Today in Gear: News to Wrap Up Your Week

We started the week with some news on electric vehicles, and we’ll end the week that way too. While rivals like Ford have been making announcements about its concerted push into the EV market, Chevrolet has been relatively quiet by comparison. Revealed by GM head of product development Doug Parks earlier this week, GM’s electric Silverado pickup will enter into production in “early 2023.” This will obviously put it on the market after GM’s first all-electric pickup, GMC Hummer EV (which has been billed as a “supertruck” with a hefty price tag to match). While it’s exciting to hear Chevy’s entry into the space as one of the U.S.’s biggest auto giants, it’s also disappointing to hear that production will start in 2023; by that time, it’s likely that this new Silverado will have been effectively lapped by competition at not just Ford, but Tesla and Rivian as well. What we do know right now is that the truck is slated to have 400 miles of range, and should be revealed in fuller detail at CES early next month. Electric vehicles aside, we’ve got a slate of new gear to tackle before we go into the weekend. From updates on We Knife Co.’s upcoming 2022 releases to JJJJound’s second collaboration with Eddie Bauer and Blackstock & Weber’s winterized set of luxe loafers, this is Today in Gear.

Future Fitness fuses the human element with modern digital training

Future Fitness

Stay on track with your fitness goals and receive consistent motivation with Future’s unique approach to personal training and overall health. When you sign up, you’re connected with a personal trainer who won’t just get you excited for your next workout, but will also create a plan catered to your goals and fitness level — checking in with you via text on a regular basis.

We Knife Co. previews two new blades for 2022.

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Teased for 2022, We Knife Co. has two new items dropping this January. The first builds off the success of sister brand Civivi’s Elementum blade, creating a We-branded Elementum. This new model comes with full titanium scales on front and back for a more upscale finish to the popular blade. The other is the Beacon — a mid-size folder that boasts a 3.48-inch blade and a slightly angular design. Keep it locked to We Knives’ social media for more release info as we get closer to 2022.

JJJJound and Eddie Bauer reconnect for Fall/Winter 2021.

JJJJound

Fresh off a tasteful collaboration featuring two Danner boots, JJJJound adds a new release with Eddie Bauer. When the pair partnered up for the first time back in Fall/Winter 2020, the focus was on the Skyliner jacket and the Canadian Vest. The Canadian Vest is the main focus here, using a similar color palette — olive, navy, and brown — to celebrate the silhouette’s legacy, dating all the way back to 1954. The vests drop on December 15.

Blackstock & Weber beefs up its brown loafers with Vibram soles.

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Released today at 12pm EST, one of our favorite labels — Blackstock & Weber is dropping three loafers featuring brown pebbled leather and beefed up storm-welted Vibram soles. Whether you’re looking for a model with the flash of the Mason Horsebit, the panache of the Clásico Tassel or the simplicity of the Ellis Penny, each model is winterized and ready to be worn through the winter season.

Bring Equinox right into your home (without even needing to break a sweat).

Equinox

Equinox has released an exclusive candle that mimics the calming aroma of the Eucalyptus towels found at its gym and spa locations. Made with coconut wax, the candle smells of Eucalyptus (obviously) with herbaceous and woody notes. Even if you’re avoiding the gym this holiday season, at least you can feel like you’ve just come back from a hard workout.

Ask an Expert

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A Gear Patrol reader asks: “What is a cowichan sweater? What makes it ‘cowichan’ in the first place, and what is the significance of it?”

The Expert: “Like many things with ties to North American indigenous peoples, this is a topic that’s far more nuanced than we have time for in this column. That said, here’s a brief rundown of some key Cowichan sweater history.

First things first, Cowichan knitting originated with the First Nations peoples of the Cowichan Valley, an area located on the southern part of Vancouver Island in British Columbia. The Cowichan are a Coast Salish people in British Columbia.

Cowichan sweaters today are known generally for their chunky knit and the inclusion of a geometric design — often featuring wildlife like eagles, deer or fish.

While early Cowichan people wove textiles from mountain goat wool, goose down and cedar bark fibers, that expanded to include sheep wool when Europeans arrived in the area around the 19th century.

People generally theorize the Cowichan sweater is influenced by Scottish immigrants (who shared items like Fair Isle sweaters with the Indigenous population) or the Québécoises Sisters of St. Ann who taught domestic skills at their residential schools — designed to assimilate First Nations peoples into a more Euro-centric Canadian society.

While the style has gained popularity on the global market, genuine Cowichan sweaters can be identified by their unprocessed wool, bulky shape, tubular shawl collar silhouette and natural color palette (think gray, cream or brown wool). More importantly, due to pressure from the Cowichan and Coast Salish people, many international brands — including Hudson’s Bay or Ralph Lauren — have removed use of the term “Cowichan” to describe similar sweaters; this not only helps put the focus back on the groups who originated the sweater, but helps consumers better identify the genuine article.” – Gregory Babcock, Associate Editor

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