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.
Nike Infinity Run Shoe
Nike’s newest shoe — currently available to members only — promises a lot. The Nike Infinity Run Flyknit shoe ($160) is a lightweight racing shoe designed to reduce injury. (This claim was tested and proven by Nike against another Nike shoe.) What does the shoe actually offer? It’s got a three-layer Flyknit upper, a medium-cushion midsole, 9mm offset, and more rubber in the outsole for better traction.
Under Armour RUSH Leggings
Under Armour’s RUSH collection includes pretty cool technology: mineral-infused fabric. As your body emits energy during exercise, the fabric absorbs and reflects the energy back, supposedly improving endurance. The UA RUSH leggings are available for men ($85) and women ($70). In addition to the mineral fabric, they have four-way stretch and mesh-ventilation panels. Like most, the leggings have a compression fit.
Cuisinart Woodcreek Pellet Grill
Cuisinart’s Woodcreek 4-in-1 Pellet Grill ($597) is designed to smoke, sear, griddle, and grill. And let’s be honest, if you’re paying hundreds of dollars, you want it to have as many features as possible. The Woodcreek has over 800 square inches of cooking surface, plus a removable cast iron griddle and a charcoal tray. It’s also got an LCD temperature screen with Bluetooth connectivity as well as a viewing window with interior lighting to monitor food. With so many features, the Woodcreek gets the grilling done all by itself.
Faction 3.0 Limited-Edition Skis
Faction Skis has worked with multiple pro ski athletes to create its latest edition of touring skis. Designed in Switzerland, the Agent 3.0 is the “big brother” of its 2019 models, made with a more lightweight core, wider waist, and carbon weave construction. The extra width (106 mm underfoot) makes the ski more stable and, we’re guessing, better for big landings. The limited-edition ski features graphics by the French designer and rider Lionel Hachemi. It’s available for $749.
Matador Re-Ties
Finally, there’s a new gear item that eliminates single-use plastic alternatives. Matador’s Re-Ties ($11 per four-pack) are reusable gear ties made from rubber that can adjust to secure almost any gear on your pack. The rubber ties can support a load up to 15 pounds and are 12 inches long. They aren’t high-tech, but we like that they’re easy to reuse.
Shar Snacks
These compostable-packaged snacks were just added to REI’s inventory. The Shar Snacks ($8) contain 3.7 ounces of organic, vegan, gluten-free trail mix. Essentially, it’s a nice pick-me-up of fruit, seeds, and nuts to get you through your day. Although it’s compostable, we like that the snack tube is reusable as well. Shar also donates a whopping 20% of its net profits to The Conservation Alliance.
HOKA ONE ONE Stinson Mid GORE-TEX
HOKA’s out with several brand-new footwear styles this week, including this midrise Stinson hiking boot built with GORE-TEX. The Stinson Mid ($180), available for men and women, consists of a GORE-TEX waterproof bootie with a midrise collar, all-terrain outsole, and waterproof leather upper. We haven’t tested them, but we trust the GORE-TEX material will perform on the trail.
Huk Tournament Series Rain Jacket
The Huk Tournament Jacket ($230) was designed to withstand almost anything anglers face on the water. The jacket has a 20K wind and 15K waterproof rating, fully taped seams, waterproof zippers, zippered pockets, and watertight internal cuffs on the sleeves. It’s also got a “storm flap” to keep the other elements out. The new Tournament Series has a coordinating bib for $230. The series will be available soon on Huk Gear’s site.
Kammok Swiftlet Hammok Stand
Kammok is out with a new hammock accessory — a portable hammock stand. The Swiftlet Portable Hammock Stand ($199) has adjustable and foldable arms and legs, and can adjust to lounge mode or chair mode. It has an aluminum frame and comes with a durable 600-denier polyester travel bag. At 15 pounds, it’s not quite easy travel gear, but it would make a great addition to a car camping or backyard setup.
Klymit Drift Pillow
Klymit’s latest venture in the outdoor sleeping market is an ultralight memory foam pillow. The Klymit Drift Pillow ($35) contains a unique fill — shredded memory foam — wrapped up in a waterproof, 70-denier shell that can be removed and washed when needed. The pillow comes in two different sizes and weighs only 19 ounces.
Deejo Tattoo Trek Knife
Deejo’s latest laser-tattooed knife collection has some awesome designs for the knife-savvy EDC aficionado. The Deejo Tattoo Trek Coralwood Knife ($75) — which has a 3.74-inch, 420 stainless steel blade with titanium and cordwood finish — is part of the collection. The blade weighs just 37 g and definitely delivers on style.
BRAVO SIERRA 4-in-1 Soap
BRAVO SIERRA, a lifestyle company making products tested by members of the military, just launched a new line of wellness products, including this 4-in-1 soap. The BRAVO SIERRA 4-in-1 ($10) is a face and body wash, hair cleanser, and shave gel. The solution has ingredients like coconut oil, ginseng, and aloe vera. It’s got lots of positive reviews, so we’re guessing it’s not B.S.
