It's faster, cleaner, quieter, more fuel-efficient and more responsive. The Volvo Penta IPS is the kind of radical but obvious leap that leaves you wondering why nobody thought of it earlier.

Watching his four-year-old son tumble off a two-wheeler every time he slowed down inspired designer Scott Shim to invent a better training tool. At rest, the Shift bike's two back wheels tilt in at the top to form a stable, balance-assisting "A." When the rider leans forward-a natural tendency when pedaling faster-the weight shift activates a tension band that unites the bottom of the rear wheels into, effectively, a single wheel. As the rider slows, the wheels split again. The bike will be available this summer for about $100, minus what you'll save in Band-Aids.

Since their debut in the 1960s, wave pools have produced consistent and reliable rollers yet have lacked the power and variety of natural breaks, keeping serious surfers out of the pool. The new Versareef can generate surf that is not only powerful but-with its moving artificial-reef pool floor-adjustable. Computer-controlled pneumatic jacks shift 64
triangular foam and stainless-steel panels on the pool floor, raising and lowering the corners to change the shape of the rubber-coated reef and, hence, the waves they make.

Your ski buddy has a 92 percent chance of survival after being buried for 15 minutes and a 30 percent chance after 35 minutes. Your search had best be efficient. Whereas most transceivers use confusing audio-based directional cues, the S1's electromagnetic sensors map victims' positions and depths on an LCD screen. The S1 gives signatures for up to four people-crucial for multiple burials. $650

The Sako's air-filled beams are made of a sail-like cloth, which restrains an inner bladder, increasing air pressure and, thus, rigidity (the tough shell offers protects against sharp objects). The waterproof, three-man tent inflates in 45 seconds with a soft, four-ounce foot pump. $500

Constructed of a wood-based polymer that can be injection-molded like plastic, the RKS maintains the tone and long-lasting sound of wood. The material also allows for the ax´s unprecedented â€neck-through†open design, which accommodates the series of resonating aluminum ribs that add layers to the sound. The result is a guitar with the bite of a solid-body electric and the fullness of a hollow-body. From $2,000

The SafePassage Automatic Identification System monitors the real-time data that commercial ships broadcast-including name, position, course and speed-for boats in a 30-mile radius. The system comes loaded with differential GPS, two data receivers, and ports for running information to a laptop or plotter, which will alert you if you're on a collision course. $1,250