Editor’s Picks: Marble Dumbbells, Bond Motorcycle and Streaky Bacon
From a portable barbecue fit for a sunny summer’s day to a pair of Bose sunglasses with built-in headphones, this is what we want this week
Words: Jonathan Wells
We’re no longer just coping with the lockdown; we’re thriving during it. Without bars and restaurants to spend our money in, there’s a lot of extra cash piling up at the end of those pay cheques. And we’ve been using it to upgrade our self-isolated, quarantined experience of working from home.
So, whether it’s a better class of bourbon in our bi-weekly Old Fashioned, a set of dumbbells hewn from decorative marble or just a step up in quality for our morning bacon sandwich, here’s what we’re buying this week…
Tread lightly: Uniform Standard Series 3
Let’s kick off with some kicks. Earlier this week, we rounded up the five styles of footwear you shouldn’t be living without this summer — and a good, sturdy pair of smart sneakers topped the list. Constructed from soft Italian nubuck and cast in a versatile stone colour, these Uniform Standard sneakers are a refreshed interpretation of the classic mid-century German army trainer.
All at sea: The Vandutch 40.2
Raise your hand if you’ve been busy charting a course for adventure during the lockdown. We know we have. And the vessel we’re planning on doing some serious nautical exploration aboard is this, the Vandutch 40.2. A decade since its maiden launch, the brand’s 40 has been reinvented; with a micro-galley, shower stall and an enviable top speed of 40 knots.
Out of charge: Dyson's (cancelled) Electric SUV
Despite $500 million investment and tens of filed patents, Dyson’s electric car project has ground to a halt. Sir James has called time on the endeavour, and given us a teasing glimpse of what might have been. This, a seven-seater electric SUV with a 600-mile range and codename N526, is all that we’ll ever see of a Dyson carmaking division. But we still wouldn’t mind one — just look at it…
Bring it home: Farmison & Co Ripon Cathedral Streaky Bacon
If there’s one habit we’ll carry back over to normal life once the lockdown is lifted, it’s our breakfasts. Since we’ve been self-isolating, we’ve eaten like kings every morning — with particular pan-space reserved for this Ripon Cathedral Streaky Bacon from Farmison & Co. It’s got a deep, intense flavour, is reliably free range — and, if you really, really like it, Farmison & Co has launched a competition where one lucky full English fan can win a year’s supply.
Solid as a rock: Tom Dixon Marble Weights
With the gyms still shut, we’ve got a newfound appreciation for handsome exercise equipment. Not everyone has space to create a huge home gym — but Tom Dixon’s polished marble dumbbells are good-looking enough to leave on display long after you’ve completed your curls. Each is unique, and they come in a variety of different colours. Who needs a gym membership, anyway?
Over the coals: Everdure CUBE Portable Barbecue
Another innovation cooked up by Heston Blumenthal, the Everdure CUBE is a barbecue for the modern man. Crafted from steel, porcelain and chrome, it’s sleek enough to tote around the local park — but fierce enough to sear steaks with the best firepits and gas grills. We particularly like this bright orange design — ideal for the first al fresco cookout of summer.
Going green: Piaget Polo S
If you’re buckling up a Piaget Polo S every morning, you’ve got some great taste. The timeless timepiece was even Ryan Reynolds’ watch of choice for a spell. But the Swiss watchmaker has outdone itself with this most recent update; a rich emerald guilloche dial with luminescent hour-markers in rose gold. The subtle colours pair perfectly with the simple steel case — and it’s got us green with envy.
Turn it up: Bose Alto Audio Sunglasses
Buying a pair of retro sunglasses is all well and good — but you won’t get the modern bells and whistles that make contemporary frames so effective and long lasting. And Bose has gone one step further than polarized lenses and shatterproof construction again — introducing audio into the arms of its sunglasses. The Alto frames feature pioneering AR technology to deliver your favourite tunes and podcasts straight to your ears. Sound good? You bet it does.
Double up: Bulleit 10 Year Old Bourbon
When Bulleit launched its 10 Year Old Bourbon in 2013, it wasn’t available to buy in Britain. Suffice to say, both us and our Old Fashioneds were devastated. Thankfully, the rootin’, tootin’ whiskeymaker has seen the error of its ways, and you can now feast your eyes on this handsome bottle — and your tastebuds on the rich, spicy notes of vanilla, cinnamon and dried fruit within. Make ours a double.
Licence to thrill: Triumph Scrambler 1200 Bond Edition
Bond’s been pretty handy on two wheels of late. From Quantum of Solace, when he hooned around the streets of Haiti, to Skyfall, when he zipped across the rooftops of Istanbul, Daniel Craig’s 007 has always looked at home in the saddle. This ultra-rare Scrambler 1200 Bond Edition is inspired by the magnificent stunt bike we’ll see Craig ride in his superspy’s swansong, No Time To Die. With a unique billet riser clamp with laser-etched individual edition numbering, there are only 250 to be made. Better act fast.
Want more of the best gear money can buy? Check out last week’s Editor’s Picks…
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Further reading
Editor’s Picks: Grand Seiko watch, Crockett & Jones shoes, Littlemill whisky and My Style Bags watch case
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