While range anxiety has driven much of the EV segment to focus on increasing battery density and reducing charge times, that’s not to say that everyone is concerned with going the distance.

In fact, there’s a new startup called Amble that’s of the belief that cars are larger and more complicated than necessary for many drivers’ habits. As a result, the outfit wants to flip the script with a new take on short-range transport.

Amble

Closer to home

It’s called the One, and it’s a premium, electric street-legal buggy that’s designed to fill a similar role to rides like the adorable Fiat Topolino.

Accordingly, it touts slick design features such as a tidy digital display, a bevy of built-in storage provisions and some folding front seats. Amongst the leather and cork, it even embraces physical controls.

Amble

In keeping with its positioning as a runabout, Amble claims a top speed of 40 mph and a max range of around 62 miles thanks to the combination of a 15 kW motor and an 11 kWh battery. For perspective, that makes it nearly twice as fast as what LSVs here in the States.

Moreover, it’s designed to roll on a fully independent suspension setup and some 28-inch wheels, so it boasts some light off-road capability to match its adventurous inclinations.

Amble

Still, even though it’s set to be larger and pluckier than your average Club Car, it’ll tip the scales with a comparable curb weight. According to Amble, the One weighs in at a svelte 990 pounds.

A case for small

While Amble’s vision of mobility would be impractical for many drivers because of its open-air construction and barebones equipment, it’s still not as niche of an idea as you might think.

Amble

After all, golf carts and similarly classed vehicles are increasingly finding favor as alternative modes of transport in low-speed and light-traffic settings. Between the higher top speed and the promise of modularity, it’s not hard to imagine the Amble One would appeal to those kinds of users.

There’s still more potential for it to find footing in fleet applications, whether that’s as an option for hotels, resorts or other tourist-minded destinations. 

Amble

To that end, the company is already supposedly entertaining demand from these kinds of locations. It’s also worth mentioning that the project team boasts some impressive credentials.

Beyond a wealth of hospitality expertise, it brings design heavyweights like Michael Tropper (forpeople, Ford advanced design) and Julian Hoenig (Audi and Apple).

Amble

Availability and pricing

According to Amble, initial 2027 delivery slots are currently allocated, though a waiting list is now open for 2028. Prices start at $25,000.

Amble

Amble One

• Learn More

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If you were petrified about the Porsche 911 potentially losing its signature soul, you can breathe easy. CEO Michael Leiters provided sports car fans with some peace of mind, reaffirming that “there will never be a fully electric 911.”

Leiters recently spoke to the media at Porsche’s Annual General Meeting, where he doubled down on his pledge to keep the 911’s internal combustion engine for the foreseeable future. Such news comes as a major relief, as many were skeptical of Porsche’s electrification strategy, even after the brand backtracked on its initial plans.

Long live the flat-six

Porsche

It was just a short time ago when Porsche stirred the automotive pot by announcing its trajectory towards an all-electric future. That plan significantly backfired, with plenty of P-car fans busting out the axes and pitchforks in protest.

It also cast a huge cloud of doubt over the brand’s future, because internal combustion engines and the experiences they provide are hallmarks of any Porsche experience. This is especially true with its most iconic model, the 911.

Porsche

Since the 911’s birth in 1963, one of its signatures has always been its rear-mounted gas-powered boxer-six. The 911’s engine is extraordinarily unique and one of the very few of its kind (Subaru was the only other automaker to make a flat-six).

It also gives the 911 its distinctive exhaust note. Taking that away from the 911’s experience is like removing the beach from a Caribbean vacation. What’s the point?

Porsche

With Porsche’s internal combustion future at stake, many were ready to turn their back on the brand. Now, everyone can rest easy.

Porsche’s new “Strategy 2035”

Porsche

In addition to pledging to keep the 911’s iconic gas-powered propulsion unit around, Leiter did say that electrification is not completely off the table. As such, the engine will evolve and further incorporate gas-electric hybridization.

The latest effort is the 911 Carrera GTS, which features Porsche’s first-ever T-Hybrid system. The automaker plans to further expand and innovate its T-Hybrid as both the system and the current and future generations of 911 evolve.

Ultimately, the 911 will be Porsche’s only model without an all-electric variant.

Porsche

On top of backtracking on its all-electric strategy, Porsche instead adopted a similar “multi-energy” approach as other automakers. It’s one where the automaker offers internal combustion-powered, hybrid and all-electric models.

The idea is to provide customers with choices, rather than forcing them into a specific powertrain type. So far, we’re seeing this adaptation with the next-gen Macan and Cayenne SUVs, as well as the 718 Boxster and Spyder.

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.

On has quietly rolled out a refresh of The Roger Centre Court with a White/Evergreen colorway that makes the brand’s most refined lifestyle sneaker look sharper than ever.

Green with envy

On

The Roger Centre Court, launched in 2020, was co-created by On and Roger Federer as a premium tennis-inspired lifestyle sneaker, presumably designed to go toe-to-toe with other tennis-grounded lifestyle sneaker successes like the Adidas Stan Smith.

It arrived with a clean, architectural silhouette, vegan-leather upper and On’s signature CloudTec sole — credentials that justified its position at the top of the brand’s lifestyle lineup.

On

The updated all-white version released in late February made a strong early impression, and our previous coverage noted just how well it’s positioned as a daily driver. Which is why it was no surprise to see sizing sell out almost immediately.

This new White/Evergreen iteration updates the pure white look with a rich forest-green heel tab and accent details, giving the shoe a distinctly preppy, court-ready personality without sacrificing any of the restraint that made the original compelling.

Availability and pricing

On

The Roger Centre Court in White/Evergreen is available now directly through On’s website at $200.

As with previous iterations, that’s a premium ask, especially when directly compared to the Stan Smith, which costs just $100. That said, the more appropriate comparison may be alternatives from brands like Common Projects, which typically retail for $550 or more.

On

On

On The Roger Centre Court (White/Evergreen)

• $200 at On

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There’s a saying in the watch industry that describes brands’ often lazy attempt at turning a men’s watch into a ladies’ watch: “Shrink it and pink it.”

The line is meant to be an insult, but in the case of Blancpain‘s new update to its underrated and overlooked Villeret Ultraplate men’s dress watch, it could be seen as words to live by.

That’s because Blancpain has shrunk the case of its three-hand, ultra-slim dress watch from a dinner plate-like 40mm to a more wearable 38mm, while also adding a gorgeous sunburst salmon dial option.

And the watch looks better than ever.

Blancpain

Shrink it and pink it

The new Villeret Ultraplate 38 comes in at a pleasant 38mm across, while the ultra-thin case slims down even more to a thickness of 8.35mm, down from 8.7mm on the 40mm version.

That thickness may seem fairly standard for a luxury dress watch, especially one labeled ultra-thin, but keep in mind the Villeret is an automatic, not a manually wound watch. This added convenience adds height to the case, as does the addition of a sapphire caseback, which the watch also has.

Through that display caseback, you get a clear view of the Blancpain Calibre 1150 automatic movement, which has a 100-hour power reserve, a silicon balance spring and measures just 3.25mm thick. It’s decorated to full haute horlogerie spec and features an 18K gold open-worked rotor.

Blancpain

The dial comes in either a champagne opaline or the new sunburst salmon, the latter a first for the line. The hands and applied hour markers are all in 18K gold, with the three opaline-dial versions coming with either white, red or yellow gold dial furniture.

The salmon dial, however, features 18K gold hands and indices that are given a black finish. Blancpain frequently uses blackened gold in its watches, such as on the rotor of many Fifty Fathoms models, and I think it’s such a badass move to use gold and then cover it up so no one can tell it’s gold.

Blancpain

All models feature color-matched 3:00 date windows positioned inside the index, thin strips of Super-LumiNova on the hour and minute hands and polished cases with stepped bevels.

The cases are all in stainless steel, save for the opaline dial with red gold indices, which comes in a matching 18K red gold case. The steel version with yellow gold indices on an olive-green strap is a boutique exclusive.

The straps are also pretty cool, if I say so myself. They’re made of sueded nubuck alligator leather and feature not one but two quick-release systems. One allows you to remove the strap from the watch, and another lets you swap out the deployant clasp. Both can be activated without the use of any tools.

Blancpain

Availability and pricing

With its smaller case size, and especially that sunburst salmon version in steel with blackened gold indices, the Villeret Ultraplate has gotten considerably harder to ignore. Anyone in the market for a thin and classy automatic luxury dress watch from brands like Patek and Vacheron would be a fool not to at least consider this Blancpain.

The three steel versions, which include the salmon dial and the boutique exclusive, are all priced at $12,700. The red gold model is obviously much more expensive at $26,100. All are available now from Blancpain’s boutiques and ADs.

As one of the most enduring and influential footwear silhouettes in history, the Puma Suede has expanded far beyond its track and field and basketball warm-up shoe roots, making an impact in streetwear, sports, skate culture and everyday wear.

Now, the brand’s long-lasting style simultaneously steps into both dress shoe and hiking territory, thanks to its burly Vibram outsole and tonal, textured leather upper.

Puma

Cultured chameleon

The Puma Suede has always been prized for the low-profile good looks of its soft suede upper, which delivers all-day comfort along with style.

Puma

With the new Puma Suede Vibram, that upper is transformed using textured, full-grain cow leather in a rich, chocolatey brown hue.

The tonal, matching laces offer the updated silhouette a sleek appearance that’ll have it fitting in with casual dress shoes, no problem.

Puma

Puma

What separates this Suede from its traditional counterparts and standard dress shoes is the burly, tough Vibram outsole underfoot.

The chunky upgrade offers more sure-footed steps and utility, as well as a heritage aesthetic that calls to mind nostalgic retro hikers.

Puma

Subtle signature branding details, a textile sockliner and Vibram’s well-known yellow logo on the bottom of the outsole complete the package.

Pictures have surfaced of a blacked-out pair to accompany the Chocotart colorway, but that darker version isn’t currently listed on Puma’s website.

Availability and pricing

The Suede Vibram is set to release on July 17 at 9 pm PST. The svelte shoe will retail for $150, though it looks way more expensive than its middle-ground price tag might suggest.

Puma

Puma Suede Vibram

• Learn More

Nike’s recent revival of the LDV is no small matter.

The original 1978 road running shoe played a huge part when the footwear giant was designing its inaugural hikers for what would become the ACG label a decade later. A couple of mountaineers used the LDV as an approach shoe during their K2 expedition, proving the silhouette can work as an outdoor-focused model, if retooled a bit.

Nike

Nike took the climbers’ notes seriously, which stated that a tougher sole and more durable upper would be welcomed, as long as the shoe were to retain its lightweight feel. The feedback was integral when designing early-’80s hiking shoes like the Lava Dome, Magma and Approach — all spiritual predecessors to the ACG brand.

The LDV has now made its triumphant return, but as part of the ACG lineup. However, its latest variant features the most retro-leaning colorway we’ve seen so far.

Nike

Nike

Old-school cool

Previously unveiled in Wolf Grey, blue-and-orange and the hi-vis yellow-and-blue inspired by Rick Ridgeway and John Roskelley’s K2 trek, the LDV now appears in Varsity Red.

Nike

The warmer hue recalls ‘70s- and ‘80s-era track gear or even early Cortez and Waffle Trainer models. The color graces the entirety of the upper, save for the gray Swoosh, ACG logo and heel cap. Up top, you have white laces and a white tongue, while the wedge-shaped midsole is also white.

A meaningful comeback

This isn’t the first time the LDV (Long Distance Vector) has returned, but previous offerings were either less faithful to the original or they were limited releases. Even then, the last time it was available in Nike’s catalog was nearly two decades ago now.

Nike

Nike

For the 2026 reissue, the brand has retained the overall aesthetic of the 1978 model but retooled it as a lightweight trail shoe. The overall geometry has evolved slightly, as has the mesh upper material, which is now reinforced for more durability. 

Most notably, the 2026 version is built on Nike’s very modern ReactX foam midsole for improved energy return. The waffle outsole is also more aggressive to handle different terrain.

Nike

The new LDV fits in perfectly with the ACG relaunch happening this year as it revives one of the most significant Nike sneakers ever, but on its own terms.

Availability and pricing

The ACG LDV is available from Nike’s website now and carries a $130 price tag.

Nike

Nike ACG LDV Varsity Red

• $130 at Nike

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Wireless active speaker systems are some of the most popular components in all of hi-fi today. It’s because they deliver great stereo sound, are super easy to set up, and are incredibly versatile; they can be used as speakers for your TV, turntable or desktop.

Today, most audio manufacturers sell at least one wireless active speaker system. The most established brands in the category are KEF, Klipsch, JBL, Edifier and Audioengine. And these systems can vary greatly in size and price.

The newest entry into the wireless active speaker category is from Tangent, a Danish audio manufacturer known for its passive speakers, hi-fi electronics, and vintage-style radios.

Last year, Tangent overhauled and updated its popular Spectrum range of passive loudspeakers. Each model in the new generation in the Spectrum II range featured a sleeker look and upgraded acoustics.

Now the company has added a wireless active speaker system to this Spectrum II range, too.

Tangent Spectrum II X5 Active BT

Tangent Audio

Tangent’s Spectrum II X5 Active BT is a wireless active speaker system that, as its name suggests, takes the range’s passive bookshelf speakers, the Spectrum II X5, and adds built-in amplification, numerous inputs and Bluetooth streaming capabilities.

Tangent Audio

Like its passive siblings, each speaker features a two-way bass-reflex design that pairs a 5-inch bass/midrange driver with a 1-inch dome tweeter. But each of these new loudspeakers is powered by its own 50-watt Class D amplifier (both housed in the primary speaker).

According to the brand, the system “delivers a full, precise and balanced sound that works equally well for music and movies.”

Tangent Audio

Speakers for turntable, TV or desktop

Like many of today’s wireless active speakers, Tangent integrated the Spectrum II X5 Active BT with all the necessary inputs to make them incredibly versatile.

They feature a built-in phono preamplifier (compatible with MM cartridges), so you can hook up a turntable. And the HDMI ARC input allows them to double as TV speakers. They also have a USB-C audio input, so you can use them as desktop speakers.

Tangent Audio

And if you want to use the speakers as a strictly wireless system, you can do that too. They’re integrated with Bluetooth 5.3 with support for aptX HD to stream music directly to your smartphone.

Note: These speakers do not support Wi-Fi streaming (so no AirPlay 2, Spotify Connect or Google Cast).

Availability and pricing

Tangent’s new active speaker system, the Spectrum II X5 Active BT, is available in two satin finishes: black or white.

It’s available now abroad for €549 (roughly $630). At the time of writing, US availability information has not yet been released.

Though he is best known for perfecting the modern liner lock in his early 30s, Michael Walker has cooked up more than 20 mechanisms over a career spanning more than four decades.

One of the New Mexico-based designer’s less-famous innovations emerged from a strange obsession: replacing the thumb stud on his liner-locked blade with a button lock. 

CRKT

After several attempts, the Blade Magazine HOFer developed the Walker Blade Lock, which became something of a collector’s obsession. 

Now it is their lucky day and ours too, as CRKT drops arguably the best-looking execution of the beguiling little mechanism yet.

Brilliant disguise

What’s most fun about the mechanism here is the fact that at a glance, it looks pretty much like your typical thumb stud-deployed blade.

CRKT

In reality, however, that thumb stud rests on a tensioned tab that holds the blade in either the closed or open position.

To deploy the blade, you must press down to release it and simultaneously push out, as you would with a typical thumb stud; to bring it home, you simply reverse the motion.

CRKT

While you can’t really “flick” it, the system offers very smooth and satisfying one-handed functionality.

While this knife has previously appeared in two other forms, with a satin-finished blade and with a natural G10 handle, the new treatment stands out from the pack.

CRKT

The 2.93-inch sheepsfoot blade is made of one of the better budget knife steels, 14C28N, valued for its impressive edge retention, with a Titanium Nitride finish imbuing a darkly dazzling aesthetic.

The matching black stainless steel handle features brown textured G10 overlays, which give off woodsy heritage vibes while also boosting grip.

CRKT

Rounding out the package is a matching black tip-up clip, adding pocketability to a knife that’s perfectly at home on your desk, living out its days as an heirloom-worthy gentleman’s folder.

Availability and pricing

The CRKT Walker Blade Lock (4200K) is available now for $98.

CRKT

CRKT Walker Blade Lock (4200K)

• $98 at CRKT

Watches are traditionally one of the most popular ways to celebrate an anniversary, and with a really big one coming up for the United States of America, the watch industry is all over it.

As expected, there are plenty of commemorative releases coming from both independent and large American watch brands. But it’s a bit surprising how much the big Swiss players are getting in on the action, including Breitling, the only official luxury watch brand collaborator with America250.

Breitling

According to its website, “America250 is the national nonpartisan organization charged by Congress to engage every American in celebrating and commemorating the 250th anniversary of our country.”

Any business is free to produce products marking America’s semiquincentennial (that’s the actual word), but only Breitling was chosen as the official luxury watch partner of the government organization.

To handle this prestigious honor, Breitling chose a pair of watches from the Avenger collection, known for its tough-as-nails pilot’s watches. There is an Avenger Automatic 42 and an Avenger B01 Chronograph 42.

Breitling

Both watches share the same blue dial, a hue seen throughout the Breitling catalog that closely matches the American flag. They also both come on the same matching blue textile strap with a calfskin lining, red side stitching and a steel folding clasp.

Patriotic pilot

The Avenger Automatic 42 is inspired by the type of military pilot’s watches worn by modern American aviators. It was the logical choice to carry this collaboration because it has the broadest appeal in the American market.

Breitling

Despite being classified as a pilot’s watch, the Avenger Automatic 42 is a perfectly serviceable diver. It has a substantial unidirectional steel bezel with an etched 60-minute track and a lume pearl on the pip.

The dial features applied baton indices, save for a triangle at 12:00, and a framed date window cutting into the 3:00 marker. Its fencepost hour and minute hands are paired with a red-tipped arrow seconds hand.

The hands and hour markers are enhanced with lume and encircled by a white rehaut with a blue 60-second track. A cambered sapphire crystal with AR coating on both sides caps the whole thing.

Breitling

This patriotic pilot’s watch runs on a Breitling Caliber 17 automatic movement, which beats at 4Hz and offers a modest 38-hour power reserve. It is obscured under a stainless steel caseback featuring an engraving of the Liberty Bell.

Back opps

The other half of the collection is an Avenger B01 Chronograph with the Night Mission black ceramic case and unidirectional bezel. Vertical brushing decorates the case, and a lume pearl is set in the bezel pip.

Breitling

The tricompax dial features a 30-minute counter at 3:00, a 12-hour counter with an inset date window at 6:00 and a small seconds display at 9:00. It has stencil-style applied Arabic numerals encircled by a white rehaut with a blue 60-second track accented by red dashes.

The central hands have a black coating to match the case, and the red-tipped chronograph seconds hand coordinates with red hands on both chronograph totalizers.

Breitling

Just like its counterpart, this aeronautical chronograph is very capable in the water, boasting 300m water resistance. It is powered by Breitling’s COSC-certified B01 automatic movement. Featuring a vertical clutch and column wheel, it beats at 4Hz and offers a 70-hour power reserve.

The movement is visible through a sapphire caseback decorated with the America250 logo.

Availability and pricing

I’ve seen quite a few watches commemorating America’s 250th anniversary, with results ranging from cringy to classic. Breitling’s offering ranks near the top of the list for me, right next to Zenith’s red-white-and-blue Chronomaster Revival.

Breitling’s America250 Avenger collection is available now from Breitling. The Avenger Automatic 42 costs $5,100 and is limited to 250 pieces, while the Avenger B01 Chronograph costs $9,700 and is limited to 50 pieces.

Breitling

Breitling America250 Avenger Collection

Specs

Case Size	42mm
Movement	Breitling Caliber B01 and 17 automatic
Water Resistance	300m

• $5,100 at Breitling (Avenger 42)
• $9,700 at Breitling (Avenger B01 Chronograph)

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In a world where techwear brands like Salomon and Asics dominate, Mizuno is still considered heavily underrated.

Focusing more on craftsmanship first and foremost, the Japanese footwear brand seems to be impervious to hype and is more selective with its collaborative drops (although there have been a few notable ones over the years). 

But with its latest release, Mizuno might be getting as viral as its ever been, reviving arguably its most legendary silhouette ever.

Mizuno

Catch a Wave

Long before On’s CloudTec, Mizuno was developing its own holey midsoles for running shoes, except it wasn’t visible from the outside yet. It started with the Wave concept from the ‘90s, where the idea was to create a sort of suspension system under your foot to help rebound impact for stability and controlled compression.

Mizuno

Mizuno

Instead of adding more foam cushioning, Mizuno decided it was more logical to insert a corrugated, wave-shaped plastic plate into the midsole. When you landed, the Wave flattened to absorb and disperse impact.

This Wave concept reached new heights in 2011 when the company dropped the Wave Prophecy 1. It essentially removed everything underfoot that wasn’t structurally necessary. Rather than burying the Wave tech inside a midsole, it made it the midsole. 

Mizuno

Running the full length of the shoe, the midsole sported visible hollow cavities with minimal traditional foam. In turn, the see-through gap became the signature visual language of this new flagship running sneaker.

Mizuno

Please, call it a comeback

The Wave Prophecy is currently in its 15th generation but fans have always loved the original.

Over the years, the performance runner has evolved into a sort of technical fashion crossover. A reissue of the Prophecy 1 either signals Mizuno leaning into this sort of fan service or reminding enthusiasts what made the first iteration so great as a utilitarian sneaker to begin with.

Mizuno

For the 2026 reissue, Mizuno keeps the 2011 engineering intact but with some modern tweaks. The overall fit is now a bit tighter with an improved gusseted construction on the tongue. Marginally less rigid than the original, this version also has a slightly retuned midsole geometry for smoother weight transfer. 

Mizuno

Traction also gets a boost with the partial addition of the brand’s proprietary Wgrip, aiding grip on both wet and dry surfaces. This debuted a few years ago and has only recently been showing up on Wave Prophecy models.

Two completely different colorways have been unveiled so far. For a sportier look, the Yellow x Blue gets paired with a white mesh upper. Meanwhile, the Red x Gold variant is much more subtle with dark gray mesh as the backdrop.

Mizuno

Availability and pricing

Currently popping up on Mizuno’s Japanese site, the Wave Prophecy 1 reissue is priced at ¥35,200 (~$218). It will be up for grabs starting July 3. 

No word yet on availability in the US.

Prime Day is in full swing, and the noise is deafening. Amazon has surfaced tens of thousands of discounts over the last 48 hours and the shopping event still has some time to go before it ends on Friday, June 26th at 2:59 ET.

The reality is that most of them aren’t worth your attention. Our editors have spent years tracking the gear that actually matters — tech, outdoor, fitness, kitchen and more — so we know what these products cost on a normal Tuesday, not just what Amazon wants you to think they cost.

That last part matters more than most shoppers realize. A “50 percent off” badge means nothing if the price was quietly inflated in the weeks leading up to the sale.

To verify every deal on this list, we cross-reference price-tracking tools to confirm that the current sale price represents a genuine historical low or at least a rare discount. If a product has traded at or near the “sale” price for months, it doesn’t make the cut.

What’s left after that filter is a short list of discounts on gear we’d recommend even at higher prices.

Note: We’re updating this page continuously as new deals go live and others sell out, so check back often.

Fitness Deals

Therabody

Therabody JetBoots PRO Plus

The Therabody JetBoots PRO Plus are wireless recovery boots that combine three therapeutic technologies for comprehensive leg recovery. These boots feature pneumatic compression therapy with four overlapping air chambers, vibration therapy to reduce muscle soreness, and infrared LED light therapy to decrease inflammation. The device includes eight preset routines designed by sports scientists, plus customizable settings for personalized recovery. HSA/FSA accepted and TSA approved, the boots come with a built-in LCD screen, integrated pump system, and travel bag for portability. They’re also available in short, regular and long sizes.

• $1,000 at Therabody
  $1,150 (13% off)

Amazon

Hyperice Hypervolt 2 Black Percussion Massage Gun

The Hypervolt 2 is Hyperice’s workhorse recovery tool — lighter and more powerful than its predecessor, with a redesigned ergonomic handle that makes extended use comfortable. Its patented QuietGlide technology keeps noise to a minimum across 3 speeds, while 5 interchangeable head attachments (fork, bullet, flat, cushion and round) let athletes and everyday movers target any muscle group. Bluetooth connectivity pairs with the Hyperice App for guided warm-up and recovery routines. Weighing just 1.8 lbs, it’s TSA-approved for carry-on travel.

• $149 at Amazon

Therabody

Therabody Theragun Pro Plus

With this latest generation of the Theragun Pro, Therabody appears to have made it so one massage gun is all you need to treat your physique with an arsenal’s worth of recovery. The all-new Pro Plus features percussive therapy, near infrared light therapy, vibration therapy, heat therapy and breathwork in one (yes, one) single device.

• $550 at Therabody
  $650 (15% off)
• $550 at Amazon
  $650 (15% off)

Amazon

Garmin Forerunner 970

Garmin’s Forerunner 970 sits at the top of its running lineup, built for dedicated runners and triathletes who want every metric available. Its 1.4-inch AMOLED touchscreen sits behind a sapphire lens and lightweight titanium bezel — durable without adding bulk. Up to 15 days of battery life in smartwatch mode and 26 hours in GPS mode cover even the longest training blocks. Running tolerance helps athletes dial in weekly mileage and avoid overload, while running economy and step speed loss — both requiring the separately sold HRM-600 chest strap — add a deeper read on efficiency and fatigue. The built-in LED flashlight and multi-band GPS with full-color maps round out the package.

• $650 at Amazon
  $750 (13% off)

Amazon

Garmin fēnix 8

The fēnix 8 is Garmin’s flagship multisport watch built for serious athletes and outdoor adventurers. Its 1.4″ AMOLED display — available on the 47mm and 51mm models — delivers vivid maps and workout screens, while up to 29 days of battery life in smartwatch mode on the 51mm keeps it running through extended expeditions. A 40-meter dive rating, leakproof metal buttons, a built-in LED flashlight and a speaker-microphone combo make it the definitive all-in-one wrist tool for endurance athletes.

• $750 at Amazon
  $1000 (25% off)

Amazon

TriggerPoint Grid 1.0 Foam Roller (13″)

The TriggerPoint Grid 1.0 is a 13-inch foam roller built around a patented multi-density EVA surface over a rigid hollow core — firmer and more durable than traditional foam rollers. Its patented GRID pattern replicates a massage therapist’s hands across three distinct zones: flat areas like the palm for large muscles, tubular ridges like the fingers, and dense nodules like fingertips for targeted pressure. At 1.32 lbs and 13 inches, it travels easily. Recommended by sports doctors, chiropractors and physical therapists, it suits everyone from beginners to serious athletes.

• $22 at Amazon
  $40 (45% off)

Amazon

BowFlex Results Series 552 SelectTech Dumbbells (Pair)

The BowFlex Results Series 552 SelectTech Dumbbells condense 15 sets of weights into a single pair — a smart trade for any home gym short on floor space. A quick twist of the dials shifts resistance from 5 to 52.5 lbs, with 2.5 lb increments through the first 25 lbs for precise progression. Premium metal plates and a secure locking mechanism keep the weight in place during lifts, while an ergonomic, non-slip handle delivers a comfortable, controlled grip on every rep. Beginners and seasoned lifters alike will appreciate the versatility.

• $329 at Amazon
  $430 (23% off)

Amazon

WHOOP 5.0/MG SuperKnit Band

The WHOOP 5.0/MG SuperKnit band is WHOOP’s signature knit wrist accessory — and it earns its place on serious athletes’ wrists. Built with an ultra-soft backing and microfilament yarn, it moves with you through every workout and recovery day alike. Fast Link™ technology makes swapping colors effortless, stainless steel hardware keeps it looking sharp, and WHOOP Life members on a WHOOP MG device can use it to take on-demand ECG readings. Not compatible with Gen 4.

• $39 at Amazon
  $49 (20% off)

Camping & Outdoor Deals

Amazon

Dometic CFX5 35 Powered Cooler

Dometic’s flagship CFX5 35 is the brand’s most advanced portable electric cooler — and it earns that title. The VMSO 3.5 variable-speed compressor drives temperatures down to -7°F while drawing less power than a 60W bulb, and Vacuum Insulated Panels keep things cold with less energy and less bulk than foam alone. A weatherproof TFT color display, 18W QC 3.0 USB port, and Bluetooth app control round out a feature set built for overlanders, van-lifers and serious car campers who refuse to mess with ice.

• $850 at Amazon
  $1000 (15% off)

Amazon

Dometic CFX5 45 Liter Portable Refrigerator and Freezer

Dometic’s CFX5 45 is a 45L compressor-driven electric cooler built for overlanders, van-lifers and car campers who refuse to mess with ice. Vacuum Insulated Panels keep the interior at temperatures as low as -7°F while drawing less power than a 60W bulb, and the VMSO 3.5 compressor automatically adjusts speed for optimal performance and efficiency. Run it on 12/24V DC, 110 – 240V AC or solar, monitor it via Bluetooth app and crack a cold one with the built-in bottle opener.

• $892 at Amazon
  $1050 (15% off)

Amazon

Dometic CFX5-55L Portable Refrigerator and Freezer with ICE Maker

The Dometic CFX5 55IM brings a rare combination to the overlanding crowd: a 55L compressor fridge that ditches ice entirely — then makes its own. Vacuum Insulated Panels and the VMSO 3.5 compressor hold temps between -7°F and 68°F while drawing less power than a 60W bulb. It runs on 12/24V DC, 100 – 240V AC or solar, and pairs with the Dometic Mobile Cooling app for real-time temperature monitoring and lid-open alerts. Built for RV rigs, overland trucks and extended van life.

• $1075 at Amazon

Amazon

Dometic CFX5 75DZ Dual-Zone Portable Refrigerator and Freezer

Dometic’s CFX5 75DZ is a flagship 75-liter dual-zone electric cooler built for overlanders, van lifers and serious campers. Two independently controlled compartments — a 45L fridge side and a 30L freezer side — hold up to 113 cans and reach as low as -7°F, powered by AC, DC or solar. Vacuum Insulated Panels and a VMSO 3.5 variable-speed compressor keep temps stable while drawing less power than a 60-watt bulb. Bluetooth app control, a weatherproof TFT display and a 3-stage battery protection system round out the package.

• $1080 at Amazon
  $1350 (20% off)

Amazon

Kelty Low Loveseat Camping Chair

Two people, one chair — Kelty’s Low Loveseat earns its place at any campsite, festival or tailgate with a steel frame, claw-proof 600D polyester fabric and a 500-lb weight capacity. Its 13-inch seat height keeps you campfire-close without blocking the view behind you, while fully adjustable armrests each house an insulated beverage holder. The carry wrap doubles as a dog mat, and collapsing the whole 15-lb setup takes a single lift. Built for couples, dog owners and anyone who refuses to rough it.

• $127 at Amazon
  $150 (15% off)

REI

Kelty Low Loveseat Nest

The Kelty Low Loveseat Nest builds on the standard Low Loveseat with the addition of two removable, machine-washable blankets made from insulated soft-touch fabric — a practical upgrade for cooler evenings at the campsite or backyard. The rest of the chair carries over what works: a powder-coated steel frame, 600-denier polyester seat, adjustable armrests, two insulated cup holders and a low-profile reclined design that keeps you comfortable without blocking anyone’s view. The carry wrap doubles as a padded dog mat, and the whole setup folds down compactly for easy transport.

• $136 at Amazon
  $170 (20% off)

Amazon

Arc’teryx Beta Gore-Tex ePE Jacket (Blaze Orange)

Arc’teryx’s most versatile Gore-Tex shell, the Beta Jacket earns its place as a go-to hardshell for hikers, backpackers and mountain commuters alike. Its 80D 3-layer construction pairs a PFC-free Gore-Tex ePE membrane with a durable face fabric to deliver lasting waterproof, windproof and breathable protection. A C-Knit backer adds comfort against layers, a low-profile StormHood adjusts with a quick pull for coverage and clear sightlines, and articulated patterning removes restriction. An embedded RECCO reflector rounds out the package with added search-and-rescue capability in the backcountry.

• $280 at Amazon
  $400 (30% off)

Amazon

Yeti Hopper M30 Tote Soft Cooler (Navy)

The Hopper M30 turns a soft cooler into a capable pack for anyone who refuses to leave cold provisions behind. Its MagShield Access closure — a strip of ultra-strong magnets encased in a TPU strip — snaps shut with a gentle push and stays open when you need it for easy loading. ColdCell closed-cell foam insulation delivers impressive cold-holding performance, while the high-density DryHide Shell resists punctures, UV rays and mildew without complaint on the trail. The HitchPoint Grid lets you clip on YETI accessories, and padded, adjustable shoulder straps keep up to 36 cans of cargo (no ice).

• $227 at Amazon
  $350 (35% off)

Amazon

Coleman Snap ‘N Go 35-Quart Collapsible Hard-Sided Waterproof Cooler

Coleman bills the Snap ‘N Go as the world’s first collapsible hard cooler — and the concept delivers. The 35qt body snaps open in under 10 seconds and collapses to less than half its size for trunk, closet or under-bed storage. A removable waterproof liner keeps the interior watertight and simplifies cleanup, while fully insulated walls and lid hold ice for up to 42 hours. It fits up to 64 cans and supports 200 lbs when set up — built for tailgaters, beach-goers and weekend campers short on storage space.

• $140 at Amazon
  $200 (30% off)

REI

LifeStraw Peak Water Filter Straw

This little, yet powerful, water filter is less than three ounces, but it has an unlimited shelf life — keep it in your bag for as long as you want, until you really need it.

Read more about the Peak Series Water Filter Straw.

• $25 at REI
• $18 at Amazon
  $25 (28% off)

Amazon

Helinox Chair One

Helinox’s Chair One strikes the nexus of comfort and packability so well that it redefined the camping chair category and inspired several copycat designs. Despite a somewhat high price tag, we still like Helinox’s best because, thanks to premium components and a 5-year warranty, it’s proven durable over years of use.

• $77 at Amazon
  $110 (30% off)

Amazon

LuminAID 2-in-1 Solar Camping Lantern and Phone Charger

This smart inflatable lantern is an excellent lighting option for camping and emergencies. It’s got enough juice to generate 100 hours of light on low mode or recharge most phones 2 to 3 times. It can also fully recharge with 16-20 hours of direct outdoor sunlight (approximately 2-3 days depending on location and time of year) or in 4 hours by USB (cord included).

• $51 at Amazon
  $75 (32% off)

Amazon

First Aid Only 299 Piece All-Purpose Emergency First Aid Kit (FAO-442)

First Aid Only packs 299 physician-recommended supplies into a soft-sided, 9.25 x 2.875 x 7-inch zippered pouch that slides into a glove box, desk drawer or backpack without issue. The kit covers the essentials — adhesive bandages in multiple sizes, antibiotic ointments, antiseptic towelettes, burn cream and gauze pads — spread across two layers of clear-pocket compartments for fast access under pressure. It’s FSA and HSA eligible, making it a practical grab for anyone building out a home, car or travel safety setup.

• $16 at Amazon
  $20 (20% off)

Amazon

Matches All-Time Low Price

RTIC Ultra-Light 52 Quart Hard Cooler (Navy & Denim)

RTIC’s Ultra-Light 52 cuts the bulk that makes rotomolded coolers such a chore — its injection-molded construction comes in more than 30 percent lighter than comparable rotomolded rivals at just 21 lbs. Up to 3 inches of closed-cell foam insulation keeps ice cold for up to 7 days, while a freezer-style gasket seals in the cold. It holds 76 cans or 51 lbs of ice, doubles as a step stool or bench, and features molded tie-down slots and integrated lock holes sized for boat or truck-bed duty — though the tie-down kit itself is sold separately.

• $183 at Amazon
  $229 (20% off)

Amazon

Kryptonite Evolution Mini-7 Bike U-Lock

The Evolution Mini-7 is Kryptonite’s sweet spot for urban commuters who want serious protection without hauling a chain. A 13mm hardened steel shackle with a double-deadbolt design locks both shackle ends for maximum holding power, while a pass-thru crossbar adds anti-rotation protection against twist and leverage attacks — and a pick-and-drill-resistant disc-style cylinder adds another layer. The compact 3.25″ x 7″ body fits tight around most racks, and the included 4 ft double-loop cable covers a front wheel or helmet. A FlexFrame-U Bracket and three ergonomic stainless steel keys round out a well-thought-out package.

• $67 at Amazon
  $107 (37% off)

Other Deals

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Since KTM launched the 790 Duke back in 2017, the naked middleweight has commanded a devoted following because of its versatility. 

Comfortable enough for commuting yet serious enough to be pushed for spirited riding, it’s a true goldilocks bike capable of delivering big on smiles per mile.

For 2027, KTM is leaning into those qualities even more with a series of changes aimed at giving ‘the Scalpel’ still a sharper edge.

KTM

Overhauling the hardware

Just look at the bike. In keeping with its larger KTM 990 and KTM 1390 siblings, the 2027 790 Duke dons some much more aggressive styling. As such, along with an alienesque headlight, it brings further streamlined bodywork and a larger front fairing.

KTM

Now, the differences cut deeper than looks alone. Though the new 790 retains the same 105-horsepower LC8c parallel-twin of its predecessor, you’ll find some key tweaks to the other hardware.

Beyond giving the bike a more refined exhaust and muffler design, this means that KTM has overhauled the brakes and suspension. 

Accordingly, the standard WP steering damper is now complemented by an all-new WP radial setup for stopping power. Moreover, KTM says that the 790 Duke’s Apex forks and rear shock benefit from increases in both travel and adjustability. 

KTM

Together with a set of new shoes in the now-standard Pirelli Diablo Rosso IV tires, they’re all refinements that should yield even more response from an already corner-killing ride. 

Revisiting the rider triangle

And we haven’t even addressed the various ergonomic adjustments. According to KTM’s announcement, the 790 Duke’s biggest improvements for next year focus on a completely redesigned rider triangle.

On the road, the changes are sure to be felt, even if they haven’t made the bike as approachable a steed as the Duke 250. In addition to a new handlebar shape with a wider angle, KTM says that the 2027 model brings repositioned rider and passenger footpegs.

KTM

Alongside a new subframe and a reshaped fuel tank, it promises a flatter seating position with more potential for knee grip. The contact gains alone should improve the sense of rider input.

Towards that end, the 790 Duke still comes with a suite of advanced electronic aids like lean-sensitive ABS, lean-sensitive traction control and selectable modes to help keep things rubber-side down.

However, those who want some of the more advanced features (like Track mode, a quickshifter, Motor Slip Regulation and cruise control) will have to spend up for those separately. KTM is doing away with the Demo mode altogether.

KTM

Availability and pricing

KTM’s 2027 790 Duke will be available at dealers from the end of July. Pricing starts from $9,799, and available colorways include black and orange.

KTM

2027 KTM 790 Duke

• Starts at $9,800

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Since its introduction near the end of 2022, the C1 Bel Canto has ranked as Christopher Ward‘s flagship watch, redefining not only what the brand is capable of but also changing the idea of what an affordable grail watch looks like.

In November of last year, CW launched what is arguably the ultimate version of the Bel Canto with the Lumière. While the original Bel Canto was all about sound with its sonnerie au passage complication that chimes at the top of every hour, the Lumière amped up the visual interest with a fully lumed display.

With its bright green dial, the Lumière is a lot visually, and not everyone is a fan of its over-the-top look. But now CW has returned to the Bel Canto Lumière well with a new version called the Nova that offers the same insane luminosity in a more understated package.

Christopher Ward

Super Nova

The Nova is the same watch as the original Bel Canto Lumière, which has now been given the additional moniker “Neon,” just with a different color scheme.

While the original featured lines of green lume emanating from the watch face at 12:00 and stretching across the entire dial, the Nova features white rays of Super-LumiNova instead. This creates a much cleaner look that allows the rest of the watch’s dial to shine. There is now less to distract from viewing the chiming complication and its signature “songbird” striking mechanism, which had become visually lost on the original Lumière.

But that’s only true during the daytime. In the dark, the dial has the exact same lume signature as the previous Lumière, with the luminous dial glowing green under the watch face and blue on the rest of the dial.

Christopher Ward

Speaking of the watch face, it remains a smoked sapphire disc encircled by a turquoise Globolight solid ceramic lume ring with skeletonized hands tipped with matching Globolight inserts.

The case and movement remain the same, too. The former measures 41mm across in Grade 5 titanium with a solid, screwed-in caseback and is topped with a tall box sapphire crystal that stretches the overall thickness to 13.65mm. A 2:00 crown winds and sets the watch, while a 4:00 pusher toggles the automatic chiming mechanism on and off.

Christopher Ward

The movement, of course, is the Christopher Ward Calibre FS01, which is a Sellita SW200-1 topped with the brand’s in-house chiming module, a modification of its earlier in-house jump-hour module. The power reserve is 41 hours with a beat rate of 4Hz.

Lastly, we have the textured rubber strap, which is the inverse of the “Neon” version. It’s turquoise with a white lining rather than the other way around. This was a smart choice, in my opinion, as it increases the contrast of the watch’s overall aesthetic.

Christopher Ward

Availability and pricing

I think the Nova is a smart move by CW. While I thought the original Lumière was incredibly cool, I was unsure about whether or not I could pull it off, given its visual overload of green lume. The dial of this new version looks far less busy thanks to its use of white lume, making it easier to wear for most people, yet it still glows just as brightly in the dark. That’s a “win-win” in my book.

The C1 Bel Canto Lumière Nova is available for preorder now from Christopher Ward for the same price as the Neon version at $4,995. Deliveries will commence at the end of September.

Christopher Ward

Christopher Ward C1 Bel Canto Lumière Nova

Specs

Case Size	41mm
Movement	Christopher Ward Cal. FS01 manual-wind sonnerie au passage
Water Resistance	30m

• $4,995 at Christopher Ward

One of my favorite classic Onion stories, “F*ck Everything, We’re Doing Five Blades,” has a fictional Gillette CEO hyping a major jump up from the Mach3, which, some 20 years ago, seemed comically insane.

But not unlike Mike Judge’s criminally underrated 2006 flick Idiocracy, the piece turned out to be prophetic, as five-bladed razors are now basically de rigueur.

Vosteed

Along similar lines, I imagine a pocket knife deploying not one, not two, not three, not four but five different ways also felt pretty far-fetched around that time.

Lo and behold, here in 2026 that has also now come to pass, thanks to the new Vosteed Zander, which just so happens to look and function great as well.

Fab five

“For me, a knife has to be ergonomic and fully usable first. The harmony and aesthetics come after that.”

So says the knife’s designer, a Hungarian fellow whose name only sounds like a fun Soundgarden tribute band, Kornel Kiss.

Vosteed

I dare say Kiss has hit the mark with the Zander, which just so happens to deploy five ways, without being overly fussy about it.

Because I’m sure you are wondering, those methods are: front flipper, back flipper, thumb stud, thumb hole and button-assisted flick.

Vosteed

While there’s not necessarily a huge functional benefit to such a smorgasbord, the fidget-friendly prospects are enticing.

It certainly helps that the silhouette and materials are pretty compelling in their own right, of course.

Named for a common Eurasian game fish, the Zander is similarly streamlined. 

Vosteed

The business end is a full-bellied 3.4-inch drop-point blade made of S35VN, which is prized for its balance of hardness, toughness, edge retention and corrosion resistance.

Aiding deployment and control during detailed cuts is grip-boosting jimping on the front flipper, back flipper and blade choil.

The handle scales are made of textured and ergonomically shaped aluminum, complete with a lanyard slot and a stainless steel tip-up pocket clip.

Vosteed

At the heart of the action is the Vanchor Lock, Vosteed’s own take on a button lock, which pairs with a caged ceramic ball bearing to ensure easy one-handed retraction of the blade. 

The lock also lets you deploy the blade with a click and a flick, but if that’s not your jam, relax; you’ve got four other options, after all. 

Availability and pricing

The Vosteed Zander is available now in a variety of treatments starting at $169.

Vosteed

Vosteed Zander

• Starts at $169

Volkswagen of America appears to be getting back into the camper van space that it once championed. Sort of.

The ID. Buzz is set to gain a unique camper van-like trim here in America, making it the first of its kind since VW even offered any sort of vehicle like it on our shores. It’s called the Tourer.

The German automaker very subtly announced it last month with rather minimal details. But we now have more clarity regarding how it stacks up within the ID. Buzz’s lineup.

VW’s first US-bound camper van package in decades

Volkswagen

Believe it or not, VW of America actually put the ID. Buzz on hiatus for the whole 2026 model year after it got off to a very slow start. However, it’s officially back for 2027 with some revisions and new variants to hopefully attract more buyers.

The one that caught our attention the most is the new Tourer. That’s because it comes with a whole bunch of upgrades to make it the closest thing to a Transporter camper van that we’ve had in years.

Volkswagen

It’s based on the European-spec ID. Buzz and its recent “Good Night Package.” As you can guess from the name, this means the Tourer brings some new interior features to transform it into the camper van it was always meant to be.

Sadly, it does without the Transporter California’s expensive, yet awesomely iconic powered pop-up roof tent. But owners can now convert the van’s rear passenger area into overnight accommodations.

2027 Volkswagen ID. Buzz Tourer Details

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With the ID. Buzz Tourer, it comes complete with its own folding and stowable mattress. Owners can flatten both rear bench seats and set up a nearly full-size bedframe, which supports said portable mattress.

The Tourer trim also includes opaque privacy window shades, two vent grilles for the front windows for fresh air while keeping unwanted insects out, and an outdoor dinette set, complete with a two chairs and a table.

Volkswagen

The Tourer also features the Euro-spec Good Night Package’s “Overnight” mode. That enables ID. Buzz’s onboard HVAC system, allowing occupants to fully control the climate, complete with air conditioning and heat, inside the van while parked for up to 48 hours.

What the Tourer supposedly omits for now, however, is the Good Night Package’s vehicle-to-load capabilities. These allow users to plug electronics into the ID. Buzz for power, up to 2,000 watts’ worth.

Not quite the VW camper van America’s been clamoring for, but close enough

Volkswagen

The last time Volkswagen even offered any type of camper van was the fourth-generation T4 Transporter. The German automaker colloquially marketed it as the “EuroVan” for North America.

Although VW is known for its Transporter California variant, which includes the van’s iconic pop-up roof tent, the automaker actually outsourced conversions to Westfalia.

Volkswagen

But after the T4’s departure from the States in 2004, VW of America remained absent from the space. With the huge influx and continuously popular #vanlife trend, VW hopes to recapture some of its former glory.

Availability and pricing

When the 2027 Volkswagen ID. Buzz hits dealers later this August, the Tourer trim will reportedly add around an estimated $3,000 to the ID. Buzz’s starting price. In Europe, the Good Night Package, which is the equivalent to the Tourer, starts at €2,600.

Volkswagen

2027 Volkswagen ID. Buzz

• Learn More

One of the most recognizable sunglass silhouettes to come out of the ’90s, Oakley’s Straight Jacket continues to resonate three decades later, thanks to its distinctive visual attitude.

Now, the pioneering wraparound is cooler than ever, courtesy of a performance-driven update that pays homage to the rebellious spirit of the design.

Satisfy

Cooler than ever

The Straight Jacket has been re-released multiple times over the years, but the latest iteration features a distinctly modern spin, cooked up by the creative minds at Satisfy.

Satisfy

The most notable (and cool) update? Ventilated, Satisfy-exclusive Prizm Black Lenses that sharpen contrast, clarify detail and allow for heat release and fog resistance as intensity builds.

Satisfy

Satisfy

Dressed in Matte Black, the revitalized Straight Jacket also features Satisfy branding on the nose bridge of the lightweight O-Matter frame, which is built with a patented nylon composite that works hard and stays inconspicuous on long runs.

Oakley’s proprietary Unobtainium Earsocks increase grip alongside effort, ensuring the sunglasses stay in place.

Satisfy

The refreshed Straight Jacket 99 is high on style … and price.

Although this new edition tops $300, considering the hype around both brands and the legacy model, it is sure to sell out quickly.

Availability and pricing

The Satisfy x Oakley Straight Jacket 99 will be available later today on both brand’s websites, retailing for $335.

Satisfy

Satisfy Oakley Straight Jacket 99

• Learn More

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This January, Sony introduced its first new turntables in nearly seven years. There were two models, the PS-LX3BT and the PS-LX5BT, both positioned as successors to the popular PS-LX310BT, which had been around since 2019 (and has now been discontinued).

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

Both of these new turntables are nearly identical, in both their minimalist design and their playback capabilities. At the time of their release, Sony claimed that these units were designed to “suit both first-time vinyl listeners and audiophiles.”

Sony

Of the two, the PS-LX3BT is probably the most appealing to those who are vinyl curious and buying their first turntable. It looks and functions similarly, and is a $100 more affordable.

Since January, Sony has been selling the PS-LX3BT for $400. However, as part of the current Prime Day promises, Sony is discounting it by $150. It’s the best Prime Day deal on an entry-level turntable we’ve seen so far.

Sony

Sony’s most affordable turntable

The Sony PS-LX3BT is a fully automatic, belt-drive turntable. This makes it great for first-time turntable owners, as it makes it super easy to use.

Once you place the record, you simply hit the play button, and the turntable does the rest: The tonearm automatically lifts and places the stylus on the record. Then at the end of the record, the tonearm automatically returns to its resting position.

Sony

Sony has made the PS-LX3BT pretty user-friendly in other ways, too. It has its own built-in phono preamplifier (compatible with MM cartridges), so you can connect it directly to a powered speaker system.

It also has useful modern features. Most notably, it’s a Bluetooth turntable, so it can stream vinyl records to the wireless headphones or Bluetooth speakers you already own. (It supports Bluetooth aptX and aptX Adaptive.)

Sony

It’s $150 off

It also has a USB output, allowing you to connect it to your laptop or desktop and digitize your records. This way, you can listen to your vinyl records even when you’re away from your turntable.

The turntable also has electronic speed controls and can play 33⅓- and 45-RPM records.

(For those wondering what the difference is between the PS-LX3BT and its higher-end sibling, the $500 PS-LX5BT, it comes down to a few more premium components. Sony claims the latter has a higher-end cartridge and a gold-plated audio jack.)

Sony

As previously mentioned, Sony is greatly discounting its most entry-level turntable for Prime Day. Normally $400, the Sony PS-LX3BT is currently selling for $250. It’s the most affordable it’s ever been.

The higher-end model, the PS-LX5BT, is also being discounted. Normally $500, it’s on sale for $400.

Sony

Sony PS-LX3BT

• $250 at Sony
  $400 (38% off)
• $250 at Amazon
  $400 (38% off)

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It’s not uncommon to see a pair of Converse’s Jack Purcell sneakers for around $60. That is, when you can actually find one on the shelf.

Despite being one of the brand’s most iconic and important silhouettes ever, the Jack Purcell has had spotty availability in recent years. But seeing as 2025 was the shoe’s 90th anniversary, Converse managed to bring it back in the way of the revived classic Jack Purcell CL. 

If that wasn’t enough, we also saw a heritage-inspired premium option, the Jack Purcell 1935, which upgraded the materials and construction, and came with a price tag of over $100. Nevertheless, there was still room for improvement.

Converse

Now, closing out the parade of releases, Converse has added the Jack Purcell to its luxury-tier First String franchise, showing us what this classic sneaker is actually capable of.

A bit of history

Believe it or not, the Jack Purcell was not originally a Converse model. 

Debuting in 1935 by B.F. Goodrich, the sneaker was a collaborative effort with Canadian badminton world champion Jack Purcell and is recognized as one of the first-ever athlete signature shoes. Converse then acquired the rights in 1972 when it merged with B.F. Goodrich’s footwear business. 

Converse

Converse

Since it lacks the typical Converse design language, the Jack Purcell has a unique aesthetic among the rest of the brand’s catalog. Its low profile looks less athletic than its counterparts, while the lack of branding gives it a minimal look. 

There’s a reason the shoe has become a fashion icon, associated with the likes of Steve McQueen, James Dean and even Kurt Cobain. Its legacy almost beckons a more luxurious variant.

Converse

Top of the line

Converse launched its First String series last year as a way to reimagine classic silhouettes under an ultra-premium lens.

Converse

For the latest edition of the Jack Purcell, the shoe was built from the ground up for both feel and fit. The last has been revised to increase forefoot width for improved comfort. Meanwhile, the upper uses a premium leather — available in White and Mountain Green colorways — for a visual texture never before seen on these sneakers before. It’s paired with a thicker-than-normal midsole tape for durability.

Converse

Converse

Informed by archival heritage, this version features the rectangular license plate badge on the heel with the Jack Purcell script and wedge logo lifted from ‘70s-era models. Other retro details include a shorter toe cap shape, sunken vent eyelets and bigger arches on the upper stitching. 

Fans will also notice a higher collar than modern-day variants, also nodding to retro ‘70s and ‘80s editions. Vintage-style laces have been equipped with metal aglets and a lace keeper on the tongue as well.

Underfoot, you get a molded sock liner with Converse’s lightweight CX foam cushioning system. Nike’s Air tech is also employed in the midsole (Converse is owned by Nike). Lastly, a Vibram outsole replaces the standard rubber to increase traction and durability.

Availability and pricing

The First String Jack Purcell is set to drop September 8. Converse promises more styles to come in the near future. 

There is no pricing as of yet, but other leather-based First String releases have been well into the $200 to $300 range, with secondary market prices going up from there.

Converse

Converse First String Jack Purcell

• Learn More

In October 2024, Vidalia Mills closed up shop, crushed under a mountain of debt its 80-year-old Draper X3 shuttle looms could never dig it out of. Those looms were purchased from Cone White Oak, the most storied and productive denim mill in American history, when it folded in 2017.

Fortunately, Gustin is in possession of some Vidalia denim woven on the same looms that turned out miles of fabric for Levi’s, Wrangler and countless other American brands before production went abroad. Better still, Gustin’s are among the best American-made jeans and are sold well below market value.

Gustin

Thanks to the California brand’s progressive business model, which offers a discounted price to essentially crowd-fund production, the Gustin x Vidalia Superlight Selvedge Denim Jeans cost only $149.

That may still sound expensive compared to the Levi’s sold on Amazon, but that’s comparing apples to wagyu beef. Gustin is offering top-shelf American-made jeans, milled in America on American-produced looms, from cotton grown in Louisiana.

I own a pair of Gustin’s #75 Okayama Standard jeans, and the craftsmanship is on par with Japanese brands in the $300 – $400 range. The Vidalia Superlight Selvedge Denim Jeans are produced with the same techniques and comparable hardware.

Gustin

Along with the inherent scarcity, Vidalia’s Superlight Selvedge Denim is special for its weight. At 10oz, it is far more breathable than the heavyweight denim (typically around 15 – 18oz) that dominates the market.

That weight means you get the 100% cotton, shuttle-loomed selvedge denim experience with an easier break-in and more comfort in warm weather. Of course, the tradeoff is long-term durability.

It’s the little things that count

I love my Gustin jeans because the brand demonstrates extreme attention to detail. Every pair is cut and sewn in California with zero corners cut.

Gustin

Chain stitching is used throughout, with double-needle applied at key stress points. All metal rivets are custom-made, and a bar tack is placed in the seat where the four main panels meet.

Because the Vidalia Superlight Selvedge Jeans are still in the funding stage, you can pick from four different fits and 11 different sizes. However, the brand uses universal inseams, so if you’re under 6’4″, you will need to have your jeans hemmed.

Gustin

American denim enthusiasts can rejoice that Cone White Oak’s old Draper X3 shuttle looks have found a new home in Georgia, where it will continue to turn out American denim, hopefully for another 80 years. Jeremy Freed did an excellent job documenting the entire journey for GQ.

For those looking to dip their toes into the complex and storied world of American denim, I can’t think of a better or more affordable place to start than the Gustin x Vidalia Superlight Selvedge Denim Jeans.

Availability and pricing

The Gustin x Vidalia Superlight Selvedge Denim Jeans are still available for the preorder price of $149 from Gustin, with funding currently at 98 percent. Orders will begin shipping out in September.

It is important to note that Gustin uses “true sizing,” meaning the waist size is the actual circumference of your waist. You will almost certainly need to order a larger size than you’re used to. I typically wear a 34 and had to order a 36. Consult the brand’s size guide for more details.

Vans continues to churn out chart-topping styles that sell out within days, and its latest elevated release continues the brand’s hot streak.

A mix of Japanese design influence, premium materials and classic Off the Wall styling transform the iconic Sk8-Hi into a high-end sneaker while maintaining its recognizable look and accessible price point.

Vans

Undercover stunner

The new OTW by Vans X Undercover Sk8-Hi is the latest in a string of collaborations between the Southern California footwear and apparel giant and Jun Takahashi’s Undercover, an influential Japanese high-fashion and streetwear brand.

Vans

The new OTW collab version of the iconic Sk8-Hi model comes in two gridded colorways, Black and Egret White.

Both feature design work by Jun Takahashi, with either a white or black upper plus a contrasting minimalist grid pattern.

Vans

Vans

Alongside the elevated, monochromatic look, each take on the high-top sneaker is built with durable 8-ounce canvas quarters, which is paired with premium suede overlays that showcase a decorative perforation pattern on the toe-box.

Vans

Continuing the premium theme of the shoe, the collar includes extra padding and a leather liner.

Vans

Both versions also display Undercover branding across the midsole on the foxing tape and the standard Vans badging across the shoe.

The Undercover Sk8-Hi trends high for Vans pricing, but considering its mix of prestige materials, the just-over $100 price tag is still well within the reasonable range in the broader footwear landscape.

Availability and pricing

The OTW by Vans x Undercover Sk8-Hi is available now on Vans’ website, retailing for $110 … but sizes are selling through quickly, so act fast if you’d like a pair.

Vans

OTW by Vans X UNDERCOVER Sk8-Hi

• $110 at Vans

Most hiking packs announce themselves with loud colorblocking and logos that read from across a trailhead. Thrudark’s new Pinnacle Hiking Backpack line does the opposite, while still offering the kind of feature density that invites direct comparison to field-tested packs from legacy outdoor titans like Patagonia, Arc’teryx, Osprey, The North Face and others.

For hikers and campers who’ve never warmed to the outdoor industry’s louder aesthetics, that alone is worth paying attention to. Whether the brand behind it has earned that comparison is a more complicated question.

A niche technical outfitter with British military roots

Thrudark

Thrudark was founded by British Special Forces veterans, and its origin story and marketing materials lean hard into that credibility — touting gear designed under operational pressure, built for people who don’t get second chances on kit.

That lineage and angle put it in recognizable company for American consumers with an interest in military-grade performance and aesthetics. GoRuck followed a similar trajectory, parlaying its military-rooted credibility into a bag-and-performance brand that helped transform rucking into a full-on fitness movement. Ditto Ten Thousand in the gym and activewear space.

Thrudark

But unlike either of those stateside comparisons, Thrudark’s bona fides in the hardcore mountaineering realm of performance gear are far clearer.

One of its founders, Anthony ‘Starz’ Starzicker, has summited Everest himself as part of a charity-focused mission that involved him and a small team traveling from London to the top of Everest and back in just seven days, thanks to a combination of hypoxic chamber training and specialized summit suits made by Thrudark.

But despite roots in technical mountaineering apparel and an established line of travel and adventure packs, Thrudark’s new Pinnacle pack, as well as a climbing-focused Oribital Daypack, represent a clear push into highly technical bags built specifically for outdoor pursuits that trackers of the industry and adventure seekers alike should pay close attention to.

Challenging the big boys

Thrudark

On paper, the Pinnacle lineup holds up. The 42L version features all of the details you’d expect from an elite hiking pack, including a water reservoir pocket, integrated rain cover, trekking pole lash points, an adjustable padded back system, and a hip belt, more. A smaller 28L version rounds out the lineup for shorter objectives.

Both are available in olive green and obsidian black — threading a needle between trail-ready and understated tactical in a way that legacy brands rarely manage.

Thrudark

But the Pinnacle’s unique combination of features and looks comes with one obvious trade-off relative to competitors: sizing.

The Pinnacle is available in two volumes, but the gap between 42L and 28L is notable, given that most competitors’ hiking packs have a volume sweet spot in the middle.

Patagonia’s largest Terravia Roll-Top Pack is 36L, while the Arc’teryx Aerios is 35. The North Face Trail Liteline comes in 36L and an expedition-sized 50L option.

Thrudark

Thrudark

These aren’t obscure alternatives — they’re field-proven packs from brands with decades of refinement and established customer support infrastructure.

And all of those packs offer at least one short/medium and tall option to suit different body types, vs the Pinnacle line’s one-size-fits-all approach. That said, Thrudark does state that the bag’s adjustable back panel offers 75mm (~2.95 inches) of length adjustment.

Thrudark

The quality and dependability of the Pinnacle line also remain to be seen. Community feedback on Reddit about other Thrudark goods is clearly biased based on a small sample size, but shares a consistent theme.

Quality is generally praised, while prices draw scrutiny. It’s a tension familiar to any brand stretching from tactical roots into lifestyle territory, and it’s one Thrudark hasn’t fully resolved.

Pricing and avalability

Thrudark

The 42L costs $275, while the 28L costs $235. Both are available online directly through Thrudark’s website.

Since the Pinnacle line’s sizes don’t directly match competitors’, it’s hard to make a direct apples-to-apples assessment of their value, but both price points are at least in line with premium offerings on the market.

Thrudark

Arc’teryx’s Aerios 35 costs $250, while Osprey’s premium Manta 34 retails for $240. Patagonia’s Terravia 36L is slightly less expensive at $229, while The North Face Trail Lite 36 is significantly cheaper at $170.

Thrudark

Taken together, these packs should rightfully represent a genuinely compelling new option for buyers in search of a serious hiking bag with a more muted, modern, or tactical aesthetic.

But for those optimizing purely for trail performance per dollar, or the peace of mind of defaulting to a better-known brand, the legacy names will still likely hold an edge.

Thrudark

Thrudark Pinnacle 42L Hiking Backpack

• $275 at Thrudark

Thrudark

Thrudark Pinnacle 28L Hiking Backpack

• $235 at Thrudark

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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.

Harley-Davidson

2026 Harley-Davidson Street Bob “Pink Savage”

This eye-popping ride stands out in Harley’s recently launched Creators Custom Clash, which sees influencers across Europe bring wild new treatments to stock bikes. Envisioned by Arjan van den Boom, the man behind Amsterdam’s Ironwood Custom Motorcycles, the “Pink Savage” scrambler-ifies the Street Bob with a raised suspension set-up, chain conversion, Pirelli MT60 RS tires and Rough Craft tail forming a coiled spring of a stance. Meanwhile, the custom Screamin’ Eagle Vortex Extreme intake and Vance & Hines Upsweep exhaust amp up the raw rumble of the Milwaukee-Eight engine, and the Ruby Stone Red paint scheme guarantees a double take. 

• Learn More

G-Shock

G-Shock x Pokemon GA-110PKM-7AJR

To celebrate its 30th anniversary, Pokemon taps none other than G-Shock for a new watch. While the two Japanese icons have teamed up before on Baby-G models, the latest GA-110PKM-7AJR is the first full-sized G-Shock collaboration. Under the translucent bezel, you see the colors used for the pushers (red, green and blue), nodding to the original three games from 1996. The motif is even more overt on the dial, especially the 9 o’clock speedometer shaped like a Pokeball with none other than Pikachu used as the hand. Completing the celebration is a clear resin strap, featuring 30 different Pokemon species subtly outlined in white. Of course, the timepiece comes inside packaging made to look like a Pokeball as well.

• $270 at G-Shock

Leica

Leica SL3-P

The Leica SL3-P is the most advanced full-frame camera in the company’s SL-System. It combines a new 44-megapixel full-frame sensor with Leica’s latest hybrid autofocus system. This gives it the ability to capture up to 176-megapixel images, as well as shoot at up to 40 frames per second with full autofocus support. The camera can also shoot 8K video and 4K slow-motion video (up to 120 fps). Additionally, Leica is launching the SL3-P alongside two advanced lenses: Summilux-SL 50 f/1.4 ASPH. and APO-Macro-Elmarit-SL 100 f/2.8. According to the brand, the SL3-P “meets the highest photographic and cinematic standards, while also offering non-professional users easy access to high-quality image and video production.”

• $6,690 at Leica (Body Only)

Blue Owl

Unmarked x Blue Owl Huarache Balam Slip-On

Located in Leon, Mexico, the leather production and manufacturing capital of the Americas, Unmarked is a small workshop specializing in traditional Mexican footwear craftsmanship. The Huarache Balam is a signature design, combining a hand-woven leather upper with a European-style leather midsole with a stacked heel. It is made entirely of vegetable-tanned leather and features a full Vibram rubber outsole.

• $450 at Blue Owl (Brown)
• $450 at Blue Owl (Black)

Porsche

Porsche 911 GT4 R

Porsche’s new GT4 R marks the first time the 911 platform is being used for GT4 racing, as the brand previously relied on the now-discontinued 718. Accordingly, along with wider front and rear track widths and further-developed motorsport tech, it brings a more powerful 4.0-liter flat-six engine rated for up to 513 horsepower and 346 lb-ft of torque. What’s more, the 911’s GT4 racecar treatment also includes components like a sequential six-speed dog-gearbox with paddle shifters, a four-disc racing clutch and some dual-adjustable suspension dampers. Rounded out by an eleven-point adjustable rear wing, it’s made still more promising because of its other 911 Cup-sourced aero.

• $375,000 at Porsche

The Sonos Five might be a little long in the tooth — it was released in 2020 — but it’s still the highest-end, best-sounding speaker that Sonos currently sells.

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

And even though Sonos periodically runs sales, it very rarely discounts the Five. The speaker seems to only get discounted several times a year — and now is that time.

Is the Five better than the Era 300?

Sonos

Sonos makes two high-end wireless speakers, the Five and the Era 300, the latter of which is newer (released in 2023) but a little smaller and optimized for immersive sound that supports Dolby Atmos.

The Five, on the flip side, is a more traditional speaker in the sense that it’s optimized for playing stereo sound. It has dedicated right, left, and center channels and delivers a wider soundstage than the Era 300.

Sonos

The other neat thing about the Five is that you can flip it on its side so that it’s vertically oriented. When you do this, it automatically switches from stereo to mono.

Obviously, this is really only recommended when two Fives are stereo-paired. But when paired, it’s the best possible stereo experience you can get from two Sonos speakers.

Sonos

Before 2023, the Five held the distinction of being the only Sonos speaker to have a line-in connection, which allowed it be hooked up directly to a turntable (or computer). But that has obviously changed, as most of Sonos’s newest speakers, including the Era 300 and Era 100, also support line-in (though it’s via USB-C rather than auxiliary).

It’s also worth mentioning that since the Five is a little older, it lacks some newer capabilities. Most notably, it doesn’t support voice assistants and thus can’t function as a smart speaker.

Sonos

How long is the sale running?

Normally $599, Sonos is discounting the Five by $150. It applies to both white and black models.

Sonos’s summer sale is currently running alongside Amazon’s Prime Day. And it’s scheduled to run through June 26, so you have (less than) two days to jump on the deal.

It’s worth pointing out that Sonos’s summer sale features several of its other popular speakers. This includes its newest entry-level home speaker, the Era 100 SL, which is on sale for the first time.

Sonos

Save $150

Sonos Five

• $449 at Sonos
  $599 (25% off)
• $449 at Amazon
  $599 (25% off)

Given most riders’ preferences for power and presence here in Freedomland, many awesome small-displacement motorcycles never hit the US market.

This proves especially true in the case of street bikes because of emissions and noise regulations. Many of the pint-sized performers you get overseas rely on smoky two-strokes that don’t fly. 

Of course, occasionally, some do manage to slip through the cracks. Just take this pristine pocket rocket that recently surfaced over on Bring a Trailer as an example. 

Bring a Trailer (911r)

Aprilia’s stateside track special

It’s a 2009 Aprilia RS125, and the Italian 125cc is a small bike standout for a few reasons. 

For starters, it wears an exclusive livery celebrating Julian Simon’s 2009 250cc title. Aprilia designed the RS125 as the littler sibling to the platform, so it’s a bit of a full circle moment.

Bring a Trailer (911r)

Even more notable than the motorsport-inspired looks, though, is that 2009 was the only year Aprilia officially brought this boy racer to the United States. Mind you, the RS125 had already enjoyed a lengthy production run by that point, debuting all the way back in 1992.

The visa did come with a considerable caveat. Despite the bike’s road-going status in Europe, it wasn’t homologated for the street. Even with equipment like lights, mirrors and turn signals, Aprilia could only get it approved for closed-course use here because of the powertrain.

Bring a Trailer (911r)

Still, much as you might think that reduces the RS125’s appeal, a track is exactly the kind of environment that allows the bike to be enjoyed to its fullest.

A lightweight corner killer

After all, though this tiny sport bike packs as many cubes as a moped, it punches up in more ways than one.

Being propelled by a two-stroke Rotax single, it makes its power high in the rev range, so you need to be winding it out near redline to be getting all of those (checks notes) 32.5 horses. 

Bring a Trailer (911r)

Though that doesn’t sound like much on paper, it’s worth pointing out that this Aprilia was light as a feather. Thanks to its bare-bones provisions, the RS125 tipped the scales at  280 pounds dry.

In combination with its aluminum twin-spar frame and box-section dual-sided swingarm, this made it a true corner killer. As Motorcyclist put it in its review, “What you do expect is handling, and here the RS 125 truly shines. Riders comment on its responsiveness and the speed with which it corners and how much fun it is to ride as you lean into turns.”

Bring a Trailer (911r)

I’d say that amounts to as glowing an endorsement as any, though it’s the line that follows that warrants extra appreciation: “Although it is a small machine, taller riders don’t feel cramped while riding.”

Yours to own

As such, the RS125 isn’t just for beginners and younger racers. Whether you’re hitting the track for the first time or looking for something smaller to hone your lines, it helps to be astride something a little lighter and tamer at the throttle. 

If you’re taken by the featured Aprilia, you can learn more through the listing, where there are still six days left in the auction as of this writing. With just 12 miles shown on the odometer, it makes for a bike that’s a small-displacement unicorn on account of more than its exceptional stateside presence.

Bring a Trailer (911r)

2009 Aprilia RS125

• Learn More

Few knife brands can lay claim to well over a century of existence and continued cultural relevance, but few brands have the history or experience of Chambéry, Savoie, France-based Opinel.

The 136-year old brand just announced a new collection of outdoor-focused knives that blend contemporary tech with the brand’s heritage aesthetic … none more so than the standout Néo7 Alpine Folding Knife, which boasts ultralight utility and an equally light price tag.

Opinel

Slim superstar

The recently released Néo7 Alpine Folding Knife is the embodiment of what makes Opinel great: timeless design, French manufacturing, a practical modern look and of course, wallet-friendly price.

Opinel

The lightweight knife weighs in at just 1.45 ounces and sports a 3.25-inch serrated blade and 7.25-inch overall length.

That blade is made using stainless steel, offering no-nonsense functionality. The tapered tip of the blade pulls double-duty as a mini scraper or quick screwdriver in a pinch.

Opinel

Opinel’s proprietary Opiflex locking mechanism provides smooth, intuitive handling, holding the blade securely in place during use.

Opinel

Perhaps the most unexpected feature on the minimalist folder is its ability to function as a compact screwdriver, thanks to its integrated ¼” bit holder. 

This makes it an ideal tool to have on hand for quick gear repairs, adjustments, tightening jobs and more.

A lanyard hole offers easier carry on the go, while a built-in 100-decibel whistle could be your last best hope of getting help in an emergency situation.

Opinel

Finally, the slim, fiberglass-reinforced handle is built to withstand moisture, impacts and temperature extremes … helping make the Néo7 an ideal companion for your next adventure.

Availability and pricing

The Néo7 Alpine Folding Knife is available now on Opinel’s website, retailing for just $45.

Opinel

Opinel Néo7 Alpine Folding Knife

• $45 at Opinel

As long-time Leatherman fans know, the brand’s beloved multi-tools rarely go on sale.

That’s what makes this particular moment in time special.

Not only are some top-notch options deeply discounted on the brand’s own site, but also a whole other group of winners is going for far less than retail via its Amazon shop for Prime “Day,” which continues through June 26.

Check out some of our favorites, including the rare Charge Plus TTI and Charge Plus, which Leatherman itself no longer offers, below.

Amazon

Leatherman Charge Plus TTI

This top-notch multi-tool is purpose-built for everyday carry, workshop use and backcountry repair kits. Titanium handle scales keep weight reasonable (8.9 ounces) and the durability at an all-time high. The tool set covers essentials like pliers, cutters, blades, scissors, drivers, and files. Premium blade steel and replaceable wire cutters add durability where it counts, making it a strong pick for users who want more refinement than an entry-level multi-tool without straying into novelty territory.

• $120 at Amazon
  $200 (40% off)

Leatherman

Leatherman Charge Plus

The classic Charge offers everything the TTI version does, but it swaps the titanium for alloy steel. Its loaded set of 19 tools includes pliers, wire cutters, spring-action scissors, ruler, can/bottle opener, saw blade and a drop-point blade made of 154cm stainless steel. At 8.3 ounces it actually weighs slightly less than the titanium version but is a bit less durable as well.

• $112 at Amazon
  $160 (30% off)

Amazon

Leatherman Signal

This has been one of our top picks for the best multi-tools for years. It includes nearly two dozen functions, including the first built-in ferro rod, hammer, and emergency whistle, all in a compact multi-tool. In other words: 4.5 inches of pure utility. Worth noting: Leatherman’s Amazon shop offers eight different varieties of the Signal, but only this blue-handled version is on sale at the moment.

• $112 at Amazon
  $150 (25% off)

It seems the rumors about a Toyota RAV4-based compact pickup truck aren’t as wild as everyone thought. In a recent development, regional Toyota executives and even the RAV4’s chief engineer acknowledged that such a prospect is most certainly under consideration.

However, Toyota Australia exec, Yoshinori Futonagane, told Australia’s Drive that, while the company sees the demand for such a vehicle, there are no concrete plans in place. At least, for now.

But the prospect has been prioritized on Toyota’s list of new vehicles to consider.

A car-based RAV4 pickup is piquing interest all over

Toyota

Just last month, Toyota North America chief Tetsuo Ogawa expressed interest in building a new, smaller and more affordable pickup truck below the ultra-popular Tacoma.

Not only would it answer the increasing demand for such a vehicle, but it would also further Toyota’s reputation and dominance in the smaller, open-bed space.

Ogawa stopped short of confirming such a project. Instead, he just openly admitted that he and his team are exploring options and considering the possibility.

“For the compact truck? Definitely, we have such demand,” Ogawa originally told media last month. Even one based on the RAV4.

Toyota

“A RAV4-based pickup is an opportunity for us, and the dealers are waiting,” Ogawa continued. “Maybe they say we need today or tomorrow, but it takes time.”

But Futonagane countered by saying that there are currently “no official plans,” despite acknowledging strong interest in it.

“I admit, you’re quite right. The market for a monocoque pickup truck is quite appealing,” Furonagane recently told Drive. “There are no official plans or anything to do with developing a monocoque pickup. But deep in our heart of hearts, we all think, wouldn’t that be fun?”

“A monocoque pickup truck is quite appealing”

Toyota

Although this a very small and incremental update, going from pitching the idea to actively exploring the concept while admitting there’s plenty of demand for it are still noteworthy steps. New vehicles need to be backed by a substantial business case for them to become a reality.

Demand is the largest determining factor. From there, automakers can decide whether it’s worth the investment to build said model and if the ROI exists.

Toyota

With Ford dominating the small pickup segment in America with the Maverick and Slate slowly moving closer to becoming a production reality, Toyota most certainly sees the writing on the wall.

If a small, RAV4-based pickup comes to fruition, it’ll likely ride on the same GA-K modular platform. It’s the same underpinnings as the Camry and the Highlander.

What would give Toyota the competitive edge, however, is if the brand includes the plug-in hybrid RAV4’s powertrain. The Ford Maverick does come in hybrid form, but not with plug-in capabilites.

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.

In early 2025, Audioengine introduced the latest version of its long-running and incredibly popular A2 series, which are the company’s most affordable powered speakers.

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 new models are called Audioengine A2+ Next Gen. And right now, they’re on sale.

Audioengine

A compact desktop speaker system

The A2+ Next Gen is the latest incarnation of the Texas-based audio maker’s A2 range, which it first introduced in 2007 and, more recently, added Bluetooth streaming capabilities with the 2019-released A2+ Wireless.

The “Next Gen” A2+ is the same compact speaker as before, but has been upgraded in several key ways. Maybe most notably, Audioengine added a USB-C input (the traditional 3.5mm AUX jack remains) so the speakers are even easier to use with today’s laptops and desktops.  

Audioengine

Additionally, Audioengine gave the newest speaker system an improved 24-bit DAC (up from its previous 16-bit DAC) and Bluetooth 5.3 with aptX HD support. This allows them to play higher-quality audio: up to 24-bit/96kHz (wired) and up to 24-bit/48kHz (wireless).

Naturally, the A2+ Next Gen system is primarily designed for desktop use, but it also has stereo RCA inputs and can be connected to traditional audio sources, such as a turntable (with a built-in preamp) or a CD player. You can also just stream music to them from your smartphone.

Audioengine

So, what’s the deal?

Since its release, the Audioengine A2+ Next Gen has been available in several different colors, including black, blue, white, red and yellow. And the system has cost $279.

However, for Prime Day, the company is discounting the white and red versions of the A2+ Next Gen by 20% and 25%, respectively. The A2+ Next Gen in white costs $223, while the red models cost $209. The A2+ Next Gen in other colors are not on sale.

Audioengine’s Prime Day sale is currently live and runs through June 26.

Audioengine

Audioengine A2+ Next Gen (High-Gloss White)

• $223 at Audioengine
  $279 (20% off)
• $223 at Amazon
  $279 (20% off)

Audioengine

Audioengine A2+ Next Gen (High-Gloss Red)

• $209 at Audioengine
  $279 (25% off)
• $209 at Amazon
  $279 (25% off)

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.

Land Rover might have discontinued OG Defender production back in 2016, but the British automaker isn’t done with its ruggedly iconic 4×4.

After the brand put the model out to pasture, the Classic division has kept the torch burning by offering V8-powered ‘remastered’ examples through the Works Bespoke service.

When we last checked in, the program had benefited from some sweet OCTA-sourced colorways. Impactful as they are, though, they still can’t compare to what LR is making available this go ‘round.

Jaguar Land Rover

The double-cab returns

That’s because among the latest additions to Works Bespoke is a 110 double-cab pickup option. When Land Rover began offering its Classic Defender V8s, it was not only a limited edition effort but also strictly of the station wagon variety.

Jaguar Land Rover

As such, it’s only bound to make the brand’s factory refreshed Classics more enticing. After all, between the unique looks and the added utility, Ineos builds the Quartermaster for good reason.

Granted, Land Rover previously resurrected another favorite in the Defender 90 soft-top. Moreover, the new truck is also accompanied by an additional two-seat hard-top configuration.

Jaguar Land Rover

All the same, the double-cab’s return to the option sheet makes for as bold an entrance as any. Land Rover officially announced the body style alongside a quartet of commissions all adorned in the same matching iridescent Spectral Green finish.

Assuming the color-shifting hue on the sheet metal alone wasn’t eye-catching enough, the buyer also had the treatment applied to the wheels, badging and some interior accents. It offers a stark contrast to the white cage.

Jaguar Land Rover

A comprehensive refinement

In any event, thankfully, you don’t need to be a fan of the looks to appreciate what goes into these Land Rover Classic Defender V8 commissions.

Jaguar Land Rover

Each a true display of mechanical sympathy, they’re all models built between 2012 and 2016 that have been carefully stripped, upgraded and rebuilt to the buyer’s wishes by a team of master technicians.

As part of the treatment, they each benefit from a 405-horsepower V8, And, in keeping with the more potent powerplant, Land Rover fits key upgrades like Bilstein dampers, Eibach springs and Alcon brakes.

Toward that end, beyond the body styles discussed above, the Works Bespoke service has also announced an interior addition in a new 9-inch infotainment unit. Despite being nearly three times larger than the option originally offered on these V8 Classics, it looks tidy, and it unlocks wireless connectivity like Apple CarPlay and Bluetooth.

Jaguar Land Rover

When you add to that some expanded roof paint options, fresh color choices for the heavy‑duty Wolf-style wheels and a new shadowy Trophy Pack that brings blacked-out trim, it makes for a pretty robust expansion of Land Rover’s Defender Classic catalog, all things considered.

Availability and pricing

Of course, if you’re already familiar with Land Rover’s Defender V8s, you’ll know these don’t come cheap.

While specific pricing isn’t available for the new body styles, the Defender 90 starts at £190,000 (~$250,000). The larger 110 brings the base price higher still.

If you’d like to learn more or arrange a commission for yourself, you can head to the JLR Classic website.

The Amida Digitrend was one of the most radical watches ever designed when it debuted in 1976. But the analog-digital display, powered by a mechanical movement, tragically hit the market in the midst of the Quartz Crisis, just as electronic digital watches were taking off.

The short-lived watch would have remained a historical oddity, were it not for Clément Meynier and Matthieu Allègre, who revived Amida and the Digitrend in 2024. Two years on, the gloriously retro design gets a futuristic makeover that further blurs the line between digital and analog.

Amida

The new Digitrend OSII Black is an evolution of the Open Sapphire concept released in 2025, which replaced the original stainless steel hood with a sapphire crystal to display the inner workings of the brand’s jumping-hour module.

Just as before, the curved, transparent hood, reminiscent of a sci-fi spaceship window, is machined from a single block of sapphire glass. Only this time, the transparency goes a step further, with the sapphire hour and minute discs exposing the mechanical movement below.

Amida

True to the original 1970s design, the time is displayed vertically through a prism that projects the horizontal hour and minute discs onto the dial. The jumping hour and crawling minute discs are operated by a proprietary module mounted on a Soprod Caliber P042 automatic movement.

Glow-up

The real genius of the Digitrend OSII Black is how Amida uses the sapphire hood to illuminate Super-LumiNova on both time discs, creating a glowing display that feels even more like sci-fi tech.

Joining the teal-emitting numeral tracks is a decorative horizontal-line motif at the nose of the hood. It serves no purpose other than to look cool, but it does that really well.

Amida

The movement was reengineered with two curved bars passing over the time discs, and the etched plate containing the Amida logo has been removed.

Strap in

The Digitrend OSII Black is available on the same two strap options as most previous references. There is a black Alcantara strap with quick-release pins, a stainless steel pin buckle and an orange calfskin lining.

For an additional CHF 350, you can get it on a tapered flat-link steel bracelet with a butterfly clasp and a vertical satin-brushed finish.

Amida

Unlike the first OS, which sported an exhibition caseback, the sequel features an etched stainless steel caseback that displays each watch’s number in the 150-piece limited edition release.

Amida

Availability and pricing

With Amida, the retro swagger doesn’t stop at the watch. The Digitrend OSII Black comes in a decorative box that looks like a prop from 2001: A Space Odyssey.

Amida

The Amida Digitrend OSII Black is available for preorder now from Amida for CHF 5,150 (~$6,340) on an Alcatara pin buckle strap and CHF 5,500 (~$6,768) on the steel bracelet. It is a limited edition of 150 pieces, and orders will ship out in August 2026.

Amida

Amida Digitrend OSII Black

Specs

Case Size	40mm
Movement	Customized Soprod Caliber P024 automatic
Water Resistance	50m

• $6,340 at Amida

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One of the best affordable watches released by Timex during the brand’s ongoing resurgence over the past decade is the Marlin Jet Automatic.

Although it isn’t based on an archival Timex design like most of the Marlin family, the Marlin Jet is still bursting with retro vibes thanks to its Space Age-inspired design.

Features like stick indices and hands and its crosshair dial read classic mid-century dress watch, but the repeating concentric circle engravings on the crown, caseback and bezel, along with the acrylic glassbox-style crystal that fully envelops said bezel, give the watch a retro-futuristic character all its own.

We’ve seen a few iterations of the Marlin Jet since Timex first introduced it more than two years ago, and the latest taps into the brand’s American heritage for an unexpectedly cool America 250 edition.

Timex

Star-spangled Timex

Patriotic versions of products can become very corny very quickly, but Timex has done an excellent job of tastefully incorporating some red, white and blue touches into the Marlin Jet as part of its America 250 Collection.

The watch features a concave white dial with a “250” logo in blue script above 6:00. The hour and minute hands, along with the applied indices, are all filled with blue, save for the 12:00 index, which has a red filling. The seconds hand is also fully colored red for a bold appearance.

Timex

Most unique is a red ring set on the base of the bezel, underneath the concentric circle pattern and the Marlin logo. It sits under the crystal, meaning its color is amplified depending on the angle, adding a fiery new visual dimension to the watch.

The 38mm, 50m water-resistant stainless steel case remains unchanged, with its mineral crystal caseback showcasing the Miyota Caliber 8215 automatic movement behind a 1960s-inspired “Jet” logo. The watch comes on a blue woven perlon strap, offering high comfort, a custom fit and coloring that’s perfectly matched to the watch’s theme.

Timex

Availability and pricing

Timex’s America 250 Collection consists of five pieces. In addition to the Marlin Jet here, there’s a very interesting table clock, along with red-white-and-blue versions of the Weekender, Waterbury Heritage Chronograph, and the basic quartz Marlin.

While I think the clock is the coolest pick of the bunch, the Marlin Jet is by far the best watch of the crew, both aesthetically and specs-wise. It’s also the most expensive of the four America 250 watches, but since this is Timex we’re talking about here, it’s still dirt-cheap.

The Marlin Automatic America 250 retails for $329 and is available for preorder now on Timex’s website.

Timex

Timex Marlin Jet Automatic America 250

Specs

Case Size	38mm
Movement	Miyota Cal. 8215 automatic
Water Resistance	50m

• $329 at Timex

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The Nike Vomero has been a staple of the brand’s road-running lineup for nearly two decades, and the Nike Vomero 18 represents the latest — and arguably most refined — iteration yet.

Built around a dual-density midsole — a thin layer of ZoomX foam stacked atop a thick ReactX base and a wider, more stable platform than its predecessor, the Vomero 18 sits in that productive middle ground between daily trainer and long-run workhorse.

Photo by Jack Seemer for Gear Patrol

As we noted when the Vomero 18 launched, Nike didn’t reinvent the shoe so much as tighten everything that made the 17 worth buying. The result is a runner that rewards mileage without punishing your legs.

And right now, some of the best colorways of the shoe are suddenly on sale through both Nike directly and Zappos.

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

Why it’s worth considering

Photo by Jack Seemer for Gear Patrol

The Vomero 18’s dual-density midsole — a thin ZoomX top layer over a thick ReactX base — delivers a noticeably plusher ride than the ZoomX-and-Cushlon setup in the Vomero 17.

The upper uses a dual-layer mesh that manages breathability without sacrificing structure around the midfoot. And the widened heel geometry means less lateral wobble on tired legs, which matters most in miles 10 through 14 of a long run.

Nike

The colorways on sale right now are among the best the Vomero 18 has worn. The Spruce Aura/Jade Horizon and Wolf Grey/Midnight Navy options on Nike are subdued without being boring.

Over at Zappos, the Black/Coconut Milk and Summit White/Coconut Milk colorways skew clean and versatile — the kind that work on the road and off it. All four are worth a look before sizes disappear.

Availability and pricing

NIke

Nike has the Spruce Aura/Jade Horizon down to $124 (from $155) and the Wolf Grey/Midnight Navy down to $115 (from $155) — both with code SUMMER at checkout.

Zappos has the Black/Coconut Milk at $140 (from $155) and the Summit White/Coconut Milk at $124 (from $155) with code SAVEBIG20.

As past Vomero 18 sale coverage shows, these windows don’t stay open long—and they rarely hit this many colorways at once.

Nike

Nike Vomero 18

• $0 at Nike
• $124 at Zappos
  $150 (17% off)

The top spot in drinkware tends to change hands every few years. Not long ago, the Stanley Quencher craze dominated social media, and now, Owala appears to be the bottle of choice.

While trends come and go, Yeti has remained a steadfast favorite thanks to its durable construction and expansive catalog of adventure-and-everyday-ready drinkware and accessories.

Its newest release, the Bottle Flip Chug Cap, looks eerily similar to Owala’s massively popular FreeSip bottle … and might just let Yeti steal the spotlight.

Yeti

Gas, break, sip, sip

Over the years, Yeti has transformed its rugged, durable drinkware from gear built for serious adventures into everyday essentials.

The new Bottle Flip Chug Cap makes its bottles more practical and convenient than ever.

Yeti

The 100-percent leakproof design features a covered spout with a lockable lid that can easily be flipped up for sipping on the go.

To lock the lid and prevent it from swinging open, when you’re done drinking, simply twist the integrated C-lock collar to the left, and the lid will stay in place.

Yeti

The lack of a straw seems like a design drawback, but the lightweight and affordable lid’s compatibility with all existing Rambler bottles scores points by letting you upgrade products you already own.

The thick, shatter-resistant, BPA-free plastic on the new lid means you can toss the bottle in your bag without worry, whether you’re commuting or traveling. The integrated handle makes it comfortable to carry on the go.

Yeti

Yeti quietly released the Bottle Flip Chug Cap yesterday, and fans are already responding; the cap on its own has already sold out. (The 18- and 26-ounce bottles featuring the new sip-friendly lid are still available, for early access members only.)

Availability and pricing

The Bottle Flip Chug Cap is available on Yeti’s website now for early access members.

The new lid style is featured on the 18- and 26-ounce Rambler Bottles, which retail for $32 and $40, respectively.

Yeti

Yeti Rambler 18 Ounce Bottle with Flip Chug Cap

• $32 at Yeti

Five years ago, electric moto pioneer Zero Motorcycles made news with a high-tech announcement: owners could upgrade their bikes instantly with faster charging, extended range, performance boosts and more through digital purchases.

Well, burgeoning Spanish electric moto brand Stark just did them one better, introducing Traction Control to its Varg nameplate overnight through a notably free over-the-air update.

Stark Future

While that feat alone is impressive (and very 2026), it is also one of the most sophisticated systems we’ve ever seen.

As Stark continues to break new ground in the two-wheeled space, here are the key details about the latest breakthrough. 

Traction star

Stark delivered the upgrade to all Varg MX, EX, and SM Alpha models, providing riders with more control, confidence and performance in challenging conditions.

Stark Future

The move is notable for two big reasons.

The first is the demonstration of a major advantage over traditional bikes, in that it required no new hardware or even a visit to the dealer: a simple software update did the trick. 

The second is the fact that it’s one of the most dialed-in traction control set-ups you’ll find.

Stark Future

Fully integrated into the Varg ecosystem, the system can be adjusted independently within each power mode.

As you might imagine, higher levels of intervention offer topped-out stability and grip, while lower levels permit more freedom and rear-wheel movement, a boon to more experienced riders who cherish drifting-style sliding action.

Stark Future

While many motos offer adjustable traction control, Stark’s is hyper-customizable, as you can set it literally anywhere from 0 to 100% through the brand’s app. 

That means you can run an MX low on hard-packed motocross tracks, set an EX somewhere in the middle range in rocky hard enduro scenarios and dial up an SM high on wet pavement, where it could potentially save your life. 

Stark Future

Bonus treat for more aggressive riders? When you catch air, it lets go completely, enabling you to spin the rear wheel mid-air to maintain balance, then return to earth with full power. 

The feature may be just a taste of what’s to come, as Stark says more (presumably over-the-air) updates remain on tap for the Varg. 

Even the most hard-core electric motorcycle skeptics will need to concede this is unprecedented, paradigm-shifting stuff.

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Prime Day is still happening on Amazon’s website, where you can get some of the latest, greatest tech and accessories at steep discounts. But what’s been raising eyebrows among Casio fanatics is the resurfacing of the Pro Trek models that were technically phased out a couple of years ago now.

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

Discounted at least 43% off across three variants, the fan-favorite digital timepiece will eventually be gone for good, making this possibly your last chance to buy one brand-new.

Casio

An undisputed classic

Casio released the PRW-3500 series back in 2015 as the brand’s most capable all-around outdoor watch ever. It combined 200m of water resistance with the latest Triple Sensor tech (measuring altitude, barometric pressure, compass direction and temperature) for the first time in the history of the Pro Trek family.

Casio

Casio

I’ve been wearing the 3500 as part of my rotation for years, both on and off the trail. Despite sporting a chunky 53.4mm case (in resin) with a stainless steel compass bezel, the watch has a sneaky gorpcore aesthetic that looks utilitarian yet deceptively sleek. 

Casio

The extra-wide display arguably has a leg up on any other Casio model, G-Shock or otherwise. Plus, the white LED Super Illuminator backlight is crisper and brighter than any timepiece I’ve experienced. The display was improved even further with the PRW-3510 (also discontinued), updating to a sharper, higher-contrast STN LCD.

No smartwatch, no problem

Despite disappearing from the catalog in recent years, enthusiasts still love the 3500 and its 3510 successor. 

Casio

The Multi-Band 6 radio synchronization precludes the need for any smartphone connectivity, making this a perfect off-grid timepiece. You also get Tough Solar charging and sunset-sunrise data at the push of a button. Plus, it’s about as tough as any non-G-Shock you’ll find, with low-temp resistance down to 14ºF.

Likewise, you’ll get the full digital suite too, including a stopwatch, a timer, alarms, a calendar and world time display.

Availability and pricing

Available for a steep discount on Amazon right now, you’ll find the classic PRW-3500-1 for $208 (down from $365) and the titanium-band PRW-3500T-7 for $314 (down from $550).

There’s also the more recent PRW-3510Y-8 for $218 (down from $385). This watch has a blacked-out case and bezel with a green resin strap. The display is also a reverse LCD.

Again, this might be the final bow for the 3500 series Pro Treks, so don’t wait around if you’ve been considering this original classic.

For the next few days, Sonos is running a summer sale on many of its most popular speakers, offering up to 30 percent off.

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

One of the standouts is the Five, Sonos’s best and most expensive standalone speaker. Normally $599, it’s on sale for $449. And it’s important because Sonos rarely discounts it.

That said, arguably the most notable deal is on the Era 100 SL. It’s one of Sonos’s newest speakers, released less than three months ago, and it’s now on sale for the first time.

Sonos

First time on sale

The Sonos Era 100 SL is a “Speechless” version of the company’s entry-level smart speaker, the Era 100. It doesn’t have a built-in microphone, so it cannot function as a smart speaker. Basically, you can’t use your voice to play music or ask questions about the weather.

Of course, this drops the price. The Era 100 SL normally costs $189, which is $30 less than the standard Era 100 SL. It’s Sonos’s most affordable powered home speaker.

Sonos

Aside from responding to voice commands, the Era 100 SL is a speaker that delivers the same sound quality as the Era 100, and it has the same feature set. It supports streaming over Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. And it has a USB-C line-in connection, so you can connect it directly to a turntable or a computer.

Sonos

An affordable stereo pair

Uniquely, the Era 100 SL can be stereo paired with another Era 100 SL or a regular Era 100. This means that if you already have an Era 100 at home, you can buy an Era 100 SL; it’s a more affordable way to create a stereo pair. You only need one speaker to respond to voice commands, after all.

Sonos

Additionally, two Era 100 SLs can serve as rear-channel speakers in a Sonos soundbar-based home theater system. Again, it’s a more affordable alternative than buying two Era 100s (and you probably don’t need rear channels to support voice commands anyway).

Sonos

Sale runs through June 26th

Sonos’s summer sale, which includes the Era 100 SL, is currently live and is slated to run through June 26. So you have roughly three days to decide if you want to pounce on the deal.

It’s also worth mentioning that many of Sonos’s other speakers, subwoofers and soundbars are also discounted. This includes the regular Era 100, which is $40 off.

You can check out the full list of Sonos deals, here. As per usual, Amazon is matching the discounts.

It seems the Honda Element is making an unexpected comeback. Automotive News just reported the confirmed return of the quirky, rugged and boxy SUV.

Citing “people with knowledge of the plan,” the outlet states the automaker’s North American division decided to revive the model as a part of a brand-wide strategy shift.

Honda recently announced its plans to cancel several ambitious electric vehicle concepts and focus more on internal combustion-powered models. This new Element could be one of them.

Honda’s getting back into its element

Honda

It’s been almost two decades since Honda gave the world the Element. The strangely styled, yet outstandingly practical crossover SUV left an indelible mark on the world.

The Element’s oddball and boxy styling made it a hit with fans. Moreover, its double-sided suicide-style doors, massive cargo area with washable floors and robust neoprene-covered seats enabled an unrivaled level of versatility. That made it an outdoor enthusiast’s best friend.

Honda

Given buyers’ growing interest in exploring the outdoors via automobiles, there seems to be a new opportunity for Honda’s Element to return.

The second-gen model will reportedly arrive with a gas-electric hybrid powertrain and all-wheel drive. Industry analysts anticipate a reveal date sometime in late 2028 or early- or mid-2029.

Bringing boxy back

Honda

Details are rather sparse. But when this new supposed second-generation Element arrives, AN reports it’ll take on the likes of the Ford Bronco Sport, Jeep Cherokee and Toyota RAV4. The outlet also said the sources hinted at its positioning in Honda’s lineup, which will be between the HR-V and the CR-V.

This implies the new Element could be slightly smaller than its predecessor, which was sized more like a mid-compact crossover SUV.

Honda

But if there’s one major takeaway from the Element’s resurrection and its rivals, boxy and rugged appearances are back in style.

“The new Element should appeal to Ford Bronco Sport buyers who want rugged looks and all-wheel-drive capability without paying around $45,000,” renowned industry analyst, Sam Fiorano of AutoForecast Solutions, told AN.

Honda

“Threading the needle in price and size between the popular CR-V and the affordable HR-V will be key to the success of the new Element.”

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.

Ugg

Ugg Deckmel

Ugg brings its own comfy spin to the timeless boat shoe in the new Deckmel. Built with a smooth suede upper, decorative stitching across the forefoot and a suede mudguard and heel counter, the Deckmel effortlessly combines traditional style with the modern casual comfort of a sneaker. The textile lining, microfiber sockliner and polyester laces add durability, while the classic Ugg sugarcane EVA outsole completes the cozy, coastal-inspired package.

• $145 at Ugg

Dodge

Dodge and Under Armour High-Octane Collection

Dodge and iconic sportswear maker Under Armour just teamed up for a new collab to celebrate performance and speed. Except, this time, it isn’t a car, but rather a new line of footwear and other sporting apparel. It all takes inspiration from Dodge’s previous generation Charger SRT Hellcat and Challenger SRT Demon, both of which have become icons in the world of four-wheeled performance. As such, Under Armour now sells football cleats themed in similar fashion to the Hellcat and Demon, along with similarly themed everyday wear in the form of graphic tees and cargo shorts for both men and women. With Under Armour being a leading brand for some of the world’s best athletes, the pairing couldn’t be more opportunistic.

• Learn More

Four Roses

Four Roses Experimental Series

Cask-finished whiskey has seen a big influx in the past decade but some distilleries are still hesitant to get on board. Despite its 138-year history, Four Roses had never released a cask-finished bourbon … until now. It debuts its Experimental Series, which will see the Kentucky staple trying different methods in terms of finishing and other various techniques. The inaugural release, No. 001, is a six-year-old straight bourbon that spent additional time in Japanese mizunara oak barrels to achieve a more dynamic profile.

• Learn More

De Bethune

De Bethune DB25xs Sand Winds

De Bethune adds to its sporty DB25xs line with the Sand Winds. Like the brand’s DB28xs Starry Seas, the dial of the Sand Winds features De Bethune’s exclusive random guilloché pattern along with an oxidative heat treatment. But instead of a blue finish, the new dial has a sandy gold color reminiscent of a windswept desert. The hands and hour markers are both in polished yellow gold, while applied droplets of white gold adorn the dial as subtle decorations. The 40mm polished titanium case features hollowed-out, tapered lugs for increased comfort, and the watch is powered by the manually wound in-house Calibre DB2005, which boasts a six-day power reserve, a custom triple shock-protection system and a titanium balance wheel with white gold inserts.

• $85,000 at De Bethune

Meta

Meta Glasses

To date, Meta has only introduced smart glasses under the Ray-Ban and Oakley brands, which made them quite expensive (the most affordable were the Ray-Ban ‌Meta‌ Wayfarer, priced at $379). Now, with the all-new Meta Glasses, it’s partnered with EssilorLuxottica, the parent company of both Ray-Ban and Oakley, to introduce some even more affordable models that work basically exactly the same; they have mostly the same specs. The Meta Glasses come in three styles: Adventurer, Fury and Starfire. The first two cost $299, while the third was designed with the help of Kylie Jenner and starts at $399.

• $299 at Meta

If some is good, more is better.

That seems to be CJRB’s attitude toward one of the most fun and handy features it has introduced lately, glow-in-the-dark handles.

CJRB Cutlery

After all, the treatment has made its way onto some of its most popular knives, including the Gobi, Maileah and Bolt. 

Now it has come to one of the coolest EDC knives you can get for $50 or less, the Crag.

Ready for its glow-up

Considering the fact that there are a dozen variants, CJRB clearly knows it has a winner on its hands with ye olde Crag.

What makes it so compelling? Let’s start with the business end, a 3.43-inch cleaver-style sheepsfoot blade made of the brand’s wallet-friendly but reliable AR-RPM9. 

CJRB Cutlery

Then there’s the snappy rear flipper, deploying the steel smoothly via the pivot assembly’s ceramic ball bearing, with a sturdy liner lock holding it firmly in place.

Meanwhile, the finger choil, together with an ergonomic 4.72-inch handle (complete with a reversible pocket clip), enables controlled cuts, slices and chops. 

CJRB Cutlery

None of these features is particularly high-end, but they are incredibly dependable, user-friendly and friction-free, bringing a lot of joy at an approachable price point. 

The appeal only rises with two bonus features for this particular variant of the Crag.

The first is the black PVD finish on the blade, which looks badass while boosting scratch and wear resistance.

CJRB Cutlery

The second is why we are all here today: the special G10 handle scales that absorb light to glow in the dark when day turns to night.

That’s super handy should you happen to drop your knife after sunset or before sunrise, but also if you are simply scrounging for it at the bottom of a bag or in a dark tent. 

CJRB Cutlery

It’s just the sort of whimsical yet functional little touch that gives this knife an edge over the hundreds, if not thousands, of others available at this price point.

You know, just in case simply being the coolest isn’t enough.

Availability and pricing

The CJRB Crag (J1904-BGD) is available now for $50.

CJRB Cutlery

CJRB Crag (J1904-BGD)

• $50 at CJRB Cutlery
  $67 (25% off)

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Anyone making a short list of all-time top EDC knife designers would be hard-pressed to leave off the name Jesper Voxnaes.

The great Dane has been penning minimalist masterpieces for a couple of decades now, co-founding GiantMouse in 2015 and crafting 2018 Blade Show’s Knife of the Year, among other notable feats.

CRKT

If you are looking to score a little piece of history, and an awesome EDC knife in process, CRKT has made one of his finest mid-career designs available for an almost unbelievable discount.

That’s right, the original Pilar can be had right now for less than three Hamiltons.

Papa’s pocket knife

While GiantMouse’s knives are famously named after favorite bars and hotels of Voxnaes and co-founder Jens Ansø, the inspiration for the Pilar is decidedly different.

CRKT

Its moniker is derived from a 38-foot boat renowned American writer Ernest Hemingway reportedly used to surveil German U-boats in the Caribbean during World War II.

Voxnaes believes it epitomizes the sort of modern EDC folder Papa himself might have embraced, and at least on a surface level, I can totally see it.

CRKT

After all, Hemingway’s style is celebrated for its brevity, characterized by short, clear sentences that deliver meaning without unnecessary flourish.

Similarly, the original Pilar is a no-frills folder that focuses on function and lets form follow, winning on both fronts in the process.

CRKT

Made of wallet-friendly but reliable 8Cr13MoV, the 2.4-inch satin-finished sheepsfoot blade boasts a thumb slot for easy opening with either hand, plus a generous finger choil for enhanced control during detailed cuts. 

The ergonomic handle offers a comfortable grip and a unique clip treatment, as it can be attached to either end for tip-up or tip-down pocket carry. 

CRKT

Between them is a premium feature: a frame lock with a thick bar for an incredibly secure open position.

As for the overall look of the nearly 6-inch (when open), 4.2-ounce silhouette? I’d say this streamlined beauty speaks for itself.

Availability and pricing

The CRKT Pilar Frame Lock (5311) is available now for $25, 48% off the MSRP of $48.

Additionally, the black stonewash version of the knife (5311KS) is on sale for $50, 14% off the MSRP of $58.

One variant of a top-notch successor, the Pilar III (5317D2), is on sale as well, for $62, 15% off the MSRP of $73.

CRKT

CRKT Pilar

• $25 at CRKT
  $48 (48% off)

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.

It’s no exaggeration to say that in 2025, Grand Seiko significantly advanced the field of mechanical watchmaking when it unveiled the Spring Drive U.F.A.

With an accuracy of +\-20 seconds per year, it is the most accurate mechanical watch movement ever devised. Two years on, the U.F.A. has gone from a mind-blowing novelty to the foundation of Grand Seiko’s Evolution 9 Collection.

Image by Brad Lanphear for Gear Patrol

Welcome to Reference Points: A series about the products that changed the standard — and never really stopped influencing it. Discover more here.

Since its introduction, the Spring Drive U.F.A. automatic movement has trickled into the market, with only four references released in 2025, and an additional three unveiled in April 2026, including the new Ushio 300 Diver.

Grand Seiko’s new E9 overhaul brings the count up to eleven, meaning it powers a third of the brand’s daily-wearing, do-it-all collection. By my math, that means five new watches are equipped with arguably the best automatic movement on the market.

Image by Brad Lanphear for Gear Patrol

The remaining four references are powered by my personal favorite Grand Seiko movement, the Caliber 9SA5 Hi-Beat automatic. It’s a well-established marvel, featuring the proprietary Dual Impulse Escapement and a twin-barrel system that provides an 80-hour power reserve, despite beating at 5Hz.

Grand Seiko was kind enough to let me preview the new nine-piece E9 release, a substantial drop for the prestigious Japanese watchmaker. It contains some fan-favorite dials like the White Birch and Lake Suwa Blue, alongside updates like a lighter-toned revival of the crystal-green Genbi Valley and a smoky black version of the Lake Suwa.

Ultra Fine

The five new Spring Drive U.F.A. watches joining the E9 collection are powered by the Caliber 9RB2, which is the version with a date complication. The astounding accuracy is achieved through an advanced quartz crystal oscillator and vacuum sealing of that and other key components of the movement.

Image by Brad Lanphear for Gear Patrol

The Spring Drive U.F.A. dials included in this release are 40mm versions of the White Birch, the blue-green Areta Valley and the Lake Suwa in blue and black. Additionally, the Lake Suwa Blue also comes in 37mm.

A material difference

Seven of the nine new E9 watches are presented in Grand Seiko’s Ever-Brilliant Steel, an alloy with the highest corrosion resistance of any steel used in watchmaking. The brand has introduced a new icon, a hexagonal etching with “EB” inside applied to the caseback ring, to indicate the use of this metal on all watches going forward.

Image by Brad Lanphear for Gear Patrol

The other two watches in the drop use the proprietary High-Intensity Titanium, which does not get a new etched icon. The dials are the Lake Suwa Black for the Spring Drive U.F.A. and the Black Birch for the Hi-Beat.

Small adjustments

Last, but certainly not least, Grand Seiko fans will be pleased to hear that all nine new E9 watches feature an on-the-fly micro-adjustable clasp. It is part of an excellent new three-link bracelet, available in both metals, with a sharper taper dropping from 22mm to 18mm.

Image by Brad Lanphear for Gear Patrol

The brand’s clasps have been the most consistent criticisms of Grand Seiko for years, and certain sacrifices had to be made to accommodate the new mechanism, but it is now a standard-issue feature.

Availability and pricing

It’s hard to call $11,000 a good bang-for-your-buck, but with the improved bracelet design, gorgeous assortment of dials and world-beating movement, the new E9 collection will give you the most everyday watch for that budget.

Personally, I was absolutely smitten by the smoky charcoal gray tones of the Lake Suwa Black dial. Set in a High-Intensity Titanium case and running on the Spring Drive U.F.A., it has to be my new favorite Grand Seiko watch.

Grand Seiko is releasing the new E9 series in two stages. The five Spring Drive U.F.A. references will be available in September 2026, priced at $10,200 for Ever-Brilliant Steel and $11,400 for the lone High-Intensity Titanium. The four Hi-Beat 36000 references will follow in October 2026 at the same price tiers.

Grand Seiko

Grand Seiko E9 Lake Suwa Black SLGB007

Specs

Case Size	40mm
Movement	Grand Seiko Caliber 9RB2 automatic
Water Resistance	100m

• $11,400 at Grand Seiko

Whoop built its reputation on subscription-based fitness tracking — no screen, no distractions, just continuous biometric data fed into an app that tells you how hard to push and when to recover.

The WHOOP MG Activity Tracker, paired with the company’s most comprehensive “Life” 12 Month Membership plans, takes that formula further than any previous version, adding medical-grade sensors capable of tracking metrics that once required a visit to a clinic. It’s the most capable wearable Whoop has ever shipped.

The MG designation stands for medical grade — and it earns the label. The device adds ECG functionality and blood pressure insights on top of the already-robust sleep, strain and recovery tracking the platform is known for. For anyone serious about long-term health monitoring, not just workout optimization, that’s a meaningful upgrade.

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

Whoop

Right now, Amazon has the 12-month membership bundle at $299 — down from its regular $359. Price tracking data shows this is the lowest it has been since January, making it a rare window to get into Whoop’s most advanced hardware without paying full freight.

Why it’s worth considering

Whoop

The hardware itself is 7 percent smaller than the Whoop 4.0, and the battery life has improved enough to take the anxiety out of daily wear. But the real story is what those medical-grade sensors actually deliver. Wired’s review of the Whoop MG found the ECG feature accurate and the sleep staging data genuinely useful for understanding recovery patterns over time — not just overnight.

Outside and The Verge both stress the same point: this tracker rewards patience. Outside’s review noted that the MG’s health insights compound over weeks, not days, making the membership model — frustrating for some — actually appropriate for what the device is designed to do.

The Verge called it the best option for users who want clinical-adjacent data without clinical overhead. No other consumer wearable at this price combines ECG, blood pressure insights and continuous heart rate variability tracking in a screenless, always-on form factor.

How to get it for less

Whoop

The 12-month membership bundle is currently $299 on Amazon — $60 off the standard $359 price. That membership covers the hardware cost and platform access for a full year. If you’ve been sitting on the fence about Whoop, this is a deal that might make the math work.

Amazon

WHOOP 5.0/MG Activity Tracker

• $299 at Amazon (Whoop Life)
  $360 (17% off)

While many cars nowadays leverage forward-thinking ADAS tech like blindspot detection, automatic emergency braking and cross-traffic monitoring to maximize pedestrian and cyclist safety, they’re still far from perfect solutions.

Namely, because it’s a unilateral prevention that only communicates with the driver. In other words, if you’re the other party on the move, it’s still up to you to keep your head on a swivel.

Welcome to Moonshots: A series exploring the big ideas that could reshape the future of products. Discover more here.

With this in mind, Canyon has created a new e-bike concept called the Roadlite:ON V2X. Thanks to the integration of some forward-thinking tech, it heralds a new dimension in two-wheeled safety.

Canyon

A universal language

I’m talking specifically about V2X, or Vehicle-to-Everything technology. Canyon is claiming that the Roadlite:ON V2X is the first bike to implement the standard in a production-ready package. 

If you’re unfamiliar with the term, it’s essentially a form of wireless connectivity that allows vehicles, pedestrians and infrastructure to communicate in real time.

Canyon

Needless to say, within the vulnerable two-wheeled world, the standard offers huge advantages. Thanks to the integration of a V2X nano board in the downtube and an antenna in the head tube, Canyon says the concept allows for detection without direct visual contact.

As such, along with sending in-car notifications to prompt driver attention, the connectivity simultaneously allows for on-bike rider alerts. Between haptic vibration at the handlebar grips and information displayed on devices like bike computers, it promises much more focused seat time.

Canyon

Urban advantages

However, that’s not the only way in which the Roadlite:ON V2X has the potential to be a difference-maker, both for commuters and for cars.

In keeping with the bike’s focus on safety, it touts a Bosch battery that’s designed to provide reserve power to the V2X system. As such, even if it doesn’t have juice for the motor, it will continue to ping others on the road to make them aware of your proximity.

Canyon

Towards that end, Canyon also equipped the Roadlite:ON V2X with a dynamic tail light and radar. Much like some of the standalone systems you’ll find today, it varies its flashing frequency relative to proximity to keep drivers abreast of a rider’s braking and other intended behaviors.

Perhaps the coolest plus of V2X, though, is the compatibility that the standard has with smart infrastructure. 

For instance, in Germany and the Netherlands, some cities are now trialing bike-specific ‘green waves.’ It’s smart stuff, as it involves the timing and coordination of traffic lights to reduce road congestion and get everyone home faster and more safely.

Canyon

More to come

At this stage, the Roadlite:ON V2X is just a concept, though it’s hardly removed from reality. If you’d like to catch it in person, it’ll be on display at Eurobike this week.

Furthermore, V2X is already being rolled out in some Volkswagens, Fords and other vehicles. However, it requires a collective effort for it to really make a difference.

Canyon

Canyon Roadlite:ON V2X

• Learn More

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Dive watches are almost always associated with the ocean, which makes sense, but Unimatic’s new collection celebrates another venue for aquatic leisure: the swimming pool.

The Italian watchmaker introduces a trio of new dial colors to the Modello Uno diver and the Modello Cinque field watch. Together, the Crystal Blue, Infinity Mint and Acqua Laguna dials are affectionately called the Swimming Pool Collection.

Image by Brad Lanphear for Gear Patrol

I was fortunate enough to spend some time with the Modello Uno ref. UT1-IPT, featuring the Infinity Mint dial. Just as the collection’s theme suggests, it is a capable tool watch adapted for summer leisure.

The Modello Uno’s standard sandblasted 40mm stainless steel case, equipped with a sizable crown guard and a coin-edge unidirectional bezel, is unchanged. Ironically, it even packs the same 300m water resistance, despite 10ft being sufficient for the theme.

Where the Swimming Pool Collection really shines, literally, is the dial. All three dials have a shimmering texture that reflects light like the water’s surface. Despite my best efforts, photographs don’t do it justice.

Image by Brad Lanphear for Gear Patrol

The eye-catching dials are enhanced by Unimatic’s 3D-block Super-LumiNova applied hour markers. Introduced earlier this year, they appear to float atop the dial like a raft in a pool.

There is no date or any other complication disturbing the balance, just the classic triangle-dot-dash index pattern encircled by a printed blue dash minute track. Both models in the collection sport Unimatic’s standard handset, enhanced with green-emitting Super-LumiNova.

Can’t beat that

I was immediately captivated by the color scheme of the Swimming Pool Collection. Even the matte navy blue bezel insert, marked only with a pearl pip, is satisfyingly minimalist.

But not long after strapping it to my wrist, my attention turned to the unusual movement of the seconds hand. To power both models in the Swimming Pool Collection, Unimatic chose the obscure Seiko Caliber VH31A, a quartz movement with a twist.

Image by Brad Lanphear for Gear Patrol

Rather than beating once each second with a divisive lurching motion, the seconds hand ticks four times per second. It creates a sweeping motion very close to a standard mechanical movement that ticks six times per second.

Even though TMI, Seiko’s wholesale movement distributor, introduced the Caliber VH31A in 2018, I’ve never seen it in action. At arm’s length, it is almost indistinguishable from a mechanical watch, but up close, there is a slight drag to the motion.

Image by Brad Lanphear for Gear Patrol

TMI claims an accuracy of +/-15 seconds per month with a battery life of two years for the Caliber VH31A, which is far more accurate than basically any mechanical movement.

For anyone turned off by quartz watches because of the lurching seconds hand, as I admittedly am, this novel Seiko creation convincingly hides that tell-tale sign.

The swim team

While the Modello Uno in Infinity Mint is my clear favorite, all six watches in the Swimming Pool Collection are beautiful. The lighter blue is called Crystal Blue, and the darker one is called Acqua Laguna.

All three dial colors are also available on the 36mm stainless steel Modello Cinque, which is powered by the same Seiko Caliber VH31A quartz movement.

Unimatic

All six watches come on a navy blue TPU quick-release strap, but it has a fluted texture on the Modello Uno and is smooth on the Modello Cinque.

Availability and pricing

You don’t see many purpose-built pool watches, but Unimatic nailed the concept here. The tough-as-nails build of the Modello Uno is cleverly obscured by a tranquil motif, and the smooth-ticking quartz movement alone makes it one of the brand’s most intriguing sub-$1,000 releases.

The entire Unimatic Swimming Pool Collection is available now from Unimatic, with the Modello Uno priced at $740 and the Modello Cinque priced at $700.

One of the greatest and most entertaining V8s could be set for a comeback. Maserati recently held an important press conference, sharing some major updates to its lineup and future product strategy.

During the conference, executives went on record to say they’re very interested in reviving the company’s beloved gasoline eight-cylinder. And that’s not just great news for Italian car lovers, but for enthusiasts and V8 lovers in general.

Some of the best-sounding and most charismatic V8s, ever

Maserati

It was just a short time ago, in 2024, when Maserati ended its use of V8s. That last V8, the Ferrari-sourced twin-turbocharged “F154,” still currently powers every V8 Prancing Horse on sale today.

While the engine is a direct transplant from Ferrari, Maserati differentiated its version through a conventional cross-plane crankshaft (versus Ferrari’s flat-plane crank). Other differences included the intake and exhaust manifold designs, among tweaks such as engine management mapping.

Maserati

Those changes resulted in what is arguably one of the best-sounding V8s ever made, giving it its distinctive baritone bellow, both at idle and under throttle load. It’s a reputation that began when Maserati and Ferrari collaborated on the previous V8, the naturally-aspirated “F136.”

I mean, just listen to it.

The later twin-turbo F154 wasn’t all that different, just a little more muffled from the extra piping involved with the turbos.

To commemorate the V8’s final moment, the Italian Trident launched a special end-of-production edition of the Quattroporte called the Grand Finale. It not only marked the end of the previous-generation Quattroporte but also the end of Maserati’s use of V8s altogether.

Simultaneously, Maserati officially ushered in its replacement, the all-new Nettuno twin-turbo V6. Since then, fans have been wondering if the V8 would ever return for Maserati.

Now, it seems like there’s a glimmer of hope at the end of the tunnel.

“Everything is possible”

Maserati

When the conference reached the Q&A portion for journalists, Australia’s Drive popped the magic question regarding the V8.

“The sky is the limit,” to which Santo Filici, Maserati’s chief operating officer, candidly replied. “Of course, we need to consider the fact that today we have already the fantastic V6 Nettuno that, in my opinion, is the best in the world”

“We are exploiting this engine in all our models, starting from Grecale to MCXtrema, to express the fact that the potentiality of this engine is so big that can we can do everything we want in terms of performance, also to respect the environment,” Filici continued. “But again, we are looking; everything is possible for the future.”

Maserati

But Filici further elaborated that a new V8 may present some challenges. And that’s because Maserati depended on its relationship with Ferrari for the F154 and the F136.

Today, Maserati operates completely separately from Ferrari, after ending its last cooperative partnership in 2023. That partnership is what gave Maserati the Ferrari-sourced V8s.

So, for Maserati to reintroduce the V8 to its portfolio, it would have to outsource the engine once again and adapt it to its own applications. Alternatively, it would have to come up with a ground-up new design.

If you’re a watch enthusiast or collector, then you’re likely familiar with all of the heavy hitters in the crowded luxury dive watch space.

The Rolex Submariner. The Omega Seamaster Diver 300M. The Blancpain Fifty Fathoms. The Tudor Black Bay. Then there are those luxury dive watches that fly a bit more under the radar, like the Jaeger-LeCoultre Polaris Date.

JLC’s entry-level sporty dive watch is overshadowed by the brand’s flagship Reverso dress watch, but it shouldn’t be slept on. Its combination of bar-raising dial finishing, an evolved retro design and an impressive movement all add up to a serious contender for your dive watch dollars.

Especially now, as JLC has just made some major improvements to its diver … while also slashing its price considerably.

Jaeger-LeCoultre

Save the Date

First things first, JLC has not thrown the baby out with the bathwater for its latest incarnation of the Polaris Date. In fact, you’d be hard-pressed to even find the difference between the new model and the older version unless you had them both in your hand at the same time.

That’s because the only thing that’s really changed here is the case size. Previously only available as a relatively oversized 42mm watch with a beefy thickness of 13.92mm, JLC has managed to shrink down the Polaris Date substantially without sacrificing anything.

The new Polaris Date measures just 40mm across, and just as importantly, clocks in at a decidedly slimmer 12.9mm. For those keeping score at home, that’s a reduction of 2mm in diameter and 1mm in thickness, admittedly small numbers that add up to a big difference on the wrist.

Jaeger-LeCoultre

Outside of the improved dimensions, the watch is basically the same as before. It’s powered by the same in-house JLC Calibre 899 automatic movement, which has a 70-hour power reserve and is beautifully decorated, all visible behind a sapphire caseback.

The dual-crown stainless steel case retains its 200m water-resistance rating, while the box sapphire crystal still sits above the most intricate dive watch dial in the biz.

The triple-finished blue dial combines an opaline inner rotating bezel, a grained index circle housing a mix of applied trapezoids and Arabic numerals, and a sunray-brushed center. It boasts a whopping 42 layers of lacquer, all of which are applied and polished by hand for an unbelievably intricate finish.

Jaeger-LeCoultre

An unframed date window is positioned at 3:00, and the indices, skeletonized handset and orange triangle bezel pip are all filled with Super-LumiNova.

Outside of the new case size, the only other change to the product is the included strap. In place of the Clous-de-Paris-patterned blue rubber strap found on the 42mm version, the 40 comes with a blue canvas strap, which may be viewed as an upgrade depending on your tastes. Like the rubber strap, it’s equipped with quick-release spring bars and a steel deployant clasp.

Jaeger-LeCoultre

Availability and pricing

OK, I lied. There’s another update to the new Polaris Date outside of the improved case dimensions and the new strap, and that’s the price.

For some reason, the new 40mm watch is far more affordable than its 42mm predecessor, to the tune of $2,700 cheaper. That’s a huge discount for what is effectively the same watch, but with a case that most people will likely prefer.

JLC has received loads of criticism in recent years for substantially raising its prices, so this update is very, very pleasant to see. The new Polaris Date is available now from Jaeger-LeCoultre for $10,400, representing significant savings over the Polaris Date 42’s current SRP of $13,100.

Jaeger-LeCoultre

Jaeger-LeCoultre Polaris Date 40mm

Specs

Case Size	40mm
Movement	Jaeger-LeCoultre Cal. 899 automatic
Water Resistance	200m

• $10,400 at Jaeger-LeCoultre

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Most watches at this price point are throwaways. The Timex Expedition Scout 40mm Watch is not. It’s been the default recommendation for anyone who wants a capable, no-nonsense field watch without spending real money — and it has been for years. The 40mm case, Indiglo backlight, and nylon strap combination has become something of a genre unto itself: rugged enough for trail use, understated enough for everyday wear.

Right now, Amazon has it on sale for $24 — down from its standard $37. That’s not a rounding error. That’s the lowest price we’ve seen it hit since 2016.

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

Why it’s worth considering

Amazon

The Scout runs a reliable quartz movement — accurate, low-maintenance, and battery-powered for years at a stretch. The 40mm case diameter sits in the sweet spot: large enough to read quickly on the move, small enough to slip under a cuff. Water resistance is rated to 50 meters, which covers rain, creek crossings and the occasional careless dish-washing. The case is brass with a mineral crystal — honest materials for an honest price.

According to Teddy Baldassarre, the Scout represents one of the best entry points in the entire field watch category, full stop. A price this low hasn’t appeared in roughly a decade.

Amazon

What separates the Scout from the flood of cheap watches is intentionality. Timex built its Expedition line around durability and utility, and the Scout carries that DNA without unnecessary complication. The Indiglo backlight — Timex’s patented electroluminescent panel — evenly illuminates the entire dial, a genuinely useful feature at 3 a.m. The nylon strap is replaceable and standard 20mm width, so customization is easy and cheap. There’s nothing here that doesn’t serve a purpose.

It’s not a luxury watch. The mineral crystal will scratch sapphire before sapphire scratches it. But for a first field watch, a beater, a travel piece or a camping companion, it handles everything asked of it without complaint.

How to get it for less

Amazon

Amazon is currently selling the Expedition Scout 40mm for $24, a 35 percent discount off the regular $37 retail price. No coupon code required.

Klipsch’s Reference Premiere II is the most elite loudspeaker range that the iconic American audio brand currently sells (aside from its famed Heritage range, of course).

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

Like all Klipsch loudspeakers, the Reference Premiere II models feature horn-loaded designs integrated with the brand’s proprietary Tractrix horn technology. This helps them be highly efficient (aka easy to drive) and deliver a highly detailed sound.

Klipsch

Klipsch

Introduced in 2022, the second-generation Reference Premiere range consists of 11 different loudspeakers: four floorstanding, two bookshelfs, three center channels and two surrounds. And they can be configured in stereo or multi-channel home theater configurations.

Right now, Klipsch is running a big sale on its entire Reference Premiere II loudspeaker range. Every bookshelf, floorstanding and center channel speaker is around 30-percent off. The wired subwoofers and Dolby Atmos modules are discounted, too.

We’ve highlighted a few of the standout deals below. For the complete sale of Klipsch’s entire Reference Premiere II range, click here.

Klipsch

Entry-Level Bookshelf Speakers

Klipsch RP-500M II

• $390 at Klipsch (Pair)
  $550 (29% off)

Klipsch

Klipsch's Flagship Bookshelf Speakers

Klipsch RP-600M II

• $490 at Klipsch (Pair)
  $700 (30% off)

Klipsch

Klipsch's Entry-Level Floorstanding Loudspeakers

Klipsch RP-5000F II

• $420 at Klipsch (Each)
  $600 (30% off)

Klipsch

Klipsch RP-8000F II

• $550 at Klipsch (Each)
  $800 (31% off)

Klipsch

Klipsch's Flagship Floorstanding Loudspeaker w/ Dolby Atmos Modules

Klipsch RP-8060FA II

• $900 at Klipsch (Each)
  $1,300 (31% off)

While most people still only think of Dogfish Head as a brewery, the brand has actually been dabbling in distilled spirits for quite some time.

In 2019, the Delaware native unveiled its first-ever whiskey under the Alternate Takes label. But these expressions have been anything but ordinary. The malt whiskey lineup focuses on barrel finishing, in everything from brandy to cider to beer casks.

Dogfish Head

Now, for its latest offering, Dogfish Head teams up with a hugely important American publication for arguably its most complex and premium whiskey so far.

Entering the spirits world

When Dogfish Head expanded its distillery production in 2014, it surprised everyone but it wasn’t completely out of nowhere.

Since the early ‘00s, the craft beer favorite had been experimenting with distilling spirits, but this was on a tiny scale and sold almost exclusively on-site. However, just over a decade ago, it scaled up the operation, opening its brand-new distillery with large copper stills for production.

Dogfish Head

This sort of “rebellious” approach is nothing new for the brand. Known as the smallest commercial brewery when it opened in 1995, Dogfish Head has always bucked tradition. It significantly helped influence the entire craft brewery industry by pushing the envelope in terms of ingredients, technique and reach.

With a portfolio consisting of gin, rum, vodka and, yes, whiskey, it’s safe to say that Dogfish Head is now the most notable craft brewery to successfully transition to the world of hard liquor as well.

Whiskey on the rocks

To celebrate America’s 250th anniversary, the brewery — er, distillery — has teamed up with an unlikely partner.

Dogfish Head

Dogfish Head

Rolling Stone, the magazine that’s become a bellwether of pop culture for the better part of 60 years, has never released a whiskey of any kind until now. The duo might feel random on paper but both icons have a penchant for the unexpected. “At Dogfish Head, we’ve always said we’re a brewery with a music problem,” says founder and brewer Sam Calagione.

Dogfish Head

The new expression is an American single malt with a five-year age statement. It pulls from a small batch of 12 barrels, combining standard whiskey with liquid finished in other casks that previously held the likes of brandy and the coveted Samuel Adams Utopias.

The end result is a 90-proof single malt that exhibits tasting notes of caramel, allspice and sherry on the palate, before giving way to a smooth finish with “subtle notes of citrus peel.”

Availability and pricing

Debuting at the Stateside Music Festival in Kingston, New York on July 4, the Dogfish Head x Rolling Stone American Single Malt will be eventually sold in Delaware, New York, New Jersey, Maryland, Washington D.C. and Massachusetts for the time being. But don’t fret, this will surely pop up on the secondary market at some point in the future.

Pricing hasn’t been officially announced but you can expect it to land in the $100 range. This is a limited-edition release with 900 cases (around 11,000 bottles) produced in total.

Dogfish Head

Dogfish Head x Rolling Stone American Single Malt Whiskey

• Learn More

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In late 2022, PSB introduced the Alpha iQ. It was an active speaker system comprised of two compact bookshelf speakers that supported Wi-Fi and Bluetooth streaming, and offered a variety of wired connections in case you wanted to use them as desktop, TV or turntable speakers. And the system came in several fun colors.

Four years later, the respected Canadian hi-fi company is effectively introducing the next generation of its active speaker systems. Like their predecessors, the all-in-one stereo system is designed to deliver hi-fi sound without the complexity of a traditional stereo system.

But, uniquely, PSB is offering its all-new iQ Series in two distinct models.

PSB iQ Series

PSB Speakers

Familiar drivers, upgraded amps

PSB’s all-new iQ Series consists of two models: the iQ1 and the iQ2. And, for the most part, both of these active speaker systems are basically identical.

Both are built on the same acoustic platform as PSB’s Alpha iQ, meaning each speaker is the same size as before and features the same driver combination: a 0.75-inch tweeter paired with a 4-inch woofer.

PSB Speakers

PSB Speakers

With both new models, PSB updated each with improved amplification. Both models feature a new Burr-Brown Class-D amplifier that delivers 270 watts of total system power, with 90 watts to each woofer and 45 watts to each tweeter.

By comparison, PSB’s older Alpha iQ was a 180-watt system. So the new models promise to be significantly beefier.

“From the new amplifier platform to the DSP tuning and driver integration, we focused on maximizing output, clarity, and control within a compact form factor,” explained Matt Simmons, the vice president of product development at PSB Speakers. “The result is a system that performs well beyond its size while maintaining the accuracy and balance that define PSB.”

PSB Speakers

PSB Speakers

Plug-and-play systems

Just like their predecessors, both iQ1 and iQ2 are incredibly versatile, “plug-and-play” speaker systems.

On the streaming side, they run BluOS and can be grouped in a multi-room system with other BluOS-enabled speakers and receivers (made by the likes of Bluesound, NAD, Dai, Monitor Audio and Roksan). They also both support AirPlay 2, Spotify Connect, Tidal Connect and Qobuz Connect.

Both systems have a built-in MM phono preamp, making connecting a turntable super easy. And they support numerous inputs (HDMI eARC, RCA, optical, USB-C and USB-A), allowing you to use them as TV or desktop speakers, too.

PSB Speakers

PSB Speakers

So, what’s the difference between the two iQ Series models? There are two big ones.

First, the iQ1 speakers must be tethered together using the included speaker cable, while the iQ2 uses a low-latency wireless connection to pair the two speakers. This gives listeners greater flexibility to place the iQ2 speakers where they want in a room without worrying about extra cables.

And second, both iQ1 and iQ2 speakers look identical and have been updated with modern designs and come with cloth fabric grilles. However, the iQ2 speakers come in way more colors.

The iQ2 speakers will be available in seven finishes: black, white, red, green, grey, beige and walnut. The iQ1 speakers only come in black or white.

PSB Speakers

PSB Speakers

Availability and pricing

PSB is positioning the iQ2 speaker system as the higher-end option. Naturally, the wireless connection and more color options come at a price: the iQ2 will cost $1,399, while the iQ1 will cost $999 (and the iQ2 in walnut will cost $1,499).

The iQ2 will be available in six finishes starting June 23rd; the walnut model won’t be available until November. The iQ1 will be available starting August 10th.

PSB Speakers

PSB iQ Series

• $999 at PSB (iQ1)
• $1,399 at PSB (iQ2)

While it’s easy enough to turn a pickup truck into an ad hoc mobile abode, making that space livable requires more creativity. 

After all, most rooftop tents or camper conversions alone only go so far. Without adding some storage or fitting a few creature comforts, you’re in for a pretty spartan way of life.

Towards this end, Colorado-based Tune Outdoor has announced a slick new solution for its truck pop-ups to make building the overlanding rig of your dreams easier than ever.

Tune Outdoor

The pieces pop-ups need

It’s called the Tune Interior Systems, and it’s essentially a range of ready-made additions designed for anyone looking to give their M1 and M1L camper a little extra refinement.

Accordingly, along with full counter and bench and club and bench combos, there’s also an option for both standalone single and double benches. If you’re after a portable water system, Tune can build that in, too.

Tune Outdoor

Like the company’s pop-tops, the components are designed to be light but also hard-wearing. Each fitting combines powder-coated aluminum hardware with Richlite surfaces to allow for minimal weight penalty while being both rust and rot-proof in the long run.

As a result, the single bench tips the scales at a mere 35 pounds. However, even the H2O-equipped counter setup is hardly a heavyweight, as it adds all of 174 pounds to your payload. 

Moreover, to make the most of these extra fittings, Tune equips its Interior Systems options with MOLLE. Beyond making for some serious storage gains, it allows for a much more customizable setup.

Tune Outdoor

A modular mobile experience

However, that’s not the only way that Tune’s interior offerings promise to be flexible in their accommodations.  

Because of the modularity of the system, you can option your setup according to your current needs (and budget) without locking yourself into any one configuration.

Tune Outdoor

That’s because, according to Tune, “interior components can be positioned, adjusted, or expanded with ease, enabling customers to customize solutions for sleeping, gear storage, cooking, and remote work. They are also completely removable, adding additional flexibility for truck owners.”

In other words, whether you’re planning for a redecoration down the road or merely equipping a rig one piece at a time, you can mix and match the setup based on its best use cases. 

Tune Outdoor

Availability and pricing

If you’re interested in Tune’s Interior Systems components, you can learn more on the brand’s website. They’re priced from $1,800 for the bench, $4,300 for the club and bench and $5,050 for the full counter and bench.

It’s worth noting that only the bench is available for home shipment, according to Tune’s social media. If you’re interested in the other components, they’ll have to be retrofitted in person or optioned with a new camper.

Tune Outdoor

Tune Interior Systems

• Starts at $1,800

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The current running boom sees the popular exercise evolving on both a macro and micro level.

Interest and accessibility are higher than ever, and brands are responding with style-focused apparel, footwear and accessories that reflect the now-broad appeal of putting one foot in front of the other.

On

On’s latest release captures that shift on a smaller scale, using metamorphosis as the inspiration behind its latest capsule.

Part of the ongoing partnership between On and Post Archive Faction (PAF), the limited-edition Cloudboom Volt PAF anchors the new Current Form 4.0 collection with a design- and performance-focused approach.

Style evolution

The Cloudboom Volt PAF blends style and substance easily, with the result being a streamlined race day shoe built to excel anywhere from 10Ks to half-marathons.

On

Most notably, the speed-tuned sneaker uses a novel, aerodynamic overlay design on the upper, paired with an integrated wrap construction, that is intended to mimic the visual effect of a moth emerging from its shell.

The unique upper is built with a breathable mesh and woven fabric, offering excellent breathability and comfort. At just 7.76 ounces, the new runner is incredibly lightweight too.

On

On

That theme of metamorphosis through movement continues through the use of two layers of Helion HF hyper foam, to deliver maximum energy return.

A carbon Speedboard insert flexes with natural movement and propels each step forward.

Finally, the rubber outsole offers enhanced grip and control over short and long runs.

On

On and PAF’s collaborative silhouette is available in two neutral-yet-stunning colorways: White/Gale and Ember/Pebble.

The shoe is available in both men’s and women’s sizing and will be released alongside a selection of high-performance apparel and accessories.

Availability and pricing

The Cloudboom Volt PAF will be available via On’s website, as well as PAF’s and select retail partners, starting June 25th, retailing for $280.

On

On Cloudboom Volt PAF

• Learn More

If you’re a millennial like me, there’s a pretty good chance that hearing the term “Sandstorm” immediately turns the techno song of the same name on in your brain. Today, especially if you’re a big fan of EDC and outdoor adventure, that association might change (okay, probably not, but still).

That’s because Leatherman just dropped its Signal Sandstorm, an even more formidable and tough military-inspired edition of arguably its best all-around outdoor multi-tool.

Leatherman

Signal boost

Leatherman has a deep catalog. Yet the Signal stands out enough to make our list of the best Leatherman multi-tools you can buy (earning the superlative “Best Leatherman Multi-Tool for Camping”).

This version retains the same form-function as it has always had. For those not in the know, that means it’s equipped with a whopping 19 tools (give or take).

Leatherman

That includes classics like a knife blade, bottle opener, bit driver, pliers and more, as well as more unique and outdoor-ready additions, like a hammer (ideal for camp stakes), carabiner (great for attaching it to your belt or pack) and fire starter.

There are no tricks, swaps, or tweaks. This Signal has all the goodies you’ve come to expect. And trust me: that’s a very good thing.

But, as this is a new release, it is different, which you can clearly see by looking at it. But it’s a lot more than just a new colorway …

Leatherman

Alexa, play “Sandstorm”

“Sandstorm,” in the case of this Leatherman, refers to this Signal’s new colorway. For those familiar with EDC and outdoor gear, the light tan colorway will probably seem familiar, as it is very common with desert-inspired gear.

But this Signal takes that a step further. The dedicated knife and saw blades also get a desert camo-inspired upgrade, granting this outdoor-friendly multi-tool some classic military-tactical styling.

Leatherman

However, it’s not just for looks. That finish is actually Cerakote, a ceramic-based coating, which adds even more durability than the blades would have on their own.

But that’s not all; the included ferro rod and sharpener also get the glow-in-the-dark treatment, which makes the whole tool easier to find in low-light situations (as well as gives it a bit of a throwback vibe).

Just remember: this is a limited-edition version of the Leatherman Signal, so it won’t be around forever.

Leatherman

Availability and pricing

The Leatherman Signal Sandstorm is now available (for a limited time) at the brand’s official site for $180 apiece.

Leatherman

Leatherman Signal Sandstorm

• $180 at Leatherman

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.

Ten years ago, Nicholas Bowman-Scargill revived Fears, the watch company founded by his great-great-great-grandfather in 1846.

One year into its twenty-first-century incarnation, the independent British watchmaker introduced the Brunswick, a cushion-shaped watch based on an archival piece from the 1920s. It quickly became the brand’s signature case and went on to house a wide range of dials, but a sporty new iteration is the first to boast 200m water resistance.

Fears Watch Co.

For much of its existence, the Brunswick collection has contained dress watches and elevated all-purpose designs. Fears first expanded the collection into tool watch territory earlier this year with its debut pilot’s watch, and now it’s hitting the open water.

The new Brunswick 40 ‘Helmsman’ ES is not explicitly a dive watch, but positioned as a tool watch for boating and other aquatic activities. It offers the water resistance, durability and legibility of a diver, but there is no rotating bezel.

Fears Watch Co.

Of course, it does bear a subtle resemblance to the Panerai Radiomir, one of the most iconic dive-ready watches of all time. But both brands hold equal claim to the cushion case that was popular a century ago, and Fears is clearly charting its own course here.

The ‘Helmsman’ is the first Brunswick to carry Fears’s Endurance Specification (ES) designation, which denotes stronger durability and functionality than the brand’s typical dressy and casual offerings.

Out to sea

The Brunswick dial has been adorned with mother-of-pearl, jumping hours and even modern art masterpieces, but the ‘Helmsman’ is outfitted with the collection’s most pragmatic and sporty motif yet.

Fears Watch Co.

The bright-white dial has a grained texture for high-contrast legibility against the applied hour markers, featuring numerals at the cardinal points. Each index is cut from solid brass, diamond-polished and finished with a blue PVD coating around the edges.

It features the standard Brunswick handset with a central seconds hand, which is encircled by a blue rehaut sporting a printed 60-second track. The hour hand, minute hand and hour markers are filled with Super-LumiNova, and the dial is capped with a domed sapphire crystal.

Brushing up

Despite the increased water resistance, the dimensions of the 40mm-wide by 12mm-tall Brunswick case are unchanged. The improvement is achieved with a screw-down variation of the signature onion crown.

However, the typical high-polish finish is replaced by a uniform coarse radial brushing, intended to hide minor abrasions and scratches.

Fears Watch Co.

Inside the case is the same La Joux-Perret Caliber G101 automatic movement found in previous central-seconds, no-date Brunswick references. It beats at 4Hz and provides a 68-hour power reserve.

Fears’s custom-decorated rotor and blued screws are visible through a sapphire exhibition caseback.

Availability and pricing

Thanks to Panerai, a cushion-shaped dive watch is nothing new. Even though Fears insists the ‘Helmsman’ is designed for boating and other water-adjacent activities, it still emphasizes that the Brunswick case looks good with any dial.

The Fears Brunswick ‘Helmsman’ 40 ES is available now from Fears for $4,380. It joins the Brunswick collection as a regular production model.

Fears Watch Co.

Fears Brunswick 40 ‘Helmsman’ ES

Specs

Case Size	40mm
Movement	La Joux-Perret Caliber G101 automatic
Water Resistance	200m

• $4,380 at Fears Watch Co.

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Right now, New Balance’s 574 Core is priced at just $75, down from $100.

The sale runs across all six available colorways currently available, making this the perfect chance to pick up one of the brand’s most classic silhouettes.

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

New Balance

Inexpensive ideology

Affordability has been central to the 574 lineup since its debut in 1988. 

In-house designer Steven Smith wanted to establish a practical alternative to the premium running shoes the brand had become known for. It took elements from its predecessors in the 500 series, like the suede and mesh construction and overall design language. 

New Balance

New Balance

The 574 simplified the upper of the 576 and lifted the sole unit of the then-new 577 to create an entirely new, budget-friendly shoe. Encap cushioning was thrown into the mix as well for supreme underfoot comfort.

Even at full price, the 574 hovers around the $100 mark, unless you’re talking about limited-edition drops (e.g., the Salehe Bembury “Shark Skin” collab hit over $2,000 on the secondhand market shortly after its 2021 release).

New Balance

In fact, so many 574 models have been released over the years that New Balance started labeling their evergreen, year-round colorways as the “Core” variants over a decade ago.

Reinventing the dad shoe

The 574 wasn’t a technological breakthrough by any means. But how it combined existing elements into a versatile silhouette remains an innovation in its own right. It was so accessible and comfortable that, quickly, runners started using the 574 as their everyday sneakers as well. Pretty soon, non-runners started wearing these as well.

New Balance

New Balance

Concerning itself with practicality over looks, the 574 didn’t invent the dad shoe but it helped define what people think of when they hear the term. 

New Balance

Availability and pricing

The 574 Core sale is still up and running for all six colorways, with most sizes still available — save for the navy blue variant, which is disappearing quickly. 

Nevertheless, New Balance has all of these at $75, which is 25% below the sticker price.

New Balance

New Balance 574 Core

• $75 at New Balance
  $100 (25% off)

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In 2023, Tissot added to its popular PRX line of integrated sports watches in a highly unexpected way by introducing a digital version of the retro-themed stunner.

Introduced as the most affordable watch in the PRX lineup, the PRX Digital immediately became a lightning rod for controversy. While some thought the LCD screen added to the watch’s trademark ’70s and ’80s-inspired retro charms, others disliked the design and found it confusing.

If you fall into the former camp, or even if you’re a card-carrying member of the PRX Digital Haters Club, now is the time to buy the watch thanks to a crazy sale at Macy’s.

Digital deal

Tissot

For today only, Macy’s is having a flash sale on some of its watches. Most of its selection consists of fashion watches I would never recommend anyone buy, but there is a small collection of Tissots included in the sale, including the entire lineup of PRX Digital watches.

There are six references in total. Four are in plain stainless steel with either a black or silver dial, both of which are available in 35mm and 40mm sizes. There’s also a yellow gold PVD version that comes in both of those sizes.

All six models are powered by the same ETA Calibre 2040 quartz movement, which packs in features like a chronograph, timer, alarm, day, date and dual time zone, along with an on-demand backlight.

Tissot

Additionally, you’re still getting most of what you’d get from an analog PRX, including the same nicely finished case and bracelet design (the latter equipped with a quick-release system for swapping in Tissot’s rubber straps), a sapphire crystal and 100m of water resistance.

Think of the watch as a Casio given a souped-up Swiss makeover.

Availability and pricing

For today only, with the flash sale ending in the wee hours of the morning on June 24, Tissot is offering half off the entire lineup of PRX Digital watches, meaning the most affordable PRX is now absurdly cheap.

The four plain steel models are now $197.50, marked down from $399, while the two gold PVD models are $237.50, down from $475.

It seems Land Rover’s new baby Defender isn’t going all-electric after all. New reports and a recent spotting of a developmental test mule suggest that the British automaker is backtracking on its decision to make its new small off-roader an EV.

Instead, it’ll be a gas-electric hybrid. Speaking to AutoCar, the chief product manager for the Defender and Discovery, Mark Cameron, said his team made major adjustments to Jaguar-Land Rover’s new and highly anticipated EMA platform.

No more range anxiety

When Land Rover broke the news that it would build a smaller and more affordable Defender model, the British automaker pledged to make it among its first EVs. It was part of Jaguar-Land Rover’s ambitious electrification strategy, which eventually planned for the carmaker to ditch internal combustion power altogether.

However, much like many other automakers, JLR saw the writing on the wall regarding the EV’s lukewarm reception. At least here in America, which is one of its biggest markets.

Thus, the British conglomerate decided to pivot from its all-electric future to a gas-electric hybrid one.

Land Rover

According to the report, Land Rover is shifting its focus on hybridization rather than going full electric. However, Jaguar’s EV plans remain in place.

As a result, those looking forward to the new baby Defender won’t have to worry about range anxiety or the ownership complications of having an EV.

Cameron confirmed to AutoCar that JLR’s new platform, EMA, “will now include the option of HEV [hybrid] as well as BEV [battery-electric]” power. The EMA platform is what the new baby Defender will ride on.

Expanding Defender as a subbrand

Land Rover

When the new baby Defender arrives, it will further Land Rover’s plans to spin off the Defender nameplate into its own sub-brand. It’s a marketing and nomenclature move that the brand originally made with its other models.

For example, when Land Rover launched the Range Rover Sport, the carmaker continued branding Range Rover models as their own, despite unmistakably being Land Rovers. Although Range Rover models do have Land Rover badges here and there, they’re mostly “Range Rover” badges on the exterior and interior.

Land Rover USA

The Range Rover lineup has since expanded to the Evoque and Velar. The same strategy also defined the Discovery models, with the Discovery Sport and its standard counterpart.

Now, Land Rover wants to do the same with the Defender, which consists of three body styles: 90, 110 and 130. With the arrival of the baby Defender, speculation suggests the smaller model will be named the “Defender Sport.”

Land Rover

“We’ve got a portfolio of one model with several variants, but I’m working seven to 10 years ahead to build out this whole brand portfolio,” Cameron continued.

“We’ve got to make sure everything we do as Defender has the DNA of the brand: epic built-to-last, go-anywhere capability.”

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.

Victorinox is unquestionably a titan of the everyday carry industry, as it is the only brand in the world with the legal right to manufacture Swiss Army Knives.

While not quite a monopoly (technically, SAKs are a form of multi-tool), this does mean you’re at the whims of the brand’s pricing.

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

Right now, you have a rare chance to score some of the brand’s best offerings at a rare discount, as Victorinox has joined Amazon’s Prime Day 2026 sale. Check out some of the best options below:

Amazon

Victorinox Fieldmaster Swiss Army Knife

When most folks think of a Swiss Army Knife, they’re probably imagining something like the Fieldmaster. It’s an exceptional all-around offering.

• $41 at Amazon
  $52 (21% off)

Amazon

Victorinox Swiss Tool Swiss Army Knife

If you prefer the format of pliers-based multi-tools, à la Leatherman, this might be a better Victorinox option for you. It’s also among the brand’s most comprehensively equipped offerings.

• $124 at Amazon
  $155 (20% off)

Amazon

Victorinox Rally Swiss Army Knife

This simple, compact keychain SAK is perfect for those who want the advantages of a multi-tool but maybe don’t have the space in their pockets.

• $14 at Amazon
  $18 (22% off)

In the market for a good pair of bookshelf speakers at a great price? Well, you’re in luck.

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

Right now, KEF is running a big sale on its newest entry-level bookshelf speakers: the Q1 Meta. A pair normally sells for $700, but right now the British audio maker is slashing the price by $300.

KEF

KEF’s affordable bookshelf speakers

Released in late 2024, the Q1 Meta is the most affordable pair of passive bookshelf speakers that KEF currently sells.

At the time of their release, the British audio maker claimed that it was bringing “high-fidelity sound to more people than ever before, combining a sleek, modern design with cutting-edge technology.”

KEF

KEF

The Q1 Meta are bookshelf speakers with a two-way bass-reflex design. And they are equipped with KEF’s latest-generation Uni-Q driver, featuring its proprietary Metamaterial Absorption Technology (MAT).

This is the same driver-and-tech combo that KEF currently utilizes in its higher-end R Series Meta range and popular LS50 Meta hi-fi speakers.

The only caveat is that the Q1 Meta aren’t the easiest bookshelf speakers to drive, requiring an amplifier that can handle a 4-ohm nominal load and deliver between 50 to 150 watts per channel.

KEF

KEF

Save $300

KEF offers its Q1 Meta bookshelf speakers in three different finishes: satin black, satin white and walnut.

Right now, KEF is selling the Q1 Meta for $400. Several other online retailers, including Amazon and Best Buy, are matching this price.

KEF

KEF Q1 Meta

• $400 at Amazon
  $700 (43% off)
• $400 at KEF
  $700 (43% 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.

Kickstarter

Outdoor Element pen-metheus

This multi-tool pen further proves the point that small packages often contain multitudes of utility. The focus of Outdoor Element’s latest Kickstarter campaign is the pen-metheus, and EDC-ified pen/ fire starter with a strong selection of features. The adventure-ready design hides a replaceable fire rod alongside fire tinder hidden in the cap. Crafted from lightweight, hard-anodized aircraft-grade AL6061-T6 aluminum, the small-but-mighty 1.6 ounce writing implement is constructed to withstand weather, wear and life in a pocket. Available in safety orange, gunmetal grey and black, the pen-metheus is illuminating beyond its fire starting capabilities … it also includes glow in the dark O-rings and reflectors, making it easy to find when light is low. The pen is expected to ship in November 2026.

• $35 at Kickstarter
  $52 (33% off)

Beta USA

2027 Beta 250 RXF

Aiming to set a new standard for 250cc four-stroke performance, this all-new Italian motocross monster boasts a dual overhead cam engine proudly made in-house in Florence with “a piston design straight from F1 technology,” electric start, dual-injector fuel injection and ample available power across the rev range. The RXF also features a frame purpose-built for balanced performance and KYB suspension tuned to suit the bike’s nimble 222.6-pound dry weight.

• Learn More

Valve

Valve Steam Machine

A storied and respected name in the PC gaming space, Valve-owned Steam is finally making the long-awaited jump to couch gaming with its first plug-and-play console. On the heels of the Steam Deck, this GameCube-like device has up to 2TB of storage, Semi-Custom AMD RDNA3 28CUs, a Semi-custom AMD Zen 4 6C/12T CPU, 16GB DDR5 and 8GB GDDR6 VRAM and so much more. Sony and Microsoft might be in trouble. After a long wait, pricing has finally been unveiled, but does this console-PC hybrid come at too high a cost?

• Starts at $1,049

TAG Heuer

TAG Heuer Connected Calibre E5 x TaylorMade Edition

Several major watch brands rushed to create their own smartwatches following the debut of the Apple Watch a decade ago, and most have long since fallen by the wayside. But the TAG Heuer Connected is still going strong, mainly thanks to the luxury smartwatch’s popularity with golfers. Now, TAG is taking the next logical step by partnering with Taylormade on a special edition of the Connected. The special edition features Taylormade co-branding with exclusive watch faces, straps and design cues, along with a bevy of golf-specific features, including automatic shot tracking, longest drive and a new hole layout view.

• $2,550 at TAG Heuer

Mo_&_A

Mo_&_A Delica Car Light / Side Table

Are you a big Mitsubishi Delica fan? So big, that you wish you could bring the van into your living space? Mo_&_A has you covered with its latest Delica taillight-based side table. And it’s exactly what it sounds like. Featuring an actual taillight assembly from a second-gen Delica, Mo_&_A then custom fabricates a nightstand-like side table around the lighting assembly. But it’s not just for show, as the manufacturer also wires it up with three metal toggle switches, all of which illuminate either the brake, turn signal, or reverse lights individually for a more eye-catching appeal. But at over $9,000 retail, you’ll have to decide if you want this or an actual whole Delica.

• $9,160 at Mo_&_A Delica Car Light / Side Table

Due to a lack of infrastructure and ever-increasing production costs, the United States just doesn’t have the same kind of watchmaking tradition as, say, Switzerland or even Japan.

And that makes Weiss, purveyor of field watches and more, a diamond in the rough, as the brand is one of the few that offers watches with American-made movements (meaning not just “assembled” in the USA).

Yet, even for this outfit, the Imogene + Willie x Weiss Watch Co. 38mm Automatic 002 is particularly steeped in Americana.

Imogene + Willie

American fieldwork

Even without the collaborative elements, this Weiss field watch is pretty special. And that goes far beyond its stunning, classic good looks. In fact, a lot of it is hidden from even the keenest eyes.

For example, that classic polished silver case isn’t made from stainless steel, as is typical of most field watches (and watches in general). Rather, this one is crafted from titanium, making it lighter and stronger.

Imogene + Willie

Yet, there’s an argument to be made that what is housed within that case is far more crucial. The movement is a house-made Weiss Watch Company Caliber 2130 mechanical movement, built on a 2892A2 base that’s finished and assembled by hand. And yes, it’s an automatic.

The watch also features a sapphire crystal on both the front and the exhibition caseback. And the whole, beautiful package is rated for depths of up to 100 meters.

Imogene + Willie

USA, all the way

The timepiece itself qualifies as perhaps the only “true” USA-made field watch currently on the market. However, Imogene + Willie have equipped it with stylish elements that deepen its connection to Americana.

Each watch comes with two straps. The first is a classic Cordura nylon fabric strap, which hearkens to the origins of the field watch. It’s also incredibly tough and durable.

Imogene + Willie

The second is arguably even more spectacular, as it is crafted from high-quality Horween leather, sourced from the brand’s world-famous tannery in Chicago, and hand-sewn in Nashville. Both straps are distinct and really alter the watch’s vibe, offering plenty of versatility.

As a finishing touch, every watch comes in a “custom I+W pouch constructed from Mt. Vernon Mills canvas with an individually numbered certificate of authenticity, all housed inside a custom Weiss red oak wooden box,” according to the brand.

Imogene + Willie

Availability and pricing

The Imogene + Willie x Weiss Watch Co. 38mm Automatic 002 is live on the former brand’s site with a $3,200 price tag. Unfortunately, it looks like it may have already sold out, and, as a limited edition, it’s doubtful that it will return.

Imogene + Willie

Imogene + Willie x Weiss Watch Co. 38mm Automatic 002

Specs

Case Size	38mm
Movement	Weiss Caliber 2130
Water Resistance	100m

• $3,200 at Imogene + Willie

Leatherman is one of those brands with such a unique, undeniable appeal that its products rarely go directly on sale.

So on the rare occasions that actually happens, we sit up and take notice, which is exactly what we are doing right now, thanks to some sweet discounts of up to half off.

While items appear to be selling out fast, some coveted multi-tools remain, as does an excellent pair of multifunctional shears and one of the brand’s coolest high-end fixed blades. 

Shop the compelling quintet below, and note that discounted prices only appear on Leatherman’s site when you add items to your cart.

Leatherman

Leatherman Wave Plus

With nearly 2,600 on-site reviews and an average star rating of 4.7, the bestselling Wave Plus can sit back and let the fans do the talking. But if you wonder what makes it so appealing, know that into its compact 4-inch, 8.5-ounce form, it packs a whopping 18 tools, including multiple pliers, wire cutters, bit drivers, files and blades, plus an electrical crimper, wire stripper, saw, spring-action scissors, ruler, can opener and bottle opener.

• $104 at Leatherman
  $130 (20% off)

Leatherman

Leatherman Rebar

Made primarily of 420HC and 440C stainless steel, this outdoor enthusiast’s dream deploys 17 essential tools including multiple pliers, wire cutters, knives and screwdrivers. Three two-toned handle colorways — Burnt Sienna, Mossy Slate and Heathered Cranberry — come courtesy of a Cerakote finish that boosts resistance to abrasion, wear, corrosion and chemicals.

• $80 at Leatherman
  $100.02 (20% off)

Leatherman

Leatherman Knifeless Rebar

Not unlike the standard Rebar, this stainless steel multi-tool offers a bunch of handy functions including multiple pliers, wire cutters and screwdrivers, plus can and bottle openers and a saw. However, as the name suggests, it travels a lot easier thanks to the key difference: in place of the original’s two knife blades, it features spring-action scissors.

• $80 at Leatherman
  $100 (20% off)

Few coffee makers have earned the kind of consensus the Technivorm Moccamaster has. Beloved by specialty coffee shops, praised by Serious Eats, and endorsed by Food & Wine, the Dutch-built brewer has held its reputation for decades by doing one thing exceptionally well: brewing coffee at the right temperature, fast, every time. That consistency has made it the default recommendation for anyone who wants genuinely great coffee without a learning curve.

For Prime Day, Technivorm has significantly lowered the prices of its most popular drip coffee machines across a wide range of colors.

Technivorm

The Technivorm Moccamaster 79315 KBGT (Midnight Black Edition) is a notable standout, as it’s the first all-matte-black version of the machine and was only released recently. It’s on sale now from $240, down from its regular $359. That’s the lowest price the KBGT has seen this year, and other color variants of the machine are even slightly cheaper.

The classic and most widely reviewed Technivorm Moccamaster 53930 KBGV 10-Cup Coffee Maker is also included in the sale in over 20 colors. The iconic silver version costs just $239, down from $370, making this the second-lowest price we’ve ever seen for this machine, though your exact savings will vary depending on which of the 20+ color options you choose.

Technivorm

A third and most affordable option, the Technivorm 59691 KB Coffee Brewer, is also on sale, dropping to $227 from $339, in a range of colors and finishes. Unlike the 53930 KBGV mentioned above, which can handle full or half batches of coffee with the flip of a single switch, the cheaper 59691 requires users to adjust a manual, 3-way adjustable switch on the brew basket, which, frankly, isn’t a big deal at all.

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

Why a Moccamaster is worth considering

Technivorm

The KBGT brews at 196 – 205°F — the range specialty coffee professionals consider optimal — and cycles through a full 40-ounce carafe in 4 – 6 minutes. That speed matters because it prevents the brew bed from over-extracting, which is the main source of coffee bitterness.

The thermal carafe maintains temperature for hours without a hot plate, preserving flavor. Eater’s review called the machine’s build quality immediately apparent — and it is. Technivorm hand-assembles every unit in Amerongen, Netherlands, and backs each one with a five-year warranty.

Photo by Henry Phillips for Gear Patrol

The Midnight Black colorway is a newer addition to the lineup. We covered its debut — it brings a matte-black finish to the KBGT’s already clean silhouette, making it one of the better-looking appliances you can put on a counter. The KBGT’s thermal carafe distinguishes it from the glass-carafe KB variant; if you drink coffee over a longer stretch in the morning, the thermal model is the right call.

Availability and pricing

All three models are discounted through Amazon for Prime Day. The KBGT in Midnight Black is $240 (regularly $359), and the KB Brewer is $227 (regularly $339). The classic Technivorm Moccamaster 53930 KBGV 10-Cup Coffee Maker is $239 (regularly $370).

As our Prime Day coverage from last year noted, Moccamaster deals at this depth don’t linger — and this year’s discount is steeper than most.

Amazon

Technivorm Moccamaster 59691 KB Coffee Brewer

• $227 at Amazon
  $339 (33% off)

Technivorm

Technivorm Moccamaster 79315 KBGT (Midnight Black)

• $359 at Moccamaster
• $233 at Amazon
  $359 (35% off)

Technivorm

Technivorm Moccamaster KBGV Select 10-Cup (Polished Silver)

• $239 at Amazon
  $369 (35% off)

The Clarks Wallabee is undoubtedly one of the most iconic chukka boots ever made. Okay, so it’s not technically a chukka (it might be more accurate to call it a modified moccasin), but it’s still in the same general class in terms of style.

Yet, even across its nearly 60-year history and dozens (if not hundreds) of variants, it has never looked quite like the Moncler Trailgrip Clarks Wallabee GTX.

This version takes the legendary boot and turns its capabilities up to 11, all while still maintaining its original spirit.

Moncler

Give ’em the boot

Moncler has, thankfully, largely maintained the styling of the Clarks Wallabee upper. After all, it’s largely what makes the boot so iconic.

To that end, the upper of this version comes in either soft khaki or beige (and, apparently, a third, unannounced rust-like color) suede, granting them a refined, textured appearance and a soft-to-the-touch feel.

Moncler

The boot also retains its moccasin-style squared shape and simple lacing system. However, not all is as it may seem …

Those in the know may have already realized this boot has a crucial hint in its name: the GTX at the end. Short for Gore-Tex, it means these uppers are, in fact, given a waterproof membrane that, even in a downpour, will keep your feet dry as a bone.

Yet, for as interesting and rugged as the upper is, the outsole is even more so.

Moncler

All-terrain titan

Obviously, the upper has at least one significant change from the original Wallabee. That said, a GTX membrane isn’t exactly new for Clarks. The outsole of this edition, however, is another story entirely.

Again, the boot’s name, “Trailgrip,” gives an inkling of what to expect. You see, Trailgrip is already the name of an ongoing Moncler series. And while the upper is all Wallabee, the outsole is Trailgrip through and through.

Moncler

Like its siblings, this boot gets a thick Vibram outsole complete with a comprehensive all-terrain-capable tread pattern, including a wraparound toe. That addition makes this a far more formidable take on a Wallabee, one that could actually tackle difficult hiking trails while remaining stable and steady.

While this take on the Wallabee is a highlight of Moncler’s forthcoming launches, it’s just one among many. Other upcoming releases include collaborations with Fragment and Rick Owens. Furthermore, the brand is poised to launch its lightest Trailgrip shoe ever.

Point is: there’s a lot to look forward to in Moncler’s immediate future.

Moncler

Availability and pricing

Pricing and availability have yet to be unveiled for the Moncler Trailgrip Clarks Wallabee GTX. However, if the brand’s other Trailgrip shoes are any indication, this drop should soar above $500 per pair, likely closer to $1,000.

Moncler

Moncler Trailgrip Clarks Wallabee GTX

• Learn More

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’ve been wondering what’s been going on with Slate, so have I. But recently, and somewhat finally, the Amazon/Jeff Bezos-backed affordable electric vehicle startup finally broke its radio silence to give some updates.

Whether those updates are meaningful depends on your perspective. But it’s not off to the grandest of starts as one of the developments pertains to Slate’s projected asking price. It’s not quite what I’d hoped.

It’s not even out yet and it already got more expensive

Slate Auto

According to a recent development, The Autopian stumbled upon some telling clues on some of Slate’s webpages. Embedded in the HTML code were some statements that alluded to a pretty significant price hike from Slate’s originally pledged MSRP.

When the EV pickup first broke cover, executives promised it would cost less than $20,000 to start. In the latest discovery, however, the embedded code suggested the Slate’s new MSRP would now be well past the $20k mark at $24,950.

Slate Auto

For an affordable truck aimed at the masses, a difference of around $5,000 is a hefty chunk of change. Whether this is official, has yet to be determined.

But analysts and EV specialists did speculate that Slate’s original MSRP may not be realistic after the Trump Administration essentially eliminated all federal EV tax credits. And this price increase may reflect that policy change.

It’ll be very customizable, but still no word about what really matters

2027 Slate Auto Truck

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In another recent update, Slate’s CEO, Peter Faricy, also came out of the woodwork with some words to share. Though, instead of giving the world a hard confirmation regarding the truck’s lead time until production starts, he instead shared how customizable the truck will be.

Speaking with the Detroit Free Press, Faricy announced that customization will be at the forefront of the truck’s experience. Which is something we sort of already knew.

Going into further detail, Faricy announced that Slate’s truck will come with the choice of over 100+ colors. But it won’t offer this level of customization in the same way other automakers do, which is with conventional paint shops.

Slate Auto

Rather, Slate will offer over 100 different exterior vinyl wrap colors. According to Faricy, this helps keep production costs down by omitting an entire department dedicated to exterior paint and body work.

It also provides buyers lots of options, and it’s all a part of the company’s personalization ethos. There will even be choices to opt for a full SUV body, or a cab with an open bed.

“It’s mass customization. You do you,” Faricy said. “You pick the accessories and colors,” Faricy said. “We’ll have 54 basic wraps and 45-50 with metallic finishes and other designs. We’ll even print designs for people starting in 2027.”

Expect the real important news bits on June 24

Slate Auto

In the same interview with the Detroit Free Press, Faricy also reconfirmed Slate’s big announcement on June 24. The company previously announced that specific date as the start of preorders in May of this year.

However, he didn’t go into much further detail to elaborate beyond what’s already known. So far, the world is expecting a small, affordable pickup that can also take shape as an SUV or fastback.

Slate Auto

Slate is pledging a driving range of at least 150 miles on a single charge, while also betting on simplicity and cost efficiency when compared to all the other major pickup players out there.

Can it deliver? We’ll find out in a few days.

We watch enthusiasts love mechanical watches for their craftsmanship, history and romantic charm, not their practicality. In most cases, a cheap quartz watch will be more accurate and require less maintenance, offering a “grab-and-go” alternative to complex mechanical watches.

But what if a mechanical watch solved two of the biggest drawbacks of the category in making a watch that you almost never have to set or even wind?

That’s exactly what Vacheron Constantin has accomplished with its updated Traditionnelle Twin Beat Perpetual Calendar.

Vacheron Constantin

Set it and forget it

Vacheron Constantin is no stranger to producing world-beating complicated watches. The world’s oldest continuously operating watch brand currently owns the records for the most complicated wristwatch and pocket watch ever made. Its latest creation, while a bit less complicated than those record-breakers, is definitely more practical.

The Traditionnelle Twin Beat Perpetual Calendar is, obviously, a perpetual calendar. It simultaneously tracks the month, date and leap year, with each of the three displays engineered to instantaneously “jump” when it’s their time to switch over.

Because perpetual calendars automatically adjust for leap years, their dates never need to be reset as long as the watch remains wound. But therein lies the problem.

Vacheron Constantin

Perpetual calendar movements, especially those with jumping displays, require a lot of power. Most only have a few days’ worth of juice when fully wound, so if you forget to wear your watch for a few days, or maybe leave it at home while on vacation, you’ll have to go through the lengthy resetting process when you’re ready to wear it again.

But not with the Traditionnelle Twin Beat Perpetual Calendar. The original version of the watch, which Vacheron launched in 2019, boasted a ludicrous power reserve of 65 days. The new version is even more absurd, fitting in another full work week for a complete power reserve of 70 days.

So how does VC pull this off? Well, the watch’s newly optimized Calibre 3610 QP movement features two escapements oscillating at different frequencies. One beats at an “Active” high-beat frequency of 5Hz and is meant for times when the watch is on your wrist, while a far lower 1.2Hz “Standby” frequency is intended to be used when the watch is at rest.

Vacheron Constantin

Both escapements are connected to a coaxial double mainspring barrel by their own dedicated gear train. Pressing the pusher on the side of the case at 8:00 switches between the two escapements, with a display at 9:00 on the dial indicating which mode is currently selected.

The Standby mode will accurately keep the perpetual calendar running as long as the watch lies flat, but it’s not intended to be worn, as its slow frequency is too delicate and susceptible to disturbances. If left in Active mode, the power reserve drops to just four days, so switching to Standby mode whenever you remove the watch is advisable.

The movement, which has 480 components but measures just 6mm thick, is packed into a 42mm x 12.3mm platinum case and features an impressive multilayer dial that combines a hand-guillochéd 18k white gold upper half with an openworked lower half featuring transparent sapphire subdials.

Vacheron Constantin

The central time display is tracked via dauphine hands and applied markers in white gold, while a power reserve indicator displaying the balances for both escapements appears at 12:00. Date and month are tracked on disc displays at 8:00 and 4:00, while the year (1–4) is displayed in a window at 6:00.

The open sapphire caseback showcases the heavily decorated reverse side of the movement, with both escapements and the mainspring barrel all visible. The watch is mounted on a sporty black calf leather strap with a Cordura-like texture, red stitching and a platinum pin buckle.

Availability and pricing

As one of Vacheron’s halo products, the new Traditionnelle Twin Beat Perpetual Calendar isn’t exactly accessible. The price is only available upon request, ane while the watch isn’t technically a limited edition, I don’t expect VC to pump out a ton of these.

Vacheron Constantin

Vacheron Constantin Traditionnelle Twin Beat Perpetual Calendar

Specs

Case Size	42mm
Movement	Vacheron Constantin Cal. 3610 QP manual-wind perpetual calendar
Water Resistance	30m

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For athletes dedicated to both strength and speed, finding a single shoe built to do it all can be one of the biggest obstacles to reaching and surpassing their training and competition goals.

While most shoes are designed primarily for either running or strength training, a growing category of hybrid trainers aims to bridge the gap.

Adidas

Now, one of the most trusted names in sports and footwear is adding a new contender to the field that mixes an affordable price point with high-end tech.

The Adidas Adizero Dropset Pro Training Shoe combines performance tech from the brand’s renowned running lineup and its strength-training franchise, creating a versatile trainer built to handle everything from explosive lifts to high-speed workouts … without breaking the bank.

Built for everything

The Adizero Dropset Elite, launched earlier in 2026, delivered an ultra-premium take on hybrid training.

The new Adizero Dropset Pro Training Shoe combines the speed-focused innovation of Adizero with the stability-driven DNA of Dropset at a far more accessible price point.

Adidas

The resulting model is fast, grippy and stable, engineered to handle the rigors of hybrid training and competition.

Designed with running, lunging, lifting and more in mind, the Adizero Dropset Pro is able to lock in or stay light, depending what the athlete needs.

Adidas

Underfoot, the new silhouette is built with LightstrikePro supercritical foam, which offers next-level energy return and ultra-light cushioning. (The men’s version weighs just 8.54 ounces per pair, while the women’s weighs a mere 7.16 ounces.)

Adidas

Adidas

Additionally, the new super hybrid trainer features more minimal materials, including an engineered mesh upper that provides support and flexibility, a weight-saving, ultra-thin 2.6mm Adizero EVA sockliner and the brand’s breathable Climacool technology.

A grippy Lighttraxion outsole built with Continental rubber and integrated Energyrods for stable heel-to-toe transitions help control pace and ground the super-light super shoe.

Adidas

The latest edition in the Adizero Dropset franchise cements Adidas as a power player in hybrid training and reflects the brand’s commitment to providing excellence in the fast-growing performance category at every price point.

Availability and pricing

The Adizero Dropset Pro Training Shoes are available now on Adidas’ website, retailing for $150.

Adidas

Adidas Adizero Dropset Pro Training Shoes

• $150 at Adidas

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“The best ability is availability.”

This old adage, often attributed to Hall of Fame NFL coach Bill Parcells, extolls the notion that being an amazing athlete means nothing if you are always injured or otherwise unable to actually play.

Ideaspark

Along similar lines, the best multi-tool is not the one with 83 functions; it’s the one that’s simplest to actually bring along.

Leaning into that reasoning is the latest from Ideaspark, the K-Smart X, which rides light and easy on your belt or pack or in your pocket so it’s ready to deliver when you need it most.

K-Smart me up

Currently more than 1,400% funded on Kickstarter with weeks to go, the K-Smart X is Ideaspark’s fifth edition of a multi-tool it launched back in 2022. 

Ideaspark

That’s promising, as it indicates a product that’s not only popular enough to stick for years but also one revamped to its most highly evolved form yet. 

Designed to slide onto a belt but also perfect for clipping to a backpack, dropping in a pocket or stashing in an EDC sling, the K-Smart X is one slim 4-inch multi-tool offering 10 handy functions, give or take.

Ideaspark

These include a combo pry bar/box cutter/nail puller, bottle opener, 1/4″ and 1/6″ bit driver, metric/imperial ruler, hex wrench, fire starter and a 360-degree rotatable/releasable keyring, making it easy to detach actual keys when using any of the tools.

As usual, there is a bit of function-flation happening on the campaign page; sorry, Ideaspark, but I refuse to count tritium slots or a keyring hole as “functions.”

Ideaspark

On the upside, it is made of grade-5 titanium, which offers a ton of strength for its weight, meaning this roughly 1.1-ounce unit can stand up to years of abuse.

Ideaspark also points out that this generation improves upon earlier versions with a leaner form factor, smoother action, more reach, a one-handed bit driver and a textured side grip. 

Ideaspark

It has also ditched the spring in the back clip, which ultimately makes it a bit less fidgety and a lot more durable. 

Throw in the fact that right now you can get it for less than $60, and the K-Smart X has a pretty respectable “best” case scenario, no?

Availability and pricing

Ideaspark’s K-Smart X is available now on Kickstarter for the Super Early Bird price of $55. Estimated delivery is September.

Ideaspark

Ideaspark K-Smart X

• $55 at Kickstarter

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When it comes to New Balance, minimalism is almost always relative. After all, part of the dad shoe appeal is putting the utility and tech on full display. 

Aside from the occasional flat white colorway, the Massachusetts-based footwear brand does break from its typical busy aesthetic from time to time. Several collabs with Tokyo Design Studio come to mind, or even the seamless Fresh Foam X RCVRY slip-on. 

But with the latest iteration of its retro-inspired lifestyle shoe, New Balance is showcasing ultimate restraint where it matters most.

New Balance

Future tech

Debuting last year as part of New Balance’s push into more futuristic construction, the Abzorb 2000 is a Y2K-inspired lifestyle runner. Rather than a smooth midsole, the geometry underfoot is sculpted.

New Balance

The exaggerated engineering combines a full-length Abzorb midsole with multiple segmented units of visible Abzorb SBS pods.

The 2000 still possesses the same design language we’ve grown accustomed to with the brand, but with a base that’s decidedly more experimental. 

New Balance

Understated upper

With the new 2000S (“S” for “Sleek” of course), New Balance manages to deliver a fashion-forward interpretation of the Abzorb 2000.

New Balance

The upper is completely stripped down, featuring wide uninterrupted panels extending from front to back, save for gradient texturing heading toward the laces. Mesh comes into play at the top of the shoe, surrounding the collar and eyestay.

Unveiled in a light gray colorway, the shoe isn’t completely monochromatic. Black is used for the rubber outsole, while a dark charcoal accents the midsole and shadows the bottom of the mesh panel.

New Balance

Most notably, the classic “N” logo is minimized significantly, with a small version right below the bottom of the laces. There is no “N” on the inner foot.

At first glance, this looks like a completely new silhouette. But the entire midsole and outsole tooling remains the same with the twofold Abzorb tech underfoot.

More colors are expected to drop. Back in April, Quadro Creations unveiled bright yellow and anthracite colorways during its runway show.

Availability and pricing

The 2000S is expected to land this fall. Pricing has yet to be announced, but for comparison, the standard Abzorb 2000 is $170.

New Balance

New Balance 2000S Grey

• Shop Now at New Balance

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As much as I love the idea of an EDC multi-tool, some of the heavy hitters aren’t as pocket-friendly as we’ve all been led to believe. And yes, I’m talking about big hits, including Leatherman’s best offerings.

Tacray came out with one last year that skirted the bulk without losing its utility or formidability. And now, the Tacray MT1 is back with a duo of new editions, including a military tactical-inspired version.

Tacray

Pocket powerhouse

To truly understand the balance of utility and EDC-friendliness of the MT1, you should probably first look at its size specs. When closed, this multi-tool measures just 3.5 inches.

At its longest (with its blade deployed), it measures 5.67 inches. It also measures 1.18 inches wide and 0.51 inches deep. Pair that with its light weight (2.89 ounces), and you’ve got a multi-tool that takes up little more room than a standard, dedicated, full-sized EDC knife.

Tacray

It’s also built rock-solid, with an aluminum frame that’s as lightweight as it is durable and stable. And the implements are built from 10Cr15MoV steel, which is roughly equivalent to VG-10.

It also gets a pocket clip, making it even easier to slip in and out of your pocket on demand. In simple terms, this EDC multi-tool is highly pocket-friendly yet tough and durable.

And we haven’t even gotten to its utility yet …

Tacray

Genuine EDC utility

The MT1 has over eight integrated tools. One, perhaps obviously, is its integrated, dedicated tanto knife blade. Several of the others can be found opposite that blade, in a second deployable implement. But here’s the best part: both are independently locking, making them more secure in use.

That secondary implement, by the way, includes a bottle opener, driver, seatbelt cutter and pry bar. Then, down at the base of the knife, there’s a glass breaker, perfect for emergency usage.

Tacray

But perhaps the most interesting and surprisingly useful element of all is the MT1’s onboard flashlight. Rechargeable by USB-C and capable of producing up to 260 lumens across three brightness levels, it is highly utilitarian and helpful at night, in dark areas (like an engine bay) and more.

The two new versions of the MT1 retain all that utility and the same build, but get some big style upgrades. The first sees a jungle camouflage applied to its frame, giving it military tactical vibes, while the other is a toxic green and red that’s a bit more apocalyptic.

Tacray

Availability and pricing

Tacray’s MT1 in Jungle Ops and Zombie Green is now available on the brand’s official site for $89 apiece.

Tacray

Tacray MT1

• $89 at Tacray (Jungle Ops)
• $89 at Tacray (Zombie Green)

In case you haven’t seen Ford v Ferrari, the Blue Oval made history at the 24 hours of Le Mans back in 1966 with an authoritative 1-2-3 win led by Ken Miles.

Beyond delivering on Hank the Deuce’s personal ambitions against the Prancing Horse, it was a result that solidified the company as a true racing presence. For good reason, as the GT40 amounted to quite a feat of engineering (and spending).

Cape Advanced Vehicles

60 years after that performance, a company is taking that legend in a new direction. Though it bears some resemblance to Ford’s Le Mans icon, a closer look reveals a vehicle of a markedly different nature.

A fresh take on a Ford icon

It’s called the GT Mk II, and it’s a project that comes from South Africa’s Cape Advanced Vehicles (CAV). The outfit has been offering GT40 replicas for 27 years now, and the creation you see before you is its vision of a spiritual successor.

Cape Advanced Vehicles

Accordingly, you’ll find a few choice nods to the Ford original. In addition to a similar front end, the Mk II sports some obviously GT40-inspired lighting and familiar duct and aero designs, among various other reinterpreted touches.

Beneath the retro-inspired bodywork, though, it’s a very different vehicle. CAV has designed the car around an aluminum and carbon fiber monocoque chassis that’s speculated to be from the first-generation Audi R8. (I mean, just a look at those A-pillars.)

Cape Advanced Vehicles

In any event, beyond modernities like ABS, TCS and airbags, this means that it brings an all-wheel drivetrain and a 4.2-liter V8. However, CAV’s engine setup notably differs from any alleged naturally aspirated Audi donor in that it comes with not one but two superchargers fitted.

As a result, claimed output for the Mk II comes to 800 horsepower and 649 lb-ft of torque. Those numbers aren’t just for bragging rights, either, because zero to 60 is said to arrive in less than 3.0 seconds, while top speed clocks in at 204 mph.

Cape Advanced Vehicles

Something unto its own

Towards that end, CAV has made some upgrades to the chassis to ensure that it can handle the power yielded from dual blowers.

As such, along with suspension gains in the form of three-way KW adjustable dampers at all four corners, the Mk II also packs improved stopping power thanks to a set of beefy Brembo brakes.

Cape Advanced Vehicles

Moreover, it rides on some staggered custom-forged wheels, and it boasts other trick upgrades like a lightweight Inconel exhaust system from Kline Innovation for active valving and sound control. 

Though these kinds of touches make for a project that’s undeniably impressive in all that it promises from a performance standpoint, it’s nevertheless more than a little ambitious in what it’s attempting to capture.

After all, it’s not like Ford has forgotten about its Le Mans legend over the past 30 years. Between the first generation in 2005 and the second generation in 2017, the Blue Oval also has two modern GT designs of its own.

Cape Advanced Vehicles

Still, if V8 power and all-wheel drive delivery are what you crave, the Mk II could be just the ‘Ford’ you need.

Availability and pricing

According to CAV’s announcement, a mere 40 GT MkIIs are slated for production. Of those, just 20 are slated to receive the pictured Miles Blue Metallic treatment, with the remaining cars set for two other 50th Anniversary Limited Edition treatments.

Cape Advanced Vehicles

Cape Advanced Vehicles GT Mk II

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Bremont has maintained an official relationship with Britain’s Ministry of Defence since 2019 and was the first luxury watchmaker granted a license to use the official insignia of all three branches of His Majesty’s Armed Forces (HMAF).

Which is why the British brand is allowed to feature the Royal Navy’s heraldic badge on the dial of the new HMAF Supermarine. It’s the highlight of a new trio of civilian watches celebrating the UK’s military.

Bremont

Bremont’s HMAF collection dates back to 2020, when it released a bronze version of the old Broadsword field watch in three different dial colors representing the three branches. This update offers far more variety, taking advantage of the brand’s new flagship dive, pilot’s and field watches released over the past couple of years.

The Supermarine 300m debuted in 2024 as part of Bremont’s full rebranding following the departure of its co-founders, brothers Nick and Giles English. It adopted classic diver design language, offering much broader appeal than any of the brand’s previous aquatic tool watches.

Image by Brad Lanphear for Gear Patrol

The HMAF Supermarine adds a coarse finish to its 40mm 904L stainless steel case, inspired by the hulls of Royal Navy ships. The coin-edge bezel frame and signed crown feature a matching finish.

The monotone, muddled gray motif carries over to the quick-release leather pin buckle strap with white side stitching.

Officer class

While it doesn’t offer the historical prestige of divers issued by the Ministry of Defence in the past, such as the ‘MilSub’ and the Seamaster 300M, Bremont’s HMAF Supermarine is a gorgeous watch with one distinct advantage.

Placed just above the 6:00 index, replacing the typical descriptive text, is the crown insignia of the British Royal Navy, something rarely seen on a watch dial.

Bremont

The rest of the matte charcoal dial is tastefully pragmatic, featuring the collection’s standard sword hour and minute hands, arrow seconds hand and applied indices. There is a frameless date window at 3:00 with a color-matched disc, and a white 60-minute track printed on the gray rehaut.

Blue-emitting Super-LumiNova fills the hour markers and hands, contrasted by a green-emitting pip on the gray ceramic bezel insert. There is a 60-minute countdown track with a fully graduated 15-minute segment on the bezel.

By Royal appointment

The British Royal Navy’s crown insignia is also featured on the screw-on caseback, alongside the heraldic emblems of the British Army and the Royal Air Force.

Bremont

Obscured beneath the coarse steel caseback is a Bremont Caliber BB64 automatic movement. This customized Sellita Caliber SW300-1 beats at 4Hz, is equipped with a Nivaflex mainspring and offers an enhanced 56-hour power reserve.

Land, sea and air

Issued alongside the HMAF Supermarine is the HMAF Altitude 39 Date, a pilot’s watch that debuted in 2025 featuring a pared-down dial with the RAF insignia above the 6:00 index. Rounding out the new HMAF collection is a Terra Nova 40.5 Date field watch, featuring a “California dial” and the British Army insignia at 9:00.

Bremont

Both the HMAF Terra Nova 40.5 Date and the HMAF Altitude 39 Date come on tobacco brown Nubuck leather pin buckle straps with white box stitching.

The three-piece HMAF collection can be purchased together as a decorative box set, which is limited to 50 pieces.

Availability and pricing

The Supermarine 300m reversed course on Bremont’s status as a dive watch brand. It took it from the brand’s weakest category to, as far as I’m concerned, its strongest. That became abundantly clear to me when I had the chance to preview the entire HMAF collection, and the tonal gray diver completely overshadowed its Royally-licensed companions.

Bremont’s HMAF collection is available now from Bremont, with the HMAF Supermarine priced at $4,550, the HMAF Terra Nova 40.5 Date priced at $3,550 and the HMAF Altitude 39mm Date priced at $4,950. All three references are limited to 300 pieces each.

Earlier this year, Triangle released the second generation of its wireless active speakers: the Capella 2. The system, consisting of two bookshelf-size active speakers and a streaming hub (which also houses all the wired inputs), costs $3,499. It’s aimed at new-age audiophiles.

Fast-forward a few months, and the French loudspeaker manufacturer is getting back to its passive roots with the launch of Solstice. It’s a new midrange loudspeaker series, aimed at more traditional audiophiles looking to take the next step up in their hi-fi journey.

Triangle Solstice

Triangle Hi-Fi

Not a rebrand, a reinvention

The new Solstice series sits between the company’s entry-level Borea and ultra-elite Signature and Magellan ranges. It’s replacing the long-running Esprit series as the company’s midrange offering.

However, this isn’t a simple rebrand. Triangle claims that each loudspeaker in the Solstice series has been designed from the ground up, with every major component has been re-engineered.

Triangle Hi-Fi

Triangle Hi-Fi

“For more than three decades, the Esprit range earned a reputation for high sensitivity, natural tonal balance and strong value,” reads the company’s press release. “Solstice marks the next chapter, introducing new technologies throughout the loudspeaker while preserving the musical character that has defined Triangle designs.”

These new technologies include a redesigned horn tweeter and a new driver architecture, as well as updated cabinet construction and an improved speaker base.

Triangle Hi-Fi

Triangle Hi-Fi

Three loudspeaker models

Like the Esprit series before it, the new Solstice series consists of three passive loudspeaker models: one bookshelf, one floorstanding and one center channel. And, naturally, they’re designed to work together in either stereo or home hi-fi systems.

The Solstice 3 are the range’s bookshelf speakers. They have a two-way bass-reflex design that pairs a 25mm horn tweeter with 16cm cellulose midrange driver. Triangle claims they have a bandwidth of 48Hz–22kHz with 90-watt RMS power handling.

Triangle Hi-Fi

Triangle Hi-Fi

Meanwhile, the Solstice 8 are the range’s floorstanding speakers. They have a three-way bass-reflex design, featuring the same tweeter and midrange driver as the Solstice 3, plus dual 16cm concave-cone woofers. Triangle claims they have a bandwidth of 38Hz–22kHz with 130-watt RMS power handling.

Lastly, the Solstice C3 is the range’s two-way center channel speaker. It pairs the same 25mm horn tweeter with two of the same 16cm cellulose midrange drivers.

All three loudspeakers in the Solstice range come in four finishes: white, black, teak and birch. And they come with matching magnetic grilles. Triangle also makes matching stands for the Solstice 3 bookshelf speakers, which are sold separately.

Triangle Hi-Fi

Availability and pricing

Triangle’s new Solstice range will be available this month.

The Solstice 3 bookshelf speakers cost $1,349/pair. The Solstice 8 floorstanding speakers cost $2,799/pair. And the Solstice C3 center channel speaker costs $750/ea.