Adding a new aesthetic or color scheme to an existing product might not seem like that much of an innovation, but one look at this week’s Emerging Gear picks will change your mind. Peak Performance turned the normally bland, utilitarian down jacket into a pastel art form. Vero revamped a popular watch with help from an iconic retro 4×4, and Kizer put a holiday spin on some of its most popular knives.
Backpackers also have plenty to check out this week, with an ultralight headlamp from Petzl and a new way to get their caffeine fix in the backcountry. Check out all the latest and greatest in gear this week.
Limited-Edition ‘Scout Motors’ Watch
To design a fresh new timepiece, Vero turned to an iconic brand: Scout Motors. The new limited-edition Workhorse ($450) pulls its distinct colorways from some of Scout’s early SUVs from the 1960s. Choose from a dark navy with accents of red or a striking terra cotta orange and black design.
Vero calls the Workhorse one of its most “durable, standalone watches.” Only 500 of each color were made, so grab one while you can.
1.5-Oz. Headlamp
A GJ reviewer was a big fan of Petzl’s Swift RL headlamp, so we’ll be interested to see what they think of Petzl’s latest drop: the Swift LT ($55). This barely there headlamp weighs just 1.5 ounces but delivers a brightness of 380 lumens.
The new Swift LT is rechargeable via a lithium-ion battery, which can last up to 6 hours on a single charge on standard brightness. It’s also water-resistant and is made from 50% recycled material. And with a price tag under $60, it shows that ultralight doesn’t have to be ultra-expensive.
Limited-Edition Jacket
An insulated jacket has to withstand cold conditions, but it doesn’t hurt if it also looks cool. Peak Performance aims to deliver warmth and style with a special edition of its popular Helium down jacket ($280). The All-Over Print (AOP) design includes swirls and splotches of cool or warm colors that resemble an Impressionist painting.
“The pattern can read like a moody winter sky or a frozen, reflective pond — or just as easily like colored lights bleeding together or spray paint on concrete. It’s intentionally ambiguous: a kind of Rorschach test for your vision of spring,” the brand explained.
Cold Brew Pouches
If you’re looking to upgrade your backcountry coffee setup, Bear Box Brew is betting it’s got the product for you. Its single-serving cold brew pouches ($25 for a 10-pack) are made with single-origin beans from Guatemala, and nitro-sealed to preserve freshness. The night before, add a pouch to 12 ounces of water, and then the next morning, drink up.
The brand says that steeping overnight “allows for a slower extraction process. This allows the coffee to express its more nuanced flavor profile.” It also helps avoid the burnt or acrid taste that can come with some instant coffees. And it’ll pass muster with ultralighters: A single pouch weighs just 0.5 ounces.
Holiday Blades
Keeping with the tradition of making holiday-themed, small-batch runs of some of its popular knife models, Kizer recently released its 2025 series of Christmas-themed knives.
Ranging from $50 to $125, each knife features festive colors and is adorned with familiar Christmas imagery, ranging from Christmas trees to snowflakes to the big man himself, Santa. Each knife maintains the quality materials and build as the original, just with a little holiday cheer baked in.
Portable Dryer
Nothing ruins a day in the great outdoors more than wet, soggy shoes, and Hedgehog is aiming to make that a thing of the past. Its new DRIVE ($60) is a lightweight, compact dryer specifically designed for ski boots and shoes.
With 80 W of power, the DRIVE can get up to 105 degrees, and the brand says it can take shoes from soaking wet to dry as a bone in just 30 minutes. It weighs just 8.5 ounces and can plug into a car adapter for use on the go.
Belay Assistant
If your climber is heavier than you, a belay assistant is an essential device. It adds friction to the system, acting to make the belayer heavier and helping you avoid unsafe falls and collisions. For a long time, Edelrid has been the only name in the game, but Mammut is coming for the king’s crown.
The brand just released the Assist Belay Resistor ($100). As someone whose belay partner weighs 80 more pounds than them, I’m no stranger to these devices. He and I have been using the Mammut Assist for the last few months, and have been thoroughly impressed: It’s lightweight and doesn’t short rope the climber, thanks to the camming mechanism. The all-metal construction helps boost durability, too.
Winter Gloves
For its new line of gloves and mittens, Patagonia turned to the experts: Hestra, the Swedish glove maker that’s been around since 1936. The collection ($55-230) includes heavy-duty GORE-TEX mitts, made with goatskin and a fleece liner to withstand extreme conditions.
For those who don’t want staying warm to mean sacrificing their mobility, there’s the Hestra Ergo Active Grip Gloves, whose patented design places seams “to optimize the hand’s freedom of movement,” Patagonia says. For more casual, everyday use, there’s the Windshield Liner Gloves, which are windproof yet slim and lightweight.
Sellout Skeleton Watch
The last two collabs between Maurice Lacroix and Label Noir have sold out, so the brands are giving the people what they want: another limited-edition watch. This special version of the Aikon ($8,500) includes the Manufacture Skeleton housed in a water-resistant stainless steel case. The hour and minute hands are lined with Super-LumiNova to make it easy to read, day or night. Bold turquoise accents add pops of color and visual interest.
Stretchy Snowboarding Kit
In partnership with Evo, Rossignol put its new outerwear to the ultimate test: pro snowboarders on the Freeride World Tour. With help from athletes like 2025 champion Marcus Goguen, the brand is confident its new Proclivity collection ($475-550) will deliver when it counts.
Inspired by freeriders, Rossignol designed the jackets and bibs to have a roomier fit and built-in stretch. They’re seam-sealed and water-repellent to achieve the right balance of protection and breathability. And, of course, the brand prioritized the absolute essentials: giant pockets.
