Ability and accessibility are mindsets. You see it on the ski slopes, on the trails, in the water, and everywhere else that adaptive athletes—those whose physical disabilities require adaptations—pursue adventure. The adaptive mindset is partly about getting creative and redefining accessibility and partly about gadgets that expand athletes' opportunities. Recently, a wave of innovative technologies and designs has rendered the outdoors more accessible than ever. Here's a glimpse at some of today's many adaptive-gear options.

Photo: JJ Joshua Squires

Optimal for athletes with lower-body disabilities and limited hip control, ENABLING TECHNOLOGIES' Dynamique Bi Ski is an adaptive favorite on the slopes. Tailored shock tuning—three inches of travel in the rear and one up front—offers a cushy ride that reduces chatter, and a clever geometric design improves stability and makes shifting to the up position to load onto the chairlift easier than ever. Advanced athletes can ski with Paralympian-approved Superlite Bi Ski Outriggers ($400). For those able to ski upright, a longer stand-up set lends added stability. $5,450, enablingtech.com

The world's first climbing-specific shoe for amputees, EVOLV's Eldo Z has a lightweight design and is crafted with a flat edge and high-friction rubber made to grip gym and rock walls like glue. Adaptive climbers can pair the Eldo with Evolv's Adaptive Foot, a temperature-resistant, sturdy polyethylene mold that's compatible with standard prosthetic components, thanks to its stainless steel pyramidal attachment. Eldo Z, $50; Adaptive Foot, $200; evolvsports.com

Ideal for both beginners and freestylers with lower-body disabilities, TESSIER's Swaik system works for wakeboarding and freestyle jumping. At just over seven pounds, the system includes a compact aluminum frame and a carbon footplate, both of which fit most boards. The Swaik comes in two frame heights and is fully customizable for a variety of seats, with or without a backrest. From $3,015, dualski.com

Photo: Fillauer TRS

The Freestyle Swimming Device from TRS PROSTHETICS is an adaptive swimmer's one-tool open-water aid. Designed to slide onto a swimming prosthesis (not included), the fin rotates to accommodate swimming styles and can be fixed in a flared position for treading. Surfers will appreciate the Kahuna fin, a similar hand fin built specifically for catching waves, with a concave palm for paddling and a heel for pushing off the board. $800 (free for qualified veterans and usually covered by insurance for nonveterans), trsprosthetics.com

Used primarily by athletes with lower-body disabilities preventing them from pedaling with their feet, LASHER SPORT's ATH-FS is the mountain bike of hand cycles. Built with a rugged, full-suspension magnesium frame and hydraulic disc brakes, this steed will have adaptive cyclists cranking knobby tires over any terrain. A seat with an adjustable depth and angle offers a comfortable ride, and while the 26-inch wheels come standard, you can upgrade to 27.5-inch wheels, 29ers, or fat wheels (optimal for sand and snow). From $9,995, lashersport.com

A collaborative creation from the nonprofit We Carry Kevan and the backpack makers at Deuter, the WCK Pack was inspired by Kevan Chandler, a hiker who lives with a genetic disorder that withers nerves in the spinal cord and weakens muscles. Essentially a beefed-up child carrier with a 70-pound capacity (suitable for many adults with muscular disorders), this pack made it possible for Chandler to travel the trails of Europe with his friends, sans wheelchair. With an adjustable seat, a safety harness, a neck pad, stirrups, wrist straps, and a removable chest pad, the WCK makes for a cozy ride. A padded hip belt and a rearview mirror help keep your carrying friends comfy too. $375, wecarrykevan.com 

River rats and lake paddlers will love mounting CREATING ABILITY's Universal Paddling Seat to their craft of choice. Each of the seat's six support points—constructed with closed-cell foam and breathable mesh—allows for independent tilting, adjustment, and removal, offering as much or as little support as needed. Creating Ability also offers stabilizing outriggers for your rig and a transfer bench for a smoother transfer from wheelchair to boat and vice versa. The company's boat makers can also custom-adapt models, like the Current Designs Solara 120 solo kayak for adaptive paddlers. From $795, creatingability.com

Rigged with bomber balloon tires that plow easily over sand or snow, VIPAMAT's Hippocampe All-Terrain Beach Wheelchair can be towed, pushed, or self-propelled by hand to accommodate varying levels of autonomy, and the whole rig floats on its own. This lightweight chair boasts hydrophobic foam padding, which won't absorb water and dries quickly, and sheathed tubing that won't get too hot in the sun. Bonus: Its removable push bar and wheels and foldable backrest collapse in less than a minute. From $3,379, vipamat.com