Simms Wading Boot, Smokey Bear Chair, Olympic Smartwatch, and More Emerging Gear

Runners won’t want to miss this week’s batch of gear, especially as we prepare ourselves for summer heat. From graphene running apparel and special-edition smartwatches to vests, shoes, and hydration powder, brands clearly know that plenty of people are about to hit the roads and trails now that the sun has arrived in plenitude.

But there’s some other fun stuff here, too. Anglers and water-sports lovers have two new pairs of boots to ogle, outdoor chefs will salivate over some fancy hibachi grills, and anyone who loves Smokey Bear (trick question: everybody loves Smokey) has some pretty awesome camping chairs from Crazy Creek.

Find all that and more right here in Emerging Gear.

Simms Wading Boot

The latest wading boot from Simms is another reliable piece of fishing gear from the brand, which already features prominently in GearJunkie’s guide to Best Fishing Waders.

With the Access Boot, Simms promises improved traction in a lightweight and durable shoe. With an “innovative, dual-compound Vibram outsole, the Access Boot delivers bar-raising traction every step in all river environments,” Simms said. Though durable on the outside, it also sports a soft, comfy interior thanks to a high-cushion, EVA midsole.

Simms calls the Access Boot a true “travel-to-river vehicle.” Find it on the Simms website for $300.

Smokey Bear Camping Chair

It’s hard not to love Smokey Bear. Not only is the nostalgia strong with this one, but it’s a symbol created by the U.S. Forest Service — even if it’s now widely used by outdoor brands.

To that end, Crazy Creek just relaunched its Smokey Bear Original Chair, available exclusively at REI. This special-edition design combines one of America’s most recognizable conservation icons with the brand’s popular ground-level camping chairs.

Equally importantly, it’s not just a gimmick: Crazy Creek donates 10% of the proceeds from each of these chairs to the U.S. Forest Service to support wildfire prevention education.

Special-Edition Coros

Coros just launched a special edition of its Pace 4 running watch. I just reviewed the watch this winter, and it has improved the design significantly. That’s impressive, given that earlier iterations were already the pick for Best Budget Fitness Watch in GearJunkie’s guide to the Best Fitness Watches in 2025.

This updated edition celebrates the athleticism of Norwegian runner Jakob Ingebrigtsen, who holds two Olympic gold medals in the 1,500m and 5,000m races. The Jakob Ingebrigtsen edition PACE 4 comes in a custom gold-and-black design, and also sports a new aluminum bezel and nylon band.

You can also get a Jakob Ingebrigtsen edition HRM wearable for an extra $90. The watch itself costs $290, which is just $40 more than the standard Pace 4.

Moreover, the new Pace 4 arrives at the same time as a software update for many of Coros’ newer models. It allows for Voice Control via the built-in mic of the Pace 4 and other models. That means you can start a run or set an alarm/reminder just by holding a button and speaking into the watch. (I’ve already tried it out with my Apex 4, and it worked like a charm.)

Summer Run Wear

Ciele, an outdoor brand out of Quebec, just launched a new collection aimed at runners preparing to tackle summer heat. Its Elite Collection is designed for “race day and high-output training.”

The fabrics use mostly nylon, spandex, and elastane, but some of the new lineup also weaves in graphene (an uber-strong material). That includes the RCDT Shirt 2, available for both men and women. There are also singlets available in the fabric, which aim for both breathability and durability.

Check out the full lineup for a couple of different colors, and other capsule inclusions, like these sweet-looking (and technical) caps.

Pockets on Pockets

If you think the only thing wrong with Indiana Jones’ wardrobe was that it still didn’t have enough pockets, then this apparel drop from California’s RC Outdoor Supply is tailor-made for you.

The brand’s Lassen collection aims for utility, and this shirt-and-pants combo includes enough pockets that the hardest part will be remembering where you put all your gear and snacks. This capsule includes the Lassen Overshirt ($228), which has four (!) cargo pockets, embroidered eyelets in the underarms, and tape-slotted buttons.

There’s also the Lassen Pant ($174), which has zipper closure pockets on the sides, zipper hand pockets on the front, and flap pockets on the back. Both are made from heavyweight cotton twill fabric.

XTRATUF Ankle Boots

The durable, waterproof footwear made by XTRATUF aren’t “just boots”: They’re a rite of passage for GearJunkie’s Hunt & Fish Editor Rachelle Schrute.

So we’re happy to share that this longtime brand just expanded its line of Ankle Deck Boots with a new professional-grade model: the ADB Pro. Comfy, lightweight, and (of course) waterproof, it will reliably serve anglers of all ages, the brand said.

This pro version comes with BIOLITE foam outsoles, delivering “the agility of a sneaker combined with the rugged durability XTRATUF is known for,” the brand said. A triple-dipped latex neoprene rubber shell also means the boots have oil-, acid-, and chemical-resistance.

Assembled in the USA from globally sourced components, the Men’s Ankle Deck Boot Pro costs $155.

Tabletop Hibachi Grills

Does “luxury live-fire cooking” in the outdoors sound like your preferred way to chill this summer? If so, these tabletop hibachi grills from Spanish brand Mibrasa are worth a look.

Designed for backyard tables, tailgates, and any “open-air gatherings,” these grills — hand-welded from steel in Costa Brava, Spain — offer charcoal cooking on the go.

The lineup includes three sizes. The Hibachi Table Top Grill – Small is quite compact (5.9″ × 5.9″ × 5.5″), weighs 6.6 pounds, and costs just under $400.

Dyneema Running Vest

Running vests made with Dyneema, a lightweight and super-strong material, aren’t exactly rare these days. But this is the first-ever running vest from Raide, which specializes in running gear, and it looks like it will go the distance.

A men’s size medium of the brand’s new LF 5L vest weighs just 163 g, but still offers a 3L capacity. The base fabric is 100% Dyneema, with some nylon and spandex thrown in for other parts of the body. Find it on the Raide Research website for $220.

Gravel Super Shoe

Cycling has already added gravel as a category, balancing the poles of road and trail, and now it exists for shoes as well. Salomon calls its new GRVL Concept a “super shoe” that finds a middle ground between the needs of smooth roads and rugged trails. The shoe combines the “energy return and propulsion of a road ‘super shoe’ with the grip and protection needed for off-road exploration,” the brand said.

These burly, good-looking kicks have a PEBA-based supercritical foam midsole, common in road racing shoes, and two full-length carbon blades. But the outsole “takes inspiration from gravel bike tires,” Salomon said, by opting for relatively shallow 1.5mm lugs. So that’s likely just enough traction to maintain grip on loose gravel.

With a 43mm/37mm stack height, the GRVL Concept still has the cushioning and rebound of a “max-stack” super shoe. You can get a pair of the GRVL Concept for $250.

Tasty Endurance Fuel

If there’s one thing almost every serious athlete needs, it’s electrolytes. (I resisted this for a long time, until I realized how much better I felt by just throwing some hydration powder into my water bottle.)

Of course, not all of these sports powders have a great flavor, which is why Tailwind’s newest flavor looks so enticing. The brand just dropped its Limited-Edition Mango Yuzu Endurance Fuel, which combines the taste of mango with yuzu, a tart Japanese citrus fruit. You’ll also feel better knowing that 10% of the net sales from this one will be donated to The Conservation Alliance to help protect wild places and waterways.