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Note: this item was provided for review.

When Pioneer Carry sent over the Co-Pilot Travel Wallet, I let them know it would be quite some time until I could test it. Well, I have returned from a long international trip where I was able to test this out, and I am thoroughly happy with this Passport Wallet. It’s a lot more than just another passport wallet, and has a couple of interesting attributes that I used over and over again.

This is good kit.

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There are endless categories of backpack types out there, but I think the hardest of them all to find a good backpack in the ‘grab-and-go’ class of backpacks. This backpack is the genre defining backpack — it’s the classic Jansport. Simple, unobtrusive, no-fuss, all utility. Finding a better looking backpack that can still do this like a Jansport is not easy — I’ve been chasing it for a long time.

Bags like the Filson Journeyman come tantalizingly close, but things like an overly large weather flap, and scratchy brass zippers will always set that bag back. As good as it looks, there’s just enough friction, that I keep looking for the next one.

Enter Amundsen’s ‘V-Bond’ (aka Vagabond, depending on the website you look at) 25 Daypack. It’s a very simple backpack, which somehow really nails the ease of use, while adding excellent visual interest.

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I’ve wanted a pair of these Injected Linen Pants for years now, but they never really made sense for me for one reason or another. And then earlier this year I decided to indulge myself and pickup a pair. A little after that, a second pair. And then a third. All my money, none of these are review samples.

The reason I own three pairs of these, is because I do not yet own four pairs. They are the best hot weather pants I’ve ever worn for so many reasons.

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I was gifted this over the holidays, at the end of 2024, as the G-SHOCK DW-H5600 had been on my ‘want’ list since it came out. I wear a smart watch like this when I sleep, as it is my alarm (vibration) and general sleep tracking, and I use this to workout in the mornings. That’s the extent of my smart watch use, but the appeal of the DW-H5600 is that it also looks like any other G-SHOCK, which gave me a lot of hope that I could wear it casually as well.

Seven months into owning this watch, and I have no desire to get any other smart watch — this watch has been fantastic. Not only is this a very good G-SHOCK, it’s perhaps the best of the smart watches I have tried. Good tracking, features, and synchronization, while not looking like a dumb screen strapped to your wrist.

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Note: this item was provided for review.

I have started carrying smaller shoulder bags more and more these days, and as such I am always on the lookout for the latest and greatest. So when I saw AlpineSea’s Tiny Cove — a small 6L banana styled shoulder bag — I knew I needed to give it a go. I don’t love most ‘sling’ designs as they always feel like a solution searching for a problem — shoulder bags always do it better..

The Tiny Cove is very tiny, but has a lot going for it.

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Note: this item was sent for review.

When Himali asked if I wanted to review something from them, I was pretty excited. I am guessing that many of you have not heard of the brand — they are a Boulder based brand that legitimately tests their gear in very extreme alpine areas. When you walk into their Pearl Street store, you immediately start feeling warm as you look at the full body down suits they have.

The brand suggested I try the Eclipse Sun Hoodie, saying it is a staff favorite and what most of them wear daily. It is sun season, and hiking is in full swing, so I accepted and they sent it over.

I’ll skip right to the end for you: this is the best sun hoodie, and generally best warm weather hiking top, I have ever used. It feels impossible. I love it.

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Note: this item was provided for review.

There are two truths about this Bull Messenger from WP Standard to know: I was super nervous to get this bag for review as I am not usually a leather bag guy; I’ve literally never had as many compliments on any single bag I have ever used. It’s wild how many people love the way this bag looks, including me.

My fears of this being not that useable quickly dissipated as I started to use this bag. It’s a sturdy bag which looks good, and can carry way more than I expected — and it has quickly shifted my perspective on what a good bag is for daily carry.

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Note: this item was provided for review.

I’ve written quite a bit about patina on this site — it’s why I love things like cotton, waxed canvas, and leather. Happy Patina is a great name for a company which produces leather goods made to patina and change with you. This Writing Cover is big and the natural veg-tanned leather begs you to use it and add your own patina.

A couple of surprises I didn’t expect with this, meant it truly did become my writing kit.

(Note that this is a revised variant, sized to fit A4 notebooks. Previous variants were smaller.)

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This week: some thoughts about gear I felt was awesome at first, and less awesome later; and new gears.

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A while back, there was a post on Reddit which flew under the radar about a new Mystery Ranch Front 2.0 bag which showed up on Suburban — a website which sells bags to the Asian market, but also ships to the USA out of Hong Kong. The Front 2.0 looked like everything the market always wanted from the bag, but it was expensive, and not available in the USA directly.

Which of course means I snagged one in Foliage, a color which is quickly fading in US based Mystery Ranch inventory, as Yeti continues the take over of the storied brand.

The Front 2.0 might just be the last great bag Mystery Ranch makes — I’m a big fan of it.

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