The Levi’s Commuter collection could be the best thing to happen to a pair of jeans since Jacob Davis got with Levi Strauss to rivet denim together. Way back then, that kind of forward thinking must have just seemed like the obvious solution to the much bemoaned problem of workers jeans coming undone, literally, at the seams.

Jumping back to the modern days of 2012, we need are jeans to hold up down there in the mine (and thanks to Mr. Davis and Mr. Strauss and their handy rivets they do), but we also need them to help us move around town and get us to the office in style.

The Commuter collection is everything you want and need all together in one thing.
Form and function in one well fit package with no compromises. There’s design innovation built-in with reflective selvage detailing that reveals itself when you cuff your pants — it also helps keep you safe. Obviously safety is paramount. Levi’s also added an extra bit of fabric to hold your lock close to your hip to keep it secure while you roll.

That design also helps, in a way, to keep your bike from being shipped off to far away lands without you. Lastly, the denim is a special blend of cotton and stretch to allow free and easy motion.

Looking at the Commuter collection now, it becomes clear that this is the sort of innovation the world needs more of. I’m sure Levi Strauss would agree. [LEVI'S]

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One of the founding tenets of ACL was to give a voice to the little guys, to the under appreciated things that perform a great service everyday without any recognition. It is with this in mind that I turn your attention to one of the world’s greatest and often overlooked roadways, the General Pulaski Skyway, the world’s first “super highway.” ACL has a rich tradition of highlighting some of the tri-state’s greatest roadways (not really but it amuses me to say things like this), the Merritt Parkway comes to mind as a perennial favorite. In truth, ACL doesn’t really cover highways very often because it is a pretty random concept. It turns out that this is really only the second such post on a road, and many would argue that the Pulaski Skyway is overlooked for a reason, or a whole host of reasons.

While everyone can agree that the Merritt Parkway is a fun and scenic road to drive, the Pulaski Skyway is probably a tougher sell. I have been literally wondering about the hulking iron structure since the first time I took the three and a half mile trip through the North Jersey industrial corridor and on across the Hackensack and Passaic rivers. I fly out of Newark’s Liberty International airport often, which is a trip that requires a journey over the Pulaski Skyway. Almost every run-in with the Pulaski has led me to say to myself: “I need to do some research on this strange series of bridges and elevated highways that carries me through the swamps and across this North Jersey industrial battlefield.” I’m strange, I know.

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In terms of men’s product-based destinations online, there’s no denying Uncrate.com’s is one of the leaders, if not the leader in the space. The fact of the matter is, Uncrate is a beast; prolific and wielding an ocean of traffic. I think of it as Slashdot meets Amazon.com. The site has tapped into an audience in a remarkable way, because (generally), the majority of men aren’t interested in buying stuff the way they are into sports. While I have always respected Uncrate for its attention to detail and for the site’s simplicity, we didn’t start out as best friends. Our first exchange over twitter back in 2009 pretty much set the tone for each of us to hate each other (if I could find the tweets I would link them), but eventually I think we both had too much for respect to remain rivals. In the years since, we spoken frequently and the Twitter beef has been squashed.

Yesterday, the guys at Uncrate gave me a first look at their great new site called Gallivant. The format looks familiar — simple and to the point — but with a focus on interesting experiences (dining, drinking, hotels, travel etc) rather than product. It’s a good complement (and logical extension) of the gear-centricness of Uncrate. If it is anything like the Devour, the previous launch from Uncrate’s parent company Zombie Corp., I’m expecting big things. The launch of Gallivant also offered me rare opportunity to talk to Zombie Corp’s low-profile founder on the record. Our conversation and more about the new site after the jump.

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