Today In Gear: Urban Armor Gear’s Rugged Smartphone Cases, The North Face’s Gore-Tex Killer & More

Today in Gear is our daily roundup of all the latest product announcements, drops and deals. Comments or concerns? We’d love to hear from you at [email protected].

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Urban Armor Gear’s goal is to create a variety of protective cases to help you go further with your mobile device. The Monarch Series does a superb job of that and is skillfully crafted with premium materials to elevate tech durability to the next level.

Monarch Series cases feature a soft impact-resistant core of five layers, a honeycomb traction grip and are made with top grain leather and alloy metal hardware. The cases not only meet the Military Standard for drop and shock protection (dropped 26 times from 4 feet high with no damage to the device), but they exceed it by double. Oversized tactile buttons and a protective screen surround ensure the total usability while on-the-go. The Monarch Series is available for Apple, Samsung, Google and Huawei devices and is a top-flight option when you’re looking for rugged smartphone durability.

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New & Noteworthy Releases

This Waterproof Fabric Won’t Make You Sweat Through Your Jacket

The North Face aims to revolutionize the outdoors with its waterproof and breathable fabric called FutureLight.

Omega Revives the First Watch Movement Used In Space

Watch enthusiasts don’t get excited too often about new movements, but here’s why Omega’s 321 caliber is so worthy of its comeback.

The 2020 Mercedes-Benz CLA Is Bigger, Better and No Longer Entry-Level

The new CLA has gotten longer, wider, and sleeker than the previous model.

These Noise-Canceling Headphones Were Perfected for Business Professionals

The Jabra Elite 85h are noise-canceling headphones with a 32-hour battery life, with noise-canceling turned on.

Tracksmith Just Released 8 Pieces of Gear to Keep You Running All Winter

These pieces will streamline your winter running kit and help you make it to spring.

The Harley-Davidson LiveWire Pricing Is Ridiculous

Five years after it was originally announced, the production version of the Harley-Davidson LiveWire finally made an appearance at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

This Is the Holy Grail of Home-Brewing Machines, Perfect for the Craft Beer Lover

You can make one of five craft beers: golden American Pale Ale, hoppy American IPA, dry Czech Pilsner, full-bodied English Stout, or zesty Belgian-style Witbier.

This Recovery Tool Could Be Key to Keeping Your Resolution

The G3PRO handheld massager from Theragun might be the key to keeping your New Year’s fitness resolutions in 2020.

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Fresh Deals

CRKT Pilar Large Pocket Knife
Save 34%: Everyday pocket knives are getting smaller, and we like it. Tiny knives are utterly portable, and they can be so without losing out on utility. But sometimes, when the task calls for it, or when you just want it, a big blade is better. That’s why this year, CRKT made a larger version of the Pilar, a knife that has become quite popular since its release in 2017.

The Pilar Large is bigger than its original version, but it still isn’t a massive hunk of metal that’ll weigh heavy in your pocket. It’s also currently on sale at Massdrop for 36 percent off, a notable discount given how new this knife is and how popular the original was. The Pilar Large can be ordered with a stainless steel handle, a G10 handle or, for slightly more money, in an all-black edition that has upgraded steel. — Tanner Bowden

Bonobos Clothing and Accessories
Save 40%:If you haven’t already spent this month’s discretionary income on any number of early-January sales, let us tempt you with something new. Currently at Bonobos, you can save an extra 40 percent on a massive range of already reduced clothing and accessories with the code WINTER40. That means you can pick up a pair of chinos for under $30 and an Italian-wool suit for $300. Browse an impressive selection of pants, shirts, suits and more — this massive sale is worth your time and money. — John Zientek

Nike, Adidas and New Balance Sneakers
Save Up to 70% Just as we leave the holiday season in the rearview, online retailer Sneakersnstuff drops a beast of a sale — 30 to 70 percent off thousands of pieces in its inventory. And while the Holiday Sale features plenty of sweats, hoodies, hats and bags, the best pickings are in the department Sneakersnstuff does best — sneakers. Among the 24 pages worth of shoes are a wealth of great deals on some of the most covetable sneakers of the last year. —Will Price

Common Projects Shoes and Boots
Save 40%:Since its inception in 2004, New York-based footwear brand Common Projects has become something of a cult-favorite. The brand makes luxe versions of classic sneaker silhouettes, utilizing premium materials and Italian craftsmanship. While the brand isn’t as hard to come by as it once was, it’s rare to find substantial markdowns on any of its styles.

But, today is one of those rare occasions. If you head over to Mr Porter, you can save 40 percent on a few different pairs of shoes and boots from Common Projects. The understated styles are available in a range of sizes and prices start at $258 — that’s almost unheard of for this brand. — John Zientek

TRX

TRX Suspension Trainer
Save 34%: When arranged thoughtfully and outfitted appropriately, a home gym can be an entirely capable alternative to a pricey gym membership. It doesn’t have to call for heavy and bulky (not to mention expensive) equipment, either. TRX’s original suspension trainer was created with this type of functional minimalism in mind — it was invented by a Navy SEAL squadron commander named Randy Hetrick who was searching for a way to stay fit during deployment.

Hetrick’s original version was made of a jiu-jitsu belt and parachute webbing, but the design has since been refined. The system sets up virtually anywhere, and one size is suitable for upper body, lower body and core workouts. It comes with a mesh bag for storage and travel and includes workout primers developed by professional trainers.
Like an as-seen-on-TV contraption, it can be adapted to various workouts and targeted exercises. Unlike that hulking machine, it can be bought in fewer than 12 installments, especially now that it’s 34 percent off — a savings of $51 — at Huckberry. — Tanner Bowden

Barton Watch Bands
Save 10%: Barton Bands makes one of the largest varieties of watch straps available in a variety of sizes and colors: they’ve got pull-through nylon, two-piece canvas and leather, two-pice rubber dive straps and even an entire range of specialty smartwatch straps. Right now, they’re offering 10% off three or more straps using the code “HELLO2019” at checkout, so if you’ve got a new timepiece in need of strappage, now’s the time to stock up. — Oren Hartov

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Today on Gear Patrol

VW

The 2016-2019 VW Golf GTI May Be the Best Ever

The Mk1 version debuting in 1975 became an icon. The latest, the Mk7, should prove a collectors’ item in its own right.

Google’s New Smart Clock and Display Could Change the Way You Wake Up

Today at CES, Google announced its second smart display, the Smart Clock and Smart Display in collaboration with Lenovo.

Are Unisex Models the New Big Trend in Watchmaking?

With the downward trend in watch case sizes, more companies are producing watches that are distinctly (though perhaps unintentionally) unisex.

3 Under the Radar Sneaker Brands You Should Try This Year

These three brands are worth watching in 2019.

The 4 Best Bookshelf Speakers of 2020

These are the best bookshelf speakers for your home audio setup, in a variety of price ranges.

This Futuristic Rollable 4K OLED TV Is the King of CES 2019, So Far

It’s the first rollable OLED TV and, coming this spring, it’s going to be available to consumers everywhere.

This Is the Ideal Multi-Use Lens for Landscape Photographers

Announced at CES 2019, Nikon’s Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S is the first 14mm that allows for screw-in adapters.

This Fascinating Soundbar Is Also a Complete Surround Sound System

The crazy cool soundbar has 13 total drivers — six four-inch woofers, five tweeters and two top-firing speakers — and is designed to create a completely immersive experience.

Sony’s Entry-Level Turntable Makes Wireless Audio Cheap and Easy

The Sony PS-LX310BT turntable will arrive sometime this spring.

Pick Your Poison: Should You Go With Sony’s 4K or 8K TV?

Sony’s reliably epic haul at CES continues this year with two massive new televisions.

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