Techy cloth laced with carbon, Kevlar, and the like and salvaged from used racing sails is the signature feature of Nauti Gear's extensive bag and luggage collection; the materials are light, strong, and fascinating to look at. But the gear, with water-resistant vinyl linings, bound seams, and nylon zipper, is also practical. Styles range from the $89 Medium Duffel (upper left) to the $56 Cocktail Cache (lower right). Nauti Gear; 508-341-4100
Kool cooling
AvXcel claims that its TropiKool 40 takes advantage of the first new marine-refrigeration technology in decades, resulting in significantly improved energy savings and reliability. The system, which starts at $2,000, is truly different. Its lightweight Stirling cooler has only two moving parts, including a linear piston pump sealed in helium, and its evaporator runs on safe and easy-to-handle CO2. Neither a holding plate nor seawater cooling is required. AvXcel also puts the technology into portable coolers. AvXcel; 760-295-8842
Lit for life
A new Danish company, Lopolight, has introduced LED navigation lights designed and built to guard your vessel without fuss nearly forever. The 50,000-hour "bulbs," potted in epoxy and cased in aluminum, will run on anything from 10 to 32 volts (while cutting conventional amp consumption some 90 percent). The 2-nautical-mile range combined bow light shown ($380) is one of a complete line that includes masthead tricolors, all of which have been certified to international (COLREG) brightness and visible-angle standards. Lopolight also makes innovative LED cabin lights. Euro Marine Trading; 800-222-7712
Goggle eyes
What’s unique about Panoptx shades is a neoprene seal that gives active users nearly goggle-level protection from wind, spray, and side light. The vented seal is comfortable and fairly subtle, but some models, like the $145 Diablos shown, have removable eyecups so they can be used as fully normal—and good-looking—street glasses. Panoptx offers many frame and lens choices, including prescription lenses. The ColorTec lenses I tried had excellent optics and, though they didn’t cut glare quite as well as polarization (also available), neither did they mess up my view of electronics screens. Panoptx; 925-484-0292
Lock ’n’ screw
By far the best multibit screwdriver I’ve ever used, the AutoLoader changes tips as quickly and effortlessly as a pump-action rifle chambering a round. It comes loaded with six commonly used bits, which you’ll find pleasingly hard to lose thanks to the clever design. And since they’re the standard hex-based magnetic type, you can customize the $20 AutoLoader by loading whatever bits you want. Sailor’s Solutions; 631-754-1945
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