Five check-ins
J1B-GT, 9 months
Is it possible to fall in love with a jacket? One for therapy next week, I suppose.
I was nervous for a long time about getting a J1B, and I shouldn’t have been. The thing is a marvel. During the summers I wear it as a raincoat, and everybody universally remarks “wow, you look waterproof.” I am, thanks, and on top of that I also look like an anime villain who’s thriving in the middle of apocalypse.
I’m certain that I’m not using all of the zippers, and there are some very dumb gimmicks on the thing. Nobody in their right mind would use the AirPods flap, nor would they eject their phone from a secret sleeve pocket like they’re a ninja. The J1B is superior to the original J1A because it lacks the “flak” pocket that makes you look like a techno kangaroo. There are enough pockets elsewhere on here, and you’re probably carrying a sling on top of this, anyway.
So yes, room for improvement, but these are quibbles. The tailoring is outstanding, and nothing in the world looks quite like it. It’s been the standard for 20 years now for a reason. I know this is the beginning of a slippery slope for many people, but probably not me. Most of my aesthetic is not Acronym-adjacent. I went to a boutique recently and tried on a pair of Acronym pants, and spent 10 minutes alongside a confused staff member trying to figure out how to put it on at all. Acronym, broadly speaking, is not for me – but then look at what “me” becomes when you run groceries in your third tornado band of the week.
iPad Pro, 3 months
I regret this decision on almost every level. I should have stayed with my old iPad, which had a vastly superior keyboard and was considerably lighter, all-in, when carrying it alongside the keyboard. The typing experience is diminished on a more expensive keyboard. There is no functionality or performance difference. I cannot sense that this one is any “faster” at anything, or better at anything that I would use an iPad for.
I was hoping for correct font management in the latest version of iPadOS, and am running the public beta right now, but nope. 14 years of iPad and still no way to reliably get fonts on here. It speaks volumes when I have to punt from a $2,000 device to my laptop in order to do basic word processing. Isn’t it wild how the Mac was touted as the vanguard of graphic design in the eighties, and now we have… this?
I am considering selling this to work exclusively on a laptop going forward. For the rest of you, I would buy the best iPad you can, and then run it until Apple literally stops providing software updates for it. Or just get a Mac, which is an actual computer.
Sebenza, one month
Sebenza text is fresh, I know, but there are already some funny stories.
In the aforementioned tornado aftermath, a branch was downed from one of the honey locust trees that lines my block. It wasn’t fully cut through, though, so it was dangling onto the sidewalk. I walked up with my Sebenza, curious if it could get through a half inch of wood, and it sliced the thing like it was butter.
I’m a picnic pro, and I’ve used it mostly as a chef’s knife when I’m out. I was recently at one of my favorite picnic excuses of the year, and pulled out my Sebenza for the cheese platter, and one of my friends, astonished, asked if it was “one of those fancy things you always get.” It was, yes. “Can I hold it?” Sure. I folded it shut and she proceeded to stare at it for five minutes. “This is amazing.” It is, yes. Family run company. I just got it, but I hope to own it for the rest of my life. “How do you find this stuff?” Oh, just research.
Sometimes I use it as a fidget toy – closed, of course. The texture is nice, a little rough. I presume that over time, a patina will smooth the thing out, creating a deeper relationship with the object. I didn’t speak of this in the original text and think that a year in, a smooth Sebenza will become yours alone, and that is part of the appeal of the thing.
Leica Q2, 3.25 years
Many people have written about how the Q2 brings an ineffable joy to photography, and how the thing just gets the shot at all costs. All of this is true, but I also want to talk about how Leicas wear in. This is talked about a little, but less so, because most people are too precious with their Leica.
I am not. I wear objects hard. I need them to perform under every circumstance. This thing has been to four continents & 10 countries since I got it, and it does look worn in, and that is the point. The brass grip has worn down to fit my hand, the bottom contact points are worn through the paint, and the top is mirror-smooth. You can look at a Q2 or my Q2, and they are two different cameras.
This is the point. Use has created a relationship with the camera that makes me less likely to upgrade when new models come out. Yes, there is a Q3 now, and I am not tempted even a little. Because this Q2 is mine. There is something deeply important in that, something that shows a life well-lived.
I know I’ll sell this someday, if only to get the money to buy a Q5 or whatnot. But that will be a sad day, one I’m not looking forward to. And whomever receives this thing will wonder: what happened?
ILE Default UX10, 3 months
Bag influencers – and, yes, bag influencers very much exist – want you to believe that there are all sorts of special, sleek forms that work best for travel, the boardroom, whatnot. But man, bike people have had this one on lock for decades.
The thing floats on your back like a cloud, even packed so high with groceries & random crap that you can’t pin it shut. It is the best bag I’ve ever owned. I’ve hauled 50lb of groceries, 19” wood easels, and appliances in their box without even thinking. But the Default is also opinionated in ways that don’t yet make sense to me, and so this text exists to try and think it out.
The pack desperately needs a cell holster. You can buy one through ILE, but you have to hunt for it on their store. Putting my design consultant hat on: this would be a perfect upsell on their product or cart pages. The holster itself is well-designed, with a zip pocket that can hold your knife & titanium force entry tool, because you bike in Chicago in 2024.
The bottom pocket is a little awkward. What does one put in it? Presumably tools for repairing your bike or some such. I’ve put all of the objects there that I bring with me when I’m out, including kleenex, lip balm, hand salve, toothpicks, etc.
The only real thing missing is the ability to close the flap at its end point. Instead, you have to either button the sides shut (if possible) or leave it hang open. For large loads, this is a bit risky, especially when taking the bag on or off.
ILE is missing two things on their product pages: a how-to guide for using the pack, and weight calculations. UX10, as a fabric, is one of the lightest & strongest out there, so you would think that ILE would want to brag about it. But no, this is a bag for those who know, and bikers know. The wisdom is passed around, quietly. And the influencers are off there, doing whatever it is they do.