Emerging Gear: Inflatable Swim Shirts, Gravel Bike Wheel, Folding Pot

Outdoor Element brought us firestarters incorporated into its ‘biners a couple years ago, but the newest model has even more cool features. Like the original Firebiner, it’s got a carabiner, bottle opener, and firestarter wheel. But the Fire Escape ($25) also has a bigger safety-cutting blade, hex wrench, O2 wrench, and window breaker for when you’re in those sticky situations.

This swim shirt from PUFFERS is the first inflatable rash guard on the market. With 50 UPF protection and ergonomic four-layer air chambers on the front and back, the PUFFERS shirt ($160) allows you to swim and float freely and safely. It’s made from high-elastic Lycra, is machine-washable, and even packs into a waterproof bag. Boating or paddleboarding and don’t want to wear a PFD? Wear this inflatable shirt instead. It also comes in junior sizes.

This collapsible cooking pot will make your day: No more lugging around heavy skillets or making space in your pack for cookware. The inside of the pot itself is Teflon-coated fiberglass with an aluminum cooking bottom. Oh, and the Bear Minimum pot comes in three super-cute sizes — Baby Bear, Mama Bear, and Papa Bear — depending on how many people you’re feeding. Prices start at $30.

As gravel riding grows in the bike world, Roval has set out to make a bike wheel that works across terrains: a wheel with MTB durability but road-level weights. The 25mm inner width of the Terra CLX ($1,100) and CL wheels can accommodate tires 28-42 mm wide with pressure up to 90 psi. The Terra CLX wheel has hook-bead carbon composite rims, a DT Swiss EXP rear freehub, and weighs in at under 3 pounds. It’s lightweight, durable, and ready for both road and gravel action.

Rumpl’s new line of blankets made with fleece just got better with this fall-style flannel. Made with 100-percent cotton, Sherpa fleece, and 3D hollow-fiber synthetic insulation, the flannel blanket ($149) is thick and cozy. It’s great for camping, whether you’re in a tent or a lodge. The Homestyle Flannel Sherpa is anti-static, and you can use it as a blanket or wrap. It also comes with carrying straps, making it easy to pack for your weekend of adventure.

IAMRUNBOX thinks it found the ultimate solution for running to work. The company’s Backpack Pro 2.0 is made for just that — and it’s ergonomic, water-resistant, and has an anti-bounce technology so you can actually run without your bag being a bother. The backpack will have a padded back panel, adjustable shoulder straps, and load-lifter straps so you can achieve the perfect level of comfort. And if you aren’t running to work every day, it makes a great travel bag as well. The retail price will start at $169.

Some of us dread the holiday season and some of us love it. Either way, you’ll love this etched wood handle holiday-edition multitool from Victorinox. The Evolution Wood 10 Swiss Spirit ($70) is made with renewable walnut and laser-cut with a Swiss alpine design. The tool itself has a blade, keyring, nail file, bottle opener, wire stripper, corkscrew, and more. The collection is limited to 5,000 orders, so get yours now before they’re gone.

HUNT23 ($55) is the newest “tiny” tool — an ultralight titanium flashlight and pry bar. The main tool is the minimalist 100-lumen UV and LED flashlight. On the other end of the 34mm Grade 5 titanium body is a tiny pry bar, which works as a screwdriver, bottle opener, box cutter, staple remover, or anything else you can think of. The best part about it? It fits on a keychain and is TSA-friendly.

Merrell has teamed up with outdoor apparel brand Stormy Kromer to bring us a collaboration collection of jackets, footwear, and more. We like the duo’s Hut Moc Slipper ($80), made with a quilted upper and EVA outsole. The slipper also features a hang loop on the quilted upper for easy adjustment when you slip them on. Comfortable enough for your home, and sturdy enough for hut trips.

Filson and Tenkara just launched a collaboration rod collection, and our anglers on staff are super excited. The rod is crafted with single-strand construction, closes into nine segments, and weighs only 3.2 ounces. The limited-edition rod package ($179) also contains a line spool, a 30m spool of tippet, and three hand-tied Tenkara flies. The rod is simplistic yet detailed and functional — perfect for the fisher on the go.

With Smartwool’s Fall 2019 line comes this Merino Sport Fleece Hybrid Hoodie ($180). This men’s layer has a full zip and merino wool fleece arms and body with a water-resistant synthetic overlay on the chest, shoulders, and hood. There’s thumbholes, a chest pocket, and two zippered hand pockets for stashing keys, phone, and wallet. The hoodie hybrid also has a fleece liner in the pockets and hood for ultimate comfort. As long as the elements aren’t too harsh, this layer is great for running or cold-weather camping.

A Canada-based company thinks it cracked the code for all-in-one technology support. The 12-piece Xamen tech box ($199) has a 30,000mAh power bank, wireless earbuds, a Bluetooth tracker with camera control, smartphone/tablet stylus, 4-in-1 USB, software protection package, and more. The USB tool doubles as a flash drive, and the wireless earbuds come in a charging case. Plus, everything fits in a sleek “vault” made of recycled plastic and equipped with a location tracker, so you don’t lose any of your essentials.

There are a lot of great reasons to have a fitness tracker, so why not let your kid have one also? This week, Garmin is out with four new designs for its vivofit jr. 2 kid fitness tracker ($70): Star Wars and Frozen themes. The swim-friendly band lets kids unlock games with their favorite characters upon completion of daily exercise. The tracker also counts steps, and the parent-controlled app tracks activity and chores. The battery lasts a year, so there is no hassle of charging involved. Garmin also announced the Legacy Saga Star Wars-themed smartwatches so parents don’t miss out on the fun.

Leatherman is out with its new FREE K Series of multipurpose knives. The FREE K2x ($80) is a 3.35-inch 420 steel blade with the brand’s new magnetic closure system, making every tool possible to open with one hand. The FREE K2x has eight tools — including a combo straight and serrated blade. The FREE K4x ($90) has all the tools as the K2x, including a bottle opener and pry tool, with the addition of spring-action scissors for even more multipurpose functionality and fun.

Liv Cycling is revamping its lineup of women’s-specific e-bikes with the Thrive E+ EX Pro model ($3,500). The bike has an ALUXX SL-grade aluminum frame, Yamaha SyncDrive Pro motor, and handlebar-mounted rider data interface. The SyncDrive motor on this newest model offers a range of support modes (up to 360 percent of a rider’s effort). The e-bike pedals alone can measure torque, speed, cadence, motor rotation, slope detection, and acceleration to help the rider have the best possible ride. Depending on your settings, the battery can last up to 110 km on a full charge, making this transportation option extra exciting.

Beyond Clothing’s newest base layer collection has been a year-long wait, but they are finally here. The KYROS collection features K1-style and K2-style base layers. We light the K2 midweight style matching Celeris pullover ($80) and Celeris long johns ($70). Both top and bottom base layers are designed to keep warmth in while wicking moisture out. The pullover is built with VersoWeave circular grid fleece and has a fitted hood and cuff zip pocket. The long johns are made from the same four-way stretch material and have breathable panels on the mid legs for unrestricted movement during activity. You can layer the K2 midweight layers over the K1 styles or wear them on their own.