Here at 翱耻迟蝉颈诲别,听we tend to geek out over the latest, greatest gear. But there are some classic products听that will always have a place in our sheds. These听designs range from the stunningly听beautiful to the plain utilitarian, and they don't need听updating. Here鈥檚 a list听of our favorite gear with听history.
Brooks Equinox Fusion Shoes ($115, shown above)
Before Christopher McDougal torpedoed the traditional running shoe design with听Born to Run, silhouettes like the听Fusion听(chunky soles, air or gel in the heel) were the industry standard. Nowadays, the design lives on as a lifestyle shoe that we wear all day for comfy feet at work.
Kletterwerks听Flip Backpack ($200)
Kletterwerks, founded by legendary pack听maker Dana Gleason听in 1975, was revived听as a wing of Gleason's听new company,听Mystery Ranch. It听now听produces听classic bags with some clever听modern updates. Our favorite: The听iconic Flip, which was built as a climbing pack but now pulls double duty as an urban commuter.听It鈥檚 made from bomber 1000-denier听Cordura (because why not?)听with retro听zipper pulls听and a slick听laptop sleeve.
Vuarnet听03 Sunglasses (From $215)
This French eyewear maker (established in 1957) was wildly popular in the U.S. back in the听1980s. Everyone from Miles Davis to听Mick听Jagger听sported their shades. But then they lost U.S. distribution and mostly disappeared from the country,听minus a brief cameo in the The Big听Lebowski. Thankfully,听they鈥檙e back in the U.S,听and gaining traction quickly. We like the 03s because of their听chunky, aviator-style听frame听with its听removable bridge piece.
Timex Ironman Sleek 50 Full-Size Watch ($80)
Timex has plenty of modern watches,听but we still love its simple听Ironman听Sleek 50. You can鈥檛 track your route on this timepiece, but you can time your splits and the battery lasts forever. To celebrate the Ironman's听30-year anniversary, the company just released a new colors collection with several new designs that pop.
United by Blue Hektor Vest ($130)
There鈥檚 nothing special about this classic two-tone vest. And that鈥檚 why we like it. United By Blue鈥檚 version has a recycled polyester shell, organic cotton chambray lining, and PrimaLoft Eco Recycled Fiber Fill insulation that's听made from recycled听plastic bottles.
Master & Dynamic听MH40听Over-Ear Headphones ($400)
The brushed steel and light brown leather take us back to the听1960s听and shag carpets, but the sound of these headphones is totally 21st听century. Large 45-millimeter neodymium drivers make vinyl or iTunes sound a听lot听better than your normal听earbuds, and the lambskin-and-memory foam听pads听are comfy for hours at a time.
Nalgene Silo Water Bottle ($12)
Remember when Nalgenes first came on the scene? Fast forward to 2016, and the brand now has lots of competitors, but we still love these classic bottles for their clear plastic, wide-mouth design. And they still look great covered in stickers.
Blowfish Designs Hats (From $28)
Blowfish听takes the听trucker hat and ball听cap听back to the days when you could actually find unique, boutique听designs. It orders听blank caps from China, then hand-stitches听swaths of fabrics onto the crowns. There鈥檚 about a billion听patterns to choose from, so give yourself some time to browse the company's听site.
Miir听Payette Bicycle ($500)
The Payette is no听carbon-fiber thingamajig. It's just a simple, old-school bike. The听steel frame, single-speed flip-flop hub, and faux-leather saddle will get you to and from work, and听as a modern add-on,听Miir听gives a bike to someone in need every time a customer hits buy.
Superdry Retro Chevron Hooded Puffer Jacket ($135)
If you鈥檙e going for that old-school, hot-doggin'听ski look, you can either dig through thrift-store bins or get a jacket from Japan's听Superdry. The company听makes lots of high-performance ski jackets, but it's听also carved out a niche for the nostalgic听with its vintage pieces. We dig the Retro Chevron, with its听classic color blocking paired with now-common modern features like pit zips, a snow skirt, and lift-pass pocket.
Chubbies Gulfstreams Shorts ($60)
You don鈥檛 need to own a yacht to sport these shorts, but it wouldn鈥檛 hurt. We pair them with a lightweight button-down top and would proudly wear them beachside or just out moving the lawn. Is it summer yet?