Maternity Bike Shorts, Convertible Grill Fire Pit, 'Sea Wolf' Dive Watch, and More Emerging Gear

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

While wood-pellet smokers and Japanese kamado grills rise in popularity, Weber's 22-inch kettle grill still holds the backyard BBQ crown. Its versatile design and affordable price tag make the classic Weber a timeless winner.

Now, upstart brand KettlePit drops a nifty accessory that instantly transforms your Weber into a woodburning fire pit.

KettlePit founder David Sypniewski first envisioned the product while hanging out with his daughter on a summer evening. In lieu of a designated fire pit, Sypiewski glanced across the yard, spotted his old Weber, and had an epiphany. Because kettle grills are designed to withstand temperatures of over 1,100 degrees Fahrenheit, they’re essentially ready-made bonfire containers.

According to KettlePit, it's easy to switch back and forth between grilling and bonfire modes. Interested buyers can sign up today for a 33% off early-bird discount via IndieGogo.

This angular eyewear is a departure from Pit Viper's typical wraparounds. Still, they 100% serve the brand's apparent mission to design sunglasses that are impossible not to notice.

Like a cyberpunk version of Marilyn Monroe's iconic cat-eye frames, the Showroom shades ($70) are overstated to the max. Made from lightweight TR90 thermoplastic with rubberized touchpoints, the Showroom prioritizes opulent pizzaz over practical polarization.

As part of Pit Viper's Summer Dump, the Showroom arrives alongside several other flashy styles, including the frameless Limousine and the TikTok-ready Slammer.

Flip-flops — or thongs, for the Aussies — have been popular warm-weather footwear for over 6,000 years. The Venice beach boardwalk today looks like a scene out of an ancient Egyptian mural: flip-flops everywhere.

Astral makes a variety of sandals that are highly regarded in whitewater paddling circles. Now, the brand re-releases one of its innovative hybrid styles: the Filipe convertible flip-flops ($79).

Combining the convenience of ‘flops with the security of heel-bound sandals, the Filipe comes with an included "Super Strap," which can flip front to back to switch modes. In adventure mode, the Felipe should remain firmly attached to the foot at all times — even in the midst of crashing waves or rushing rapids.

Helinox is back at it again with a white chair. Like most of the brand's recent product drops, the gear itself hasn't changed. Only the color — or lack thereof — is new.

Helinox relies on an "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" product design ethos. I have to agree, the Chair Zero ($150) is a top-notch ultralight camp chair. It's stable, durable, and, at 1 pound 2 ounces, light enough to justify its place in your pack.

We assume the white color will be difficult to keep clean, but at least it’ll match your Hyperlite backpack.

"Recraftable" boots are nothing new. Everyone needs footwear, and up until recently, it was far more cost-effective to repair worn-out shoes than replace them.

Today, most shoes are made on a volume basis, and craft is rarely a priority. However, as more and more people factor sustainability concerns into their shopping habits, repairable goods are back, baby.

Danner's new Mountain 600 Leaf ($220) is a traditional full-grain leather hiking boot with GORE-TEX weatherproofing and a Vibram outsole.

In my experience, Danner boots are comfortable and durable in the old-fashioned sense — like a stetson or a Cutlass Supreme. When the Mountain Leaf 600 shows signs of wear, it's re-soleable and repairable through Danner's mail-in Recrafting program. Men's and women's sizes are available.

In celebration of Pride Month, Tofisi Optics launches its Be You Collection — a fresh batch of colors in four of the brand's popular Swank Series active lifestyle eyewear.

Naturally, every style in the collection embraces bold, unapologetic color combinations. All nine frames incorporate the brand's first-ever plant-based material, which comprises 45% raw materials derived from castor oil.

For every pair of Be You sunglasses sold, Tifosi will donate $1 to Outside Safe Space, a nonprofit on the path to "make everywhere a queer-friendly space."

Kaden Apparel founder Chelsea Camarata once rode Moab's famous The Whole Enchilada mountain bike trail at 17 weeks pregnant. Over dozens of miles of world-class slick rock, Camarata was left wishing her regular shorts offered more room for her baby bump. Thus, the Kokopelli Maternity Mountain Bike Shorts ($120) were born.

Made from lightweight and breathable "boardshorts-esque" fabric, the Kokopellis are built to fit comfortably over an entire pregnancy. Four-way stretch is the key to functional maternity activewear, and Kaden Apparel knows what's up.

The shorts are available in Black (pictured), Navy, and Charcoal.

This month, the dive watch brand Zodiac launches two new colors for its iconic Super Sea Wolf Compression line: Gulf ($1,595) and Sea Foam (coming June 5 for $1,295).

These nice yet relatively affordable (by Swiss automatic watch standards) dive watches add a pop of color to the 40mm case and are depth-rated to 200 m. That's way past the depth any recreational diver will take them, and certainly enough to handle a downpour on your morning commute.

Join us to explore the latest and greatest gear from Overland Expo West 2023, the largest vehicle-based adventure gathering in North America. Read more…