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Man of Many’s Staff Favourites is back to brighten up your weekend as we celebrate the products, services, entertainment, and experiences that have caught our eye over the week.
We get to try so much of the cool, novel, and curious on a daily basis, but these encounters don’t always result in full write-ups or reviews. So we collect them here in the hope you’ll find something new and exciting to give your week a lift.
This week features a some excellent activewear, a new favourite smartwatch, and a bougie dining experience at Icebergs, but let’s kick things off with a delightful introduction to Man of Many’s new intern, who started with us this week.
1. Paynter Waxed Utility Jacket
Ervin Chio – Intern
Moving from the UK to Australia this week, I knew my baggage allowance wouldn’t let me take my extensive collection of coats, which would probably weigh 30kg all together. Instead, I opted to take Paynter’s Waxed Utility Jacket (seen above) for two reasons.
First, it’s a versatile transitional coat. Coming to Australia during winter and heading into summer, my 2kg wool trench probably wouldn’t make sense in the long run. Second, this marks another big change in my life. Having finished university 3 months ago, moving across the other side of the world, away from family and friends, this coat, Paynter as a company, has been with me during my time in University and then some.
Alongside the memories and friendships I’ve cultivated in my three years in London, this coat serves as a totemic object that celebrates that chapter of my life. For now, I hold these memories close while opening myself up to new and exciting experiences. Sydney, just you wait.
2. Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra2
Scott Purcell – Co-Founder
Race week for HYROX Sydney was a disaster. I strained a hamstring, got cleared by the physio, then tweaked a hip flexor the day before the start, and spent three nights lying awake about all of it. The thing that kept me honest through that was the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra, which had been on my wrist for the full 14-week build and the five F45 sessions a week at Darlinghurst that came with it. Every morning it handed me an Energy Score, which is a number you can argue with when your head has decided you’re broken.
The training block, the sleep data through the taper, and the recovery trend afterwards, which said the race had hit me harder than anything in the 14 weeks before it. I came in at 1:18:02, which I’ll happily take. There’s a full write-up here if you want the detail.
Samsung has now replaced it. The Galaxy Watch Ultra2 goes on general sale in Australia from 14 August 2026 at $1,299, with a 5,000-nit display, a 60-hour battery and dive certification, none of which I’ve had on my wrist yet. If you’re not diving or trail running, the $649 Galaxy Watch9 carries the identical sensor stack for less than half the money.
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3. Adidas Adizero Adios Pro 4
Hannah Maher – Sales & Partnerships coordinator
If you’ve been following along with the Man of Many Staff Favourites for a while now, you may have noticed there’s a bit of a health and fitness theme going on with mine. I promise I’ll switch it up post-marathon… or not.
This week, I’m putting the spotlight on my adidas Adizero Adios Pro 4s. I took them out for their first run around Barangaroo and honestly I felt like I was flying. They’re seriously responsive without feeling like you’re fighting the shoe, and the energy return makes a noticeable difference once you get into your stride.
If there’s one thing about me, it’s that I love fashion and that definitely extends to my running outfits. So, naturally, I couldn’t just pick any colourway. I ended up going for the Tokyo Marathon collaboration pair, which, let’s just say, were not the easiest to get my hands on. After patiently waiting for them to arrive, watching my tracking notifications tell me they were seemingly stuck in Hong Kong forever, they finally showed up and they were absolutely worth the wait.
Underneath all the good looks, the Adios Pro 4s are seriously built for racing. They feature adidas’ carbon-infused ENERGYRODS 2.0, which help create a snappy, propulsive feel through your stride, alongside the LIGHTSTRIKE PRO foam that gives you that soft-but-springy sensation when you’re putting the kilometres in.
With my marathon coming up, I’m particularly interested in what they’ll feel like when the novelty of running 30km has well and truly worn off. Those final few kilometres are where I’m hoping the combination of the carbon-infused rods, responsive cushioning and lightweight build will pull through.
I’ve only just started putting them to the test, but after that first run around Barangaroo, I can already tell these are going to be getting a lot of kilometres in before race day and, hopefully, carrying me through those last few painful ones too.
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4. Sgroppinos By The Water
Sometimes this job can take you to amazing places, and there’s nowhere I’d rather be on a sunny but crisp Winter day than seated inside Icebergs’ Dining Room and Bar with a clear view out onto the Pacific beyond Bondi Beach.
I had a beautiful meeting with two peers, and we enjoyed Icebergs’ Menu Classico (available for lunch and dinner, Tuesday to Sunday). Three courses of deliciousness with the best view in all of Sydney, and for only $90 each. For how lush and luxe you feel with the best seat in the house, it feels worth every dollar and then some. We all opted for the Bluefin Tuna Tartare (can you blame us?) while my second course was a moreish Ligurian Braised Seafood number that was as punchy as it was fresh.
For dessert, we all had what was promised to me as “the best tiramisu in Sydney” and it’s honestly hard to argue with. But the real star of the show, and one that came as a complete surprise, was the staff being kind enough to treat us to their famous tableside Sgroppino (comes at an extra cost). Watching our waiter wheel this huge bowl of lemon sorbet over to us, before pouring in prosecco, Don Julio and rhubarb liqueur, was intimidating at first, but the end result was the ultimate combination of drink and dessert.
Could I have had the whole bowl? Yes. Will I try next time I go? Watch this space.
PS. We even saw a whale breach!
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