Portable Keg, Mini Monocular, PBR Boots, and More Emerging Gear

New gear isn’t always about innovation. Sometimes, it’s also about helping protect the public lands we all use. You can support national forests through a cool product line from The Landmark Project, or help injured veterans and first responders through an annual fundraiser through Arcade Belts.

But we’ve also got some fresh ideas for gear this week, as always. That includes an extra wind-resistant beach umbrella, a portable keg, and (of course) a Timberland boot collaboration with Pabst Blue Ribbon. So plenty of summer-ready gear for your perusal in this week’s selection of Emerging Gear.

The Landmark Project x National Forest Foundation

In honor of National Forest Week in June, The Landmark Project just debuted the National Forest Foundation Collaborative Collection, which includes posters, T-shirts, and stickers.

For each item bought from the collection, the brand will donate 20% of sales to The National Forest Foundation, which works to preserve and restore the nation’s public lands. As the U.S. Forest Service and other parks groups struggle with staffing this summer, they’ll likely need all the help they can get.

Kombi Cool Tap

Judging by the $90,000+ raised in the first 24 hours of its Kickstarter campaign, the Kombi Cool Tap made a smart play for the beginning of summer. This portable keg claims to be the “holy grail” for those who love swilling brewskies in the Great Outdoors. This portable, non-electric keg holds 5-gallon kegs, or 2.5-gallon mini kegs, retains ice for up to 5 days, and weighs 33.5 pounds when empty.

It sells for $360 during the early-bird pricing for the campaign, and has even more benefits than the cup holders on top. For example, “Bears aren’t attracted to aluminum cans if you don’t have any,” says the Kickstarter video’s narrator. So true.

Arcade Belts Military to the Mountains Program

This Memorial Day weekend (May 24-26), Arcade will donate $5 from every belt sold on its website to the High Fives Foundation’s Military to the Mountains program.

This initiative supports injured veterans and first responders by helping them regain strength and confidence through a 9-week training program, culminating in a week of skiing and snowboarding at Palisades Tahoe and Solitude Mountain Resort.

Every year, Arcade works to support the High Fives Foundation, among other organizations. In March 2025, Arcade raised over $168,000 for the foundation through its Mothership Classic ski-a-thon fundraiser. 

To support the cause (and get a sweet new belt), we’d recommend the Arcade Atlas Belt, which takes the current top spot in our Best Men’s Belts of 2025 guide.

AnchorONE

A beach umbrella tested in a wind tunnel to resist the gustiest gusts? That’s what another Kickstarter campaign promises with its “wind-defying” beach umbrella.

The AnchorONE is an umbrella and anchor system that was supposedly wind-tunnel certified to hold strong against 44mph winds. Designed to meet 2025 safety guidelines for wind resistance and anchoring, it comes with a spade to help you dig a hole and fill the bowl-shaped stake with sand. And oh yeah, did we mention the umbrella kit comes with a tray for holding drinks and phones?

You can snag this beach-perfect campaign on Kickstarter for about $100.

NOCS Zero Tube

Nocs Provisions just released the Zero Tube, a 10×25 monocular that’s tiny enough to clip to your pack or belt. It also offers top-notch optical power, the brand said. It’s waterproof, fogproof, super tough, and backed by Nocs’ No-Matter-What lifetime warranty. 

For testing, Nocs partnered with renowned photographer Chris Burkard. He took the Zero Tube through Iceland’s southern coast to track swell, scan rugged terrain, and navigate remote forest trails. It was the ideal testing scenario: backcountry, line-spotting, and low-weight travel, the brand said. It also resulted, of course, in some pretty sweet product photos.

Timberland PRO x Pabst Blue Ribbon

According to Timberland PRO, teaming up with Pabst Blue Ribbon made sense for a simple reason: “After a hard day’s work, nothing beats a cold beer.”

That’s just science, folks. The limited-edition collaboration brings the PBR branding to the Timberland PRO workwear. That includes the Gridworks Soft Toe Waterproof Work Boot, a pair of chocolate brown leather boots with electric hazard protection and a PBR-branded beer opener.

There’s also the Direct Attach Soft Toe Waterproof Work Boot, a pair of rugged, waterproof boots available in PBR’s blue/silver color scheme — and with a bottle opener boot tag. Other items in the collection include T-shirts, hoodies, aprons, and trucker caps.

Beeline Velo 2

Beeline, a bike routing and navigation company, just rolled out a new update to its app and Velo 2 GPS device. Ride planning now includes options for advanced hill profiling, improved route following, and enhanced audio navigation.

Komoot integration brings additional info to the platform, allowing Beeline cyclists to explore the world in even more weather conditions, the brand said. Velo 2 devices will now be sold with an included black silicone case for greater durability against the elements.

Also, a new Protection Pack, with a range of colorful silicone cases and custom screen protector, will be available to buy as an add-on. A Beeline Velo 2 costs $120.

Alaska Gear Company Bunny Boots

Alaska Gear Company makes gear meant to withstand some truly harsh winters, as one YouTuber proved while testing out the brand’s Arctic Oven Hot Tent.

The brand is rooted in the world of backcountry aviation products, with packs, sleds, and hunting gear. But it’s also got some seriously burly footwear with the newly released VBX Bunny Boots. 

Designed for “extreme cold weather protection,” the boots have 100%-waterproof vulcanized rubber. These boots also have the company’s “Vapor Barrier X technology,” which supposedly prevents condensation from penetrating and freezing in the inner insulation layer.

They also have vented hydrophobic insoles to keep feet dry and supported, and reinforcement of high-impact areas of the outsoles. There’s also a high-traction outsole, equipped with deep diamond-shaped lugs. The features sound pretty comprehensive for winter boots, which is probably why they cost a pretty penny ($390).

Kitworks Adventure Duffel

Keeping gear organized and ready to go can be a challenge. When GearJunkie first wrote about Kitworks a few months ago, we noted that the Kitworks Gear Management System offered “a solution to keep it all straight while withstanding my negligent treatment of outdoor products.”

Now Kitworks has launched the Adventure Duffel.  Available in 60L and 90L sizes, the duffel brings the same smart, customizable organization that defines the greater lineup, the brand said.

These duffels combine rugged, waterproof materials with internal architecture. Each duffel is built with a fully recycled 900D TPU-laminated ripstop shell and an RF-welded, tub-style base. A 360-degree EVA foam structure protects the gear inside, while a wide-mouth opening provides easy visibility and access.

Interior accessory rails allow users to customize with dividers, pockets, or wet/dirty bags. The bags also offer multiple carry options, including grab handles, lash points, and backpack straps. They’re also backed by a lifetime guarantee.

The 60L costs $230, while the 90L costs $260. Grab yours in black, blue, or gray. Both are available for preorder now and shipping to customers in mid-June.

Luminox Navy SEAL 3500 Blackout Edition

Luminox’s latest timepiece is for those who want to be extra sneaky with their diving watch. (Or at least feel pretty cool.)

The iconic Swiss brand just expanded its Navy SEAL 3500 Series with a new “stealth-inspired” blackout timepiece, made entirely from the brand’s proprietary CARBONOX material. In fact, Luminox is calling this its “most stealth” tactical timepiece to date. With its case, bezel, and even bracelet all constructed from CARBONOX, it’s also the lightest model in the entire Navy SEAL collection.

A carbon-based material known for its high strength-to-weight ratio, CARBONOX is ultra-lightweight, hypoallergenic, and highly resistant to temperature fluctuations, chemicals, and impacts, according to Luminox.

The watch also maintains features common to the series, including the 45mm case size, 200m water resistance, and a screw-down case back to withstand the harshest conditions. It costs $645.