Hiking

Motors have been added to bikes, skateboards and kayaks … so how about just slapping a couple to your legs? That's what the Z1 knee exoskeleton does, offering a 50% boost in the wearer's calf and thigh strength while reducing knee pressure by 200%.

Designed to rip 90% of the load off a hiker's back and drop it on wheels, the X-Trek is a versatile hiking tool. It stays light by using hiking poles as part of its frame, quickly transforming into a backpack for carrying over rough terrain.

Hoka completely redefines urban-to-mountain footwear with the Speed Loafer – business up top, wilderness expedition down below. The new business casual slip-on marries classic leather with one of the company's most aggressive, trail-biting outsoles.

Merrell has one of the deepest hiking shoe lines out there, so when it says it's developed something disruptive, it's worth having a look. The new SpeedArc Surge Boa packs nitrogen-injected impact absorption and rebound with a dual-Boa fit system.

Kahtoola is preparing to launch its most portable MICROspikes traction aid to date, one so light it calls it the Ghost. It replaces stiff chains with a collapsible TPU web that disappears away in your pack until it's needed for a slick traverse.

There are nearly 60 million active hikers in the US. It's estimated over a hundred thousand hikers are issued overnight permits from various state and national parks each year. Where exactly are you supposed to doo-doo when exploring nature?

You don't need to have caught sight of these four stunning mountains that line the Pacific Northwest to know what a unique cup set this is – but if you have, you'll appreciate what a well-crafted tribute they are to such a beautiful corner of the US.

There's no shortage of ways to get a coffee fix, even in the most extreme locations. This one's a bit different – a dissolvable coffee paste that can be mixed with water, spread onto breakfast pastries or simply gobbled straight out of the tube.

Overland Expo's focus may be largely on earth-exploring giants and heavy-duty gear, but the show does also highlight some smaller gadgets. One of our favorite finds was the Fire Flute, a tiny, 50-gram fire starter with watertight cache and whistle.

This new recreational adventure exoskeleton welcomes anyone to high-level hiking, scrambling and climbing, upgrading your anatomy with an extra 900 W of leg power. It shoulders up to 83 lb of load, sprints at speeds over 16 mph and packs down small.

One of the most outlandish Kickstarters of 2023 is still working to empower superhuman outdoor adventurers. The Hypershell Omega exoskeleton was a $1 million Kickstarter success last year, and Hypershell is preparing to show its latest at CES 2024.

The Monti cooler uses the same highly light, collapsible design as a puffy jacket to keep 15 to 24 cans cold for up to 30 hours. It's the perfect way to ensure the beers you're hiking, pedaling or paddling into the backcountry stay crisp and cold.