From innovative trekking gear to collaborations with pop culture favorites, this week serves up quite a few surprises. For starters, gas prices continue to soar, making alternate forms of transportation more attractive than ever. So, a new e-bike conversion kit and futuristic motorbike look more practical than they might have seemed just a few months ago.
We’re also stoked about Gossamer Gear’s insanely lightweight trekking poles and an extra-durable new wearable from Whoop. There are also a couple of cool collaborations here, including Metallica-themed work boots and Harry Potter-themed watches.
And for those preparing for an extra-hot summer working outdoors, a new pair of cowboy boots promises cooler feet (and they look pretty cool, too). Don’t miss this week’s latest and greatest of Emerging Gear.
Wolverine x Metallica
What do charity work, heavy metal, and work boots have in common? This sweet boot collaboration between Wolverine and Metallica.
The legacy boot brand has evidently been partnering with the iconic metal band’s All Within My Hands foundation since 2019. So far, Wolverine has donated nearly $3 million to the nonprofit’s Metallica Scholars Initiative, helping fund community colleges across the country to “strengthen career and technical education,” the brand said.
To celebrate that mission, Wolverine just launched a product collection inspired by the 72 Seasons era and the lyric “Full Speed or Nothing” from Lux Æterna. The limited-edition capsule includes a boot and graphic tee designed with longtime Metallica collaborator Michelle Harvey. The boots will work great on either the job site or the stage, with 50% of sales funding trade programs for students entering fields like welding, electrical, and construction. Rock and roll!
Electric Assist for Bikes
CYPLORE is launching a Kickstarter campaign for its e-bike conversion system. The brand claims that it will be the world’s lightest electric conversion system, made to integrate with thru-axle road and gravel bike frames. The idea is to simply add a pedal-assist system to the bike that riders already own, know, and love.
The CYPLORE system consists of a compact rear hub motor, paired with an aerodynamic, bottle-style battery. Based on the photos, it appears to go virtually unnoticed, to amplify your pedaling efforts without ruining the aesthetics of your bike. According to the brand, it will be offered in two configurations: as a complete wheel (CYPLORE ONE) or as a hub-only (CYPLORE FLEX) to build your own wheel.
The innovative new system for electrifying a road or gravel bike was launched on Kickstarter this week. Early supporters can reportedly get up to a 48% discount on the system when it officially launches. Those interested can head to the Kickstarter page to check out all the details or reserve the lowest price. Or, you can check out the brand’s website at the link below.
Check out the full story from BikeRumor’s Jeremy Benson.
Whoop Launches Navigator
Whoop’s high-tech armbands have become very popular among outdoor athletes, from climber Alex Honnold to cyclist Lachlan Morton. It also earned high praise in a 2023 GearJunkie review.
Now the brand has launched a more durable version of its band: the Navigator. Designed for constant movement, shifting terrain, and unpredictable weather, it’s “built to support reliability in all conditions,” the brand said. It should hold up against rain, wind, and snow, according to Whoop. It’s available in two colors (Ridgeline and Evergreen) and costs $80 on the Whoop website.
Featherweight Folding Trekking Pole
No doubt about it: Gossamer Gear makes excellent hiking gear. We were already big fans of the brand’s LT5 Trekking Poles, which earned high praise from a veteran thru-hiker in a 2024 GearJunkie review: “At less than 10 ounces for the pair, these featherlight poles shave ounces where it counts while retaining strength where it matters,” Jackson Sims-Myers wrote.
Now Gossamer Gear is offering an even lighter pair of trekking poles that also collapse. The FT3 Folding Trekking Poles are the brand’s first collapsible poles. They’re highly packable at just 15 inches when collapsed and extremely lightweight, clocking in at just 6.2 ounces each.
Built from carbon fiber and adjustable from 115 cm to 130cm, they also have carbide tips, EVA foam grips, and built-in baskets. They’re also designed to work with Gossamer Gear’s trekking pole shelters. They cost $245 a pair, but for this featherweight class, they could be worth it for someone putting in serious miles on the trail.
Future Scooter
I first wrote about this futuristic e-bike/moped last summer, when it was only available for preorder. Now it’s ready to order and will ship anywhere in the US.
The Olto is a bike-lane-ready, electric vehicle that looks like nothing else on the market. Purpose-built for the demands of city life, Olto offers up to 40 miles of range on a single charge, has a swappable slide-in battery, and fits two people comfortably. Olto is available to order today, in black or silver finishes, starting at $3,495 at infinitemachine.com, with immediate shipping available nationwide.
Created by Infinite Machine, a startup based in New York City, the Olto is really a hybrid of a moped/scooter and an e-bike. It’s meant to function in both bike lanes and city streets, primarily for local transport and urban commuting.
Harry Potter x Timex
I just bought my dad a Timex Expedition for his birthday. Why? Because he said, and I quote, “I want a simple watch that only tells the time.” Well, he got what he wanted during a family get-together yesterday, and he looked as happy as 10-year-old me with my first G-SHOCK.
Now Harry Potter fans can get their hands on Timex’s latest pop culture collab, which serves up several cool pieces inspired by the world’s most popular fantasy series. Though I’m not a hardcore fan, I think the standouts here are the Harry Potter x Timex Weekender Butterbeer ($180) and the Harry Potter x Timex Waterbury Skeleton Automatic ($550). Find the whole lineup on the Timex website.
Wide Open Socks
Wide Open Socks, a sister brand of the popular sock company Darn Tough Vermont, surprised me. They sent a pair of their extra-wide socks a while back, and they’ve become one of my favorite pairs of socks for just about anything. I’m not sure why just making the sock’s aperture a bit wider improves comfort so much, but I’ve found myself reaching for these for most formal events, as well as fun times in the outdoors.
Now the brand has launched some lightweight options. Made from merino wool and a knit that can stretch, flex, and fit wide feet (up to 4E), they’re made in Vermont and are backed by the brand’s Lifetime Guarantee.
And they’re not crazy expensive, either. New releases include the Women’s Solid Lightweight Ankle Sock ($19), Women’s Solid Lightweight Quarter Sock ($21), Women’s Woodland Wonder Lightweight Micro Crew ($22), Men’s Solid Lightweight Ankle Sock ($19), and Men’s Solid Lightweight Quarter Sock ($21).
Micro Camping Light
Just when you thought Snow Peak’s Hozuki mini lantern couldn’t get any smaller, they give us this. The chic Japanese brand’s latest offering is a micro version of its popular light.
Available in three colorways, the Micro Hozuki is a cute little light that easily attaches to a key chain, water bottle, or bag. It only costs $15. Surprisingly, the brand is not including the two coin-sized batteries needed to power it. However, you can find the necessary CR1632 coin-type batteries on Amazon for less than $10.
Protective Camera Insert
The diversity of camera equipment has exploded over the last decade. From 360-degree video cameras to drones to the latest from GoPro — there are more gear options than ever for shutterbugs. And that means that the bags to protect your gear often need updating to accommodate these changing needs.
That’s where Mission Workshop’s new Camera Core System comes in. It’s a modular approach to carrying camera gear. At the center of the system is the Capsule Pro, a protective camera insert with an impact-absorbing foam structure, a Velcro-compatible liner, and a flexible divider system.
Designed to fit inside the Mission Workshop Meridian or Control Pack, the “system forms a full-featured camera platform with a panel-loading design, and weather-resistant construction,” the brand said. It’s also available in Capsule Pro Compact. Available for preorder now, it will ship in June.
Cowboy Work Boots
These boots don’t just look sexy as hell: They’ve got some impressive features. Tecovas, an Austin-based Western brand, just expanded its Work category with the LongHaul Waterproof Square Soft Toe Work Boot with Temp Control.
Designed for all-day wear, the boots have a built-in “temperature-regulating system” that aims to keep your feet comfy all day, the brand said. If you’ve ever lived through Austin’s summers (I lived there for 15 years), then you know just how hot it gets. If these boots work as claimed to keep feet cooler, I have no doubt they’ll find willing buyers.
They also have a classic square toe profile and waterproof construction. You can grab a pair for $265.
