A peek at emerging products from the sometimes cutting-edge, sometimes quirky world of gear design. Explore the grid below or click through for a slideshow.
Eagle Creek Glass Tech
Travel or camp with packs made from glass found in landfills. Eagle Creek teamed up with National Geographic again for the National Geographic Adventure collection of bags and packs. The design callout of this series is Eagle Creek’s recycled water- and scratch-resistant coating, which is made from glass found in vehicle windshields in landfills. Included in the collection are a Convertible Carry On, duffel, backpacks, wallet, and more. The collection is available on New Year’s Day.
Onak Folding Canoe
Tow the folded Onak 2.0 behind your bike, then unfold it in minutes to get paddling on stream. Another contender in the folding and packable boat space adds its offering with a canoe layout. While it appears similar to the Oru folding kayak, the Onak 2.0 sets itself apart with a strap-intensive system, wooden seats, and the ability to roll. The Onak 2.0 is on Kickstarter now for $1,702.
Bip Folding Chair
Unfold the Bip at the beach or park for a new way to sit down. The Bip is a folding chair that is light, packable, and supportive, according to the brand. So light, in fact, the brand claims it weighs less than other seats with two or more legs. It truly appears to be a unique design. The Bip unfolds with a few pulls of straps, then you’re ready to sit. The brand is on Kickstarter now, with chairs going for $40.
Credit Card Knife
This sleek knife might appear to be a credit card, but its sharp knife edge tells its true purpose: EDC cutting tasks. From Jho Knives, the Lynx is a functional blade that fits in your wallet, made with VG10 steel. It measures 88 x 50 mm and is 2 mm thick. The Lynx is in limited production now for $95.
EVA V2 Foam Snowshoes
Crescent Moon rocked the snowshoe world with its EVA snowshoes, and it improves upon the design for this winter season. V2 is the second iteration of EVA snowshoes. In addition to its hailed foam rocker design, the V2 has Icespike technology, with steel spikes embedded into the bottom for increased ice grip. Additionally, Crescent Moon improved the binding with reinforced over-foot straps and loop fasteners. GearJunkie covered its original announcement, but the V2 is available for purchase now.
Patagonia Fruit Bars
Patagonia adds fruit bars to its line of Patagonia Provisions food. The almond bars come in Mango, Inca Berry, and Apricot flavors. And like all of Patagonia Provisions, you won’t find artificial sweeteners, corn syrup, or nonorganic ingredients here. Patagonia sells 12-packs for $27 each.
No Bull Leather Shoes
No Bull doesn’t take excuses in the gym. And that mantra guides the brand’s design philosophy: to not have any gimmicks in its shoes. No Bull launched this year with minimal knit footwear for gym and running use. Its trademark Knit Runner has a breathable sock-like upper. On December 26, the brand launched leather versions of its knit shoe. The lugs are for versatile use from the trail to pavement to the gym floor. Check out No Bull’s leather collection, with olive, burgundy, and coffee color options for $159 to $199.
Autopilot 4K Drone
Launch the Hover 2 and get on with your life without worrying about the camera. The Hover 2 is an autonomous drone with follow, tracking, and autoframe modes. This lets you set up shots and filming angles before the Hover 2 sets off. Then its optics track the intended subject. Additionally, the Hover 2 shoots in 4K, has a 1/2.3 CMOS sensor, 23-minute flight time, and obstacle-avoidance technology. The Hover 2 is on Kickstarter now for $449.
Silver Socks
Apparel manufacturers have used silver additives to inhibit bacterial growth in fabric for decades. But these socks go far beyond the average silver additive. SilverSocks manufactures each pair out of 25 percent silver yarn. The remainder is mostly cotton, with some nylon and spandex thrown in. We’re not sure why the brand chose cotton, as it’s a mediocre performer outdoors, but they are intriguing for daily use. Get two pairs for $29.
Smallest, Lightest Solar Panel
SolarCru presents what it calls the “smallest, lightest, foldable solar panel charger.” How small? Well, this six-watt solar charger weighs just 0.52 pounds without battery and 0.7 pounds with battery. And it measures just 2.9 x 9.6 x 1.2 inches when unfolded. Small solar panels are notoriously unreliable, but it’s an interesting stab at a tricky product from a small brand. Pick one up starting at just $33 on Kickstarter.
