Meet Marty Reisman. Marty plays classic hardbat ping-pong, with a hardwood paddle covered by only a thin sheen of rubber. This is what Marty calls “the witty game,” an urbane dialogue between two players that unfolds like a chess match, as hardbat grandmasters set up their winning shots several moves in advance. Games can stretch on for hours to the hypnotizing, metronomic plick-plock of the plastic ball, as soothing as rain on a tin roof. Hardbat bears about as much similarity to modern table tennis as “Folsom Prison Blues” does to “Achy Breaky Heart.”

The greatest.

nevver:

“You have won second prize in a beauty contest, collect $10”

We asked four of our favorite guys what gear they never leave behind. Here’s what they had to say. Clockwise from top left:

Travis Rice
Professional Freeride Snowboarder
I never travel without Merken spice. It’s a Chilean hot chili–based spice, not to be confused with a pubic wig of a similar name. There’s no telling where you’ll be forced to eat on the road — you might need to add a smoky, chipotle-like crescendo to your bland meal at uninspired establishments.

Joe Buck
Fox Sports play-by-play announcer
I’m never without my Swiss Army backpack. I have every compartment perfectly packed. It’s got a cheat sheet for that week’s game, a multicolored pen that I use to prioritize what I’ll say on the air, my iPad, and makeup, which I often need to apply in stadium public bathrooms. Hey, you gotta be tough.

Anthony Bourdain
Host of Travel Channel’s No Reservations
I wouldn’t want to be without some good old beat-up cowboy boots. I have a pair of ordinary-looking but nicely broken-in Billy Martins. They have no frills, no decorations, and they’re faded and much stained. But they’re lethally pointy and comfortable, like old friends.

Tony Stewart
NASCAR Sprint Cup Champion
I couldn’t live without my 1956 Chevy step-side pickup truck. It’s restored but not to show standards, so I can use it and not worry about scratching the bed. If I need to haul a boat or pick up parts and take them to the shop, no problem. I like that it’s simple. When life gets complicated, it’s nice to have something simple.

Our April issue hits newsstands tomorrow, with stories about the latest running gear, dual-purpose adventure motorcycles, and our newest national scenic trail. In the meantime, here’s a sneak peek at our favorite Woody (apologies to a certain pull-string cowboy doll).

Marty Reisman’s table-tennis career may have peaked 60 years ago, but as Mark Adams learned in our April 2012 issue, that hasn’t stopped him from traveling the globe, chasing women, and hobnobbing with celebrities. You can read all about Reisman when the issue arrives March 9.

Jammin’ until the break of dawn…

nevver:

Master Blaster

nickelsonwooster:

Tandem.

(Source: theperfectlifewereliving)

Fresh art for your apartment or office.

nevver:

La motocyclette

For the second season of Game of Thrones, HBO’s breakout fantasy epic, Kit Harington spent nearly a month filming on a glacier in Iceland. “I think the coldest day was minus 35 with windchill,” he says, “and there were 500-foot drops next to us all the time.” So for our spring fashion special — which features the 25-year-old actor — we chose a location out of harm’s way: A Manhattan studio that safeguarded Harington, photographer Jake Chessum, and today’s finest casual wear. To learn more about Harington, Game of Thrones, and our style essentials for 2012, pick up the March issue of Men’s Journal, on sale February 10.

Sunset at San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua.