Hurtling toward a new year, here’s a look at the best outdoor and adventure gear our editors saw in 2021.
Here we go! Winding down another year of gear and tech, we’ve pared down our favorite outdoor-ready products that hit the market in 2021.
Our Gear of the Year picks represent innovations in design, tech, and performance. To be sure, there’s plenty of great gear that’s not on this list. But to be eligible for our top picks, brands needed to bring something groundbreaking to the table.
The gear below stood out because it made noteworthy advances in sustainability, ingenuity, and overall helping you enjoy outdoor adventure.
So let’s get to it!
GearJunkie Gear of the Year 2021
Five Ten NIAD Moccasym Climbing Shoe

Five Ten had a decades-long winner with their original Moccasym, so I was super skeptical when the brand announced a makeover of its popular slipper. But to my total surprise, the new Five Ten NIAD (Nose In a Day) Moccasym transformed the brand’s true slipper into a more well-rounded rock climbing weapon.
Five Ten traded a bit of sensitivity for added stiffness, and that transaction was well worth it, according to our climbing editor. Along with the improved edging ability, the NIAD Moccasym fit much better at the heel, partly due to a new two-piece slingshot rand.
A rubber patch on the toebox added toe-hooking prowess, and the leather is more resistant to tearing, a common issue on the original Mocc.
Mocc fans can rest assured that the powerful, asymmetrical last was retained, as well as the second-skin fit that forms over time. The Five Ten NIAD Moccasym is the rare shoe update that our climbing editor didn’t hate.
Check Price at REICheck Price at Backcountry
Sitka Gear Aerolite Collection

Helly Hansen Odin Infinity Shell

Garmin Enduro Watch
ENVE Custom Road Bike
Check Price at ENVEYakima EXO

Peak Design Mobile

ORTOVOX Diract Voice

Salomon Index.01 Recyclable Running Shoe

Hustle Bike Labs Magnetic Pedal

Smith 3D Imprint I/O MAG Goggles
Check Price at SmithEdelrid Swift Protect ProDry 8.9 Rope

RockShox Flight Attendant
