Emerging Gear: Budget Hardtail to Full-Circle Balance Board

Black Diamond’s newest Momentum Harness ($60) is an update on the brand’s most popular harness. It has a time-saving, pre-threaded, adjustable-waist belt buckle and easily adjustable leg loops. Besides all that, the harness has four gear loops and weighs in under 11 ounces. The Momentum is available for men and women.

It’s great to see the concept of balance boards continue to evolve. A new product on Kickstarter, the Skill Board aims to provide 360 degrees of rotation to widen your training opportunities. The Skill Board comes with a maple wood board and a nylon-wound balance ball. You can also get the board with or without grip tape. The Skill Board will retail for $148, but right now it’s only $89.

One of Kari Traa’s newest base layers, the Rose Hood ($120) takes the idea of a base layer and makes it more versatile. The 100-percent merino wool layer has four-way stretch and side arm panels for breathability. But best of all is the addition of a fitted, lined hood to provide extra warmth and wind protection. We already love the fit and style of the original layers, and the hood is an added bonus.

Trek designed this hardtail mountain bike for beginners wanting to ramp up their activity on the trail. The Roscoe 6 ($1,020) has 27.5-plus wheels for stability, a Shimano Deore drivetrain offering 10 speeds, and an aluminum frame with internal cable routing. This bike also offers men’s and women’s frame sizes and saddles.

Massachusetts-based Barrington Coffee Roasting Co. is out with a new way to enjoy freshly roasted coffee while traveling. The individual Steeped Coffee Bags ($2 each) are similar to tea bags: They’re nitro-sealed in compostable packaging so you can steep coffee on the go. Just one roast blend is available so far, but we hope the brand will expand its selections.

Down is nothing new, but Rab’s new snap-style pullover hoody piqued our interest. The Horizon Down Hoody ($200) is filled with 650-fill-power recycled hydrophobic down for quality insulation no matter the weather. The layer also has a large kangaroo pocket and an internal zippered security pocket. The hoody is available for men and women.

One of CamelBak’s latest hydration vest styles to hit the market is a women’s-specific vest called the Ultra Pro ($120). It can hold 34 ounces and has four different mesh pockets to stash water bottles, small snacks, or a phone. The pack was designed to max out on ventilation and stretch pockets to create lots of options for versatility. We haven’t tested one yet, but the high breathability factor makes this gear all the more promising.

Park & Diamond’s idea for a folding helmet has been in the works for a few years, but now its Indiegogo campaign is fully funded. The helmet ($89) has multiple layers — EVA foam, a polycarbonate shell, and a composite layer — that together provide all the safety of a helmet, plus style. Oh, and it can collapse down into a water-bottle-size container. The helmet will comply with U.S., European, and Canadian safety standards and will retail for $159.

I’ve never considered a reversible-insulation layer, but this one from Beyond Clothing might convince me. Designed for active people that enjoy rugged adventure, the K3 Prima Lochi Jacket ($148) launched last month. We’ve been testing an early model and love it so far. The jacket is a three-layer design made with 70-denier ripstop nylon face fabrics and filled with excellent Polartec Alpha insulation. The reversible styles come in three different options.

Sherpa fleece might just have been the most popular apparel style of 2019, and Patagonia is continuing the fleecy-warm legacy with a beanie. The Sherpa Pile Beanie ($39) is a high-pile sherpa fleece with a recycled polyester crown lining to keep you toasty warm. Reminiscent of a brown bear, the winter hat comes in a dark logwood brown color.