In the press of Black Friday deals and holiday sales, it can be easy to lose track of new gear drops. Not to worry. Your Emerging Gear expert (that’s me!) is back once again to help you separate the wheat from the chaff. That makes me both a winnower and thresher and you a hungry consumer ready to stuff your face with nice, soft bread (uh, gear).
Too far with this metaphor? Oh well, it’s Thanksgiving, and if you don’t have carbs on the brain, who even are you?
I don’t think it’s overstating things to call a Filson x Danner collab a match made in Gear Heaven. The two brands have similar longstanding Pacific Northwest pedigrees and a commitment to hardwearing materials that look better as they age.
The Danner X Filson Trail 2650 Mid has that in spades, what with its full-grain leather uppers and Vibram outsole. And that color choice? Super cool. I’m a minimalist footwear guy, but these things have me intrigued.
Freestanding, hub-and-pole, single-wall, Dyneema shelters are rare birds. The ROMR Elite2 UL Freestanding Tent already reached its funding goal on Indigogo. But you can still grab one for just over $401-550 — or an Elite2 Pro for $605-693 — with shelters shipping in May 2024.
ROMR bills the shelter as a four-season beast, but I have to admit I have my doubts about snow loading on that wide, flat apex. Still, there’s something to be said for an ultralight single-wall number that can be set up on camping platforms — a real problem with trekking-pole-supported tents.
Last week I included the Paka Apu Puffer in this column. This week I’m mentioning its big brother, the Apu Parka. The concept is the same. Paka uses a natural, sustainably sourced insulative fiber (in this case alpaca fiber) to battle cold and damp conditions.
Another benefit of using alpaca fiber is that it doesn’t require quilting, resulting in an insulated jacket with a clean, minimalist silhouette. GearJunkie hasn’t tested one yet, but Paka claims the Apu Parka will perform in temperatures down to -20 degrees Fahrenheit.
Ball and Buck took the Luminox Atacama Field Watch and dressed it up in camo and blaze-orange (as Ball and Buck is wont to do). The result is surprisingly understated — until you turn it over to reveal an exposition case back that showcases a glimpse of those fancy Luminox internal workings.
Phaenom footwear is a new brand that just released a limited-edition freestyle ski boot in advance of a broader launch in fall 2024. According to the brand, the fs 01 120 is designed to tow the line between playful flexibility and confidence-inspiring rigidity on hard landings. Did phaenom succeed? You’ll need to live in Europe to find out with this limited-edition drop. Go European GearJunkies, go!
KAVU is channeling major throwback vibes with this matching collection that probably looks great when paired with a mustache (they are trendy now, in case you haven’t noticed). The Highline sweater anchors the collection, but don’t sleep on the pom. It’s perfect for sipping hot cocoa at the base lodge between runs.
Is there room for improvement in the synthetic insulated jacket world? Mission Workshop is on a mission to answer that question with a solid “yes.”
The brand’s sleek PrimaLoft Insulated Jacket is designed with travel and high-output activities in mind. Lightly insulated as it is, you probably don’t want it if you’re trying to stay warm while standing still, but for layering on big-objective days, it could be a real winner.
I don’t consider myself a watch guy at heart, but even I have to admit that Zodiac Super Sea Wolf Titanium Skin Diver Automatic is a real winner in the looks department. Zodiac added titanium construction to its popular Super Sea Wolf platform, and the result is clean, clean, clean — especially when paired with that navy-blue face and angular dials.
