The Gear Patrol Podcast

There's a lot more to the Cassette Boom that nostalgia alone.

Episode Navigation:

• 01:40 – Why are Cassette Tapes Making a Comeback?
• 04:00 – Cassette Audio Quality Is Different Than You Might Recall
• 05:45 – Memories of Cassette Tapes (and CDs) Are Powerful
• 08:45 – The Last Car With a Tape Deck, and Tapes in Current Pop Culture
• 10:45 – Current Artists Are Selling New Cassettes
• 12:00 – The Cassette Boom, by the Numbers
• 13:48 – Where Are We Supposed to Play Cassettes?
• 17:16 – Will Companies Make New Tape Decks?
• 18:25 – Companies Making New, High-Quality Cassette Tapes
• 20:00 – Where Do We Go Now (from MP3s)?
• 22:55 – Predictions: Will This Cassette Tape Trend Continue?
• 24:35 – Tucker's Advice for Aspiring Cassette Tape Collectors

Featured:

Classic Cassette Tapes Are Making a Comeback
 

Gear Patrol Magazine – Get an Annual Subscription for Just $39

Check out the Just Cassette blog and Instagram Profile
 

From Forbes – The Walkman And Cassette Tapes Are Making A Comeback
 

Buy New Cassette Players from Urban Outfitters ($30+)

Guardians of the Galaxy: Awesome Mix Vol. 1 ($10)

Taylor Swift Evermore Album Deluxe Cassette ($13)

Product recommendations and further reading to streamline your home energy usage.

Episode Navigation:

• 01:35 – The 3 Tips
• 03:38 – Most Important: Up-To-Date Appliances
• 04:30 – Saving Money Is Mostly a Longer-Term Goal
• 05:20 – Being Mindful of How You Use Tech, and "Energy-Saver" Modes
• 07:15 – Gaming Consoles: an Example of Big Power Drains
• 08:42 – Different Energy Saving Modes
• 09:25 – TV Settings to Modify for Energy Savings
• 10:34 – What Energy Star Certification Means, and New vs. Old Appliances
• 12:05 – Bonus Nerd Fact: Chest Freezers are Very Efficient
• 13:25 – Some Specific Product Recommendations: Streaming Sticks and More
• 17:50 – LED Light Bulbs, Smart Home Products (and Dumb Home Products)
• 20:55 – Vampire Loads and Why Surge Protectors Are Super Important 
• 30:00 – Eric's Top Recommendation for Energy Savings

Featured:

How to Save Energy When Your A/C Is Draining It
 

It's Time to Check Your Surge Protectors

The Best Apartment-Friendly Smart Home Devices
 

The Ultimate Guide to Making Your Home Smart

The Best Smart Thermostats: Which Is Right For Your Home?

The Best Smart Plugs To Buy in 2021

Google Finally Announced a New Chromecast: Here's What You Need to Know

All the Reasons to Still Buy an Apple TV In 2021

Will Price gives us the download on why rum is finally having its moment.

Episode Navigation:

• 01:20 – Rum Is Excellent and Rum Is Complex
• 02:28 – Why Is This Rum's Moment?
• 04:40 – Has Good Rum Always Been As Prevalent As It Is Now?
• 07:40 – What Is Rum, Exactly?
• 08:39 – Light Rum vs. Dark Rum, and Other Varieties
• 12:28 – Isn't Rum Super Sweet Tasting?
• 14:55 – Why Will Considers Rum a "Loose Cannon"
• 17:25 – How Are We Supposed To Drink Rum? Neat? On The Rocks?
• 20:28 – The Fascinating Good and Dark History of Rum
• 21:25 – Why You Have to Buy Hampden Great House, "The Pappy of Rum"
• 24:05 – A Word on Age Statements, Rum Labels, and Prices
• 28:10 – How Will and His Team Picks Rums to Recommend
• 30:45 – Some Rums at Different Price Points That You Should Look Into
• 33:10 – Final Tips About Finding Interesting Rum Bottles

Featured:

Seasoned Whiskey Drinkers Are Switching to Rum. Why?

The 13 Best Bottles of Rums You Can Buy in 2021

From The Gear Patrol Archives – "A History of Rum"

The Best Sipping Rums from Around the World

Just Get This Rum if You're Tired of Bacardi-Induced Hangovers

A Rum That Tastes Like Dessert and 7 More Home and Design Releases

Zen Love reveals what that hole in your dive watch is, and discusses why watch enthusiasts are enamored by watches with "unnecessary" functions. 

Episode Navigation:

• 1:50 – What is a Helium Escape Valve (HEV), and Where on Your Watch Is It
• 3:30 – Why Helium Escape Valves Are Needed
• 4:12 – HEVs Are Needed Specifically for Saturation Diving
• 8:54 – HEV Watches Aren't Actually Used That Often, Even by Sat Divers
• 12:48 – Manual and Automatic HEVs, How They Work, and Some Issues
• 17:10 – Why Buy a Watch With Unnecessary Features?
• 26:00 – Other Watch Brands that Feature HEVs, like Doxa
• 28:45 – Are Dive Watches the Pinnacle of Watch Style Statements?

Featured:

Why Does Your Rolex Dive Watch Have a Hole in Its Side? We Found Out

The Ultimate Guide to Dive Watches
 

The 12 Best Dive Watches at Every Budget

Questions to Ask Before You Buy a Dive Watch
 

5 Dive Watches Worn By Professional Saturation Divers
 

Further Details: Ubiquitous but Overlooked Elements Hidden on Your Favorite Products
 



Tanner Bowden discusses why vegan shoes aren't sustainable–despite being marketed as such–and explains how eco-conscious shoppers can spot dubious marketing.

Episode Navigation:

• 01:15 – Vegan Shoes ≠ Sustainable Products
• 03:03 – Vegan Shoes, Plastic, and Harmful Chemicals
• 06:55 – Olukai's Statement About Vegan Shoes and Sustainability
• 09:35 – Why Patagonia is a Sustainability Champion
• 12:21 – Patagonia Wild Idea Work Boots
• 15:45 – Mushroom Leather and Other Sustainable Alternatives
• 20:10 – Tips For Finding (Actually) Sustainable Products
• 23:40 – Why You Should Look for "Climate Neutral" Certification
• 25:43 – Adidas and Allbirds Collaboration
• 28:20 – Your Best Bet Is to Buy Used Gear, and Where To Do It

Featured:

• If You Think Your Vegan Shoes Are Saving the Planet, You're Wrong
• Adidas and Allbirds' Collaborative Sneaker Is Here
• Patagonia Wild Idea Work Boots
• From Olukai: What, Exactly, is a Vegan Shoe? Vegan Shoes Explained
• Piñatex Pineapple Leather by Ananas Anam
• In the Future, Leather Will Be Made From Mushrooms Not Cows
• Climate Neutral Certification: 200+ Brands Dedicated to Decreasing Global Carbon Emissions



Kyle Ng of Brain Dead has a philosophy about collaborations: that they should be vehicles for positive change.

Links:

This Tee Is Raising Money to Support Black Communities

Why Did the Best Female Rock Climber in the World Team up with a Streetwear Brand?

Introducing Gear Patrol Magazine: Issue Sixteen, The Summer Preview

Virgil Abloh-Designed Furniture and 7 More Home and Design Releases

You’ve Never Seen Carpenter Pants Like These

A Directory of Brands and Retailers That Have Spoken Out Against Racism 

Episode Navigation:

• What is Brain Dead, and Who is Kyle Ng? — 1:48
• What is Streetwear? — 4:49
• Describing Drop Culture — 9:40
• Differing Types of Collaborations — 11:25
• Brain Dead's Philosophy on Collaboration — 16:20
• What Makes This Story Stand Out? – 21:14
• How Brain Dead Flips Capitalism on Its Head –  24:10
• Brain Dead's Focus on Building Community –  28:30

The Pan America, which costs between $17,300 and $20,000 MSRP, is loaded with tech, and enters a segment where competition is fierce.

• Review: Harley-Davidson's New Adventure Motorcycle Is Truly One of a Kind
• Harley-Davidson Pan America 1250 and 1250 Special ($17,319-$19,999)
• Rawhyde Adventures Motorcycle Training
• 9 Fantastic Adventure Motorcycles You Can Buy Right Now
• The 16 Best Motorcycles for Shorter Riders

Blame Whiskey Hipsters all you want, but the real culprit here is the Three-Tier System. 

Chasing Whiskey: Bourbon Is Becoming Stupid Expensive. Why?

One Good Bottle:

Jack Daniel's Single Barrel Barrel Proof (~$65)

Also mentioned:

"Shelf Sleepers" – bottles worth picking up, even after a price hike

The Jeep Wrangler 4xe Review: the Best Wrangler, Whether You Care About Gas MIleage or Not

The Hybrid Jeep Wrangler 4xe: What You Need to Know

Rivian Will Copy One of Tesla's Smartest Features: Its Charging Network

The Jeep Wrangler 4xe (MSRP $47,995)

Summer is coming whether you're ready or not. Wouldn't you like a preview?

Annual subscription to Gear Patrol Magazine (now $39)

Check out Issue Sixteen: Summer Preview 2021 on its own ($20)

Subscribers get a $15 gift voucher to The Gear Patrol Store each year of the subscription, plus early access to each print issue and more. 

Reactions to the biggest announcements from Apple Spring Loaded.

Show Notes

AirTags, iMac and More: The Biggest News From Apple's Spring Event

The iPhones That AirTags Will (and Won't) Work With

You Don't Need to Buy a New Apple TV to Get Its Best Feature

All the AirTag Accessories You Need to Know About

New Apple Products:
 

The All-New Apple AirTags (from $29; pre-order April)

The All-New iMac 24-Inch (from $1,299; pre-order April 30)
 

The New iPad Pro (from $799; pre-order April)

iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Mini, now in purple (from $699; pre-order April 23)

Apple TV 4K (from $179; pre-order April 30)



The annual Watches & Wonders show was chock-full of huge releases, but two announcements in particular really stood out.

Watches and Wonders 2021: All the News in One Place

You Can Now Buy a Two-Tone Rolex Explorer

The Cartier Tank Is Now More Accessible Than Ever: The New Tank

Like All Things in 2021, Rolex (and Your Other Favorite Watch Brands) Is Getting a Little Weird

The Patek Philippe Nautilus 5711 Is Getting Its Victory Lap After All

Purchasing Advice:

“My fiancee got a new job at a law firm and I want to get him a watch to celebrate — something he’d be proud to wear in the office — but won’t actually break the bank.” - Jon, Brooklyn

• Just Get This: Tudor Black Bay 58

"I like the idea of changing my watch strap, but are there any “rules” to follow?" - Eric, Atlanta

• The Complete Guide to Watch Straps

Kind Of Obsessed:

Zen Love:

• Yema Speedgraf ($1,499)

Oren Hartov:

• The New Cartier Tank Must

Does adding technology improve a product, and if so, to what point?

Note from Nick: I didn't acknowledge Tanner Bowden's proper title – he's a Senior Staff Writer at GP, not a Staff Writer as I said in this episode. Sorry, Tanner!

Mentioned in this episode:

• Xupermask by Will.i.am x Honeywell ($299)
• The Best Face Masks of 2021
• First Look: How The North Face [FutureLight] Will Change Everything You Wear Outside
• Is Spider Silk the Performance Fabric of the Future?
• Levi’s Made a Tech-Infused Jacket You’ll Actually Want to Wear
• Which Should You Buy: Smartwatch or Fitness Tracker?
• The Best Smartwatches of 2021
• What I Learned from a Month of Whoop ($30/month)
• Oura Ring Health Tracker ($299)
• This Graphene-Enhanced Running Shoe Is the First of Its Kind ($190)

Purchasing Advice:

Small-home workout gear on a $250 Budget – Maddie, Cincinnati

• Lululemon Reversible Yoga Mat ($58+)
• TRX Suspension Training ($190+)
• Amazon Basics Dumbbells ($16+)

Beginner camping without a car – Doug, Brooklyn

• REI Rental Gear (various)

Housewarming gifts for someone you've just begun dating – Kevin, Brooklyn

• Sonos Roam Review: Almost a Perfect Portable Speaker ($169)
• 21 New Pieces of Outdoor Gear to Start Your Spring off Right

Kind Of Obsessed:

• Outer Shell Drawcord Handlebar Bag ($90)
• Outer Shell Rolltop Saddlebar Bag ($50)
• Olympus Trip 35 (used; price varies)

Tesla vs. other EVs, the Supercharger network, and a rant about April Fool's Jokes.

Mentioned in this episode:

Mercedes-Benz E63S Wagon

Hyundai Sonata N Line

Everything You Need to Know About the New Tesla Model S

Tesla’s Pickup Truck Is Here, and It’s More Insane Than We Ever Imagined

Tesla Has Strange Ideas about How to Shift, and Other News

Thinking About Buying an Electric Car? Here's What You Should Ask Yourself First

These Were the 10 Most Popular Used Cars in America in 2020

Gear Patrol's EV coverage, all in one place

Tesla Model 3 Vs. Amtrak's Acela Express: The Electric Future Acid Test

Would Tesla Be Better Off Without Elon Musk? Some Electric Vehicle Shoppers Think So

Headlines

VW Won’t Rebrand U.S. Unit as Voltswagen, Company Says

Lego bricks are terrible for the environment. These wooden alternatives biodegrade

Ship Is Freed After a Costly Lesson in the Vulnerabilities of Sea Trade

Kind Of Obsessed

2022 Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing

Genesis GV80

Reflections on fitness during and after the pandemic, predictions of future fitness trends, headlines, and gear we're obsessed with.

Mentioned in this episode:

JaxJox DumbbellConnect

Peloton vs. Wahoo: Who Makes the Better Stationary Bike?

Can New Technology Help You Get Fitter at Home? (Tempo vs Tonal)

7 Awesome Kettlebell Alternatives You Already Have at Home

Apple's Fitness+ Is a Breeze to Use — And It Really Kicked My Ass

How to Build the Ultimate Home Gym, Three Ways

What Running Gear Should You Spend Your Money On?

These Amazon Kettlebells Will Save You a Fortune and Last a Lifetime

Angela Gargano Instagram Workouts

Riders for Black Lives

The 6 Best Mini Multi-Tools of 2020

Headlines

iOS (Old School) Gives Your Phone an 8-bit Apple Aesthetic  

PopGrip and SOG Make a Mini Multi-Tool That Attaches to the Back of Your Smartphone

Made is a new, Crowd-funded Brand Making Made to Measure, High-End Outdoor Apparel

Kind Of Obsessed

Nemo Chipper Reclaimed Closed-Cell Foam Seat ($20)

Chrome Barrage Freight ($200)

Priority Bicycles Ace ($499+)

What the now-discontinued Apple HomePod got right and what it got wrong during its short, three-year run.

Mentioned in this episode:

First Look: Apple HomePod

$100 Smart Speakers: Which Is Best?

The Best Multi-Room Wireless Speakers of 2021

The Complete Sonos Buying Guide

How to Use a Pair of HomePod Minis As Computer Speakers

Apple's HomePods Make a Sneaky Good Surround Sound System

More Gear Patrol Smart Home Coverage

Headlines

Rapper and Entrepreneur Travis Scott Launches Cacti, an Agave-Flavored Spiked Seltzer

It's Sleep Awareness Week

Crocs x Justin Bieber collection launched and promptly sold out

Gucci’s New Sneakers are $12 (But They Only Exist Digitally)

Kind Of Obsessed

Clairin Casimir Rum

Pro-Ject T1 Turntable

Schiit Audio Mani

Gear Patrol CEO and Founder Eric Yang talks about essentialism: "the purposeful decision to have less, and better," and how that idea quickly took over our purchasing habits over the past year of pandemic life. Deputy Editor Jack Seemer reveals his new golf "hobby," and, apparently, Eric has put together 36+ LEGO sets since last March.

As mentioned in this episode;

A Year of Pandemic Living

• Ben's Letter
• Hanes masks
• 9 Great LEGO Car Sets
• The Best Face Masks of 2021
• Peloton vs. Wahoo: Who Makes the Better Stationary Bike?
• The Essential Gear You Need to Stay Productive While Working From Home

Headlines

• Breitling Select
• Houseplant

Kind Of Obsessed

• New Balance Fuel Cell Rebel Version 2
• BMW 330i M Sport Wagon

Behind every product is a new story. That story could be rooted in the values that drove its creation, or its materials, or origin. Those hidden details are why we're launching the Gear Patrol Podcast, a weekly discussion of not just products, but the ideas and culture that surround them and bring them to life.

Join our host Nick Caruso and a rotating cast of Gear Patrol staffers as we have a good time discussing and debating what we know best: products and product culture. We hope you'll tune in every Thursday, starting March 11th.