A peek at emerging products from the sometimes cutting-edge, sometimes quirky world of gear design.
Mobius Backpack
Carry your belongings in the eco-progressive Mobius backpack from tentree. To make each backpack, tentree uses 31 recycled water bottles. The Mobius has a padded front pocket to keep your belongings safe. It also sports side compression straps, internal organization pockets, and a laptop sleeve. And like all of tentree’s items, for each product purchased, the brand plants 10 trees. The Mobius is on Kickstarter now for $76 Early Bird.
GreenJacket PFD
Astral calls the limited-edition GreenJacket PFD its crown jewel. It combines full rescue capabilities with innovative protection, comfort, and style. For the 10th anniversary of the brand’s Limited Edition Program, it presents a “River Roots” version of the jacket co-designed by Rush Sturges, a world-renowned kayaker, producer, and musician.
Inflatable Surf Reef
This one goes a little outside the box, but that’s the nature of super-unique ideas. The AIRWAVE is an inflatable bladder that can be installed at a closeout beach break. The goal is to create new surf waves to alleviate crowding at popular breaks. The brand claims it subtly changes the break of the wave to make it surf worthy. AIRWAVES are designed to be quickly and permanently installed in multiple locations along the same stretch of beach. They are also able to be moved, or removed altogether, if necessary.
New Bike Shoe Line
We can’t share much on this new brand Ride Concepts yet, and the photos are just teasers. But a bigger announcement is coming soon. Ride Concepts will debut a line of “progressive, high-performance mountain bike footwear” next week at the Interbike international trade show. Spearheading the Ride Concepts line, the Session series will arrive on the scene September 3. We’ve gotten a sneak peek, and it looks slick. More to come next week!
Vintage Commuter
The Rylee Bike by State Bicycle is simply pretty. But it’s also a very affordable option for commuters at $390. The red metallic paint changes with different light. New gum-wall tires, mustache bars, and coaster brake keep it old-school on this cruiser.
SOG PowerLitre Multitool
SOG Knives puts a wealth of tools in a 4.6-ounce package. The PowerLitre rocks the basics with 17 tools including pliers, screwdrivers, scissors, knives, and a corkscrew. But it keeps the package small and light enough to carry in a pocket. And it’s easy on the wallet at just $49.95.
YUBA Electric Supermarché
“Eight and a half feet of cargo hauling happiness.” That’s what YUBA calls its newest cargo bike, the Electric Supermarché. The pickup truck of bicycles, this electric pedal-assist, front-loading cargo bike could be a dream for families and small businesses that want to navigate cities without a car. It has a 220-pound front payload and hits the market for $6,000.
Gen 4 Fossil Watch
Fossil introduces a new line of smartwatches with a healthy dose of technology for a modest price. The Gen 4 Smartwatch line loads a fitness tracker, heart-rate monitor, GPS, music controls, and email, text, and other notifications into a sub-$300 package. Several models are available.
OtterBox French Press
Put a French press in your OtterBox tumbler. The French Press Lid Tumbler Accessory is so simple it must work. Pour coffee into your OtterBox tumbler. Then, strain it with the French Press. Boom: coffee. Get one now for $30.
Artisanal Camera Gear
Ethnotek collaborates with artisans around the globe to combine traditional handmade textiles with functional bags. This colorful line includes the Raja Full Photo Backpack for the nomadic photographer with lots of gear, the Desa Sling Pouch for photo enthusiasts with minimal gear, and the Kota Camera Strap. Pick up one of these distinctive designs, starting at $50 on Kickstarter for the camera strap.
ROKA Torino
ROKA reinvents (another) classic pair of sunglasses with the Torino. The newish brand impressed us with its initial aviator offering. With the Torino, it updates another classic style with exceptional lenses as well as its GEKO fit and retention system. They’re a high-end choice at $210, but the brand makes some fine shades.
Garmin vívosmart 4
Garmin launches the vívosmart 4 today. It brings a new element for athletes: a wrist-based pulse sensor. It helps people gauge their blood oxygen saturation levels at night to better understand sleep quality. The new model also adds a “Body Battery” energy monitor that estimates the body’s energy reserves, letting users know the optimal times for activity and rest. The vívosmart 4 is available now for $130.
Olloclip Multi-Device Clip
Olloclip designed the Multi-Device Clip to enhance cameras on the most popular smartphones. In addition, its expanding clip design is now compatible with screen protectors and cases up to 12 mm thick. Users can attach wide-angle, telephoto, and macro lenses to capture the exact angle and field of view desired. The olloclip Multi-Device Clip will be available on olloclip.com in mid-September with any of the Connect X lenses, starting at $59.99.
