Best New Gear | March 2022

From safe hydration wherever you are, to highly versatile travel clothing and fresh spring style, March popped with covet-worthy new offerings. Discover the month’s best new gear right here…

Urban

Buck Mason New Spring Sweaters

Los Angeles-based essentials brand, Buck Mason, just dropped a new collection of 100% cotton Spring Sweaters. These lighter weight sweaters are warm-climate friendly and are the perfect transitional piece. They are made from a medium weight, soft yet durable, textured ribbed knit. Available in a number of colorways as well as a crewneck and shawl cardigan version, there’s something for everyone. Lastly, the Vintage Dyed Cotton sweaters are garment dyed and washed to give the look of a well-loved piece out of the box. All the sweaters are easy to care for and are machine washable.

DUER Spring ‘22 Collection

The spring collection, which includes the new women’s No Sweat Everyday Pant and Live Lite High Rise Jogger, along with new styles in the men’s No Sweat Jogger, No Sweat Pant and Live Lite Pant, features natural, breathable materials including eucalyptus-derived, bacteria-inhibiting TENCEL™ and cotton.
“By focusing on plant-based fibers rather than plastic, we’re offering a natural alternative to reduce collective environmental impact,” said Director of Product, Elizabeth Davey. “Our summer collection will offer an ultra lightweight fabric that’s natural fiber-rich as well.”

Heimplanet Transit Line Daypack and New Commuter Pack Colorways

Heimplanet’s trusty Transit Line welcomes a slick new member in the Transit Line Daypack. This clever commuter-friendly pack blends clean style, great access, and efficient organization. But it goes beyond the office too, adapting to gym trips and short travel as well. A clamshell main compartment and additional side access makes packing and retrieving gear quick and simple. And the durable and sustainable DYECOSHELL™ fabric will take daily use easily in its stride.

If you’re looking for a more compact commuting companion, Heimplanet’s Commuter Pack has welcomed new colorways including Dark Grey and Castlerock/Light Grey; great if you fancy a little color pop in your daily workhorse.

Outdoors

Swiftwick Flite XT Trail

We’ve been using Swiftwick socks for hiking, cycling, and about-town adventures for years now. So we were excited to learn about their new Flite XT Trail. Combining the best of all worlds as a performance sock, they feature a merino wool upper that wicks moisture and regulates temperature, along with grip fibers and ankle support for stability. 

The GripDry Fiber is integrated into the ball and heel of the sock, providing micro treads that result in a firm grip with each step. Strong elastic around your ankles, by way of AnkleLock Technology, provides support while moving. Finally, the seamless toe box eliminates annoying points of friction on the forefoot. The Flite XT Trail is available now in five-inch and two-inch cuff heights.

Weatherman Umbrella Arnold Palmer Camo Collection

Weatherman Umbrella was created after nationally recognized meteorologist Rick Reichmuth couldn’t find an umbrella suited to take on the severe weather he spent his career covering. He decided to design one himself and now all Weatherman umbrellas feature industrial-strength fiberglass shafts and ribs, quick-dry and water-resistant vented canopies, and the ability to withstand winds of up to 55mph without breaking or inverting.

They just released their Arnold Palmer collection, inspired by the legendary golfer. Available in a number of colorways, the Fairway Camo version is the keystone of the collection and brings some visual flair to an often forgettable carry accessory.

LifeStraw Peak Collection

LifeStraw’s new line of water filtration for the outdoors, the Peak Collection, launched earlier this month. Building on the success of the original LifeStraw design, the Peak Collection features six models, offering durability and versatility in lightweight compact carrying options. The Personal Water Filter Straw, Collapsible Squeeze Bottle Water Filter System (in both 650 ml and 1L sizes), 3L and 8L Gravity Water Filter System, and the 8L Gravity Water Filter + Water Storage Bag. Most of the collection is available in two colorways: Mountain Blue and Dark Mountain Gray and their long-lasting membranes can filter between 500 and 1000 gallons before needing replacing.

Tifosi Rail Sunglasses

The Rail provides cyclists with a minimal weight frame, maximum protection via an oversized shield, and increased airflow to limit fogging. As always, what sets Tifosi’s Rail apart is its affordability without the sacrifice of best-in-class materials. Tifosi believes you should spend more money on your bike, not your eyewear.

Travel

Western Rise Evolution Collection

Western Rise, one of our favorite do-anything clothing companies, have returned to their roots on Kickstarter. Launched early March 2022, the team from Colorado have a new Evolution Collection consisting of three pieces: the Evolution Chino, the Evolution Pant, and the Evolution Short. Working closely with their partner mills, they developed their Evolution Fabric which offers 4-way stretch, increased durability, and wrinkle and stain resistance.

The Pants are a jeans-style pant with patch back pockets. The Chinos are a Khaki-style pant with welt back pockets. Lastly, the Shorts are a Khaki-style short with welt back pockets. They are truly versatile; able to adapt to many situations. This means they can be dressed up for a meeting or wedding, yet are rugged enough for outdoor excursions. The pants even pack smaller than a t-shirt, making them ideal as travel bottoms. Back now to save 20% off retail price!

ORTLIEB Metrosphere Capsule

Now in its 40th year, ORTLIEB is proud to unveil its first collection of mainstream travel luggage – Metrosphere. A capsule of three bags (a duffel and two backpacks), the Metrosphere collection builds on ORTLIEB’s heritage of highly durable, RF-welded, waterproof bags, which are all made in ORTLIEB’s German factory. 

Matador NanoDry Towels + Waterproof Pill Canister

Matador is back again with an update to a fan favorite and the introduction of a new product. For starters, the new NanoDry Packable Shower Towel and NanoDry Trek towels are significantly updated versions of the brand’s best-selling travel towels. They are designed for lightweight, efficient travel and come with a convenient silicone case for storage. Constructed of a quick-drying nanofiber material, they are capable of absorbing up to 2.3 times their own weight in water. Matador added five inches to the Shower Towel, for an even better drying experience.

New to Matador is their new Waterproof Pill Canister – an ultralight and durable case designed to keep pills and supplements dry and organized during travel. The case is food-safe and dishwasher-safe and offers an airtight and waterproof solution for transporting up to a week’s worth of medication.

Our Best New Gear guides are brought to you by David Vo and Catherine Baecker-Khoury.