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.
Cadence Capsule
Created by Reel Rock editor and climber Steph Hon, the Cadence company has set out to help athletes bring personal care essentials, but not single-use plastics, into nature. The travel capsules ($14-17) are made from recycled ocean plastics and are a wide-mouth, refillable, portable, TSA-friendly option. The “haul bag durable” capsules also have strong magnets to connect them into a compact honeycomb shape that saves space in your travel kit or pack.
Old Town Sportsman AutoPilot
Old Town’s newest kayak is anything but ordinary. The Sportsman AutoPilot 120 and 136 ($3,800-4,000) are hands-free fishing kayaks that use MinnKota saltwater-safe motors with high-tech anchoring. The 12-volt, 45-pound thrust motor and GPS virtual anchoring system is controlled through a Bluetooth remote, allowing you to focus on the catch. The AutoPilot comes with EVA foam deck pads, flush-mount rod holders, through-hull wiring kits, and a custom tackle box to sweeten the deal.
Pelican Tumbler Collection
Maker of protective cases and coolers, Pelican has finally brought a drinkware lineup to market. The Dayventure stainless steel tumblers ($20-30) have the brand’s Titan double-wall heat insulation and cold retention technology, with three different sizes in five color choices to fit any adventure. The best part? The brand claims it can fit in 99% of all car cupholders, making them ideal for road trips and commuting.
HOKA ONE ONE Hopara Sandal
HOKA has made running shoes for years, but now the brand is branching out to outdoor water shoes. The HOKA Hopara ($120) is an adventure sandal designed to navigate wet or dry terrain. The shoes have synthetic uppers with cutouts for drainage, EVA midsoles and rubber toe caps, and a neoprene collar for comfort. While pricey, they seem to deliver on quality. And they’re available for men and women.
Motion Instruments Bike System
The Motion Instruments company is a unique team of biking engineers. They founded the brand to provide user-friendly bike suspension data to help riders better understand performance. The Motion Instruments system (equipment starting at $359) captures and analyzes suspension information to give you insight on your bike geometry, fork and shock data, leverage ratio, and overall performance on different terrain. MotionIQ operates through an app (free, expert, and pro-level options).
Smol 6-in-1 Jacket
The Smol jacket (up to $129) is a jacket-vest combo made with Thermolite T-Down Eco insulation, which has been tested to dry faster than down. The vest is rated down to 32 degrees Fahrenheit while the jacket is rated to 14 degrees. Together, they offer warmth in temps down to -4 degrees. The jacket and vest are highly packable and both come with travel pouches. Did we mention all of the Smols are reversible too?
Nomad Kitchen Co. Kitchen System
The team at Nomad set out to make the first mobile camping kitchen, and that’s just what they did. The Nomad Kitchen System ($1,099) is a vehicle-mounted kitchen great for any van life or overlanding vehicle. The system gives users an extra 4 feet of prep and cook space straight from their trunk. The kitchen system (25.5″D x 22″W x 14″H) has an adjustable strap system for installation, a box with two pull-out sections on heavy-duty slides, a stainless-steel washbasin, and a stove space. We like that it’s compatible with over a dozen camp stoves. But it comes with a hefty price.
Greyp G6 Series E-Mountain Bike
Greyp’s newest G6.1, G6.2, and G6.3 series bikes are the latest to the digitally enhanced bike market. The Greyp full-suspension trail bikes ($7,999-8,999) have carbon fiber frames, 250W or 460W motors, front/rear high-definition video cameras, built-in accelerometer and barometers, a heart rate-controlled power-assist mode, and 4G eSIM card to keep your bike connected. The Greyp full-suspension e-bike recently won gold for best eMTB at Eurobike 2020. In-ride and post-ride data are available through the Greyp app.
The Dyrt PRO
This week, camping website and app The Dyrt introduced The Dyrt PRO, a premium feature for hardcore adventurers. The Dyrt Pro will give users offline access to an entire database of over 500,000 locations and reviews, downloadable interactive maps, and even waived processing fees when booking campground reservations through the app. The PRO will cost $30 per year.
The James Brand Folsom Knife
The James Brand’s latest limited-edition knife is an upgrade on its Folsom blade design. The Folsom ($249) is made with Damascus steel for the blade, black Micarta scales, and a raindrop-pattern design. The knife has a 2.75-inch drop-point blade, thumbhole opener, 416 stainless steel pocket clip, and steel liner lock. It’s handmade in the USA.
Voormi Access Skirt
Wool apparel brand Voormi’s latest product is geared toward women, and we’re pretty excited. The Access Skirt ($100) is meant to be a post-run, post-hike, or post-climb option. The skirt is made with Voormi’s breathable, surface-hardened, thermal wool and requires little laundering, making it perfect for long, continuous days in the outdoors. And it comes in two color options.
Rudy Project Cutline Eyewear
These sunglasses are designed to fill your wildest needs, whether it’s eye protection for running or road or gravel biking. The Rudy Project Cutline eyewear (from $210) are the brand’s latest venture into wraparound rimless shield lenses. The glasses have interchangeable-lens frames, adjustable temple tips and nose pads, and plenty of ventilation. Worth it for the price? You decide.
GruneStrasse Bike Backpack
Kickstarted brand GruneStrasse is out with an innovative commuter bag. The Shellback Backpack ($155) is specifically designed to make it possible for anyone to bike to work. The bag is made of a high-visibility reflective fabric with waterproof zippers and has a ventilated back panel, suit and shoe compartments, a repair kit pocket, and a laptop sleeve. It even comes with detachable organizer kits and collapsing backpack hangers. And it’s available for preorder now.
The Service Course x Belle Cycles A.T.E.R. Bike
The A.T.E.R., or All Terrain Exploration Rig, started as a custom build for the Service Course founder Christian Meier for the off-road Atlas Mountain Race. But now anyone can ride it. The build includes a steel frame with a carbon integrated seatpost, 29-inch wheels, a Shimano drivetrain, and Ingrid cranks. Essentially, it’s a gravel bike with room for bigger tire clearance and drop bars with a “Mad Max”-inspired design. The A.T.E.R. will be available through Belle Cycles online soon.
