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[Breaking News] A roundup of the latest outdoor gear that caught our eye at ISPO MUNICH 2017

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Written by Yasushi Hisatomi

Every year, this site makes a tradition of checking out outdoor exhibitions around the world. This time, we'll be reporting on ISPO (International Trade Show for Sports Equipment and Fashion), the world's largest sporting goods exhibition, which takes place in Munich, Germany at this time every year and covers the entire sports business, including not only outdoor activities but also health and fitness, action sports, and winter sports. This year, various manufacturers, large and small, from all over the world announced exciting new items aimed at the European market, giving us a glimpse into the future of the outdoor scene

This will be my third year watching the trend online, and as always, I will be randomly introducing some of the new products that I personally find noteworthy. I have covered a lot more new products from North American brands in my special feature article on ORWM 2017 that I told you about last month , so if you take a look at that as well, I think you will be able to get a good overview of all the hot new outdoor gear for next season.

It's always interesting to check the differences in the points of interest and perspectives between North America and Europe. This year, I was particularly struck by how IT-driven digital gear was noticeably more prominent at ISPO in Europe than at OR in North America. I've heard that even at non-outdoor exhibitions like CES (Consumer Electronics Show), the most notable startups recently have come from Europe, including France, so the European startup boom may be a major trend across industries

By the way, the product information announced is for the European market, so it is still not yet decided whether these will be released in Japan, nor the release date or price, so please keep that in mind when reading

It's no longer surprising that "Outdoor x IoT" smart wearable gear

Carv

First, let's take a look at some smart gear items that utilize sensors and cloud technology, which have been evolving at a tremendous pace in recent years. First up is Carv, an insole-type smart gear launched by a British startup via KICK STARTER. This smart insole uses sensors built into the insole to collect a lot of detailed data, which is instantly analyzed and provides real-time ski coaching for each turn via earphones (starts around 1:15 in the English video below). As this is a Kickstarter project, more details are needed, but if it goes ahead, it could be an incredibly useful gadget. Someone make a Japanese version! ISPO BRANDNEW 2017 finalist. Website here

MOUNTAIN HUB AVATECH SCOPE POLE

Next up is a "smart" ski pole used for backcountry skiing. The AVATECH SCOPE POLE looks like an ordinary carbon ski pole at first glance, but it is a groundbreaking piece of gear that, when you stick the pole into the snow, analyzes the cross section of the snow using various sensors built into it. The collected data is stored as big data on a cloud-based network, and the more it becomes widespread, the more it is expected to lead to a more precise understanding of the mechanisms of avalanches. What's great about this is that it's not just an idea as a piece of gear, but also a clever system from an academic perspective. ISPO AWARD 2017 WINNER. Website → http://mountainhub.com/connected-devices/

POMOCUP

Smart gear that can be attached to skis is also now available. Pomocup, jointly developed by POMOCA, a long-established ski sticker brand, and Gait Up, a spin-off company of the Swiss École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, is the first wearable gear for ski mountaineering. It tracks every movement during a tour (even putting on and taking off stickers and the number of kick turns!), measures downhill performance, and provides indicators for analyzing and improving it. Of course, after the action, users can sync with their smartphones and share and collect the data. ISPO AWARD 2017 GOLD WINNER. Website → http://pomocup.com/

 

DIGITSOLE RUN PROFILER

RUN PROFILER is a smart insole for running that uses built-in sensors to measure basic metrics such as speed, distance, calories, and steps, as well as analyze posture and fatigue levels based on how much pressure is being applied to which parts of the sole of the foot. This makes it possible, for example, to use this data to warn you via a smartphone app if the risk of injury increases. Furthermore, the app is said to be able to constantly analyze the data and provide appropriate advice in real time. As an aside, until now this kind of high-tech gear would have been a Japanese specialty, but sadly, before we knew it, the development of such advanced items has become the domain of Western startups. Website → http://www.digitsole.com/run-profiler/

Existing manufacturers are still going strong. Apparel and Gear

NORRONA LOFOTEN ACE GORE-TEX PRO JACKET

Norrona, a genuine Nordic alpine brand, has released a new jacket for 2017, the Lofoten series, a line for backcountry skiing. This first jacket is made with GORE-TEX Pro fabric, which incorporates the newly developed Vectran fiber, and is said to be extremely durable and suitable for all conditions

 

Photo by Norrøna (@norrona) –

Fjällräven Bergtagen Eco-Shell Jacket

In Japan, Felleraven is often thought of as a casual brand for everyday wear and camping, but in its home country of Sweden, it is known as a more rugged and authentic outdoor brand. It seems that next season, the brand will finally launch a full-fledged mountaineering wear category called "Bergtagen." It's unclear whether it will be available in Japan, but I'm already aware of the quality of its products, so I'm really looking forward to it

https://twitter.com/danaspel/status/828906302017568768

 

SCARPA RIBELLE TECH OD

This year's Product of the Year winner is an innovative alpine boot from a long-established Italian mountaineering boot manufacturer. It offers top-class comfort, lightness, durability, and flexibility while also meeting the technical performance demanded by alpinists. With OutDry waterproof and breathable technology, a durable Vibram sole, and a crampon welt on the heel, it appears to be an all-around, all-season boot suitable for a wide range of activities, from trekking to mountaineering. Details are yet to be confirmed, but at this point, there's no competition from any other brand or model (maybe Salomon's X-Alp Carbon?), so I'm excited to see how this boot will be used in a completely new way

 

BERGHAUS HYPER 100 JACKET

Berghouse, a British pride and comprehensive outdoor manufacturer, always has the impression that it always makes some amazingly spec items. The HYPER 100 JACKET is not only the shocking 97 grams, but the most breathable jacket in Berghouse history (55,000 g/m²/24h). I wonder when the competition for the lightest waterproof shell will end! ISPO AWARD 2017 GOLD WINNER.

PETZL: NOCTILIGHT

Petzl has a unique headlamp cover that doubles as a lantern. It's a simple design, but it kills two birds with one stone and prevents accidental operation of the headlamp, making it a very appealing idea that you'll want to use. It was the ISPO Award 2017 Winner

https://twitter.com/desnivelados/status/828243828771545088

PETZL GULLY

Petzl already has the lightweight backcountry axe "Ride," but this new ice axe "Gully" is just as ultra-lightweight (280g), but with a sharper pick and an adjustable hand rest that makes it easy to grip, it's also suitable for technical speed climbing. And above all, it looks great! (Foreground in the left photo) HP → https://www.petzl.com/GB/en/Sport/New/GULLY#.WKHO3_mLSCo

PETZL Sirocco helmet

Meanwhile, the ultra-lightweight helmet "Sirocco" made of expanded polypropylene (EPP) has also been upgraded. Although the weight is roughly the same, it has better impact resistance than hybrid materials and covers the back of the head deeper, improving safety. HP → https://www.petzl.com/GB/en/Sport/New/SIROCCO#.WKHfLfmLSCo

https://twitter.com/Petzl/status/828256953143029760

   

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