it was released in 2006, The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess was significant for two reasons. It was the first Zelda game to utilize motion sensors in its control mechanics (the player controls Link’s sword by actually swinging the Wii remote). But it was also singular in its ominous tone, similar to that of the N64’s Majora’s Mask — only darker. On Friday, March 4, nearly 10 years after its initial release, Nintendo will release a remastered version in high definition for the Wii U. Expect cleaner graphics, more open screen space, and off-screen play. There’s also a brand-new dungeon, the Cave of Shadows, that’s unlocked with Nintendo’s Wolf Link amiibo ($60), a bigger rupee wallet, a new item called the Ghost Lantern and optional Hero Mode difficulty.

AWAIR

When Leo took home the statue Sunday night, he made an impassioned plea to us all regarding the state of our planet. Regardless of politics, it’s true that air quality, especially in urban areas, can be pretty awful. This elegant device measures temperature, CO₂ levels, humidity, dust and toxic chemicals — and interfaces with an app that offers suggestions for dealing with it all.

Rogue Cold Brew IPA

Photo: JJ Taylor

We like to start our day with a nice, strong coffee. We like to end each day with a nice, strong beer. We always want to skip everything in between. Thanks to a mixture of Stumptown cold brew coffee (12 hours worth of cold brewing) and delicious Rogue hops, we now have a palate-pleasing, well-balanced, drinkable time machine that blends our mornings and evenings. Which is an excuse to drink this with breakfast, right? Available in April.

Marshall Major II Bluetooth Headphones

When Jim Marshall invented his now ubiquitous amplifiers in the early Sixties in London, the closest anyone could have gotten to Bluetooth would have involved somehow mistaking a jar of indigo dye for a strong cuppa. Now the excellent headphones that bear his name have gone cordless, as they are meant to connect with music players and tablets (and phones — there’s a built in microphone) but allow for plentiful freedom.

Ice Cotton Shirts by Copin Sportswear

Remember these words: Ice Cotton. The material is, of course, a variety of cotton that’s spun in Switzerland. If fact, the propietary material is spun 1200 times for extra strength; it dries faster than polyester; it regulates temperature extremely well. This is a performance button-down that will wear well, feel great, and never give away that it’s a superhero.

Zepp x Old Hickory Bat with Integrated Swing Sensor

Instead of functioning as a clip-on appendage, as in former iterations, Zepp’s newest tracker is nestled into the knob of these Old Hickory bats so swingers (the baseball kind) can monitor their performance without sacrificing familiarity.

Phantom 4 Drone

DJI is calling their latest marvel “the sexiest drone” they’ve ever made. (Dunno if anyone out there saw Ex Machina, but that title probably belongs to Alicia Vikander.) Regardless, this streamlined, and extremely handsome machine will fly for 28 minutes straight and boasts a 3.1-mile range. The camera is attached via an integrated gimbal device, so your 1080p (120 fps) or 4K (30fps) video is smooth and sexy as can be.

Filson Uplander Boot

There’s little need for explanation — this is a Filson boot. It’s rugged, ultimately durable, and looks impeccable. They’re water repellant, feature a removable cork insole and will possibly outlast you.

Ricoh WG-M2 Waterproof Action Camera

Ricoh’s newest action camera sports a 204-degree wide-angle lens. Which is wide. It measures up at roughly 2 x 1 x 3 inches and weighs less than 5 ounces. Which is tiny. It’ll withstand drops from over six feet, depths of 65 feet and temperatures as low as 14°F. Which is impressive. Capture 8MP stills and 4K video at 30 fps; control the camera with oversized buttons or with the app; transfer your files to a computer via wi-fi. Which is awesome.

Allbirds Wool Runners

Oh, your sneakers are comfortable? Breathable? Fashionable? Not anymore. Not like this. Made from superfine Merino wool sourced in New Zealand the uppers are comfortable, flexible and breathable. And, frankly, we can’t wait to introduce our feet so they can fall in love and live comfortably ever after.

2016 Indian Springfield

Going touring anytime soon? Your new ride is here. The Springfield is named after Indian Motorcycle’s Massachusetts birthplace, and can be converted to a cruiser when the windshield and saddlebags are removed. The chassis is compatible with trunks and accepts a higher loading capacity in case your tours go a little longer than you planned.

Spring & Summer Collection by Nau

Nau’s spring and summer line is a smaller capsule focused on essential apparel — the things you want to wear as temperatures rise, with useful technical elements to boot. The entire new collection compliments itself: wear the Anti-Dot short-sleeve shirt in the afternoon, throw on the Introvert Blazer in the evening and continue mixing and matching to your closet’s content.

Dual USB Battery Pack by ToughTested

Ever need to charge a smartphone five times in a row after surviving multiple falls from ridiculous heights? We’ve got it on good authority that this little fella can survive more than a few drops from a four-story parking garage and still never flinch when used. There’s even a built in flashlight. And it’s waterproof. So, like, whatever you’re up to and whatever happens to your body, at least you’ll always have a charged phone.

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