If you’ve hung around the DT site long enough, you’ve no doubt noticed a few posts about the iPhone and iPad cases made by Portland, Oregon company Grove. Using bamboo and a keen artistic eye, the young company designs thin and snug iPhone cases (as well as a great iPad 2 case) that are most often laser-engraved with quirky and fun designs. Cofounders Ken Tomita and Joe Mansfield combined their respective talents: Tomita had experience with custom-designed wood furniture, and Mansfield had previously worked engraving laptops, laptop cases, and leather covers for Moleskine notebooks. Now they run a successful small company (where everything is done in-house) that focuses on design, quality, and customer satisfaction.
We talked to Grove’s cofounders to find out what they can’t live without, tech-related or not. Below we’ve gathered together what the two say are the essentials that make life a littler easier and a little more enjoyable.
MacBook Air 13-inch
“Incredibly lightweight and slim profile. The battery life is long enough that I never carry a power source and the touchpad is so good, I never carry a mouse. It completely changed my experience of using a laptop by enabling true portability. Solid state drive makes it feel snappy and faster than the specs, making it a true game changer. I carry it around everywhere!” – KT
MacBook Air 11-inch
“Paired with a 27-inch thunderbolt display, my 11-inch MBA is a super-versatile system. The ultra-light laptop is a breeze to carry from home to the office and the solid state memory offers incredibly quick performance for its size. When docked at home, the laptop does a great job running the large external display.” – JM
iPhone + Grove bamboo case
“Ok, Im a little biased… but I can’t live without my iPhone and I’m nervous if it’s not in my Grove case. I prefer the feel of the expertly sanded natural material and hand rubbed oil finish over the delicate glass and harsh metal of the iPhone 4. My case has developed a nice patina over time, making me even more attached to it.” -KT
“An iPhone junkie from the very beginning, I’ve been amazed with the continuous improvement with each revision. I’m most impressed with the enhanced speed, camera, and video performance of the iPhone 4S. Our hand-finished bamboo cases give the cold delicate hardware a human feel. The bamboo makes a great canvas for laser engraved artwork and allows people to share their favorite art with the world.” -JM
Nike Air Force 1s
“I started collecting these five years ago or so and now own 20 pairs or so. I really like the concept of taking a basic shape and seeing how many variations can be made of it. Truly a timeless design.” -KT
Arc’teryx Rho LT Zip
“This thermal long sleeve shirt makes getting out the door for morning runs easier. The moisture wicking and anti-microbial fabric keeps me comfortable in a range of temperatures and doesn’t stink like other synthetics. The laminated zip chest pocket is a great place to stash a key and an ID.” -JM
Pulse app for iPhone
“The best RSS aggregater out there, period. You can carry 50 feeds in 5 categories with easy scrolling vertically and horizontally. My preferred way of browsing blogs and news. Even better for the iPad. Great for those of us with information addiction! ” -KT
Tyler Stout Posters
“One of the first Portland illustrators I discovered when I moved here in 2006. Tyler consistently creates incredible limited edition movie posters that disappear minutes after he releases them to his rabid fans. His unique hand-drawn style and awesome color palettes are silkscreened by D&L screenprinting.” -JM
’94 Toyota Pickup 4×4 (black) with canopy and lumber rack, brush guard + PIAA 525
“Nothing like my trusty old work truck. It’s been to hell and back and won’t break down. The lumber rack allows me to haul just about anything. Old school 4 Wheel low can get me out of anything. They don’t make ’em like they used to! I like the more rugged body style of the pre-Tacoma (1994 and older) Toyota pickups.” -KT
Surly long Haul Trucker Touring Bike
“After buying a used Long Haul Trucker frame, I spent months collecting used components and building up my dream commuter bike. My first test was a two week bike tour with a friend from Portland to the San Juan Islands. The bike is my daily commuter and I’m constantly improving the ergonomics, durability and efficiency of the bike.” -JM
Engraved Leather Moleskine Covers + Moleskine notebooks
“A product by Joe. This combo is always in my pocket. You never know when some glorious inspiration might hit. Moleskines are the keepers of dreams! I like how the leather wears gracefully with age and the possibilities of laser engraving on leather.” -KT
“I began my Moleskine addiction a few years ago and realized that the plastic spines are too fragile. I designed a protective leather cover that also makes an excellent canvas for engraved artwork. The vegetable-tanned domestic leather covers are reusable and darken to a beautiful honey hue with continued use. It’s great to have a pocket notebook on hand to jot down new product ideas.” -JM
Katachi book
“A book with no words. Just images of classic Japanese forms including stone, wood, and metal. I’ve often thumbed through the pages for design inspiration and found it there.” -KT
Engraved Chaboo bench
“One of my first collaborations with Ken. Ken curated a local furniture show, which required artists and makers to riff on one of his signature furniture pieces. I designed and laser engraved a topomap of a portion of the Columbia River and then inset an antique compass into the bench.” -JM
Custom painting by Amy Ruppel
“One of my favorite artists and friends, Amy made this custom painting for me from the template of the Chaboo we collaborated on. Surprisingly this was her first attempt at painting on a non traditional shaped surface.” -KT
Ortlieb Back-Roller Plus
“These German-made water-proof bike panniers make it convenient and comfortable to carry loads while biking. The bomb-proof construction and expandable design has allowed me to carry vacuum cleaners, saw horses, and planks of wood without having to start up the car.” -JM
Blaklader Heavy Worker pants (black)
“Great heavy duty work pants. They have these cool utility pockets, which are essentially and functionally like toolbelts. You can tuck them into the front pockets when unneeded. These will last forever.” -KT
Nau Down Load jacket
“Nau’s fully waterproof down jacket really takes the edge off winter bike commuting. There are numerous lined and zippered pockets for cold hands and belongings. The jacket is equally at home on the mountain as it is out on the town.” -JM
Herman Miller Mirra Chair
“I think of the Mirra chair as the sequel to the legendary Aeron chair. It’s actually more comfortable with full adjustability. The material in the seat back and bottom is very breathable and resistant to wear and tear and cosmetic blemishes. Truly built to last a generation.” -KT
Canon 7D camera
“After shooting with an original Canon Rebel for years, the 7D offers drastically improved performance and ergonomics. The low light sensitivity of this camera is amazing when paired with my 28mm and 50mm prime lenses. The video functionality is very impressive but could definitely use some refinement.” -JM
