The Gear Patrol Podcast Gear Patrol

Starting today, we’re going to take a break from our regularly scheduled weekly programming and devote some time to answering one important question: how can we make great podcasts worthy of a place in your listening rotation?

That's where you come in.

If you're a fan of the pod, and of Gear Patrol in general, chances are you have your own ideas about what a perfect Gear Patrol podcast would be like.

Genuinely–we want to hear from you. Email us at podcast@gearpatrol.com with all your thoughts, questions, and suggestions, and we'll do our damndest to make it happen.

Today, we talk about (shhh) white noise. Last week, Google screwed up its customers' sleep schedules with a weird Google Home software update which, says the company, impacted its "white noise experience." We talk about our reliance on tech in our home and white noise machines worth buying. Then: it looks very likely that Lamborghini is making an off-road version of its Huracan sports car. What's the point? Why make such a niche car? Lastly, Microsoft is buying the video game juggernaut Activision Blizzard for almost $70 billion. Is Halo doomed? We'll talk about what this takeover means for games and gamers.

We begin with a chat about vegan cars, based on a new study that indicates which automakers offer the highest number of vegan-friendly models. What does that mean, which company makes the most, and does it matter? Then an odd new product that combines audio technology and speaker design theory to produce a highly effective smell diffuser. Strange, yes, but what implications does it have in the real world? Lastly, we talk about the results of another fascinating study, this one on Google search trends that correlate with pandemic shopping trends. Have you been buying weird stuff over the last couple of years? Have we? Find out later on.

We begin with a discussion of the all-new, all-electric Ford F-150 Lightning pickup. Judging by the numbers, there's no doubt that the Lightning is already a hit–but is its success a phenomenon or was it inevitable? Then, we announce the new Gear Patrol Library of Pursuits, a series of newsletter-based courses that are all but guaranteed to improve your life thanks to a boatload of expert advice. It's a perfect pursuit for the new year. Lastly, the New Year and… you! We asked our Instagram followers to submit their 2022 product resolutions: the gear goals you hope to achieve this year, whether that means upgrading, checking something off your grail list, a new purchasing behavior… sky's the limit. Spoiler alert: we had a lot of great responses, so don't miss out on our reactions and advice for everyone who wrote in.

In this episode, the last of 2021, we're looking back on all the year's great gear and considering what might lay ahead in 2022. By this time of the year our staff has spent nearly 365 days analyzing a huge amount of information about new products, advancements and upgrades, discontinuations, etc., and whittled it all down to recommendations of the best stuff that's worth your time and money. Part of that process is tracking and cataloging trends–in the product design and manufacturing worlds, but also in terms of consumer trends. And buried inside all that info are hints at what's in store for 2022. Executive Editor Jack Seemer and Platforms Editor JD DiGiovanni join to discuss trends and predictions.

This week we're discussing the future of smart home tech, and a tech standard called Matter that will allegedly unite all our disparate smart home devices under one virtual roof. Then, luxury textile and clothing maker Loro Piana and many other similar brands are leaning into a new trend: tracking the production of wool goods all the way back to the sheep whose haircut provided the raw materials. Lastly, John Mayer and Casio teamed up on another G-Shock watch collaboration. It's already sold out, but we'll talk about our thoughts on the design, and thoughts on collabs like this. And we finish up with a quick lightning round of our favorite new gear from the past week.