Products of the Week: Whiskey, New Balance Shoes and Federer-Approved Tennis Apparel

The seven best pieces of garb and gear that crossed our desks this week

May 25, 2024 7:42 am
From New Balance shoes to whiskey, this is the best stuff to cross our desks (and inboxes) this week.
From New Balance shoes to whiskey, this is the best stuff to cross our desks (and inboxes) this week.
Buffalo Trace, New Balance, Timex, The North Face

Boutique running label District Vision is very much positioned at the very pinnacle of form and function, with a dedication to craftsmanship, performance and aesthetics are unmatched. New Balance? Perhaps slightly less so. Nevertheless, the latest collab between the athletic giants and DV has produced a streamlined capsule of tonal gems, capped off by a grey and black makeover for the FuelCell SC Elite v4, New Balance’s premier racing shoe.

Designed to prevent wearers from getting too much sun as well as leaking too much sweat, The North Face’s new line of Lightrange wearables are made from a new-to-market material packing providing strong UPF protection and enhanced wicking power. Perfect for runners, athletes and mover and shakers, the lightweight line is breathable and includes shirts, hoodies and hats — including a bucket.

Buffalo Trace is leaning into its ultra-aged whiskeys. The latest Weller is a blend of vintage straight wheated bourbon and wheat whiskeys distilled near the turn of the millennium (2000, 2003, 2005 and 2006) and matured at Buffalo Trace Distillery. This age doesn’t come cheap; it arrives in a handcrafted crystal decanter with a custom-made crystal topper hand-etched with W.L. Weller’s original “W” stamp of quality. An illuminated display envelopes the 99-proof bottling with exactly 99 bursts while sharing the percentages of each vintage spirit inside the bottle, and it’ll set you back $7,500. You’ll find a lot cherry, toffee, caramel and oak spice here with a dry finish.

Did someone say Challengers? No? Just us? We must’ve been confused — after all, the sexy, racquet-forward look of the latest from tennis GOAT Roger Federer and Japanese retail giant Uniqlo (and JW ANDERSON, who helped produce the collab) has us similarly drooling. The refined capsule is purportedly inspired by garb from the ‘70s and ‘80s, but reads modern and ready for anything. Grab it before it’s gone.

Two of our favorite brands have teamed up for the summer collection of our dreams. Dusen Dusen — known for bright and bold home decor — and Waves Wine (our favorite canned wine with the best artwork ever) have released a line of very cool terry cloth goods, including a tote bag, towel and play pack that includes both items, plus a hat and six cans of Waves Wine. Beach and pool life have never looked so good.

When Timex collabs with a brand, usually it involves a few tweaks here and there to components that are used in other timepieces. (Which is fine. Those collabs are often fantastic.) But their newest watch with the James Brand — the designer’s knifemaker, and a company they’ve worked with before — pushes the limits in a number of ways. The 41mm barrel-shaped titanium case is brand new; the Miyota 9075 automatic GMT movement is being offered in a Timex here for the first time; and the coveted titanium construction extends to the bracelet as well. There are a number of other noteworthy details here (double digits around the whole bezel; pops of the James Brand’s signature lime green) but only 1,000 individually numbered watches available. At well under $1,000, this may just be the do-it-all GMT of your dreams.

The iconic punk band has been making coffee for a decade now, but Green Day has a different jittery java brand for you. Good: It’s fair trade and organic, and a portion of profits from every bag or pod of coffee sold is earmarked for an array charity partners. Not so good: The use of environmentally-unfriendly K-cups (no surprise, as the coffee is a partnership with Keurig Dr Pepper). Each coffee flavor is a nod to the band’s music and image (Father of All…Dark Roasts, Soundcheck, Last Ride In and Light Club) and if you’ve seen a live show by the band, you’ll recognize the bunny mascot.  

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