I’m a sucker for old military bags. I use an attache from WWII as a briefcase, an officer’s dispatch case for my camera bag, and tons of other vintage canvas bags and artifacts for other uses. Vintage military stuff is just made so damned well… and feels so damned good… It’s all very hard for me to resist.

In any case, I stumbled across a little online joint called Mohawk General Store. They are located on the west coast and feature some pretty cool military bags that they’ve cut up and repurposed. I expected to see crazy boutique pricing, but they are actually pretty reasonable. If you are looking for a unique everyday bag, check them out.

I love tool rolls. I have old WW2 issued rolls in all of my cars. They compactly carry just about everything I need from a bolt turning aspect and keep rattles to a minimum. I’ve always kind of wondered why tools rolls lost their popularity. Apparently, so did Timbuk2… They released their modern take on a tool roll earlier this week. I think it rules.

Details here.

A single entrepreneur or a group of like minded folks get together with a glow in their eye and manufacture something that makes the world just a little bit better simply because passion drove them to do so. You can tell these companies by the detail in their work. It goes into their marketing. It goes into their packaging. It goes into their product. They beat customer expectations in every thing they do not because they see profitability in it, but because their work is that personal to them. I know, it sounds like a load of bullshit… But it does happen.

Read More

Looking for something incredibly overpriced, but almost justifiably cool for Christmas? Check out Temple Bags. Essentially, they take vintage WWII military materials and repurpose them into pretty bitchin’ bags, wallets, key chains, etc… Sure, it’s expensive. But damn, it’s cool.

Check it out.

A few months ago, I posted a review of my favorite wallet – The Slimmy. For those in the cold, the Slimmy is a front-pocket wallet that will change your life by eliminating the clutter of your every day carry package. Essentially, the slimmy is a miniature file folder that is optimized to carry a few business cards, a few credit cards, and your ID. That’s it. And it all seems simple enough – right? How could such a rudimentary idea change your life?

Well, now is your chance to find out. The Gear Journal is teaming up with Koyono Co. in an effort to spread the word and the Slimmy. The beneficiary? You.

Read More

I love Moleskine notebooks. Beyond being excellent note takers and mini-organizers, they just feel so damned tactile. I use them for car journals, “to do” lists, and many other tasks. I seem to have them sitting around all over the place.

Rickshaw must like them too… They are a small company based out of San Francisco that focuses on hand crafting bags and organizers. Their latest is a small and water-proof job based around protecting a Moleskine notebook. The interior boasts a clear business card holder, secured zippered compartment, four pen sleeves, a padded flap to protect the journal’s cover from the pen clips, and clear rear pocket.

They are available for $50 in a variety of colors. Get yours here.

So a friend of mine only “EDCs” three items – an iPhone, a driver’s license, and a credit card. As such, even great little solutions like the Slimmy are just too much for him. In the past, he has just used a rubber band to keep his cards together and let his iPhone float in his pocket. Recently, however, Case-Mate has come up with a solution.

Read More

Carrying a DSLR is a pain in the ass. I carry mine in a CountyComm mine bag as part of my day pack system. It works well for me, but I realize not many people has to carry as much stuff as I do when I travel. Incase just might have an answer for you… Available in the essentials only-sized carrying case or a bigger sling pack, both bags feature zippered interior and exterior pockets, adjustable camera and lens compartments, side stash pockets, adjustable shoulder straps, reinforced nylon handles, and weather resistant nylon construction to keep your gear safe and sound. Check em out.