Every week there are dozens of new and exciting pieces of gear. But are they actually worth buying? Trust the team at Cool Material to help you find the latest and greatest releases in a recurring column: What We’re Buying.
Glou Glou Natural Wine Box
“With holidays approaching my wine intake is going to go from ‘a lot’ to ‘even more,’ so I’m stocking up my wine rack with some more drinkable bottles. Glou Glou is a French term for the sound wine makes when you pour it and when you gulp it. It’s a wine that’s lower ABV and meant to be more chuggable. MYSA’s Black Friday sale kicked-in early so I helped myself to a box. Cheers.” Buy: $210
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MÄNNKITCHEN Pepper Cannon
“I go through a lot of whole peppercorns. So much so that I’ve broken more pepper mills than I’d like to admit. Until I got the Pepper Cannon. It’s durable (Aerospace Grade Aluminum body, high-carbon stainless steel burrs), grinds both smaller and larger than anything else I’ve owned (eight to 60 mesh size), is easy to fill, and puts out more pepper per twist than I can describe (the “cannon” in the name is appropriate). Is it pricey for what it is? Yes, but it’s a purchase that comes with the knowledge that I won’t be heading out to buy yet another subpar pepper mill like I have many (many) times over the years after burning through one in the middle of cooking. Plus it’s just incredibly better — and better looking — than any grinder alternative.” Buy: $200
– Nickolaus Hines, Features Editor
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Wayfarer Liteforce Sunglasses
“I believe it may have been a world record. I held onto my last pair of shades for something like 10 years until, as seems to be the case with every pair of sunglasses ever manufactured, they one day vanished without a trace, never again to reemerge. I decided to reward myself for my previous decade of responsible ownership with a pair of Wayfarer Liteforce shades from Ray Ban. With a blue frame and light grey gradient, my shades do their job of protecting my eyes from the evils of the sun. But then again, pretty much any decent pair of shades will do that. What I like best about them is their extremely light weight which, unlike other Ray Ban shades, you barely notice on your face when wearing them. Which allows you to focus on more important things…like not losing them.” Buy: $148
– Jay Gentile, Sales Director
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Willow Chain Bracelet
“I consider most jewelry to be unisex and the Willow Chain Bracelet by Marrow is no different. I actually wear a bracelet every day (it’s usually a flimsy friendship bracelet or one from Etsy), so I was looking to upgrade my daily piece to something a little…well, nicer. This one was the winner for me with its larger links and gold finish. I love mixing metals so it works well against my silver Seiko and my white gold wedding ring. It’s definitely become a staple for me.” Buy: $600
– Brett Braley-Palko, Style Editor
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Smartmi P1 Silver Air Purifier
“Now that it’s downright chilly in Chicago, and we don’t really open our windows anymore, we wanted an air purifier that would do the job, cost less, and not look like we bought a droid sculpture. The diminutive but powerful Smartmi P1 Silver can clean up to 320 sq. ft. in less than 20 minutes, and I can run it with my voice on Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant. Its HEPA filter manages small particles, and the crisp top display can show particulate matter data and pollen conditions. I also love the fact that it’s whisper quiet and looks like an engine part from a bespoke spaceship.” Buy: $177
– Amos Kwon, Auto/Watches Editor
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Earthfoam Natural Latex Mattress
“I recently tried out the newly launched Earthfoam mattress and I am sold. I never really cared much about where my mattress was made but this brand changed my perception. Earthfoam has fully integrated their supply chain from the sheep farms in New Zealand to the latex manufacturers in Sri Lanka to their family-owned plant in Chicago. This organic, natural latex mattress is a dream. It’s soft yet durable with a more pronounced firmness that offers much more support than the plush alternatives. I’ve definitely started sleeping better.” Buy: $699+
– John A. Paradiso, Managing Editor
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Roark Mathis Short Sleeve Knit
“I find most running shirts fall in the same category as bicycle shorts. From a performance standpoint, they serve a good purpose but I certainly wouldn’t walk around in public with any of this gear on. But now, I found the ace of spades of running shirts. The Mathis Short Sleeve Motorhead shirt. This shirt gives you the performance you need on the trails but cool enough to grab a beer at the bar. It’s made of lightweight Drirelease which regulates skin temperature with wicking yarn construction and it’s fast drying, up to four times faster than a typical cotton tee. Do yourself a favor and rock one of these t-shirts the next time you hit the road.” Buy: $55
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