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Emerging Gear: Outdoor Products This Week

From next-gen tech to ingenious innovation, our weekly peek at emerging products examines the sometimes cutting-edge, sometimes quirky world of gear design.

Joee cooler organization
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A peek at emerging products from the sometimes cutting-edge, sometimes quirky world of gear design.

Cooler Organizer

JOEE cooler organizer

Stop your sandwiches and veggies from getting soggy with the JOEE. Dubbed a cooler accessory, JOEE is a dry food storage container, upright beverage holder, and cutting board. With JOEE, you can separate ice from your food to keep things dry and cold. It’s dishwasher safe and fits onto YETI, Cabela’s, Coleman, Canyon, Grizzly, Orca, Pelican, and RTIC hard-sided coolers. It costs $44 with Kickstarter’s early bird special.

Shimano Gravel Shoe

Shimano gravel Shoes

Pedal hard, then step out to charge through varied terrain with the Shimano XC5. The brand’s first gravel-specific product, the XC5 sports a lace-up design in a carbon-fiber and synthetic leather shoe. High-traction Michelin tread underfoot provides grip, and there’s an option for spike mounts if you’re in some really nasty terrain. The XC5 is available now for $150.

Fishing Net Shades

costa sunglasses

Discarded fishing nets are recycled into sunglasses as part of Costa and Bureo’s Untangled Collection. What some call the most harmful form of ocean plastic, discarded fishing nets account for 10 percent of ocean plastic pollution. Bureo, who pioneered recycled fishnet products, partnered with Costa to introduce five new models of sunglasses. Bureo collects discarded fishing nets from commercial fishing ports in Chile, then recycles the nets into graphite-colored pellets. Costa combines the pellets into new frames, with a distinct stressed dark color. The shades are available now and range from $199 to $270.

Iron Grill Table

Snowpeak grill table

Camp in style thanks to Snow Peak’s Grill Table Slim. The brand’s newest addition that you can tack onto Snow Peak’s kitchen system, the Grill Table is a slim, durable, and beautiful camping piece. Snow Peak makes it with teak, stainless steel, and steel. The wooden slats are removable, so you can place a stove or other camp kitchen items within the table. The only caveat is its price, at $450.

Simple Osprey

Osprey Hikelite 18

An affordable daypack, the Osprey Hikelite uses the brand’s advanced backpacking tech in a cost-friendly option. The Hikelite 18 costs $85 and vents well with an AirSpeed backpanel. It fits a 3-liter reservoir and has an integrated rain cover and Osprey’s LightWire frame for support. The 18-liter daypack is available now.

‘Line Speed Taper’ Fly Rod

Reddington Crux

Hit your favorite trout stream with Redington’s new premium rod, the CRUX. Its all-new “Line Speed Taper” makes distance casting a breeze. The precompressed cork grip increases the rod’s durability and reduces hand fatigue during those long days on the water. We recently tested the CRUX on a Steelhead trip and found the rod to be very steady on the swing and comfortable in-hand over three full days of fishing. The 7.5-foot rod had no problem holding its own with a 27-inch Steelhead on a cool northern Minnesota morning. Currently available for $400.

Warm-Weather Allbirds

allbirds tree runner

The woolen-shoe brand Allbirds introduces a warm-weather option in its Tree Runners line. Allbirds makes the shoe with eucalyptus and uses less water in construction than traditional materials. Because of this, it’s the first shoe material certified by the Forest Stewardship Council. The shoe has a perforated mesh knit construction to feel the breeze, and “flat-knitting” reinforces targeted zones for durability and comfort. Included in the line are three shoes: the Runners, Skippers, and Loungers. Available now for $95.

Fat Pint Glass

Tubby drink glass

Enter the pint glass revolution, brought to you by Tubby. A spin on the traditional pint glass, Tubby is wider, opening the door to more than just beer. Each Tubby is hand sculpted and holds 16 fluid ounces. Back it on Kickstarter now, with one Tubby going for $19.

Flash Air Hammock

REI Flash Air Hammock

Gone are the days of shoulder pain and constricted sleeping in hammocks. The REI Flash Air Hammock seems to solve this problem with integrated spreader poles to increase space around your head and sholders. Included in the Flash Air are an integrated bug net, a rainfly, and space to slide in a sleeping pad. Plus, it’s on sale right now for $140.

Fish Net Pacsafe

Pacsafe travelsafe

Pacsafe introduced the Travelsafe years ago and was hailed in our “Greatest Gear of 5 Years” post for its convenience when traveling. The Travelsafe has cut-proof fabric and a cable lock to prevent light thieving. But new for this year, Pacsafe introduces the Travelsafe 3L with Econyl fabric, which is made from recycled fishing nets. The Travelsafe 3L Econyl Portable Safe costs $70, and 100-percent of proceeds go to Pacsafe’s Turtle Fund.

Rollable Measuring Tape

Rollable measuring tape

Measure flat, curved, and funky-shaped objects with the Rollova. Dubbed the world’s first compact digital rolling ruler, Rollova measures objects with its grippy rubber sides. On the face, the measurements pop up in its high-contrast OLED screen. The Rollova is on Kickstarter now, with a $49 early bird price.

Transportable Charcoal Grill

Portable charcoal grill

Carry the Knister Grill to the park on your bike, then expand it to cook up some summer meals and memories. The Knister comes with a bike attachment to fit on handlebars. And you can store food inside the grill during transport. Then, once you’re at the park, unfold the legs, pour in charcoal, and get cooking! The Knister is on Kickstarter now for $210 MSRP.

Quiver-Killing Trail Bike

Pivot Trail 429

Climb like you’re on a cross bike and hold your own on tough terrain downhill with the Trail 429. Pivot Cycles designed the Trail 429 off the Mach 429 Trail and reshaped the chassis for a new geometry. Pivot claims what sets it apart is the Trail 429’s power transfer and acceleration. The Trail 429 was announced today and costs from $4,700 to $8,700.

SUP-Hauling Strap

SUP strap

Haul your SUP to the beach, then strap it to your leg with the Esea Strap. From Zennway, the Esea Strap combines a leash and carry strap in one. It connects to either end of your board and has a shoulder strap for easy and comfortable hauling. The Esea Strap is on Indiegogo now for $17 super early bird.

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