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Nov 19 - Clear Horizons – A Roadworthy Gift Guide with Shinzo Tamura
David Shuck
November 19, 2025
Clear Horizons – A Roadworthy Gift Guide with Shinzo Tamura
David Shuck
Together with
Is there ever a bad time to hit the open road? It’s one of life’s great freedoms to get behind the wheel and head off to wherever your heart desires and there are few better companions on such a journey than a reliable pair of sunglasses.
Whether your eyes are staring down the horizon on an empty stretch of highway or just a scenic detour on your everyday commute, Shinzo Tamura has engineered the ideal eyewear for every driving experience. The family-owned manufacturer designs and creates their lenses and frames in-house in their factory in Osaka, Japan. TALEX has made polarized lenses for three-generations, and Shinzo Tamura is the current president and namesake for the eyewear brand. His eponymous sunglasses brand uses their premium polarized lenses, based on 85+ years of experience in eyewear (see our previous tour of the TALEX factory here).
We’ve partnered with them to showcase their family of lenses and their unique ability to match any weather and condition and pair well with our picks for the ultimate road tripping gear.
First off, Shinzo Tamura’s Joto frames with their mirrored copper lenses make for the perfect driving pair. Their in house designed and built lenses add contrast and clarity to the road, which makes for faster reaction times and a safer ride. Their unparalleled polarization system and lens alignment also means your eyes will be protected and stay fresh even after hours behind the wheel.
Available for $295 at Shinzo Tamura.
I have many footwear opinions but the one I’ll share with you now is that driving loafers are a joke, a completely asinine way to sell you less shoe for more money that may work on pedals but has no place on the pavement. If you plan to tread more places on your travels than from the valet stand to a hotel room, let me recommend Crown Northampton’s take on the ever classic German Army Trainer. Their GAT has the svelte profile to navigate even the most cramped of footwells, a slim sole that will let you feel the road through your feet, not to mention they’re gorgeous and handmade in-house in Northampton, England from some of the highest quality leathers made today.
Available for $328 at Crown Northampton.
This Japanese made weekender from Briefing is just an unassuming getaway bag until you realize it’s also a cooler! Open it up to see a fully waterproof interior that can transport your mountaintop picnic as well as your clothes and toiletries. This one is a Japan-exclusive so hop on over to Australian Amazon for the chance to pick up.
Available for ~$221 at Amazon AU.
The Stanley Thermos is such an icon it should probably have its own emoji. Just look at that thing, it’s practically bombproof with it’s 18-gauge stainless steel and double-walled vacuum insulation. It’s completely leakproof and the lid even doubles as a cup, so it can keep your coffee piping hot for hours on those late night drives through unpopulated stretches.
Available for $39 at Hatchet Supply Co.
As the clouds gather or the sun fades, reach for a pair of Shinzo Tamura’s Peridot lenses, which are formulated for low light. The green-hued lens is designed to give you a calm experience when the sky is diffusing the light. If you find yourself squinting even on rainy days, the Peridot (paired with their Sand Abeno frames) provides an instant relief.
Available for $210 at Shinzo Tamura.
When I hit the road, the piece of clothing I always reach for first is my trusty vintage Pendleton wool flannel western. I picked it up in the middle of a cross-country drive in Rapid City, South Dakota without realizing it’s the ideal layer for car travel: it warms when it’s cool, breathes when it’s hot, cuts the wind, can dress up or down depending on your locale, and it’s impossible to make this thing smell! I’ve washed mine maybe three times in the ten years I’ve had it. They can be picked up for a song on eBay, just make sure you mind the measurements and look out for moth holes.
Starting at $30 on eBay.
Long drives are often the best time to disconnect, so free yourself of Google Maps with the definitive glove box guide. Dead zones be damned! Rand McNally has nearly every road in North America and will tell you where to get a good bite to eat and clean spot to rest your head.
Available for $26 at Rand McNally.
Speaking of offline essentials, a basic tool kit is a must. Bleu de Chauffe’s made tool roll is anything but basic and can hold everything you’d need to avoid throwing in the towel to AAA. It’s made from veg-tanned leather in France at their studio in Aveyron and can be affixed to your bike or just under your passenger seat.
Available for $231 at Bleu de Chauffe.
Travel often means crossing time zones but Minus-8’s will help you keep a hand at home. The made in Japan automatic GMT movement allows for the continuous use of two separate hour-hands so you can know when (or when not) to call back. It also has Super-Luminova on the hands and numerals for easy viewing in the dark, 200 meters of water resistance, and comes in a mid-sized 40mm titanium case.
Available for $598 at Minus-8.
If you find yourself torn on the above Shinzo Tamura optics, the Slate lens is the perfect allrounder whose monochromatic tint can handle long drives, commutes, mountain ascents, or a day at the beach. Wherever your destination is and wherever you have to go to, their Joto Slate will keep your eyes sharp, protected, and perfectly framed.
Available for $275 at Shinzo Tamura.
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