I test a lot of gadgets and gear for this site, and none of them have received the compliments or interest that the Original Grain “The Barrel” watch has. It doesn’t tell me when I have a call, or buzz me for texts, or vibrate uncontrollably when I haven’t visited Facebook in 20 minutes. It does two things: tells time, and looks good doing it.
One of the best features of the Apple Watch is the amazing assortment of straps available. There are so many options that pretty much anyone can find one to fit their style and taste. Our friends at Nomad sent two for review. The first, the Nomad Modern Strap, is a beautiful leather strap that is classy as classy can be.
Who doesn’t love (or look good) in a fab pair of sunglasses? I was recently sent a pair of Maui Jim limited edition Vinylize Hula Blues sunglasses, and for what might seem to be (at first) a simple product, they are full of surprises.
At the beginning of every summer, I find myself facing one problem: sunglasses. It seems like every winter I manage to find them when I don’t need them, however when it’s time to head to the beach they are nowhere to be found.
Minimalism is in, and one of the best places to start scaling back on all the crap you own (or carry) is in your own back pocket. Rather than carrying a wallet stuffed with bills, receipts, cards, and who knows what else, you could be carrying a PITAKA New, a magnetic modular Carbon Fiber Wallet.
Nothing says summer like a new pair of shades. If you’re looking for a great pair of American-made luxury sunglasses, look no further than STATE Optical Co. They are super high quality, beautifully designed, and made in Chicago. Fighting against notorious eyewear mega-corporations like Luxottica, STATE Optical is a breath of fresh air in a crowded market.
If you have a spare $1500, and you want to experience exceptional headphones that were “inspired and designed by Quincy Jones”, then you could get the AKG N90Q. But if $1500 isn’t quite realistic for your situation, and you’re still interested in trying Jones’ signature sound, then you should take a look at the $200 JBL E55BT Quincy Edition Headphones.
We reviewed the Micro Wallet from Distil Union. I followed up with a review of the Wally Agent. Now we turn our focus to a revised version of the Wally Bifold. I reviewed the original Wally Bifold; I stopped using it for a specific reason and, in the updated version, that issue has been resolved. I love it!
When I’m not working, my “uniform” of choice is a pair of jeans or shorts and a monochrome t-shirt from either Express or the Banana Republic. Those t-shirts are made largely from cotton; they’re soft and wear well but need to be washed after every wear. The Terminal Tech Tee from Olivers takes a different approach, and I’m rather pleased.
When it comes to heart rate training and sports, there’s Polar and then there’s everyone else. Polar has long been the gold standard for heart rate based training, and they’re extending that expertise into the world of all-day tracking as well with the Polar A370!
A few weeks ago, we reviewed the Wally Micro, the smallest of Distil Union’s wallet offerings. The Micro is great if you want to travel light. At the other end of the spectrum is the Distil Union Wally Agent Billfold Wallet. It isn’t all that large, but it holds significantly more than the Micro. Here’s a look.
The idea of a pedometer type device built into your shoes isn’t a new one-Nike used to build little slots for the iPod/Nike+ sensor into their running shoes. Altra, however, has taken that to a whole new level with the Altra IQ, using Bluetooth sensors in the heels to measure your speed, footstrike, distance, and cadence!
“Hey, nice watch!”, I heard yet again today. That watch happens to be the Misfit Phase, a connected combination watch and fitness tracker that can count steps, distance, calories, and light as well as restful sleep. With the Misfit app on your iOS or Android device, you can easily keep track of how you are doing.
Whether you are an experienced, well-seasoned traveler or a person who travels just a few times a year, keeping your critical information handy and organized is essential. In my career, I’ve logged well over 2 million miles in the air, and if there is one thing I’ve learned, having all of your boarding passes, passport and frequent travel cards in one location makes travel less stressful.
I have a soft spot for gear that works with the Withings app; I’ll admit it. I lost 43 much-needed pounds while using the Withings app in conjunction with their Smart Body Analyzer scale, and I track my nightly sleep with their excellent Aura Connected Clock. So when offered the chance to review the Withings Steel HR, I gladly accepted.
One of the complaints I’ve heard many times about smartwatches is that they’re too thick, too large, or they look too masculine. That’s understandable, especially when the one complaining isn’t a larger person. Options have been somewhat limited for those who’d prefer a less massive watch with smart features, but now there’s Ticwatch, and it’s surprisingly impressive.
I love being barefoot. I work out barefoot, and in the spring and fall I wear Vibram FiveFingers when I need shoes and flip-flops in the summertime. While being barefoot is free, minimal shoes tend to be really, really expensive, as well as really polarizing in appearance. Fitkicks Shoes handily solves one of these issues!
WELT is the world’s smartest wellness belt on the market, and after the announcement at last year’s CES, it’s certainly going to be worth checking out what was once just a prototype and has come along a year later.
As I have previously posted, I’m a fan of Active Edge products. I started as a skeptic but my personal experience has turned me into someone who wears one of their products on a daily basis. I was thrilled when they came out with the Active Edge Leather Mariner. It took the Active Edge technology and packaged it into something that is also refined. Fast forward and they have done…
Back at CES 2016, Digitsole released the world’s first auto-lacing smart shoe; so, how do they plan on outdoing themselves this year? The answer is simple: Make a collection of smart shoes! Effective today, Digitsole has announced over ten new models of their Digitsole smart shoes, including a woman’s high-heel show with telescopic tech, as well as a smart running show that adapts it’s cushioning in real-time. Combining fashion with…
I have been a fan of slim front pocket style wallets for some time now. Once you get used to a compact way to carry your cards and cash, it’s impossible to go back to a bulkier setup. It feels like there’s an infinite number of styles in slim wallets.
