Today in Gear: Kickstart Your Week with This News

With its stock tumbling, it sounds like Netflix’s next act might involve video games. While its share price fell about 35 percent last week after revealing it lost 200,000 subscribers in the first quarter of 2022, it’s also making plans to add games to its product offering. Building upon moves made back in 2021, the hiring of former EA executive Mike Verdu was a major move to do what a, “a person familiar with the situation” described as adding video games as, “a new programming genre — similar to what Netflix did with documentaries or stand-up specials.” While the announcement last year was focused on finding new pathways for growth, with Netflix’s recent woes, this might be an alternative way to help bring in new subscribers. That said, Netflix’s current plans — licensing other properties to make new shows or creating a mobile game based on (party game?) Exploding Kittens — might land less impressively than it hopes. Netfilx woes aside, we’re checking details on the Hamilton Jazzmaster Open Heart watch, Finisterre’s new garment recycling program and a Denon Dolby Atmos soundbar that’s priced to move. This is Today in Gear.

Huel Black Edition: Complete, balanced meals without any of the hassle.

Huel

Perfect for food lovers who also love to watch what they eat, Huel Black Edition is a suite of complete meals that eliminate the hassle of shopping and cooking while providing an optimized “balance of protein, carbs, fats, fiber and all 27 essential vitamins and minerals.” Even compared to Huel’s other products, Black Edition – which comes in 10 flavors – is a grand slam: each meal’s 40g of protein is 33 percent more than the brand’s v3.0 powder; and at only 17g of carbs, each meal clocks in at 50 percent less than v3.0 powders; plus, the meals are gluten-free and contain no artificial sweeteners. That means Huel Black Edition is great for dieters but just as good for anyone whose time is crunched.

The Hamilton Jazzmaster Open Heart gives an under-the-hood look at the H-10 movement.

Hamilton

While we’re always talking watches here on Today in Gear, it’s not often we highlight watches that give an inside look (literally) at the movement. Utilizing Hamilton’s H-10 automatic movement (which boasts an impressive 80 hour power reserve), the Jazzmaster Open Heart delivers a “precision cutout” view of what’s powering the piece, blending both traditional and contemporary aesthetics for a watch that has plenty of personality. While some models are available now, others are slated to arrive soon.

Finisterre links with Reskinned to launch recycling and resale program.

Reskinned

Reskinned is a platform designed to promote the recycling and resale of pre-loved garments, with the goal of making the fashion world a bit more sustainable. In teaming with Reskinned, Finisterre is “committed to reducing [its] impact throughout our supply chain,” using the partnership to provide an opportunity for fans of the brand to shop recycled and repaired Finisterre. On top of the eco-conscious benefits of shopping pre-loved garments secondhand, it’s also a great way to score a deal on some gear with plenty of life left in it too.

If you’re in the market for a Dolby Atmos soundbar, this Denon option is it.

Denon

When it comes to recommending a solid soundbar (at a reasonable price), we’ve got you. The Denon DHT-S217 — which should hit stores next month — is another quality candidate. While it doesn’t have upward-firing drivers, it does support Dolby Atoms and feature integrated Bluetooth streaming and bass-friendly downward-firing woofers. If price is the main consideration, this roughly $250 option is definitely worth a look.

Vollebak’s Equator Shorts are meant to perform in some of the hottest parts of the planet.

Vollebak

Vollebak’s fusion of storytelling and practical design make it a cult-favorite brand. The Equator short uses its namesake as inspiration, making shorts that should perform in extreme heat and humidity. Made with Karnak Menoufi — a rare, silk-like fabric that’s native to the Nile Delta — blended with Italian ultrafine nylon, the Equator Short is lightweight and promotes air ventilation. While we can think of a few things we’d want to put in our kit on a trip close to the Equator, we love how Vollebak taps into the equator’s extreme climate to not just inform the name of this product, but to directly inform the performance and functionality of it as well.

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