Another week down, and, per usual, a bunch of new tech and gadgets have been announced.

This past week, Klipsch introduced a rare loudspeaker, NAD revealed an old-school-style CD player, and LG finally announced pricing of its flagship Micro RGB evo TVs. But that’s just scratching the surface.

Below, we’ve rounded up all the most interesting new releases and announcements you might have missed from the past week.

NAD

NAD C 589 CD Player

The NAD C 589 is a compact CD player that, according to the brand, is “a precision-engineered source component designed to extract the highest level of performance from compact discs.” It features a precision disc loader and transport mechanism that’s been engineered for smooth, quiet playback across a wide range of CDs, including older or frequently played discs. And it offers a comprehensive selection of analog and digital outputs, enabling it to work with a wide range of setups.

• $1,399 at NAD

Kerr Acoustic

Kerr Acoustic K400

The Kerr Acoustic K400 is the brand’s most compact and affordable loudspeaker to date. It’s a two-way standmount loudspeaker that’s essentially a slimmed-down version of the company’s K300 standmount loudspeaker, which goes for upwards of $8,000/pair. According to the brand, it’s ideal for “space-restricted audiophiles or professional users looking to expand into multichannel territory.”

• Shop Now

Sennheiser

Sennheiser HD 480 Pro

The Sennheiser HD 480 Pro is a pair of wired, closed-back headphone designed for audiophiles and music professionals. It’s essentially a closed-back version of the brand’s HD 490 Pro open-back headphones, as the two have similar builds and feature the same 38mm dynamic drivers.

• $479 at Sennheiser

Musical Fidelity

Musical Fidelity M6xi

Musical Fidelity’s M6xi is an integrated amplifier that combines a power amplifier, preamplifier, phono stage, DAC and a range of connections into an all-metal enclosure. It’s an upgraded successor to the M6si integrated amplifier, released in 2014, as the two have nearly identical designs and feature sets, but the M6xi is slightly more powerful and offers more digital inputs (including USB-C and HDMI-ARC), making it a more modern, flexible amplifier.

• $3,799 at Musical Fidelity

From afar, the watch industry may seem unhurried. But every passing day brings about new timepieces from brands big, small, new and old.

That’s especially true during Watches and Wonders, the mammoth annual trade show in Geneva where the bulk of the world’s biggest watch brands gather for a week of opulent brand showcases, celebrity sightings, rivers of champagne and, yes, a whole lot of new watches.

Watches and Wonders Geneva: Rolex, Grand Seiko and dozens of other heavy hitters gather in Switzerland every year to release their biggest watches. Catch up on all the new novelties.

We were on the ground in Switzerland last week getting hands-on with all of the biggest novelties from dozens of brands, from A. Lange & Söhne to Zenith and everything in between. Below, we’ve listed the 58 most significant Watches and Wonders releases in alphabetical order, so take a look and see if you’ll discover your next grail.

Best New Gear: This article is part of an ongoing series collecting the most important new watches, gadgets, pocket knives and more. Catch up on other releases.

A. Lange & Sohne

A. Lange & Sohne Lange 1 Tourbillon Perpetual Calendar Lumen

The Lange 1 Tourbillon Perpetual Calendar Lumen from A. Lange & Sohne is a limited-edition timepiece that combines three major complications in a single movement. Its luminous dial design allows the perpetual calendar, oversized date, and tourbillon to be read in low-light conditions. The watch features a transparent sapphire-crystal dial that reveals the intricate mechanics beneath, while the platinum case houses the manually wound caliber. Limited to just 50 pieces, it represents one of the most technically ambitious creations from the German watchmaker.

• $630,000 at A. Lange & Sohne

A. Lange & Söhne

A. Lange & Sohne Saxonia Annual Calendar 36mm (Ref. 331.026 E)

The A. Lange & Sohne Saxonia Annual Calendar returns to production with a new 36mm case and the L207.1 automatic caliber. Available in white gold with an argente dial or pink gold with a gray dial, it features Lange’s signature oversized date, day of the week, month and moonphase displays. The annual calendar complication requires manual adjustment only once per year, and a new external pusher at 10 o’clock allows all calendar indications to be advanced simultaneously. Power reserve is rated to 60 hours.

• $65,000 at A. Lange & Sohne

For a shoe rooted in one of Nike’s earliest running experiments, the Daybreak has never been short on revivals.

But this latest Daybreak SP isn’t just another retro reissue. It’s a quiet redesign that’s been floating around overseas and under the radar since late 2025.

Nike

Instead of leaning into nostalgia-heavy materials and color blocking, Nike stripped things back and rebuilt the silhouette with a cleaner, more intentional feel.

Now it’s finally in the U.S.

Welcome home

Nike

At its core, the Daybreak SP still carries the DNA of the original: a low-slung profile, elongated toe box, and the signature waffle outsole originally developed by Bill Bowerman. But the updates here are more material than structural.

According to Nike’s official product page, this version trades the traditional mesh-and-suede construction for a full leather upper, giving the shoe a smoother, more elevated look that pushes it further into lifestyle territory.

Nike

The details follow suit.

The Swoosh is stitched rather than layered, branding is minimal, and rope-style laces add subtle texture without disrupting the pared-back design.

Nike

Underfoot, the EVA midsole and classic waffle tread remain intact, preserving the comfort and heritage that define the Daybreak lineage.

Availability and pricing

Nike

The Daybreak SP’s $115 retail price is consistent with its initial overseas release. You can now find it directly through Nike’s U.S. storefront, alongside a number of domestic retailers.

Not every week can have an absolute deluge of new everyday carry releases. Such is the ebb and flow of the market.

But that doesn’t mean that the knives and multi-tools that came out are somehow lesser. In fact, it could be argued that the opposite is true.

While fewer in number, this week’s launches saw some serious contenders, like a stunningly minimalist, affordable Böker, a modern powerhouse from Buck and an old-meets-new flipper from up-and-coming brand Finch.

Finch Knife Co.

Finch Knife Co. El Camino

Inspired by the classic American road trip, Finch’s El Camino is a knife that brilliantly blends traditional design and modern convenience. The silhouette hearkens to classic EDC folders of days long passed, but the button lock and flipper deployment are unmistakably contemporary. All three configurations come with 14C28N steel, which is similar in performance to Nitro-V, but they each have a unique handle material, including shredded carbon fiber, Kirinite resin and jigged bone.

• $110 at Finch Knife Co.

Böker

Böker Plus Fructis

Designed by award-winning custom knifemaker Stéphane Espi, this minimalist flipper dispenses with the pleasantries in favor of a lean silhouette and swift, smooth function. The business end is a 3.15-inch sheepsfoot blade made of Nitro-V steel, deployed via a subtle front flipper and held steady by a liner lock. The handle, meanwhile, is made of textured G10 and outfitted with a tip-up pocket clip to make carry easy.

• $99 at Knifeworks
  $117 (15% off)

Buck Knives

Buck Knives Carbon Fiber 791 Range Elite (Stealth Run #014)

Thanks to its blend of top-notch materials and a potent locking mechanism, this limited-run release just might be Buck’s best modern EDC knife yet. Highlights include a 3.4-inch drop-point blade made of MagnaCut super steel augmented by a Bos heat treatment and an Armor Black Cerakote finish, a smooth-functioning crossbar lock, a gold-threaded marbled carbon fiber handle, ambidextrous thumb studs with a glow-in-dark tritium insert and a total weight of three ounces.

• $300 at Buck Knives

Kansept Knives

Kansept Pluto

Named for the tiny former planet, this knife fights its own battle for respect by outperforming its relatively compact size. That starts with the blade, a 2.5-inch drop point made (in three of four variants) of S90V super steel, with a full belly and squat shape ideal for cutting, slicing and piercing. Other highlights include front and rear flipper tabs, a bolster lock and (in the priciest treatment) a handle featuring Snake Skin Gold Fatcarbon, a scaly pattern accented by goldish bronze flakes that combines luxury vibes with natural corrosion resistance.

• Starts at $139

Nissan just shocked the world and revealed an all-new badass off-roader concept. However, no, it’s not the new body-on-frame next-gen Pathfinder or highly-anticipated Xterra comeback that we’re waiting for.

But that’s okay, as it’s still just as cool looking and if anything, it might give us a clue as to what the new Xterra and Pathfinder might look like. It’s called the Terrano PHEV Concept and it’s the Yokohama automaker’s latest pitch at a dedicated off-roader for the Asian market.

However, not only is it one badass pitch at what appears to be one serious off-roader. It revives a name that was once a mainstay of Nissan’s lineup outside of North America.

Reviving a once popular nameplate for Europe and Asia

Nissan

Nissan China is the division behind the revealing of the Terrano PHEV Concept. It debuted along side two other electrified concepts aimed primarily at the Chinese and other Asian export markets.

While we in America may have not heard of the Terrano, it was actually the name for the first-generation Nissan Pathfinder in the European and Japanese Domestic Markets. The Pathfinder retained the Terrano name for its respective markets up until the R51 generation Pathfinder arrived in 2004.

NIssan

Nissan Europe also had a similar model based on the same platform called the Terrano II. Which, was a quirky, little and rugged compact SUV built by Nissan specifically for the European market.

The Terrano II was interestingly designed by the one and only Ercole Spada. Yes, the same Ercole Spada known for his tenure at the world-famous automotive design firm, Zagato.

Vauxford via Wikipedia

Spada is famous for his work in shaping the OG Aston DB4 GT Zagato, the BMW E32 7 Series and E34 5 Series, and countless Italian icons from Alfa Romeo, Lancia and Fiat.

The company’s Spanish-based subsidiary, Nissan Motor Ibérica S.A., was mainly responsible for its manufacturing. Nissan later exported the Terrano to the Japanese Domestic market, where it was marketed as the Mistral.

Nissan Terrano PHEV Concept

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The Terrano also was rebadged as the Ford Maverick in Europe during is production run. So, needless to say, the Terrano isn’t a nobody and has quite an interesting and relevant history.

The Patrol’s smaller, hybridized sibling, potentially

Nissan

This time around, the Terrano nameplate comes back for the company’s new global midsize rugged off-roader. And it specifically honors Nissan’s long and storied four-wheeling heritage.

Nissan China’s pitching as the company’s purveyor for its latest plug-in hybrid propulsion system. But more importantly, it’s the first apparent use of the system in a dedicated off-roader.

Nissan

The automaker didn’t have many specifics to share. But it is reportedly going into production in China within the next year as it represents the company’s major turnaround.

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TAG Heuer commands as much respect as any tool watch brand out there, but these days that mostly applies to its chronographs and sports watches.

The Swiss brand has a rich history of dive watches, dating back to the 1978 Heuer Monnin and peaking with the Professional collection in the 1980s and 1990s. But the modern Aquaracer line has long flown, or rather swam, under the radar.

TAG Heuer

Watches and Wonders Geneva: Rolex, Grand Seiko and dozens of other heavy hitters gather in Switzerland every year to release their biggest watches. Catch up on all the new novelties.

The new Aquaracer Professional 500 reasserts that the collection belongs in the same pool as fellow luxury divers like the Seamaster Diver 300m and the Fifty Fathoms. In fact, a new titanium case build offers a far more impressive depth rating while cutting weight.

At first glance, TAG Heuer’s upgraded diver is nearly indistinguishable from its steel 300m predecessor, and that’s kinda the point. The improved water resistance and reduced weight were achieved without altering the well-established dimensions and appearance.

Image by Brad Lanphear for Gear Patrol

Signature elements like the ceramic dodecagonal unidirectional dive bezel, branded handset and applied octagonal and keystone hour marks remain unchanged. The lacquered dial plate even has the same 3D wavy texture, shimmering like uncalm water as it reacts to light.

A date window still lives at 6:00, equipped with a small “cyclops” magnifier, and the dial is framed by the same flat chapter ring.

It utilizes a case shape, complete with a subtle crown guard, that dates back to the quartz-powered Professional collection of the 1980s.

Black waters

The Aquaracer Professional 500 debuts with two color options, but it’s really a difference in accent color. Both references use the same black dial and black ceramic bezel with white Super-LumiNova inlays on the hands and hour markers.

Image by Brad Lanphear for Gear Patrol

One reference features light blue on the 15-minute bezel graduation, the seconds hand, the “Chronometer” wordmark on the dial and the crown warning ring. While the other uses orange in the same manner, but with a steel seconds hand and a colored chapter ring.

Going deeper

Another visual difference that hints at the material upgrade is the matte dark gray hue of the Grade 2 titanium case, crown, caseback and bracelet.

Image by Brad Lanphear for Gear Patrol

The screw-on titanium caseback is decorated with a relief of an antique diving helmet within a honeycomb mosaic. It protects the same COSC-certified TAG Heuer Caliber TH30-00 automatic movement used in the discontinued 1000m Superdiver.

The robust and well-tested movement beats at 4Hz and provides a 70-hour power reserve.

Another functional improvement over the Aquaracer Professional 300 is the addition of a helium escape valve at 10:00. This allows for saturation diving, making it a genuine “professional” dive watch.

TAG Heuer

A cool feature that dates back to the old Professional collection is a dive extension built into the bracelet clasp. Where the old steel version folded out, the modern titanium three-link bracelet has a convenient sliding system that can be engaged without removing the watch.

Availability and pricing

A couple of decades on, the Aquaracer hasn’t managed to gain the respect held by the affordable, robust Professional collection a generation ago. This new titanium iteration should finally gain the recognition it deserves because it is damn impressive.

The TAG Heuer Aquaracer Professional 500 will be available this summer for $5,400. An email signup is available to be notified as soon as it drops.

Snow Peak isn’t one to chase trends.

That might explain why its customers consider themselves fans first, shoppers second, with many of them committed to a larger ecosystem of camp gear that goes well beyond individual products.

The Hozuki Lantern, developed in 2008, is one of the clearest examples of the brand’s philosophy.

Snow Peak

Released at a time when bright, efficient LEDs were revolutionizing camp lighting, the Hozuki Lantern bucked the trend by prioritizing warm ambiance over illumination.

Almost two decades later, it continues to be a mainstay in camping kits the world over.

Are EDC loadouts next?

Snow Peak

Small size, big utility

The Micro Hozuki is the newest addition to the brand’s lantern lineup, joining the original and Mini Hozuki in the broader catalog.

Snow Peak

That said, its tiny size, which measures in at under an inch wide, opens up a whole new array of potential use cases.

The most obvious one of course is as an EDC companion thanks to the included carabiner.

Snow Peak

With a brightness of 27 lumens, it can stand in for a flashlight, though nighttime commuters and dog walkers might simply find comfort and safety in its subtle glow.

Snow Peak

In a camping context, the compact form factor becomes especially practical.

The Micro Hozuki can be clipped directly onto tent zippers and guylines, acting as a low-profile marker that makes it easier to locate entry points in the dark.

Snow Peak

Alternatively, its budget price tag makes it possible to daisy chain a few together for the kind of layered luminescence that looks good on Instagram.

Snow Peak

Availability and pricing

The Snow Peak Micro Hozuki is available now for $15. It comes in three colors — white, black and orange — and requires two CR1632 batteries (not included).

Snow Peak

Snow Peak Micro Hozuki

• $15 at Snow Peak

There are plenty of heritage boot brands, but few carry the kind of cultural and industrial weight as Red Wing. Since the early 1900s, the Minnesota-based company has built its reputation on boots that can take a beating and look better for it. And if there’s one silhouette that defines that legacy, it’s the Classic Moc — a design that’s been in rotation since 1952 and is still widely considered the brand’s most recognizable model. 

Which makes this moment a little surprising: one of the most versatile versions of that boot — finished in rich Briar Oil Slick leather — is quietly sitting at roughly 40% off, if you know where to look.

Welcome to Shop Smarter: A series dedicated to highlighting not just what’s on sale, but why it’s worth owning. Discover more here.

An American workwear icon

Red Wing

The Classic Moc isn’t just a style — it’s a blueprint.

Originally built for hunters and workers, the boot’s defining moc-toe construction and wedge-shaped Traction Tred outsole were designed for stability, comfort, and long days on your feet. 

That DNA hasn’t changed much. You’re still getting full-grain, oil-tanned leather sourced from Red Wing’s own tannery, a Goodyear welt that makes the boot fully resoleable, and the brand’s signature Puritan triple-stitching — the kind of overbuilt detail that explains why pairs routinely last for years (or decades) with proper care. 

Red Wing

The No. 23 last gives the boot its distinctive shape, with a roomier forefoot that makes it surprisingly wearable straight out of the box — at least by heritage boot standards. And that Briar Oil Slick finish hits a sweet spot: darker, more versatile than the classic Oro Legacy leather, with a waxed surface that shrugs off wear while developing a deep patina over time.

Availability and pricing

Red Wing

At full price, most Classic Moc models hover around the $320–$330 mark. 

But right now, this specific version is sitting at about $199 — a rare drop and a savings of $120 that puts one of the most iconic American-made boots within reach for significantly less than usual. That kind of discount doesn’t show up often for Red Wing’s biggest icons, especially in a core, wear-with-anything color like this.

This is the kind of deal that requires a bit of digging and likely won’t stick around once sizes start disappearing.

Orvis

Red Wing 6″ Oil Slick Moc Boots

• $199 at Orvis
  $320 (38% off)

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In the grand scheme of things, knives of all types have one enemy that stands head-and-shoulders above them all: corrosion. And the more exposure to moisture a knife gets, the higher the chance of rust.

That poses a particularly complicated problem for ocean-going knives, as salty seawater is practically the king of naturally occurring corrosion-causing liquids.

And yet, that’s precisely the kind of thing Tops Knives’ Sidekick Diver was designed to tackle, not just occasionally, but daily, rigorously, and it’ll come out the other side no worse for wear.

Tops Knives

A pirate’s knife for me

This knife was actually one of two winners of Tops Knives’ annual employee design challenge. The other knife is the Snake River Rescue, which shares some material and functional similarities but is also very different.

Interestingly, the Sidekick Diver was penned by Ava Espinoza, wife of Leo Espinoza, the owner of Tops Knives. But this isn’t a case of nepotism; Ava’s design prowess, not her connection to Leo, earned her this win.

Tops Knives

To understand why, we have to start with the star of the show: the knife’s blade. This knife has one of the more unique blade geometries, which tells the story of its overall purpose.

That piercing tip, as the brand puts it, is ideal for “dispatching fish,” while the trio of serrations toward the hilt is great for cutting rope. And on the spine, there’s a large, integrated hook for larger, tougher lines and to help clear other debris.

In case that isn’t obvious enough, especially given its name, this knife is ideal for seafaring adventures, especially diving. But it also has other elements that give it an edge, even when compared to other dive knives.

Tops Knives

Don’t get salty

Often, diving knives serve as a last-ditch emergency tool. They’re there to be used when you really need them, but they’re not necessarily to be relied upon for daily hard use.

This knife is different. It utilizes an extremely high-performance N690 stainless steel, which is practically impervious to corrosion (also known as rust) and also retains an edge extremely well. That combination is especially useful for underwater use.

Tops Knives

The full-tang blade is also extremely thick, which further enhances its overall strength and durability. And it gets contoured G-10 handle scales that keep weight down but provide excellent grip in any conditions, adding another boost to overall durability and long-lastingness.

Finally, it gets a black powder-coat finish, which adds even more durability and some stealthy styling. It also comes with a molded Kydex sheath for easy hauling on land or by sea.

Tops Knives

Availability and pricing

The Tops Knives Sidekick Diver is now available on the brand’s site for $320, down from an MSRP of $395.

Tops Knives

Tops Sidekick Diver

• $320 at Tops Knives
  $395 (19% off)

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Considering how much hay Royal Enfield has made of the Guerrilla 450 over the past couple of years, it was perhaps only a matter of time till they launched a souped-up spinoff.

Royal Enfield

That time has come in the form of the Guerrilla 450 Apex, which starts with the base model’s platform and introduces tweaks to significantly amp up the riding experience.

Thrilla Guerrilla

Up till now, the brand’s celebrated Sherpa platform can be found in two bikes: the road-going Guerrilla 450 and the adventure-focused Himalayan 450. 

That number goes up to at least 2.5 with the introduction of the Apex, which gets the same 452cc engine making 39.5 horsepower at 8,000 rpm and 29.5 lb.-ft. of torque at 5,550 rpm. 

Royal Enfield

The frame itself is also unchanged: a steel twin spar that prioritizes stability and agility.

The same goes for the Tripper Dash, a 4-inch TFT display with Google Maps-powered navigation and the ability to pair with a smartphone for ride data and route guidance.

Royal Enfield

The changes start with a minor overhaul to the ergonomics, which, as any seasoned rider can tell you, can have an outsized impact on how a bike looks and feels. 

While the seat and footpeg positions remain unchanged, the handlebars have been lowered, which, of course, puts the rider in a more engaged, aggressive position. 

Royal Enfield

That shift in posture is accompanied by recalibrated Sport and Street ride modes, as well as the ability to activate that same mode the next time you fire up the bike.

A third change that’s aligned with the first two is a tire swap, from Multi-purpose Ceat Gripp XLs to Vredestein Centauro STs, road-focused rubber that delivers better grip in wet or otherwise suboptimal conditions.

Royal Enfield

The Apex bikes also get a flyscreen, rim tape, a rear seat cowl and a color-matched front cowl.

Speaking of colors, with the new bikes come several new paint schemes: Apex Red, Apex Black and Twilight Blue, plus an existing option called Shadow Ash.

Availability and pricing

The 2026 Guerrilla 450 Apex models hit EMEA (Europe, the Middle East and Africa) markets this month at a starting price of £4,995, which roughly converts to $6,758. Rumor has it the bike will hit North America in 2027, so cross your fingers.

Royal Enfield

2026 Royal Enfield Guerrilla 450 Apex

• Learn More

Merrell and Snow Peak rank among the most sought-after brands in the outdoor space, each known for blending functional style with dependable capability.

Notable on their own, the two brands become even more compelling through partnership.

The latest example is the Merrell SpeedArc Matis Gore-Tex SP.

The third collab silhouette from the two brands is inspired by rugged usability and a deep respect for nature, resulting in a shoe built for both the streets and the trail.

Snow Peak

All natural

The upcoming, limited-edition shoe is built to seamlessly transition between adventuring outdoors and in cityscapes. The balance between urban usefulness and rugged capability is achieved through high-quality craftsmanship, subtle style and durable materials .

Snow Peak

The SpeedArc Matis Gore-Tex SP uses Merrell’s proprietary SpeedArc midsole system, which combines dual foam layers with a nylon plate sandwiched between, delivering comfort and energy return with each step.

Huckberry

The dependable Vibram Megagrip outsole offers trusty traction whether you are pounding pavement or trekking trails, and the Gore-Tex waterproofing keeps elements at bay.

Huckberry

Snow Peak’s influence is felt through the thoughtful consideration of color. The silhouette’s deep green and brown palette and the organic shape of the overlays were inspired by the forest and sunset at dusk.

Huckberry

Branding elements have been moved to the tongue and inner rear, and reflective details placed on the speed laces and heel strap, enhancing visibility in low-light conditions and maintaining a subtle aesthetic.

Availability and pricing

The SpeedARC Matis Gore-Tex SP will be available at Merrell’s and Snow Peak’s webites, and select Snow Peak retail locations, starting on April 27, priced at $238. 

However, it looks like Huckberry has quietly dropped a limited quantity of the shoes early … so if your size is still in stock, you can grab these before the official release.

Huckberry

Merrell SpeedARC Matis Gore-Tex SP

• $238 at Huckberry

Bowers & Wilkins is well known for its various loudspeaker lines geared toward audiophiles, many of which are out of most people’s price range— case in point, the $110,000 Nautilus.

But the famed British hi-fi manufacturer does dabble in the more entry-level audiophile space thanks to its 600 Series of loudspeakers.

Refreshed in late 2023, there are two bookshelf speakers within the 600 Series, the 607 S3 ($1,000) and the 606 S3 ($1,200), both of which are designed to be the bedrock of a traditional hi-fi system.

Bowers & Wilkins 600 Series S3

Bowers & Wilkins

Two bookshelf speaker models

Both of Bowers & Wilkins’ entry-level bookshelf speakers, the 607 S3 and the 606 S3, share quite a bit in common. They both have a two-way design that pairs the same TitaniumDome tweeter with the brand’s latest Continuum Cone mid/woofer.

The main difference between the two is size and power. The 606 S3 has a larger cabinet and stands nearly two inches taller. While the two speakers share the same tweeter, the 606 S3 has a larger mid/bass driver (6.5 inches vs. the 607 S3’s 5-inch mid/bass driver).

Bowers & Wilkins

Bowers & Wilkins

Naturally, the smaller of these two speakers, the 607 S3, is a better fit for smaller listening spaces. But both are relatively easy to drive, with a recommended power output of 30-100 watts into 8 ohms.

As far as looks go, both the 607 S3 and 606 S3 bookshelf speakers are available in the same three finishes: oak/white, matte black or glossy white. The larger 606 S3 models also come in fourth, cherry/black finish.

Bowers & Wilkins

What’s the sale?

The smaller of these two bookshelf speakers, the 607 S3, which costs $1,000, is not currently on sale.

A pair of the larger bookshelf speakers, the 606 S3, normally costs $1,200, but Audio Advisor is discounting them by $120. And several color options are on sale.

Bowers & Wilkins

Bowers & Wilkins 607 S3

• $1,000 at Audio Advisor

Bowers & Wilkins

Bowers & Wilkins 606 S3

• $1,080 at Audio Advisor
  $1,200 (10% off)

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Picture this: it’s 1983, you have the day off work, the sun is shining and the weather calls for some time at the beach. So, you hop into your brand new Jeep CJ8 Scrambler, peel back the soft vinyl top, pick up a bunch of friends and just cruise down to the local surf with Duran Duran blasting on the radio.

That’s the sort of picturesque scene Vigilante hopes to recapture with its latest epic restomod. It honors one of Jeep’s most iconic variants of the CJ from the era.

It’s just as rad as it looks.

A true ’80s icon

Vigilante

For those unfamiliar, the Scrambler was a very unique, but hugely popular variant of the CJ7, one of the main predecessors to today’s Wrangler. What separates the Scrambler from the standard CJ7 is its extended wheelbase, which means more room for hauling stuff and even extra room for some rear occupants.

If you’ve never sat or ridden in an old Jeep CJ, they are quite small and cramped on the inside. But the Scrambler changed all of that, allowing owners to share their open-top high-riding fun with their friends and family.

It was so popular, one of its most esteemed owners was former President Ronald Reagan, who was often seen driving around his California ranch in one.

Jeep

Jeep eventually replaced the Scrambler with the smaller, more practical Cherokee-based Comanche. But the Scrambler wasn’t forgotten. It remains today as one of the most collectible and desirable classic CJs.

Time to dust off the neon windbreaker

Vigilante

A lot of restomods these days often come across as over-the-top and pretty awe-inspiring. But Vigilante is one of the few who likes to keep things simple and original as possible, while updating the parts that really matter.

And that’s exactly what it did with its latest tribute. Vigilante, of course, starts by taking the appropriate donor cars and gives it a full-on nut-and-bolt restoration.

Vigilante Jeep CJ8 Scrambler

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From there, the firm takes Mopar’s signature 485-horsepower 6.4-liter HEMI V8 crate motor and shoves it into the tub’s engine bay. And with it, an appropriately matching five-speed manual transmission.

Vigilante obviously doesn’t stop there. The team complements the powertrain with an Atlas II twin-stick transfer case, Dana 44 and Dana 60 axles, reworked multi-link suspension, and beefed-up six-piston performance brakes.

Vigilante

But they do it all without chipping away or sacrificing the Scrambler’s original ’80s charm.

Availability and pricing

Should you want to scoop up one of these fine and rad brutes, you’ll have to set aside at least an eye-watering $260,000 for one. But Vigilante says their latest manufacturing processes allow for a quicker turnaround time of roughly nine months, versus the usual 24-48-month timeline.

Vigilante

Vigilante Jeep CJ8 Scrambler

• Starts at $260,000

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There are plenty of denim deals floating around at any given moment — but this one hits differently because it centers on the pair that basically wrote the rules in the first place.

Not a premium upgrade, not a niche variation, just the standard 501 Original, plus a few other options with various levels of stretch to match your preferred fit.

Here’s what you need to know about it.

Welcome to Shop Smarter: A series dedicated to highlighting not just what’s on sale, but why it’s worth owning. Discover more here.

Tried and true

Levi’s

Every few years, the industry tries to declare a new dominant jean shape—slim, skinny, relaxed, wide. The 501 quietly ignores all of it.

Its straight cut threads the needle between eras. It works with boots, sneakers, loafers—dressed up or worn into the ground. And unlike trend-driven fits, it doesn’t age out of your closet six months later.

That versatility is the real reason people keep coming back. Not nostalgia—utility.

Availability and pricing

Levi’s

The catch with this deal is that it’s a bit of a moving target.

Some are made from rigid, 100% cotton denim—the classic, break-it-in-yourself version. Others incorporate a bit of stretch, making them softer and easier to wear right away. Those differences are usually tied to specific washes, and those washes are what ultimately drive the price.

Lighter or more seasonal washes tend to dip lower, while darker, more versatile options often hover closer to full price.

The upside is simple: if you’re not locked into one exact color or fabric, there’s real value here. You’re still getting the same foundational pair of jeans—just with a bit of flexibility in how broken-in (or broken-in feeling) you want them to be.

Introduced in 2018, the Buck of the Month program has evolved into a cherished dimension of a legendary brand whose own history dates back to 1902.

The series has given Buck the opportunity to experiment, often giving bold or premium treatments to a variety of brand staples and lesser-known offerings.

Buck Knives

Through the program, such knives as the 101 Hunter, 110 Hunter, 112 Slim Pro TRX and even the 948 Vegetable Cleaver have gotten their moment in the sun.

Still, the latest release is particularly noteworthy, as April’s special edition 112 Ranger is recognized as the 100th Buck of the Month.

Choice ingredients

That number speaks to a consistent record of awesome, exclusive knives over the past eight years.

Buck Knives

However, it’s also rather arbitrary, so it’s nice to see that Buck has met the moment by keeping its focus on making another exemplary knife, rather than showily patting itself on the back.

Toward that end, this Ranger has no external branding of the century mark (though you can surely find something in the included certificate of authenticity).

Buck Knives

What it does have is so much better, beginning with a 3-inch drop point blade made of satin-finished BOS heat-treated S35VN super steel.

Built into the blade is a long pull nail notch, enabling easy two-handed opening while nodding to the beloved 112’s ancestors, themselves descended from Buck’s most famous knife, the 110 Folding Hunter. 

Buck Knives

The other end of the knife is arguably just as premium, highlighted by marbled carbon fiber handle scales awash in timeless elegance.

This USA-made knife also has a nickel silver barehead bolster and a backlock to hold the blade firmly in place, open or closed.

Buck Knives

Rounding things out is a removable (but non-reversible) deep-carry pocket clip stamped with the Buck anvil logo, a fine finishing touch on a future heirloom sure to be passed down for generations. 

Availability and pricing

The Buck Knives 112 Ranger (April 2026 Buck of the Month) is available now for $225. The limited-edition run tops out at 500 units.

Buck Knives

Buck Knives 112 Ranger (April 2026 Buck of the Month)

• $225 at Buck Knives

Salomon has reigned supreme as the Gorpcore-turned-fashion-essential of the past few years, with its XT-6 gracing the feet of outdoor enthusiasts and city-centric trend setters alike. 

In October 2025, the French high-performance outdoor brand collaborated with Parisian luxury fashion house Maison Margiela’s sub-label, MM6, on the wildly popular MM6 x Salomon XT-MM6 model, when high demand led to quick sell-outs.

For those who missed out on the first release, you’re in luck; MM6 and Salomon have quietly released a new lineup of their viral shoe in a trio of striking new colorways.   

Ssense

Three’s a crowd

Designed to be a more lifestyle-oriented counterpart to the inline XT-6, MM6 and Salomon’s signature sneaker maintains the updated sporty silhouette and technical materials that made it a star in the first place, including a new outsole, wider toe box and revised branding.

Ssense

Additional features consist of bonded trim throughout the shoe, a low-profile lace-up closure, padded collar, mesh lining and capable, treaded Contagrip rubber sole.

Ssense

The update for this year comes in the form of three eye-catching colorways. Sunny Lime is the most vibrant of the trio, featuring a neon green upper paired with black overlays, a navy accent along the midsole and silver and muted green detailing.

Ssense

Asparagus Green (my personal favorite) isn’t the bright green you’d expect from its name; instead, this option features an off-white upper, vibrant blue midsole stripe, grey structural overlays and contrasting white laces.

Finally, the Black Asphalt colorway is the most neutral of the new iterations, sporting a black upper, laces, midsole and outsole, with flat grey overlays and taupe accents along the back heel/outsole.

Ssense

The re-release of the XT-MM6 has discreetly flown under the radar, which means the three new colorways are still in stock … for now.

Availability and pricing

The XT-MM6 is available on Ssense, retailing for $545 USD.

Ssense

Salomon x MM6 XT-MM6 Sunny Lime

• $545 at Ssense

Last week was Watches and Wonders, the industry’s big, glitzy annual showcase where dozens of the world’s biggest luxury brands unveil their biggest releases for the year.

As usual, much attention was paid to the undeniable star of the show, Rolex, and its sister brand, Tudor. And, as usual, the two brands’ launches elicited a wide range of reactions, from elation to disappointment to confusion.

Watches and Wonders Geneva: Rolex, Grand Seiko and dozens of other heavy hitters gather in Switzerland every year to release their biggest watches. Catch up on all the new novelties.

Rolex’s “Jubilee Dial” Oyster Perpetual and enamel-dialed Daytona certainly generated headlines, as did Tudor’s Monarch and updated Black Bay 58. But arguably the biggest news isn’t what Rolex and Tudor debuted, but rather what they discontinued.

Rolex

Is Pepsi OK? No, it’s dead

It’s become something of a tradition to check Rolex’s online catalog as soon as Watches and Wonders begins, as the brand in recent years has unceremoniously discontinued old models to make way for its new novelties.

This year was no exception, and while the big discontinuation that took place was expected, it’s still major news.

Rolex has officially discontinued all of its GMT-Master IIs featuring the iconic red-and-blue “Pepsi” bezel. That includes the white gold Reference 126719BLRO with a meteorite or blue dial, and, most notably, the stainless steel Ref. 126710BLRO on an Oyster or Jubilee bracelet, arguably Rolex’s most desirable sports watch in recent years, and the one everyone seems to want.

Rolex

Rumors had circulated for years that Rolex had trouble producing the red-and-blue Cerachrom bezels for the watches, and while the brand has not commented on the reason for the watches’ discontinuation (and likely will not), I think the more likely reason was to tamp down the insatiable Pepsi demand. If these years-long GMT waitlists are erased, then maybe Rolex can sell some of its watches whose stocks are more plentiful.

While not an Earth-shattering event like the discontinuation of the Pepsi, Rolex also ditched the Submariner Date “Cookie Monster” Ref. 126619LB. This white gold model was the only current Sub to combine a black dial with a blue Cerachrom bezel, and it certainly has its fans. It’s also unfortunate that we’re down another Sub reference, considering the flagship dive watch line hasn’t received any new references since its 2020 reboot.

Rolex

Feelin’ blue

Not wanting to be left out, Tudor joined its big brother in the discontinuation party this year by axing the highly popular Black Bay 58 Blue. The stainless steel model had long been considered a great everyday diver and more contemporary alternative to the original Black Bay 58 in black, but now it’s history.

However, I don’t believe this one will stay out of Tudor’s catalog for long.

Last year at Watches and Wonders, Tudor debuted a Black Bay 58 in burgundy with a new METAS-certified Master Chronometer movement, slight cosmetic updates and the option of a new Jubilee bracelet. This year, Tudor made all those same updates to the original black BB58, leaving the blue version as the odd watch out as the only previous-generation Black Bay 58. As a result, it had to go, but I won’t be surprised to see it return next year in the same updated form as its siblings.

Rolex

If you don’t want to wait, however, Tudor did launch the Black Bay 54 in blue at this year’s show, keeping a blue, aluminum-bezeled diver in its lineup. It feels more retro than the 58 due to its smaller 37mm case size and more eye-catching finish (its shade of blue is brighter, the dial is sunburst and the aluminum bezel is polished), but it still scratches a similar itch.

What’s next

I have no doubt that the Black Bay 58 will return in blue very soon, and I’m sure Rolex will make a Submariner with a blue bezel again within the next few years. But the biggest questions involve the Pepsi.

The Pepsi is an icon. It’s the best-known GMT watch in the world and is one of Rolex’s most recognized and in-demand models. Its discontinuation won’t change that, but we have to wonder just how long it will be out of commission.

It’s not like the decision by a major brand to discontinue its most popular model is without precedent. At the end of 2021, Patek Philippe bid adieu to the Nautilus in steel, Ref. 5711.

Patek Philippe

We still haven’t seen a steel Nautilus since, despite this year being the model’s 50th anniversary and Patek rolling with a Nautilus theme at Watches and Wonders. The brand did launch three commemorative Nautiluses (Nautili?) at the show, but in white gold and platinum rather than the model’s original, more affordable material.

We’ve also previously seen Rolex go Pepsi-free for years, with the brand notably lacking a red-and-blue GMT-Master II for seven years from 2007 to 2014.

Given that history, and Patek’s willingness to forego making a steel Nautilus for half-a-decade and counting, I think there’s a solid chance we’re looking at a years-long wait before Rolex makes another Pepsi GMT.

What are the chances those waitlists are retroactive?

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If you’ve spent any time around premium bike racks, you already know Küat (pronounced “coo-at”) doesn’t really do things by half measure.

The Springfield, Missouri-based brand is known for its overbuilt, design-forward hitch racks that feel closer to industrial equipment than weekend accessories.

Now it appears that the same mindset has locked onto a related category that hasn’t meaningfully evolved in years: rooftop cargo boxes.

The company’s newly teased Varial roof box isn’t trying to reinvent the idea of strapping extra storage to your roof. It’s doing something arguably more useful — fixing a problem everyone who’s ever used one immediately recognizes.

Access granted

Kuat

Traditional rooftop boxes all share the same flaw: access is awkward.

Most open from one side. Some open from both sides. But almost none account for the simple reality that you often need to grab something quickly — from the back of the car, in a tight parking spot, or mid-road trip without unloading half your setup.

The Varial changes that.

Kuat

Küat’s new design allows access from three sides — both sides and the rear. It’s a small shift on paper, but in practice, it solves a daily-use annoyance that’s been baked into the category for decades. No more climbing onto door sills or walking laps around your car just to find a zipper.

It’s the kind of fix that makes you wonder why it didn’t exist sooner.

Beyond that headline feature, details are still relatively sparse. This is more of a tease than a full rollout. But given Kuat’s track record — where durability, premium finishes, and thoughtful engineering tend to come standard — it’s safe to assume the Varial won’t be a half-measure, especially given its rumored price point.

Availability and pricing

Kuat

Here’s the part that confirms Küat isn’t playing in the bargain bin.

Küat’s teaser page states the MSRP will start at $1,298, and at least one retail partner lists the pre-order price for the XL version at $1,398, meaning it’ll be even slightly more expensive than the biggest offerings from other respected competitors like Thule and Yakima.

The same teaser page says to expect the box to release in October of 2026, though pre-orders appear to be opening through select dealers in advance.

Kuat

Küat Varial Rooftop Cargo Box

• $1,298 at Küat

Want to stay up to date on the latest product news and releases? Add Gear Patrol as a preferred source to ensure our independent journalism makes it to the top of your Google search results.

If you’re not already familiar with Ford’s Heritage Vault archives, do yourself a favor and study up. It’s a treasure trove of material, and it’s worth a look.

The brand’s photographic collection comprises some 350,000 negatives stored in a special temperature-controlled unit. The documents date back to the mid-1950s, depicting everything from styling clays and seating bucks, to drawings and various other parts of the design process.

Ford

However, this means that many of these inclusions are preserved in black and white. As a result, younger Ford fans (including yours truly) have never experienced them any other way. Well, that is until now.

Breathing new life into old ideas

As part of a new project, Ford is using AI to reimagine a selection of its historical vehicles with vibrant makeovers and modern colorways.

Ford

I’m not talking about just any cars, either. For the first batch of renders, Ford dug into the archives to pull out some truly wild Mustang concepts from around the time the pony car hit the market.

Along with a two-door shooting brake-like wagon, this also includes a would-be four-door, a fastback and even the slippery four-cylinder Mustang I. Some functioning prototypes, others mere static mockups, they all promised something different for the Blue Oval’s enduring icon.

Ford

Moreover, Ford made sure to pick notable eye-catching hues like Lime Yellow Metallic, Race Red, Grabber Blue Metallic and Orange Fury Metallic Tri-coat. The brand hasn’t offered some hues in quite some time, but the two lattermost colors recently make a return.

Ford’s concepts live on today

To that end, even though Ford didn’t wind up turning these concepts into production Mustangs, they’re nevertheless ideas that continue to remain relevant (beyond their AI-induced refresh).

Ford

Just take the shooting brake, for instance. Designer Robert Cumberford initially dreamed up the project, and an Italian coachbuilder named Intermeccanica created a lone example, but it’s a unicorn that’s inspired countless similar conversions among other enthusiasts.

Moreover, the possibility of a four-door Mustang persists even today. The concept obviously didn’t make it past the clay modeling stages back in the 1960s, yet rumors persist that the Blue Oval might turn its pony car into a sedan.

In fact, in some ways, you could even say that the Mustang I lives on in spirit through some of Ford’s more recent efforts.

Ford

Like the concept, the Mustang EcoBoost touts a four-cylinder engine under the hood (though it’s in-line rather than a V4). Similarly, the Mustang GTD’s front-mid-engine configuration is as close as the pony car has gotten to the concept’s mid-engine layout.

More to come?

Seeing as some automakers are leaning on AI learning to create in-cabin smart assistants, and others are now flexing generative abilities to spin up photos and videos for their launch and landing pages, it seems even the car industry isn’t safe from the chokehold that the tech has on the world.

Ford

However, Ford’s project could be an innocent enough use case. In addition to showing the world some far-out Mustang concepts in a whole new light, it’s also putting them on display before a different audience. Sure, they’re old concepts, but they can still test consumer appeal.

Whether it’s some kind of roundabout way of gauging interest in color or body style, only time will tell. Given the depth of Ford’s photographic collection, we can certainly expect to see more vehicles pulled from the archives for a fresh new look and some more time in the spotlight.

Want to stay up to date on the latest product news and releases? Add Gear Patrol as a preferred source to ensure our independent journalism makes it to the top of your Google search results.

Blade HQ is, perhaps obviously, best known for its absolutely massive catalog of everyday carry knives and multi-tools. However, the brand has also often been known to have a playful, tongue-in-cheek attitude.

This can be seen in some of its humorous special editions, such as the Böker Kalashnicob corn knife or the hot-dog-themed Wiener Warrior.

But none are as widely beloved and pervasive as the brand’s pink, sprinkled donut-themed lineup. And that series just got a major new edition in the Strider SnG Dessert Warrior.

Blade HQ

Homer Simpson-approved

For the uninitiated, the Dessert Warrior line includes a pretty incredible, deep, wide-ranging array of offerings. Recently, it has gotten an extremely playful edition in a Böker-made automatic fork.

However, it has also seen a lot of more serious EDC tools included in its halls, like Kershaw’s Ken Onion-designed Leek, Civivi’s beloved Elementum II and many more.

Blade HQ

But for those in the tactical space, this latest edition is arguably the most significant, as the Strider SnG is nothing short of legendary, as it has been for nearly 30 years.

But don’t fret: the knife is still entirely intact. The playful donut-themed colorway extends solely to the presentation-side scale, and it has absolutely no impact on the knife’s formidability, materials or otherwise.

Blade HQ

Deliciously tactical

Beyond that sugary-sweet pink presentation scale colorway, this is still very much a classic SnG in all its glory. It has the same iconic silhouette with its tapered handle and drop-point blade.

It also retains its thumb hole and thumb stud deployment, integrated frame lock and imposing pivot screw (and let’s be serious, the other hardware is also intimidating by modern standards).

The blade steel is actually more contemporary than Striders of the past, but that’s a good thing. This one gets MagnaCut, which is inarguably among the best high-performance steels on the market today.

However, the handle is a bit more classic. The presentation side is G-10, while the frame lock side is titanium. Beyond the presentation scale, the whole thing is also blacked out, granting it a bit more durability.

The knife measures 8.20 inches in total, with a 3.50-inch blade and a 4.45-ounce weight.

Blade HQ

Availability and pricing

The Strider SnG Dessert Warrior launches on April 27 at 11 AM EST for an eye-watering $850. That said, if you have any hopes of snagging one, you’ll want to log into Blade HQ and add it to your wishlist, because it will definitely sell out, even at this price.

Blade HQ

Strider SnG Dessert Warrior

• $850 at Blade HQ

Want to stay up to date on the latest product news and releases? Add Gear Patrol as a preferred source to ensure our independent journalism makes it to the top of your Google search results.

Right now, Sonos has a sale running on certified refurbished versions of some of its most popular speakers. This includes the Era 100 and Era 300 smart speakers, as well as the Move 2 portable speaker. Also, its previous flagship soundbar, the Arc, is also part of the sale.

Hesitant about shopping for certified refurbished? Don’t be. Sonos claims that each one has been inspected, tested, and approved by its audio experts, and thus should sound and work as good as new. Plus, they come with a one-year warranty, the same as its new speakers.

Basically, it’s your chance to score an especially good deal on some of Sonos’s most popular speakers.

Sonos

Sonos Era 100 (Refurbished)

Released in early 2023, the Era 100 is an improved (and more expensive) version of the One speaker. It stands a little bit taller and has an extra tweeter to give it the ability to deliver a stereo sound (which the One was not able to do on its own). It has a 25 percent larger mid-woofer to help it deliver deeper bass, too.

• $134 at Sonos (Refurbished)
  $219 (39% off)
• $219 at Sonos (New)

Sonos

Sonos Era 300 (Refurbished)

The Era 300 is a first-of-its-kind speaker for Sonos, specifically designed to play immersive audio that supports Dolby Atmos. It has six drivers: four tweeters (one forward-firing, two side-firing for stereo separation and an upward-firing tweeter that reflects sound off the ceiling) and two woofers. Compared to its closest sibling, the Five, the Era 300 is slightly smaller, cheaper and not quite as powerful.

• $329 at Sonos (Refurbished)
  $479 (31% off)
• $479 at Sonos (New)

Sonos

Sonos Move 2 (Refurbished)

Released in early 2023, the Era 100 is an improved (and more expensive) version of the One speaker. It stands a little bit taller and has an extra tweeter to give it the ability to deliver a stereo sound (which the One was not able to do on its own). It has a 25 percent larger mid-woofer to help it deliver deeper bass, too.

• $299 at Sonos (Refurbished)
  $499 (40% off)
• $499 at Sonos (New)

Sonos

Sonos Arc (Refurbished)

The Arc was Sonos’s premium Dolby Atmos soundbar before the Arc Ultra was released. It has a grand total of 11 high-performance drivers, two of which are upward-firing to enable those vertical high channels for Dolby Atmos. It also has smart speaker functionality (just like the Beam 2), so you can control it with your voice using Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant. It supports AirPlay 2 as well.

• $399 at Sonos
  $719 (45% off)

Welcome to “Today in Gear,” your daily snapshot of the most important releases in style, watches, tech, motoring, fitness, home and the outdoors.

Today in Gear: The most important news in the product world, independently curated by our editors. Catch up on other key releases across all the topics you care about.

G-Shock

G-Shock GA-2100CC-3A

You already know the Rolex “Pepsi” (RIP). Meet the G-Shock “CasiCoke.” The toughest name in watchmaking teams up with Coca-Cola for an official collaboration that celebrates the soda maker’s 140th anniversary. Based off the GA-2100 series, widely known as the CasiOak, it features a brown dial and translucent green bezel and band to evoke the classic color palette of Coca-Cola bottle. Pricing TBD.

• Learn More

Nestout

Nestout Outdoor Cooker

Camp cooking has elevated way beyond heating a can of beans over the fire, and with Nestout’s latest release, the art of culinary craft outdoors has become even more streamlined. The Outdoor Cooker is designed for outdoor use and is ideally sized for one-pot meals, including oatmeal, soups, rice and more. Crafted with a durable, scratch-resistant, heat-insulated exterior, the 27-ounce interior pot comes with engraved measurement marks for easy prep, and the outer dial allows for simple temperature management. The plug-in design offers controlled cooking in wild environments.

• $100 at Nestout

Peak Performance

Peak Performance Ridge Ace HIPE ACE 3L Shell Jacket

This is Swedish outdoor brand Peak Performance’s most technically advanced hiking shell to date. That’s because it’s the first of the brand’s offerings made with a proprietary propylene membrane, which it has dubbed HIPE ACE. Not only is it highly waterproof, but it’s also incredibly breathable, making it ideal for keeping you comfortable and dry in even the harshest conditions. It’s also roomy enough to layer underneath, has a durable 3-layer ripstop construction and offers an excellent range of motion.

• $400 at Peak Performance

Porsche

Porsche Cayenne Coupe Electric

Porsche revealed the next stage of its electrified Cayenne. It’s called the Cayenne Coupe Electric and as you can likely decipher from the name, it’s basically the all-electric Cayenne SUV, but with it’s rear-end slightly cut off. But while added style is part of the Cayenne Coupe Electric’s signature bag, obscene power is as well. Or about 1,139 horsepower and 1,106 pound-feet of torque to be exact. Even though that’s the top-spec Cayenne Turbo Coupe Electric, that’s almost as much power as a Bugatti Veyron and it’s just as quick, sprinting to 60 mph in less than 2.5 seconds. Standard versions come with 435 horses and 615 torques for the standard model, while the midrange Cayenne S comes with 657 horses and 796 torques. It can recharge from 10-80% in less than 16 minutes in ideal conditions on the appropriate fast charger. But it does come with a catch as the Cayenne Coupe Electric tips the scales at 5,637 pounds to start.

• Starts at $113,800

KTM

2026 KTM 1390 Super Duke RR TRACK

On the heels of the fierce new 1390 Super Duke RR we covered just a couple weeks back comes this ultralight track-only edition optimized to be a lean, mean, knee-dragging machine. According to KTM, the Mattighofen-made bike is “devoid of any components that could make it street-legal,” with fresh titanium and carbon fiber components further lightening the load. Those moves take it down under 400 pounds, some 20 pounds lighter than the regular RR. That’s a heck of a proposition for a bike that, thanks to a souped-up 1350 cc LC8 V-twin engine and full Akrapovic Evolution Line exhaust system, makes an absolutely screaming 193 horsepower and 111 ft-lbs of torque. It’s limited to 100 units, and pricing has yet to be announced.

• Learn More

Wind Vintage has had plenty of remarkable and important timepieces flow through its digital doors over the years.

Eric Wind — the dealer and watch authority behind the Palm Beach-based outfit and a longtime friend of Gear Patrol — has an almost unmatched eye for sourcing historically significant pieces.

But even by those standards, the latest addition to the Wind Vintage inventory is a genuine shock to the system. This is a watch that will stop music fans and horological gawkers dead in their tracks.

It’s also the kind of listing destined to do laps through watch forums, Discord servers and text chains — one that shows up between memes and vacation pics with a “you seeing this?” attached.

Welcome to Heat Check: A guide to the trends and products taking the internet by a storm. Discover more here.

Hotline bling

Wind Vintage

The watch in question is a Rolex GMT-Master II reference 116758SANR — a yellow gold, bedazzled, off-catalog version of the famed travel watch introduced circa 2006.

As you’d imagine, it was produced in extremely limited numbers due to the intensive, zero-defect gem-setting process used for each one. In fact, according to Wind Vintage, the piece is rarer still than the much-talked-about “Rainbow” Daytona reference 116595RBOW.

And as with that other famous gem-set version of a modern Rolex sports watch, the details of this GMT’s bezel are the definition of bling.

It’s inlaid with 36 baguette diamonds and 12 black sapphires — one of which is cut in the shape of a triangle — with the sapphires doubling as hour markers to help read a third time zone.

Wind Vintage

The lugs and crown guards are also adorned with diamonds, making this among the most extravagant production references Rolex has ever created.

What sets this particular example apart from every other 116758SANR on the market, however, is its provenance.

Amazon

This is the exact watch Drake wore on the cover of Take Care.

It was his second studio album, released in 2011, and is widely regarded as one of the most significant rap records of the decade. And that’s not just subjective opinion.

Take Care spent 400 weeks on the Billboard 200, achieved RIAA Diamond certification with over 10 million copies sold, and claimed the Grammy for Best Rap Album at the 55th Grammy Awards.

Drake was photographed wearing this piece by Hyghly Alleyne and Lamar Taylor at Joso’s Restaurant in Toronto, a shoot that produced the now-iconic cover image. The watch can also be spotted in the music video for “Marvin’s Room.”

Wind Vintage

Surprisingly, though, this watch apparently wasn’t part of Drake’s own collection. Instead, according to the listing, the watch was originally purchased in 2011 by a colleague of Drake’s from his early career years.

The caseback also bears an engraving of the OVO Owl logo — the symbol of Drake’s October’s Very Own label.

Availability and pricing

Wind Vintage

Wind Vintage is asking $500,000 for the piece, and the sale comes with an unusually compelling package.

Beyond the watch itself — which is offered unpolished and in full set with original box and papers — the lot includes a suite of OVO memorabilia: the Owl statue featured on the Take Care album cover, clothing and backstage passes.

Wind Vintage

For collectors drawn to timepieces with prestinely documented cultural provenance, it is hard to think of a package quite like this one.

Of course, for the vast majority of watch enthusiasts, this one lives squarely in the realm of fantasy — and that’s perfectly fine.

Half the fun of a piece like this comes from simply knowing it exists: a $500,000 yellow gold Rolex buried in sapphires and diamonds, with an owl engraved on the back and a Grammy-winning album cover to its name.

You don’t need to be in the market to appreciate that someone, somewhere, is going to own one of the most gloriously unsubtle watches ever made — and that it came with a story this good.

Want to stay up to date on the latest product news and releases? Add Gear Patrol as a preferred source to ensure our independent journalism makes it to the top of your Google search results.

When new versions of cars like the BMW 7 Series come out, I immediately get all excited about them. Not only do they fall right in line with the kind of cars that I lose my bananas over (and end up owning).

But I’m unabashedly a fan of big, flagship luxury sedans. While I’m a self-professed diehard Mercedes-Benz fan, I’m also equal parts a yuge BMW fan.

So, when the Bavarian automaker announced its refreshed 7 Series, I had to show up to the reveal to check it out.

I like big (German) boats and I cannot lie

Chris Chin

As a car enthusiast, I’m a bit unconventional. Most typical enthusiasts like things that are lightweight, fast and look like they’ll make skirts fly up and jaws drop as you drive past.

So, typical car people look at my appreciation for vehicles like the 7 Series as a bit, well, awkward. But why large, fancy executive sedans meant for well to-do salespeople, lawyers and big wigs give me what James May calls “the fizz,” comes down to several reasons.

Firstly, I grew up with my dad having several 7 Series throughout my childhood. And I was always enamored with how smooth, comfortable, impeccably built and technologically advanced they were.

BMW

But more so, the 7 Series historically has always been one of BMW’s most import cars as a statement, benchmark and icon. For almost a half century, the world always looked to the 7 Series and its arch rival, the Mercedes-Benz S-Class, as two the technological pinnacles and innovators of the automotive world.

Because of this, there’s an old saying: if you want to see what kind of technology and engineering your basic mainstream automobiles will have in the near future, look at cars like the 7 Series and the S-Class.

BMW

They’re also the choice automobiles for world leaders and diplomats, aristocrats, mob bosses and Hollywood baddies. Hell, even in the 7 Series’ case, James Bond piloted one in Tomorrow Never Dies, even if it was at the protest of 007 purists.

With such a repertoire, big luxury sedans are undoubtedly cool in their own right. To see if the latest 7 Series has the potential to continue carrying that torch, I ventured to its world premiere at New York City’s iconic Vanderbilt Hall in Grand Central Station.

Here are the top five things that initially stood out to me about the newly updated 7 Series.

1. Its exterior design finally looks far more cohesive than before

Chris Chin

When the “G70” 7 Series first debuted in 2022, many, like myself, found the sheetmetal visually controversial and polarizing. It was very much a love-it or hate-it affair, with much of the reception going towards the latter. But BMWs have always had controversial, avantgarde, forward-thinking aesthetics.

This time around, BMW’s designers blended the current design with its incoming Neue Klasse theme. The company says the elements lean more into the “monolithic” language (whatever that means). But the overall result comes across as much more refined and elegant. I dig it much more than the original rendition.

2. The new 7 Series now looks like it really means business

Chris Chin

With its exterior updates, the 7 Series’ front end appears much sleeker than before. It’s far more simplified and refined, in a less is more approach.

Furthermore, because the overall front end looks less fussy, it looks far more intimidating and imposing. And that’s a good thing.

Chris Chin

A big, German, flagship luxury sedan known for blissfully and effortlessly storming the Autobahn at triple digit speeds should scream, “get the f*** out of the way” in the rearview mirror. And the updated 7 Series with its latest styling changes most certainly looks the part.

3. The screen acreage is far better executed than before

Chris Chin

I’m an ardent hater of massive screens in cars. But that’s an uphill battle and argument with automakers and designers. So, I know it’s fruitless to continuously opine against them and rather, embrace them. It’s 2026 after all, and most if not all of our lives are digitized by screens in some way (as I write this, while staring at one).

Previously, BMW attempted to lean into the massive screen complex with the original G70 and the company’s then-new “BMW Curved Display.” It featured a singular, massive ultra-wide array of two screens. The driver got a 14.9-inch display while an adjacent 12.3-inch unit controlled the infotainment system.

Chris Chin

BMW Curved Display was simply way too much screen in your face. But 7 Series gets BMW’s “Panoramic Vision.” It removes the massive ultra-wide array and instead, places an extra wide, but thin-profile display at the top of the dashboard.

The new arrangement also omits any massive screen from sitting in front of the driver. The result is better placement of pertinent information without the need to take your eyes off the road. And, it looks to be less blinding in darker situations.

4. It’s a world-class home theater and office on wheels

Chris Chin

In-car technology has always been one of the many highlights for full-size executive sedans like the 7 Series. The latest one is no different.

For the first time, BMW now integrated Dolby Atmos playback technology for its infotainment system. That alone makes the audiophile in me get all giddy.

Chris Chin

Because, who doesn’t like music and who doesn’t like to be immersed into vibrant and fulfilling sound while they’re driving about? To add to the effect, the 7 Series comes standard with a top-spec sound system featuring…wait for it…a whopping 36 speakers.

That’s almost three times more than what you typically get at your average local AMC theater franchise.

5. It’s an executive sled from the future

Chris Chin

So, does the new 7 Series continue carrying the torch as a technological tour de force? Frankly, as a whole, it’s currently hard to say. Especially since I haven’t been behind the wheel of one.

More than half the experience of a car like the 7 Series comes from driving it or riding in it as a passenger. That’s because the 7 Series and its rivals didn’t just pioneer technologies like fancy infotainment systems and giant screens.

Chris Chin

Majority of their engineering superiority came from their engineering prowess. Remember, cars like the 7 Series and the S-Class pioneered world-class systems such as exquisite and comprehensive adaptive suspension, chassis and braking systems.

They were also huge statement in performance. All mainly because they’re engineered to the toughest standards of the German Autobahn. Because what other automobiles can do 155 mph without breaking a sweat and in total, complete comfort and stability?

From its plethora of in-car technology, however, and all that it showed off at Vanderbilt Hall, it certainly is off to a good start.

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While not a household name, Brabus is very well known in the motoring space for its aggressive, stylish high-performance automotive tuning. The brand has even dabbled in the two-wheeled space with a KTM collaboration.

However, the brand is taking the helm for the first time with its latest project, the Brabus Urban E First Edition. With the help of the French madmen at Dab Motors, this absolutely drop-dead gorgeous bike is an eye-catching city commuter with jaw-dropping torque.

Brabus

Three-of-a-kind

Technically, this release actually encompasses three different bikes. The base bike is the Brabus Urban E, while the Brabus Urban E First Edition is a special release that sees some seriously stylish upgrades to that base bike.

Beyond their stylistic differences, however, they’re virtually the same bike with the same specs and performance. The third, however, flips the script on the collaboration. Called the Dab 1α Brabus, this is a Brabus-styled version of Dab’s existing flagship bike.

Brabus

But back to the Brabus-led bikes. The standard Urban E is available in two color schemes: standard and Superblack. The standard is largely black with red highlights (a signature of Brabus) while the Superblack, as you might expect, is completely blacked out.

However, the First Edition sees that bike get a quartet of all-over colorways. That means the entirety of the bike, including the wheels, swingarm, forks and virtually everything else, is matchy-matchy. The available colors are Fusion Red, Superviolet (purple), Peetch (peach) and Desert Sand.

Brabus

City-going stunner

The difference between these bikes and Brabus’s previous KTM collaboration is that the German tuner had a much larger hand in the design and construction of these bikes. For instance, the carbon fiber bodywork is entirely Brabus’s doing, as is the signature quilted seat.

But it’s important to note that this bike is, first and foremost, a showpiece. While the performance specs are … let’s call them respectable, they’re probably not quite what you’d expect from a $38k price point.

Brabus

This is an e-bike, so make note of that. It offers a 93-mile range per charge (and a charge is 3.5 to 4.0 hours), top speed of 75 mph and a peak bhp of 35. Nothing mind-blowing, as stated.

However, it does have one jaw-dropping figure: it offers 350 lb-ft of torque, which will send you flying off the line (and maybe launch your eyeballs into the back of your head).

All that aside, there’s no denying the sheer curb appeal of this bike. It’s a looker if there ever was one, and it could hint at a larger two-wheeled future for Brabus.

Brabus

Availability and pricing

The Brabus x Dab Urban E First Edition is available in four distinct colorways, but only 10 examples of each are being built. Prices are set at $38,000 per unit, but you’ll have to reach out for more info on availability.

Brabus

Brabus x Dab Urban E First Edition

• $38,000 at Brabus
• $38,000 at Dab Motors

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The main question surrounding Nike’s new shoe isn’t why the brand made it but what took so long.

Four decades in, the Pegasus remains Nike’s most trusted daily trainer across the globe, a true do-it-all workhorse for easy runs, workouts and even races.

Just forget that thing you heard about old dogs and new tricks.

The upcoming Pegasus 1 Golf sees the well-known running shoe transform into spiked silhouette for an entirely new sport.

And frankly, the crossover feels long overdue.

Nike

For the midsole, Nike recycles the Cushlon foam of previous Pegasus models but pairs it with ReactX for up-to-speed specs.

Nike

Nike

Surprisingly, it swaps out a sculpted Air Zoom unit, probably the defining characteristic of the recently released Pegasus 42, for stability-focused side plates.

That said, a golf swing and running stride are significantly different movements, so it should come as some assurance that the brand didn’t just slap some spikes on a running shoe and call it a day.

Nike

Nike

There are also integrated forefoot spikes and molded heel for added traction.

Things translate a little more one to one on the upper, where a padded, dove-tail collar results in a snug fit for all-day comfort on the course.

Nike

Nike

Availability and pricing

Available in early May, the Pegasus 1 Golf comes in three launch colors: black, white and “Hyper Pink.” Check out additional details and images on the Dick’s Sporting Goods product page.

Nike

Nike Pegasus 1 Golf

• $170 at Dick's Sporting Goods

This may look like a slick, futuristic rendering of the legendary OG Honda NSX. But, it isn’t.

What it is, is the JAS Tensei by Pininfarina. It’s the world-famous Italian styling firm’s modern rehash on one of Japan’s most iconic sports cars of all time. In partnership with JAS Motorsport, the company just officially unveiled the car at the Milan Design Week in Italy.

Needless to say, we’re already swooning all over it.

Reimagining one of automotive history’s greatest legends

Pininfarina

It was only a few months ago when Pininfarina and JAS Motorsport originally teased the Tensei. Then, it immediately caught ours and the world’s attention.

That’s because the original Honda NSX is one of those legendary automobiles with such rich history and heritage behind it, most, if not all, sports car fans and enthusiasts believe it’s a car that should only be appreciated in its original form. There have been a few attempts at restomodding the NSX over the years.

Pininfarina

But none seem to do the original car justice. The NSX is that legendary. What’s different about the JAS Tensei however, is that it’s likely the first-ever rehash of the NSX that actually has us all stunned and drooling in amazement, simply from how amazing it works.

Because, well, just look at it.

A motorsports-inspired rehash that we can get behind

Pininfarina

According to Pininfarina and JAS Motorsport, the Tensei not only takes inspiration from the original NSX. It taps into JAS’s long-running history as one of Italy’s premiere motor racing and engineering firms.

Established in 1995, JAS Motorsport rose to prominence originally racing Alfa Romeos in various touring car leagues throughout Europe. It later teamed up and became an official racing partner with Honda.

JAS Tensei by Pininfarina

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Since then, the two firms went on to score some notable victories in some of the world’s most prominent motorsports leagues, including the Nürburgring 24 Hours and the World Touring Car Championship.

Due to its long-standing relationship with Honda, JAS Motorsport’s partnership with Pininfarina to produce the Tensei is a natural progression. All the more so since the NSX has a serious motorsports pedigree to begin with.

More than just a restomod

Pininfarina

Named after the Japanese word for “rebirth,” the Tensei honors this heritage and the legend behind the original NSX. Still in its preliminary concept stages, JAS Motorsport plans to take specially chosen donor cars for the Tensei.

The company will then work its magic, upgrading the original car’s mechanicals by widening upgrading the suspension, chassis and even the powertrain. To achieve the beautifully shaped exterior, JAS Motorsport will also custom fabricate the Tensei’s carbon fiber body.

Pininfarina

Both Pinfinarina and JAS Motorsport will preserve the NSX’s original aesthetic, including the car’s signature pop-up headlights and other distinctive elements. The final production model will also retain the NSX’s original naturally-aspirated V6 and six-speed manual, all to preserve the soul of the original car.

“JAS wanted to celebrate the NSX, a car that redefined supercars in the 1990s with its lightweight design, precision and everyday usability,” said Dimitri Vicedomini, Pininfarina’s Head of Exterior Design. “But they wanted to do it in a meaningful way, which led them to collaborate with Pininfarina, a partner with deep historical ties to Honda.”

Pininfarina

Neither JAS nor Pininfarina have specified when builds will commence. (Or how much they’ll cost.) Given the rich heritage of both firms and how they’re both hugely respected for being some of the best in the biz, the Tensei likely won’t be cheap. But that’s the price of this kind of perfection.

By now, you’ve likely seen all of the headline new releases that came out last week at Watches and Wonders, the watch industry’s biggest event of the year.

Rolex launched an Oyster Perpetual with a crazy dial. Vacheron Constantin created an unexpected sequel to its coolest watch. Grand Seiko finally made the dive watch we’ve wanted all along. IWC made a futuristic space watch (and a lot more).

Watches and Wonders Geneva: Rolex, Grand Seiko and dozens of other heavy hitters gather in Switzerland every year to release their biggest watches. Catch up on all the new novelties.

But just as interesting as these flagship releases are the watches that fly a bit more under the radar. With over 60 brands participating and hundreds of new references launched, there are simply too many new watches launched at Watches and Wonders for any one to keep track of all of them.

That’s why we’ve gathered the following 11 sleeper watches as models that managed to get our attention without generating quite as much buzz as more publicized releases.

Reporting by Ben Bowers, Johnny Brayson, Brad Lanphear and Jack Seemer. This list is in alphabetical order.

Chopard

Chopard Alpine Eagle 41 AM

Chopard continues to improve its Alpine Eagle sports watch with its first anti-magnetic model. The AM boasts an anti-magnetic hairspring, which serves to protect the movement from interference by the common magnetic fields produced by everyday electronics. The 41mm watch in lustrous, scratch-resistant Lucent Steel also features a Moss Green swirl-textured dial with a color-matched date window at 4:30 and a non-magnetic symbol above 6:00.

• $17,100 at Chopard

Costco’s “What’s New” section has a habit of producing legitimately interesting finds, and this week is no exception.

Tucked in among the usual rotation of seasonal staples is the Coleman Reunion 54-Quart Steel Belted Cooler — a matte midnight black take on one of the most recognizable cooler designs in the country — and it’s listed at just $125.

That’s roughly half of what the same cooler sells for at REI, where it’s priced at $240, and well below Coleman’s own direct retail of $240.

For anyone who’s been keeping an eye out for a cooler upgrade ahead of summer backyard parties, beach days, or fall tailgates, that pricing is hard to ignore.

That said, this cooler is far from perfect, and there are a few things worth knowing before heading to checkout.

Welcome to Shop Smarter: A series dedicated to highlighting not just what’s on sale, but why it’s worth owning. Discover more here.

The pros

Costco

On paper, the Reunion 54-Quart has a lot going for it. The Steel Belted line has been in Coleman’s catalog since 1954, and the Reunion variant keeps the classic stainless steel construction elements while updating them with a sleek matte black finish that reads more modern than the brand’s traditional red-and-green color options.

The design is genuinely attractive in a way that many rotomolded coolers simply aren’t — it looks at home on a patio or in a tailgate setup without screaming “outdoor adventure”.

Costco

Practically speaking, the cooler holds up to 85 cans across its 54-quart interior, which is a solid mid-to-large capacity for group outings. The lid can also support up to 250 pounds as a bench.

A built-in stainless steel bottle opener is integrated into the cooler’s body, and the channel drain system allows no-tilt drainage during cleanup. Coleman claims the cooler keeps ice for up to four days at temperatures up to 90°F.

The caveats

The downsides, however, are real and worth spelling out. At just over 18 pounds empty, this is a heavy cooler before you’ve added a single can.

The steel handles, while durable, can become uncomfortably hot to the touch if the cooler is left in direct sunlight, which leads to the bigger issue.

The matte black colorway is visually distinctive, but dark-colored coolers are not optimized for ice retention. Testing by Outdoor Empire found that black coolers ran about 10°F warmer internally than white coolers in direct sunlight, and melted through their ice roughly two days faster — five days versus seven in extreme sun conditions.

In shade, the difference disappears, but it’s a meaningful tradeoff for anyone who plans to use the cooler outdoors on hot, sunny days.

Costco

Beyond the color issue, independent testing by CleverHiker found that the Steel Belted line’s insulation underperforms compared to higher-end options in the same size range, and that the lid latch doesn’t form a fully airtight seal — allowing cold air to escape and potentially causing leaks if the cooler is tipped or jostled.

Reviewers at Outdoor Gear Lab placed the Steel Belted in the “second echelon” of the cooler market, behind performance-first options like the Yeti Tundra and Pelican Elite series.

Still, at half the going rate, the Coleman Reunion is easy to recommend — as long as you go in knowing you’re buying a good-looking, easy-to-use cooler, not necessarily the highest-performing one.

Costco

Coleman Reunion 54-Quart Steel Belted Cooler (Midnight)

• $125 at Costco
  $240 (48% off)

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Grand Seiko unveiled an impressive collection of novelties at Watches and Wonders 2026, including a sporty new dive watch and an eye-catching platinum dress watch with an intricate pattern engraved across the entire case and dial.

But for my money, the piece that stood out most for pure beauty in a pragmatic, daily-wearing package was the SBGY043 Spring Drive Iwao Blue. It utilizes sleek design language reminiscent of some coveted vintage references from the 1960s and contains an absolutely captivating dial.

Grand Seiko

The SBGY case is on the smaller side for Grand Seiko, measuring 38.5mm wide and just 10.2mm tall. The gentle curvature of the lugs hugs the wrist, making it feel even smaller in action.

I was immediately drawn to the case’s shape, which is more elliptical than the brand’s notoriously codified case design. It’s reminiscent of the cushion cases produced by Grand Seiko in the 1960s, but only seen in the sparse SBGY series today.

It’s a similar look to an anniversary King Seiko released last year by Seiko, but with more nuance to the case shape, and leveled up with Grand Seiko’s signature Zaratsu polish.

Image by Brad Lanphear for Gear Patrol

The dial is also a subtle departure from the norm, with narrower, sharper dauphine hands and angled applied indices.

It comes on a nine-link steel bracelet rarely deployed by Grand Seiko. The exceptional flexibility enhances the watch’s everyday wearability.

Rock solid

As great as the case is, the feature that turns heads from across the room is the dial. Its name, Iwao, means “rock” in Japanese, referring to the hand-engraved texture modeled after the natural surface of untouched stone.

As for Blue, it refers to the rich color achieved through katsuiro, a natural indigo dyeing process used in Japan for centuries. During the Edo period, it symbolized good fortune and victory and was used on samurai armor and ornaments.

Grand Seiko

The combination of the rocky texture and rich indigo color resembles the stone-like clumps created when processing indigo plants into a powder for dying.

A dual-curved sapphire crystal adds intrigue to the dial when viewed at sharp angles.

Double barrel

The Iwao Blue is powered by an underrated version of Grand Seiko’s legendary Spring Drive movement, the Caliber 9R31. It is hand-wound, allowing for a slimmer case, and offers an impressive accuracy of within 15 seconds per month.

Grand Seiko

The Caliber 9R31 also packs a formidable power reserve of 72 hours, thanks to the Dual Spring Barrel system, which uses two parallel mainsprings.

Personally, though, that’s an irrelevant point because if I owned this watch, I wouldn’t take it off for anywhere near 72 hours.

Availability and pricing

While the Iwao Blue is far from Grand Seiko’s most impressive creation, it presents the brand’s noted architectural and mechanical refinement in a refreshing and endlessly wearable package. The katsuiro indigo dial showcases one of Japan’s most celebrated traditional crafts.

Grand Seiko’s SBGY043 Spring Drive Iwao Blue is available for pre-order now for $9,800 and will arrive in June 2026.

Grand Seiko

Grand Seiko Spring Drive Iwao Blue SBGY043

Specs

Case Size	38mm
Movement	Grand Seiko Caliber 9R31 hand-wound
Water Resistance	30m

• $9,800 at Grand Seiko

The packable bag category has exploded in the last several years.

Between seasoned players pushing technical fabrics to new extremes and a wave of direct-to-consumer upstarts promising the lightest possible shell at the lowest possible weight, travelers today have more options than ever for collapsible carry.

The category’s growth has been impressive — but so has its blind spot. Strip a bag down to its bare minimum, and you’ll almost always end up stripping something else out too: organization, structure, carrying comfort.

Ucon Acrobatics

Most packable duffels are, at their core, just a shell with a zipper. They fold into a stuff sack about as well as they function once you’re trying to find your phone charger in a sea of crumpled shirts.

That’s what makes the Leander Bag from Berlin-based Ucon Acrobatics genuinely worth a second look.

The brand — founded in 2001, though largely unknown in the US market despite selling in more than 500 stores across 34 countries — has spent two decades building bags rooted in minimalist utility and thoughtful materials.

The Leander, part of its Air Series, is its most direct answer to the overcrowded packable category. And it makes a strong case that you don’t have to sacrifice function to go light.

Light on the shoulder, not on features

Ucon Acrobatics

At just under one pound (0.97 lbs to be exact), the Leander Bag is exceptionally light for a 30-liter carry-on. The fabric behind that figure is a 30D ripstop rPET — a recycled polyester made from post-consumer textile waste, dope-dyed to minimize water usage, and coated with a PFC-free DWR finish on the outside and a waterproof PU layer on the inside.

It’s the kind of material story that could easily read as marketing language, but Fast Company has noted that the brand’s commitment to fiber-to-fiber recycling is among the more substantive in the industry — a meaningful distinction in a market full of vague sustainability claims.

Ucon Acrobatics

What separates the Leander from the typical packable shell, though, isn’t the material — it’s the thought that went into building a bag around it.

Two large exterior mesh bottle pockets flank the main compartment, a feature that sounds basic but is routinely absent on competing packable designs that prioritize compression above all else.

The bag is carry-on compliant across international airline standards, and an integrated spacer fabric gives it just enough structure to carry well on the shoulder without adding meaningful weight or sacrificing packability.

Ucon Acrobatics

The closest analog in this space is probably the Aer Go Duffel 2, a well-regarded 35-liter packable that packs flat and offers organized front and back pockets, along with a luggage pass-through.

At 1.3 pounds and $89, the Aer is lighter on the wallet and carries a bit more volume — but it’s also less focused on compressibility as a primary design goal, and it lacks the side bottle pockets that make the Leander more livable day-to-day.

Ucon Acrobatics

There is, however, one clear sticking point: the price.

At $129, the Leander sits well above the alternatives most travelers would consider in this category.

The Matador Freefly Packable Duffle — which packs down to the size of a softball and includes sealed seams and an exterior zip pocket — runs $85. The Eagle Creek Packable Duffel Bag offers a 30-liter alternative built from 100 percent ocean-recycled fabric for around $59.

The L.L. Bean Packable Lightweight Tote in its largest form starts at $30. None of these bags match the Leander’s feature set or fabric quality exactly, but the gap in price is hard to ignore when you’re buying something you’ll throw in the bottom of your suitcase.

The Leander even costs as much as many travelers would budget for a capable hard-shell carry-on, making it an even harder pill to swallow, no matter how good the ripstop feels.

Availability and pricing

Ucon Acrobatics

The Ucon Acrobatics Leander Bag in black is available now directly from Ucon Acrobatics’ US website for $129. Given the brand’s limited stateside retail footprint, the direct site is currently the most reliable place to find it — though its low-stock status is worth noting for anyone on the fence.

Ucon Acrobatics

Ucon Acrobatics Leander Bag (Air, Black)

• $129 at Ucon Acrobatics

The service jacket may seem like a straightforward style on the surface, but its roots run deep, tracing back to late 19th-century military outerwear designed for utility, durability and protection.

As time passed and military garments found their way into civilian fashion, the service jacket shifted from strictly functional into a versatile everyday staple.

Now, the timeless silhouette is being given a premium reinterpretation, courtesy of Citizens of Humanity’s luxury-minded Service Jacket, where military heritage meets elevated modern style.

Though the new release has direct service jacket heritage, it also wouldn’t look out of place as an upscale Carhartt offering, thanks to its rugged roots and no-nonsense sensibility. 

Citizens of Humanity

Modern classic

Citizens of Humanity is known primarily as a Los Angeles premium denim brand focused on high-quality materials, vintage-inspired washes and excellent fit, but the brand’s outerwear is just as compelling as its jeans.

Citizens of Humanity

The Service Jacket, which released as part of the brand’s Spring/Summer 2026 collection, is a masterclass in pared-back styling, letting the classic features of the military-inspired jacket do the talking.

Citizens of Humanity

The 100-percent cotton fabric is hand-sanded for a meticulous finish, while the corduroy collar adds heritage and texture.

The “Heirloom” colorway looks like a traditional khaki canvas but feels more like a heavyweight, durable bedford twill on the body.

Citizens of Humanity

On-seam pockets add functionality and structure, while minimal chest pockets add just the right amount of additional storage. Button cuffs provide an adjustable fit.

Reinforced stitching and a zip front closure complete the jacket’s traditional styling.

Availability and pricing

The Service Jacket is available at Citizens of Humanity’s website now, retailing for $548.

Citizens of Humanity

Citizens of Humanity Service Jacket – Heirloom

• $548 at Citizens of Humanity

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Right now, Klipsch is running a massive “Certified Refurbished” sale on some of its most popular speakers, soundbars, subwoofers, and AV receivers. You can save up to 70 percent.

Hung up on “Certified Refurbished”? Don’t be. All the products have been tested, inspected, and approved by Klipsch. So you’re basically getting a new product, but for less. Also, each certified refurbished product comes with a 90-day limited warranty.

As for the sale, there’s a lot to choose from. But one of the standouts are Klipsch’s The Sevens and The Nines powered speaker systems.

Klipsch

Klipsch

Classic looks, modern connections

Each of these powered speaker systems borrows design cues from the brand’s famed Heritage line, such as a wooden cabinet paired with cloth grilles.

But they’re also very much modern speaker systems. They can be used as computer and TV speakers (thanks to USB-C and HDMI ARC inputs). Each has a built-in phono preamp and can be used as turntable speakers. Plus, they support Bluetooth for streaming.

Klipsch

Klipsch

So what’s the difference? Both The Sevens and The Nines have the exact same design and feature sets, but The Nines are the bigger and better-sounding speakers. Naturally, they’re more expensive, too.

Neither of these speaker systems is that old (both were released in early 2023), but Klipsch has introduced second-generation versions of each that, as of this month, are officially available for purchase.

Klipsch

What’s the deal?

The Sevens II and The Nines II look quite similar to their predecessors, but feature Onkyo’s electronics and support Wi-Fi streaming. And naturally, they’re significantly more expensive.

Klipsch still technically sells The Sevens (Gen I) for $1,500. The Nines (Gen 1), which have sold for $1,700, are now out of stock. Klipsch has EOL’d both now since the new models are available.

But if you shop the Certified Refurbished sale, you can snag The Sevens for $799 ($700 off) or The Nines for $899 ($800 off). They’re quite the deals.

Wondering how much more expensive the new models are? It’s significant. The Sevens II cost $2,000 and The Nines II cost $2,400.

Klipsch

Klipsch The Sevens (Certified Refurbished)

• $799 at Klipsch
  $1,500 (47% off)

Klipsch

Klipsch The Nines (Certified Refurbished)

• $899 at Klipsch
  $1,700 (47% off)

In a marathon, margins are everything.

Over the course of 26.2 miles, seconds quickly compound into minutes, and the difference between a fine race and a personal best, perhaps even a world record, can simply come down to the direction of the wind.

As any experienced runner will tell you, you can only control what you can control, which for many of them starts with the shoes.

And as far as Adidas is concerned, the new Adizero Adios Pro Evo 3 is the variable that can turn a perfectly fine race into something truly special.

Adidas

Light on your feet

At the outset, the franchise has little left to prove.

Since the first edition, released back in 2023, Adidas’s top long-distance racer has helped its athletes break three world records, seven national records and five course records, as well as the Olympic record on a very hilly course in Paris.

In 2024 alone, Adizero models were responsible for half of all victories at World Major Marathons.

Adidas

The new Adizero Adios Pro Evo 3 has a lot going on compared to its accomplished predecessors, but the true calling card is what it leaves behind.

Adidas

In a US size 9, the shoe clocks in at at astonishingly light 97 grams (3.4 ounces), plus or minus a few decimal points for variance on the factory floor.

But no matter how you slice or dice it, the Adizero Adios Pro Evo 3 is lighter than a small apple, modern smartphone and virtually every super shoe that’s come before.

Compound interest

On paper, the Adizero Adios Pro Evo 3 does everything super shoes do to cut a few grams from one generation to the next.

It has a new lightweight, almost-translucent upper, as well as a retooled outsole that, by itself, weighs close to nothing.

Adidas

Adidas

However, according to Charlotte Heidmann, who oversees the Adizero line at Adidas, a new midsole is the main weight saver compared to the previous generations of the dominant racer.

“The foam itself without the stiffening element is already fifty percent lighter than the previous versions,” Heidmann tells me over a video call.

“So because it’s the biggest part of the shoe, you can save the most weight there.”

Adidas

Interestingly, Adidas still calls it Lightstrike Pro Evo, the same name for the material found in the Adizero Adios Pro Evo 2.

And while Heidmann won’t disclose specific densities or materials, the head of Adizero does confirm that it’s still a non-compression molded foam, as was the case with previous iterations.

“Through that, you can always achieve a lighter weight than if you just have a normal molded foam or compressed foam,” Heidmann adds.

Off the rim

Alone, the weight of the Adizero Adios Pro Evo 3 is enough to proclaim a new era for super shoes. But it also marks a potential evolution beyond one of the category’s defining characteristics to date.

In place of a traditional plate, the shoe utilizes what Adidas calls an EnergyRim. Think of it as a thin cutout of carbon fiber that extends around the perimeter of the shoe, rather than sitting underneath the forefoot.

Adidas

It’s a similar technology to what Adidas added to the Adizero Prime X Evo optimized for ultramarathons, though precisely tuned here for the 39mm stack height.

The result, Adidas claims, is a 1.6 percent increase in running economy when paired alongside the new foam and retooled outsole and upper, resulting in the lightest racer on the road.

Adidas

If that doesn’t sound like a lot, it’s important to remember one of the great truths of marathoning, especially when it concerns elite athletes: margins matter.

“For them, at the pace that they go, that can be either first place or fifth place,” Heidmann says.

Adidas

Availability and pricing

The Adizero Adios Pro Evo 3 will make its professional debut at the 2026 London Marathon, where defending champions Sabastian Sawe and Tigst Assefa (both Adidas athletes) lead a stacked field.

The shoe costs $500 and rolls out with a highly limited release. A wider drop is scheduled for fall marathon season, which begins with Berlin on September 27.

Adidas

Adidas Adizero Adios Pro Evo 3

• $500 at Adidas

Want to stay up to date on the latest product news and releases? Add Gear Patrol as a preferred source to ensure our independent journalism makes it to the top of your Google search results.

For a few years now, the Chopard Alpine Eagle has existed in a sort of “no man’s land” in the highly competitive world of integrated luxury sports watches.

It sits a clear tier below the category’s big three of the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak, Patek Philippe Nautilus and Vacheron Constantin Overseas, and yet it rarely gets mentioned in the second tier among its closest competitors like the Rolex Land-Dweller, Girard-Perregaux Laureato and IWC Ingenieur.

Watches and Wonders Geneva: Rolex, Grand Seiko and dozens of other heavy hitters gather in Switzerland every year to release their biggest watches. Catch up on all the new novelties.

That’s a shame, as I think the Alpine Eagle is fantastic and is the best option at its price point. I also believe the watch is very close to achieving much broader success in the market if it would only combine the disparate features found across its catalog into one killer watch.

This year at Watches and Wonders, Chopard introduced several new upgrades to the Alpine Eagle that make it more compelling than ever before, but they’re spread across three models. As these features (hopefully) start to roll out across the line, I think the watch’s sleeper status will fade as it becomes a bona fide hit.

Chopard

Anti-magnetism

First up is the new Alpine Eagle 41 AM. The “AM” here stands for “anti-magnetic,” as it’s the first Alpine Eagle to feature an anti-magnetic hairspring. Such hairsprings have become commonplace across the luxury sports watch industry, as they protect the movement from the magnetic fields produced by common everyday electronics. Such fields can interfere with the accuracy of mechanical timepieces, making this feature almost a necessity in today’s tech-laden world.

Chopard hasn’t said what material the new hairspring is made out of, except that it is some kind of metal and is not silicon. Brand co-president Karl-Friedrich Scheufele also revealed to Monochrome that Chopard will soon roll this hairspring out to other Alpine Eagles, and eventually even incorporate it in its high-end L.U.C. line.

Chopard

The Alpine Eagle 41 AM is a 41mm version of the watch in Lucent Steel, Chopard’s superb proprietary steel alloy that shines like white gold while also providing greater scratch resistance than 316L steel. It features a moss green dial in the cleaner style that debuted on last year’s Alpine Eagle XP CS Platinum, though the pesky 4:30 date remains on the AM.

I vastly prefer this dial style, which features just one Roman numeral at 12:00 instead of finding them at each of the cardinal indices, as it allows much more room for the Alpine Eagle’s beautiful iris-inspired dial texture. It also just looks more modern, which suits the watch. The AM marks the first time this dial layout has appeared on a steel Alpine Eagle, and I hope it’s a sign of things to come.

Microadjustment

Next, we have the next evolution of the Alpine Eagle XPS, arguably the most popular iteration of the model, thanks largely to its ultrathin, micro-rotor-wound, Geneva Seal-bearing L.U.C 96.40-L movement. While the original XPS featured a salmon dial, the new version has a fetching “Mountain White” dial that’s quite fitting for a watch called the Alpine Eagle.

Chopard

While the dial is gorgeous, if a bit busy with the small seconds indicator and trio of Roman numeral markers, the more interesting update is the bracelet.

The new XPS borrows the more tapered bracelet from last year’s platinum model, but adds a brand new microadjustable clasp that allows for tool-free adjustments up to 5mm. This is a huge development and something that should be standard on every bracelet watch. I look forward to this feature making its way onto other Alpine Eagles, which I’m sure is coming.

Chopard

Clean and streamlined

Lastly, we have the new Alpine Eagle XP CS Gold, a rose gold version of last year’s platinum model featuring a drop-dead gorgeous gradient brown “Shades of Wood” dial. Like the platinum model, this one has the dial I covet: just one Roman numeral index at 12:00, no date window and center seconds.

It keeps the platinum watch’s tapering bracelet, but like the new XPS, it boasts the new microadjustment system. It also maintains the platinum model’s L.U.C 96.42‑L calibre movement, which has a gold micro-rotor, Geneva Seal, COSC certification, hacking seconds and two mainspring barrels providing 65 hours of power. It’s arguably the best movement you can get in an Alpine Eagle, and differs from the XPS’s equally thin L.U.C 96.40‑L by having center seconds rather than small seconds.

Chopard

The perfect Alpine Eagle

If I could build my perfect Alpine Eagle, here’s what it would look like.

A 41mm case in Lucent Steel paired with the updated tapered bracelet and microadjustable clasp. It would have the cleaner dial style with just one Roman numeral marker at 12:00, no date and center seconds. And inside would beat the L.U.C 96.42‑L calibre movement equipped with the new antimagnetic hairspring.

Throw in the existing 100m water resistance and gorgeous stamped dial pattern already present across the Alpine Eagle line, and you’ve got a sports watch that can go toe-to-toe with any in the industry and come out on top.

Chopard, let’s make this happen.

Availability and pricing

All three of these new Alpine Eagle references are available now from Chopard. The Alpine Eagle 41 AM is the most affordable and is priced at $17,100. Next is the XPS “Mountain Glow,” which goes for $31,000. Finally, there’s the new rose gold model, which at an eye-popping $90,300 sits as the line’s new flagship alongside the existing platinum model.

Chopard

Chopard Alpine Eagle 41 AM

Specs

Case Size	41mm
Movement	Chopard Cal. 01.01‑C automatic
Water Resistance	100m

• $17,100 at Chopard

Chopard

Chopard Alpine Eagle 41 XPS Mountain Glow

Specs

Case Size	41mm
Movement	Chopard Cal. L.U.C. 96.40-L automatic
Water Resistance	100m

• $31,000 at Chopard

Cracking the Time 100 list of influential people in 2015, organizational expert Marie Kondo has spent the past decade-plus showing the world how to maximize neatness and minimize clutter.

Key to her feng shui-inspired philosophy is the notion that we should only keep things that “spark joy.”

Ideaspark

By that reasoning, the latest Kickstarter project from fittingly named Ideaspark deserves a place in everyone’s everyday kit.

Thanks to its all-business blade and fidget-friendly deployment mechanism, the Ti Nova II Titanium EDC Knife sparks more joy than you could imagine for something so small.

Flippin’ sweet

The successor to the well-received TiNova I (naturally), the new edition evolves from its predecessor via a smooth oval shape, organic action and refined overall feel. 

But let’s cut to the chase, so to speak, by digging into this knife’s unique deployment mechanism.

Ideaspark

The 2.1-ounce TiNova II features two 2.5-inch Grade 5 titanium scales that are uniquely concaved internally to make a tidy little compartment for the blade.

Everything hinges (literally) on a precision roller bearing and strategically placed magnets that do not lock so much as firmly secure the components in both the open and closed positions.

The design offers two options for the fidget-obsessed. First, the “short flip” lets you casually flirt with deployment.

Ideaspark

Second, the “long spin” involves holding one handle scale and flicking your wrist, enabling the other scale to rotate 360 degrees on the ball bearing pivot, magically deploying the blade in the process.

Thank goodness for GIFs, which showcase how this works much better than words ever could.

Slice of knife

These haptically satisfying actions alone certify the TiNova II as a delightful little fidget spinner, but don’t let that distract from the fact that it’s a super-handy EDC cutting tool as well. 

The full-bellied drop-point blade is made of budget-friendly D2 steel, notable for its high wear resistance and edge retention, two critical traits for a low-maintenance keychain knife.

Ideaspark

At 1.59 inches, the blade is indeed quite small, but it’s perfectly qualified to tackle everyday tasks like slicing boxes, tape and twine, not to mention idle whittling pencil sharpening.

The TiNova II is available with two attractive finishes: sandblasted (raw) or black coated (stealth), to suit your preference.

Ideaspark

It also packs dual tritium slots, providing 25 years of glow for low-light visibility, helping you hunt for it in a bag or on the ground should you drop it after sunset.

Last but not least, a built-in lanyard hole makes it easy to secure a spot on your keychain, not to mention a place in Marie Kondo’s organization-loving heart.

Availability and pricing

The Ideaspark TiNova II is available now on Kickstarter for the Launch Day Special price of $45, 36% off the MSRP of $70. Estimated delivery is August 2026.

Ideaspark

Ideaspark TiNova II

• $45 at Kickstarter

The Swatch Group has a lot of big names under its umbrella, including fan-favorites like Omega, Hamilton, Longines, Blancpain and many more. But its own watches are also often newsworthy.

Such was the case with the famed MoonSwatch (and all its iterations) and the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms reinterpretation.

While it would definitely be too bold to put the Swatch Scubaqua Collection on the same playing field as those two, this new summer-ready launch does have quite a bit to offer for an incredibly low price, including a sneaky feature that ups its utility and convenience a ton.

Swatch

Spongebob-approved

While the Scubaqua isn’t an entirely new model, there are four new editions of the watch. Inspired by jellyfish, all four have unique, vibrant colorways inspired by specific subspecies of the seafaring oddities.

There’s the navy blue Sea Wasp, teal Medusae, orange Pacific Sea Nettle and purple Flower hat, all of which give warm-weather vibes. But that’s not the only summery element; the silicone straps also have white striping on them reminiscent of beach towels or umbrellas.

Swatch

What’s perhaps even more interesting, however, is their construction. The opaque pieces of the watch case are crafted from bioceramic, the same material that Swatch pioneered on its Moonswatch. And the translucent elements (again, inspired by jellyfish) are made from a castor-oil-based bioresin.

The watches also have rotating dive timer bezels, minimalist dial markings (with glow-in-the-dark highlights) and biosourced crystals. All that said, the watches are only good to 100 meters, so they’re not exactly “true” divers. Still, two of them offer additional utility that helps offset that performance issue.

Swatch

Sneaky utility

The four new versions of the Scubaqua dive watch have most of the same factors and features in common, at least beyond their colorways. However, there are two with a slight advantage over the other two.

The Medusae (teal) and Sea Wasp (navy) both come equipped with Swatch Pay. This contactless technology allows wearers to make purchases without ever taking their wallet or phone out of their pocket, making them far more convenient and utilitarian.

Swatch

And the best part is that the upgrade costs nothing. Those two watches with the contactless payment tech have the same MSRP of $155 as their siblings.

It’s also worth noting that all four, like the Scubaqua watches that came before them, have a Swiss quartz movement that’s reliable and accurate while remaining remarkably affordable, as mentioned.

Swatch

Availability and pricing

The new Swatch Scubaqua watches are now available on the brand’s site for $155 apiece.

Swatch

Swatch Scubaqua

Specs

Case Size	44mm
Movement	Quartz
Water Resistance	100m

• $155 at Swatch

New Balance traces its roots back to 1906, with plenty of notable milestones along the way, but it’s in just the last decade that the American footwear and apparel brand has become a darling of the fashion world.

The brand has been on a hot streak, rolling out one standout silhouette after another across both performance and everyday casual categories.

Along those lines, the upcoming TF100 pairs sculptural design with technical engineering, refining the balance of all-day comfort and style.

New Balance

Smooth operator

While many of New Balance’s lifestyle sneakers lean toward classic “dad shoe” style, the TF100 strides in a different direction.

New Balance

The upcoming release takes a more sophisticated approach, featuring an unlikely pairing of a sporty silhouette with a textured, refined suede upper.

The rich brown suede is matched with synthetic mesh, reinforcing the shoe’s performance-driven foundation.

New Balance

The juxtaposition of upscale materials with performance-oriented design brings a new perspective to the concept of a capable, casual everyday shoe.

New Balance

Underfoot, the TF100 features New Balance’s propulsive FuelCell foam, which offers a smooth and responsive ride. Split into two sections with a cutout in the middle, and the midsole pairs with a continuous rubber outsole for traction and stability.

New Balance

There’s an all-black version of the TF100 live on New Balance’s site right now, but the upscale brown and black variant won’t be available until next week.

Availability and pricing

The TF100 will be available starting on April 29th on New Balance’s website, retailing for $140.

New Balance

New Balance TF100

• $140 at New Balance

Kerr Acoustic is a British hi-fi manufacturer specializing in high-end, beautifully designed (constructed from Baltic birch plywood) loudspeakers. As a point of reference, the brand’s flagship floorstanding models, the K100 mk. 2, go for around $40,000/pair.

Now, the company is introducing its K400, its most compact speakers to date. According to the brand, they’re ideal for “space-restricted audiophiles or professional users looking to expand into multichannel territory.”

Kerr Acoustic K400

Kerr Acoustic

The Kerr Acoustic K400 is a two-way standmount loudspeaker that’s essentially a slimmed-down version of the company’s K300 standmount loudspeaker, which go for upwards $8,000/pair.

“[The K400] takes many of the same ingredients and design philosophy that make our K300 so special,” explains designer Jes Kerr. “And presents them in a more compact format that opens them up to users seeking a more compact loudspeaker.”

Kerr Acoustic

“Stunningly accurate” sound

The cabinet of the K400 is constructed out of 24mm Baltic birch plywood, mirroring that of the K300. And the driver combination, pairing a Scanspeak mid-bass unit with a true ribbon tweeter, is the same. Although each driver is a little smaller to match the smaller cabinet.

Like all of its loudspeakers, the K400 employs Kerr Acoustic’s proprietary transmission line loading technology. According to the brand, this helps them achieve “exceptionally well-controlled and extended bass alongside a clear, uncolored midrange.”

Kerr Acoustic

Aside from being more compact than the brand’s other loudspeakers, the K400 are the first Kerr Acoustic loudspeakers that can be wall- or ceiling mounted. According to the brand, this makes them ideal for Dolby Atmos and other surround installations.

To accommodate such installations, each K400 speaker features four professional-grade M8 mounting points on the rear panel.

Kerr Acoustic

Availability and pricing

The new K400 loudspeakers will be available to pre-order starting May 8th. They come in range of real wood veneers, including oak and walnut, as well as satin or high-gloss lacquer. Each pair comes with magnetic grilles. Stands are sold separately.

The K400 loudspeakers start at £4,695/pair (approximately $6,300/pair). The stands cost £595 (approximately $800).

Kerr Acoustic

Kerr Acoustic K400

• Learn More

Ford Australia is back at it again with another badass off-roader. But, as you probably expected, no, it’s disappointingly not for our shores.

It’s called the Everest Wildtrak. And, as you can guess by the name, it’s based on the highly desirable body-on-frame SUV that only the Aussies and Asian-Pacific dwellers get.

More importantly, the Wildtrak revives a special edition model for the 2026 model year. Now, it has us yearning for the rugged four-by-four even more.

Just give us the Everest already, Ford, sheesh

Ford Australia

The Everest Wildtrak’s reboot in Australia is actually a re-appropriation of a standard trim model specifically available to New Zealand Ford fans. Originally specified for the tiny Pacific island nation, the Wildtrak caught on elsewhere in the region and has since become highly desirable.

As such, Ford Australia brought it back for its domestic market and for a limited run of 1,000 units only. Previously, the Everest Wildtrak was available and equally limited for just the 2023 and 2025 model years.

Ford Australia

What separates the Wildtrak from the standard Everest? For one, the model starts with the top-spec Platinum trim, which adds niceties like a panoramic moonroof, a power-folding third-row and fancy matrix LED headlights.

It’s then treated with a bespoke and eye-catching Ignite Orange exterior hue. Unique 20-inch black-painted wheels with matching orange inserts round out the exterior aesthetic.

Ford Australia

Ford Australia also offers a smaller 18-inch wheel and beefier tire package for the four-wheeling lovers. When equipped, it’s basically a near-equivalent to what would probably be an Everest Tremor-lite.

Why doesn’t Ford send us the Everest?

Ford Australia

If you’ve been loving the Everest and been wondering why Ford doesn’t give us the model while we receive the originally Aussie-developed Ranger, it supposedly comes down to a variety of reasons.

Many cite fuel economy and emissions compliance, which the Everest won’t pass here in the States (but with the Trump Administration’s rollback of these, this might change). The other reasons also boil down to Ford’s global decisions with product and market positioning.

Ford Australia

In short, Ford in Dearborn doesn’t want a model like the Everest to steal sales numbers away from models like the Explorer and Ranger. It sound strange, but it’s just a bunch of “automotive political nonsense.”

Especially when the Everest rides on the same T6 platform as the Ranger that we get.

Welcome to “Today in Gear,” your daily snapshot of the most important releases in style, watches, tech, motoring, fitness, home and the outdoors.

Today in Gear: The most important news in the product world, independently curated by our editors. Catch up on other key releases across all the topics you care about.

Luminox

Luminox MIL-SPEC 3355

Built to U.S. Department of Defense’s military specification standards, the Luminox MIL-SPEC 3355’s deep blue dial and yellow accents pay tribute to the DoD insignia while providing a highly legible base. The 46mm CARBONOX™+ case and Grade 2 titanium rotating bezel deliver exceptional durability and 300-meters of water resistance. Inside, the Swiss-made ETA F06.412 quartz movement runs for 84 months on a single battery.

• $995 at luminox.com

LG

LG Micro RGB evo TV

The LG Micro RGB evo is the brand’s first-ever flagship RGB TV. It’s an LCD TV that harnesses RGB micro-LED backlight technology and LG’s smallest individual RGB LEDs, delivering a more colorful picture than ever before. The brand is calling this display “a significant step forward from MiniLED.” The TV was first previewed at CES 2026, and pricing information has now been officially announced. It comes in three sizes: 75-, 86- and 100-inches. Pricing starts at $5,000 (75-inch) and goes up to $8,000 (100-inch).

• $5,000 at LG

Dyson

Dyson Supersonic Travel

Dyson shrank its beloved hair dryer down and made it perfect for travel and daily use. The Supersonic Travel is 32 percent smaller and 25 percent lighter than the full-sized model, yet packs the same power and performance as its bigger sibling. Whether you’re bringing it along to the gym or packing it in your carry-on, the 0.7-pound Supersonic Travel makes it easier to maintain healthy hair on the go. Universal voltage and intelligent heat control complete the capable package.

• $300 at Dyson

L.L.Bean

L.L.Bean Cotton Motif Bucket Hat

Cotton bucket hats with playful embroidered motifs are a staple of New England summer wardrobes. L.L.Bean offers a perfect example, available in olive green with embroidered rainbow trout and light blue with embroidered pink lobsters. It’s 100-percent cotton and fitted, available in three sizes.

• $45 at L.L.Bean

Ming

Ming Polymesh Straight

In 2025, Ming debuted its Polymesh bracelet, a novel strap-bracelet hybrid 3D-printed in Grade 5 titanium. The unique bracelet has nearly 1,700 interconnected parts all laser-fused together in a closed loop, including the buckle, eliminating the need for traditional screws and pins. It also boasts a completely unique feel: it’s made of metal, yet flows more fluidly than any cloth strap. The Polymesh marked a giant leap in watch bracelet innovation, but there was just one problem. With its curved ends, the Polymesh would only work with Ming’s specific case shapes. Now, Ming is bringing the Polymesh to the masses with a straight-end version that will fit any watch with a 20mm lug spacing. To celebrate, Ming has launched it alongside fellow watch brands and occasional partners, Fears and Massena Lab, with pricing varying slightly between the brands.

• $1,900 at Fears
• $2,200 at Massena Lab
• $1,910 at Ming

Most watches claim to be tough, but the Luminox MIL-SPEC 3355 has the paperwork to prove it.

Built to the technical requirements of the U.S. Department of Defense’s own military specification standard, it clears the strict criteria for sourcing, fabrication, material, durability and quality. The deep blue dial and yellow accents pay tribute to the DoD insignia, but they serve a functional purpose too: a highly legible base with instant readability in any condition.

The 46mm CARBONOX™+ case and Grade 2 micro-sandblasted titanium rotating bezel deliver an exceptional strength-to-weight ratio with resistance to shock, saltwater corrosion, and 300 meters of water pressure. Inside, the military-grade, Swiss-made ETA F06.412 quartz movement runs for 84 months on a single battery. HeavyDrive delivers a counter-impulse on impact to prevent the hand from skipping, while PreciDrive’s thermo-compensation unit adjusts motor pulses to temperature changes, holding accuracy to +/- 10 seconds per year.

Luminox Light Technology — self-powered tritium illumination across the hour markers, hands, and bezel — glows constantly for up to 25 years without an external light source for visibility in total darkness. The yellow second hand adds SuperLumi-Nova® to the arrow tip for extra low-light readability.

Luminox

Luminox MIL-SPEC 3355

• $995 at luminox.com

The North Face recently introduced its Universal collection, a five-piece capsule of camping essentials built from the ground up around universal design principles — meaning gear conceived not just for the average able-bodied camper, but for every kind of human who wants to spend time outside.

The collection, developed in partnership with adaptive athletes Vasu Sojitra and Maureen Beck, includes a sleeping bag, a daypack, a brimmer hat and a pair of camp shoes alongside its centerpiece: a three-season tent.

The idea, as Fast Company reports, grew out of a simple recognition from the brand’s design team that the disabled community had long been overlooked by camping gear makers.

But here’s the thing — the new Universal Wawona 3 Tent doesn’t read like a niche accessibility product. Instead, in many ways, it looks like the car-camping tent that more casual outdoor fans have craved.

Simplifying the setup

The North Face

Setting up a tent is one of those tasks that sounds simple until you’re doing it at dusk in the wind with color-coded poles that all look the same in low light.

The North Face addressed that frustration directly with the Wawona 3: all three poles are identical in length and fully interchangeable, so there’s no matching required.

The North Face

Rather than threading poles through frustrating grommets at each corner, the tent also uses broad fabric sleeves — a change that requires noticeably less dexterity and, as REI notes in its first-look coverage, makes the tent easy enough to put up with mittens on.

The rainfly is built in and rolls back rather than requiring a separate setup step, and the large, reflective pole sleeves glow under a headlamp, making the whole process more manageable after dark. When it’s time to pack up, the tent fits inside a bag large enough to actually use without a fight.

The North Face

Considered together, these updates definitely make the Wawona 3 approachable for campers with visual impairments or limited dexterity, but they also make it genuinely better for everyone else, too.

And this theme continues throughout the rest of the tents details.

The front entry is significantly larger than what you’ll find on most three-person tents and sits at a low threshold — a feature designed to accommodate wheelchairs and strollers but equally welcome for anyone who has ever face-planted crawling into a sleeping bag at midnight.

The North Face

Gear Junkie points out that the front vestibule is roomy enough to store up to two mobility devices without disassembling them, though it works just as well for a pair of muddy boots, hiking poles and whatever gear doesn’t belong inside.

There’s even a dog-leash attachment point built into the back of the tent — designed for service dogs, but useful for anyone bringing a four-legged camping companion along.

As Maureen Beck, a professional climber and North Face athlete, put it: “Designing for accessibility just makes better gear for everyone.”

The North Face

To be fair, the Wawona 3 wasn’t built for the backcountry obsessive. At nearly 14 pounds, it isn’t going anywhere near a pack.

The design choices that make it so approachable may also come at the cost of weatherproofing and packability, which serious alpine campers will never accept.

But for the casual car camper who just wants to show up at a campsite in good weather, get the tent up without a tutorial and actually enjoy the weekend, this is a genuinely compelling piece of gear.

The fact that those same qualities also make it one of the most accessible tents on the market feels less like a coincidence than a proof of concept — and it leaves you wondering whether the Universal Wawona 3 is a preview of where car camping gear could be headed.

Availability and pricing

The Universal Wawona 3 Tent retails for $435 and is available now directly through The North Face.

The North Face

The North Face Universal Wawona 3 Tent

• $435 at The North Face

Want to stay up to date on the latest product news and releases? Add Gear Patrol as a preferred source to ensure our independent journalism makes it to the top of your Google search results.

To paraphrase the late comic Rodney Dangerfield, Hublot just don’t get no respect.

The brand gets a lot of hate. Much of that is directed at its styling, as the brand’s designs are purposefully big, bold and brash. It’s fine if you don’t like that, as the Hublot aesthetic decidedly is not for everyone.

Watches and Wonders Geneva: Rolex, Grand Seiko and dozens of other heavy hitters gather in Switzerland every year to release their biggest watches. Catch up on all the new novelties.

However, anyone who is dismissing Hublot’s technical prowess as a watchmaker needs to be dismissed out of hand. The brand’s Unico chronograph movement is one of the best in the entire industry, and I’d take it over any chronograph in the brand’s parent group of LVMH; a group that also includes legendary chronograph makers Zenith and TAG Heuer.

At this year’s Watches and Wonders, Hublot has made it harder for people to keep sleeping on the Unico by putting the movement front-and-center of its remodeled flagship sports watch, the new Big Bang Reloaded.

Hublot

A bigger bang

The Big Bang Reloaded is an update to Hublot’s openworked Big Bang Unico, and it is much more deliberate with what it shows you. Rather than a fully openworked dial like before, the watch now features strategic cutouts with greater contrast on the rest of the dial, with the intent to highlight some of the more impressive aspects of the Unico movement.

At 6:00, we get a window showing off the dial-side column wheel, complete with a label and an “H” logo on the wheel itself. Between 7 and 8, and also labeled, is a window showing the unique dual oscillating clutch that prevents stuttering and backlash when engaging the chronograph. There’s also an exposed gear train from the hand stack to 12:00, leading the eye to the highlighted skeletonized tip of the chronograph hand and “Flyback” Label on the rehaut.

Hublot

The minute counter at 3:00 is all-new, with a sportier look, tighter design and more contrasting colors. The date has moved from 3:00 to 4:30 so as not to interfere with the chronograph, and it gets a colorful arrow pointer that makes it easy to spot.

So, why is Hublot so purposefully highlighting its in-house chronograph movement? Because the thing is awesome, frankly. The movement boasts a silicon escapement for greater efficiency and improved magenetic resistance and utilizes five patents: the aforementioned oscillating clutch, an anti-shaking chronograph hand system, a “zero friction” ratchet wheel blocker, a simple fine-adjustment system and a shock-resistant time-setting.

Hublot

That’s a lot of technical jargon, but what does it actually mean? Well, in practice, Unico just feels incredible to use. You press the start pusher and immediately realize something is different. It doesn’t feel squishy like a cam-operated chrono, nor does it possess the hard “click” of a typical column wheel. It just feels like pressing a very satisfying button. It’s smooth, crisp and, dare I say, dreamy.

The chronograph hand getting off to a buttery smooth start almost feels like an afterthought to the pusher’s perfect feel, as does the seamless flyback function when activating the equally precise bottom pusher. Overall, Unico is just a joy to use and is an engineering marvel.

Hublot

As for its new home, the Big Bang Reloaded is unmistakenly Big Bang, but it’s been slightly reworked to be a hair sportier than before, if that’s even possible. Its case is still a beast, measuring 44 x 14.5mm, and it’s equipped with two rubber straps that can easily be exchanged using Hublot’s dead-simple “One-Click” push-button system.

The watch is water-resistant to 100m and has sapphire crystals front and back, and it features a two-part bezel consisting of a titanium base and a screwed-on top portion in either ceramic or Magic Gold, Hublot’s proprietary scratch-resistant 18K gold alloy.

Hublot

Availability and pricing

There are five main Big Bang Reloaded references at launch. The titanium model is the most “affordable,” retailing for $24,000. The three ceramic models in all-black, dark-green and blue each retail for $25,200, and the Magic Gold version naturally tops out the line at $44,500.

There are also two special editions of the Big Bang Reloaded made in collaboration with two of the brand’s athlete ambassadors: Usain Bolt and Kylian Mbappé. Bolt’s is in black ceramic and carbon, and Mbappé’s in white ceramic and King Gold. Both are priced at $30,000 and are limited to 200 pieces each.

Hublot

What’s more, both watches are filled with Easter eggs related to their legendary inspirations. Mbappé’s watch features an engraving of the soccer star’s mantra “Trust Yourself” on the bezel, while Bolt’s watch actually contains soil from the speedster’s Jamaican elementary school where he learned to run embedded in a lightning bolt motif on the caseback.

Hublot

Hublot Big Bang Reloaded

Specs

Case Size	44mm
Movement	Hublot Cal. HUB1280 Unico automatic flyback chronograph
Water Resistance	100m

• $25,200 at Hublot

Well, here’s a collaboration you never saw coming.

Citizen, one of the most respected and innovative names in all of watchmaking, teams up with … a Japanese convenience store?

That’s right.

The result, an ultra-affordable timepiece titled simply as “Watch,” is the latest entry into FamilyMart’s apparel and accessories brand overseen by Hiromichi Ochiai of Facetasm fame.

FamilyMart

All in good time

While this certainly isn’t a watch where specifics will make or break consumer sentiment, the engraved caseback does reveal a few details of note.

The first is that it uses the hugely popular no-date 2035 quartz caliber produced by Citizen subsidiary Miyota. It also boasts a perfectly respectable 100 meters of water resistance.

FamilyMart

FamilyMart

Otherwise, the simple three-hand layout, acrylic crystal and plastic case give it the look and feel of a no-date Swatch or Casio, though the use of leaf hands distinguish it from your typical low-cost mall watch.

It also features subtle FamilyMart cobranding, with colored strap holes and a decorated seconds hand in line with the store’s corporate identity.

FamilyMart

FamilyMart

At the end of the day, though, there’s little else to say about the limited-edition release selling out quickly in Japan according to Redditors.

It’s designed for one thing and one thing only: telling the time.

Perhaps that’s all you can ask of an $11 timepiece that goes by the name “Watch.”

FamilyMart

Availability and pricing

The Citizen x FamilyMart Watch is available now at FamilyMart locations throughout Japan.

It comes in two dial colors, white and black, and costs 1,817 Japanese yen (approximately $11) for shoppers lucky enough to find it in stock.