We Tested Dozens of New Products This Month. Only These 6 Are Actually Worth Your Money
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There's no shortage of gear hitting the market at any given moment. New boots, new tools, new tech, new blades—the product pipeline never slows down. Every week we test, carry, wear, ride, and otherwise put a bunch of new gear through their paces across hiking trails, farms, workshops, and rural roads. Most gear is fine, some of it is good. A small percentage is genuinely worth your money and attention—and an even smaller portion earns a permanent place in our gear loadouts.
Once a month, we take a step back from the week-to-week gear grind and pick out what actually stood out over the last four weeks. It's usually not the flashiest new release or the most expensive item that landed on our front porches—it's the products that proved themselves in the field over multiple uses. The ones that helped solve a real problem, performed better than expected, or simply represented the best (so far) version of what a piece of gear can be.
What you'll find here isn't sponsored content or a regurgitation of press releases. It's the honest result of real-world use by editors and contributors who spend an unreasonable amount of time thinking about what makes gear worth owning—and keeping. If something made this month's list, it earned it.
One of our top favorites for this stumbling, schizophrenic step into spring is Helly Hansen's Atlas Infinity Stretch Jacket, which our reviewer loved for late winter skiing in the East because of its stretchy shell, toasty insulation, and plethora of pockets. A frequent contributor with hard-to-fit feet was digging Danner’s new Mountain 600 Leaf GTX boots for their confident traction during the spring thaw and quick-to-break-in construction. And, for those jonesing for a return to tossing flies into swiftly running streams, the newSitka CrossCurrent Wading Boots are just the fly-fishing upgrade you're looking for with sure-footed comfort in and out of the water.
Sitka CrossCurrent Wading Boots
Sitka is best known for its cutting-edge hunting gear, and although its products command a hefty price, I’ve yet to own a Sitka product that didn’t earn its keep. Last month, the brand launched its first-ever line of fly fishing gear, including the new CrossCurrent Wading Boots I’ve been living with for the past few weeks.
At $299, Sitka is clearly aiming for the top of the market here, but the CrossCurrent is worth the spend. They’re lightweight yet feel utterly bulletproof, include a modular cleat system (aluminum and plastic) as standard, and are sublimely comfortable, requiring zero break-in whatsoever.
My first outing in the CrossCurrents was a three-mile hike that included steep muddy banks, moss-covered limestone shelves, and plenty of deep, sandy pits in between. Between the Vibram soles and aluminum cleats, these boots confidently stick to anything and everything without a second thought.
The CrosscCrrents feel more like a good hiking boot than a clunky wader, especially on those long stretches to and from the truck. I can, and have, walked all day in these things without a single hotspot, and assuming the Crosscurrents deliver on the longevity front, Sitka might have built the most desirable wading boot on the market right off the bat. —Kurt Spurlock, contributor
[$299; sitkagear.com]
Helly Hansen Atlas Infinity Stretch Jacket
This has been a legitimately cold winter in the Northeast, with parts of New York and Vermont hitting record lows during an Arctic cold snap in January. I tested Helly Hansen Atlas Infinity Stretch Jacket skiing in both states this winter, mostly in cold, dry, often windy conditions. Paired with the right baselayer, it kept me warm on lift rides and exposed runs without feeling overly bulky once I started moving.
The LIFA Infinity membrane worked well as a waterproof, breathable outer layer, and the PrimaLoft Gold Cross Core insulation gave me real warmth on days when temperatures barely cracked the teens. I didn’t need the vents in these conditions, but they should make it easy to dump heat once the weather warms up.
I don’t normally use every pocket on a ski jacket, but I found a use for each one here. Helly Hansen’s Life Pocket and integrated phone leash were a nice touch, keeping my phone secure and easier to access on the lift. One downside is the zipper, which has an aggravating tendency to catch—gloves or not. That got frustrating over the course of a full day on the mountain.
If you’re resort skiing through the kind of dry, windy cold that defined much of this winter in the Northeast, this is a jacket that handles it without feeling overly stiff or overbuilt. —Chris O’Brien, contributor
[$619; hellyhansen.com]
Ruffwear Vert Coverall Dog Snow Suit
Southern Yukon has been brutally cold this winter. There have been multiple weeks of temps -4 to -40 degrees. Even the sled dogs were wearing clothes. My not-so-arctic-ready Labra-daughters were feeling the freeze, especially Zelda who has permanent hardware from a double tibial plateau leveling osteotomy (TPLO). TPLO is a corrective surgery for dogs who have torn their cranial cruciate ligament (CCL)—think a doggy ACL. She gets a little agitated when the temps drop, so I have been after a coverall that would cover her knees and the Ruffwear Vert Coverall Dog Snow Suit hits the spot for my pup.
The Vert is mostly made up of a lightweight and plush high-loft recycled polyester insulation with a DWR shell. The rest of the suit made with articulated, four-way stretch StormSleeves which gives a soft, fleecy, next-to-fur feel for the pups. The materials are durable and quick drying, however what really stands out for me is the overall design.
Considering that you have to get your pup into four sleeves, it is relatively easy to get on since the zipper is underneath, allowing for enough space to slip all legs in comfortably. I have noticed that you need to make sure that the zipper is zipped all the way and tucked in the tab or else the jacket will open up when walking or playing. The Vert also features a leash portal for harnesses and a loop to attach a light. It also has really bright reflective trim that is great for the short days in the Yukon.
As for pup comfort, the snow suit lets Zelda have a full range of motion and allows her to move freely. She has no trouble doing her “buisness.” I know that she likes the suit and that it is making a difference for her legs because she is more relaxed at night after cold days. She sleeps much better and, to me, that’s worth dressing her up for walks—plus she just looks adorable! —Kate Erwin, contributor
[$98; ruffwear.com]
Danner Mountain 600 Leaf GTX Boots
I knew there was a chance of snow on a recent ski trip to Utah, even though neither Park City nor Moab had seen much that season. Normally, with the threat of snow, I’d pack the burliest insulated and waterproof winter boots I own. Warm? Yes, but feeling like I was wearing pickup trucks on my feet. With my wife and daughter in tow—neither particularly focused on technical footwear details—I opted for Danner’s new Mountain 600 Leaf GTX.
I’ve owned a few Danners over the years, and out of the box, few brands feel as comfortable. For those with large or wide feet—I’m a size 14, and my wife and daughter have wide feet—brands that will outfit the whole family, comfortably, are limited. We left three days after the boots arrived, so no extensive break-in period, and to avoid baggage fees, we each packed just one pair of boots. If the boots sucked or were too tight, I was going to hear it for a week. My biggest hesitation with the Leaf GTX was its differentiator in the lineup: recycled content. Greenwashing, being a long-standing trend in footwear, I usually respond to claims like “made from 100 percent recycled” with a skeptical “It’s 2026, simply using recycled material isn’t enough—does it work?” In this case, it absolutely does. And I miss next to nothing about fully insulated boots.
The Leaf weighs roughly 41 ounces per pair, similar to other Mountain 600 models, and are waterproof. I was pleasantly surprised by how warm the boots were, even while hiking through a few inches of snow. Equally impressive was the lack of complaints from my travel companions, which included my teenager, who is prone to not liking absolutely zero things I recommend. The Leaf is recraftable—Danner’s process for sending boots back to their Portland facility to replace outsoles, midsoles, laces, and recondition the leather uppers. So I plan to keep these alive and kicking for years.
On trails in Arches, the Vibram outsole offered confident traction on packed snow and occasional ice patches, while the mid-height cut provided solid ankle support without feeling restrictive. Early-morning hikes on Antelope Island showed that, despite lacking heavy insulation, the boots kept my feet comfortably warm, and I didn’t need the boot warmers I had stashed in my bag. Walking around Moab, they felt as comfortable on the street and in restaurants as a trusty pair of sneakers, so much so that I reached for them to help dig out of a few feet of snow once I got back to New York.
I think these boots, with their lighter weight, combined with a decent pair of wool socks, might supplant my burly winter boots for good. —Sal Vaglica, contributor
[$250; danner.com]
Pelican Re-Set Modular Foam
Pelican builds hard and durable cases ready for just about any adventure on the planet. Other than the high prices, though, the foam inside those cases always presents something of a challenge. Foam’s form factor helps to keep valuables in place, from firearms to camera gear, comms equipment, and medical devices. But as anyone who owns one (or more) of Pelican’s cases knows, cutting that foam to a very specific shape then limits the number of items a case can reliably carry. Not with the new Re-Set system that debuted last year, however, which introduces the ability to configure one Pelican case for a wide range of potential uses.
I installed the Re-Set system in my 1750 Protector case, a rigid roller that at 53 inches long, perfectly holds my modern pump action shotgun and a vintage .30-06 Czech VZ24 Mauser. But I also used that case to hold accessories, slings, locks, and more. As with any Pelican case, I probably could have cut out a pattern to perfectly fit those two long guns better than just laying them on the flat foam, but that would have sacrificed other potential uses. Swapping out the center and lower foam layers for the Re-Set kit effectively let me keep my 1750 modular, able to change what I planned to haul for hunting trips or visits to the range.
Getting to the point of quickly using the system took some time, however. Essentially, the Re-Set design consists of a few plastic grids and a bunch of foam cylinders that squeeze into every little open square. These pegs serve as feet for the grid itself, and fit in tightly enough that the whole pattern won’t wiggle around laterally, nor slide up or down to different heights within the case with the lid closed. (Note that the lid’s foam does stay the same.)
The first time, I probably spent a half hour figuring out how to install the pegs in the grid matrix best, fit the three grids into the case, and then level out all the pegs properly in each grid, since the whole kit comes disassembled. Then, I took another 20 minutes learning how to form fit the layout to stocks and barrels ideally. Now I care a bit less about keeping everything aesthetically perfect—once in place, the foam stays very secure while bumping and rolling the case around. And critically, can then be “re-set” as the name implies.
Snapping these pics with a different pump action, in this case a longer Remington 870, took a few minutes of getting enough of the foam cylinders to roughly the same height again. Then, I rejiggered my layout to fit the longer barrel, keeping the lines of pressed-in and full-height cylinders as close to 90 degrees as possible. A few more minutes of shuffling around and voila, essentially my 1750 now featured a whole new cutout arrangement.
In the past, custom designing and cutting foam probably got this job done—but in reality, as with most Pelican customers, I tended to just use a different case for each potential job. That makes the Re-Set concept perhaps less than the best business idea for Pelican, since those customers can now save on potential purchase by keeping just one case and keep playing with the Re-Set kits. Of course, the Re-Set falls in line with Pelican’s typically high prices, at $200 alone for a 1720 case or $230 for my 1750. Bundling with a case can save a few bucks, dropping the additional spend to closer to $200 for my 1750.
That’s still much more affordable than stocking up on a bunch of different Pelicans, though. And even better, using the Re-Set kit means I don’t need to keep finding new places to store empty cases in the closet, under the bed, or in my garage. Gear storage is at a premium, as always, and this new Re-Set system makes living with Pelican’s rugged cases for storage, travel, and every imaginable activity all that much more modular and accessible simultaneously. —Michael Teo Van Runkle, contributor
[From $120; pelican.com]
Antigravity A1 Drone
Every once in a while, we get to test something truly unique and in this case the Antigravity A1 drone is just that. This is the world’s first 8K 360 drone and in my opinion caters to a much wider audience than your typical FPV (first person view) drone crowd. Unlike other FPV drones on the market, this one has 360-degree viewing which lends to a visual experience like no other.
I’ll start off by saying the weight of the A1 sits at 249 grams, which means it’s not subject to all the regulations that larger drones are. The A1 bundle includes the drone itself, a single ‘90s reminiscent joystick to pilot it and the futuristic vision goggles. In this case, the goggles are purely there for 360-degree viewing, meaning while you’re flying the drone, you can look in any direction you please, which feels as close as ever to what a bird might see in the air. This feature alone is a really cool and unique experience. You can also set a predetermined sky path and then pass along the goggles to your friend so they can experience that trajectory without having to pilot the drone. The joystick takes a little bit of time to get used to like any drone, but overall the learning curve is still quite gentle, even for beginners. If the drone becomes out of range or loses connection, it does have an efficient return home mode, which is a common but great feature to highlight.
The A1 makes it easier to capture stunning shots because it’s essentially capturing everything and you can then select what you want to frame in post whether you’re editing on the mobile app or desktop version. This allows anyone to capture incredible shots regardless of their flying skills. Another fun feature is the real-time view in one of the goggles’ lenses. This allows whoever you’re with to witness what you’re seeing and be part of the experience. If you’ve ever been around someone flying a drone then you certainly know the anticipatory curiosity of what that flyer might be seeing.
Given the A1’s weight, the flight time as you’d expect is not impressively long at just over 20 minutes but if you have multiple batteries, this can greatly increase your flight time on location. Another beginner-friendly feature is the fact that the lens can be replaced, which makes the whole experience a little bit less stressful.
The image quality in my opinion is still quite good even though it’s all shot with a wide angle lens. Video-buffs would dock points because it doesn’t have a flat log profile video mode but the stock colors are still not terrible to work with, especially for the average enthusiast. However, I would argue this drone is not necessarily meant for the user who wants to capture the best image quality or shot possible but rather the consumer who wants a really fun and shareable flying experience. If you’ve never owned a drone before and want to skip right to the fun part of flying, the A1 from Antigravity can be that fast-track option for you. —Peter Matlashewski, contributor
[$1,279; antigravity.tech]