October 2024’s Must-Have Gear | From Minimal EDC Backpacks to Travel Collections

Weatherproof travel-ready messengers, toasty insulation for cooler days, and stylishly functional timepieces were just some of the top-notch drops in October. Discover these and more as we take a look at the month’s best new gear below…

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EDC

Terrain 365 CAS OTF

Terrain 365 have teamed up with Prometheus Design Werx for their take on the CAS OTF (CA.lifornia S.pecial O.ut t.he F.ront), a compact knife with a blade shorter than 2″ and legal to carry in the state of California. Versatile for a range of day-to-day cutting tasks, the knife features a rustproof-edge holding Terravantium blade alloy, paired with an aerospace grade T6061 aluminum handle with DLC or anodized finishes in various colorways. Additional features include a titanium thrust slider and pocket clip, with a Hyperglow GITD dot inlay in the thrust slider.

Casio Casiotron TRN50ZE-1

Casio are celebrating their 50th anniversary with the launch of the Casiotron TRN50ZE-1, a limited-edition watch saluting Casio’s corporate philosophy of “zero to one”. Inspired by a candle’s light, the watch features a black and gold design representing the journey from darkness to light, with black referencing ‘zero’ and darkness and gold referencing the ‘burning light’ of creation. The watch has a mineral glass and stainless steel case construction, with gold accents on the bezel and LCD ring and logos. Additional features include 50-meter water resistance, solar-powered timekeeping, a super-illuminator LED backlight for legibility in the dark, five daily alarms, World Time, and more.

Timex Deepwater Reef 200 Titanium Automatic

Timex’s new Deepwater Reef 200 Titanium Automatic is a serious contender for anyone seeking a high-quality entry-level dive watch that offers excellent value for money. The watch features a tough but lightweight grade 2 titanium case, paired with a black synthetic rubber strap. Water-resistant to 200 meters, the watch uses a Miyota 8215 21-jewel Japanese automatic movement and includes Super-Luminova detailing on the bezel, hands, and hour markers.

Gerber Gear Limited Edition Fastballoween

Gerber Gear delivers a spooktastic Halloween twist on their best-selling Fastball with the USA-made Fastballoween. The knife handle features a zombie lasermark on both sides, along with an S30V wharncliffe black oxide blade. An orange aluminum backspacer brings a pop of Halloween color and the finger-flipping opening offers smooth, easy deployment.

Olight Arkfeld Ultra and Baton Turbo

Wedge-style flashlights are nothing new. Introduced a few years ago by different brands, the new form factor takes the cylindrical shape typical of torches and flattens it. This gives different (perhaps improved) ergonomics to the grip. Olight’s take, the Arkfeld, has gone through a couple of revisions, with the latest being introduced – the Arkfeld Ultra. Crafted from O-aluminum, Olight’s proprietary metal that is twice as tough as standard aluminum, the Ultra is tough. It combines a 1400-lumen white light with a 900mW UV light and green laser (perfect for presentations or precisely pointing out items at a distance).

Olight didn’t just stop with the Arkfeld. They also put on their upgrade caps and applied magic to the Baton. The light outputs a staggering 1000 lumens with a reach of over 500 meters. It features a dual battery engine, able to support rechargeable 18350 or a CR123A battery (remember those?). The embedded design prevents accidental activation, and the dashboard shows both brightness and power status clearly. 

Skullcandy Icon ANC On-Ear Headphones

Twenty years after launching it, Skullcandy is reviving the Icon brand in their new ANC On-Ear Headphones. Though it has roots in the boardsports community, the new and improved Icon has improved active noise cancellation, sweat and water resistance, and a jaw-dropping 60 hours of battery life. The other quality-of-life features are largely software-based but shouldn’t go without mention. The new Icons offer Personal Sound tweaking, Stay Aware mode, Multipoint Pairing, and Spotify Tap to name a few.

Hamilton x Engineered Garments Khaki Field

In one of the year’s most exciting releases, Hamilton teamed up with influential Japanese fashion powerhouse Engineered Garments to produce what might be the best iteration of their Khaki Field watch (due to what they took away rather than added). 

Originally started as an American watch brand, Hamilton now calls Switzerland home. In that time, they’ve become known for their Khaki Field line of watches—simple, legible, and mostly affordable timepieces inspired by the simple watches that adorned the wrists of those who served. Over the years, there have been many iterations with changes to the dial, materials, straps, bracelets, etc.

Engineered Garments was founded in 1999 by Daiki Suzuki and their pieces are inspired by workwear and military-style clothing. You can already see this is an ideal matchup. However, this collaboration sought to minimize and simplify rather than gratuitously add to the watch. As a result, you get a new Khaki Field in titanium, measuring 36mm in diameter, time-only black sunburst dial, and automatic H-10 movement with 80 hours of power reserve. What are the only hints that point to it being a collaboration? An engraving on the display back where a semi-circle window shows part of the movement. And, of course, it’s limited to 1,999 pieces to match up with the birth year of EG.

Oris Divers Date

Perhaps their most famous line, Oris made some subtle but essential changes to refresh their Diver 65 into the new Divers Date. Approaching the 60th anniversary of their diver, Oris mostly kept the watch recognizable for their fan base, but they did make some tweaks. First, they developed a new condensed typeface for the dial. The hour markers now have a slightly beveled edge which you can see as the light hits it at certain angles.

The watch is slightly heavier but more compact and has increased water resistance to 200 meters. The rear now sports a new display caseback to admire the Oris Caliber 733 movement, with its 41 hours of power reserve. The bezel is now ceramic with a matte finish. To recap, the new Oris Divers Date comes in at 39mm diameter, 12.1mm thick, is available in four dial colors, has 200m of water resistance, and sits on a stainless steel bracelet with a folding clasp and quick change system. It’s priced at $2700 and available now.

Tactile Knife Ranger

The classic slipjoint might be the quintessential pocket knife that many of us started our journey with. When it was time to collaborate with legendary knifemaker Jared Oeser, the team knew the slipjoint would be non-negotiable. Paying homage to their Texan roots, Oeser and Tactile went with a Bowie blade shape.

The Ranger is a classic design meshing with modern production with a hint of hand finishing. The spec sheet: the Ranger boasts Grade 5 Titanium handles, a Westinghouse micarta shield, a 3.15” MagnaCut steel blade, and a stainless steel backspring. Measuring 4” when closed and 7.3” with the blade fully extended, the Ranger is a perfect complement to your EDC.

FLEXTAIL Zero Flashlight 1200

An interesting company that made its name producing ultraportable pumps for air mattresses and inflatables plus insect repellents for camping has dipped their toes into the EDC world. They just launched their first flashlight, the Zero Flashlight 1200. As the name implies, it outputs a maximum of 1200 lumens with a 120-degree beam for flood coverage. In moonlight mode (1 lumen), it can stay on for 200 hours, which is quite the feat.

It sports a unique two-button configuration with the daily button allowing you to cycle through 4 modes while the emergency mode button goes between Ultra Bright, Strobe, and SOS modes. It is under 3 inches long and weighs just 1.65 oz with the battery. Finally, it has multiple carry and mounting options including a magnetic base, cap clip, wrist clip, lanyard and MOLLE webbing compatibility.

New Benchmade Bugout & Mini Bugout Colors

Benchmade is always keeping things fresh with their new releases. This month they are introducing two new colorways for the Bugout and Mini Bugout lines. For the full-sized Bugout, they’ve introduced a Rusty Orange colorway with a Desert Verde Cerakote blade finish and a Dark Olive Grivory version sharing the same tough blade. For the smaller Bugout, there’s a Daybreak Yellow Mini Bugout and a Dark Purple one that is pretty eye-catching. As a refresher, the best-selling Bugout has a blade length of 3.235” and weighs just 1.8 oz, while the smaller brother tips the scales at 1.51 oz with a blade length of 2.82”. Both choices are super lightweight and easily pocketable.

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Urban

FARA Messenger and Slings

Created by the founders of Wookey Backpacks and Wookey Design Studio, FARA’s debut messenger and sling bags are designed to organize and comfortably carry everyday gear, with inbuilt travel-friendly functionality too. The FARA RĀVEN Messenger comes in 12L and 16L sizes, with weatherproof construction, magnetic buckle access, a host of pockets to organize gear, and 360-degree foam padding to protect gear and give the bag structure. The messenger’s grab handle also doubles as a luggage pass-through.

For smaller carry options there’s the VALR Sling, available in 3L and 4L sizes. The sling can be secured to the messenger for all-in-one travel carry and features a convenient magnetic flap closure, a range of pockets, weatherproof construction, and a reversible strap. Check out further details through FARA’s Kickstarter campaign.

Ucon Acrobatics Lotus Series Acid Lime Colorway

Tired of muted colorways and looking for something a little more vibrant in your carry setup? Ucon Acrobatics delivers a fresh pop with their new Acid Lime colorway across their Lotus Series. Available in a range of water-resistant styles, from backpacks to slings and more, the Acid Lime bags are a fun way to add zing to your urban and travel explorations and to combat the dull grays of colder weather setting in.

The North Face REMADE Tech Tie

For several years now it’s been evident that outdoor gear is influencing urban fashion. But The North Face have embraced the influence of urban fashion in their latest collaboration with clothing retailer END. The North Face REMADE Tech Tie is part of a capsule collection saluting the 30th anniversary of the brand’s Himalayan Down Parka. Made by hand with upcycled materials, the tie has an embroidered logo and was launched in a limited release only available through a draw.

Rolling Square inCharge XS

Don’t want the hassle of dealing with tangled charging cables? Rolling Square offers a practical solution with the inCharge XS. Small enough to fit on a keychain, the cable accommodates USB-A to USB-C, USB-A to Lightning, USB-C to USB-C, and USB-C to Lightning. It offers fast charging up to 240W and Apple fast charging up to 27W, as well as the capability to transfer data such as photos, videos, or documents.

Poikiloblade Orca

Little-known brand Poikiloblade has stepped up in a big way with the Orca, a sleek folder that scooped two prestigious awards in Blade Show West including Best Factory Folder 2024 and Factory Best in Show 2024. Made with a Böhler M398 steel blade, the knife has a titanium handle and a liner lock and is expected for retail release in November.

The Observer Collection Bravo Briefcase

The Bravo Briefcase provides a suavely elegant and pared-back option for carrying laptops and tablets. Made in the USA with a single, contiguous piece of vegetable-tanned leather, the briefcase can expand to fit varying sizes of tech devices while also accommodating accessory mounting and pass-through charging. The briefcase can be carried by hand or using the stowable straps and can also secure to wheeled luggage. The interior features a suede lining, an expandable X-Pac pocket, and free-floating suede-lined X-Pac-faced wings for expansion to accommodate different loads and side impact protection. Additionally, the briefcase also offers an external expandable X-Pac pocket that can store devices such as chargers and external hard drives.

Bellroy Transit Workpack Second Edition

Bellroy’s second edition of the Transit Workpack makes your daily commute and travels even easier, with simpler organization and handy features such as a luggage pass-through. The pack features a separate laptop compartment that fits up to 16″ devices and tech accessories too, a lay-flat main compartment opening for easy access and packing, quick-access front and side pockets, and a contoured back panel and shoulder straps.

Buck Mason Transitional Outerwear

Buck Mason’s collection of transitional outerwear pieces ranges from military-inspired fatigue shirts, deck jackets, and bombers to modern takes on mechanic’s and motorcycle jackets. There’s something for every taste and occasion.

Take for instance the Dress Navy Japanese Jungle Cloth N-1 Deck Jacket. It’s a modern take on the USN deck jacket and is cut from the same sturdy cloth as original WW2 flight suits. A durable cousin of corduroy, the Jungle Cloth material is woven in Japan and tailored for a classic fit. Corduroy accents on the collar and cuffs and Bemberg lining are some of the subtle features you’ll notice. Lastly, a zip front and button storm flap lend some additional protection from the elements. This could make a perfect everyday piece or something to take on your next vacation.

Mission Workshop Mason Power Stretch Pro

The Mason is a versatile pullover built on a technical foundation, allowing it to perform in harsh conditions while still staying stylish. Made in New York City, it’s constructed of Polartec Power Stretch Pro, which offers 4-way stretch, abrasion resistance, and instant shape recovery. The fabric is dual-knit and breathable, great at wicking moisture, with a low-friction exterior and soft fleece interior.

Alex Crane Knit Kite Jacket

Just in time for Autumn, Alex Crane has introduced a knit version of its best-selling Kite Jacket. Produced in Madagascar from pure merino wool, the new Knit Kite Jacket combines the best elements of a sweater with their French chore-coat-inspired Kite Jacket. The wool is sourced from family-run farms in Australia and spun into yarn in Italy. It is soft, heat-regulating, moisture-wicking, and naturally odor-free. The sweater jacket is finished with coconut buttons made from coconut husks!

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Outdoors

Huckberry x Danner Mountain 600 GTX

Huckberry and Danner have teamed up for an exclusive twist on the Mountain 600 GTX Hiking Boot, offering it in a handsome “Gold Rush” colorway. The boot features a suede upper paired with a dark brown mudguard, a waterproof GORE-TEX liner, and a burly Vibram Kletterlift Thin outsole. Ready to tackle mountains but equally comfy around town, it’s a versatile get-after-it boot wherever the day leads. 

Haglöfs Spitz Down Hood

Haglöfs want to encourage people to get outdoors and explore whatever the weather has in store. And to combat the cooler temperatures they’ve introduced a range of insulation options to keep you comfy. A key insulation piece is the ISPO award-winning Spitz Down Hood, built with pre-woven baffles to prevent cold spots. The water-resistant jacket features two-way stretch, 800 CUIN fill power hydrophobic goose down, and an insulated helmet-compatible hood. 

Filson Winter’s Range Collection

Filson have launched their winter collection just in time for the cooler days rolling in, offering a variety of durable and versatile pieces to keep you warm across outdoor and urban adventures alike. The collection includes staples such as heritage wool sweaters and Filson’s merino wool collection, while also offering updated takes on popular pieces like the Long Mackinaw Wool Cruiser and Mackinaw Wool Hooded Cruiser jacket.

Taylor Stitch Outland Capsule and Good Acre Capsule

Created with versatile adventure-ready use in mind, the Taylor Stitch Outland Capsule features pieces that adapt to both outdoor and urban settings. The capsule includes options such as the Ridgeline Jacket, made with water-repellent nylon, and the Sidecountry Sweater, made with waffle-knit, 100% merino wool. Additionally, the Good Acre Capsule has been brought back by popular demand, featuring heritage-inspired workwear pieces made in the USA with durable cotton canvas. The capsule includes pieces such as the Forge Overshirt and Chore Pant, wardrobe staples offering rugged style and multifunctional wear for work and play alike.

Black Diamond Cirque Pack and Circuit Mid Shoes

Ready for snow season, Black Diamond have released the Cirque Pack, the brand’s lightest fully equipped ski pack. With a choice of sizes available including 25L, 35L, and 50L options, the pack accommodates shorter sessions or overnight trips depending on your needs. Each size offers a roll-top main compartment, externally accessed snow tool safety storage, and a quick-access side pocket for storing skins or ski crampons. 

Merging climbing and everyday use, the Circuit Mid Shoes are designed to take you from chilly city streets to the crag, with a 100g layer of insulation to keep the cold at bay. The shoes feature a suede collar and shaft paired with a DWR-treated 100% recycled canvas textile lower. The shoes also feature 100% recycled nylon pull tabs, shoelaces, and interior linings, along with grippy BlackLabel-Street winter traction outsoles featuring 5% rubber regrind.

BOTE Highwater Duffel

A sizeable 39L and fully waterproof, the new Highwater Duffel by BOTE is the perfect companion on your next seafaring adventure. It uses 100% nylon seam-welded construction with double-sided TPU coating and a fully waterproof TZIP main zipper to protect all your valuables. It also features a side mesh interior organizer pocket to keep smaller items within easy reach. Exterior pocketing includes a non-waterproof stretch stash pocket. Two side grab handles, a removable shoulder strap, and a top handle mean all your carry options and positions are covered. 

Snow Peak x Danner Light II

Japanese camping experts have teamed up with Pacific Northwest footwear phenoms to create a collaboration boot that is both stylish and functional. The Light II features a waterproof GORE-TEX liner, Vibram MEGAGRIP outsole, fire-resistant leather upper, a Snow Peak logo on the heel, and a metal lace guard. These specs all translate to a pair of soft, supple, and comfortable boots that work well in rainy city life, keep you upright on slippery trails, and are just as at home by the campfire as you are.

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Travel

Timbuk2 Flight Classic Messenger Bag

Timbuk’s Flight Classic Messenger Bag elevates the original classic messenger with a new 100% recycled Eco Ripstop, creating a lightweight but durable bag ideal for travel adventures. The weatherproof exterior and waterproof 70D TPU liner help protect your gear from the elements, while an assortment of pockets keep individual items tidy on the go. The messenger comes in a choice of sizes to accommodate different loads and tech devices, while the strap features easy one-handed buckle adjustment.

Topo Designs Apex Global Travel Collection

You can never be certain about what the weather has in store during your travels. But with Topo Designs’ new Apex Global Travel Collection, you’re good to go come rain or shine. The collection features weatherproof versions of their popular Global Briefcase, Global Travel Bag 30L, and Global Travel Bag Roller. Each piece in the collection is made with a lightweight coated 100% recycled nylon ripstop fabric.

KILLSPENCER Defender Duffle 2.0

KILLSPENCER welcomes an update to their Defender Duffle with the ruggedly stylish Defender Duffle 2.0. Made by hand in California, the duffle is available in premium walnut suede with a khaki canvas interior and gold YKK zippers or full-grain leather with a gray canvas interior and silver YKK zippers. The duffle features black bullhide carry handles and a removable webbing and leather detail shoulder strap.

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Our Best New Gear guides are written by David Vo and Catherine Baecker-Khoury.