A Look Back at the Gear We Discovered This Week
Savor our weekly roundup of gear news with your Saturday morning coffee, or use it to fend off the existential panic of Sunday night — it’s up to you.
Published May 9, 2020
·
Updated June 1, 2021
Share
We publish our weekly roundup of gear news for you to enjoy over the weekend. Savor it with your Saturday morning coffee, or use it to fend off the existential panic of Sunday night — it’s up to you. Comments or concerns? We’d love to hear from you at [email protected] .
This Week in Review Home Motoring Outdoors and Fitness Style Tech Watches
Home
Coronavirus Forced Me to Do Laundry by Hand. This Cheap Spin Dryer Made It Bearable
The inexpensive Mini Spin Dryer 2 from The Laundry Alternative has been my saving grace now that I have to handwash my laundry at home.
This Affordable Japanese Home Goods Brand Takes Design Cues From WWII
Puebco’s wicked military-inspired toolboxes, dog beds, aprons and more aren’t new, but they’re new to us.
Henry Phillips The 14 Best Tequilas You Can Buy in 2020
This definitive guide explores everything you need to know about the world’s most popular agave spirit, including a list of the best bottles and brands to seek out.
Screw Tequila. Here Are 5 Bottles of Mezcal to Get Delivered to Your Door ASAP
Celebrate Cinco de Mayo with a speedy mezcal delivery.
Gear Patrol Can’t Get Your Hands on Pappy Van Winkle Bourbon? This Coffee Is an Affordable Consolation Prize
Drown your failures in a $22 bag of coffee beans aged in former Pappy Van Winkle bourbon barrels.
Buffalo Trace’s New $70 Bourbon Will Probably Be More Like $1,000. Here’s Why
If the past is any indication, the new E.H. Taylor bourbon will be nearly unobtainable.
Henry Phillips Why the Hell Is There a Dimple on the Bottom of Wine Bottles? We Found Out
Bottoms up — wait, what’s that dent?
This Very Strange Lamp Could Keep You Productive While Working from Home
Dyson’s new Lightcycle Morph lamp TK. We tested it.
I Panic-Bought a $370 Inflatable Hot Tub for My NYC Apartment. It Saved My Sanity
Coronavirus-induced anxiety forced me to seek out a source of calmness. I landed on a balcony hot tub.
Knob Creek Is Battling Back Against the Worst Trend in Bourbon
Knob Creek’s flagship, always-available bourbon has its age statement back. Here’s why that matters.
This Near-Perfect Pillow Is Going to Be Sold Out by the Weekend
Authenticity50’s Custom Comfort Pillows are back in stock.
A Trio of Easy Tiki Cocktails to Make All Weekend Long
Keep the tropical drinks flowing with recipes from Easy Tiki .
Gear Patrol The 18 Best Office Chairs of 2020
Everything you need to know to find an office chair best suited to your needs, including ergonomics, price, aesthetics and features.
Can You Justify Spending $800 on an Air Purifier, Humidifier and Fan Rolled Into One? Just Maybe
In a great moment of surprise to everyone, Dyson’s $800 humidifier-purifier-fan might be worth its lofty price tag.
Mexico Is Getting in on the Whiskey Game and You Should Be Excited
Mexico is the birthplace of corn, so it makes sense for Abasolo Whisky to harness the crop’s potential.
Motoring
Airstream Airstream Nest Review: A Compact Camper for Those Who Don’t Need Aluminum
Airstream’s fiberglass-bodied travel trailer goes without the brand’s most obvious feature, but don’t hold that against it.
Could This Plug-In Hybrid Van Be the Future of Camping?
How does 200 miles of electric range and the freedom to use gas stations strike you?
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED JAMESHALFACRE.COM
VW Could Soon Sell the Cheap Electric Car the World Really Needs
The badge Volkswagen chooses for its new cheap EV line could bring tradition into the electric era.
Could the Dodge Durango (Finally) Be Getting the Wild Engine It Deserves?
Anyone up for a Durango that can do 0 to 60 mph in less than four seconds?
Porsche Will the Current Porsche 911 Be the Last Not to Go Hybrid?
Porsche’s North American boss offers up a cryptic statement.
8 Concept Vehicles from the 2010s We Wish Became Real Cars
Sometimes, car companies make concepts that seem too cool not to build…but then wind up not building them anyway.
Courtesy You’re Almost Out of Time to Help Nature by Entering to Win Your Ideal Camper Van
Come for the custom Mercedes-Benz camper van, stay to help protect the outdoors.
Ram’s New Midsize Truck May Wear a Very Familiar Name
Ram filed some paperwork that strongly hints its new smaller truck will arrive soon.
This Custom 1970 Ford Ranger Is Unlike Any Vintage Truck We’ve Ever Seen
Icon 4×4 got its hands on a 1970 Ford F-100 Ranger, and the results are magnificent.
Don’t Get a Cheap New Car. Buy a Used BMW Instead
You can get a BMW with a stick (and some warranty left) for the price of a soul-crushing econobox.
Courtesy Is Land Rover Already Testing a Range-Topping, V8-Powered Defender?
A report says a new top-of-the-line engine for the new Land Rover Defender could arrive as soon as next year.
Bowlus Road Chief
This Gorgeous, Super-Luxury Camping Trailer Can Last for 2 Weeks Off the Grid
Bowlus Road Chief has made some game-changing upgrades to their best model.
Mercedes-Benz Never Made an S-Class Station Wagon…But You Can Still Buy One
You’ve never heard of a Mercedes 560 TEL before, we bet — but you’re gonna want one now.
These Are the Best Movies for Car Lovers That You Can Stream for Free
Cars have played key roles in hundreds of Hollywood hits. These are the best ones you can watch at home for free right now.
This Tesla Is So Rare, Even Elon Musk Doesn’t Have It. But You Could
Here’s the car for the person who wants a truly decadent Tesla, but finds the Cybertruck a bit crass.
Toyota Now Is The Time To Score a Great Deal on a Toyota Tacoma
If you’ve been waiting for the right time to buy a Tacoma, it may never be cheaper.
14 Great Driving Roads Just Outside America’s Biggest Cities
Many Americans will be vacationing by car this summer. Here are some great driving roads to help you escape the city.
8 New Cars You Can Buy for Massive Savings Right Now
Looking for a luxury truck or SUV? A sports car? Maybe an underrated EV? Deals are out there.
GM’s Most Exciting New SUVs Won’t Be Delayed By Coronavirus, Company Says
Good news for people who love big rigs.
The Subaru Crosstrek’s New Engine Isn’t Just More Powerful — It’s Super Fuel-Efficient, Too
The bigger engine gets even better highway mileage than the smaller one, the EPA says.
2018 Araiza11 | Ernesto Araiza | MadMedia
This Ford F-150 Raptor Is Not What It Seems. It’s So Much Cooler
This may be the most badass Raptor on the market — but one change will really annoy Ford fans.
Jeep Could Be About to Make Its SUVs Even Tougher, Starting With the Wrangler
Reports say Jeep’s toughest off-road rating will expand across their SUV lineup.
Outdoors and Fitness
The 8 Best Hiking Daypacks of 2020
These aren’t the 60-liter-plus bags used for long-distance trekking, but they come with all the same features that make walking in the wilderness enjoyable.
Upgraded Massagers Aren’t Even Theragun’s Biggest News This Week
The brand just unveiled a new name, upgraded percussion massagers and a whole other category of recovery products.
Here’s What Pro Athletes Do When the Outdoors Are Closed
Expeditions and trips have been canceled. Here’s what professional outdoor athletes are doing instead.
One of Our Favorite Military-Inspired Packs Just Got Revamped
GORUCK and Huckberry teamed up to roll out a streamlined, limited-edition version of the classic GR1.
Henry Phillips What the Heck Does Napoleon Have to Do with Your Jacket’s Handiest Pocket? We Found Out
The outdoor industry’s term for the ubiquitous zippered chest pocket is inextricably linked to the legendary French conqueror. Here’s why.
This Awesome E-Bike Takes the Pain Out of Urban Riding, And It’s Back in Stock
Motorcycle style and comfort with bike practicality—and zero emissions.
Evil Bikes One of the Best Urban Bikes Was Designed for Something Completely Different
I’ve ridden dozens of bikes in urban environments, and first on my list is the last one you’d expect.
5 Wharncliffe Knives That Should Be on Your Radar
Spyderco just revealed a big batch of new knives and nearly a third of the collection comes with the same unifying feature: a Wharncliffe blade.
Quick Review: This New Hiking Backpack Takes Cues from Vests… in a Good Way
CamelBak recently released the Octane 25, a hydration pack for hiking that draws inspiration on the features of trail running vests.
This New Shoe Is 17 Years and 4,000 Runners in the Making
A closer look at the 4D Run 1.0 from Adidas, the product of digital printing and an unprecedented amount of R&D.
Style
Going to Cut Your Own Hair? Use These Barber-Approved Grooming Tools
The real barbershop tools used by the pros themselves.
John Mayer Recommends This Durable Montana-Made Face Mask
Featuring a TPU headband, filter sleeve and adjustable nose bridge piece.
These Streaming Movies Will Give You Endless Style Inspiration
Directors can get their story across through dialogue, structure, music and a whole host of different techniques, but the clothes their characters wear are just as instrumental.
The Best Sunglasses for Every Face Shape
Sunglasses strategy: accentuate your best features.
These Jeans Offer Serious Quality at a Ridiculously Good Price
When Drop set out to make their first pair of jeans, they wanted it to be for denimheads at a super accessible price point. And they nailed it.
Henry Phillips This Is the Reason Why Sweatshirts Have a V at the Neck
The little V at the neck of your favorite sweatshirt has a long history and it’s more than just for looks.
Courtesy These Stylish Motorcycle Boots Are Perfect for Any Situation
These motorcycle boots will have you covered from the garage to the road, the restaurant and back.
19 Style Releases We’ve Been Daydreaming About All Week
From really happy sweatpants to a wild Barbour collab to seriously underpriced selvedge jeans and much more.
Tech
Google’s New Pixel Buds Really Are the Perfect Answer to AirPods
After testing the new Pixel Buds for the past week, it’s safe to say that Google finally has what Apple has had for years: an excellent set of wireless buds.
Apple Gave Its Popular MacBook Pro the One Big Fix It Needed
Today, Apple announced a new refreshed model of its 13-inch MacBook Pro and the big news is that it has a new keyboard.
This Productivity App Is Maybe the Best $2 I’ve Ever Spent
This brilliant practically disappears as soon as you start using it, and quickly organizing your desktop takes a fraction of a second.
The Handy Camera Trick That Has Saved My Ass So Many Times
Never accidentally leave the house without a battery or memory card again.
This Free App Tells You What’s New and Cool on Netflix
If you’re one of Netflix’s 16 million new subscribers, here’s a helpful and easy-to-use app that you’ll love.
Gear Patrol How Much Laptop Storage Do You Really Need?
Apple doubled the base storage of both its newest MacBook Air and MacBook Pros to 256GB. Is that enough for you or should you upgrade?
This Delightful Drone Is an Excellent Escape From Reality
No other drone under $1,000 comes close to touching this thing.
Protect Your AirPods With a Durable Leather Case
Nomad’s protective cases for AirPods and AirPods Pro are made out of genuine leather and willl patina over time.
Wunderlist Is Gone. But Its Founder Has a New Productivity App for Its Diehard Fans
Superlist is an upcoming productivity app developed by Christian Reber, the original founder of Wunderlist.
Ortofon How a 100-Year-Old Company Is Still a Cornerstone of Modern Hi-Fi
Not a lot of turntable manufacturers make their own cartridges. Instead, many chose to partner with Ortofon.
You Can Finally Get Sonos’s Big Hi-Fi Upgrade. Here’s What You Need to Know
The Sonos S2 update is now live. It’s time to update your current Sonos system.
Google Pixel Buds 2 Review, Ford’s All-New Compact Pickup Truck & Much More
Tune in now for a rundown of our top headlines from last week, including MacBook Pro’s new keyboard and a way to get your Pappy Van Winkle fix for… far less.
Watches
How to Buy a Timex Watch
Timex has been cranking out millions of affordable watches since 1854. Use this handy guide to figure out which of their timepieces is best for you.
This Might Be the Coolest Dive Watch of 2020
The new Ollech & Wajs Ocean Graph features a decompression bezel, upgraded automatic movement and 1,000 meters of water resistance. And that’s not all.
Citizen Titanium Was for Airplanes Until This Watch Came Along
The innovative Citizen X-8 Chronometer, which debuted in 1970, was the world’s first titanium watch. Why is it overlooked?
Can’t Afford a Fighter Jet? This Watch Is the Next-Best Thing
Bell & Ross’s cool new BR 03-92 HUD mimics the head-up displays found in jet aircraft.
G-Shock’s Professional Dive Watch Gets Updated Tech and an Analog Dial
The new Casio G-Shock Frogman GWF-A1000 watch retains the collection’s famous asymmetric case but features dive-specific functions and analog hands.
This Handsome German Dress Watch Packs a Useful Hidden Feature
German watchmaker Junghans’ most iconic design looks as good as ever, but now comes with state-of-the-art solar charging and world time synch.
How to Pack and Travel with Your Watches
Let the watches you travel with enhance your memory-making and selfie-taking adventures. Here’s what you want to consider and how to pack.
A Watch That Accompanied an Antarctic Expedition Is Back and Ready for Your Wrist
Nivada Grenchen is bringing back the Antarctic, an automatic watch that accompanied Admiral Richard Byrd on very, very cold trip.
Love Seikos? This Website Is a Treasure Trove of Japanese Watch Nerdery
This special website offers insight into the culture and design of the Japanese watchmaking giant.
These 7 Chronographs Sport Our Favorite Colorway
The classic black-on-white design of the 1960s called the “Panda Dial” is making a comeback on modern chronograph watches.
This Chronograph Watch Is Finally Sponsoring the Race It Was Named For
TAG Heuer is marking its new status as official timekeeper of the Monaco Grand Prix F1 race with a special version of its iconic Monaco watch.
Note: Purchasing products through our links may earn us a portion of the sale, which supports our editorial team’s mission. Learn more here .
