A peek at emerging products, culled from crowd-source sites like Kickstarter, PR campaigns, and industry scoops on the sometimes cutting-edge, sometimes quirky world of gear design.
[roundup-item]
Four-Person SUP
The Red Paddle Co. introduces the Red Dragon four-person race SUP at the Surf Expo this week. The 22-foot Red Dragon is intended to bring a team element to the sport of SUP racing, and it sounds incredibly fun. Bring a team, a huge SUP, and some competition to a lake near you and paddle your arms tired.
[/roundup-item]
[roundup-item]
Metolius Belay Specs
Reduce neck strain with newly designed belay glasses from Metolius. The brand’s first entry into belay glasses, the glasses are designed with a prism size intended to give a great view of climbers above without neck strain. They can be worn with or without prescription or sun glasses. They’re available at $59.99 in Spring 2017.
[/roundup-item]
[roundup-item]
(Off) Road Warrior
If sand dunes and rocky desert are your preferred getaway, then ditch the camper and set your sights on the Can-Am Maverick X3 Turbo R. The side-by-side adventure vehicle, base price $23,000, jets from 0-60 in 4.9 seconds under 154 hp at 7,500 rpm. This concept-to-reality monster is made to rip over nasty terrain quickly with 15 inches of ground clearance, 24 inches of travel, a 900 cc Turbocharged Triple-cylinder engine, and cup holders!
[/roundup-item]
[roundup-item]
Ultralight Bike Lock
The OTTOLock is a new cinch lock for cyclists and outdoor enthusiasts who need a small, safe, and lightweight security device. The brand claims it’s more secure than a cable lock, and much lighter than a U-lock. The lock will debut at the Interbike trade show next week.
[/roundup-item]
[roundup-item]
Yaktrax With Boa Closure
The Yaktraxs Summit is a burly traction device for slick winter slopes. New for 2016, it uses a Boa Closure System to dial in the perfect fit around shoes and boots without constricting toes. It has carbon steel spikes to dig into snow and ice and keep you on your feet. Coming soon for $90.
[/roundup-item]
[roundup-item]
Ride ‘Timeless’ Snowboard
The Timeless, in the words of manufacturer Ride, “had no speed limit, charged through everything, held an edge better than hockey skates, and made you sh*t your pants if you weren’t ready for it.” With an aluminum top sheet and directional shape, this one’s designed for speed.
[/roundup-item]
[roundup-item]
‘Firebiner’ Carabiner
A carabiner, fire sparker, bottle opener, utility blade, and screwdriver pack into the Firebiner. No, it’s not for climbing, but for hanging items on packs or emergency fire starting, this one could be a fun addition to the kit. Get one on Kickstarter for about $10.
[/roundup-item]
[roundup-item]
‘MonoRail’ Slide Out Bike Rack
Rack and mount manufacturer Rocky Mounts introduces the MonoRail, a swing-away platform rack that lets users access the back hatches of vehicles without removing bikes. It carries two bikes standard, plus a third via an add-on that’s sold separately for $149.95. The anticipated MSRP is $529.95.
[/roundup-item]
[roundup-item]
‘ChromaPop’ Snow Lens
Smith’s popular ChromaPop lens enhances contrast and helps wearers “see faster.” It’s coming to snow goggles this year. The brand claims the lenses “filter light at two specific wavelengths to eliminate color confusion to the brain while providing a sharper, easier and faster visual experience.” Smith releases three ChromaPop tinted lenses available this winter in models starting at $210.
[/roundup-item]
[roundup-item]
Topo Designs – Woolrich Backpack
Denver pack manufacturer Topo Designs partners with Woolrich for a USA made backpack called the Klettersack. Handmade in Colorado, the 1,368 cu. in. pack has a laptop sleeve, side pockets for water bottles, and uses a historical Woolrich pattern. It hits the market this fall for $249.
[/roundup-item]
[roundup-item]
Scarpa F1
At 2.7 pounds, the F1 is Scarpa’s lightest alpine touring boot, and it hammers on the downhill. We began testing a prototype of this boot last winter, and it’s a great downhill performer, especially for a fairly light and comfortable touring boot. If you’re looking for a backcountry ski boot this winter, keep an eye out for the F1 as it hits the shelves this fall.
[/roundup-item]
[roundup-item]
Workout Wear Designed To Carry
ETRE by Victor Legend is a new line of activewear designed to hold water bottles, large cell phones, wallets, keys, and more securely and comfortably. The brand makes track pants, shorts, compression clothing and more.
[/roundup-item]
[roundup-item]
Coast FL75 Headlamp
The 3.7 ounce Coast FL75 cranks out up to 405 lumens for two hours. But while the high power beam is impressive, it really shines at lower power, pouring out 53 lumens for an impressive 21 hours. It has a maximum range of 459 feet and costs a reasonable $60.
[/roundup-item]
[roundup-item]
Duluth Pack – Stormy Kromer Collab
Two venerable, USA-made brands come together on a collaboration this fall that includes hats, packs, and gloves. Our favorite of the products is the Deluxe Scout Pack. The scaled-down version of the Original Canoe Pack, the envelope-style Deluxe Scout Pack has traditional riveted reinforcements, interior hang pocket for interior organization, and a premium leather bottom for durability and visual appeal. It’s 17 inches high by 14 inches wide and hits the market this week for $250.
[/roundup-item]
[roundup-item]
Diamondback Fastest TT/Tri Bike
Diamondback goes heavy on R&D with its second time trial and triathlon build, the Andean. The just-released bicycle is the product of custom wind tunnel testing, similar to that used in moto GP and Formula One Racing. Diamondback touts it as the fastest TT/tri “super bike” available. $4,800-$8,000.
[/roundup-item]
[roundup-item]
Feature Heavy Adv3nture Hoodie
Beverage grip cuffs, neoprene koozie pocket, sunglasses holder, and bottle-opening zipper are just some of the “23 pockets and features” of the Adv3nture Hoodie. The fleece zip-up was designed by TV’s “Three Sheets” host Zane Lamprey with the young traveler in mind. A DWR option is available, to keep your beer dry.
[/roundup-item]
[roundup-item]
World’s Smallest ‘Dart’ Charger
For keeping your load light and your light on, FINsix has the “world’s smallest” laptop charger. We got a sneak peek at the tiny $99 charger and can attest to Dart’s slick design. At 5.3 ounces and 2.75 inches long, it’s perfect for travel. There are nine interchangeable tips making it compatible with 95 percent of PC laptops (Mac compatibility may come in the future). Best of all it has an attached USB slot to charge your phone or other gadgets.
[/roundup-item]
[roundup-item]
Single Hand, Wide Mouth Growler
Hydro Flask started the market of stainless steel insulated growlers and its latest 64 ouncer was “made with beer in mind.” Find another vessel for your water, the $65 Growler has features like the “Fresh Carry System” to keep beer carbonated and cold up to 24 hours, and a one-handed pour design.
[/roundup-item]
[roundup-item]
Coffee Brake (Mug)
This mug was designed with, among other things, fending off wild dogs. After falling short in their first Kickstarter attempt, husband and wife duo Ben and Lisa Clark secured enough to make the Coffee Brake Mug a production reality this month. There are other stainless steel, 20 oz., BPA-free travel mugs on the market, but few pair with your acid-wash cutoff bike jorts like this one.
[/roundup-item]
[roundup-item]
UV Meter
Common sense should dictate wearing sunscreen when it’s sunny or at high altitude, but for those who need some kind of digital affirmation, the Sunclipse Shadow monitors UV exposure and tells you if you’re getting sunburnt through an app on your phone. It sells from $40 on Kickstarter now.
[/roundup-item]
[roundup-item]
One-Shoulder Camera Sling Pack
The Kiwidition KOHIKO is a single-strap backpack for camera gear. It’s made to quickly swivel around the body, giving photographers easy access to cameras without removing the pack from the body. It’s raising money now on Kickstarter, and looks like a slick design for photographers who need fast access to cameras, lenses, and more.
[/roundup-item]
[roundup-item]
Paul’s Pretty Purple Bike Parts
Paul Component Engineering gives bike builders a dash of color with anodized purple parts. Manufactured in Chico, Calif., these high end brake levers, seat posts, stems, and more can be found online or at your LBS.
[/roundup-item]
[roundup-item]
Fjallraven ‘Eco-Shell’
The Fjallraven Ovik Eco-Shell Jacket hits the market this fall, giving a casual style with high tech performance. It earns the “eco” designation thanks to the PFC-free, recycled polyester, hard-shell fabrication. This one’s waterproof, breathable, and hits the market soon at $500.
[/roundup-item]
