There’s a point where gear stops being something you own, and just becomes part of how you live. Best said about their products by our friends over at Peak Design, they make 'detail-obsessed gear' to ensure the best experience for creating, commuting and exploring; perfectly aligned with how we build our products.
The bags that have been through more airports than you can count. The camera setup that comes out every weekend. The watch that's been your everyday adventure companion since it arrived.
The day after Intersect Los Angeles, we hosted our second Gear Swap with aBlogtoWatch at Peak Design’s Los Angeles store on Abbot Kinney in Venice. The afternoon brought together watches, straps, EDC, travel gear and the people who actually use all of it.
Built to be used
Walk into Peak Design and the connection makes sense immediately. This is a company that sees their audience as peers, spending years designing around people who are constantly moving: photographers, travellers, commuters, cyclists and people whose hobbies have a habit of becoming adventures.
A piece of gear that's infiltrated my everyday life is their Outdoor Sling. Not an accessory for the sake of an accessory, it's designed around quick access, organization, and versatility. Peak's products also offer protection for your gear because they assume you'll be using it, not treating it preciously, and not keeping it pristine.
Whether it's a camera cube, a phone case, or one of their other bags, they're designed around people who love photography, without being limited to photographers; stuff suitable for the city or the backcountry.
Buy It For Life
While some people might see our products as 'premium', we both take the approach to making things well, making them useful, and making them last. There's a couple ways people might describe this approach to gear - buy once cry once, or buy it for life. In the case of the UTD-8000, we guarantee the module for life, because we expect you to use it for a lifetime; at Peak Design, they stand behind their products with a lifetime guarantee.
We didn't just pick the stuff we included in the UTD-8000-STG content just because. We chose them because they're some of our personal favourites. If you're a photographer, the Pro Tripod might really be the last tripod you ever buy. If you fall into the category of commuter, explorer or adventurer that 'pro' doesn't resonate with you, you might be looking at the Mobile Tripod, or their Packing Cubes. Despite us designing our own take on a dopp kit, it's undeniable that the Wash Pouch is one of the best travel accessories I've ever seen.
It's true that some of our stuff might seem pricey, but trust us when we say it's worth opening up your Mobile Wallet. Neither of us is interested in making disposable gear, and we build the kind of product that we expect you'll buy once, use it hard, and repair it if necessary. With the same philosophy as our Re-Verified Program, Peak Design has a Marketplace with PD Certified Gear, giving the community to purchase adventure tested, refurbished and open box gear at a discount rather than letting perfectly functional gear sit unused.
That might seem weird coming from companies whose business is making new products, but it's actually proof that we stand behind our products and our audience, whether they're buying something new or used. It's a difficult balance to get right, but it’s something we think about constantly at RZE.
The Gear Swap
I put on a watch every morning, throw a camera in my bag along with my Blackcomb pouch filled up with cables, and a bunch of things I might need later. To be honest, my everyday carry changes all the time because of that sickness I get from time to time - Gear Acquisition Syndrome. When we're passionate about our hobbies, we're always looking for ways to improve, and unfortunately, buying stuff is sometimes the result of that.
We all end up with a bunch of stuff that we've tried, and doesn't make the cut. Often we wonder how we'll get rid of it or how to let it go without wasting it (or the money we spent on it). Thats where the Gear Swap comes it. It isn't just about getting something or trading, it's about the gear connected to the lives we live, how we live them, and how our stuff can improve our everyday lives.
The formula is simple. Bring something good that you’re no longer using. Put it in front of a group of likeminded people who might want it. Talk about it; maybe trade it. Think about it like adult show-and-tell for all the stuff around the things we enjoy.
From One Journey To Another
Having had two successful Gear Swaps, we're teaming up with The Grey NATO to host our next one in Toronto. Join us with your gear at Twilight Cafe North York, just minutes away from the Toronto Timepiece Show on Saturday, September 26, from 2-4 PM. We'll be bringing along some of our latest collections and a sneak peek at some upcoming pieces, and we're inviting you to bring some of your everyday carry to share (and maybe swap) with the community.
Whether you have gear to swap, or just want to come hang with the community, come on out and you'll see that aside from talking about stuff, everyone be there talking about their next trip, hike, watch, camera or project. Connecting with likeminded individuals is probably the best reason for why we keep doing Gear Swaps. The product is only the starting point.
The lifestyle around it is the adventure. Together we're Assembled for Adventure.
