Omega Speedmaster Dark Side Of The Moon Watch
Don't worry — it's not adorned with clichéd Pink Floyd cover art. Instead, the Omega Speedmaster Dark Side Of The Moon Watch ($TBA) celebrates the lack of light by sporting a nearly all-black design. Details include a black ceramic 44.25mm case and chronograph pushers, a black zirconium oxide ceramic dial, a sapphire display back, indexes in white gold, and a rhodium-plated, red-tipped chronograph hand. Tying it all together is a black Cordura strap with a black ceramic buckle, making this the most stealthy Omega you'll find outside of a custom shop.
Syrena Sport
It's not that unusual for a classic car to get a modern update, but normally the car's prior version actually made it into production. The Syrena Sport ($TBA), on the other hand, is based off a 1950s prototype that never got the chance to grace a showroom floor. This modern take is based on the Nissan 370Z, and is powered by a 3.7L V6 — instead of the twin-cylinder boxer of the original — that's good for 330 hp naturally aspirated or 450 hp in a turbocharged version. Other features include updated styling and a curb weight under 2,900 lbs. The bad news? Only one example is currently scheduled to be built.
Makr Sketchbooks
We're not saying they're better than Moleskines, but they're certainly a tempting alternative. Makr Sketchbooks ($40) feature soft-touch, water-resistant covers, plain interior pages that are good for writing or sketching, and an angled elastic closure that's designed to hold your pen or pencil in place on the end of the book. At 5" x 8", it's plenty large enough to capture big ideas while still small enough to fit in a small bag, and it's available for pre-order now in six premium colorways.
Castle Brook Paralaces
The most rugged boots around won't do you much good in the wilderness if your laces can't hold up to the abuse. With Castle Brook Paralaces ($6-$8), that won't be an issue. These hand-crafted bootlaces claim to the toughest available, thanks to seven-strand construction with 550 lb-tested Nylon Kernmantle rope, aglets made from polyolefin plastics that literally bind and mesh with the nylon fibers underneath, becoming one with the lace, and a lifetime guarantee. Try finding one of those for the laces that came with your shoes.
Made-to-order Timepieces by Refined Hardware
The Los Angeles based craftsmen at Refined Hardware have finally released their second edition of luxury timepieces. These industrial conceptions are the ideal extension for the modern man, and follow the highly sought after, and sold-out, 'P1' edition. The 'P2' will showcase a flying tourbillon movement encased in your choice of billet stainless steel, PVD black steel, or a hand-finished bronze. A necessity for any connoisseur, only 33 pieces of each variant will be crafted so you better order yours today.
Qumarion Humanoid Input Device
We don't expect there's a huge market for the Qumarion Humanoid Input Device ($TBA), but if you happen to be one of those people who could use it, it will likely be a game changer. Like the ubiquitous artist models, the Qumarion is a posable, human-like figure — but unlike the artist models, it communicates directly with a computer. As a result, you can use the Qumarion to move and pose on-screen 3D characters, making once challenging poses and movements as simple as adjusting an action figure. Great for animators, illustrators, or people who just enjoy collecting unusual gadgets.
Nike Koston 2 IT
Go straight from the board to the greens in the Nike Koston 2 IT ($TBA). Designed in collaboration with pro skateboarder Eric Koston, it feautres an black leather upper adapted from his signature shoe, Integrated Traction technology for stable footing, a Swingtip outsole, Lunarlon inserts for the utmost comfort, and flexible spikes that react to the pressure your foot puts on the Lunarlon, moving accordingly to provide traction. Available in very limited numbers at select Nike SB and Nike Golf retailers.
Jim Beam Jacob's Ghost White Whiskey
Don't let its clear color fool you — this is no typical moonshine. Inspired by the white whiskey distilled by founder Jacob Beam, Jim Beam Jacob's Ghost White Whiskey ($22) is actual, full-on whiskey that offers the woody flavors of a traditional bourbon but with a lighter body and greater versatility. It's aged for at least a year in a charred white oak barrel, resulting in a slightly smoky flavor with light vanilla and sweet corn undertones. And while it can certainly be enjoyed like a traditional bourbon — neat, on the rocks, or in traditional whiskey cocktails — it really shines when you use it to replace white spirits like vodka, tequila, or rum. A bourbon-based Bloody Mary? Yes, please.
Craft Beer World
It might sound like a wonderful place to go buy a six pack or two, but in actuality, Craft Beer World ($15) is a 192-page guide to some of the planet's best beers. Penned by award-winning beer writer Mark Dredge, it covers over 350 beers divided into 50 different categories, with an explanation of key characteristics of each. Of course, the taste of the beer alone is only one part of the experience, so the book helpfully includes tips on matching different beers with food, and how to serve up the perfect pint of whatever style you're looking at. Now all we need is a real store that stocks all of them in one place.
Lamborghini Aventador LP 720-4 50th Anniversary Edition
As if driving a normal Aventador wasn't exclusive enough, now you can up your supercar cred by placing an order for the Lamborghini Aventador LP 720-4 50th Anniversary Edition ($TBA). Limited to just 200 units — 100 coupes and 100 roadsters — this is more than just a fancy paint job, with horsepower increased to 720 and a new performance-oriented front and rear end design that includes larger front air intakes and splitter, small side flaps, and an all-new rear end with a larger diffuser and new meshwork that improves ventilation. The result is a 50% increase in aerodynamic efficiency, a 0-62 time of just 2.9 seconds, and a top speed of 217 mph.
Luminair Tree Tent
It's a tent in the literal sense of the word — its 16oz waterproof cotton canvas skin makes it so — but that doesn't mean you'll be dragging the Luminair Tree Tent (£6500 and up; roughly $10,000) around with you. Instead, think of the structure as a semi-permanent tree house. Thanks to a hybrid aluminum and steam-bent ash frame, the entire tent, including floor and bunks, weighs just 264 lbs., despite being able to handle an additional 550 lbs. of load. At 3 meters in diameter, it's not huge, but it's certainly big enough for two adults and provides an interesting option for above-ground shelter in the wilderness.
Propellerhead Balance
Home studio recording just got simpler with the Propellerhead Balance ($450). This sleek, Red Dot-winning breakout box offers eight input connections — two high impedance guitar and bass inputs with pads, four line inputs, and two microphone preamps with phatom power — as well as balanced outputs and a powerful headphone amplifier. It connects to your computer via USB, and includes Reason Essentials, a fully-functional "basics"-style version of the company's award-winning Reason recording software. All you need are some instruments, a computer, and talent.
Mammuth Rewarron 1:3 Scale R/C Car
Ditch the toys and step up to a man-sized R/C with the Mammuth Rewarron 1:3 Scale R/C Car ($5,500-$15,000). As the name suggests, it's one-third the size of a real auto, measuring nearly six and a half feet long, and weighing roughly 175 lbs. It's powered by a 200 or 250cc 4-stroke engine, giving it a top speed of over 40 mph. It also boasts an on-board touch screen controller for the brakes, ABS, traction control, and telemetry. All of which begs the question: Why not just buy a real car instead?
