Gear Patrol Magazine, Issue Twenty One by Gear Patrol

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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EXHIBITION CLASS CHAMPION, SECOND OVERALL, AND BERGMEISTER AWARD FIRST ROAD CAR TO CLIMB PIKES PEAK IN UNDER 10 MINUTES (SEPT 2022)

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

GEAR PATROL WINTER PREVIEW 2023

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

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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CORRECTIONS & REPRINTS

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CAREERS

STOCKIST REQUESTS

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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.

GEAR PATROL WINTER PREVIEW 2023

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.

GEAR PATROL WINTER PREVIEW 2023

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 …

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

GEAR PATROL WINTER PREVIEW 2023

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

johnhardy.com

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.

GEAR PATROL WINTER PREVIEW 2023

THE GUIDE

Technology

TEXT BY

Eric Limer

Leica Q3

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

GEAR PATROL WINTER PREVIEW 2023

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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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

GEAR PATROL WINTER PREVIEW 2023

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 Motoring Stories

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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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THE GUIDE

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.

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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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.

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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O P P O S I T E PA G E : 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

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

S E

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.”

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 .”

“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.”

ON E C L

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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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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

SAR CHU

PANGONG LAKE

Expedition Passes

BARAL ACHA LA PASS 16,50 0 FT

MANA

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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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

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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

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AND APPAREL THAT'S DESIGNED TO HAN-

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TRAINING TECHNIQUES, THERE’S ALWAYS

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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

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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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