Gear Patrol Magazine, Issue Twenty One

Timeless Design The Classic Movements Shaping Modern Watch Forms 78

Beyond Bourbon: American Single Malt Takes Its Shot 114

The Father-Daughter Duo Bringing New Life to Canvas Jackets 100

omegawatches.com

S P E E D M A S T E R M O O N WAT C H In July 1969, the Speedmaster earned its nickname when it became the first watch worn on the moon, and in 1970, it went above all expectations when it helped guide the crew of the crippled Apollo 13 mission back to safety. Updated today as a Co-Axial Master Chronometer, the iconic Moonwatch is now tested and certified at the highest level by the Swiss Federal Institute of Metrology (METAS) which guarantees more accuracy, reliability and supreme resistance to magnetism.

LEICA CINE 1 The Art of Home Cinema.

Feel closer to every scene with Leica Cine 1, the ultra-short throw laser projector that combines Leica precision optics with advanced laser technology to turn a room into a work of art.

Find out more at leica-cinematv.com

YOU’RE WELCOME WORLD!

9 :5 3

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Presenting the 000 Commission, a 911 Turbo S coupe edited by 000 Magazine in collaboration with Porsche Sonderwunsch. Available in conjunction with the Lightweight Package and select options, this group of exterior and interior touches celebrates David Donner’s extraordinary win at the 100th Pikes Peak International Hill Climb and subsequent Pikes Peak Certified Course Time of 9 minutes, 53 seconds.

Available in any available exterior color (allocation is required for PTS).

Learn more at 000magazine.com, or contact sonderwunsch@porsche.us or your local authorized Porsche Center for more information.

T I C V A A T L I I O A T N E S R DRIVE AUTHENTIC TRAFFIC BUILD COMMUNITY INCREASE REVENUE

THE NATION’S LEADING RETAIL ACTIVATION COMPANY AF discovers, vets, and curates a community of passionate brands. These brands are then strategically placed into activation footprints within prominent retail storefronts, hotels and other destinations to build relationships and tell their stories.

C O N N E R C O F F I N : P R O S U R F E R | M U S I C I A N | G A R D E N E R | F I S H E R M A N | F A M I LY M A N

T H E C O M M U N I C AT I O N C O L L E C T I O N T H E B U R W E L L + T H E G A T C L I F F

THEJAMESBR AND.COM

Contents

32 Leica Q3 42 Eddie Bauer Downclime Alpine Sleep System

TECH 26 Transparent Gadgets Return 30 You’re Out of Storage.

Now What?

OUTDOORS

FITNESS

36 A Knife-Maker’s Journey

44 The Scoop on Creatine

40 Sleeping Bags vs. Down Blankets

46 An Iron-Clad Legacy

48 Nike Ultrafly Trail Running Shoe 58 TerraFlame Lloyd Gel Fuel Fireplace 64 Balmuda the Brew 74 American Trench OE Keystone Hoodie 2.0 84 Citizen Promaster Dive Automatic “Fujitsubo” 96 2024 Mazda CX90 Turbo S

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HOME 52 Robot Wars 54 The Birth of a Chair

C L O C K W I S E F R O M T O P L E F T : C A M O D E N (2) ; C O U R T E S Y O F R E S P E C T I V E B R A N D S (2)

The Guide

ISSUE TWENTY-ONE

• Mud Resistant Structure • Multi-Guard Bezel • Sapphire Crystal • Tough Solar Power • Triple Sensor (Altimeter, Barometer/Thermometer, Compass)

CONTENTS

The Guide

FOOD & DRINK 60 Canned Cocktails Grow Up 62 Lab-Grown Meat is Here

STYLE 68 Fitting in with Caroline Andrew

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WATCHES

MOTORING

78 What’s Your Watch’s Design Pedigree?

86 The Cars We Can’t Wait to Drive

82 Why a Watch Is a Useful Tool for New Parents

92 Finding the Affordable Porsche

GEAR PATROL WINTER PREVIEW 2023

C L O C K W I S E F R O M T O P L E F T : C A M O D E N ; J O S H U A M I N N I C H ; C O U R T E S Y O F T O Y O TA ; K A I L A H O G AWA

72 How to Take Care of Your Winter Beard

M is Momentum.

Phil Penman with Leica M11 Monochrom

Discover the M-System leica-camera.com/m-is-m

CONTENTS

100

114

After two decades of business, America’s only independent reproofer of waxed canvas plans to pass down his trade.

No, it’s not bourbon or even Scotch. For distillers across the country, that’s the whole point.

New England Reproofers

United States of Single Malt

124

136

The lessons picked up riding over, and through, the Himalayas go way beyond motorcycles.

A year-round playbook to the shoes, clothing and workout essentials you need to get into the best shape of your life.

Head in the Clouds 160

Detour: Big Night With dual locations in Manhattan and Brooklyn, this shop makes everyday products feel extraordinary.

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No Days Off On the Cover: Twenty-four pieces of wood, four cans of spray paint, eight hours of fabrication, and a couple of burritos are what it took Creative Director Joe Tornatzky and longtime friend and Studio Photographer Cam Oden to construct and shoot our abstract Bauhaus watch cover.

C LO C K W I S E F R O M TO P L E F T : C H AS E P E L L E R I N ; C S A I M AG E S /G E T T Y I M AG E S ; T I M AU K S H U N AS ; C A M O D E N ; C O U R T E S Y B I G N I G H T ; M A R C O M A R I N I A N D R I C C A R D O A L B I E R

Features

Where no GPS has gone before.

If it’s off-the-beaten-path adventures you seek, Key Largo is a world unto itself. Explore the far reaches of the Florida Everglades, where wildlife thrives and prized gamefish lurk. Immerse yourself at John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, the only living coral barrier reef in the continental U.S. Take a hike. Swim with dolphins. Or relax and get your bearings back under our clear, blue skies. Key Largo isn’t difficult to find. But anyplace like it surely is. fla-keys.com/keylargo 1.800.822.1088

MASTHEAD

FOUNDER , CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

ERIC YANG COFOUNDER , CHIEF CONTENT OFFICER

BEN BOWERS

EXECUTIVE EDITOR

ASSOCIATE EDITORS

VP , COMMERCE

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

JACK SEEMER

TUCKER BOWE

BRIAN LOUIE

JOE TORNATZKY

SENIOR COMMERCE EDITOR

SENIOR ART DIRECTOR

RYAN BROWER

ANTHONY WYBORNY

JOHNNY BRAYSON

MANAGING EDITOR

TYLER DUFFY

J.D. DIGIOVANNI

BEN EMMINGER

SENIOR EDITORS

HAYLEY HELMS

COMMERCE WRITERS

ART DIRECTOR

WILL SABEL COURTNEY

ZEN LOVE

GRACE COOPER

PETRA ZEILER

ERIC LIMER

ASSOCIATE EDITOR , SOCIAL PLATFORMS

STEVE MAZZUCCHI

SCOTT ULRICH

JOHN ZIENTEK

WILL PORTER SEAN TIRMAN

CREATIVE PROJECT MANAGER

AMANDA BERNAL

EDITORIAL PRODUCTION ASSISTANT

PRODUCTION DESIGNERS

MARY SINGLER

LEILA BARBER EMILY CHANG CONTRIBUTING GRAPHIC DESIGNER

ALEXA EDGERTON

CHIEF COMMERCIAL OFFICER

DIRECTOR , REVENUE AND FINANCE OPERATIONS

DIRECTOR, BRANDED CONTENT

ZACH MADER

GENEVA AUDUONG

BRIAN SMITH

DIRECTOR OF PARTNERSHIPS

MANAGER , CLIENT SERVICES

ASSOCIATE CONTENT PRODUCER, GEAR PATROL STUDIOS

MIKE BAILEY

DOMINIQUE GAGEANT

NANCY 0’CONNOR

ACCOUNT DIRECTORS

SALES PLANNER

ASSOCIATE EDITOR , GEAR PATROL STUDIOS

JENI ARBUCKLE

ABIGAIL CARDENAS

EMMA CRANSTON

SALES CAMPAIGN COORDINATOR

BRANDED CONTENT STRATEGIST

ANGELA HAY

ERICA GIVANS

DIRECTOR , GROWTH STRATEGY AND DEVELOPMENT

MARKETING MANAGER

CAITLYN SHAW

MEGAN PRETTYMAN

JOSH PARKER JUSTIN PARKHURST PACIFIC NORTHWEST ADVERTISING DIRECTOR

SCOT BONDLOW

Where Product Meets Culture

Gear Patrol Studios is the award-winning branded content agency of Gear Patrol. We leverage 15 years of storytelling to create compelling campaigns at the intersection of products and culture.

Gear Patrol Studios is the creative partnership arm of Gear Patrol. We are enthusiasts of design, utility and adventure, connecting brands with audiences through creativity, content marketing, branded events and more.

Select advertising in this magazine has been crafted by Gear Patrol Studios on behalf of brands to help tailor their message specifically for Gear Patrol readers.

To learn more visit: https://studios.gearpatrol.com or reach out to us at advertising@gearpatrol.com

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MANAGER OF PEOPLE AND CULTURE OPERATIONS

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ISSUE 21 CONTRIBUTORS

RICCARDO ALBIERO @ricky.albiero

BRIAN GALDAMEZ @gvldamez

JOSHUA MINNICH @joshuaminnich

IAN RICCARDO @eiaculor

TIM AUKSHUNAS @tim_auks

NICK GRANT @nicholasgrant

DAVID NIELD @davidnield

EVAN RICHARDS @evanrichards

ISADORA BAUM @izeating

OREN HARTOV @ohartov

CAM ODEN @cam_oden_photo

SCOTT SEIVER @adv_6.0

TANNER BOWDEN @danger_bowden

ADAM HURLY @adamhurly

KAILAH OGAWA @kailahogawa

JA TECSON @jatecson

CHRISTOPHER COE @chrisc0e

TANNER JAMES @tannerjames.co

KIRSTEN PATERAKIS @kikidives

SHERRY WANG @sxw

ALEX FRANKEL @alexfrankel

MARCO MARINI @marcofuoristrada

CHASE PELLERIN @chase_pellerin

CHRIS WRIGHT @wrightswriting

INDEPENDENTLY PUBLISHED IN NEW YORK 276 5th Avenue, Suite 704 - 3126 NEW YORK, NY 10001 © 2023 GEAR PATROL, LLC ISSN 2381-4241 PUBLISHED BIANNUALLY PRINTED in USA by TANNER PRINT CO. on SUSTAINABLE PAPER

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Club Sport neomatik 39 tabac. A powerful automatic watch in the rich, radiant colors of an Indian summer: tabac, ember, and smoke. With its new diameter of 39.5 millimeters and on a comfortable metal bracelet, Club Sport neomatik 39 makes a statement—and is perfectly proportioned.

Featuring sunburst polishing on the dial, powered by the DUW 3001 caliber with the NOMOS swing system, water resistant to 20 atm, and a sapphire crystal case back—yet still only 8.5 millimeters in height. Precision mechanics, made in Glashütte, Germany. Available at the best retailers: Arizona: Hyde Park Jewelers; California: Bhindi, CJ Charles, CH Premier, Chatel, Feldmar, Shreve%&%Co.,%Topper; Colorado: Oster Jewelers; Connecticut: Shreve, Crump%&%Low; Florida: Orlando Watch Company; Illinois: Swiss Fine Timing; Indiana: Brinker's, Reis-Nichols; Massachusetts: Long's Jewelers, Shreve, Crump%&%Low; Minnesota: Gunderson's; Missouri: Meierotto; Nebraska: Borsheims; Nevada: Harland; New Jersey: Hamilton; New York: London Jewelers, Wempe; North Carolina: Windsor Jewelers; Louisiana: Adler's; Ohio: Diamond Cellar, Richter%&%Phillips; Oklahoma: BC Clark; Pennsylvania: Henne; South Carolina: M.%P. Demetre; Tennessee: Diamond Cellar; Texas: L.%Majors, Lewis, Watches of Switzerland; Virginia: Schwarzschild; Washington: Fox's; Washington DC: Tiny Jewel Box. And at Tourneau&/&Bucherer, as well as online: nomos-glashuette.com

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

Only the Right Products What makes something the “best?” It’s a question I’ve wrestled with since joining Gear Patrol a decade ago, and it’s one thousands of readers ask us every year.

Here’s the dirty truth: The answer might have less to do with actual products than it does with the person who recommends them. The best car for me might not be a fit for you. The same goes for whiskey, watches and so on.

I don’t mean to undercut what our editors do.

Quite the opposite. Our job at Gear Patrol isn’t to tell you which products are the best. It’s to help you discover which ones are right. For you. At the end of the day, the only recommendations that matter are those driven by subjective experience, passion and taste — three attributes that informed the stories, and products, collected here.

Issue Twenty-One gets underway with a look at an unexpected yet refreshing trend: transparent gadgets (p. 26), which first rose to popularity in the 1990s and have recaptured consumers’ interests — including our own.

They’re not the only products making a comeback. This installment of our front of book, The Guide, also covers vintage workout gear (p. 46), a 75-year-old lounge chair (p. 54), timeless watch designs (p. 78) and premade cocktails (p. 60).

Don’t worry, this isn’t the stuff you drank in college.

Elsewhere, we sit down with prominent designers shaping the product world, including Kaila Cumings (p. 36), a self-taught knifemaker collaborating with the biggest brands in the business, and Caroline Andrew (p. 68), who belongs to a new wave of tailors reinvigorating London’s Savile Row. Speaking of people, our first feature pays tribute to an unsung hero of waxed canvas outerwear.

Based in New Hampshire, America’s sole independent reproofer of Barbour and Filson jackets, Alain Gauthier, reflects on two decades of business as he prepares to pass down his trade (p. 100).

We also travel across the country to connect with the distillers putting American single malt on the map — and store shelves (p. 114). Behind the scenes, the US government will soon rule on whether or not the category deserves an official designation like bourbon.

We close out Issue Twenty-One with a guide to fitness apparel, footwear and accessories (p. 136).

If you need a little motivation to stay fit throughout the holidays, not to mention some sweet gear, start here. I’m sure you will find the right products.

Jack Seemer EXECUTIVE EDITOR @jackseemer | jseemer@gearpatrol.com

St. Agrestis Non-Alcoholic Amaro Falso, $5 I’ve been on the hunt for stuff to drink when I’m not drinking. My current go-to: Amaro Falso from St. Agrestis, which also makes the popular Phony Negroni served at upscale bars and restaurants around the country. I find this flavor a bit less medicinal than other amaro-like NAs — closer to coke than cough syrup but still bitter enough that I won’t chug a bottle in seconds. That doesn’t stop me from buying it in bulk.

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PHOTO COURTESY ST. AGRESTIS

Kind of Obsessed

The Guide 24

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Like any good homage, some products show their source of inspiration. Skip ahead for examples like modern watches born from historical design movements (p.78) or see-through gadgets (p.26) that recall the early days of consumer tech. But a product’s origin story isn’t always apparent. It isn’t clear, for example, that a pending climate catastrophe would prompt scientists to grow meat in a lab (p.62) or a budding career as a YouTuber would lead someone to design their dream knife (p.36). Find all those stories and more in this edition of the Guide.

Who knows? Maybe one will inspire you.

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THE GUIDE

Technology

TEXT BY

PHOTOS BY

Tucker Bowe

Cam Oden

Loud and Clear Remember your see-through computer and telephone? Transparent gadgets are back — plus, they look, and sound, better than ever.

1. NOTHING EAR (2) Nothing’s 2021-released Ear 1 were standouts because of their semi-transparent design.

The Ear 2 are nearly identical wireless earbuds, but boast improved sound and active noise-cancellation. $149

It’s been more than two decades since Apple launched its playfully transparent computer, the iMac G3. To this day, it remains one of the most important Apple products of all time. Not only was it wildly successful, it was a catalyst for transparent gadgets at the turn of the millennium.

Apple released other computers with see-through elements, such as 1999’s iBook G3 and 2000’s Power Mac G4 Cube. Meanwhile, Nintendo came out with its own line of transparent controllers and consoles, including the N64 and Game Boy. The list goes on …

26

Then, for whatever reason, transparent tech went into hibernation, waking only recently with a conspicuous spike of transparent gadgets, from smartphones to wireless earbuds to portable chargers.

The most prolific player in this revived space is Nothing. Within the last 12 months, the nascent tech company has released two wireless earbuds and an Android smartphone — all of which feature a transparent design.

There’s also Apple-owned Beats, perhaps the most mainstream company to

GEAR PATROL WINTER PREVIEW 2023

dip its toes into transparent tech. The brand recently announced a transparent version of its new noise-canceling wireless earbuds, the Studio Buds +.

“Fashion trends are often recycled and experience a ‘re-emergence’ every few decades,” says Chris Thorne, Beats’s chief marketing officer.

“We see transparent tech as both nostalgic and futuristic,” Thorne adds. “It’s iconic to the Y2K era, yet shows off the technological chips and components that continue to develop and be more powerful than ever.”

2. NOTHING EAR (STICK) The Nothing Ear Stick are more budget-friendly wireless earbuds than Nothing’s Ear 2.

They lack premium features like active noise-cancellation, but have one of the most unique and fun charging cases out there. $99

3. CASE-MATE FUEL USB-C CHARGER Case-Mate’s small wall adapter packs a transparent look, and is capable of delivering up to 30 watts of power, charging your iPhone at the fastest possible speeds. $30

5. SHARGE SHARGEEK 100 Formerly known as the Storm2, the Shargeek 100 is a 25,600-mAh portable battery with a clear case that shows off its inner workings. The cherry on top is its wonderful color display that shows you realtime charging stats. $229

4. NOTHING PHONE 2 The Nothing Phone 2 is a midrange Android smartphone with a transparent back that boasts an integrated LED lighting system that lights up in specific ways depending on the call or notification you receive. $599+

6. DOCKCASE SMART USB-C HUB Dockcase makes a number of USB-C smart hubs that add much-needed ports to your MacBook or Windows laptop, but also have a built-in display to provide info about charging, data transfer and video outputs. $89+

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THE GUIDE

Technology

2. IFIXIT 65W FAST CHARGER This fast charger is capable of delivering 65 watts of power and can fast-charge your iPhone, iPad or MacBook Air. $65

1. NOMAD 30W POWER ADAPTER Nomad offers this tiny wall adapter with a transparent design. Like the Case-Mate, it’s capable of delivering 30 watts of power. $30

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3. BEATS STUDIO BUDS + These noise-canceling wireless earbuds are the first Beats headphones to have a transparent design. $170

johnhardy.com

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THE GUIDE

Technology

TEXT BY

David Nield

I L L U S T R AT I O N B Y

Alexa Edgerton More Tech Stories

How to Cache Out Your phone just ran out of storage. Now what?

The price of your optimism has come due — your phone is cheerfully telling you that you’re all out of storage space.

You knew the best bet was to put a little extra cash down for those extra gigabytes but you were hopeful you didn’t need them. It’s a gamble we’ve all lost at one time or another. While it’s certainly not a pleasant surprise, it’s also no cause for panic. There are myriad ways to mitigate the problem on iPhones and Android phones alike. The easiest, your phone will gleefully explain, is to pay in perpetuity for some extra cloud storage.

Take these other, cheaper steps first.

Deliberately Delete

Everyone’s storage habits vary, so there’s no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to what to delete. But there are two types of data on your phone: the stuff you’ve made and the stuff you’ve downloaded. Prune the latter.

On the Storage page in your phone’s settings, both iOS and Android will give you a breakdown of what’s taking up all the room on the local storage.

Your phone will also go as far as to give you personalized recommendations for what to get rid of on these storage screens, starting with the data it has the most direct access to: gigantic apps, ancient and bloated messaging threads and photos.

But the bulk of the data you absolutely won’t miss are inside the apps themselves. First, set your sights on multimedia monsters. Netflix, Spotify and other streaming apps will often cache content for use offline or when

your network is spotty. This data should be the first to go, because you can easily get them back (should you suddenly start to miss those half-finished podcasts from last month). A quick dive into these apps will let you pick and choose, but the easiest solution is to uninstall them entirely and (maybe) redownload.

Other times, it’ll be the apps or games you’ll want to delete, but you don’t necessarily need to go all the way. Apple’s iOS lets you offload apps, which is a sort of halfway house between keeping an app and deleting it. Google’s “Play Games” service and Apple Arcade will also let you save many games’ data in the cloud; just make sure you check before you get crazy.

Any large files, such as downloads or videos, can be found through your phone’s default Files app. Screenshots and downloads are generally the biggest offenders. If you have an iPhone and can spare the laptop space, look into backing up to your computer in full through iTunes before you start really going to town, and then you don’t have to worry about accidentally wiping something important.

Head to the Clouds

There’s no simpler solution to a sudden storage shortage than to buy some space in the cloud. And that’s by design. The costs aren’t prohibitive: iCloud storage for Apple devices starts at $1 per month for 50GB of room, while Google One storage for iPhones or Android devices starts at $2 per month for 100GB. The real

expense comes if you become permanently reliant on them and require everlarger solutions.

Once you pony up to the right corporation, it’s extremely easy to claw back space by offloading photos and videos en masse. The Optimize iPhone Storage setting on iOS devices will back up hi-res photos to iCloud, saving smaller lower-resolution versions locally to save space. The full-resolution versions can still be downloaded on demand, if you ever get around to it.

On Android (or if you use Google Photos on an iPhone), you can use the “Free up space” command to shunt your photos into cyberspace. The app will then delete the local copies of the photos and videos once they’re backed up to the web, saving you some space — you’ll still be able to see everything in Google Photos (as long as you have an internet connection). They’ll just be on the web, not your phone.

You can also offload data directly from your phone if you’ve got storage hanging around. Both iOS and Android support external storage devices — the same ones that you might plug into your laptop or desktop computer. From there, it’s just some fiddling with your phone’s Files app.

Not every cheapo USB stick will work if you hook it up with an adapter, but purpose-made devices definitely will.

The $58 SanDisk 256GB iXpand Flash Drive Go is made specifically for the iPhone, for example. It’s compact and easy to use, and it instantly gives you a lot more space for your files. Something like the $120 Kingston DataTraveler Max 1TB will work with Android devices.

It’s not nearly as convenient as having the extra storage on your phone, but at least you can bring them along to ease the pain when you make the same mistake next upgrade.

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THE GUIDE

Technology

TEXT BY

Eric Limer

Leica Q3

Leica’s terrific — and expensive — fixed-lens mirrorless camera soars to new heights. $5,995

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PHOTOS BY

Christopher Coe

Less than a decade old, Leica’s Q line is quite new compared to the company’s 19th-century origins, but it’s left a mark in that comparatively short time. The original Q and successor Q2, released in 2015 and 2019 respectively, established a baseline of excellent optics with best-in-class ergonomics and build quality paired with an almost pathological commitment to simplicity. And while the Q3 is outwardly similar to its predecessors, Leica has moved to include some small but crucial conveniences that, in concert with an updated sensor, make it more practical without limiting the luxurious fit and finish you’d rightfully expect.

WHAT WE THINK

A stellar fixed lens in concert with a big sensor has long made the Leica Q lineage arguably the king of point-and-shoots; the Q3 improvements, in turn, make it an eminently usable go-to camera for almost every purpose you could imagine. If you can stomach the significant price tag, there’s not much to leave you wanting.

TESTING NOTES

The lens is absolutely terrific The Q3’s Summilux 28mm f/1.7 lens has graced every Leica Q camera so far, and for good reason: It’s lightning-fast and spectacularly sharp. And on the Q3, which sports a new 60MP full frame sensor (up from a 47.3MP sensor on the Q2), you can squeeze even more detail out of that terrific glass. I was able to crop in and in on my photos, getting usable results from smaller sections of shots than I’d have otherwise thought possible. If there’s one gripe to have (and it’s a matter of opinion), the 28mm focal length is quite wide, with visual characteristics very similar to your smartphone camera. Better, yes, but similar nonetheless.

A tilting display joins the party With the Q3, it’s here. Tilting nearly 90 degrees upward and around 45 degrees down, the 384 ppi 3.0-inch LCD makes it eminently practical to use the Q3 above your head and at your waist, turning it into a truly subtle street photography tool.

The only nit to pick is while tilting is nice, full articulation is better — and something plenty of the Leica’s significantly less expensive competitors have.

New ports make the Q3 easier to live with Among the major quality-of-life upgrades on the Leica Q3 are an important pair of ports: one USB-C and one micro-HDMI. This comes with basic advantages, like being able to connect the camera directly to mobile devices and charge up with a standard cable instead of hauling around a proprietary battery charger. It also enables extra functionality; the Leica Q3 is compatible with external video recorders, for anyone who wants to get serious about more than still photography.

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I N PA R T N E R S H I P W I T H

G-SHOCK

PRODUCED BY

Gear Patrol Studios

Full Metal, Full Color A special design process allows each Full-Metal G-SHOCK watch to stand out with unique polychromatic accents The GMB2100PC-1A and GMWB5000PC-1 join G-SHOCK’s new Full-Metal Polychromatic Accents series which incorporates aesthetically pleasing, colorful designs into its legendary timepieces. To create the series, G-SHOCK integrated a process called gradation vapor deposition which creates a unique, iridescent application of color. Translation: Each watch is both visually stunning and unique.

The new series provides a visual upgrade to the brand’s existing premium full-metal watches by combining functionality with striking design and refinement. The watches pair an array of modern features like Bluetooth connectivity, solar power, and automatic time zone adjustment with staples like a stopwatch, countdown timer, multifunction alarms and an easy-to-read display.

When Kikuo Ibe designed the G-SHOCK in 1983 he did so with toughness in mind, and the features of these timepieces reflect that vision — all styles are housed in a sleek and durable stainless steel case offering robust shock resistance and water resistance up to 200 meters. The watches also have Casio’s Tough Solar technology which uses available light sources for charging.

Enhanced by polychromatic color accents, the GMB2100PC-1A hour markers and luminescent sword-shaped hands are both stylish and highly legible, and the Double Super Illuminator LED further improves visibility in dark environments.

On the GMWB5000PC-1, the unique vapor deposition process is applied to the underside of the glass, creating a shimmering effect. Pair either piece with CASIO Watches app to access

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GEAR PATROL WINTER PREVIEW 2023

world time for 300 cities, event reminders, time and place stamps, and a phone finder.

When combined with the quality, durability and stand-out features we’ve come to expect from G-SHOCK, the Polychromatic Accent series offers a suite of full-metal contemporary timepieces that are equally at home during a nice dinner as they are in the great outdoors.

G-SHOCK GMB2100PC-1A Case Size: 44.4mm Weight: 165g Material: Stainless Steel Gradation Vapor Deposition Index Shock Resistant Water Resistant (200M) Solar Powered Bluetooth Smartphone Link Price: $580

G-SHOCK GMWB5000PC-1 Case Size: 43.2mm Weight: 167g Material: Stainless Steel Gradation Vapor Deposition Glass Shock Resistant Water Resistant (200M) Solar Powered Bluetooth Smartphone Link Multi-Band 6 Atomic Timekeeping Price: $580

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35

THE GUIDE

Outdoors

TEXT BY

Hayley Helms

A Cut Above In the whimsical world of custom knifemaking, Kaila Cumings is a rising star.

The custom knifemaking industry isn’t like any other. It’s a balancing act of aesthetics, functionality and all-too-present danger. Alongside artisanry, there’s an artistry to crafting boutique blades that demands passion and creativity. In many ways, Kaila Cumings embodies these diverse attributes. But she doesn’t fit the traditional mold, and her knives follow suit.

Carving her own path from the beginning, Cumings built a following first through her YouTube channel, where she reviewed knives made by others before jumping into the arena herself. She also appeared on the Discovery Channel’s Naked and

Afraid series, showcasing survival skills — learned from her father in the backwoods of New Hampshire — in Colombia and South Africa.

For the past decade, Cumings has crafted reliably rugged, fiercely beautiful designs from her Vermont workshop — and the industry has taken notice. Earlier this year, CRKT launched its first collaboration with Cumings. Bearing her daughter’s nickname, the 7.44-inch Bugsy ($170) is one stylish, formidable fixed blade; more are in the works. And as we learned in this wide-ranging interview, while her knives are cold and sharp, her demeanor away from the bench is anything but.

RISE AND GRIND

Most of the knives Cumings painstakingly shapes, sharpens (below left) and sells are one-offs. Her 2023 collaboration with CRKT, the Bugsy (facing page), is the first blade she has made to be widely available.

How did you start out making your own knives?

I started out in 2011, posting knife reviews and gear reviews on my YouTube channel. And then I realized, I really shouldn’t be reviewing someone else’s work if I don’t even know the whole process myself. That’s what made me want to start making knives. I watched a lot of YouTube tutorials, and pretty much all of it was self-taught.

What sort of workspace did you start in?

The beginning was a lot. My mom’s got dementia, so I was helping out my parents. I set up my shop at their house so that I could keep an eye on my mom and help out and then also work. My first “workshop” was in their little tool shed [laughs], and it was so small I had to bring my forge and my anvil and everything outside. There was no way I could actually forge in that little shed.

I’ve definitely come a long way.

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More Knives and Multi-Tools Stories

All of your knives, except for the Bugsy, are completely custom. How does your production process work?

Everything I make is a one-off. If there’s a knife that’s really popular and people want to buy more of them, then I’ll do a run of ’em. But everything is essentially a one-off because I’m not using a water jet. I’m still making them all from scratch. They’re going to look somewhat the same, but they’re gonna be slightly different.

How long does it take to make a knife from start to finish?

Time always varies — it could take anywhere from a week to six months.

It all depends on how much detail is going into it. I like to put as much time as possible into every piece I create.

“I want my pieces to be practical, and they’re meant to be used, but unless I have something very specific in mind, I like to just see where the metal takes me when I start forging.”

PHOTOS COURTESY OF CRKT

What’s your mindset like going into making a knife? Do you consider where and how it will be used?

I usually go into the shop with a blank canvas. I want my pieces to be practical, and they’re meant to be used, but unless I have something very specific in mind, I like to just see where the metal takes me when I start forging.

What is your favorite material to work with?

I work with high-carbon steels, but I love making knives out of unique objects. Once, I forged a knife out of a pin that a man had removed from his leg — he had it in there from getting blown up in Afghanistan. I’ve also made customized knives for Boston Bruins hockey players out of their old ice skate blades. I’m currently making a knife for a customer from an old carpenter’s hammer that was his grandfather’s.

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THE GUIDE

Outdoors

Does it feel surreal to have started out in a teeny shed, and now you’re selling custom knives within minutes of releasing?

Absolutely. I’ve worked so hard, too, to get where I’m at. I’ve been doing it for over 10 years, and I just feel like I’ve earned my place. Sometimes I forget how far I’ve come, and I have to stop and give myself credit sometimes because I feel like I don’t give myself enough credit. I’m always telling myself, “You can do better. You can do better.” I’m always pushing myself.

Do you talk to other knifemakers about the imposter syndrome you’ve experienced?

I have a few mentors, and they’re all amazing — I feel like they all have that a little bit, too, which is kind of reassuring. It doesn’t matter how well we’re doing; there’s always room for improvement. That’s what I love about this industry. We’re always pushing each other to be better and do better — and supporting the hell out of each other.

What’s your history with CRKT? When I was just starting out making knives, I already had a connection with CRKT. They were one of the first companies that reached out and said they liked what I was doing [on YouTube], and they would love it if I reviewed their stuff. And I was thinking, “Oh my God, that would be amazing” — I loved all the designers they worked with and I was a big fan of all of their work.

When they reached out, I thought, “Man, someday I’m going to get a design in with them. That’s my dream.”

That was number one on my bucket

list and my goals. To finally achieve that was amazing.

How did the actual collaboration come to be?

I talked to their team a couple of times at the different shows and they said, “Once you get your style down, you let us know.” And I just never felt confident enough to say, “Alright, this is what I want to do.” A couple of years ago, I finally said, “Alright guys, this is it.” I finally built up the confidence to go in and have a meeting with them, and they were like, “We’ve been waiting for you!”

What’s next?

I have a couple of prototypes that I’m going to be giving to CRKT in the next couple of weeks. And then, hopefully, their team likes them, and we’ll be producing more of those. We’ll see.

CRAFTED WITH CARE

Cumings fabricated this one-off ulu with a twisted Damascus pattern blade and bone handles.

An ancient, versatile food prep tool, ulu is short for uuluuraq, an Inuit word for a woman’s knife.

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Do you have a dream knife you would want to make yourself that you haven’t yet?

Oh geez. You know what? I actually don’t own any of my knives. I have a Bugsy, but other than that, I sell everything that I make, and I’m always like, “Man, I really need to make myself something.” And if I did, honestly, I think I would just make myself a nice kitchen set. Something simple.

P H O T O S C O U R T E S Y O F C R K T (2) ; U L U P H O T O C O U R T E S Y O F K A I L A C U M I N G S

When you drop a knife on your website, does it sell pretty quickly?

Yeah. I’m pretty fortunate. They sell in anywhere from a few minutes to one hour. I’m really lucky that I have a good following where people actually want to buy my stuff.

LOOK SHARP

Shown here before a Micarta handle is added, the Bugsy’s full-tang construction lends strength to the graceful yet gritty design.

THE GUIDE

Outdoors

TEXT BY

Hayley Helms

Bag vs Blanket

Camp quilt or traditional sleeping bag — which one should you pack for your next outdoor adventure?

What do you really need to go camping? For years, sleeping bags probably topped your short list, but an emerging category of quilts that prioritize comfort and versatility are challenging their place in many campers’ kits. Are these breezy newcomers really superior to the tried-and-true sleeping bag? Here’s everything you need to know.

The Case for Quilts

Down quilts are all the rage among ultralight backpackers, but their benefits go far beyond saving ounces on the trail, making them an excellent option for myriad campers. Unlike your typical sleeping bag, quilts are less restrictive, easier to carry and a breeze to pack down. Don’t go thinking they’re just insulated, over-engineered blankets, either. Many come with tethering and attachment options for active sleepers who toss and turn in the night.

Stick with the Bag

Just because camp quilts are up-and-coming doesn’t mean sleeping bags are fading into obscurity. Modern iterations are better than ever, and today’s best options boast responsible manufacturing, superior design and remarkable comfort — plus, fill that can defy almost any chill. If you’re the type of snoozer who wakes up in the same position you fell asleep in, a sleeping bag is going to be just as comfortable as a down quilt.

Split the Difference

Can’t decide between a quilt or sleeping bag, but don’t want to buy both? Brands like Zenbivy are paving the way when it comes to sleeping bags that prioritize comfort as much as they do warmth.

ZENBIVY BED 25 Ah, the best of both worlds. If you’re waffling between bag and quilt, don’t worry: the Zenbivy is here to take away decision paralysis. Available in three sizes (regular, large and extra large), the sleep system comes with a sheet below and a quilt above. A closed toebox mimics the warmth of a traditional mummy, without the constriction. This kit includes the fitted sheet, convertible top quilt and large mesh storage bag.

It does not include a mattress, pillow or dry sack. $309

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ENLIGHTENED EQUIPMENT REVELATION SLEEPING QUILT

PHOTOS COURTESY OF RESPECTIVE BRANDS

Whether you want to go the custom route or keep things stock, the Revelation has you covered. Stock options are available for immediate purchase online and come with pad connectors, an adjustable cinch cord footbox, a quarterlength zipper at the bottom of the bag and a variety of fabrics to choose from. Go custom, and your ideal bag — with all the bells and whistles — will ship in three to five weeks. $335

NEMO RIFF 30 NEMO’s Riff 30 has finetuned engineering that offers a bit more comfort than your classic mummy bag. The Spoon design is a great option for side sleepers, or really anyone who likes a bit more room around their knees and elbows. The gills featured on the top of the bag add an extra option for temperature control and breathability — they allow just enough air through to make an impact. $360

THERM-A-REST VESPER 20

BIG AGNES TORCHLIGHT UL 30

One of the most packable quilts on the market, the Vesper 20 packs down to the size of a burrito. (Okay, a large burrito.) It features RDScertified, 900-fill-power-down, includes pad connectors and is ultralight at 1 pound, 3 ounces.

The cut is a little narrow, but it’s comfy regardless. $460

Whether you stuff or roll this sleeping bag up, it remains ultra-packable. Weighing in under 2 pounds, the lightweight bag is great for backpacking, but its convenience won’t go unnoticed during more casual camping. While I’ve found other similar, lightweight sleeping bag materials can trap enough heat to wake you up sweating in the middle of the night, this bag stayed breathable. $380

REI MAGMA TRAIL QUILT 30

REI CO-OP SIESTA HOODED 20 SLEEPING BAG

If you’re simply feeling a little bit curious about the camp quilt lifestyle, REI has a model that’s certainly worth trying out. The Magma features water-resistant 850-fill-power goose down, a corner snap and an insulated, adjustable top draft tube, all meant to keep the drafty cold out and the delightful warmth in. $329

The synthetic fill in this rectangular bag will keep you warm — down to 25 degrees Fahrenheit — in climates wet or dry. At just over 4 pounds, this certainly isn’t a lightweight option. But that extra weight is thanks to the roomy fit of the bag, so if you’re car camping, you’ll be comfortable.

Dual zippers allow the top to be completely zipped down, folding like a sheet. $139

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Eddie Bauer Downclime Alpine Sleep System This modular sleep system melds a jacket and sleeping bag to conquer cold weather. $449

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The outdoor industry isn’t lacking for innovations in sleep systems, but this one from Eddie Bauer pushes the boundaries further than most. Part sleeping bag, part jacket, this modular system enables backcountry explorers and car campers to bring a lighter-weight, higher-fill-power sleeping bag into the great outdoors without weighing their kit down.

This is special for a couple reasons. The bottom bag-like portion is easily compressible and packable, saving space in your pack. You might already have a Downclime Alpine Parka in your closet, saving you money. Indeed, technically, this sleeping bag game changer can zip into any jacket with the same size zipper teeth, so check the lower against your existing parka before you buy the Alpine Parka.

TEXT BY

Hayley Helms

PHOTOS BY

Scott Seiver

WHAT WE THINK

This bag/jacket combo is comfortable, packable, lightweight and crazy warm. While it’s probably too warm for anything other than alpine camping, it’s so convenient to have your arms free (and warm) that you’ll probably try wearing it anywhere you can. It’s not perfect — it’s really long, so it doesn’t fit shorter explorers as well — but overall, Eddie Bauer achieved what it set out to do: revolutionize the sleeping of campers.

TESTING NOTES

This baby is warm Sleepwear with “alpine” in the name better be toasty, and Eddie Bauer’s Downclime Alpine Jacket lives up to the hype: It’s supremely warm, thanks to its high-loft, premium 800-fill-power down and strategically placed synthetic insulation to eliminate cold spots; it’s also very durable, thanks to its 30-denier ripstop nylon shell. The sleeping bag portion — I fondly refer to it as my “mermaid tail” — is a continuation of that power: It’s filled with 800-fill-power premium lightweight down insulation and wrapped in rugged-yet-refined fabric.

The sleeping bag insert runs big The down jacket portion of this puzzle is true to size, but the sleeping bag insert is long. I wear an XS in all clothing and my inseam is 29 inches, so I ordered a S/M … and I was drowning in the bottom portion of the sleep system. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing if you’re in warmer alpine temps or you’re an active sleeper, but if you’re relying on this to keep you warm in the coldest environments, be aware that there are air pockets for smaller sleepers.

The benefit of the packability and modularity of this system cannot be overstated Eddie Bauer changed the sleeping (and packing) game when it introduced the Downclime Sleep System. By halving the bulk of the sleeping bag, packing becomes twice as easy. I could stuff my sleeping bag into my pack no problem, and while wearing my jacket while on the move proved too warm for warmer climes, in colder temps it stayed out of my pack (saving room) and on my body (keeping me warm).

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THE GUIDE

Fitness

TEXT BY

Ben Emminger

Powder to the People

PHOTO COURTESY OF CAM ODEN

Once isolated to bodybuilders, creatine has become a staple for a wide range of less-bulky humans. What gives?

Don’t let its meathead mythos fool you — creatine has gone mainstream. The amino acid heralded for its effects on muscle strength and athletic performance is one of the most in-demand supplements in health and wellness circles. The New York trend tracking group Glimpse reports its popularity has grown by more than 30 percent in the past year alone.

What accounts for the massive spike?

“Creatine supplements are attracting more women, older demographics and even vegans (who don’t typically consume creatine-rich foods),” according to The Vitamin Shoppe’s 2023 Health and Wellness Trend Report.

Probably because it does more than build muscle. The human body naturally produces creatine and converts it into energy, however at levels far below what you’ll find in powdered form. Research shows regular supplementation has the ability to help combat the effects of aging, including memory and muscle loss; improve recovery times after grueling workouts; and even help prevent dehydration and cramps.

It’s also incredibly safe … with the science to back it up. The compound, discovered in 1832 by French philosopher and scientist Michel Eugène Chevreul, is one of the most researched supplements ever, and the world’s best athletes have been taking it for decades.

Creatine’s adoption by professional athletes and fitness enthusiasts in the Western

I L L U S T R AT I O N B Y

Evan Richards

world began to take hold in the 1970s, and over the next few decades, its popularity only continued to grow. It is estimated that over 80 percent of athletes at 1996’s Atlanta Summer Olympics used creatine. But before it could truly break through to the mainstream, many mislabeled the compound — a naturally occurring substance found in various quantities in red meat and fish — as an illegal performance-enhancing drug.

Thankfully, that myth’s been debunked.

“There has been a misconception that creatine is used solely by gym rats due to its performance-enhancing benefits,” says Brittany Michels, a NASM-certified personal trainer and registered dietician with The Vitamin Shoppe. “However, creatine is far from a steroid or performance-enhancing drug. It’s a tried-and-true sports nutrition supplement and is gaining popularity for its benefits outside of the gym.”

Today’s creatine users have a slew of formats to choose from, with creatine monohydrate being the most studied among them. According to Michels, this version most closely resembles the natural form of creatine synthesized by the body and is ideal for those without stomach issues who don’t mind some fluid retention. Creatine hydrochloride is another option, particularly for people with more sensitive stomachs or those wanting to forgo the fluid-retentive side effects.

Interested in hopping on the creatine caravan? Michels recommends aiming for 0.03–0.06 grams per kilogram of bodyweight per day, preferably before or after training. This equates to roughly 2–4 grams per day for a 150-pound person, for example.

“Some forms of creatine, such as monohydrate, may benefit from a ‘loading phase,’ where higher doses quickly saturate the muscles with creatine,” she adds. “However, loading is not required.”

These days, there’s seemingly no slowing down this super supplement — perhaps the same will apply to you after a few doses.

QUITE THE SHELF LIFE

Creatine may have risen to mainstream consciousness in the 1990s, but its magical properties were first extracted from meat some 191 years ago.

CENTURIES OF STRENGTH Tracking creatine’s nearly 200-year rise to power.

1832 French philosopher and scientist Michel Eugène Chevreul is the first to extract creatine from meat.

The name “creatine” is derived from the Greek word kreas, meaning flesh.

1926 Alfred Chanutin conducts the first experiments analyzing creatine’s effects on the human body. Chanutin concludes that creatine has an anabolic (musclebuilding) effect.

1975 Modern research confirms past findings: Creatine can ensure increased nitrogen retention in the muscles leading to faster recovery times, higher protein stores and increased performance.

1990s Top athletes such as ’92 Olympic champion hurdler Sally Gunnell and baseball star Mark McGwire credit their performance to creatine, raising its profile — but also leading to questions about its safety and legality.

Today Creatine’s popularity skyrockets among general consumers for benefits beyond bodybuilding, such as fighting muscle loss and boosting brain function and memory.

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TEXT BY

PHOTOS BY

Ben Emminger

Cam Oden

PRIDE OF PA

Ageless Iron Why decades-old plates from York Barbell are worth their weight in gold.

Beyond distinctive plates, York Barbell carries a legendary lifting legacy. Founded by the “father of world weightlifting,” Bob Hoffman, in 1932, the York County, Pennsylvania-based company supplied barbells to the US military during World War II and has sponsored dozens of national champs and Olympic medalists.

(One of its own machinists, Frank Spellman, won middleweight gold at the 1948 London Games.) Today, York’s corporate office is home to the official Weightlifting Hall of Fame and Museum.

FLEXING FOR ALL TO SEE

In fitness, new gear is often the best gear. So you wouldn’t necessarily expect 60-year-old weight plates to be the envy of gym-goers everywhere.

However, thanks to sites like Vintage Weights PGH, a blog dedicated to collecting and restoring vintage equipment, that’s exactly what’s become of “milled-era” weight plates from York Barbell.

“They were made so well and they just hold up,” says Vintage Weights PGH’s founder, Rob. “And they’re very easy to identify,” drawing the eye of not just

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discerning weightlifters but curious collectors, too.

Milled plates are famous for the signature swirling pattern on the back (see photo above), a characteristic that looks cool and carries its roots in accuracy. From the 1960s to the ’80s, York employed a craftsman-like milling procedure to cut weight and bring each plate into tolerance.

If you’re interested in collecting a set for your own home gym, you’re in luck. These high-quality weights are readily available on the used market,

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often for $2 per pound (comparable to cast-iron plates from premium brands like Rogue). For a tougher challenge, and deeper wallets, Rob recommends searching for milled change plates — those under 10 pounds used for micro jumps in weight — which go for $5 per pound and up.

Change plates were “normally within tolerance, and because of that, less of them were milled,” he says. “Now that people are looking for these and collecting them, a milled change plate is much more valuable than one that isn’t.”

P H O T O C O U R T E S Y O F J O H N D . FA I R

Hoffman poses below the iconic revolving weightlifter sign at the York Barbell plant, circa 1975. The sign still stands today along Interstate 83.

W E AT H E R E D , N O T W I T H E R E D

Despite a little rust and pitting, there’s plenty of life left in milled-era York plates such as this one, which gives the collectible a rare feature amongst vintage items: usability.

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TEXT BY

Ben Emminger

PHOTOS BY

Brian Galdamez

WHAT WE THINK

These Ultraflys are frontrunners for my favorite Nikes of the year. The carbon Flyplate blends well to the ZoomX midsole for a ride that’s snappy yet still comfortable enough for extended wear. Of course, it’s hard to ignore that trusty Vibram outsole that’s plenty grippy for wet and muddy conditions alike.

Despite the boost in traction, I still feel these sneakers are best for less technical terrain. The roomier fit limits lockdown, and I’d prefer a deeper lug pattern for more aggressive pathways. All told, though, I’d say Nike Trail is moving in the right direction with these impressive kicks.

Nike Ultrafly Trail Running Shoe Performance finally matches aesthetics with this all-new trail racing silhouette.

$260

Nike has produced some of trail running’s most stylish shoes over the years. But while the silhouettes have been aesthetically pleasing, there hasn’t been much to write home about in the performance department.

Yes, Nike trail runners can handle light off-roading and road-to-trail pathways, but muddy or more technical terrain has historically left athletes clamoring for more underfoot.

That all appears to have changed with the new Ultrafly. As the first Nike trail running shoe to utilize the always-popular Vibram Megagrip outsole, this race-oriented shoe looks to be a step in the right direction for the brand. Additionally, this sneaker is Nike’s first plated trail runner, boasting a full-length carbon Flyplate sandwiched between the brand’s coveted ZoomX midsole foam.

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TESTING NOTES

The ZoomX midsole tech translates well from road to trail The ZoomX midsole is the foundation of many popular Nike road running shoes, and I’m happy to see it translate to the trail with the Ultraflys. There’s enough cushioning to keep your strides comfortable, and the energy return pairs well with the embedded carbon Flyplate.

I also appreciate how this full-length plate technology adds spring to your step when needed, yet isn’t too aggressive when worn for longer periods. There’s less rigidity than with Nike’s other plated silhouettes like the Alphafly and Vaporfly, which is well suited to the uneven terrain of trail running.

Lighter lugs and lack of a toe bumper limit how technical your terrain can get As tacky as the Vibram outsole is, there’s simply not enough lug depth to support aggressive trail running. These sneakers can be overwhelmed by technical crags and loose hillsides, and the roomier last limits how well you can lock down the upper for more intense terrain. Plus, there’s essentially no toe bumper, which limits your protection when navigating over jutting roots, boulders and other obstacles.

I’d recommend saving these Ultraflys for more approachable fire trails and the like.

The white upper is tough against the elements, but tougher to keep clean At unboxing, I recommend taking a good, hard look at the impeccable style across the Nike Ultraflys, because that clean white aesthetic won’t last long. Sure, the Vaporweave mesh upper is plenty durable against the trials and tribulations of trail running, but the Cordura-wrapped midsole easily turns brown when exposed to dust or dirt. Some athletes, like myself, may wear this dirt as a badge of honor across their sneakers … but you almost feel guilty tarnishing the style of this Nike silhouette.

The Vibram Megagrip outsole has the traction Nike Trail needs Nike typically pairs its trail running sneakers with in-house rubber technologies, which haven’t been the best for trekking through mud and loose gravel. The Ultraflys take full advantage of the full-length Vibram Megagrip outsole to create a grippy, capable underfoot. As much as I winced at taking these sneakers on mud-packed trails (you’ll want to preserve that pristine white profile for as long as possible), I was pleased with the traction I found in my strides.

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TEXT BY

Johnny Brayson

Battle Bots

Two all-in-one cleaning robots, one dirty floor. Which model wins?

PHOTO BY

Cam Oden

AT A GLANCE FEATURE COMPARISON Feature

Roomba Combo j7+

Shark Matrix Plus

$1,000

$700

Self-Emptying Base

Robot vacuums started meandering around our homes in the late ’90s. Since then, the product category has evolved dramatically — numerous brands go toe-to-toe with autonomous machines that not only vacuum but also map your home, mop your floors and empty all on their own.

To find out which bot offers the most supreme clean, I pitted two of the top all-in-one models — the iRobot Roomba Combo j7+ and the Shark Matrix Plus — against each other with a few dirty tasks.

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Mop Mapping WiFi Camera Obstacle Detection Price

TEST ONE: EDGE CLEANING

TEST TWO: MOPPING

I lined up seven small pieces of cat kibble and three large tufts of dog fur against the edge of my kitchen floor under my cabinets. The Roomba went first, gobbling up all three clumps of fur and five of the seven pieces of kibble. The Shark only managed to get two of the three clumps of fur, and it didn’t suck up a single piece of kibble.

For this test, I let each robot mop my floors at different times. The Roomba’s mopping pad is integrated into the robot, and while it’s more convenient, performance pales in comparison to the Shark. The Roomba’s mop left visible streaks on my floor and didn’t use enough liquid to make it look clean. The Shark effectively scrubbed my floor and left it both looking and smelling clean. However, unlike the Roomba, the Shark can’t detect rugs. If you have one, you’ll need to manually label it in the map of your home.

Winner: Roomba

Winner: Shark

TEST THREE: OBSTACLE AVOIDANCE The Shark does not claim to have an obstacle avoidance feature, but the Roomba does. To test it, I set up an obstacle course in my kitchen consisting of a backpack, a USB charger and — to simulate a pet accident — part of a slightly smushed, overripe banana. The Roomba managed to avoid all obstacles. The Shark failed the test spectacularly, plowing through all three obstacles as if they weren’t there.

Winner: Roomba

THE VERDICT The Roomba is a better all-around robot cleaner than the Shark. It’s more effective at vacuuming, requires less human intervention and — quite critically — won’t drag poop across your floor. The Shark is better at mopping if that’s your main concern, but it requires manual intervention to do so effectively.

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TEXT BY

Johnny Brayson

Enduring Design

An icon of the 20th century, the 75-year-old Womb Chair may always feel ahead of its time.

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PHOTOS COURTESY OF KNOLL

“Mid-century modern.” The label may refer to designs that date back as far as the 1940s, but countless examples remain as popular as ever — few more so than the Knoll Womb Chair.

C r e ate d by F innis h -A m e r ic a n designer Eero Saarinen, the Womb Chair came out 75 years ago in 1948.

And yet, it remains a coveted piece of furniture among homeowners with a penchant for futuristic flair.

So why does this oddly named chair that’s now been around for three-quarters of a century still feel so fresh?

The Birth of the Womb Chair Florence Knoll, cofounder of Knoll Associates and an acclaimed designer herself, wanted a new kind of chair: a “basket full of pillows” she could “curl up in,” the Knoll website reads.

“What I find interesting is just challenging the idea of what’s comfortable and how a person can sit,” says Amy Auscherman, Director of Archives and Brand Heritage at MillerKnoll. “You know, this is the late forties, and Florence prompted that exploration and then tapped into her amazing Rolodex of the best designers of the time.”

At the top of that Rolodex was Eero Saarinen. Knoll was a mentee of Saarinen’s father, the architect Eliel Saarinen, so she and Eero were “almost siblings” who “grew up together,” says Auscherman. “I love the convenience of [Knoll saying], ‘Hey, Eero, what would a lounge chair look like from your brain?’”

To fulfill his friend’s request, Saarinen reexamined what sort of shape a chair could take on by utilizing molded fiberglass-reinforced plastic, a then-new technology born out of the Second World War. Would the chair exist today were it not for the innovation in materials brought about by the conflict? “Full

stop, no,” says Auscherman. “That shape was totally enabled by the material itself.”

To really understand the Womb Chair, however, you need to go back several years, long before Knoll made her famous request.

A Tale of Two Chairs Saarinen studied at Michigan’s Cranbrook Academy of Art, where his father was president and Florence Knoll was a student. There, he teamed up with another student, Charles Eames, to create a chair for the Museum of Modern Art’s Organic Design in Home Furnishings competition in 19 4 0.

Their design, later known as the Organic Chair, took first place in both

the chair design and living room categories. It was sculpted in an organic shape from molded plywood, and you can see the seeds not only of Saarinen’s Womb Chair but also its eternal rival: the Eames Lounge Chair, designed for Herman Miller and released almost a decade later in 1956.

“Saarinen kind of went more into the plastics realm with fiberglass and the Eameses really perfected the 3D-plywood-molding process,” Auscherman says. “I think the legacy of both lounge chairs really lies within that first collaboration between Saarinen and Eames for the MoMA competition. Then they both would take their ideas and execute them in different ways for different companies.”

A NEW ERA OF DESIGN

WWII innovations like molded fiberglass enabled a new approach for Eero Saarinen and other designers.

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A New Era In 2021, Knoll was acquired by its longtime competitor Herman Miller, creating the new company MillerKnoll and transforming the Womb Chair and the Eames Lounge from rivals into siblings.

“You put those two chairs in a room together and it looks cool and it works, right?” Auscherman says. “Obviously they’re very different, but they share a sensibility and a DNA that aesthetically also works well.”

But just because the Womb Chair has a new owner, that doesn’t mean we should expect big, sweeping changes to its design. “I think very simply it’s a great design and … I think it also sort of recalibrated people’s perceptions of what is comfortable or beautiful,” Auscherman says. “There’s little to improve on.”

The partnership with Herman Miller does offer up some tantalizing new possibilities for the Womb Chair’s future — mainly through the use of new

materials such as vegan leather, as seen on a custom one-off chair made for its 75th anniversary, or fabrics previously exclusive to the Herman Miller archive.

“I know at one point we will see a Womb Chair in an Alexander Girard textile,” Auscherman says, referring to one of the great textile designers of the 20th century.

New materials and collaboration with iconic mid-century designers? Meet the new Womb Chair, same as the old Womb Chair.

SEPARATED AT BIRTH

The Womb Chair ($4,969+) and Eames Lounge Chair ($6,395+) trace their origins to Eero Saarinen’s and Charles Eames’s collaborative designs for MoMA’s Organic Design in Home Furnishings competition.

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PHOTOS COURTESY OF KNOLL

LOUNGE CHAIR LEGENDS

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Scott Seiver

TerraFlame Lloyd Modern Gel Fuel Fireplace A low-commitment way to bring midcentury warmth into your home or yard. $800

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Die-hard fans of mid-century design are in a constant conundrum: how to furnish their digs in legitimate pieces from the time period without having to take out a second mortgage. It’s a tough place to inhabit — you’ve got the taste and the vision, but more often than not, the bank statements aren’t aligning with the picture in your head. For example, if you’re looking for a Malm fireplace, the base price starts at two grand — and that’s not factoring in installation. (Average installation costs start around $1,885 for an entry-level unit, and can run to more than $3,700 for a large one.) If you’re looking for an affordable, no-install necessary fireplace for your digs, you’ve come to the right place.

WHAT WE THINK

The Lloyd Modern Gel Fuel Fireplace is a relatively low-investment way of bringing both mid-century vibes and smokeless flames to your abode. While setup leaves a little to be desired, once it’s up and running, you’ll forget all about the minor inconveniences that come with getting it going. Portable, sleek, easy to clean and stunning to look at, this little fireplace fits anywhere from poolside hangs to your apartment. For less than a thousand dollars, it’s hard to find anything else that compares.

TESTING NOTES

It’ll get you warm inside or out — with no smoke Besides its design, the thing I liked most about the Lloyd is its smokeless flame, courtesy of the clean-burning Fire Gel Fuel canisters. These are essentially tiny paint cans of what looks and smells like rubbing alcohol, easily installed into terminals in the device. The Lloyd lights immediately, and it even crackles like a wood fire.

I’ve tested freestanding fireplaces that take upward of half an hour to get things toasty, but the Lloyd had my living room warm within 15 minutes. Outside, it’s less effective at keeping you warm — you’ll lose most of the heat out the top — but the ambiance is hard to beat. Either way, be sure to read the instructions for the snuff tool before extinguishing the fire the first time; it looks simple, but you should knowing exactly what you’re doing before messing with an open flame.

The vibe is immaculate

Setup is a little clunky

A major part of the appeal of the Lloyd fireplace — besides the warmth it provides — is its design.

Taking cues from the iconic Malm fireplace, the Lloyd is sleek, sophisticated and polished. It’s available in five colorways; I went with Mist, a serene gray. At first I was a little nervous setting it up in my home — we’re all about warm hues and tones — but I was pleasantly surprised to find the fireplace fit right in. More adventurous folks may want to try the blue or orange colorways, especially if you’re really going for the mid-century look.

Although there are only five main pieces that need to be attached with minimal hardware to bring the Lloyd together, I found myself growing frustrated at the setup process. While the instructions are simple to the verge of being unclear, it wasn’t the process that bothered me; it was the construction of the unit itself.

Yes, $800 is far less than any other mid-century fireplace plus installation, but when the holes don’t align while you’re trying to screw the hood and base together, perspective goes out the window fast. The kit comes with an Allen key with a Phillips-head screwdriver, but I’d recommend having a power drill and an extra set of hands nearby to get the job done. And wear gloves — some of the openings have sharp points and edges.

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Food & Drink

TEXT BY

Johnny Brayson

PHOTO BY

Cam Oden

HANDY & SCHILLER From Sazerac, the parent company of Buffalo Trace, comes this premium label of barrel-aged bottled cocktails.

Available in both an old-fashioned made with Buffalo Trace Bourbon and Peychaud’s Bitters and a Manhattan containing Sazerac Rye and Peychaud’s Bitters, the cocktails are produced, aged and bottled at the Buffalo Trace Distillery in Kentucky … you know, the same place where they make Pappy Van Winkle.

ABV: 35% – 42% $40 (750ml)

HIGH WEST BARREL-FINISHED COCKTAILS While lacking the name recognition of Buffalo Trace, High West still makes a damn good whiskey. The Utah-based distillery has been bottling some of its award-winning whiskey in a pair of bottled cocktails. High West’s spins on the old fashioned and Manhattan are both crafted with the distillery’s own straight bourbon and straight rye (they even go so far as to tell you the mashbills) along with bitters and, in the Manhattan, vermouth.

ABV: 37% – 43% $38 (750ml)

SUNDAY’S FINEST THE GOLD FASHIONED Robert Haynes, a former bartender at Chicago’s acclaimed cocktail bar The Violet Hour, started Sunday’s Finest in 2020 with the goal of creating the best bottled old fashioned on the planet. Each year, he crafts a new version in a limited run using the best ingredients he can find, with his latest concoction featuring a blend of 15and 9-year Kentucky straight bourbons, 6-year Indiana straight rye, Malawian demerara sugar and homemade bitters containing a blend of Afghan saffron, Tahitian vanilla, Ecuadorian cacao, Seville orange peel and French gentian. To top it off, an atomizer full of orange zest finishing spray is included with the bottle.

ABV: 42.4% $150 (750ml)

Buzz-Worthy

All of a sudden, canned and bottled cocktails deserve a spot on your bar cart. In fact, they might replace it altogether.

News flash: Premade cocktails are trending, but they’re nothing new. Historians date the craze to the 1800s, even if a lack of respectable options has seen their popularity ebb and flow over the years. Fueling today’s renaissance is a crop of crafted-with-care cocktails that taste every bit as good as an old fashioned or Manhattan you’d make yourself … or perhaps better.

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More Whiskey Stories

THE GLENLIVET TWIST & MIX The Glenlivet is one of the world’s most preeminent single malt Scotch brands and is one of the last names you’d expect to see entering the RTD space, which may be why the premium brand found a loophole. Glenlivet’s unique bottled cocktails are described by the brand as “ready to serve”: Instead of being mixed on the shelf, the single malt remains untouched in the bottle until you twist open the cap, which then releases a torrent of flavor (orange, nutmeg and cinnamon in the old fashioned, ginger and cherry in the Manhattan) into the bottle to make a fresh, premium Scotch cocktail.

ABV: 40% $21 (375ml)

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Food & Drink

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Cultured with Care The meat of the future may well come from a lab. But will anybody eat it?

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I L L U S T R AT I O N B Y

Isadora Baum

Evan Richards

Cultivated. Cultured. Lab-grown. Just don’t call it fake. Meat that comes from a lab, rather than a slaughterhouse, is very much real — right down to the molecular level.

“Stem cells from an animal are used to grow in a cultivated setting,” says Ginger Hultin, a registered dietitian nutritionist and author of Meal Prep for Weight Loss 101. “Specific equipment ensures the right growing conditions and waste removal — similar systems to how animal muscle would grow naturally.”

Earlier this year, the USDA approved labels that will go on “cell-cultured” chicken from two companies: Good Meat and Upside Foods. And according to them, even the term “lab-grown” may understate the magnitude of progress here. “[It’s] pejorative and factually inaccurate for what we will produce at-scale,” says Andrew Noyes, a spokesperson on behalf

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of Good Meat. “The USDA had approved the term ‘cell-cultivated’ on our initial food service label.”

For one, the actual production facilities are less “lab” and more “brewery,” where carefully selected bits of actual chicken material are fed a nutrient-rich broth full of amino acids, carbs, minerals, fats and vitamins — basically, what a more traditional animal would eat with a more traditional mouth.

“Our research team identified the best chicken cells to produce cultivated meat, and we use chicken fibroblasts and established cell banks as the starting point for every production run,” Noyes says.

“After our chicken cells are harvested from the cell culture tank, known as a ‘bioreactor,’ they are mixed with coingredients and shaped into different meat formats.”

Those include crispy chicken bites, savory sausages and even grilled fillets.

P H O T O S C O U R T E S Y O F G O O D M E AT

More Meat, Less Leftovers The problem with getting meat the traditional way is that you still have to grow all the bits you can’t eat. In a cultivated setting, you can use less to make more and do it faster, “completing growth in weeks rather than months or years,” Noyes says.

It also presents the opportunity to optimize what we’re putting in our bodies.

“There is evidence that cell-based meats can help reduce the risk of food-borne illness, like E. coli, that accompanies the traditional meat industry,” Hultin says.

There is also the technical possibility of fortifying or improving it in various ways, like increasing various nutrients or reducing otherwise unavoidable downsides like saturated fat.

And chicken, of course, is just the beginning. “We’re also working on other types of meat, including cultivated beef using cells from California pasture-raised cattle and Wagyu from the Toriyama Farm in Japan,” Noyes says.

Culture Shock The biggest challenge facing companies like Good Meat may just be convincing people to try its products at all.

A 2021 study in the Quest International Journal of Medical and Health Sciences showed, unsurprisingly, that people are reluctant to trade traditional meat for the cell-cultured variety. “It has been an expensive and time-intensive endeavor to bring into the food system,” Hultin says. “It’s currently unclear if there will be general consumer demand.”

Beyond garden-variety squeamishness are ethical and religious questions.

“From kosher to halal to even veganism, how will these dietary laws and values accept or regulate tissue that comes from the cells of an animal?” Hultin asks.

Inroads certainly won’t be made for practical reasons. In terms of food safety, cultured meat shares many of the same drawbacks as meat that comes from slaughtered animals.

“[It still] needs to also follow the food safety guidelines similar to meat, tofu and other protein-based products,” says Toby Amidor, an award-winning nutrition expert and author. “You have to keep the meat refrigerated at 40 degrees Fahrenheit or below in your home refrigerator … and cook it to the proper minimum internal temperature.”

Making Ends Meat?

So what’s the hook here? Some consumers may be tempted by the novelty of cultured meat. Or its promise to reduce environmental waste and animal suffering. But it’s not like every

vegan on the planet will suddenly find themselves clamoring for cultured meat.

“Cells still need to be harvested from a live or recently deceased animal, so it’s not without the use of animals completely,” Hultin says.

As for all the omnivores who aren’t caught up in the ins and outs of production and ethics, price may prove to be a winning ticket — especially if the efficiencies of cultivation can bring down the cost of premium cuts like Japanese Wagyu.

Until then, just don’t call it “artificial.”

As far as officials and producers are concerned, this stuff’s just meat. No bones about it.

SLOW COOKER

Meat can be harvested from the cultivator in as little as four weeks, with no animal byproducts produced in the process.

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Food & Drink

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Johnny Brayson

PHOTOS BY

Ja Tecson

Balmuda The Brew

This beautiful Japanese coffee machine makes pour-over coffee more convenient than ever. $699

Has there ever been a home appliance brand as design-forward as Balmuda? Since its debut in Japan two decades ago, the brand has racked up numerous international design awards, with every product it builds as much as a piece of modern art as a helpful gadget.

The Brew is Balmuda’s take on an automatic coffee machine, and like everything else we’ve seen from the brand, it occupies a singular place in the market.

It’s beautiful — that goes without saying — but it also promises heightened performance, emulating a manual pour-over coffee maker to supposedly make a superior cup of joe. But is it really as good as it looks?

WHAT WE THINK

Balmuda’s first coffee maker certainly lives up to the brand’s reputation. It’s gorgeous and looks great on a countertop. It’s high-performing, churning out noticeably more robust and clear-tasting coffee than your average drip machine. But, it’s expensive — arguably too expensive — given the amount of plastic in the machine and its limitations as a coffee maker.

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TESTING NOTES

The Brew is beautiful but feels cheap The Brew is one of the most attractive coffee makers you’ll likely ever see, no question about it. It’s sleek, with a pleasing hourglass shape — likely inspired by the classic Chemex pour-over coffee maker — and its matte black finish contrasts beautifully with the stainless steel accents and carafe. But upon closer inspection, you discover everything black on the body is made of plastic, giving The Brew a bit of a hotel-room-coffee-maker vibe. I like the look, but I’d love to see more metal and less plastic for this kind of money.

It’s surprisingly fun to use Thankfully, the machine is not lacking in Balmuda’s typical design quirks. To remove the dripper, you rotate it 90 degrees rather than pulling it straight off, a unique feature that shows the whimsical creativity of Balmuda’s designers. Turn the machine on and you’re greeted with more whimsy. First, there’s a short welcoming chime as the adorable little light bulb on top comes alive with a warm orange glow.

Then, press the two buttons to select your size and brewing mode and hear them each emit a different retro beep. Finally, press “start” to begin brewing and hear a little jingle, followed by a clock-like ticking that lets you know your coffee is in the works.

If you like coffee, you’ll love what The Brew brews There’s a lot of technology hidden in The Brew that allows for things like precise temperature control and carefully measured flavor extraction. Frankly, it all works wonders. After a (somewhat lengthy) show of steam and drips from the stainless steel dripper, the resultant beverage tastes just like pour-over coffee. (It only makes one cup at a time, but that’s probably for the best, since there’s no warmer for the carafe.) Of the three modes, I’m surprised to say my favorite is the iced coffee setting, which still produces hot coffee, but in more concentrated form. Toss some ice cubes in once it’s done brewing, let them melt and pour into an ice-filled glass for a strong, tasty treat.

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Style

Fitting In In London, an up-and-coming designer reinvigorates the stuffy world of tailoring.

If Savile Row is the heart of bespoke tailoring, designers such as Caroline Andrew are most definitely its soul. At just 33 years old, Andrew has already established herself as one of the go-to names in London for custom-made suiting and high-end ready-to-wear garments. But the road was never going to be an easy one — all the more so in an environment that can be elitist and particularly unwelcoming to women.

Growing up in rural Scotland, Andrew would tinker with her grandmother’s

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sewing machine, turning upholstery fabrics into creative projects of her own design. She quickly fell in love with menswear for its attention to detail, sturdiness and symmetry — the draping and fluid fabrics of haute couture never held the same appeal. “I’m quite organized and I like structure,” she says, “so that reflects in how I make things.”

In her final year of study at the storied London College of Fashion, Andrew was assigned to produce a small collection. She plied several

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grumpy, veteran tailors in the basement of a Savile Row shop with coffee and croissants for the privilege to watch them work. After two weeks, she brought in her own garments and managed to get some personal guidance. Working for free at several of these establishments, she made her way through Savile Row, putting in time at storied houses such as Edward Sexton and Henry Poole before leaving the Row to work for a tailor in the City of London. “You can’t just sit on your backside and be like, ‘I have a degree,’”

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Oren Hartov

certainly helped, as did her social media savvy. “I never paid for PR or that kind of marketing,” Andrew says, “but I had Instagram. At the beginning stages, getting to a thousand followers felt like a million.”

Certain older houses might have an established, staid look, but Andrew is not afraid to take an unusual approach and makes garments in service of the customer. Want a single-breasted suit with a notched lapel and a soft shoulder in the Italian mold? Coming right up. How about a dinner jacket with a peak lapel in Black Watch wool? Done.

Andrew’s rise was a classic story of grit yielding glory until the pandemic arrived in 2020. Robbed of the ability to meet with customers for fittings, Andrew made a deft pivot, developing

FA C I N G PA G E

Andrew in her workshop.

T H I S PA G E

Andrew’s Field Jacket (top) helped keep her business afloat during the pandemic.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF CAROLINE ANDREW

she says, “’cause in the creative industry, no one really gives a shit.”

Five years in the City gave Andrew a window into a working environment less constrained than that of the highly traditional West End houses. Realizing that there was an opportunity for someone younger, more dynamic and open to trying newer cuts while working at a faster pace, she returned to her old stomping grounds. She began designing and cutting garments in her own flat in January of 2018, and

by July, she had opened a store on St. George Street in affluent Mayfair.

While it took some time to establish a customer base from scratch — the starting price for a two-piece Caroline Andrew suit is just shy of five grand — business was brisk. Word of mouth

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“You can’t just sit on your backside and be like, ‘I have a degree.’ In the creative industry, no one really gives a shit.”

T H I S PA G E

A location in posh Mayfair secured Andrew an excellent, loyal client base.

FA C I N G PA G E

Andrew cuts for her bespoke men’s and women’s lines in her Mayfair location.

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a handsome field jacket in multiple fabrics that customers could purchase online. “There was no backup plan,” she says.

The jacket was a hit, nailing the sweet spot of quarantine casual-chic by looking just as good with a T-shirt and jeans as it does over a beautiful cashmere sweater and tailored trousers. By the end of 2020, when many businesses were closing their doors forever, she was able to open a second shop in chic, residential Kensington.

These days, business is booming.

Post-pandemic, the calls rolled in from customers who either put on

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a few pounds or lost them. As 2024 approaches, a third storefront may be next on the menu. And while she has plenty of international customers, her London base is strong, full of loyal clients who love her young energy, her openness, her creativity and, most importantly, her humility. Her drive, furthermore, is hard to miss.

“It was either make it, or go back to Scotland and help out one of the farmers,” she says.

But there was never going to be any retreat up north for Caroline Andrew. There’s simply too much work to be done.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF CAROLINE ANDREW

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Saving Face Expert recommendations on how to take care of your beard during the winter.

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I L L U S T R AT I O N S B Y

Adam Hurly

Style

Joshua Minnich

Cold, dry weather takes its toll on a burgeoning beard by turning whiskers rigid and dehydrating skin. That’s a recipe for beard dandruff, itching and split ends.

With insights from two industry pros, celebrity groomer Colleen Dominique (whose clients include Mark Hamill and Daveed Diggs) and barber Jovan Figueroa (ambassador for hair care brand Stmnt), we devised a thorough regimen packed with winter beard care essentials to prevent all your follicle follies.

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More Grooming Stories

03 HYDRATE Tom Ford Oud Wood Conditioning Beard Oil $57 Tom Ford’s lightweight top-shelf beard oil makes for a terrific stocking stuffer. “Think sophistication and masculine warmth,” says Dominique of its smoky-woody essence. It packs oils of almond, jojoba and grapeseed to replenish hydration, tame flyaways, neutralize dandruff and halt beard itch — no matter how low the temps go.

04 STYLE Reuzel Beard Balm $15 Winter-proof your beard with Reuzel’s nourishing and strand-coating balm, which acts like a hybrid conditioner and styler. “It makes the beard feel full, and keeps things shaped all day,” says Dominique of the shea butter and argan oil recipe. For short scruff, she says to start with a pea-sized amount, working up to a dime size for longer styles.

05 TAME Beardbrand Oval Beard Brush and Beard Comb $32 and $21

PHOTOS COURTESY OF RESPECTIVE BRANDS

Beardbrand’s beautiful boar-bristle brush and double-tooth comb should be on every bearded guy’s wish list. The static-free comb minds details around your beard’s perimeter plus distributes beard oil to soften each strand. The stately brush helps detangle and build volume, ensuring you exercise the beard’s full potential.

“A beard brush is a great way to fully work in any cleanser and exfoliant through your beard hair,” Figueroa adds. “Be gentle closer to the skin, since it’s doubling up on exfoliation.”

01 CLEANSE Caldera + Lab The Clean Slate Cleanser $37

02 SCRUB Olehenriksen Pore-Balance Facial Sauna Scrub $35

An ultra-hydrating face wash freshens your dry winter beard and mitigates seasonal itching. Dominique recommends Caldera + Lab’s cleanser because of the brand’s naturalingredient ethos, which ensures softness for skin and hair. “Massage one to two pumps, and use a beard brush to distribute through long beards,” she says.

To get further ahead of beard dandruff, scrub twice a week with a small-grain exfoliant, “which will penetrate a beard rather than sitting on top of it,” Figueroa explains. Olehenriksen’s scrub uses ultrafine volcanic sand as its grit, and it heats up on contact (a nod to the founder’s Scandinavian sauna culture).

ABOUT OUR EXPERTS

06 TRIM Ontaki Premium Scissors 5.5” $22 It’s easy and inexpensive to upgrade from flimsy facial hair scissors, to something durable that professionals would use. ONTAKI’s Japanesesteel scissors will mind details like mustache curtains and unruly flyaways, while giving highquality heft in hand. Figueroa relies on them to target facial hair split-ends and dry beard itch, both of which increase in cold, dry weather.

COLLEEN DOMINIQUE

JOVAN FIGUEROA

Colleen Dominique is an LA-based celebrity men’s groomer whose clients include Randall Park, Mark Hamill and Daveed Diggs. @colleendominique

Jovan Figueroa is a 28-year barbering vet out of Miami, and is the grooming ambassador for hair care brand STMNT. @mocliving

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TEXT BY

Nick Grant

PHOTOS BY

Ja Tecson

American Trench O.E. Keystone Hoodie 2.0 After pushing the boundaries of hoodies with the first version, American Trench and Camber set about perfecting their creation. $175

When Jacob Hurwitz, founder of American Trench, traveled to Norristown, PA, in the spring of 2019 to meet with knitwear manufacturer Camber’s co-owner Barry Schwartz to discuss manufacturing, they took an immediate liking to each other. As Hurwitz was kicking around brand names for a sweatshirt — an updated version of Camber’s rugged essential — Schwartz told him about Camber’s name prior to moving to their Norristown location: O.E. Sport. Hurwitz loved it; Schwartz said he could have it. American Trench’s O.E. line — which stands for “Original Equipment” — was born.

Over the next two years, there were countless factory visits and obstacles before the O.E.

Keystone 1.0 Hoodie would hit the shelves. While unexpected tragedies — COVID-19, floods that cost Camber millions in lost merchandise — helped slow the process, the main delays were due to Camber’s strict factory policies (Camber patterns are prohibited from leaving the factory) and grueling design-to-production operations.

But Hurwitz and team never wavered. They knew that what they were creating was going to be special. Perfect, even.

Now, with a year passed since the launch of O.E. Keystone Hoodie version 1.0, Hurwitz and his team of fashion experts have put what they learned into their latest iteration.

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TESTING NOTES

Version 2.0’s updated fit is a big improvement The main issue American Trench sought to fix on the 1.0 Keystone Hoodie was its proportions, which led to a slimmer, more fitted look that was longer than they’d hoped. They also felt the neckhole and hood were too small, leading to a shawl-like collar on some. (Admittedly, some customers actually liked this higher neckline.)

The 2.0 basically sizes everything up from last year, including the width of the body, the neck hole and the hood, while making the body a little shorter for a roomier fit that sits perfectly on the waist. While 1.0 failed to nail down the sizing issue for pre- and post-wash, 2.0 gets it right — all hoodies are hot-washed and dried at the dye house to squeeze all the shrinkage out.

It feels like a cozy suit of armor It might be hard to imagine just how heavy 12-ounce cotton-poly blend knit is, but it’s essentially a few degrees removed from chainmail in sheer heft. The heavyweight fabric has a tough exterior that is virtually impenetrable — against the elements, not medieval weaponry — but doesn’t sacrifice mobility or comfort. The thick cotton fleece lining feels like a teddy bear hugging you all day, as well.

The best feature, the patina, comes with wear, time and love Patience is a virtue that will not only prepare you for life’s most challenging tests, but it can also help build the absolute best patina you’ll ever see on a hoodie. The heavyweight cross-knit fabric construction has a rigidity to it similar to canvas or raw denim. With enough wear-and-tear, the resulting “slubbing” will cause some beautiful fading — and a patina that makes the hoodie look priceless. Ready to make your own vintage?

WHAT WE THINK

The round of minor-yet-surgical tweaks that took this hoodie from version 1.0 to 2.0 have transformed it into an essential piece. It fulfills its duty by providing superior warmth and protection without sacrificing comfort. The fit of the 2.0 is more egalitarian than its predecessor, which catered to the slim-fit menswear crowd; the redistribution of the extra length to give a little more width should be appreciated by many.

The only true setback of the Keystone hoodies — outside of a lack of exciting color choices — might be the price; most folks likely don’t see themselves paying more than $160 for a hoodie. But the Keystone Hoodie is a manifestation of the resolute following Camber has cultivated over many years, and the faith they’ve put into American Trench and the O.E. line to represent their legacy.

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Watches

TEXT BY

Zen Love

I L L U S T R AT I O N S B Y

Kailah Ogawa

Timeless Design From Art Deco to Bauhaus, these bygone trends continue to define the watches we wear today.

Art Deco. Bauhaus. Space Age. These concepts from last century are buzzwords today — especially in the watch world. Why? And what do they even mean?

“A lot of these ideas are in the ether and get picked up in different ways, whether it’s in architecture or in watches,” says Dr. David Brody, professor of design studies at The New School’s Parsons School of Design.

“A lot of mislabeling goes on.”

A watch’s typeface, angles or flourishes might lead you to call out its Art Deco inspiration, while function-first pragmatism lacking adornment might conjure Bauhaus ideals. These movements have power and imagery attractive to consumers and brands alike.

“If you can associate with a larger design movement, it takes on an aura of gravitas or meaning,” Brody says.

Certain major styles exert significant influence on today’s retro-inspired and even resolutely modern watches — and understanding them can help you appreciate watches on another level.

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Art Deco

“The confluence of elegance and the beauty of materials, with what we think of as industry and machines, to me, are the most amazing examples of Art Deco,” says Brody, referencing designs specific to the early 20th century, when the style was born.

The approach can be seen in New York City’s famous Chrysler Building (far left) adorned with hubcap motifs and Jaeger-LeCoultre’s rectangular Reverso watch ($7,000, near left) featuring straight ridges on its case and angular dial elements. Modern Japanese watchmaker Kurono Tokyo employs industrial lines paired to strong but elegant hands in its Toki watch ($1,738, above left).

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Bauhaus

“[Bauhaus] has all of those connotations of being utilitarian, democratic, useful, pragmatic, stripping away the excess, getting to the core of use,” says Brody. This doesn’t mean stark, monochromatic or boring, however.

“It’s also about thinking of ways to make the world designed and more visually enjoyable.”

The bright red door of the Bauhaus building in Dessau, Germany (near right) is simultaneously visually interesting and functional, clearly indicating the entrance. The unadorned Junghans Max Bill clocks and watches — including the Chronoscope ($2,400+, top right) — are among the most emblematic Bauhaus products, while the Nomos Tangente ($3,390+, middle of page), with its highly legible watch face and sparing use of a primary color for the hands, is similarly utilitarian.

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P R E V I O U S PA G E : E D U C AT I O N I M A G E S / G E T T Y I M A G E S ; P H O T O S C O U R T E S Y O F R E S P E C T I V E B R A N D S ; T H I S PA G E : K M N - N E T W O R K / I S T O C K ( T O P L E F T ) ; P H O T O S C O U R T E S Y O F R E S P E C T I V E B R A N D S (3) ; E Z Y P I X / I S T O C K ( B O T T O M L E F T )

Watches

D A N C U T L E R / U N S P L A S H ( M I D D L E L E F T ) ; P H O T O S C O U R T E S Y O F R E S P E C T I V E B R A N D S (3)

Space Age

Like Art Deco, Space Age design reflects technology, in this case how forward-thinking designers of the 1950s, ’60s and ’70s looked at it. “It was an expression of enthusiasm for visions of the future,” write Josh Sims and Mitch Greenblatt in their book Retro Watches.

Everyday objects were made to look like spaceships, astronaut helmets or just out of this world in general, such as the now-iconic Eero Aarnio Ball Chair from 1963 (near left). The Girard-Perregaux Casquette ($4,700, top of page), meanwhile, epitomizes the prevalence of sleek, aerodynamic forms. Openly referencing sci-fi such as the delta insignia from Star Trek, the DB28 Digitale from Swiss brand De Bethune ($108,000, bottom of page) shows how such themes continue to inspire modern watches.

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TEXT BY

Joe Tornatzky

I L L U S T R AT I O N B Y

Kailah Ogawa

More Watch Stories

Family Crowns

PHOTO COURTESY OF CAM ODEN

Perfectly practical reasons why every parent should wear a wristwatch. A few sentimental ones, too.

So you’re going to be a parent. Congrats! There’s an almost impossible amount to prepare, from the nursery to the hospital go-bag and beyond. But before that fateful moment you put your gear to the test, like I did one cold January morning, I’ve got one more item to put on your to-do list: Get a watch.

A watch is an essential parenting tool, and it comes in handy even before the bundle of joy arrives.

Those contractions won’t time themselves! Down the line, you’ll also want to track your kid’s ever-shifting wake windows and nap times, and assuming you can even find your phone in that mess of random odds and ends, there comes a point in every parent’s journey where lockscreens and charging cables aren’t worth the extra seconds.

So what watch? Well, I can’t tell you exactly, but I can give you a few hard-won tips, some practical, some less so.

First and foremost, get a watch that is easy to read. That’s table stakes. You want big fonts and numbers, with a nice contrast for aesthetic and usability purposes. My Shinola Runwell was great for this — nice big fat sans serif letters that were nicer to look at than the screaming blue light of my phone.

But it’s not just for you! Now that my kid knows her numbers, we can sit and count to 12. In a world with so many digital distractions, I want my child to be inspired by analog time.

You’ll also want some lume. Can you pull out your phone in a pitch-black bedroom at 1:53 a.m., after 55 minutes of soothing, just to see what time it is? Yes. Will you come to regret it? Also yes.

Of course, all the legibility in the world is worthless if it’s too uncomfortable to wear. I opt for nylon straps that I can wash and swap out as needed. The first year of my kid’s life taught me my Shinola with a leather strap was just too big and sweaty. So I downgraded to a Timex x Todd Snyder MK-1 with a much smaller size of 42mm and a canvas strap. It was a breath of fresh air, and my daughter loves the orange hands.

Naturally, a good dad watch has to be able to take a beating. Kids are filthy.

Liquid resistance is mandatory. I gave up on keeping my watch pristine and love my dialed-back Timex because I don’t have to worry if it can handle bathtime. I pine for a diver, or something with a stopwatch, so I can fully resign my phone to pocket duty. Just don’t be too precious with whatever you pick.

Yes, a watch is a practical tool. It can also hold a lot of sentimental value. As someone who works with photography and art direction on a daily basis, I’m always thinking about how something “shoots.” That might not be top of mind for you, but remember: Your watch will feature in family photos.

Finally, here’s a tip I learned from my old man: Don’t try too hard. Growing up, I never gave much thought to his Mickey Mouse Seiko. Now I can’t help but see it as an icon of his humor and discipline, traits forged in fire during his time as a marine.

But no watch, no matter how accurate, can save you from that fundamental curse of parenthood: Time is going to speed up, and there’s no way to stop it.

As I’ve gotten older, it’s clicked with me that my parents wore watches if not to slow the time, then to remember not to take it for granted.

For now, my daughter is just learning how to move the clock hands in Tell Time with the Very Busy Spider. Before long, I’m sure, she’ll be reading books and clocks all on her own. I just hope I can teach her early to savor the seconds. They’re flying by too fast for me to do it alone.

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Watches

TEXT BY

Zen Love

PHOTOS BY

Kristin Paterakis

Citizen Promaster Dive Automatic ‘Fujitsubo’

Citizen’s enthusiast-friendly vintage reissue feels more modern than ever in lightweight titanium with an all-black finish.

$1,195

When you glance at the Citizen Promaster Dive Automatic, you see a traditional dive watch done up all in black. What you don’t see is how lightweight and comfortable it is, its enthusiast positioning or its vintage-watch backstory.

A combination of a traditional base and sleek contemporary execution give it character, while its titanium construction delivers ample comfort. It’s those elements that made the biggest impression on me while wearing it on dry land almost every day for months on end — as well taking it deep underwater, diving with sharks and exploring shipwrecks.

WHAT WE THINK

Aside from its stealthy garb, the Citizen Promaster Dive Automatic looks like a fairly conventional dive watch. For this reason, it stands out in Citizen’s collection, which is full of boldly sized cases, over-the-top designs and relatively affordable prices, often with greater appeal to the mass market than the watch nerd community.

This watch, on the other hand, is made and priced for enthusiasts.

It features a comparatively premium automatic movement, rocksolid titanium construction, a sapphire crystal and thoughtful details. It’s in competitive territory, but any watch person will recognize the value — especially when they experience it on the wrist.

TESTING NOTES

It has a very cool backstory Like oh so many modern watches, the Citizen Promaster Dive Automatic is a modern rendering of a vintage reference. Specifically, it recreates a model called the Challenge Diver from 1977, from its Rolex-inspired “Mercedes” hour hand design to its case diameter of 41mm. But its story doesn’t end there.

In 1983, an example of the Challenge Diver was found in the waters off the coast of Australia. Indicating that it had been submerged for years, it was heavily caked in barnacles — and yet still functional. Testament to the watches’ robustness, it became part of brand lore, with the modern reissue being nicknamed the Japanese word for barnacle: fujitsubo.

It’s lightweight and ultra-comfortable Next to other automatic dive watches in its price range, Citizen’s use of titanium stands out. A premium but popular material in watches, titanium is strong and light, and Citizen’s proprietary surface-hardening treatment essentially means you can forget about scratching it. The black DLC coating alone contributes plenty to scratch resistance.

Most importantly, however, is how it feels on the wrist. Titanium’s lightness combined with a moderate case diameter and thin titanium bracelet make for one of the most comfortable dive watches I’ve worn.

It’s (almost) a pure tool watch Citizen is most beloved for its tough tool watches, and the Promaster Dive Automatic is a great example. Rendering it in all black, as this model does, doubles down on that badass persona, while little details like polished elements among the mostly brushed surfaces contribute a sense of refinement.

The gradient dial, on the other hand, feels less purposeful. It might be down to personal taste, but in my mind, watches like this are that much more compelling without such superfluous decorative elements.

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Motoring

TEXT BY

Tyler Duffy

Power Trip Gas begone. An electric future won’t just be more efficient but more fun, too.

Electric power en masse is no longer a pipe dream. Just about every car manufacturer has at least one EV in their arsenal, and next year we will witness some of the automotive world’s most prominent — and gasoline-swilling — nameplates reinvent themselves as prominent purveyors of electricity.

Here are seven new cars, trucks and SUVs we can’t wait to drive in 2024.

THE ICON

Toyota Land Cruiser

The outgoing Land Cruiser is fantastic. But it’s too big, too thirsty and too expensive for the modern era. Fortunately, Toyota plans to bring back the iconic nameplate next year with a smaller vehicle packing a torque-y hybrid engine, ample off-road prowess and a starting price point mere mortals can afford. ~$55,000

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More Motoring Stories

THE GUIDE

Motoring

COME ON, FEEL THE NOISE The Charger Daytona SRT’s so-called “Fratzonic exhaust” may just be a speaker system, but that won’t stop it from turning heads; Dodge says it’ll roar at up to 126 decibels.

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THE TRAIL BLAZER

Jeep Recon

Jeep isn’t quite ready to give us an electric Wrangler yet; rumors suggest we may be waiting until 2027 for that. But until then, the boxy, Wrangler-inspired Recon EV — sporting Wrangler-esque traits from a convertible top to locking axles — should be the next best thing.

Price TBD

THE MUSCLE CAR

Dodge Charger SRT Daytona

Dodge is embracing the BEV era in the most Dodge way possible: with a no-holds-barred electric muscle car. It will arrive with a raucous-sounding (virtual) exhaust system and enough oomph to outperform the old supercharged-V8-powered Hellcat models in every metric … except petroleum consumption.

Price TBD

PHOTOS COURTESY OF RESPECTIVE BRANDS

THE SPORTY SUV

Porsche Macan The Macan is Porsche’s best-selling car, and it’s the first existing Porsche model that will make the jump to being an EV. It should offer dramatically more range than the existing Taycan, and with a rearbiased weight distribution and suspension tweaks, it may drive like even more of a Porsche than the current Macan.

Price TBD

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THE PICKUP TRUCK

Ram 1500 REV Ram will be the last of Detroit’s Big Three automakers to launch an electric pickup. But don’t expect the 1500 REV to be the least among them.

It should offer up to 500 miles of range, tow up to 14,000 pounds and look not-too-different from a traditional Ram 1500. ~$60,000

THE ECO-WARRIOR

Mercedes-Benz EQG The G-Wagen may be the planet’s most capable allaround production vehicle. It can do almost anything … except consume fuel efficiently. The new electric EQG should deliver similar off-road prowess to the combustion model with a far lower carbon footprint on the move.

Price TBD

Cadillac Escalade IQ

Cadillac is going all-electric by 2030. The Escalade IQ will be the brand’s first take on an EV version of the now-quarter-century-old nameplate. It will keep the family-friendly three-row format and offer the full capability of GM’s Ultium platform, packing 750 horsepower and up to 450 miles of range. Our only lament is that Cadillac didn’t take the -IQ suffix it uses for its EV nomenclature and call this SUV the Escaliq. ~$130,000

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PHOTOS COURTESY OF RESPECTIVE BRANDS

THE ROLLING STATEMENT

HOPE FOR THE RANGE ANXIOUS

The Ram 1500 REV will offer the option of a range-extending gas engine, which acts as a generator to recharge the batteries on the go.

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Motoring

TEXT BY

Tyler Duffy

Porsche Pursuits

Porsches have become ludicrously pricey — unless you know where to look.

Porsche builds some of the finest allaround vehicles in the world. Some of the most expensive, too. The German automaker recently announced price hikes to improve profit margins, and as always with Porsche, the MSRP is only the starting point for negotiations.

Many features you presume, say, a $197,200 911 Turbo would include, it turns out, are pricey add-ons.

The story continues on the usedcar market. The 911 basically doesn’t depreciate. Fervent interest in the model has spilled over into less desirable alternatives like the 944. And the recent explosion in used car prices has only exacerbated that trend.

If you’re a mere financial mortal who loves Porsches, it can feel like you will never, ever get a chance to own one.

But read on for a few insights that may put your dream car within reach.

FA S T M O N E Y

Buying a new Porsche 911 is the dream.

But that dream now starts at an incredible $114,400 (for the base model Carrera).

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LOOKING FOR A BRAND-NEW PORSCHE? Buy a Macan The Macan SUV is the entry-level Porsche. Its current starting MSRP of $60,900 is more than it once was. But it’s a steal compared to the 911, which starts at nearly twice the price. It’s the only Porsche you can get with an option besides mats for less than $70,000.

The Macan range tops out with the $86,800 Macan GTS, which gives you 434 horsepower and a 0-60 mph time of 4.3 seconds at a price point that’s still below many base model Porsches.

Cayennes aren’t cheap when new. The base model starts at nearly $80,000, and anything above that base model likely will cost more than $100,000.

But unlike the brand’s sports cars, the Cayenne is not a collector’s item — it’s a daily driver that depreciates. And Porsche sells far more Cayennes than 911s, so a fair number of them are kicking around on the used market, driving prices down. You can find a late second-generation Cayenne (2015-2018) with reasonably few miles for less than $30,000.

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PHOTOS COURTESY OF P ORSCHE

NEED A DAILY DRIVER? Try a Cayenne

COVETING A 911?

Consider the 996 Enthusiasts covet almost every generation of 911. The exception is the 996 model from 1997 to 2004. The 996 switched to water-cooled from traditional air-cooled engines.

It had aesthetically unpleasant “fried egg” headlights.

And an IMS bearing flaw set those cars up for premature catastrophic engine failures.

But many of these cars have had their IMS bearings fixed, and while the values have gone up for the GT3 and other rare models, you can still obtain a less-sought-after edition for less than $50,000.

BUILDING THE MOST EXPENSIVE FACTORY PORSCHE Want to go for broke (literally) in the opposite direction? Max out the options on a 911 S/T for a price that’ll make your head spin faster than those 21-inch magnesium rear wheels.

911 S/T STARTING MSRP: $290,000 OPTIONS Paint to Sample Plus: $43,390 Heritage Design Package: $20,360 LED Matrix Design Headlights in Black w/PDLS+: $4,010 Front Axle Lift System: $3,670 Porsche Experience Center Delivery: $2,000 Sports Seats Plus Backrest Shells in Leather: $1,900 Bose Surround Sound System: $1,600 Exclusive Design Taillights: $990 Auto Dimming Mirrors w/Integrated Rain Sensor: $700 Exterior Lower Trim + Base in Exterior Color: $660 Pedals and Footrest in Aluminum: $630 Park Assist: $610 Ambient Lighting: $580 Traffic Sign Recognition: $450 Chrono Package: $310

WANT THE BEST OVERALL DEAL ON A PORSCHE? Try the first-generation Boxster First-generation Boxsters (1996-2004) are likely the best bet if you’re looking for an ultra-cheap Porsche. They have the same IMS bearing issue as the 996, the same fried egg headlights and markedly less power. But to non-enthusiasts, it will still look like “a Porsche.” It will take some hunting, but you can still find first-gen Boxsters with some life left for as little as $15,000.

Extended Range Fuel Tank: $230 Fire Extinguisher: $180 Preparation for Porsche Dash Cam: $130 Delivery, Processing and Handling Fee: $1,650 Total Price: $374,050

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Motoring

TEXT BY

Tyler Duffy

PHOTOS BY

Alex Frankel

2024 Mazda CX-90 Turbo S

Mazda goes big and bold with its new $60,000 flagship SUV. $53,720+

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WHAT WE THINK

The CX-90’s all-around package is impressive. The new inline-six engine is smooth, if not overly sporty. The interior is luxurious and eye-catching. Judging by the reactions I received from family, I don’t think the CX-90’s price point will be an issue. Like the Telluride for Kia, the CX-90 may help upscale buyers change their perceptions of Mazda.

The Turbo S version of the 3.3-liter inline-six isn’t cheap, starting at $51,750 and cresting $60,000 with options. But I think it’s worth the cost of admission. It offers 60 more horsepower than the base engine, while being nearly as efficient with the same 25 mpg combined rating. And the Turbo S offers a more refined driving experience than the PHEV, which has a throttle that can be tough to predict.

Before this year, the CX-9 was the apex of Mazda’s crossover lineup.

It was one of our favorite crossovers to drive, with a playful feel and a torque-rich four-cylinder engine. It felt expensive inside and out, leaning heavily on Mazda’s Kodo design language. It was excellent … but it felt too much like an upsized version of Mazda’s smaller crossovers.

Mazda is making a more defining statement with the CX-9’s replacement, the all-new CX-90. It’s a bit bigger, and a lot flashier. It offers new 3.3-liter inline-six and 2.5-liter plug-in hybrid (PHEV) powertrains. And in top spec, it crosses what had been a price Rubicon for this sub-luxury brand: leveling up to the Turbo S Premium Plus Package AWD version nudges the price tag over $60,000.

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TESTING NOTES

The inline-six is smooth, if not sporty Wielding 340 horsepower and 369 lb-ft of torque sounds like a riotous good time. The CX-90, though, is not quite that. It can hurry when asked, but it’s tuned more for seamless power. It’s responsive when you hit the pedal, and a smooth, linear power delivery — closer to a German luxury car’s engine than the coarse V6s or turbo inline-fours of most midsize crossovers — continues right through any situation one would put their kid hauler in. The soundtrack may be a bit too zesty for a family crossover, but hey, that’s better than sounding sad.

The CX-90 doesn’t resolve the CX-9’s space issue The Mazda CX-9’s main drawback was a tight third row and cargo area. The CX-90 has a marginally less tight third row and cargo area, but it still trails most competitors. The CX-90 maxes out at 15.9 cubic feet with the third row up, the slightest of improvements from the CX-9’s 14.4 cubic feet. There’s not enough space to hold three rows of passengers and their luggage, and the third row confines occupants to the point of inducing claustrophobia in people who never suffered from it before. As with the CX-9, the optimal use case for the CX-90 is a four-person family that may do a rare bit of carpooling.

The interior befits the luxury price point Multiple generations of my family members had no idea they were considering a Mazda until they saw the CX-90 interior. It looks every bit worthy of its $60,000 price tag — if not worth even more. The materials are interesting to look at and delightful to touch, with quilted Nappa leather-trimmed seats, soft suede-like material on the dash and extra-cushy armrests. It has an expansive, clear and horizontally-oriented 12.3-inch infotainment display. And unlike previous Mazdas, you can use it as a touchscreen in motion while projecting your phone via Apple CarPlay or Android Auto … but oddly, not for Mazda’s built-in infotainment system.

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A Final Coat of Wax AFTER TWO DECADES OF BUSINESS, AMERICA'S ONLY INDEPENDENT REPROOFER OF WAXED CANVAS PLANS TO PASS DOWN HIS TRADE.

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text by

Tanner Bowden photos by

Chase Pellerin 101

WA X M A S T E R

New England Reproofers founder Alain Gauthier (previous page) has independently refurbished beloved waxed jackets from Barbour (below) and other brands since 2003.

In the modified garage currently housing the operation, essential tools of the trade such as sponges (right) are always within easy reach.

I

F YOU FOLL OW the Google Maps directions to New England Reproofers, famously the country’s only independent refurbisher of waxed cotton jackets, you’ll wind up at a strip mall south of Nashua, New Hampshire, just off the Everett Turnpike.

There you will find a nail salon, a UPS store and a Mexican restaurant that’s supposed to be quite good. But there’s no sign for New England Reproofers, nor the telltale smell of a recently rewaxed coat.

A quick call to Alain Gauthier, the company’s founder, reveals the error: New England Reproofers has never had a shop there, but the UPS store does handle its shipping and receiving. A short jaunt across the Merrimack River and into a residential neighborhood brings you to the workshop.

But this is not the hallowed place you might expect; it’s a modified garage. It’s also temporary. New England Reproofers, which has been expertly restoring Barbour, Filson, Orvis, Belstaff and other waxed canvas jackets for two decades, is in flux.

A few years ago, Gauthier began the slow process of passing down his company to his daughter. Slow because, despite years of wear and tear, the passion that has sustained his craft for so long remains.

“I love the idea of restoring someone’s wellloved jacket,” he says. “Many of these fine garments become a good old friend taken all over the world … some of them have been passed down to the next generation. It is not so much what I actually physically do but what I envision the end result will be.”

Though the business is going on 20 years, Gauthier has been reproofing for far longer. He started working at Barbour in the early ’90s, when he got wind through his wife, Ann, who was working there as a bookkeeper, that the company sought someone to rewax customers’ jackets at its US headquarters in Milford, New Hampshire. (Before that, he worked selling automotive components.)

Barbour is one of those rare, family-owned brands that’s lasted well over a century. In 1894, John Barbour began selling garments made of oilcloth — cotton duck canvas coated with linseed oil to repel water — in South Shields, England, where the company is still based.

Barbour has offered refurbishing services for nearly as long; its 1921 catalog advertised: “If you want to give your old Beacon a new lease of life, send it along to us (in summer-time if possible), and we will re-oil and repair it, if it is worth repair.” (Seven shillings and sixpence for a long, shin-length coat.)

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By the 1990s, Barbour was 60 years on from replacing oilskin — which yellows, stiffens and cracks in cold weather — with supple, paraffin-impregnated waxed cotton. The company hasn’t messed with the formula much since, and its jackets have become iconic thanks in part to famous wearers like Steve McQueen, James Bond, Princess Diana and the rest of the British royal family — who have awarded the company three Royal Warrants over the years — but mostly due to their enduring favor among sportsmen and -women the world over.

Gauthier can recite this history from memory, and with more detail. Learning on the job, he spent over a decade working for Barbour — first as a reproofer then as a distribution manager, a role that sent him to numerous trade shows and reproofing events around the United Kingdom, Ireland and the US. But Barbour wasn’t the only company making waxed cotton coats, and at these gatherings Gauthier was repeatedly asked if he knew of someone who could repair and rewax other brands. Well, he thought, perhaps I could.

Gauthier left Barbour and established New England Reproofers in 2003. He took part-time jobs, like selling cars for Land Rover, another century-old company, while he grew the business entirely by word of mouth — and paper. He made a pamphlet announcing that finally, an independent waxed cotton reproofing business had been established in America and sent hundreds to manufacturers and retailers around the country.

“Whether the jacket was made in the British Isles, New Zealand or Australia,” it read, “the one place you can count on for reproofing is in New England, USA.” “The first year I did 100 jackets and the second year I did 200 jackets and the following year I did 400 jackets,” Gauthier recalls. Long strides materialized when Orvis allowed him to place pamphlets in its stores and when a manager at Filson, after covertly sending Gauthier a pair of jackets to deodorize, repair and reproof — a semi-secret trial run — proposed a formal

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O P E R AT I N G S Y S T E M

Once Gauthier and his daughter, Nancy Gauthier Burkett, have assessed the state of a jacket, a handy tag neatly summarizes its status and what specific work needs to be done.

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relationship that still exists; Filson calls itself a “proud partner” of New England Reproofers and simply recommends sending jackets directly to them on the Special Services page of its website.

“I started doing Belstaff jackets and I started doing Ralph Laurens, Burberry jackets, L.L.Beans; we do them all,” says Gauthier.

People started sending jackets from places across the country where the traditional style is in fashion, where there’s wet weather and where shooting and fishing are pastimes: New England, Oregon, Washington, Texas, California, even Alaska. But he also received jackets from Europe, Australia, New Zealand and one — just one — from Japan.

As New England Reproofers grew, Gauthier adapted to the particulars of the work. When a well-heeled owner of a long Saint Laurent coat, her uniform for Madison Avenue shopping forays, reached out in dismay after dry cleaners stripped it completely of its wax and waterproofing, he agreed (after much deliberation) to give it a new wax coating.

The process, called wax proofing, requires building a new wax base and adding more layers on top of it; it can be tricky to get an even coat. Now New England Reproofers will wax proof any cotton canvas garment they’re able to: Carhartt pants, baseball hats, shoes.

Rush service was another add-on offering that resulted from jackets that, after a summer spent in the closet, needed prompt attention before a fall trip. In 2011, while Wes Anderson was filming Moonrise Kingdom in Rhode Island, a friend of Gauthier’s who runs two British menswear shops in Newport called with a unique request.

“He said, ‘Bill Murray was in my shop today. He brought me two jackets. And he’s filming and he wants his jackets done, like yesterday. He asked me if I knew you.’” Gauthier had Murray’s Barbours reproofed within two days.

What every person who sends an item to New England Reproofers shares is a regard for heritage — for the past and future legacy that’s inherent to waxed cotton clothing, which is made to be worn, used, exposed to harsh elements and, with proper upkeep and maybe a patch here and there, last for decades, or at least long enough to be passed down.

Gauthier knows the responsibility on his shoulders. To put a prized jacket into a box and mail it to a strip mall in New Hampshire requires a certain degree of trust, one he doesn’t take lightly. In 20 years, New England Reproofers has rarely turned down a job, however complicated.

N E X T G E N E R AT I O N

Mentored by her father, Burkett now handles most of the New England Reproofers business. The temporary HQ features some quirky artifacts — and of course an abundance of wax.

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“It’s very hard,” Gauthier explains, “when someone sends you an email or [makes] a phone call and says, ‘I’ve had this jacket for 30 years, I’ve been everywhere with it. I cannot give it up.

You’ve got to do something.’ People will talk to me that way. ‘You have to do something.’”

Heritage seems to be bonded to every element of waxed cotton, including New England Reproofers. The small outfit has always been a family business. Gauthier’s wife, Ann, assisted with garment cleaning and odor removal for 18 years; his sister used to do tailoring; and his great-niece occasionally still helps handle the fall influx. And now, after 20 years, Gauthier is passing the company to his daughter, Nancy.

When it comes to waxed cotton, Nancy Gauthier Burkett is no novice. At an early age, she and her brother would occasionally help with inventory at the Barbour warehouse, and at 17 she accompanied her father to Palo Alto to outfit a store. Ten years ago, she started working alongside him at the reproofing table.

In his at-home workshop, Gauthier taught Burkett the process of refurbishing waxed cotton clothing. After any necessary repairs — patching, fixing zippers or snaps, lengthening or shortening sleeves; all handled by a tailor — a jacket is cleaned and deodorized in a bath of enzymes (one soak works for all but the most egregious cases). Next it goes to the drying rack. Then, it’s on to the waxing table, a piece of custom furniture with a heated top that Gauthier had built to his own exacting specifications. He won’t say what temperature he keeps it at; that’s a trade secret. It’s not scorching, just warm enough to help a garment absorb new wax.

THEN AND NOW

A photo of Gauthier circa 1994 and a modern one of Burkett show the process hasn’t changed much: examine the jacket, take notes, then bring your sponge and wax and elbow grease to bear on the task at hand.

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“It is not so much what I actually physically do but what I envision the end result will be.”

— Alain Gauthier

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You Can Handle Reproof No one restores a waxed jacket quite like New England Reproofers, but here’s what to do if you’d like to try your hand at their craft.

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01

02

Clean your jacket

Gear up to work

Remove dirt and grime with a bristle brush. If more cleaning is needed, hose down the jacket or give it a cold water bath. Avoid soap or detergents, and do not put it in a washing machine, which will strip the wax. Hang dry completely.

Reproofing is best done in a warm space on a flat, clean surface. Get a fresh sponge or rag to spread the wax and another rag to wipe away excess. Line the jacket with an old bath towel to protect the liner.

The wax used at New England Reproofers is another confidential matter. For years, Gauthier sourced wax from England, but he eventually managed to find a supplier in the US willing to take orders of less than 2,000 pounds. The wax carries less smell than what most brands sell in tins for DIY reproofing, and it spreads easily across and into cotton canvas. Good wax, Burkett explains, doesn’t smell strongly and has an ideal (and also secret) melting point.

During reproofing, a slow cooker keeps the wax liquid-warm while it’s applied to a garment with a sponge, the excess wiped away with a rag.

After so many years of wear and use, timing, here, is crucial. “It’s going to soak up what it needs to soak up,” Burkett says. “You’ve just got to give it time, but not too much so that it’s going through the liner.” New England Reproofers can’t replace a marred Barbour liner because the tartan fabric is trademarked.

To watch either Gauthier or Burkett apply a new layer of wax to a jacket is to witness a seasoned technician at work. Placing a worn Barbour Bedale on the table, Burkett starts with the side seams. Then she moves to the collar, sleeves and onto the front. The back is last. Some jackets are quicker to do than others — pockets and double-layer sleeves make for extra work.

The space is small and it doesn’t take long for the heat coming off the table to fill it. “It’s the same motion over and over every day for

a couple hours. It wears on you a bit,” says Burkett. The work is physical, and it’s easy to imagine how, jacket after jacket, reproofing can become taxing. Gauthier, at 71, has been doing it for nearly half his life, enough time to be ready to redefine his relationship from livelihood to legacy.

Two years ago, the New England Reproofers workshop — heated table, proofing tools, in-process projects and a lot of wax — transferred from Gauthier’s basement to Burkett’s house. The current setup is temporary. Soon, Burkett will move into a new home that has a bigger space for the shop. In 2024, the business will be put in her name, but she already handles everything. Except for customer service.

“He hasn’t fully let go yet,” says Burkett. “He still wants a hand. And that’s OK, I value his input. I value his opinions. And I love the history he brings to the company.”

Gauthier confirms his reluctance. “You can’t just let go of something like this overnight,” he says. “I still love it, I always have.”

Love seems to be the thread that ties it all together: New England Reproofers, Alain, Nancy, Barbour, Orvis, Filson and the countless hunters, anglers and sportswear enthusiasts that own and buy things made of a material invented nearly a century ago. Heritage, legacy, nostalgia, maybe even obsession, but like with most things, love rises to the top.

Love. And a lot of wax.

NOTE Gauthier advises reproofing every year if you're wearing the jacket frequently, and every three or four years otherwise.

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Apply the wax

Finish and dry

Melt the wax with a slow cooker (or a pot and hot plate). Use the sponge to spread the wax over the jacket, starting with the side seams or collar, then the sleeves, then the front and finally the back.

Wipe away excess wax with a rag as you go. Aim for an even coat.

When done, hang the jacket until it is completely dry. Once you’ve wiped away any lingering wax or oil, it’s ready to wear.

“Once you start seeing the creases in the sleeves and it’s starting to change color, you’re ready for a reproofing.”

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Waxed Ecstatic

In the market for a waxed jacket of your own?

Here are five we love that are made to last.

Text by John Zientek

Barbour Ashby Wax Jacket Made with Barbour's signature 6-ounce Sylkoil waxed cotton, the Ashby Jacket features a matte finish and a tailored silhouette. Notable traits include a zipfront with a storm fly, a corduroy collar with a throat strap and four front pockets. For added warmth, the jacket is lined with Barbour's Original Classic Tartan. $398

Flint and Tinder Flannel-Lined Waxed Trucker Jacket This Los Angeles-made jacket employs waxed Martexin 7-ounce sailcloth from New Jersey. Lined with a soft polyester blanket fabric, it has a traditional trucker silhouette that’s also available in a Tall fit.

The design features a button front, three front pockets and one internal pocket. $298

Rogue Territory Supply Jacket Made in LA, this unlined jacket is cut from 10-ounce Martexin waxed canvas. The slim silhouette has a button front, three front pockets and an internal chest pocket. Both rugged and unassuming, the Supply Jacket was worn by Daniel Craig in the 2021 James Bond film No Time to Die. $325

Freenote Cloth Riders Jacket Featuring a 10-ounce Martexin waxed canvas outer, this pleated jacket is lined with Southwestern-inspired fabric from Japan. Shoulder gussets in the back secured with hidden elastic bands serve to optimize mobility.

Made in the USA, the Riders Jacket includes metal trims from Kentucky and a leather patch from Minnesota. $450

Filson Tin Cloth Short Lined Cruiser Jacket Filson's hefty signature 14-ounce Tin Cloth is made by British Millerain in England. Its weight is attributed to a tight-weave fabric that is initially rigid but will break in with wear. The jacket is lined with 6-ounce unwaxed cotton and features a button front and four front pockets. $350

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J O S H UA M I N N I C H

I L LUS T R AT ION S BY

CHRIS WRIGHT

TEXT BY

N O , IT ’S NOT B O U R B O N OR EVEN SCOTCH. FOR DISTILLERS AC RO S S T H E C O U N T R Y, T H AT ’ S T H E WHOLE POINT.

YOU DON’T NEED a history degree to get American single malt. But it wouldn’t hurt.

Before the United States even went by that name, the Cherokee and other indigenous tribes made their booze out of fermented plants and berries.

Early European settlers used rye, which grew like a weed on the East Coast and imparted delicious flavors of spice to liquor. As Europeans moved westward, they grew corn — another wonderful crop for distilling and drinking. And let’s not forget to mention rum, made cheaply out of molasses down in the Caribbean.

This all relegated malted barley, an essential ingredient of single malt whiskey, to second fiddle in North America. American barley production lagged behind corn, rye and other distillable crops like wheat until the Pacific Northwest was

settled and agricultured. And even then, once malted barley was being cultivated in the ground, it was snapped right up by another interested party — beer distillers.

As a result, our forefathers were raised on bourbon, rye whiskey, corn liquor, rum and, of course, beer. (That last beverage, made from barley, was extremely important as an alternative to water back when the latter wasn’t so dependably safe.) But the rest of the world, especially Scotland, didn’t let good malted barley slip between the cracks. Over hundreds of years, the Scots learned that malted barley could be roasted in a certain manner — often using peat smoke — then mashed and distilled to create a spirit that is smoky, cereal-y, fruity and, above all, smooth and long in flavor.

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• Made at a single distillery • Uses 100 percent barley mash bill • Mashed, distilled and matured entirely in the US • Matured in oak casks not larger than 700 liters • Distilled to no more than 160 proof • Bottled at 80 proof or more This varies from Scottish regulations, which require an age statement of at least three years and the use of a pot still for distillation. For American distilleries like Balcones in Texas, whose whiskeys gain flavor much faster during the temperature-intense aging process, Hawley and others argue an age statement is stifling.

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“ W HEN W E FIR ST S TA R T E D C A L L I NG OU R W H ISK E Y ‘A M E R IC A N S I NGL E M A LT ’ NOBODY K N E W W H AT SH E L F TO PU T I T ON .”

And rather than narrow their definition to the pot still, the ASMWC argues that American distillers are known for their hybrid-style stills — and that a maximum distillation proof serves the same purpose as requiring pot stills.

“The reason we were excited to join the ASMWC and set out these definitions was to get people some sort of understanding about what the hell we were doing with our whiskey,” says Miles Munroe, master blender at Westward Whiskey.

“We needed to give the whiskey drinker an idea of the category. No, it’s not bourbon, it’s single malt. Then everyone thinks, ‘Oh, Scotch, smoky, peaty.’ Well, no, not that, either.”

“The American whiskey category was synonymous with bourbon fifteen years ago but the resurgence of rye diversified that view,” says Gareth Moore, CEO of Virginia Distillery, whose Courage & Conviction whiskey has been draped in a number of awards since its release in 2020. “The American single malt category will further broaden the view of the American whiskey consumer.”

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Tyler Pederson, the distillery manager at Westland Distillery, recalls a drinker telling him he didn’t like whiskey ... only bourbon.

“Education is a huge part of what we need to do, and it’s what we’re doing by formally creating an American single malt category,” he says. “The designation is a way to protect the global consumer and tell them what to expect out of an American single malt. At the same time, we don’t want to limit the innovation that Americans are known for.”

So what exactly are Americans known for in their single malt? Well, that’s still wildly variable, depending on the distillery. In fact, a few of the distillers I spoke with weren’t waiting on the TTB definition of ASM. They’ve already begun defining their own place in history.

P R E V I O U S PA G E : C S A I M A G E S (2) / G E T T Y I M A G E S ; O P P O S I T E PA G E : P H O T O C O U R T E S Y S T . G E O R G E D I S T I L L E R Y

Perhaps because of Scottish, and later Japanese, dominance of the spirit, single malts didn’t come to be made in America until a few domestic examples arose in the 1980s and 1990s. Those whiskeys, like Clear Creek Distillery’s McCarthy’s Single Malt and others, planted a barley seed that’s been growing ever since.

Today, more than 200 distillers are making the stuff — more than in all of Scotland — and the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, part of the Department of the Treasury, now stands on the cusp of declaring an official designation for “American single malt.”

“We have a great opportunity to push the boundaries and explore single malt more than ever before,” says Steve Hawley, formerly of Westland Distillery. In 2016, Hawley and a handful of other distillers founded the American Single Malt Whiskey Commission, which sought to define the style. “When we first started calling our whiskey ‘American single malt’ at Westland,” Hawley says, “nobody knew what shelf to put it on in the liquor store.”

Hawley and the ASMWC, which has ballooned in size in recent years, were delighted when the TTB used much of their own definition in the semi-official “standard of identity” for American single malt. These current definitions for American single malt are somewhat simple:

LANCE WINTERS

S T. GEORGE DIS T I L L E R Y IN 199 7, Lance Winters showed up to St. George Spirits in Alameda, California, with a plea and a bottle of single malt. He wanted a job. He was a brewer, and a friend had given him a bottle of Lagavulin.

“Once I realized the first step of making single malt whiskey was making beer, I thought, ‘Shit, I’m halfway there,’” he says. He distilled his beer into a single malt in his garage. “I figured getting a job was better than going to the federal penitentiary for illegal moonshining,” he says.

He got the job. At the time, he only knew of two other single malts being made in America. To his eye, both were using peated barley to make, basically, a domestic version of Scotch. “I said, look, we’re not bound by the rules of single malt that exist in Scotland, so let’s make this our very own thing,” Winters says.

He knew from his home distilling about how different roast levels on the barley translated to the spirit; distill down a porter or stout and it’ll retain some of its chocolate and coffee notes as a whiskey, for example. He also knew that different yeast strains could be used to catalyze whole different swaths of esters, phenols and other flavorful molecules out of the malted barley. Whereas Scottish distillers often use a single strain of distiller’s yeast called M-strain, and other American distillers were mostly concerned with translating sugars into ethanol efficiently, Winters saw an opportunity to experiment. He created a mash bill of 100 percent barley — made up of tworow pale, crystal, black patent and Bamberg malts, roasted to different levels.

“This was to showcase the different flavor profiles present in barley,” he says. “Before the whiskey even hit the barrel, it had so much depth and layers to it, tons of flavor and aroma.” This became St. George’s flagship American single malt.

Another of their whiskeys, Baller, is an homage to Japanese single malt. “Our friends opened a ramen shop,” Winters says. “We fell in love with this big, porky bowl of ramen. We realized the best counterpoint to that was a highball.” A Hibiki highball is no hardship for anybody, of course. “But these are our friends!” Winters says. They narrowed their mash bill to two-row pale and Munich malts (“super

lean, austere, almost Japanese in style”), aged it in American oak, ran it through maple charcoal (“for a big, sweet, smoky punch”), then finished it for six months in barrels that had previously held their own homemade Japanese stonefruit shochu, Ume. When I asked my local liquor store guy about American single malt, he pointed to Baller: “Special bottle. Less than $70. What else do you want?” Not much — Baller is downright delicious, and it’s entirely unlike any other single malt out there.

“We love overly complex things,” Winters told me.

“If it’s too easy, then anybody can do it.” Or somebody already has.

This is a main concern of Winters for the future of ASM. “There are a lot of people who think if they just go through the motions, good whiskey is going to happen. Whiskey happens, but not good whiskey.”

He noted a blind tasting several years ago of 20some whiskies. “Of those, there were only three that I would actually drink … the rest of them, they need a better editor.” American single malt makers need to be their own worst critics. “Make sure the product going out is truly delicious,” Winters says. “That’s the way forward.”

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WESTL A N D, which laid down its first barrels of single malt in 2011, is one of the most recognizable and award-winning American single malt producers. Tyler Pederson has been at the distillery for 10 years, having worked his way up from a mashman to head distiller, production manager and now distillery manager.

“I came to Westland because I wanted to make whiskey with a sense of place,” he says. That sense of place depends on the Pacific Northwest’s excellent malt-grade barley. “The Skagit Valley is one of the top five barley-growing regions in the world,” Pederson says. Cool temperatures and heavy rainfall make for plump barley that’s low in protein. “From a raw materials perspective, making single malt just made sense,” he adds.

Westland uses a five-barley mash bill fermented using Belgian saison yeast. (“Less efficient, but I love the fruity ester character that comes off it, and the phenolic notes provide a nice backdrop for the grain.”) They age the whiskey in new American oak; according to Pederson, the lighter-style spirit can stand up to new oak’s bold tannin flavors because of the Skagit Valley’s gentle temperature fluctuations throughout the year.

Lately, Westland’s flavors also depend on a local peat bog. “In our mind, using peat is the root style of modern single malt,” he says. “If you need to dry your barley out in the field, that’s what you would use.” At first, Westland imported Scottish peat to smoke their barley; then, using Google Maps, they located a peat bog nearby. Many are strictly protected by the EPA, but this one, which supplied the local Air Force

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base with peat as an absorbent agent, had been grandfathered into harvesting. In Scotland, peat bogs are often drained for harvesting; this one remains wetted while a backhoe harvests the peat straight from the primordial muck, a more sustainable technique.

A local malthouse, Skagit Valley Malting, has built (and rebuilt) a system to smoke the malt with this peat. Changing processes are reflected in Westland’s smokiest whiskey, Solum; the 2016 batch, which used pelletized peat, was “very lightly smoky,” while a new release blends the 2016 with a much smokier version from 2019 that used powdered peat.

Not everybody loves peated whiskey; perhaps that’s why there are so few American single malts that use peat, let alone source it locally.

“Some people say certain Islay whiskies smell like a burning hospital in a glass,” Pederson admits. “It’s more a niche element of whiskey drinkers that like it. You have to be bold to go down this path. But by no means are we the only ones.”

More innovation lies ahead for Westland.

They fully fund a PhD program with Washington State University’s Breadlab, aimed at developing new barley varieties in the Skagit Valley, specifically in low-input, organic systems designed to be used for whiskey.

“We’re excited for the work the farmers are doing here, and for the flavors inherently around us,” Pederson says.

“ I N OU R M I N D, US I NG PE AT I S T H E ROO T S T Y L E OF MODE R N S I NGL E M A LT.”

O P P O S I T E PA G E : P H O T O C O U R T E S Y W E S T L A N D D I S T I L L E R Y

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TYLER PEDERSON

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FEW SPI R I TS “WE SEE OURSELV ES AS A RTISTS, trying to bottle liquid art,” says Paul Hletko, founder of Few Spirits. The Chicago-based distillery has been making American single malt with a “grainto-glass” approach for a little over 12 years.

The outsider feel of ASM feels just right at Few. Employees include former and current musicians, woodworkers, ballet dancers and cooks. Hletko, a self-professed “stinky hippie, raging Deadhead and jam-band fan,” says he and his team often arrive at their spirits after an intense period of improvisation and creativity.

“The approach is being unafraid to fail,” he says. “The best jam bands put it all on the line. When it works, it’s absolute magic.

When it doesn’t, it’s an absolute trainwreck. We don’t release the trainwreck stuff — but it allows us to take an approach that pushes us to the edge of our creativity.”

Hletko and Few are drawn to American single malts because “the rules are not especially restrictive. You can do an awful lot, even under the unimproved definition” of the American Single Malt Whiskey Commission, of which Few is a member. Case in point: the smoke in their whiskey.

“When people talk about woodsmoke in whiskey, they are usually talking about peat smoke,” he says. “Peat flavors are very strong. People describe iodine, Band-Aids, saline and licking ashtrays.” None of those descriptors are true for cherrywood smoke, which is what Few uses instead. “It’s a little bit of sweetness and a tiny bit of smokiness, really dialed back,” Hletko says.

Notes of cappuccino and chocolate pair with this sweet smoke to make it a great dessert dram. A complex mash bill of malted CH IC AG O, barley makes it rich and comI L L I NOIS plex enough to keep drinkers interested after a great meal.

“Really, it’s unlike anything that’s out there,” Hletko says.

“American drinkers drink whiskey to experience different flavors,” he adds. “American single malts in general expand the palate. They are the perfect opportunity to experience those new kinds of flavors.”

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PAU L HLETKO

“ I N SCO T L A N D YOU BU Y F ROM A BIG M A LT HOUS E , A N D H E R E W E WOR K DI R EC T LY W I T H T H E GROW E R S .”

O P P O S I T E PA G E : P H O T O C O U R T E S Y F E W S P I R I T S ; T H I S PA G E : P H O T O C O U R T E S Y T E N M I L E D I S I T L L E R Y

TEN MILE DIS T I L L E RY

WA S S A I C , N E W YOR K

IN 1990, when Shane Fraser was 16 years old, he got a job as a “dogsbody” — a day laborer — at Royal Lochnagar distillery in Scotland, just down the road from where he grew up. He went on to work at Oban, Glenfarclas and Wolfburn, a new distillery in the north of Scotland where he was given free rein as master distiller to make a Scotch whiskey in his own style.

In 2019, he immigrated to New York to make single malt in America. “I always wanted to challenge myself by working abroad,” he told me recently. “And there are advantages to making whiskey here — for instance, there’s no pressure on the amount of whiskey we make.”

This pressure-free distillery is Tenmile, located in the Hudson Valley 90 miles north of New York City. Founder John Dyson opened it with the dream of making a Scottish-style American single malt.

Fraser laid down a first batch of 300-odd barrels in 2019 and the work has continued apace.

His recipe uses 100 percent malted barley grown within 40 miles of the distillery, floor malted at Hudson Valley Malt. He pre-mills it in the Scottish style: 20 percent husk, 10 percent meal, the rest flour. He mashes it just like he did in Scotland, to a sweet-tea darkness, cooled down low and fermented slowly until “the yeast comes back

to life and produces a lovely flavor.” He distills it in traditional Scottish Forsyths stills. John Dyson, Tenmile’s owner, also owns Williams Selyem Winery in California, so Fraser has great access to high-end pinot noir and chardonnay barrels. He also ages the liquid in ex-Jack Daniel’s whiskey barrels and oloroso sherry casks, and even ex-Islay casks. “Our whiskey is unpeated, and I’m not into heavily smoked whiskey,” he says. “But when we use those, the spirit pulls the smokiness out of the wood.”

All of this sounds a lot like Speyside or a light Highland whisky. So how exactly is making whiskey in America different than in Scotland?

“I’ve got more input into the grain,” Fraser says.

“In Scotland, you buy from a big malt house, and here we work directly with the growers. Also, here we are trying to produce a great single malt, but without pressure from shareholders.” Scale also differs. “In Scotland, the large distilleries are trying to be in every bar in the world. When you’re talking about making small tweaks, it’s being made to ten million bottles.”

The lack of a specific still requirement in the American definition is another big difference.

“You’re going to have such a wide spectrum of flavors from the different distilleries. It’s so young. I think everybody is trying to do their own thing.”

Tenmile’s single malt is already gaining acclaim as a great Scottish-style whiskey, made in America. “On the nose, it’s quite a lot of spice and some fruits,” Fraser says. “Taste: a cinnamon note, Christmas cake flavors, almost like a Speyside sherry malt — though we use wine casks. For a young whiskey, at three years old, it’s got a pretty long finish.

Speaking of a long finish, Fraser’s holding on to plenty of stock for the future. “Hopefully, we’ll eventually have a big eight- or ten-year-old version,” he says.

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SHANE FRASER

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JA RED HIMSTEDT

ERY That barrelling changes everything. Using new American oak barrels — aging in the sweltering Texas heat — adds a new lens to the Scottish mashing and distilling styles. “We knew how foreign single malt was to many American drinkers,” he says. Using new oak barrels is a way to instill flavors American drinkers would know. “It’s funny how often self-professed bourbon guys come up to try our single malt, aged mostly in virgin oak. And they love the flavors. And I think, ‘Well, you’re a bourbon guy, but you really love oak.’”

This shift in American drinkers energizes the folks at Balcones. “I think it’s awesome that bourbon guys have badass rum collections,” Himstedt says. “Drinkers are more informed and ready to explore.”

The key for ASM moving forward, he thinks, is having empathy for drinkers who want familiarity. “There has to be some dotted lines that people are familiar with,” he says.

“I think it’s a rad turning point in whiskey history,” he says. “I feel lucky, never having a master plan, and waking up one day, and you’re in the middle of something nobody ever saw coming.”

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O P P O S I T E PA G E : P H O T O C O U R T E S Y O F B A L C O N E S D I S T I L L E R Y

DI S T I

“ I F E E L LUC K Y, N E V E R H AV I NG A M A S T E R PL A N , A N D WA K I NG U P ON E DAY I N T H E M I DDL E OF SOM E T H I NG NOBODY SAW COM I NG .”

S

“WHEN W E STA RTED around fifteen years ago, ‘Texas whiskey’ was not yet a thing, and ‘American single malt’ was vague, amorphous,” says Jared Himstedt, head distiller at Balcones. The Waco, Texas, distillery has played a big part in establishing both, with award-winning, head-turning whiskeys.

How did they go from random Texan distillers to winning major awards for single malts? “You’re not sitting on three hundred years of tradition. No multiple generations before you with expectations of what the category is supposed to be like. It would probably be terrifying for some people. But sometimes, if you know the rules too well, you miss out on some really cool stuff outside those boundaries.”

Balcones’s “1” Texas Single Malt is a reflection of their own tastes. Himstedt loves fruit and acid — what he calls “subtle stuff.” Malted barley offers the perfect potential for a fruity, acidic, sour mash. And, perhaps unsurprisingly, there’s still a lot of nods to traditional single malt making.

“You don’t poop on four-hundred-years-plus of everything old-world master distillers learned,” he says. Balcones makes their single malt with one grain variety, traditional M-1 Scottish yeast, and Forsyths pot stills. “Up until it hits the barrel, it’s very similar to anything you’d find in Scotland.”

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HEAD IN THE CLOUDS THE LESSONS I LEARNED RIDING OVER AND THROUGH THE HIMALAYAS GO WAY BEYOND MOTORCYCLES. TEXT BY STEVE MAZZUCCHI PH OTOS BY M ARC O M ARINI AND RIC CARD O ALBIERO I L L U S T R AT I O N S B Y A L E X A E D G E R T O N

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A

hhh shit, I thought as my front tire got caught up in the jagged rocks underwater. Then I felt my bike buckle. As I was standing up on the pegs to better negotiate the uneven terrain, I couldn’t stick out a foot to steady myself. Seconds later, ker-splash! I was sideways, semi-submerged in the knee-deep river.

Such a moment was not exactly what I envisioned when setting out on the trip of a lifetime: the 2023 Dainese Expedition Masters motorcycle adventure through the Himalayas of North India.

Clad head-to-toe in top-notch Italian moto gear, straddling a shiny Royal Enfield Himalayan Scram 411, I would rumble hundreds of miles through remote villages and over dizzying mountain passes if not with ease then at least with dignity. Sure, my off-road skills are slight, but what can’t be conquered with a little determination, 7,000 miles from home, in view of the most majestic mountain range on the planet?

With a mix of Italian and Austrian exhortations, fellow riders helped me to my feet. Thankfully the bike was undamaged, while I was muddied (and frustrated) but unbowed. In retrospect, it’s the surprises and hiccups I experienced along the way — like an unintentional bike baptism — that have stuck with me most.

What I brought back were lessons not limited to motorcycling or mountains or masala, but truths that are right at home on the streets of New York or, really, anywhere else the road goes.

Riding in India demands a paradoxical mix of tactical patience and life-or-death urgency.

Traffic Is Music “You’re getting the Delhi experience already,” joked my Delhi-native linemate at New York’s JFK airport, as we waited an hour to check in to our flight. Whether boarding a 392-passenger Boeing 777-300ER or navigating city streets with some 33 million other people, logjams are inevitable.

On the ground in India — after a short flight from Delhi to the village of Manali — our first day’s itinerary took us over 13,050-foot Rohtang La, the lowest of six major mountain passes we would summit, and up a treacherously winding road to a 500-year-old monastery. And yet, I got the biggest rush from the trip’s first 30 minutes, just riding out of town.

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RUNNING THE GAMMUT — AND THE GAUNTLET

From visiting the market in Manali, a town about 300 miles north of Delhi (above right) to meeting kids in Sakti, a tiny village roughly 30 miles south of Leh (above left), our crew picked up on India’s vast diversity of landscapes and humans. Similar variety awaited us on the road, where gnarly rock-strewn stretches and water-laden sections created by Himalayan snow melt put equipment and riding ability to the test.

Elevated Equipment IF YOU’RE AIMING TO TRAVERSE HIGH MOUNTAIN PASSES — OR RIP AROUND YOUR LOCAL FOREST SERVICE ROADS — THIS GRITTY GEAR IS WORTH A GANDER.

2023 Royal Enfield Himalayan Scram 411 In the words of Royal Enfield CEO Siddhartha Lal, the original Himalayan was engineered to “go with the flow of the Himalayas, rather than trying to dominate them.” Its stripped-down new sibling has a 2-inch smaller front wheel (19 inches), 10mm less front suspension (190mm) and nearly an inch less ground clearance (7.9 inches), yet retains Lal’s vision: It’s nimble and comfortable enough to ride for long days over everything from smooth roads to flowing water to gravel, sand and rocks. While 24.3 horsepower might not blow your hair back, how about 17,982 feet? That’s the peak of Khardung La, the highest of six major mountain passes we conquered on this bike. $5,499

Worth noting: “La” is Tibetan for pass (but both words are often used, e.g. Chang La Pass or Changla Pass), and the actual heights of passes tend to vary by source. Leaning on Indian news media, I shall do the best I can here.

Anyway, adjusting to being on the left side of the road, a vestige of India’s time as a British colony, is a head spinner, but it’s nothing compared to the cacophony of people and vehicles in motion. Without a traffic light or sidewalk in sight, pedestrians, bicycles, scooters, motorbikes, cars, trucks, buses and livestock share essentially one-lane roads, traveling in both directions, and fast.

We honked our horns more in that half hour than I had in entire decades, but these were not angry bleats. They were friendly notes. We were actually cooperating to help everyone get where they were going. Throughout the trip, hulking tour buses and military rigs would pause to let our little peloton scoot through the smallest of gaps. I saw a truck back up a hundred feet so another could squeeze by on a narrow dirt path, while we bikers would jam on the brakes to let a casual cow cross the street before motoring on.

No one — besides the cows — is cruising, though. Driving (or riding) in India demands a paradoxical mix of tactical patience and life-or-death urgency. The key to survival, I soon realized, is the same one I employ pedaling a fixie through New York City’s busy streets: be super aggressive, hitting every hole hard and popping out quickly. Hesitation is heresy.

When order is enforced by numerous lanes, signs and patrol cars, it’s easy to mistake yourself for a competitor. But when (admittedly dangerous) conditions leave the lines undrawn, it’s easier to see the truth: You’re a musician.

F R I E N D S A N D FA U N A

Italian riders Anna and Vittorino brought enthusiasm and expertise to the adventure, while, outside a monastery, a passing cow showed only passing interest in our chosen mode of transport.

Dainese Springbok 3L Absoluteshell Jacket This jacket boasts a removable Absoluteshell waterproof lining and padded thermal layer, plus large ventilation panels on the arms, chest and back — all adding up to climate control of the highest order.

You also get Pro Armor Level 2 protectors at the shoulders and elbows, a waterproof pocket in front and a huge mesh cargo area in back, and pretty much everything can be adjusted with a single, gloved hand. Matching pants ($500) offer similar features and functionality. $870

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AGV AX9 Mono E2205 Beyond its good looks, AGV’s top-line dual-sport helmet can adapt to conditions: The aerodynamic peak and wide-view visor are removable, two upper vents toggle open and shut, and the optional chin guard air vent features its own adjustable deflector. Carbon construction keeps the weight down (3 pounds, 3 ounces on our scale) while efficient internal padding keeps your dome protected and (relatively) cool. $715

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SUMUR

When everyone plays with a similar reactive rhythm, the cacophony becomes a symphony — or perhaps a really good jazz show.

NUBRA VALLEY

Don’t Judge a Biker By Their Cover Our riding crew was a mishmash. Dainese’s head of experience, Luca Bono, contract moto guide Andrea Alessandrelli, two trip photographers and a French journalist joined me as bikers on business. Alongside us rode a host of European motorcycle enthusiasts who’d shelled out a few thousand euros for the experience and the gear: a German, a Russian living in Prague, four Austrian buddies and eight Italians.

Language proved to be a barrier, outside and inside our riding crew. The Italians and Austrians often kibitzed in their native tongues, whilst the even-keeled German (Dirk), the effervescent Russian (Roman), the friendly Frenchman (Collin) and the wide-eyed American (me) chatted in the only language everyone could speak (English).

In both conversation and motion, I came to realize pretty much everyone was way more experienced and skilled than I was. Soft-spoken Roland, an Austrian who shared great advice about feathering the clutch, competes in trials on those funky seatless bikes that can surmount insane obstacles. Roman, who coached me through some technical turns, owns a BMW GS and tackled the inaugural Dainese expedition, a trip through Sardinia, in 2018. These jaunts have since gone everywhere from Iceland to the Atacama Desert, part of an uncommon bond between a brand and its superfans.

One rider I had my doubts about was Vittorino, a lanky white-haired gent who spoke only Italian and was noticeably older than most of the crew. But he and his blonde companion, Anna, the only female rider, seemed so excited, who was I to judge? An idiot, it turns out.

Walking out into the bright sunlight for the second day of riding, I saw our mechanic, Rohit Kumar, had put all the bikes up on the more stable center kickstands, front wheel on the ground and back wheel up. This is embarrasing to admit, but I had no idea how to get my 408-pound ride back down without dropping it and domino-ing a whole row of motos like Peewee Herman outside that biker bar during his Big Adventure — except no amount of “Tequila” dancing would save me.

As I futzed futilely, Vittorino noticed my distress. He strolled over, smiled and, grasping the left handlebar with his left hand and the seat bar with his right, gently rocked the bike forward onto two wheels. All without a word, or making me feel dumb, and I never needed help getting the bike down again. I believe humanity is held together by little moments of kindness and grace, and this was one of them.

LEH KHARD UNG LA PASS 17,982 FT

SAK TI

PANG ONG SARA I CAMP S CHANG LA PASS 17,68 8 FT

TANGL ANG LA PASS 17,480 FT

K E YL O N

LACHU NG LA PASS 16,616 FT

G

SAR CHU

PANGONG LAKE

Expedition Passes

BARAL ACHA LA PASS 16,50 0 FT

MANA

LI

ROTHA NG LA PASS 13,050 FT

The next day, as we zigzagged up the 17,480foot Tanglang La, I made a point of watching him ride. With legs akimbo and deep, MotoGP-like turns, the guy struck me as an older, wiser Valentino Rossi. Bravo, signore, bravo.

The Best Gear Is in Your Head Not surprisingly, the kit Dainese supplied was top-notch. From breathable first layers and technical socks to the three-layer jacket and pants to the carbon helmet and Gore-Tex-ed gloves and boots, we couldn’t have asked for a higher-performance setup. And, of course, there was the bike.

Launched last year, the Scram 411 is a streamlined spinoff of the original Himalayan, Royal Enfield’s plucky adventure bike — and if you want to fit in fast, you’ll pronounce it hi-MALLyan, similar to how the locals reference the mountain range (hi-MALL-ya or hi-MALLeh). That’s just one thing I learned from Tashi Yountan, our charismatic in-country guide who called me “bro” at least 50 times as he led us from Manali to Leh, the capital of the North Indian region of Ladakh, which happens to be his hometown.

With a 411cc engine and 24.3 horsepower, the Scram boasts roughly 1/33rd as much juice as a 2023 Dodge Charger (807 hp), yet its shifting,

throttle and brakes are wonderfully balanced, leaving it unintimidated by the hairpin turns and harrowing climbs required to summit half a dozen massive passes. Granted, we had to drop down into first gear (you know, the one you use to simply start moving any manual-transmission vehicle) to find the torque needed for many ascents, but we made it work.

This arsenal of equipment made it all the more humbling when we’d encounter locals riding the other direction in casual clothes, on road motos like the iconic (often 350cc) Royal Enfield Bullet, toting passengers and saddlebags, waving or pumping fists as they passed.

Trailing us in a support truck, mechanic Kumar was even more nonchalantly badass. While I was still shaking off my dip in the river, he hopped on my bike in a T-shirt, jeans and bare feet and zipped through the gnarliest stretch of the river to dry land. I was simultaneously grateful, determined to be in the saddle during any future fording, and simply in awe.

A couple of nights later, after we’d cleared 17,688-foot Chang La, the pass Yountan called the most perilous, I chatted with our young physician, Dr. Aastha Singh Dhawan, near a bonfire at our camp on the coast of Pangong Lake, a breathtaking 435-square-mile saltwater basin that touches the shores of both India and Tibet in China.

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She had joined us to help if riders got injured (none did, though I probably came closest) or experienced altitude sickness (some did, and her meds and oxygen tanks were invaluable) and left an indelible impression on me when I saw her apologize to and then hug an older woman she bumped into on the streets of Leh. Dhawan explained that rural Indian doctors learn to function with astonishingly little equipment, diagnosing broken bones without X-rays, for example. And while it’s certainly not ideal for doctor or patient, it’s its own kind of training. Doctors who cut their teeth in rural India are fit for work anywhere in the world, while the opposite is far from true.

Looking back, it’s hard not to draw a parallel with some of my Himalayan struggles. I’ve been riding motorcycles on and off for nearly a decade, but not at all on this sort of bike — or this type of terrain: everything from rough rocks, loose gravel and desert sand to snow melt flowing off the mountains. Heck, I did not even know “fording” was a thing you could do on a motorcycle before this trip. And being kitted to the gills could not spare me from an unexpected swim.

Point being: High-tech gear is great, but it can only augment your actual experience, which will always be hard-won. You can’t buy your way into expertise, though you can certainly buy your way into trouble.

E V E R Y D AY T H R I L L S

Four-legged commuters (above), stunning ranges (bottom of page) and gorgeous vistas such as Pangong Lake (facing page) provided wonder at every turn. Meanwhile, cresting Khardung La led to a Kodak moment with (from left) Dirk, Roman, Yountan, Bono, the author, Alessandrelli and another Italian rider, Federico.

I did not even know “fording” was a thing you could do on a motorcycle before this trip.

Keep the Shiny Side Up There’s little room for self-doubt when you’re navigating gravel, negotiating mountain passes sometimes clogged with all manner of vehicles, often mere feet from a cliffside, where one wrong move could mean a terrible tumble or, you know, death. But of course, it’s always there.

I spent my moments of calm, on smooth highways, collecting things to temper my lifelong internal neuroticism and keep my spirits up when we’d hit, say, a massive stretch of unpaved road that kicks rocks and dust in your face for two hours, clouding your vision, drying out your throat and threatening to toss you from your steel horse at any moment.

One human who helped was the contract guide, Alessandrelli, a jovial Italian with a passion for cycles, smokes and Springsteen (the huge tat of The Boss on his right biceps is a dead giveaway). The big fella took me under his wing, and his combo of advice, jokes, bear hugs, praise and post-ride rum were invaluable to my personal morale.

The mountains themselves provided their own wise counsel. Taking micro-breaks from white-knuckled maneuvers to gaze at them, I couldn’t help but think: We’re all just specks. These mountains, which the Quran calls nails holding the Earth together, will be here long after you’re gone. So get over yourself already. Stand up, flex your knees, twist the throttle and keep rolling.

Still, nothing gave me a stronger dose of perspective than the streets of Delhi.

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L O C A L FAV O R I T E

Born in 1931 (and produced in South India since 1955), Royal Enfield’s beloved Bullet was India’s border patrol moto when the nation achieved independence in 1949. Indians ride it everywhere, proving a 350cc engine can do a helluva lot.

There was plenty of joy — a music-blasting, Mario Andretti-level tuk-tuk driver comes to mind — but just as much poverty: boys pushing keychains for spare rupees, young women begging, middle-aged men dodging traffic to sell bits of coconut, older people lying on carts, just trying to stay cool, and alive, in sometimes blistering heat.

Then again, there’s plenty of poverty in America, too, and when I met a vacationing South Indian motorcyclist at a lunch stop, a chatty fellow who expressed no interest in visiting my homeland — India had all he needed — I couldn’t exactly argue. The haunting ancient temple inside 400-year-old Leh Palace and Diskit Monastery’s 108-foot-tall Maitreya Buddha statue are just a couple of spellbinding sights I’ll never forget, and I know I got only a tiny taste of the sprawling subcontinent’s charms.

Of course, none of that was on my mind near the end of our longest, thorniest day of riding, through the vast, dry Nubra Valley on our approach to the highest mountain pass of our journey — and indeed one of the highest in the world — 17,982-foot Khardung La. I’d been hyper-focused, constantly repeating my moto mantra, you got this, to myself as we traversed increasingly challenging technical terrain. (My bicycling mantra, just keep pedaling, is more specific but handy, too.)

I’d managed to stay upright all day, and with the sun starting to set, we encountered the

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What can’t be conquered with a little determination, in view of the most majestic mountain range on the planet? biggest water crossing yet — a serpentine submerged stretch at least a couple hundred yards long. Trip leader Bono, a notoriously wisecracking ballbuster who’d been skeptical of my riding chops ever since my clumsy dip, pulled up beside me. I’d improved a lot since he’d led an impromptu off-road clinic a couple days earlier, but this particular passage was a ford too far.

“Very difficult, a lot of big rocks under the water you can’t see,” he said solemnly. “I’m gonna ride your bike through it.” I simply nodded as he rode off to instruct others, but inside I was crushed.

It seems silly, but no matter how old and wise I get, the phrase “nothing left to prove” never quite rings true for me. You’ve got a chance to prove something every single day.

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Minutes later Bono returned, evidently with a change of heart. “You want to ride it yourself?”

I could barely get the words out: “I want to try.”

He nodded. “OK, just follow me, go where I go.”

Then we got rolling, stood up on the footpegs for balance and waded in.

You got this! I screamed internally as our wheels began to disappear, the spray hit our thighs and we bumped along, deep into the waterway. But I held Bono’s line, and despite some close calls, made it to the other side unscathed — and absolutely exhilarated.

The next day, descending mighty Khardung La with a vast Himalayan panorama and the end of our grand adventure in sight, I likely wasn’t the only rider with a smile behind my visor. But mine was as big as a mountain.

LAST LOOKS

Enduring memories include (clockwise from upper left) a monk in Leh, a peace lover in Delhi, learning to make short work of long water-logged stretches of road and one big Buddha in Nubra Valley.

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NO

OFF

TEXT BY

BEN EMMINGER

PHOTOS BY

TIM AUKSHUNAS

FSEASON A YEAR-ROUND PLAYBOOK TO THE SHOES, CLOTHING AND WORKOUT ESSENTIALS YOU NEED TO GET INTO THE BEST SHAPE OF YOUR LIFE. FITNESS ISN’T A HOBBY YOU PICK UP ONE

A RECORD LIFT OR SOME MUCH-NEEDED

DAY AND PUT DOWN THE NEXT. REACHING

REST. GYM BAGS SHOULD BE DURABLE

YOUR ATHLETIC POTENTIAL REQUIRES MOTI-

ENOUGH TO WITHSTAND EVERYDAY ABUSE.

VATION AND CONSISTENCY. IT DOESN’T NEED

FITNESS TRACKERS SHOULD BE LADEN

TO BE A DRAMATIC GRIND FROM A ROCKY

WITH TECH THAT PROVIDES YOU WITH THE

MONTAGE, BUT STRUCTURE AND PURPOSE

METRICS YOU NEED.

ARE HELPFUL WHEN BALANCING WORKOUTS,

CURATING A ROSTER OF HIGH-QUALITY

RECOVERY DAYS, DIET, MENTAL WELLNESS

GEAR IS NOT SOMETHING THAT HAPPENS

AND MORE. IF YOU WANT TO DO IT PROPERLY,

OVERNIGHT. YOU LEARN AS YOU TRAIN,

PERSONAL FITNESS IS AN INVESTMENT.

AND YOU DISCOVER WHAT WORKS BEST FOR

AS SUCH, IT’S IMPORTANT TO PICK GEAR

YOUR BODY AND ROUTINE. TO HELP YOU

AND APPAREL THAT'S DESIGNED TO HAN-

BUILD YOUR OWN ROSTER OF TRAINING

DLE THE TASKS AT HAND. TOPS AND BOT-

ESSENTIALS, WE’VE COMPILED A LIST OF

TOMS SHOULD CATER TO YOUR TRAINING

THE BEST FITNESS APPAREL, FOOTWEAR

NEEDS RATHER THAN JUST KEEPING YOUR

AND ACCESSORIES — BECAUSE LIKE YOUR

SKIN COVERED. SHOES SHOULD HELP YOU

TRAINING TECHNIQUES, THERE’S ALWAYS

EXCEL, WHETHER PURSUING A FINISH LINE,

ROOM FOR A LITTLE IMPROVEMENT.

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APPAREL

BEST SHORTS FOR YOGA VUORI KORE SHORTS

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These free-flowing shorts are ideal for daily asanas thanks to a boxer-brief liner that’s both stretchy and supportive. They offer a wide range of motion for unhindered flexibility and, thanks to a comfortable elastic waistband, they won't ride up as you take a crack at those more complicated poses. $68

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WHAT’S YOUR IDEAL INSEAM LENGTH? PHOTOS COURTESY OF RESPECTIVE BRANDS

The inseam of your training shorts essentially refers to how much thigh coverage you have during movement.

For runners wanting no resistance through their gait, opt for a 3-inch or 5-inch short. For in-gym workouts where you rest a barbell across your thighs, you may prefer 7-inch or 9-inch profiles. But in the end, your personal comfort and style should dictate your decision.

MOST VERSATILE SHORTS FOR TRAINING TEN THOUSAND INTERVAL SHORT

BEST SHORTS FOR STRENGTH TRAINING GYMREAPERS PERFORMANCE SHORTS These shorts feature four-way stretch and a durable polyester-spandex blend that’s perfect for those hard-nosed sessions in your iron paradise. They also feature zippered pockets for keeping your essentials neatly stored away. $50

“Do-it-all” is an understatement when it comes to these shorts. Whether taking on agility drills, loading up the barbell or logging those last miles of the week, the Interval Shorts are up for the challenge thanks to their four-way stretch, an optional liner with permanent silver ion anti-odor treatment and quick-drying fabrics. $68

BEST COMPRESSION SHORTS FOR EXTRA SUPPORT CORESHORTS PRO 1.0 PERFORMANCE COMPRESSION SHORTS Compression shorts increase blood flow and reduce muscle fatigue. This pair features a directional support system, and their more rigid nature encourages quick recovery from intense activity. The fast-drying fabric keeps conditions below the belt more comfortable. $76

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BEST SHORTS FOR RUNNING PATAGONIA STRIDER PRO SHORTS Patagonia’s Strider Pro Shorts are lightweight, moisture-wicking and easy to care for due to their DWR finish. They're available in 5-inch and 7-inch cuts, which is great for lankier athletes who want extra coverage. $85

MOST COMFORTABLE TRAINING BRIEFS

BEST COLDWEATHER RUNNING TIGHTS

CXP RUN XP BOXER $40 If you’re looking for more of an underwear-oriented silhouette, these Run XP Briefs are a great, lightweight option. A multi-directional waistband keeps them in place without feeling too tacky or constrictive, and the shorter cut means there won’t be fabric poking out from the bottom of your shorts. $40

TRACKSMITH NDO TIGHTS Need to beat the chill of early-morning workouts?

These Tracksmith tights pack double-layered fabric construction to help block out the cold. The 360º 3M reflectivity adds visibility to your silhouette, which is great for those waking before the sun to hit the first goal of the day. $198

BEST WORKOUT SHIRT

BOMBAS ALL-PURPOSE PERFORMANCE ANKLE SOCKS These ankle socks feature a seamless toe and an air venting system that's so good, you’ll question all your previous wares. Additionally, they have a blister-tab heel that helps alleviate rubbing along your Achilles. That’s an innovation we can all appreciate. $17

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LEGENDS ENZO TEE While its scalloped hem creates a longer profile across the torso for extra coverage, that doesn’t mean this Enzo Tee is just for individuals 6 feet tall or more. The four-way stretch and minimalist aesthetic are suitable for any activity. Plus, the polyester, nylon and Lycra knit is designed to keep you cool and comfortable once the sweat begins to roll. $50

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PHOTOS COURTESY OF RESPECTIVE BRANDS

BEST OVERALL TRAINING SOCKS

BEST JOGGERS FOR POST-WORKOUT RECOVERY DEFINITE ARTICLES HIGHLAND LUXE JOGGER Sustainable BCI cotton and modal are blended to give these joggers a softness that’s ideal for recuperating after training. The relaxed, mid-rise fit is also versatile enough for daily wear, and there’s even a convenient zippered pocket for more secure storage. $88

BEST WORKOUT HOODIE TEN THOUSAND MIDWEIGHT TECH PULLOVER HOODIE

PHOTOS COURTESY OF RESPECTIVE BRANDS

Breaking a sweat before getting into your sets?

This premium hoodie delivers four-way stretch and moisture-wicking qualities that can make you forget you’re training in a hoodie. Plus, the permanent silver ion anti-odor treatment is a true blessing for extended wear between washes. $118+

BEST WORKOUT CREWNECK NOBULL CREW SWEATSHIRT Comfortable, flexible and understated, Nobull’s Crew Sweatshirt features flatlock seams that don't irritate your skin during training. Its slimmer profile is more appealing than those baggier gym clothes of yesteryear, but because of the streamlined fit, it may be wise to size up. $79

BEST SWEATSHORTS REIGNING CHAMP LIGHTWEIGHT TERRY 6-INCH SHORTS “Sweatshorts” might seem like an oxymoron for exercise enthusiasts, but these Reigning Champ bottoms deserve to be in your weekly rotation. A ribbed waistband and flatlock seams make these an excellent option for light workouts and recovery days alike. $110

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BEST RUNNING SHOE FOR TEMPO TRAINING HOKA MACH X

PHOTOS COURTESY OF RESPECTIVE BRANDS

Thanks to a Pebax plate and new foam construction, this latest Mach profile cranks up the energy in every tempo-pushing step. The lightweight Mach X is ideal for faster days on the track, yet there’s no shortage of stability thanks to its wider footprint. Plus, it has comfort to spare for those cooldown laps. $180

BEST STUDDED WINTER RUNNING SHOE

BEST MARATHON RUNNING SHOE

BEST RUNNING SHOE FOR DAILY TRAINING

ICEBUG NEWRUN BUGRIP GTX

SAUCONY ENDORPHIN ELITE

ASICS GEL-CUMULUS 25

Think of these as winter tires for training.

They feature steel studs across the outsole to provide extra traction when hitting icy roads and slush-filled pathways. Plus, the BOA lacing system makes getting into and out of these winterized kicks a breeze. The fit is also wider to accommodate thicker socks. $230

It doesn’t take a running expert to understand what this shoe is made for. The aggressive geometry and sleek, airflow-promoting cutouts along the upper point directly at the starting line. Under the hood, a fork-shaped carbon plate is ready to deliver the forward energy to practically push you onto the podium. $275

Boasting the brand’s signature PureGel technology for softness and support underfoot, these Asics Gel-Cumulus 25s are prime for hitting the road day in and day out. What's more, the extra FF Blast Plus cushioning along the midsole creates a plush sensation that’s perfect for tackling longer routes. $140

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BEST CUSHIONED TRAIL RUNNING SHOE HOKA STINSON 7 Trail shoes don’t need to leave comfort at home.

These new kicks are the brand’s plushest trail runner, on par with some of the sky-high roadsters often associated with cushioned running. A Deep Active Foot Frame and H-Frame technologies give this sneaker good lockdown and stability as you trek over terrain. $170

BEST CUSHIONED RUNNING SHOE NIKE INVINCIBLE 3 These cushy kicks build off their predecessor with a more rigid midsole for easier transitions. Plus, the revamped upper design eliminates some of the heat retention of previous iterations, all while keeping the aesthetics on point. Some runners may experience fitment issues at the heel, but that’s nothing a quick lace lock can’t fix. $180

BEST ROAD-TOTRAIL RUNNING SHOE NIKE PEGASUS TRAIL 4 GTX If you’re feeling adventurous but not yet ready for aggressive terrain, these are excellent for packed trailways, lightly graveled roads and paved sidewalks alike. The heavily lugged outsole provides ample grip for road-to-trail scenarios, and the Gore-Tex membrane provides confidence when traversing puddles and mud. $160

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WHY YOU SHOULD ROTATE YOUR RUNNING SHOES While it might seem like overkill to running novices, having multiple pairs of running shoes is actually a good thing for both your training and your gear. Rotating running shoes throughout your weekly sessions gives midsole foam time to decompress properly, returning to its normal height for further wear without compromised performance. Additionally, different sneakers provide different stressors to your feet; rotation can help make your digits less susceptible to injury and irritation. Start with one pair of shoes for daily training, one for longer recovery runs and one for faster tempo days. From there, you can curate your rotation with variations for racing, trail running and other specialized disciplines.

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BEST PRE- AND POSTWORKOUT SHOE BEST OVERALL RECOVERY SHOE

BEST SLIP-ON RECOVERY SHOE

OOFOS OOAHH SLIDE SANDAL

HOKA ORA 2

KANE REVIVE

These max-cushioned slides boast a fair helping of proprietary OOfoam designed to absorb 37 percent more impact than your normal sneakers. What’s this mean, exactly? Well, we’ve never literally walked on clouds, but if we had to guess, it’s a lot like this. $60

These lightweight recovery shoes feature a breathable mesh upper, while the compression-molded EVA midsole offers plush cushioning and inherent stability.

These kicks can also be an excellent option for commuting to the gym thanks to their slip-on design. $90

These sleek slip-on shoes can kickstart your post-workout decompression thanks to raised recovery nodes along the footbed. The lightweight silhouette is easy to put on, and the sugarcane-based EVA foam offers the right amount of cushion. Plus, they're available in a range of vibrant colors. $80

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UNDER ARMOUR UA SLIPSPEED Refrain from wearing your training shoes outside of workouts and opt to keep your feet cozy en route to the gym with these sneakers. A collapsible heel allows for full-shoe or slip-on wear, and a BOA Fit System makes finding your ideal fit a breeze. $150

PHOTOS COURTESY OF RESPECTIVE BRANDS

BEST RECOVERY SANDAL

THE BEST GYM SHOE MAY ALREADY BE IN YOUR CLOSET

Current gym shoes utilize advanced foams and innovative materials, but would you believe those old pairs of Chucks are just as impressive for a workout? Thanks to its flat sole, flexible canvas upper and very approachable price point, Converse’s Chuck Taylor All Star remains a go-to for many fitness enthusiasts, especially those dedicated to powerlifting. The zero-drop nature of the shoe creates a grounded sensation in certain stances that’s perfect for pushing massive weights around.

BEST GYM SHOE FOR HIIT TRAINING TYR CXT-1 When six of the top ten male competitors at the 2022 CrossFit Games compete in the same model of training sneakers, the fitness world pays attention. That’s exactly what happened as part of Tyr’s coming out party for the CXT-1, and the momentum has only continued to build. The Surge NRG foam midsole is responsive and energetic, while the mesh upper keeps every workout session cool and comfortable. A patent-pending Stability Platform underfoot also gives these trainers a sense of stability, perfect for tackling static lifts as well. They don’t have the heritage of other shoes yet, but it’s already clear that Tyr knows a thing or two about well-built training footwear. $130

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KING KONG CORE25 BACKPACK For backpack enthusiasts, King Kong offers this sleek bag with a weightlifting belt sleeve. It also includes an internal 15-inch laptop sleeve and 25-liter cavity to keep your gear secure. $160

ACCESSORIE

KING KONG APPAREL WAS FOUNDED IN 2011 BASED ON THE GOAL OF CREATING THE HIGHEST-QUALITY, MOST FUNCTIONAL GYM BAGS ON THE PLANET. WITH IMPRESSIVE PROFILES ACROSS VARIOUS STYLES, IT’S SAFE TO SAY THEY’VE EARNED THEIR CROWN AS THE BEST GYM BAG BRAND.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF RESPECTIVE BRANDS

KING KONG HERITAGE LEATHER DUFFEL

KING KONG HERITAGE LEATHER BACKPACK

King Kong's Heritage lineup boasts a 46-liter duffel that can easily house all your training essentials.

This silhouette comes with a separate shoe bag for storing your dirty gym sneakers, and the exterior D-rings offer places to clip your shaker bottle or other accessories. $599

Featuring a premium full-grain American leather build, the Heritage Leather Backpack is one of the easiest ways to elevate your training get-up. Plush shoulder straps balance the weight of this pack across your back, and an external shoe compartment keeps essentials organized. $499

KING KONG CORE35 DUFFEL This duffel features a durable canvas exterior, but acquired its popularity thanks to convenient features like an interior shoe compartment and weightlifting belt sleeve.

The rigid structure also holds its shape well — we’ve had one for nearly a year and it still looks brand-new. $150

HOW TO MAKE A GYM BAG SMELL BETTER

Over time, your gym bag can develop some funky odors, but there are foolproof methods to deal with them. Always air your training tote out after each workout, allowing the fabrics to breathe in an open area with ample air flow. If your bag develops a lingering smell, try hand-washing with a mixture of detergent and a half-cup of distilled white vinegar. In between washes, tea bags, dryer sheets and other additives can work wonders.

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BEST FITNESS TRACKER WHOOP 4.0

BEATS FIT PRO VS JAYBIRD VISTA 2 To listen to your favorite workout soundtracks, pick either the Beats Fit Pro (left, $200) or the Jaybird Vista 2 (right, $150). Both earbuds feature silicone earwings that grip the inside of your ear for a tight yet comfortable fit. The Beats are the more well-rounded buds for training, despite their lower water resistance, while the Jaybirds are a good pick for running due to being more secure.

With a comfortable wristband and slew of metrics, this is a great tool for athletes wanting to track their performance without yet another screen in their lives. It packs five LEDs, four photodiodes and a body temperature sensor — prime for keeping tabs on heart rate, respiration, blood oxygen level and more. $239 per year

GARMIN FORERUNNER 265 Garmin's latest Forerunner watches feature bright AMOLED screens, and this smaller 265 model is perfect for running enthusiasts. A large “Run” toggle gives you quick access to training modules, and the fiber-reinforced polymer bezel is tough enough for more adventurous workouts like trail running. $500

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PHOTOS COURTESY OF RESPECTIVE BRANDS

BEST RUNNING WATCH

BEST HEART RATE MONITOR COROS HEART RATE MONITOR This heart rate monitor from Coros sits comfortably across the arm yet still delivers the accuracy and precision of chest-worn units. Additionally, it's compatible with a number of devices, so even if you don’t train with a Coros running watch, you’re still able to collect your metrics. $79

MOST STYLISH AT-HOME SAUNA PLUNGE SAUNA The Plunge Sauna can reach temperatures of 230ºF and be controlled via mobile app for easier toggling. Choose between a “Standard” 5-foot-wide or “XL” 7-foot-wide silhouette, depending on how many people you plan to share your space with. $10,990+

BEST CONTRAST THERAPY TOOL THERABODY RECOVERYTHERM CUBE

This recovery tool harnesses the power of hot and cold therapy in a sleek, handheld profile. The RecoveryTherm Cube can also be utilized for contrast therapy as you switch between a chilly 46ºF and hot 106ºF. Convenient body straps are included for hands-free treatment. $149

INERGIZE COLD+HOT PLUNGE TUB This air-filled tub from Inergize takes just 15 minutes to inflate and serves up water temperatures ranging from 37ºF to 105ºF with the help of an external chiller unit. A convenient carrying duffel makes transport easier, too. $5490

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BEST MASSAGE GUN EKRIN B37S Ekrin may not be the biggest name in massage guns, but with a stall force of up to 56 pounds and an impressive 12mm amplitude, the B37S is sure to leave an outsized impression after just one use. $330

PHOTOS COURTESY OF RESPECTIVE BRANDS

BEST PORTABLE COLD PLUNGE TUB

RECOVERY

WHEN SHOULD YOU SCHEDULE A RECOVERY DAY? The American Council on Exercise recommends one day of recovery for every 7–10 days of high-intensity training. This allows your muscle fibers the necessary time to recover from the presented stress, leading to growth and better integrity in the future. The most intuitive way to schedule your recovery days, however, is by listening to your body. If you feel depleted, take a day off from the sets and sweat.

The goal should be to find the ideal balance between worthwhile training and beneficial recuperation.

BEST FOAM ROLLER FOR LOWER BODY ROLL R8 PLUS

While it may look more intimidating than your average foam roller, the R8 Plus is the ideal tool for tight IT bands, quads and hamstrings. A unique dial adjustment lets you change the pressure, and the moving pivot points allow for constant contact when breaking up muscle adhesions for improved myofascial release. $169

GEAR PATROL WINTER PREVIEW 2023

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DETOUR

TEXT BY

Jack Seemer

BIG NIGHT

WITH DUAL LOCATIONS IN MANHATTAN AND BROOKLYN, THIS SHOP MAKES EVERYDAY PRODUCTS FEEL EXTRAORDINARY. Greenpoint 154 Franklin Street Brooklyn, NY 11222

West Village 236 West 10th Street New York, NY 10014

“WE ARE A SHOP FOR PEOPLE WHO LOVE TO COOK, EAT AND HOST.” — KATHERINE LEWIN

PHOTOS COURTESY OF JULIE GOLDSTONE AND BIG NIGHT

By the summer of 2021, after a year in lockdown, Katherine Lewin was eager to gather with friends and knew her Brooklyn neighbors felt the same. So she opened a store devoted to doing just that.

“We are a shop for people who love to cook, eat and host,” says Lewin, a former food editor at The Infatuation. “It’s a place where you’ll find anything you might need to make a meal, or even just a day at home, more special.” She opened a second, larger storefront in Manhattan earlier this year.

The offerings at each location are vast and ever-changing, ranging from colorful placemats to, as she puts it, “the most delicious popcorn you could possibly make in your own kitchen.” Expect to meet locals and destination shoppers alike, connected

by Lewin’s curations of everyday goods and general enthusiasm for getting people together.

“I’m intrigued by things that take a product or experience we’ve taken for granted and just completely turn it around,” Lewin says. Like, for example, artisanal popcorn or an impromptu dinner party with friends.

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