The Leica R3 Safari was a special limited edition of the popular Leica R3 released in 1976, many credit the R3 with saving Leica as the company had struggled financially in the years immediately prior due to some poor selling models. The R3 was significant for a few reasons, the electronics had been co-developed with…
Rally timers were (and still are) absolutely essential for competitors in events like the Mille Miglia, this pair of timers was built by Hanhart for Ferrari and it was used actively in competition throughout the ’50s and ’60s. Hanhart designed this timer to be either mounted on the dashboard or worn around the neck with…
The Stirling engine was originally invented by Scottish minster Robert Stirling in 1816, his invention rivalled the steam engine for a time and today it’s rapidly finding favour with modern inventors looking for ways of mechanising heat to create zero or low emissions engines. The working principle of the Stirling engine is simple but highly…
The Goal Zero Guide 10 Adventure Kit is a portable solar cell and rechargeable battery pack designed to keep your gear charged when you’re off the beaten trail. It uses a folding Nomad 7 twin solar panel which plugs into the Guide 10 rechargeable battery pack. Once charged the batteries can be used in devices…
Sinn Spezialuhren is a watchmaker that most people have never heard of, it’s a German company that was founded by pilot Helmut Sinn in 1961 to make chronographs and instruments for pilots and aircraft. Although the Swiss might be more famous for their chronographs, the Germans have a long history of producing world class watches…
The Blub Uno is a minimalist tube clock made from machined aluminium, glass, bamboo and powered via USB. The tubes are easily replaceable and thanks to the small remote control, the colour, time and date can all be set from across the room – the Uno can also display the current temperature. The clock is…
The Barebones Canyon Lantern is a modern take on the classic American outdoor lantern, each one has a satin nickel finish, both a flashlight and ambient light mode, and an illumination ability up to 200 Lumens. The curved handle is designed to allow the lantern to be hung at a variety of angles and the twin…
Being on a motorcycle and carrying gear isn’t easy as many people imagine, messenger bags can be slightly worse than useless due to their tendency to swing around to the side or front under braking. Backpacks are good but they can cause fatigue on longer rides and although panniers are perfect, many of us don’t…
Regular readers of Silodrome have all become accustomed to my love of the classic tool roll, they were invented out of necessity shortly after the first motorcycle was invented – these bikes were unsurprisingly unreliable and so it became essential to have a decent tool kit on you at all times. Modern motorcycles are now…
This Remove Before Flight Key Chain is something I’ve had for years, it’s an almost perfect tag for your car or motorcycle keys due to the fact that it’s bright red and very difficult to misplace. It also seems to draw more comments than any other single object I own, everyone always wants to know…
This is our collection of slightly unusual items that you probably don’t currently have in your home bar, but that you should probably consider. Especially the sabre. Champagne Sabre The Champagne Sabre was clearly invented by a drunk person who had a sabre in one hand and a bottle of champagne in the other. For…
Martenero is a small New York-based watchmaking company that specialises in creating very clean timepieces designed for legibility and versatility, each of their watches ships with two bands included – a waterproof nylon NATO strap and a handmade leather strap designed for more formal occasions. Each watch is powered by a Miyota 821A automatic movement…
