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.
Spruce Travel Dog Bed
I already love the Spruce Travel Dog Bed — even if my own dog prefers sleeping on wooden floors. This foldup design allows you to stash your pup’s gear in a streamlined travel solution for taking your pup’s sleepy space on the road. The small option starts at $139, and the largest tops out at $199.
ShineOn Bike Light
The ShineOn Dual Beam Bike Light is a really nifty idea in motion. Instead of just being a little light on your bike, it illuminates your body, making you more visible to everyone on the road. As it’s a Kickstarter project, you can still get the early deal of $88 for this light. Which, to be honest, is kind of expensive for a bike light; however, the ERP is $110. So if safety is your highest priority on the road, weigh the costs and save some dough now.
Columbia SH/FT Footwear Collection
The new SH/FT Collection from Columbia drops this Friday. And with it, the brand is incorporating streetwear into its technical footwear line. I mean. I’m kinda obsessed with these neon sneaks, but for you more conservative types, there’s a swath of color combos. The collection will be available for both men and women, and offered online and in a variety of stores.
Benchmade Mini-Loco
If you only want to get a little crazy, Benchmade’s limited-edition Mini-Loco ($290) is your opportunity. Its reptilian aesthetic is neutral, sleek, and a little Jurassic Park-esque. But this little knife is mighty, with a PVD-coated CPM-20CV blade and custom murdered-out hardware. There will be only 500 pieces of this little fella available, and they’re coming at you August 12.
Hosn Trousers
Developed by a stuntwoman who needed a pant that got ‘r dun, the Hosn trouser is business in looks, party in technicality. There is, of course, no major shortage of technical pants mimicking workwear out there. But this pant has a “billion” features, as the Kickstarter page says. These include a water bottle pocket, a holster, water-repellent features, a non-ironing smoothness, and a padded waistband. And really, if grown men can either break dance, somersault, or take a terrible fall in them, they might be worth $145.
ARRCAM: 'Smart Stabilized Rotatable' Smartphone Slider
This little slider for your phone is pretty slick. Starting at $337, you can set up a professional filming solution using the camera on your smartphone. Although it’s an expensive upgrade, it’s for sure much less expensive than a true professional slider setup. And with phones that shoot 4K these days, you can shoot some pretty killer film with this thing. Check out the ARRCAM Kickstarter to see it in action. Slickity slick stuff.
Kelty Retro Ranger Doug Collection
Kelty’s new Ranger Doug Collection is a fun spin on a retro look. With two tents, two sleeping bags, and a deployable backpack inspired by Ranger Doug Leen’s posters, Kelty covered the gamut in this collaboration. Ranger Doug has been recreating vintage national park posters since 1993. You can find Kelty’s gear collection here, available now.
Grundéns GORE-TEX Fishing Line
Grundéns is known for tough-as-nails fishing gear for hardcore anglers and commercial fishermen. And it now partners with GORE-TEX to create a line guaranteed to keep you dry. This is heavy-duty fishing gear for the extreme-weather fisherman. Bibs and jackets are available now, starting at $270.
IceBRKR Ski Goggles
Simple is dead. Crazy tech is in. And bONE Tech’s IceBRKR Ski Goggles not only have a hard-to-spell name, but they’re also the first goggles to integrate bone-conduction audio and Bluetooth 5.0 MESH Intercom technology. These goggles are slick-looking and in no way scream “bulky tech.” CEO Marco Cannoli says, “IceBRKR is the answer to staying as connected as you want to be on the slopes. You can take calls, listen to music or podcasts, all without removing your gloves or mask or blocking out the sound around you.” And the Kickstarter just launched! So jump on the deals while they’re available.
All-City Zig Zag Ultegra Road Bike
The Zig Zag Ultegra is All-City’s modern answer to what a road bike should be. And it’s pretty-ay. The addition of disc brakes adds an extra layer of control and all-weather durability for your road rides. Plus, the sleek tubeset was constructed to cut weight and smooth out the ride. The frameset has an MSRP of $1,299, with the full setup retailing for $3,999. The Zig Zag Ultegra will be available in late August.
Norm Glasses
Augmented reality is a thing. But it’s also been a really nerdy thing when it comes to wearing it on your face. Enter the Norm Glasses ($329), a Ray-Ban-esque take on AR glasses. They allow you to take pics, read texts, navigate, and so much more. I can’t decide whether I want them or they make me nervous. But these guys crushed their funding goal of $15,000, and they’re now at, oh, just $372,178. The people have spoken. Get the Kickstarter packages while you can.
Sustainable Swimwear From prAna
Bring on the sustainable clothes! Now, this cute suit collection from prAna features beach-worthy wear that’s also made from recycled nylon blends as part of prAna’s Clothing For A Positive Change initiative. The suits are also 50-plus UPF to keep bods protected from those dangerous rays. Available now.
