31DEC2023

Happy New Years to everyone! Thank you so much for reading these scribbles and letting me share some cool things with you each week.

For the last Hiro.Report of the year, I thought I’d do a special edition listing my most used things from 2023. To be clear, this is being written in the spirit of sharing fun things (and also materialist capitalism?), so this will be focused on physical things I enjoyed this year and is not a list of my favorite things ever (which often might beat things on this list for their sentimental value, etc). Where noteworthy, I've highlighted when there are things on the list that I actually like better but may not use as much.

OK, on to the things I enjoyed using the most this year!

• Knife: Chris Reeves Sabenza - I’ve had this knife for a little over a decade now and it’s still the most delightful and reliable knife I own (and I own an embarrassing number of fancy knives). It looks great, is rock solid, and is backed by an amazing lifetime warranty. Chris Reeves also offers a really great services where you can send your knife in to be cleaned and sharpened, something I’ve only had to do once in the 12 or so years I’ve had it.
• Watch: Tudor Black Bay 58- I got this two years ago to celebrate a major life milestone and have rarely gone more than a few days without wearing it since. It looks great without being flashy, is built to take all kinds of abuse, and the automatic movement means it’ll run forever without having to worry about batteries. As a scuba diver, I appreciate its very impressive deep sea capabilities and maritime heritage. While it’s not my all time favorite watch I own (that goes to the Omega Speedmaster), if I could only take one watch on a trip around the world, this would be it.
• Pen: Big i Design x Cardiology Bolt Action Pen / Studio Neat | Mark One - OK, I’m already cheating here by listing two things but, the Bolt Action Mini Pen is far and away my favorite EDC pen, so easy to slip in to a bag or pocket and go. The fact that it can take just about any pen refill you can imagine means it’s infinitely customizable. The titanium keeps it lightweight and strong as heck. On the other hand, when I’m sitting at my desk, the Mark One is the pen I reach for every time. It’s a beautiful object, feels great in hand, and the custom Studio Neat refills write like a dream.
• Notebook: Studio Neat Totebook - Austin-based Studio Neat gets two spots on this list! They make several different great notebooks for journaling, note taking, etc. Their Totebook was my favorite to carry and use this year. It’s compact, flexible, has excellent fountain pen-friendly paper, and includes thoughtful details like perforated pages in the back that can be torn out and easily torn into quarters for makeshift business cards or 3x5 card replacements in a pinch.
• Shirts: Proof 72-hour Merino T-Shirt - $80 is a stupid amount to spend on a t-shirt but hot damn do I love these. They are crazy comfortable, fit great, and stay odor free for days of wear (I’ve test them). Perfect for long distance travel and cruising around a sweaty town like Austin in the summer.
• Pants: Flint & Tinder 365 Pant - Huckberry’s in-house brand makes the pants I wore the most this year. Good looking jean-cut slacks with just the right amount of stretch and breathability to be very comfortable without feeling like you’re wearing synthetic tech wear. My wife says she likes how they look on me, so I wear them as often as possible.
• Shoes: Lems Chillum - These are definitely not my favorite shoes (that honor probably goes to the ridiculous looking but super fun Nike x ACRNM Presto’s), but I definitely wore the Chillums the most this year. The zero lift design makes these very comfortable but with enough support where you don’t feel like you’re going full barefoot. They’re easy to dress up / down, and also do a great job for off road adventures and hikes.
• Bag: Evergoods CPL - I’ve got a bit of a bag problem, and earlier this year undertook to find The Best Bag that would finally end my bag hunt and would liberate me to get rid of all my other bags. Well, friends, I wound up buying two bags and keeping all my other bags. All that said, the bag I used far and away the most this year was the Evergoods CPL 24L. Very clean, minimal design, lightweight, ridiculously sturdy build, and a thoughtful pocket layout makes it a no brainer for commuting, hiking, and international business trips. The other bag I bought? The Black Ember Forge— I actually like the idea and look of this bag better in theory, but in practice I have only really used the Forge for business trips.
• Water Bottle: Owalla Free Sip - I'm a big Yeti fan, but this thing has been my most used bottle this year. The straw/sip combination and absolute non-spill lid has been epic for travel, outdoor adventures, and just putzing around the house.

That's it for now! May your New Year be filled with bliss and just the right amount of adventure. 🙏