The sports world is constantly introducing new gear designed to make life easier, whether that means getting a more accurate number on the golf course, finding a comfortable pair of shoes for a long day or bringing some serious sound along for the ride.
With so many products competing for attention, however, separating genuinely useful gear from the latest gimmick isn’t always easy.
The products on this list come from brands taking different approaches to solving those everyday problems. Some are firmly rooted in sports, while others fit just as naturally into the lifestyle surrounding them.
From new golf technology to hands-free footwear and a portable speaker built to handle the outdoors, here are five products worth trying out.
MGI Sureshot PINLOC 7000 Series Rangefinders
MGI has been in the golf business for more than three decades, with the Australian company perhaps best known for its electric golf caddies.
The brand has expanded well beyond helping golfers move their clubs around the course, though, and its Sureshot range of GPS devices and laser rangefinders gives players another way to take some of the guesswork out of their rounds.
The new Sureshot PINLOC 7000 Series is the latest addition to that lineup.
The 7000 Series comes in three versions, allowing golfers to decide how much technology they actually want in their rangefinder. Across the lineup, golfers get 6x magnification, a rechargeable lithium-ion battery, water and shock resistance, Scan Mode and MGI’s PINLOC technology.
PINLOC keeps a locked distance on the display for 15 seconds, while Priority Loc is designed to prioritize the intended target rather than objects in the background. There’s also a magnetic case that makes keeping the rangefinder close by.
The differences become more noticeable as you move through the lineup. The 7000iPM adds a pulse feature that vibrates once a distance has been locked in, while the top-end 7000iPSM adds slope compensation and a 1.69-inch external display.
That outside screen is particularly interesting because it gives golfers another way to quickly confirm their number without looking back through the rangefinder. Golf Monthly recently praised the feature while finding the 7000 Series competitive with more expensive rangefinders in its on-course testing.
Price: $229-$299
Kizik Athens 2 Shoes
Kizik has taken a simple frustration and built an entire footwear brand around eliminating it. The company specializes in hands-free shoes, using technology from HandsFree Labs to allow wearers to simply step into their footwear.
Instead of crushing the back of the shoe or having to use your hands to pull the heel into place, Kizik’s design is intended to do the work for you.
The Athens 2 is an updated version of one of the brand’s most recognizable models. At the center of the shoe is Kizik’s Cage technology. The honeycomb-style heel compresses as your foot enters the shoe before springing back into position to secure it.
It’s a feature that can sound like a novelty until you’ve actually found yourself juggling a golf bag, suitcase or armful of gear while trying to get a pair of shoes on.
Convenience isn’t the only focus. Kizik uses an engineered mesh upper to keep the Athens 2 lightweight and breathable, while a soft, high-rebound foam midsole provides cushioning.
There’s also a rocker sole designed to encourage a smooth heel-to-toe transition and a rubber outsole with flex grooves for traction and flexibility.
Price: $139.95
BucketGolf 9-Hole Family Bundle
Not every golf product needs to be designed for shaving strokes off your handicap. BucketGolf takes the basic idea of golf and turns it into a backyard game that just about anyone can play, regardless of how much time they’ve spent on an actual course.
The company has built its game around portability and simplicity, allowing players to create their own par-3-style course in a backyard, park, at the beach or just about anywhere else with enough open space.
The concept is pretty straightforward. Players set up the pop-up buckets as holes and create a course with shots typically ranging from 10 to 40 yards. Hitting the outside of the bucket finishes the hole, while chipping the ball inside earns a one-stroke deduction.
Hazards can even be incorporated into the course, with a one-stroke penalty for anyone unfortunate enough to send a ball into the bushes or water. Lowest score at the end wins.
For families looking to get everyone involved, the 9-Hole Family Bundle provides essentially everything needed to build a full backyard course. The set includes nine pop-up buckets, nine flagsticks, nine tee boxes, six custom balls, three scorecards and a carrying bag.
More importantly, the Family Bundle comes with four BucketGolf clubs, with buyers able to choose either four right-handed clubs or a combination of three right-handed and one left-handed club.
Because players determine where the holes and hazards go, the course can be changed every time you play. It can be kept simple for younger kids and beginners or stretched out and made more difficult when experienced golfers want bragging rights at the family cookout.
Price: $249.99
TITE Eyewear 01S Pro Golf Sunglasses
Sunglasses are hardly a new addition to the golf bag, but TITE Eyewear is taking a more specialized approach to what golfers put in front of their eyes. The brand focuses exclusively on golf-specific performance eyewear, with its lens technology designed to improve contrast and clarity on the course.
TITE says its Pro Golf lens is tuned to enhance the green spectrum and make details in the grass, contours and breaks easier to distinguish.
The TITE 01S pairs that technology with a single-lens shield design intended to maximize a golfer’s field of view. The Pro Golf lens filters specific wavelengths of visible light to reduce visual noise while enhancing contrast, clarity and depth.
That could be particularly interesting around the greens, where picking up subtle changes in slope and grass can help a player make a more informed read before deciding where to start a putt.
TITE has also put plenty of thought into how the sunglasses actually sit on a golfer’s face. The 01S features the company’s TITE-TILT technology, which lets golfers adjust the angle of the frame to help keep the lenses properly positioned while looking down at the ball during a swing or putt.
An adjustable nose fit and no-slip, sweat-resistant contact points are designed to keep the glasses secure, while tapered temple ends help reduce pressure when they’re worn with a hat.
Price: $250
Turtlebox Ranger Speaker
Turtlebox was built around the idea that a portable speaker meant for the outdoors should actually be able to survive the outdoors.
Rather than making a delicate Bluetooth speaker that happens to have a handle, the brand has focused heavily on durability, water resistance and enough volume to be heard in environments where a traditional portable speaker can get drowned out.
The company offers a range of products that include the Original Gen 3, Ranger, Grande, and the Cub.
For those looking for a smaller option out on the course, the Ranger is a perfect match. Considered the company’s “most portable speaker,” the Ranger delivers the rugged construction Turtlebox is known for in a more compact package that’s easier to bring along for 18 holes.
Its size isn’t the only thing that makes the almost 3 lb. speaker an appealing option for golfers. A built-in magnet allows the product to attach directly to compatible metal surfaces on a golf cart, keeping it secure and within reach throughout the round.
The Ranger is waterproof and dustproof, while Turtlebox’s Party Mode allows it to connect with other compatible Turtlebox speakers.
Price: $250
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