All posts tagged: apparel

Pokémon 30th Anniversary Collabs—What You Can Still Buy and What’s Coming

Pokémon 30th Anniversary Collabs—What You Can Still Buy and What’s Coming

Published by skeptic

Listen closely, and you might still be able to hear it—a rousing 8-bit chiptune chirping out the first call to adventure for a generation, a challenge to catch them all and be the very best, like no one ever was. That’s right—2026 marks the 30th anniversary of Pokémon, which debuted on Nintendo’s original Game Boy handheld back in 1996 with the Japanese launch of Pocket Monsters Red and Green. While the series wouldn’t make its global debut for another two years as Pokémon Red and Blue—an updated version of Green—it was already on its way to becoming the most successful media product in history. With Pokémon now bigger than Mickey Mouse and Star Wars—combined—it’s little surprise that when the Pokémon Company announced a range of exclusive merchandise to mark the anniversary—for Japan only at the time—it immediately sold out. Things were so bad at one point that there were multi-hour waits to load the official website. Thankfully, the 30th celebrations are no longer restricted to Pokémon’s homeland, nor to Nintendo and the Pokémon Company’s offerings. As the year …

Best Merino Wool T-Shirts (2026): Ibex, Icebreaker, Unbound Merino

Best Merino Wool T-Shirts (2026): Ibex, Icebreaker, Unbound Merino

Published by skeptic

We are talking about $80 (or more) T-shirts here, so this is valid question. I think merino T-shirts are worth the investment. They offer considerable benefits over cotton and other natural fibers, as well as synthetics. Merino offers great temperature regulation, excellent moisture wicking, and they don’t smell, which means you can wear them more and don’t need as many of them. Three merino T-shirts in your wardrobe will last you as many days as 10 cotton shirts, so from a financial angle it’s a wash. Here’s a quick rundown of some of the benefits of merino wool: Odor-resistant: One of merino wool’s superpowers is that it’s naturally resistant to odors. This means you can wear a merino T-shirt multiple times before needing to wash it. How many times? I’d say that depends where you are and what you’re doing, but usually three to seven times. Our top pick is, after all, called the 72-hour shirt, because that’s how long you can generally wear it before it needs a wash. See below for more on …

The Adidas Hyperboost Edge Is Your New Super Trainer

The Adidas Hyperboost Edge Is Your New Super Trainer

Published by skeptic

Some running shoes swagger into town, stirring up hype, making big promises. Like the Nike Vaporfly or the Puma Fast-R Nitro 3 Elite, the Adidas Hyperboost Edge ($200) promises to usher in “a new era of road running,” with brand-new supershoe DNA—a giant stack of new super foam, lightweight uppers, and a bold new design. It certainly looks a lot different than the shoes we might have laced up just a few years back. But what’s really different about these so-called super trainers like the Hyperboost Edge? Here, I’ll break down what’s going on inside the new wave of high-performance running shoes and if they’ll really make you faster. If you’re not really worried about cutting a minute or two off your mile, don’t forget to check out the rest of our outdoor buying guides, including the Best Running Shoes, the Best Gravel Running Shoes, and the Best Running Socks. What Is a Super Trainer? The Adidas Hyperboost Edge joins a growing lineup of running shoes that attempt to translate the high tech of racing …

TAG Heuer Has Dropped New Polylight-Powered F1s

TAG Heuer Has Dropped New Polylight-Powered F1s

Published by skeptic

No doubt looking to find some breathing space after the hubbub of Watches and Wonders last week, TAG Heuer has dropped an update to its 2025 revamped collection of the brand’s iconic plastic-cased 1980s watch, the “Formula 1.” The five new pieces are called the “pastel collection” by TAG, and all are built on the same solar-powered Formula 1 Solargraph 38 mm that launched in March last year. Two models feature a sandblasted stainless steel case, while the remaining three have cases made from TAG’s proprietary bio-polamide plastic, Polylight. It’s these Polylight versions that, for WIRED, are the stars of the new mini collection. Coming in pastel blue, beige, and pink, and sporting case-matching rubber straps and bidirectional-rotating Polylight bezels, they reference classic F1 designs that made the line iconic in the first place. The new Polylight beige. Courtesy of TAG Heuer The “pastel green” steel F1 Solargraphs. Courtesy of TAG Heuer The stainless steel models have a 3-link sandblasted steel bracelet and either a “pastel green” or “lavender blue” dial with matching Polylight bezels. …

The Best Casio Watches You Can Wear Anywhere

The Best Casio Watches You Can Wear Anywhere

Published by skeptic

There are hundreds of variants of the DW5600 on the market, each modeled after the first-ever G-Shock. It was designed by legendary Casio engineer Kikuo Ibe, who, after dropping and breaking a watch his father had given him in the late 1970s, became obsessed with creating a watch that was indestructible. Regardless of which movement variant you get (solar, atomic, classic, inverted dial—there are countless to choose from), each watch is designed to what Casio calls Triple 10 principles: 10-year battery life, 10-bar (100-meter) water resistance, and protection against a 10-meter fall onto concrete. Needless to say, this is a rugged watch that will take a lifetime of abuse, as long as you change the battery (or get a solar model). This basic G-Shock is the foundation of much of Casio’s acclaim as a buy-it-for-life watch brand, and there are so many cool versions to choose from. Mine comes from a collaboration between skate brand Preduce and a Thai artist, a limited release that my wife picked up when visiting her family there. There are …

The Star Trek Communicator Is Now a High-End Wristwatch

The Star Trek Communicator Is Now a High-End Wristwatch

Published by skeptic

After the damp squib that was Rolex’s anniversary celebration at this year’s Watches and Wonders in Geneva (maybe Rolex will bring back the Milgauss in 2027?), we started to worry that truly WIRED timepieces would be few and far between this year. Then we found the Retrovision ’64 by Hautlence. Clearly channeling none other than Captain Kirk, the high-end Swiss brand has turned Star Trek’s iconic Communicator into a full-on luxury wristwatch—and we’re very much here for it. Fans of the ’60s sci-fi series will be delighted to recognize the characteristic cover and perforated grille, which, oh yes, flips up to reveal the watch workings underneath. However, despite the light-hearted design cues, those workings very much lean into serious horology. The Retrovision ’64 is a high-end wristwatch masquerading as a Star Trek communicator. Photograph: Courtesy of Hautlence The Star Trek universe is no stranger to watch collaborations, but this is a whole new level. Inside the retro-futuristic case beats an in-house caliber equipped with a linear jumping hour mechanism developed in collaboration with Geneva-based artisan …

Best Lightweight Hiking Boots (2026): La Sportiva, Salomon, Keen, and More

Best Lightweight Hiking Boots (2026): La Sportiva, Salomon, Keen, and More

Published by skeptic

The Targhee collection, named after a hardy American breed of sheep known for their resiliency and rather fine wool, was first launched in 2005, with the intention of being versatile, robust, and comfortable from the get-go. I’ve walked in many pairs over the years, and they remain a dependable option I’m happy to recommend, but they’ve never been the most aesthetically pleasing. But with the new Targhee Apex, they’ve gone all-in with a trail running Gorpcore look that actually works. I know that looks aren’t important when you’re scrambling over rocks and through puddles, but in the high-fashion world of the outdoors these days, pretty and practical must go hand in hand. Enough fashion chat though, because regardless of style, these are wonderful waterproof trail shoes that weigh just 0.75 pounds each. They feel light without being fragile, the footbed is generous, allowing my feet to spread comfortably over a long day, and there’s plenty of stability through the midsole. Grip is reassuring on mixed terrain too, and the outsole digs in confidently on both …

This Groundbreaking Omega Watch’s Accuracy Is Calibrated Using Sound

This Groundbreaking Omega Watch’s Accuracy Is Calibrated Using Sound

Published by skeptic

Omega has been making the Constellation for more than 70 years, a watch that was the Swiss brand’s elegant flagship timepiece before the Speedmaster landed in 1957. It got its moniker from an image on its caseback—an observatory beneath eight stars. The stars symbolized two chronometer records and six first-place precision awards that Omega earned between 1933 and 1952, the year the Constellation launched. But Omega’s new Constellation Observatory collection has a completely new procedure for measuring accuracy, one that gets around the thorny issue of these pieces having no seconds hand. Why should a seconds hand matter? Watches are tested for accuracy with photographic tracking of the seconds hand over a period of time. Having no seconds hand makes this impossible. The Constellation Observatory pieces, however, grant Omega some watchmaking history as they are the first two-hand watches to achieve Master Chronometer certification without a seconds hand. Traditional testing by COSC—the Swiss body that certifies the accuracy of Swiss watches—uses photographic tech to measure the position of the hands in different positions and temperatures …

Best Merino Wool Clothing (2026): Base Layers, Hoodies, Jackets & More

Best Merino Wool Clothing (2026): Base Layers, Hoodies, Jackets & More

Published by skeptic

Merino wool is a super fiber. The best merino wool clothing somehow manages to be comfortable in 95-degree heat, and merino base layers keep you warm well below freezing. Unlike synthetic fibers derived from petroleum, merino wool is natural and renewable. Merino wool’s versatility means there’s a bewildering array of blends and options to choose from. Here are our favorite merino wool products that we’ve tested by wearing and washing (usually in cold water, and hung to dry, although we do machine dry them just to see what happens) over the course of months and even years in some cases. Once you’re done here, don’t forget to check out the rest of our apparel guides, like the Best Merino Wool T-Shirts, Best Base Layers, Best Puffer Jackets, Best Hoodies, and Best Hiking Boots. Updated April 2026: We’ve changed out top pick boxers to Wool & Prince, added more hoodies, and the Ibex women’s Goat short sleeve. We also updated prices and links throughout. Table of Contents AccordionItemContainerButton Why Is Merino Wool So Great? AccordionItemContainerButton Merino …

Best Mid Layer for Hiking, Backpacking, and Travel (2026)

Best Mid Layer for Hiking, Backpacking, and Travel (2026)

Published by skeptic

Arc’teryx’s Delta Jacket is an ultralight fleece made of Octa Fleece, one of the newer, high-tech fleeces to hit the market in the past couple of years. The name comes from the octopus-like weaving which creates air gaps, which help trap warmth while also allowing moisture to escape. It’s very popular with cottage industry ultralight brands, but Arc’teryx adopted it for the 2025 revamp of the company’s popular Delta fleece jacket. I hesitated to put this jacket in this guide because, while I like it as an ultralight mid layer for summer trips, there is an older, heavier version of the Delta jacket. Judging by the angry reviews on Arc’teryx’s website, it was very popular. This jacket is something else entirely, but disgruntled fans of the older version aside, this is a great mid layer for summer trips, especially when paired with a sun shirt hoodie. At 8.5 oz for this, and 6 oz for a sun hoodie like the one from Kuiu below, you have a combo that allows multiple layering options and still …