It’s a big EDC market out there, and tons of awesome gear is released all the time. We made The Drop to help you discover the latest and greatest essentials worth a spot in your EDC.
The fun and fabulous toys by our friends over at aroundsquare are best known for two things: a whole catalog worth of wearables and carryables to choose from, and being able to pick up most everything in that catalog in a range of materials from wood to the most exotic materials and alloys.
For their October drop, they’re cooking up even more material science with a healthy dose of polyetherimide (PEI), otherwise known more popularly as Ultem. To say that it’s made a splash in EDC is an understatement; its unique properties of high strength and rigidity give it exceptional stability even at very high temperatures, making it a sort of superplastic once it’s set. Matt (the founder of aroundsquare) has a great write-up about it in his e-mail announcing the drop.
As for the drop itself, there’s plenty to scope out and scoop up, Ultem or otherwise. Leading the pack are long and shortform “MKUltems,” my personal favorite wearable they offer, which also comes in both a matte machined finish and polished versions. There are Ultem begleris with the new apple-shaped Mílos beads, as well as in the larger Hardcore Titans variant. Last but not least are Ultem options for both the Banzhi ring and several Knucklebones, so there really is a lot in this drop to look out for if you want to get your amber game on.
What we like: Variety is the spice of life, and Ultem is just another great material option if you’re looking for the perfect mindfulness or meditation toy from aroundsquare. Bonus that it’s also particularly distinct in appearance without adding too much to the cost of a product, without any performance drawbacks.
What to watch out for: Some aroundsquare drops can get popular, and given Ultem’s, these could be snatched up quickly. Set those alarms for 7PM Pacific today, Friday the 27th, to get a jump on the release. Also, check out the other inclusions, like a new cashmere sweater and acrylic sets.
Final verdict: Amber is the color of our energy.