The Best Outdoor Gear Innovations

There’s no excuse not to pack this travel blanket, which crushes down to the size of a Nalgene bottle. The synthetic insulation mimics down, and is made from 100 percent post-consumer recycled materials.

Synthetic fleece sheds microfibers that end up washing into waterways. That’s the big problem with so many of the convenient outdoor garments made from polyester. This project, a collaboration between PolarTec and Houdini, keeps 80 percent more of the fibers locked in, and looks good while doing it. Best of all: They’ve turned the tech into an open-source project others can take advantage of.

We were big fans of the smaller headlamps from BioLite, which felt at home on our heads unlike many other night-brightening solutions. The fabric band is gentler to your skin, and stays put without putting you in an elastic headlock. This beefier unit offers 750 lumens of LED power, and features a rear-facing red-tinted set of indicators to let cars and trailmates know where you stand.

On-the-go purification is changing how we consume water. This portable stainless steel powerhouse clears chemicals and bugs alike, but looks like something that belongs in a cupholder, not a biology lab. It’s smart, sleek, and essential. Best of all, buy this bottle and the company will provide safe water for one child for an entire year.

Known for old-school thermoses, not space-age construction, Stanley did a 180 with this line of products, which includes a mug, a multi-purpose cup, and yes, a thermos. The Titanium Series vessels are light, durable, and slick—and they come in two colors.

The standard-issue Bugout became our Everyday Carry (EDC) knife of choice, adept at slicing apples and opening packages alike. It’s wildly light, super sharp, and no-nonsense. Customizable colorways let you raise your game, configuring options right on the site in real time. The Bugout is the best thing to happen to blades since Steven Seagal.

From reusable packaging to bio-derived water-resistant membranes and plastic-free water repellent clothing, the measures taken by this B corporation to achieve sustainability are hard to beat. At the materials level, removing petroleum from the process is the chief goal, and the stylish fit and finish only help to ensure their good deeds don’t go unnoticed.

Down has been atop the insulation peak forever for a reason: It’s hard to improve upon Mother Nature’s best work. But it’s a challenging material to weave into garments. This smart solution creates pockets of insulation linked together, which allows for much more stretch in the overall layer.

Designed to provide heat safely, this range of products features an ingenious type of heating coil that uses carbon strands to emit BTUs. Offered in several forms, from sleeping bag inserts to a full-on mattress cover, the system is the best way to turn cold-weather car camping into a luxury pursuit. Units can run off of battery packs, 12-volt connections, or a Goal Zero style power station.  

Gore-Tex Pro has long been the gold standard of water resistance in active wear. But this year, the materials manufacturer is giving its partners three options of Pro level fabrics, which can be mixed and matched for final garments: “Most rugged,” “Stretch,” and “Most breathable.” While some garments may stick to one choice, it gets interesting when the breathable and rugged elements are mixed to meet a certain end use: ice climbing, say, or trail running. Shown here is the Arcteryx Rush shell.