January is an underrated month for the outdoors. Depending on where you live, you might be knee-deep in the snow or simply a bit chilly. Either way, winter won’t keep us from skiing or camping — provided you have the right gear.
This week’s gear roundup will keep you prepared while taking some weight off your shoulders. From backpacking tents and chairs that weigh less than a pineapple, to cute little YETI coolers — the ultralight crowd will find plenty to love here.
But we’re also keen on some new BOA ski boots and some sweet wool threads from The North Face. Find it all right here in Emerging Gear.
Chinese Zodiac Watch
As a U.S. watch company with production based in Switzerland, Luminox delivers timepieces focused on two things: reliable luminescence and sex appeal.
Its latest model is inspired by the Chinese Zodiac (’cause why not?) for a limited-edition run of 600 units. The Atacama Field Year of the Horse offers a stark black design appealing to the tactical crowd, but with enough gold accents (not to mention a horsey 7 on the dial) to keep it classy.
It has a 43mm CARBONOX case, sandblasted black dial, Swiss quartz movement, and water resistance to 100 m. The hands will also deliver a constant glow for up to 25 years. It would make a great gift for anyone born in a Year of the Horse (1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002, 2014, and now 2026).
Superlight Big Agnes Backpacking Tents
The Big Agnes Copper Spur UL2 was our pick for best overall backpacking tent, so we’ll be interested to get our hands on its newest releases, the Pitchpine ($650) and String Ridge ($550) VST 1.5 tents. They’re some of the brand’s lightest-ever tents, with both models under 2 pounds.
Some one-person tents can feel like coffins, but these can accommodate 25-inch–wide pads, as well as your pack or dog.
Big Agnes says that the integrated ventilation design cuts down significantly on condensation buildup, and that its signature HyperBead fabric is the perfect balance of weight, strength, and durability.
Salomon ‘Reinvents’ OA Ski Boots
Salomon said it “reinvented” the ankle wrap for its latest attempt to improve ski boots. The S/PRO ALPHA C BOA Ski Boots launched this week have what the brand calls a “3rd cuff overlap design” that results in better heel retention through enhancing wrapping around the ankle.
This feature combines with a BOA fit system, low lower-shell buckets, and new Salomon tech, including ExoDrive construction for what the brand calls a “completely reimagined ski boot design.”
The boots also introduce Salomon’s Powerlink, which is a lower pivot point, and increased cuff surface. These changes supposedly improve leverage and reduce energy loss during skiing. Salomon’s latest boots will be available in four flex patterns: S/Pro ALPHA C BOA 130, 120, 110, and 100 for men, and 115, 105, 95, and 85 for women.
‘Ghost Grid’ Chair
Helinox is synonymous with its ultralight chairs, and the brand keeps innovating. It recently released the Chair Zero LT ($160) for preorder. This model is made with a new material: Ghost Grid, which the brand says is a “translucent monofilament grid ripstop that’s super lightweight and abrasion-resistant.”
Backpacking chairs can have a tendency to tip over, especially on uneven terrain, so Helinox added an X-strap attachment for stability. And when it comes to the most important stat — weight — the new LT clocks in at 18 ounces.
The North Face Does Wool
The Denali Jacket is one of The North Face’s OG success stories, helping climbers in the 1980s make historic ascents. It has remained one of the brand’s most popular items — and now there’s a luxury version.
With the Casentino Wool Pack, the brand partnered with Casentino Wool, a historic (and expensive) fabric from Tuscany, Italy. That’s probably why the Denali Casentino costs $560 — quite a bit pricier than the normal $160 version.
Other items in the collection include the Verto Alpine GTX Casentino ($360), a GORE-TEX boot with a recycled liner, and the Classic Casentino Hat ($95), a six-panel wool cap. If you want to stay cozy and look like a baller, then The North Face has you covered. These days, technical fashion seems to be its raison d’être.
Little YETI
I can’t remember the last time I used or needed a lunchbox — but then again, I don’t have kids, either. The marketing photos for the new line of “snack boxes” from YETI include plenty of kids, especially at sporting events, so I’m guessing that families will be the ones most likely to use these extra-small insulated coolers.
The DayTrip Collection includes the Daytrip 2L Snack Box ($50), Daytrip 3L Snack Box ($65), and the medium-sized Daytrip 9L Insulated Box ($145).
Hard-Working Sweatpants
Technical sweatpants? That’s what 1620 Workwear says it invented with the Full Tech Sweatpant, which the brand calls “the first sweatpant ever designed for the jobsite.”
The pants combine heavyweight fleece with CORDURA reinforcements on the knees, as well as a PFAS-free, water-repellent finish. Practically, they also have a side phone pocket, set-in back welt pockets, and an integrated knee pad pocket. Each pair is hemmed to order.
More importantly, the pants won’t ship until February 2026, and you can snag them at a lower preorder price of $118. A month from now, you’ll have to pay the full price of $148.
Deluxe Cutting Board
Tired of your cutting board slipping while chopping? Worried you might lose a finger in the process? To that anxiety, the Austin-based brand Pecos Outdoor has an answer: magnets.
With the Paloma, the brand offers a U.S.-made, magnetic cutting board built for use in the field, on the water, or at camp. With magnets in each corner, the Paloma snaps securely onto Pecos’ Hyde accessory or any metal surface. That means tailgates, boats, and workstations can serve as dependable prep spaces.
Built from “premium plastic,” the Paloma measures 25 x 14.75 inches, is 0.75 inches thick, and weighs 9 pounds. It costs $260 alone, or $360 as a bundle with the Hyde accessory.
Camping Recliner
At some point, camping chairs become so comfortable (and heavy) that you have to ask yourself: Are these just for the patio? ‘Cause I’m not sure I’m willing to carry a 14-pound “camping chair” very far in any scenario.
That’s the weight of NEMO’s new Stargaze Evo-X Folding Camp Chair ($180), which certainly looks like a good place to sit around a campfire. This suspended, recliner-style camp chair “gently swings and leans back and forth,” the brand said.
An updated Evo-X frame supposedly adds stability compared to previous models, and there’s even an integrated headrest and a balanced base to prevent tipping over. There’s also a cup holder, pocket, and “portable carry case,” for all the people carrying this 100 yards from car to picnic.
Quick-Swap Goggle Lenses
VALLON likes to blend vintage aesthetics with modern functionality, and the new Crossroads are no exception. The unisex goggle for snowsports has a classic mountaineering style while offering interchangeable lenses from ZEISS, a German brand known for clarity and sharpness.
It’s possible to quickly trade out lenses through VALLON’s magnet-based quick-release system. The goggles come with two of ZEISS’s dual-layered Toric lenses. A crossover between a spherical and cylindrical lens, the Toric merges the peripheral vision of spherical lenses with the distortion control of cylindrical lenses. The anti-fog lenses are also made from “shatterproof” polycarbonate. Lenses are available in four colors.
The head strap also has a wide nylon strap in a distinctive design inspired by traditional climbing rope. The goggles cost $250.
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