There’s nothing wrong with combining substance with style. It’s 2026, so I think we can have it all with outdoor gear at this point. I already loved the Coros Apex 4, so putting a figurative coat of paint on it with a Paris fashion brand is A-OK with me.
The same goes for The North Face’s new trail runner, Pit Viper’s in-your-face color schemes, or the classy looks of shoes and shells from Astral and Peak Performance. But if you’re a hardcore “substance over style” person, then the rest of this week’s gear column has plenty to suit your specific needs.
Find all that and more in this week’s Emerging Gear.
Coros x Satisfy Apex 4
While many outdoor brands excel at functionality, they sometimes seek outside help to improve their products’ aesthetics. That certainly seems to be the case with Coros, which just dropped a special edition of its Apex 4 smartwatch developed alongside a Parisian fashion brand.
Satisfy, founded in 2015, combines “luxury fashion” with technical gear for trail running and other outdoor sports. It worked with Coros on a new edition of the Apex 4, which has an “ice crystallized” titanium bezel that’s been subjected to extreme heat and forced cooling to create a unique, frost-like pattern. It also comes with both a silicone and a nylon band. The Satisfy Coros Apex 4 costs $40 more than the standard Apex 4, with a price tag of $520.
The North Face Trail Runner
The latest trail runner from The North Face looks pretty sexy, if you ask me. The Offtrail Ultra is a mountain running shoe built around the brand’s new DREAMBOUND midsole, which features a dual-density nitrogen superfoam construction. This tough-looking trail runner combines lightweight construction with highly responsive cushioning and a protective, mountain-ready design, the brand said.
Other features include an integrated SCREEGUARD stretch gaiter for debris protection, enhanced SURFACE CTRL G2 outsole for traction, and a lightweight construction with a 29mm heel stack height and 6mm heel-to-toe offset. It sells for $190 and is available for both men and women.
Hunting Reed Storage
Diaphragm calls for elk, turkey, and other game hunting are effective but somewhat fragile. They’re also super-easy to misplace or lose in a pocket. Thus, a smart, cleanly designed carry case makes a ton of sense to keep various game calls organized.
That’s the idea behind the Denver, Colorado-based brand Puck Outdoors. They’ve designed a rugged, twist-lock storage system designed specifically for hunting reeds. These circular containers aim to keep your reeds protected from the elements, prevent them from sticking together, and keep them neatly organized. The cases are available in multiple colors, store up to three reeds, and are resistant to impacts and heat. Best of all, they only cost $30.
Pit Viper Baseball Shades
Pit Viper has teamed up with Victus Sports, the official bat of Major League Baseball, for a “hyper-limited” collab dropping just in time for Players Weekend.
The collection includes The Victus Flip-Offs 2.0, which uses Pit Viper’s Flip-Off 2.0 sunglasses for a Victus-style design. They have a turquoise-and-hot-pink color scheme, complete with a pink/purple Revo lens and a custom hydro-dipped zebra-print frame.
And there is, of course, also a baseball bat in this collaboration that combines the aesthetics of both Pit Viper and Victus. Whether you’re a baseball dad with a kid in little league, or just a kid at heart, these will hit the nostalgia sweet spot — and are likely to sell out fast.
Emergency Radio With Bluetooth
Midland makes some of GearJunkie’s favorite emergency radios, evidenced by their regular inclusion in our Best Emergency Radios of 2026 guide as well as our Best Walkie-Talkies of 2026 guide. Now, the brand is releasing its first-ever radios with Bluetooth capability.
The radio’s wireless, Bluetooth-enabled microphone allows users to communicate “clearly and dependably, whether in the driver’s seat or operating outside the vehicle,” the brand said. It’s compatible with most Bluetooth headsets and accessories. Get yours for $300.
“The MXT295 Pro delivers that signature MicroMobile quality our customers rely on, now completely cable free so you don’t have to be tethered to the head unit,” Jeremy Pensick, CEO at Midland, said in a release.
Paka Lightweight Hoodie
Generally speaking, Paka doesn’t really miss, at least in my experience. The Boulder, Colo., brand makes stellar apparel using alpaca fibers, as we have noted numerous times in reviews here at GearJunkie.
Its latest offering is a new take on its popular Hoodie. (I can vouch for it also. It’s my favorite midlayer by far.) The new Lightweight Hoodie is a lighter, more ventilated version, with a trimmer fit. Like the original Hoodie, it’s unisex and made from a mix of alpaca and nylon. Thankfully, it’s 65% alpaca, meaning there’s enough of it to actually reap the benefits. It’s easier to pack and not quite as warm as the original. Get yours for $150.
Cycling Quickdraw Saddlebag
Take it from me: Bike bags can often be a hassle to attach or detach. That’s why Redshift made the Quickdraw Saddle Bag. This compact, low-profile storage, which works for just about any bike, has quick one-handed access.
A single strap stays snapped to the saddle rails, with a magnetic interface that allows you to remove the bag with one hand (while your other hand holds the bike). I’ve already tried this one out, and I can verify its ease of use. As I go on social bike rides more often — where helping out fellow riders becomes a common occurrence — easy-to-use bike bags for extra tubes and tools are a must. The Quickdraw comes in two sizes and costs $70.
Narwhal Truck Topper
Yet another Colorado brand, Narwhal Truck Toppers, was founded by a former Navy SEAL and claims to make the “lightest truck topper ever produced.” According to the brand, its take on truck toppers reduces weight while retaining high load support.
Narwhal’s carbon-fiber monocoque with integrated Exo Frame roof architecture weighs 100–160 pounds when configured. But it carries 600 pounds of dynamic roof load or 1,100 pounds of static load. That gives it a 4.6:1 load-to-weight ratio — 4.6× the strength of a traditional aluminum or fiberglass shell, according to the brand.
Made in the USA, it also includes turret hatch roof access, side panel access, a removable rear panel, and L-Track Mounting Rails. You can get yours for $7,985.
Peak Performance Shell
I’d imagine the Swedes know a thing or two about apparel that stands up to the elements, given that precipitation hits most of the country about 300 days a year. Swedish brand Peak Performance’s latest collection, the Treeline series, taps a “relaxed, contemporary silhouette” for these shells built for variable conditions.
The two new shells include The Treeline HIPE 2.5L Shell Jacket ($250: men and women), which offers lightweight, breathable protection in a relaxed fit, and is meant for daily wear and light outdoor use. There’s also the Treeline GORE-TEX 3L Shell Jacket ($400: men and women), which offers more protection, given its three-layer GORE-TEX fabric and added safety elements.
Astral Barefoot Shoes
Barefoot shoes, aka shoes with a minimal outsole, have become quite the trend in recent years. If you’ve been considering giving it a try, Astral’s Loyak model is “for those looking to dip their toe into the barefoot shoe world.”
The Loyak All Weather 2.0 has a zero-drop profile, wider toe box, and the “ground feel” of a barefoot shoe, all wrapped in a “low-key canvas sneaker made for city walks, travel days, and everyday errands,” the brand said. Get yours in one of five colors for $140.
