This Week In Gear: May 10, 2014

Nespresso Vertuo
The throughly European, Clooney-backed gente at Nespresso have set their sights on American tastebuds with their newest machine, which can pump out both espresso and a good ol’ 8-ounce cup of joe. “How does a sleek machine with one button determine which caffeine delivery vessel I’d like?” you ask. The machine reads a small bar code on each capsule to know exactly how to brew said cuppa. Welcome to the future. $299

Armani Frames of Life
Armani’s latest line of oft-impressive glasses for spring/summer are, on the whole, winners. Of the four styles, the curvy acetate AR7004 and the acetate/matte metal AR7028 are our two favorites, but any should do the trick for playing table tennis at Monaco’s Grand Casino or shooting clays off the Cote d’Azure with your new friend named Albert. armani.com

Wayne Pate Prints
Wayne Pate’s whimsical prints can now be privy to the goings on in your living room for a price that should have you kicking yourself if you don’t buy a couple. The silkscreen prints range in size up to 18″ x 24″ and are great for hanging on sparse walls or inattentive dogs. Our favorite is the Morocco print. $55+

Saroléa SP7
Talk about rising from the dead. After 50 years off the motorcycling map, Belgian company Saroléa is building the SP7, an electric bike that will race in the 2014 Isle of Man TT. The retro shape, which is fitted with ultra-modern materials and a carbon fiber chassis, will be propelled by a 174 hp (130 kW) motor and weigh in at 422 pounds. sarolea-racing.com

Poler LeTente
Ahh bonjour madam et monsieur, please allow me to direct you to your LeTente. Though it may seem precariously perched atop this Renault Le Car I can assure you it clamps securely to standard Yakima and Thule rails and folds out in mere seconds. Ahh madame, I see you’ve spotted the queen size mattress and heavy-duty canvas construction. I suppose that’s my cue to leave you two for the evening, fais des beaux rêves. $1000

Beyerdynamic T 90 Jubilee Headphones
Beyerdynamic has been around for 90 years. NINETY YEARS. In any field that would be a thoroughly impressive number, but in the ever-changing world of electronics it’s an almost unbeatable achievement. To celebrate the milestone the German company is releasing a special edition of their T 90 headphones. The limited edition of 1,000 features an open-back design, stealthy midnight black paint scheme and the kind of sound quality that keeps a company in business for nearly a century. $699

rOtring 800+ Pencil Stylus Hybrid
It’s a beautiful pencil. It’s got weight and balance and a sleekly designed, full metal body. Click the end for more lead, or twist the end to retract the thin pencil mechanism into the body and use the soft stylus tip. Now it’s a stylus, and it’s a stylus you’ll have on you at all times because, as we said before, it’s a beautiful pencil. $97

Tom Kirkpatrick Fotografie

30th Anniversary BMW M5
30 years of the BMW M5 is cause for celebration. What better way than to add 40 more horses for an even 600, making it the most powerful M5 ever made? 0-60 arrives in a blistering 3.7 seconds due to the amped-up 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8. The additional goodies include the Competition Package, matte finish paint, 20-inch wheels and black chrome badging. Only 300 will be made, so start punching your way to the front of the line for the May 21 sale. $138,275

Competitive Cyclist x Giro Emipire ACC
Clipless cycling shoes are a product of the 1980s and are seemingly required to be outfitted with any number of velcro straps, ratchets and complicated wire tensioning systems. Giro thinks that the optimal cycling shoe design has been sitting under our noses forever. Traditional laces allow for an infinitely adjustable fit, an evofiber upper and EC90 ACC carbon sole keep things malleable and stiff in their respective places, a nifty lace holder keeps things from getting caught in your chain, and an ultra-fresh gold and white motif makes you feel like Marco Pantani at your group ride’s coffee stop. $300

OpenBay
When it comes to car repair, you’ve got your guy. Problem is, your guy most likely is the first mechanic you came across who didn’t screw you over outright. OpenBay brings the auto shops to you. You tell the app what your car needs, it connects you to offers, and you compare pricing, location, customer ratings and more. Then pay in the app and get back on the road. Learn More

Keen Durand Mid Boot
Waterproof boots claim to keep water on the outside (they don’t), but they also trap sweat and heat on the inside. Keen offers some viable middle ground for all-weather day hikers, with mid boots that are sealed on the bottom and sides by rubber and waterproof leather, to keep most of the water out, and topped by mesh, for cooler shoes that dry quickly. Plus, Keen PU at the heel and midsole — an improvement on standard EVA cushioning — resists compacting and maintains shock absorption, even after a million steps (~500 miles). $180

Mitakon Speedmaster 50mm f/0.95
Find yourself shooting in subterranean caves or interstellar space with a Sony A7? Buy this lens. This thing gobbles up light like a black hole. Manually focused and boasting a maximum aperture that’ll make your camera’s kit lens blush the Mitakon is a great addition to your bag when shooting low-ISO handheld at night. Blair Witch Project 2, meet your savior. $799

Adidas Pure Boost
Marking the first time that adidas has brought together the brightest minds from its Y-3, Originals and performance divisions, the Pure Boost is looking to be the best of all worlds when it comes to what’s on your feet. The Pures are centered around adidas’ hallmark BOOST sole and a minimal upper with just enough suede touches to separate it from pure athletic shoes. Learn More

Rezvani Beast 500
U.S.-based Rezvani Automotive Design has emerged pretty much out of nowhere. Their first model, the Beast 500, is built around the super quick, super light Ariel Atom. It’ll sport an angular carbon fiber body and will be powered by the 500 hp supercharged and turbocharged Honda engine used by Ariel to explode to 60 mph in 2.7 seconds. Starting price for this kind of speed? $139k. $139,000

NY Shaving Co Beard Kit
If you’re keeping your beard on as the weather gets hot, you need the supplies to keep it fresh and grease free. The Gentleman’s Beard Wash removes dirt and oil, while the cream relieves irritation from new growth and keeps your current beard soft and fly. Your beard is attached to your face, so make sure it looks intentional. $40

Analogue NT
The NES is now housed in a redesigned aluminum exterior, but is still compatible with your old controller, Contra and all the other original games. NES and Famicom games can be played with no emulation, but the hardware is redesigned to allow you to connect to your TV via an HDMI cable. The day has arrived, gentlemen. Show 8-bit games on your HD TV at the highest quality possible, with no blowing on cartridges. $499

Made by Fabrix Field Totes
Supporting the “keep it simple, stupid” mantra, Made By Fabrix’s new field tote does everything it needs to without trying too hard. Elegant waxed cotton canvas, veggie tanned leather and antique hardware all add up to a solid bag for the beach or whatever else you can dream up. $119

Damien Hirst ‘Mickey’ Print for Other Criteria
Your kid’s room need some livening up? Need a museum quality work that tackles issues of commercialism, corporate sponsorship and “the geometric distillation of the quintessential profile of a famous mouse”? Sure, Damian Hirst was famous for his outsider art as a member of the Young British Artists during the 1990s, but now he’s 48, has more money than God and is doing a small-edition print series with Disney so buy now while you can (sort of) afford it. Plus, 10 percent of your purchase will go to the genuinely great Kids Company. $6,793+

Seagate Backup Plus Desktop External Hard Drives
Affordable, high capacity external hard drives equipped with fast USB 3.0 and a suit of easy-to-use backup software. What’s not to like? A 2TB version, perfect for backing up your laptop, costs just $90. Need more space? Pick up a 3TB version for $130, a 4TB version for $160, or a whopping 5TB version for only $220. $90+

Ovadia & Sons Jordan Chino Short
Hacking up your chinos is one way to exact revenge on this bitch of a winter, sparing a buck on summer attire in the process. If you prefer keeping your pants intact, Ovadia & Sons Jordan Chino shorts combine a clean cut-off look with a tailored fit. $235 (★)

Her
Spike Jonze’s tale (starring Scarlett Johansson and Joaquin Phoenix) of a man who falls for an operating system in the not too distant future hits Blu-Ray. Jonze’s real feat is making the viewer fall just as hard for Johansson as the main character. Watch it with Siri. $23 (Blu-ray)

Barrell Bourbon
Starting off as 70 percent corn, 25 percent rye and 5 percent malted barley, Barrell bourbon is as craft as craft bourbon gets. It’s Kentucky-made, aged for at least five years, cask strength and free of any filtration that might sap flavor. It’s still on its first batch, and is even available online. Sold. $70

Le Creuset in White
It’s the world-famous enameled cast iron cookwear rendered in blanc. All the better to showcase your boeuf bourguignon. $180+

K-10+ Pet Vitamins
Getting humans to take their vitamins is hard enough; trying coaxing your canine. The new K-10+ is a water soluble supplement that dissolves into their water. Offering versions like Calming, Glucosamine, Omega 3, Senior Care and more, it’s the best way to remain best friends with your four-legged friend. $19

ICON 4×4 Art Prints
It’s not like you need an excuse to keep dreaming about creations like ICON 4×4’s 968 Ford Bronco, but these limited edition prints from Kevin Butler of Rad Cars with Rad Surfboards fame will definitely fuel the fires of desire. 14 of ICON design’s are available on 12″ x 12″ prints as well as a 24″ x 24″ collage. $200+

Cactus Wireless Flash Transceiver V6
It used to be that if you wanted a feature-rich wireless flash transceiver than there was only one name: Pocket Wizards the problem is that even a simple three-flash setup will have your budget screaming for mercy. The sixth version of Cactus’s transceiver packs not only an impressive price point (almost 1/3 of the competing pocket wizard) but seriously noteworthy tech highlighted by off-flash manual power adjustment for nearly every flash on the market.
$55

Behomm
Design types turned off by renting from the unwashed masses of Airbnb, take heart. Behomm is “the first site to exchange homes for vacations only for designers and visual artists.” Membership is invite only, but you can apply for consideration directly on the site. All that really seems to matter is that you do something “creative” and have a personal space that’s gorgeous enough for infinite Instagram likes. behomm.com (★)

Tanner Goods Cycling Collection
Let your bike do the haulin’ instead of your back with the cycling collection from Tanner Goods. The three bags — made from 10 ounce canvas as well as rugged 18-ounce twill — are built to stash under the handle bars, under the seat or attach directly to the frame. $128

Fictitious Dishes: An Album of Literature’s Most Memorable Meals
Dinah Fried’s whimsical photo book recreates notable meals from contemporary and classic literature such as Holden Caufield’s go-to Swiss cheese and malted milk, or the grapefruits and cigarettes from Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. $15

Naim Audio Muso
Anyone sick of wireless music systems’ compromises and with a few Bitcoins to dump should keep Naim’s upcoming Muso in their sights. The aluminum brick integrates six speakers, each with its own digital amp for a combined 450 watts of power, and support for playback of every audio file type under the sun including WAV and FLAC as well as support for “better-than-CD-quality” wireless audio streaming via Bluetooth aptx, Apple’s AirPlay or a wired connection to a home router.$1,500

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