I don’t know why it took this long to get a dehydrated pho trail meal — but I am so excited it’s finally here. That’s just one of the many stellar new offerings on tap this week for gear lovers.
Surf season is underway for much of the country, and we already have two wetsuits on tap for those jonesin’ for big waves. We’re also sharing a gizmo that turns smartwatches into dive computers, an uber-bright headlamp from Black Diamond, and some blinged-out boots for the fashion-conscious hikers out there.
Find all that and more right here in Emerging Gear.
Finisterre Wetsuit
U.K.-based Finisterre makes stellar outdoor gear that avoids synthetic materials. I’ve tested out a pack and pants from the brand, and both are functional, beautiful, and sustainably made.
That philosophy carries over to Finisterre’s cold-water wetsuits as well. It just launched a new version of its Shearwater wetsuit with a new YKK U-Zip entry system, revised seam construction, a “considered” approach to paneling, and an updated fit. Equally importantly, the suit’s material now uses OCENA by SHEICO, a petroleum-free natural rubber foam developed as an alternative to traditional neoprene.
Prices range from $450 to $500.
Base Kamp Meals
Through its Embark Program, REI Co-op has helped many aspiring entrepreneurs bring their outdoor gear to market. And in this case, the co-op inadvertently brought together two novel approaches to backcountry meals. After meeting through the application process, Phillip Esteban and David Jeong decided to partner. The former was developing Filipino camp meals, while the latter was dehydrating Korean food for the trails.
They just launched a Kickstarter that almost immediately soared past its funding goal. And I fully understand why. Dehydrated trail meals based on Asian cuisine has been on my wishlist for a long time. I’m already a big fan of the Chicken Tikka Masala from Bowl & Kettle. But the Base Kamp Kickstarter includes a Vietnamese Beef Pho, Filipino Arroz Caldo, and Korean Soondubu. It’s $45 for a three-pack, and my colleagues and I can’t wait to try them out.
Dive Watch Converter
Fitness watches that function as diving computers have changed the game for SCUBA divers. But they’re not exactly cheap, either.
But now there’s a workaround for those with a non-Ultra Apple Watch or Galaxy Watch. DIVEROID, a Korean tech startup, will soon release WatchDive, a housing with its own built-in depth sensor that — with the DIVEROID app — turns those watch brands into a dive computer. Features include: live depth, dive time, and no-deco limit (NDL) on the wrist, plus safety-stop and ascent-rate warnings. It’s recommended for 40 meters, but the housing was tested to 60 m, the brand said. Finally, it also offers a logbook that saves to your phone.
The housing launches on Kickstarter in December, priced at $150 for early backers. You can sign up for an email reminder when the campaign rolls around.
MKC Culinary Knives
Want some Halloween-themed knives? Well, not really. It just so happens that MKC’s preferred brand colors are orange and black. And that theme continues with the MKC Culinary Set. These sold out quickly last year. They dropped again on Thursday, and may not last too long.
Created by MKC Founder and Master Bladesmith Josh Smith in collaboration with renowned knife maker and chef Mareko Maumasi, the sets include three knives: The Big Horn Chef, The Smith River Santoku, and The Little Bighorn Petty. Made from MagnaCut stainless steel with a black PVD blade finish, they also sport G-10 handles and handmade bison-leather knife rolls for storage. They’ve available in black, red, or orange/black, and cost $1,325.
Megawatt Headlamp
How many lumens are enough lumens? It’s a trick question — you can never have enough! If that’s your lighting philosophy, you may want a closer look at Black Diamond’s Megawatt Headlamp (just be careful with the eyes).
This powerhouse headlamp pumps out 3,000 max lumens for “moving fast in the dark on skis and wheels,” Black Diamond said. It comes with a wireless remote you can mount to a pole or handlebar, a GoPro-style helmet mount, and a 50Wh battery with a burn-time display that also doubles as a power bank. It costs $380.
Patagonia Wetsuit
Patagonia first debuted its Regulator Wetsuit lineup nearly 20 years ago, focusing on petroleum alternatives for the base materials. The lineup just got another update after Patagonia “re-engineered the suit from the ground up using athlete feedback, heat-loss research, and repair insights gathered at their wetsuit forge,” the brand said.
Updates include: remapped insulation density to “deliver warmth where the body loses heat fastest while reducing bulk; updated fit and U-zip entry; and the addition of solution-dyed NetPlus recycled nylon (made from discarded fishing nets) to both the interior and exterior liners. Prices range from $480 to about $600.
Custom Running Belt
Sure, running belts have become pretty standard for runners these days. But if you really want to impress the run club, why not get a custom job? That’s the idea behind a new offering from SPIBelts, a growing business based in Austin, Texas.
The Custom SPIBelt allows you to choose from 2 band colors, 2 band sizes (1” regular or 1.5” PRO), 10 pocket options, and 7 zipper colors, for a total of 280 possible combinations. And yes, you can see what the belt will look like with the page’s custom belt builder. Best of all, it only costs $50.
Winter Mummy Bag
When you’re camping in the cold, you want to make sure your sleeping bag is warm enough — and cozy. After all, nothing will ruin the trip faster than getting no sleep and shivering through the night. The Expanse Sleeping Bag from Outdoor Vitals is said to keep you comfortable down to 15 degrees Fahrenheit, with 900-fill-power ExpeDRY Muscovy down.
It also has interior elastic cinch cords at the knee and footbox that can be tightened or loosened, depending on how warm you need to be. It’s hoodless, with a cinchable 23.5″ draft collar at the shoulders, and made from 10D nylon with DWR inside and out. A half-length side zip with draft tubes also helps with venting. It costs $500 and weighs 1 lb, 13 oz for the regular size.
Blingy Boots
This one is too fun not to include. And if glitter can be a “must-have outdoor accessory” for thru-hikers, I don’t see why boots can’t be bedazzled, too.
In what has to be one of Cat Footwear’s most head-turning collaborations, the brand partnered with Swarovski for some limited-edition boots covered in crystals. And shockingly, they don’t cost more than a normal pair of boots. There’s the Lyric Wonder ($180), a 6-inch silhouette for Cat Footwear, and Intruder Wonder ($160), available in both white and black.
Wool Cycling Pullover
Wool is all the rage for outdoor gear. The latest cold-weather cycling apparel from Ornot leans on Alpha with Wool, a new development from Polartec.
This made-in-the-USA pullover takes Polartec Alpha and blends it with merino wool fibers into the lofted construction. The result is soft, lightweight, and thermoregulating, according to Ornot. The fabric breakdown is 54% Poly, 6% Nylon, and 40% Wool. Available for men and women, it costs about $200.
