Take a peek at emerging products from the sometimes cutting-edge, sometimes quirky world of gear design. Explore the grid or click through for a slideshow.
Seek Dry Goods Triple Crown Hiking Collection T-Shirts
Seek Dry Goods has come up with a clever way to support our trail systems during quarantine. The brand partnered with the Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC) and Pacific Crest Trail Association (PCTA) to create T-shirts and will donate up to 10% of the proceeds back to the trails. The Unisex AT T-Shirt and Unisex PCT T-Shirt ($28 each) will join the CDT shirt in the Triple Crown Collection. The shirts are made with a recycled polyester and cotton blend and made in the US. Shirts are available in women’s-specific styles as well.
Giro Manifest Spherical MTB Helmet
The Giro Manifest Spherical Helmet ($260) offers a high level of noggin protection in a sweet moto style. The Manifest’s “spherical” design refers to the ball-and-socket technology that allows the outer liner to rotate and redirect impact forces in case of a fall. The cycling/MTB helmet is made with layers of dual-density foam, more than a dozen vents, and tiny details like eyewear grips and a screw-in moto visor. It’s available in three sizes. The hope is that this helmet works for all your rides — because it’ll break the bank at $260.
Sitka Gear Kelvin Lite Down Jacket & Pant
Sitka Gear’s latest hunting apparel will keep you warm in the deer stand or goose blind. The Kelvin Down Jacket ($349) and Down Pants ($299) have two-way-stretch nylon shells and super-compressible 900-fill PrimaLoft Gold insulation. The jacket has zippered pockets, a hood for wind protection and shelter, and still packs down into its own zippered hand pocket. The pants are also 900-fill down and have a nylon web belt and long side zippers to allow for easy changing. Two concealment patterns are available for different terrains. This kit is definitely an investment, but for the serious hunter, these are sweet pieces for cold weather.
Saucony Endorphin Pro Running Shoes
Saucony just released its newest carbon-plated racer. The Endorphin Pro ($200) includes several techy updates: a new outsole design meant to improve momentum as well as new cushioning that’s 40% lighter in weight to performance and stride. The Endorphin Pro uses a Polyether Block Amid (PEBA) foam and a 3D-engineered mesh upper. Preorder now; shoes will ship and be available market-wide in June.
REI Co-op Park Picnic Tote
Partnering with home retailer West Elm, REI’s new collection is designed to function from the campsite to your own backyard. The REI Co-op Park Picnic Tote ($50) is full of a variety of mesh, sleeve, and zippered pockets with organizers for picnic cutlery, has a reinforced and DWR-coated flat bottom, and an exterior water bottle pocket. The bag is made of 420-denier ripstop nylon (and the bottom is 1,680-denier ripstop nylon for extra durability).
Dakine Casey Brown Thrillium Bike Gloves
Designed with Dakine athlete Casey Brown, the Thrillium Gloves ($45) are made with polyester, nylon, and spandex for the shell with a goat-leather palm and back-of-finger microfleece accents. These women’s bike gloves match pro rider Casey Brown’s kit, with four-way stretch and full dexterity being the most important features. The gloves come with a 2-year warranty.
Traeger Grills App
We don’t have all the data, but outdoor cooking and grilling have gone up a lot since stay-at-home orders started. Traeger Grills is upping its game with the new Traeger app. The app is compatible with Alexa and Google smart assistants and gives you access to warming and temperature climate controls, a timer, pellet status, recipes, and more. The Traeger app connects to the WiFIRE function in the Pro, Ironwood, and Timberline grill models.
ABUS Bordo Big 5700 Folding Lock
ABUS has expanded its choices in locks with the Bordo Big 5700 Folding Lock ($80). The Bordo Big is 100 cm in length and has “convenient transport mode” not available on any other folding lock. The mode essentially holds the lock closed during transport without locking it, reducing the time you spend locking and unlocking between destinations. Otherwise, the lock also has a standard heavy-duty 5mm steel link construction and folds down to roughly 10 x 5 inches. But it’s on the heavier side at 2.8 pounds.
Outdoor Element Handled Camp Multitool
Say hello to streamlining your camp kitchen experience with this multitool. The Handled Pot Tool ($10 on Kickstarter) doubles as a safe pot gripper and canister recycling tool. The tong-style pot tool provides grip and heat resistance for almost any camp pot, and when disassembled, the top half of the tool prepares your fuel cans for recycling. (Using a camp stove generates a lot of waste. In order to recycle canisters, they must be emptied of fuel and punctured.) The Handled Pot Tool hopes to help make that task a little easier.
OPEONGO Aerial Tent and Hammock
The Aerial is a cross between a tent and a hammock. But unlike a hammock, it has a flat and sturdy sleeping surface for the floor, almost like a climber’s portaledge. The Aerial tree tent ($299) sets up with two bars, a cot floor, and slackline-inspired webbing and four-point suspension straps. When suspended, it can support up to 440 pounds. The rest of the Aerial is just like a tent, with a single aluminum pole, mesh and nylon tent walls, a waterproof rainfly, and internal mesh pockets.
100% Hypercraft Glasses
High-performance sunglasses brand 100% introduced a new style for 2020. The Hypercraft glasses ($155-175) have the brand’s UltraCarbon frame technology, which weaves carbon fiber into the nylon frames so that each pair weighs in at just 23 g. The Hypercraft glasses have a frameless design with peripheral protection, complete UV protection HD lenses with a scratch-resistant coating, and are photochromic and interchangeable. They’re available in matte or color lens styles.
Bellroy Marine Blue Weekender Bag
The Marine Blue Weekender ($249) is a 30L bag made with Baida nylon 100% pre-consumer recycled plastics. It has a secure laptop sleeve, pop-out pockets for toiletries and other gear, leather carry straps, and a detachable shoulder strap. And it’s carry-on-friendly. But the recycled body fabric and premium leather from gold-rated tanneries make it pricey at almost $250.
