We set up a Facebook account, as we mentioned some posts back. Unfortunately, he who set it up went off and was banned by Facebook, and thus the account was killed (nice work there Mig). We have gone back and re-established ourselves now and so far it’s all good in as much as it’s still there.

Our friends recently pointed us to Twitter and we have to say we are digging the simplicity of the idea. There’s no weight to it like Facebook, it’s pretty much just an online coms tool to have brief chats over. Sort of neat.

If you’re so inclined, you’ll find us at our Tweeter page here: http://twitter.com/labgear

It was a vote the whole world was hoping would happen, and it did.

Congratulations United States, the world we are sure applauds you for your choice.

We love to buy things we fall in love with (for some of us around here, we won’t buy something unless we love it!). As designers, we love designs with tradition, quality and attention to the little details. Well, Tobi is one brand that we refer back to for a source of great inspiration. Making a range of brilliant traditional style Japanese work wear with a modern eye, we are hard pressed to think how in the west ‘trades workers’ could ever have so much pride in what they wear to the building site, where it seems quite often the biggest bum crack wins.

Looking through the various Tobi catalogues ['Working Style Magazine'] all we can do is but marvel at the quality and detailing that goes into what they make. Without a doubt Tobi, and the traditions that it’s tied to, are a strong source of inspiration for us while we finish up the 2009 range.

We have been hard at work planning the 2009+ (the ‘+’ is because it’s not seasonal, more like when the new kit will hit the shelf) line which will go into the sewing shop at the start of December. Nice eh? As a side project, we have also been working on a small range of ‘chi-chi’ bike bits. Nothing fancy but cool little things that smile and cost you some beer money. We want some, so it must mean they’re cool.

After a lot of back and forthing with our friends with the CNC shop, we had a design worked out and a base cost that was totally viable. It’s fallen on its face though after we got the pricing back from the anodisers (not one but several), which go beyond outrageous, even the CNC shop is not amused. Basically, it’s like these guys don’t want to work and unless we’ve missed something, Australia was not a hotbed of anodised machined parts the last time we checked, so one would think that they’d want the work.

So what to do? We know we have contacts in Taiwan that can make the parts to spec, faster and cheaper than anyone can locally but that’s not our ‘thing’ here at Lab-Gear; keeping it local though is. But what does one do? Not make something they know people would really like because the locals are incapable of wanting to provide a reasonalbe service, OR ditch what you believe in and get it done offshore?

A conundrum….

Another great find from the site “Dark Roasted Blend“:

“In 2000, one of the most unusual and splendid caves was found in Mexico by miners. Located only a mile from an upthrust of magma, this cave is 112 degrees Farenheit and at 90-100% humidity, limiting greatly the amount of time explorers can spend in it. It is a spectacular cave, with gigantic crystal formations thought to be 600,000 years old.”

There’s a whole raft of totally interesting caves and the like listed. Well worth checking out.

It’s that time of the year again, and Sydney’s famous Bronte to Bondi ocean walk hosts the ‘Sculpture By The Sea’. 8am Sunday and it was already packed but here are what we thought were some of the highlights of this year’s show…

Read the rest of this entry »

We thought it would be sort of neat to have a Facebook page where our loyal fans over the years could share the love.

So we made one and here it is.

If you do the Facebook thing, do drop by…

Urban toys are cool, we said so here. Hayashi Shigeki’s work though take the urban toy idea and transports it to a whole other place.

To quote the gallery’s profile:

“Hayashi Shigeki, from Tajimi City, draws inspiration for his ceramic figures from images from science fiction, animated film and Japanese comic books known as manga, all of which have attracted him since he was a child. He comes from a region of Japan famous for the production of porcelain domestic ware, and he says “In order to express my ideas as art, I have found that porcelain is the best medium. However, I do not think of my works as ceramic pieces.” His haunting figures, like this “QP” doll in a space suit, suggest a deeper, hidden narrative within this universally recognizable variation on the traditional Kewpie doll from the west. In 2007 this received the important Medal of the President of the Chamber of Deputies at the Faenza International Competition for Contemporary Ceramics in Italy.”

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Nest: 190 Victoria St , Potts Point, NSW 2011, Australia

OK, this is my first sledgehammer review for the folks here at Lab-Gear. To set the mood, my reviews are short and sweet, from the standpoint of a complete punter. I love my coffee and food, I like good service and value for money is always nice, but I accept that quite often paying more gets you more so don’t mind if it’s a little expensive at times. I’m not going to mince around and fluffy things up for you, I am going to give you an honest, up front appraisal so you know what you are going to get; I think there is nothing worse than reviews that tart things up beyond what they should. Read the rest of this entry »

Something new this way comes.

Everyone likes coffee and baked goods, if you don’t you’re lying! So we at Lab-Gear decided to enlist the help of our renegade kit designer - ‘Mig Pilot’,  to review establishments he visits in search of the ultimate combination of coffee and baked goods. Don’t expect the reviews to be fair or partial, these will be unabashed personal opinions about places around Sydney, and further afield, that offer to take his hard earned cash in exchange for that unique combination that we all love so much.