Upgrade Your Setup: July’s Top New Gear Picks

A modular backpack for work and travel, moss-inspired carry for sustainable style, and a chic carry-on case with a hybrid soft-shell/hard-shell design were just some of July’s top-notch releases. Let’s delve in and check out the month’s best new gear.

EDC

Carl Friedrik Foley Cardholder and Clifton Passport Sleeve

Carl Friedrik are known for their premium luggage and bags but their all-leather accessories bring a touch of luxury to your smaller everyday and travel carry. Forming part of their Sonder collection, the Foley Cardholder and Clifton Passport Sleeve offer elegant style with practical functionality. The Foley is a vertical cardholder that accommodates up to eight cards and two notes, with a side-opening compartment for notes and receipts. The Clifton holds a passport in the main compartment and has a separate pocket for a boarding pass. The cardholder and passport sleeve are both made with a combination of textured full-grain, semi-aniline bovine leather and smooth semi-aniline leather from durable European hides, offering an attractive visual contrast and long-lasting quality.

Urban

Bang & Olufsen Beosound 2 Vollebak Edition Speaker

The Bang & Olufsen Beosound 2 Vollebak Edition Speaker will be music to the ears of anyone who loves high-quality sound with one-of-a-kind design. The custom, made-to-order speaker offers a unique take on Bang & Olufsen’s iconic Beosound 2 speaker and is designed to look like the engine of a spaceship, with an anodized aluminum finish simulating rocket burn and the residue of cosmic noise. The anodization process results in a unique surface pattern for every speaker. Crafted from a single piece of aluminum, the speaker features 360-degree Acoustic Lens Technology for an enhanced sound experience, along with four custom-designed drivers including a woofer, two mid-range, and a tweeter that together produce 94 decibels.

Mission Workshop Meridian Modular Backpack

Need to adapt regularly to changing day-to-day or travel loads? Mission Workshop has created a versatile solution with the Meridian Modular Backpack. Built in the USA with durable Challenge EPX 200 material, this flexible backpack features the LandSpeeder® modular system for attaching additional accessories. This makes it easy to grow or shrink the capacity and alter your setup to suit different carry needs. The base backpack features a panel-loading main compartment for convenient packing and access, a rear laptop compartment, and a front admin compartment for organizing smaller quick-access essentials. The backpack can be purchased on its own or as part of three different kits featuring various pouch modules. Additionally, you can also purchase individual pouch modules if you’d like to tailor your own setup.

Ucon Acrobatics Moss Series

Inspired by the gentle but resilient qualities of moss, the Ucon Acrobatics Moss Series blends comfort, protection, and sustainability in one. The series is made with a custom-developed material from recycled fashion waste textiles, with a water and dirt-resistant exterior. As an added bonus, high mono-material rates enable easier recycling at the product end-of-life too. The cloud-like padding provides welcome carry comfort, while a choice of styles and colorways is available for your personal taste and needs. The series includes the Shota Large Bag, Medium Bag, and Mini Bag, as well as the Olivia Large Bag, Medium Bag, and Mini Bag.

Outdoor

AllTrails x Topo Designs Travel to Trail Collection

Topo Designs have teamed up with popular outdoor app, AllTrails, on a limited-edition collection designed to help you pack light and roam far. The AllTrails x Topo Designs Travel to Trail Collection features three Topo favorites in AllTrails signature colors including the AllTrails x Topo Designs Rover Trail Pack, the AllTrails x Topo Designs Mountain Hydro Sling, and the AllTrails x Topo Designs Dopp Kit.

RUX Waterproof Tote Bag

Need dependable gear protection from the elements, whether you’re picnicking, paddling, fishing, camping, or making a quick grocery run in a downpour? RUX delivers with their revamped Waterproof Tote Bag. The bag has a waterproof roll-top closure and RF-welded seams, with a redesigned shoulder strap for better padding and grip. Internal and external pockets provide storage for small items, while 360-degree lashing points let you secure gear externally if required. The self-standing tote also now comes in three sizes including 15L, 30L, and 50L options. Designed to move smoothly between open-top tote and roll-top drybag mode as needed, the rugged build handles tough outdoor use with ease while the pared-back aesthetics easily adapt to urban and outdoor settings alike.

YETI Wetlands Camo Colorway Collection

YETI has welcomed a new Wetlands Camo Colorway across a wide range of products including drinkware, coolers, cargo, and more. Some standout pieces include the Hopper Flip 18 Soft Cooler, Tundra 45 Hard Cooler, and Rambler 36oz Water Bottle, delivering YETI’s trusty functionality with outdoor-inspired aesthetics for your next off-grid adventure or even a trip to the beach or park.

Vivobarefoot Desert ESC Hiking Boots

The Desert ESC is the latest edition to Vivobarefoot’s Ecological Survival Collection, a series of footwear designed to embrace Earth’s most extreme biomes. As the name suggests, the Desert ESC was created to endure extreme heat and abrasive sandy environments. The boots were designed in collaboration with expedition experts and feature a breathable camel leather upper, extra-high ankle protection to combat snake bites, a spandex bellows tongue to keep debris out, a puncture-resistant insole, and a tough Michelin rubber sole. Available in men’s and women’s options, the boots offer off-trail-ready grip while still providing a barefoot feel to help ground yourself with nature.

Faherty x Surf Ghana Capsule Collection

Faherty has become the first official sponsor of the Sankofa Surf Team, a surf club in Ghana stemming from a collaboration between Surf Ghana and Paddle Paddle Surf Project. The club is designed to support rising talent and surf culture, with surfing instruction, excursions, and scholarships for children. And as part of the partnership, Faherty has created an exclusive capsule collection that celebrates the organization’s mission. The capsule includes rash guards, tees, totes, hoodies, and more, offering laidback summer style for the beach and beyond.

Stio x BirdieBlue x Geartrade Upcycled Bag Collection

Stio, a mountain lifestyle brand based in Jackson, WY, has teamed up with upcycle adventure brand BirdieBlue and re-commerce platform Geartrade to give new life to worn and retired Stio apparel. The limited-edition collection features three bags including the Carry All, Traveler Bag, and Hip Pack. Each bag is hand-stitched in Vermont and features a unique design crafted from Stio apparel. The collection is available exclusively at select Stio Mountain Studio retail locations and is a fun way to bring a pop of color to your next adventure.

Travel

Carl Friedrik Carry-on X Core Suitcase

Whether you’re zipping off on holiday or a work trip, Carl Friedrik’s Carry-on X Core suitcase is a stylishly functional cabin case for your next trip. It features a recycled soft-shell front pocket and a hard polycarbonate shell, which offers a handy balance of flexibility and structure. The front pocket has a quick-access laptop compartment with a lever for easy tech retrieval, along with further sleeves for slim items. Two zippered interior compartments keep the rest of your gear secure and tidy in the main compartment, while additional features such as smooth Hinomoto spinner wheels and a dual-zip TSA lock round out the features of this suavely practical carry-on case.

Heimplanet Carry Essentials Packing Cubes Motion Edition

Packing cubes are a game-changer in the travel organization department and Heimplanet provides an excellent option with their Carry Essentials Packing Cubes Motion Edition. The set of three packing cubes are made from surplus fabric from their Motion Series and lend themselves to various uses, from storing clothing to tech accessories or toiletries. A central zipper provides straightforward access, while a grab handle on each cube makes for easy retrieval from a bag.