For whatever reason, most of this week’s best new gear comes in twos. We’ve got two top-notch bikes built for speed, two jackets aimed at improving breathability without sacrificing performance, and two German brands with new gear aimed at trail running.
But we have a few more interesting pieces that have no clear analog, including backpacking meals just for your dog (yes, really), some cool new shades from the reliable armless brand Ombraz, and a Costco cooler that won’t empty your wallet.
Get the details on these cool new offerings in this week’s Emerging Gear.
Specialized Gravel Bike
There’s always a lot of hype around new bike releases. But the latest gravel model from Specialized certainly impressed our friends over at BikeRumor. Specialized calls the new Crux 5 its fastest-ever gravel bike, and the brand has “the data to back it up,” according to Jordan Villella, BikeRumor’s Racing Tech Editor.
Specialized combined many calculations — including aero drag, weight, rolling resistance, surface roughness, environmental conditions, and rider power — into a single number. It then compared that to race-day telemetry packed under the saddle of Specialized athlete Sofia Gomez Villafañe.
The result? The new model would have saved her 9 minutes and 58 seconds on the 2025 Unbound Gravel course, compared to the previous Crux 4.
At 789 g, it’s certainly a lightweight gravel bike frame, with a complete build weight of about 15 pounds. With upgraded handling, it’s also supposedly 15.2 W faster than the Crux 4 at roughly 30 mph. The top shelf model sure ain’t cheap ($14,000). A slightly cheaper option is the Crux 5 S-Level, with a slightly heavier frame and a price tag of $10,500.
Meindl Trail Runner
We’re pretty big fans of Meindl here at GearJunkie. The 300-year-old German boot brand has received high scores from both Camping Editor Will Brendza, who reviewed the Meindl MFS-Vakuum Hiker, and Hunt & Fish Editor Rachelle Schrute, reviewing the Meindl Air Revolution Alpine Pro 200. I was also lucky enough to try out a pair of the MFS-Vakuum. I’m not even a boot guy, and I love them.
So you can see why it’s no small thing that Meindl has just released its first-ever trail shoe: the Eldora GTX Trail Runner. The Eldora weighs just 1.71 pounds per pair and uses GORE-TEX Invisible Fit liners to offer “fully waterproof, windproof and breathable protection,” according to the brand. It also sports a Meindl Air-Active footbed, EVA midsole, and (of course) a Vibram outsole. We’re looking forward to testing out this one.
Three-in-One Jacket
When GearJunkie contributor Berne Broudy first tested out Voormi’s “Core Construction” apparel back in 2022, she said the Colorado brand had created a novel approach to layering that’s “unlike anything waterproof and breathable we’ve used to date.”
“Core Construction yields a garment that feels more like a sweater or baselayer than a jacket. It provides the weather protection you want and expect when you’re outdoors,” she wrote. “And it does this with clothing that’s comfortable, breathable, soft, and silent … but still waterproof and windproof.”
Now, Voormi has brought the technology to its Shirt Jacket, which you can supposedly use as a jacket, midlayer, or outer layer, according to the brand. If that’s true, it would certainly be worth the $300 price tag.
Backpacking Meal for Dogs
Any backpacker will understand the convenience of dehydrated, single-serving meals in a bag. But what about your furry best friend? Well, they get their own version of this classic approach to backpacking, thanks to a new release from Garage Grown Gear.
The Chicken Dog Food by PUPPACKR is a “human-grade quality” backpacking meal made for dogs. Made with high-protein ingredients, it’s also bland enough to avoid upsetting your dog’s stomach at altitude or during high-intensity activity, the brand said.
You rehydrate your PUPPACKR dog food just like a normal backpacking meal, and then feed your pup straight out of the “dog-friendly”–shaped bag. The meals also come in four sizes, depending on your dog’s size and caloric needs. Pretty cool!
Stellar EQ Aerolight Wind Hoodie
Let’s be real: Running in a rain jacket isn’t much fun. Body heat gets trapped inside, and you’ll feel swampy even in cold weather. That is the problem that StellarEQ claims to solve with its Aerolight Wind Jacket.
By using Toray’s ultralight Japanese Airtastic double-weave fabric, the jacket “balances protection and airflow, so you can keep moving without adjusting layers,” the brand said. At 4.4 ounces for a size Large, the jacket also packs down into its own chest pocket. They’re available for both men and women.
Affordable Racing Bike
The price tags for most aerodynamic road bikes can be dizzying. That’s why this sub-$3,000 release from State Bicycle Co. is so enticing.
The Carbon Road Complete follows the success of the brand’s Carbon Road frameset, which sold out rapidly earlier this year. Now State Bicycle Co. has released complete builds of its newest road platform. To once again lean on the expertise of our friends at BikeRumor: “This brings serious race-level carbon production bikes to a more affordable price range than we would typically see in this space.”
State Carbon Road Complete Bikes are available in two lay-up options: Standard and SL, with complete builds starting at $2,800. Act quickly if you’re interested — we have a feeling these bikes will sell quickly.
Armless Fishing Shades
If you haven’t tried sunglasses without arms, let me tell you: you’re missing out. I love Ombraz’s shades, and based on GearJunkie reviews, I’m not the only one.
The brand has now released another style, this time aimed at anglers and water sports enthusiasts. The Azzurro is the brand’s first full-wrap performance frame. Designed for guides and professionals in harsh water environments, it offers expanded eye coverage and peripheral protection, revamped rubber nose pads, and new polarized, mirrored ZEISS optics. The new style costs $195.
Deuter Trail Running Packs
German brand deuter, already well-known for its backpacking gear, has now launched a new collection of smaller packs aimed at trail runners. The Traick collection includes several versions of the Traick running vests. These lightweight packs have a “garment-like fit,” breathable stretch fabric, and are even Bluesign-accredited.
They have modular bungee cords for added compression or to attach items like trekking poles, and also come with two 500mL Streamer Flasks. The vests are available in 5L and 9L sizes and come with two 500 ml Streamer Flasks. Rounding out the collection is the even more minimalist Traick Belt ($60), a solid option for shorter races and trail runs.
Costco Cooler
YETI coolers are popular for good reason — but they’re not exactly cheap, either. And let’s face it: Not all of us need the absolute best. There’s a place for cheaper portable coolers, and this affordable option — available exclusively at Costco, in-store or online — doesn’t look too shabby.
The new Titan PRO by Arctic Zone 48-Can Triple Zipperless Cooler costs $75 and comes in either blue or gray. It has three HardBody, zipperless lids and customizable interior storage. It supposedly keeps ice cold for up to 3 days, and has padded front pockets, a bottle opener, and an adjustable shoulder strap. It’s also water and stain-repellent.
American-Made ‘Yellowstone’ Sunglasses
If you’re looking for American-made sunglasses, the list of brands is pretty short. And high on that list is Randolph, a brand that has manufactured sunglasses in the United States since 1973.
This week, Randolph released a collaboration with Yellowstone star Cole Hauser on an aviator sunglasses collection. The collection has polarized nylon lenses, leather temple tips, and anti-reflective & blue wave lens technology to keep eyes happy on bright days. The collection ranges from $350 to $400.
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