Recovery Mattress for Dogs, Alex Honnold Soap, and More Emerging Gear

Jun 21, 2023

From next-gen tech to ingenious innovation, our weekly peek at emerging products examines the sometimes cutting-edge, sometimes quirky world of gear design.

Los Angeles-based adventure appeal brand AETHER teams up with the Brits behind Bamford London to launch the sleek GMT wristwatch ($2,500). Bamford London boasts 50-plus years of watchmaking experience at its factory in Switzerland. AETHER contributes its logo and outdoor exploration ethos, represented by a topographical map on the watch’s face.

Compared to a modern GPS smartwatch, the GMT is quite basic in its feature set. Its value comes from old-school flair, reportedly supreme build quality, and limited availability. In addition to a small date window, the GMT sports an extra watch hand so wearers can keep tabs on two time zones at once.

When Notorious B.I.G. proclaimed, “Timbs for my hooligans in Brooklyn,” back in 1997, Timberland boots were already a staple of hip-hop culture. The iconic suede work boots ruled the streets of New York and L.A. for decades — Tupac received a pair of his own on Christmas Day in the ’80s.

Now, Timberland makes all sorts of outdoor apparel. This week, the brand adds some slick new aviators ($132 for the pictured style) to its growing sunglasses collection. The TB9316 shades sport a metal frame that gives off an all-business vibe.

These aren’t your casual day-at-the-beach shades. They’d be at home at a high-stakes poker table or the first-class section of an overseas red-eye. According to the brand, the polarized lenses offer “unparalleled visual clarity.”

The Red-Tailed Hawk rules the North American food chain. From urban areas to the deep backcountry, the bird’s intimidating call of kree-eee-ar fills the skies from Huatulco to Fairbanks.

Nocs Provisions’ latest pair of binoculars bears the name of the great Red Tail. Capturing the dusky colors of the bird’s plumage, the collection includes three waterproof models: Standard Issue, Field Issue, and Pro Issue (above). Naturally, the Pro Issue model is Nocs’ premier binocular and offers a “super bright, wide, color correct image with high contrast and minimal chromatic aberration.”

When humans return from a long trail run, they typically bust out the massage gun, throw on recovery sandals, and sip down a concoction of post-workout powders. When dogs return from a long trail run, they lap up a quick bowl of water and pass out on the floor.

Terms like “pressure mapping” and “temperature regulation” are standard in mattress marketing — but they’re seldom seen in the world of dog beds. Orvis aims to change the status quo with its new RecoveryZone Dog Bed ($169 for size small), a 4-inch foam mattress designed to “help your dog recharge faster.”

Made from a combination of medium-density foam and super-soft “Serene Foam,” the RecoveryZone reportedly increases circulation and reduces pressure points. Finally, Fido can catch some quality zzz’s.

When it comes to heart rate monitors, accuracy is more important than frivolous features. COROS’s new model promises elite data accuracy — and it isn’t cumbersome or overengineered. According to the brand, the COROS HR Monitor ($79) uses COROS’s “latest generation multi-channel optical sensor and has 5 LED lights with four photodetectors for maximum accuracy.”

The rechargeable battery touts up to 36 hours of continuous heart rate recording. For long-term comfort, the low-profile fabric band lies flat around the user’s arm and rarely snags on clothing or gym equipment.

Alex Honnold is the G.O.A.T. of free solo rock climbing. Though he may not possess the marketing potential of LeBron or Serena Williams, Honnold has repeatedly delved into the endorsement deal side hustle.

Now, in partnership with Dr. Squatch, Honnold announces the Free Solo Scrub ($8), an all-natural “medium grit” soap bar. According to the brand, the bar “smells like High Sierra rock,” which Honnold’s wife apparently enjoys.

Compared to most commercially available soaps, the Free Solo Scrub and all of Dr. Squatch’s products include superior ingredients and fewer harmful chemicals that no one asked for.

The nifty T7 Hitch Step from Rockworkx eases the strain of fiddling with gear on the roof of your overlanding rig. It mounts directly into any 2-inch tow hitch, and it’s made from durable stainless steel and aluminum.

Under the hood, this lightweight step also holds a set of camping/vehicle recovery tools. The set includes an adze, wood axe, hammer, and nail-pulling pry bar. That’s a lot of value and utility with a very small footprint — exactly the combination overlanders look for.

Seventy years after the release of the first edition of the Sea Wolf Diver Watch, Zodiac partners with Huckberry to drop a vintage-inspired modern follow-up. Inspired by the bronze hardware that graced dive suits back in the day, the Huckberry x Zodiac Super Sea Wolf Bronze Skin Diver ($1,895) is a “workhorse” for outdoor and formal adventures.

Shark tooth hour markers give the Skin Diver a distinctive look, and the movement is “expertly crafted in house.” The limited run includes just 182 watches.

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