Serious toys for the professional in your life

PEAK DESIGNS EVERYDAY BACKPACK
Peak Designs is a crowdfunding darling. Its everyday messenger won acclaim and design awards, but some people just don’t like wearing single-strap bags. Now there’s a two-strap backpack, with the same photographer-friendly compartments with adjustable dividers and a weatherproof outer coating. It comes in 20L and 30L sizes. $260-$290

AMAZON ECHO DOT (2nd gen) 
This could be the first smart-home device to go mainstream. That’s because Amazon added features, improved its listening skills and nearly halved the price tag. Call on the Echo Dot for news, scores, weather alerts, order a pizza or hail a ride. The same music apps and streaming are available, and from afar, you can use smart home features like Nest and Philips Hue lights to adjust your thermostats and have lights on when you get home. $50

GOTENNA MESH
Stay in touch with your hiking group or a friend at a crowded music festival where cell signals often die. GoTenna Mesh works with nearby units to create a mesh network (the more the merrier) which enables users to send send texts to one another via smartphone. Our favorite feature is the ability to use maps downloaded to a phone since it can access GPS without cell service. This Kickstarter-funded tech will sold in pairs. $180

OPCOM FARM GROWWALL
This vertical frame saves space for indoor farming and features adjustable LEDs and hydroponic filters to recycle water. Colorado is already famous for growing indoors, but this is designed for produce, herbs or just a winter garden. $500

MILLION MILE LIGHT
This is a runner’s light powered by running. 30-lumen LEDs are powered by the runner’s up-and-down motion, meaning there’s no need to worry about batteries cutting out mid-run. The case is water-resistant and it weighs only an ounce-and-a-half. $22