Outdoor Gearzine "Outdoor Gearzine"

Report on ISPO MUNICH 2018, Europe's largest outdoor and sports goods exhibition - A collection of items that stimulate material desires and attract attention from the future -

Yasushi Hisatomi

We've finally got to see ISPO MUNICH 2018, known as Europe's largest comprehensive sports goods exhibition! I've been participating.

Until now, OGZ has covered outdoor gear exhibitions around the world, such as the North American "Outdoor Retailer" and the Europe "The Outdoor Show", but when it comes to "ISPO MUNICH", the quality and quantity are different compared to those exhibitions. This is a monster event among the monsters who are the final bosses of sports business fairs around the world.

This time, I would like to report on the current situation of the world's outdoor and sports industry, including introducing popular items, from the events I experienced for the first time, 120,000 steps, over five days, and the events I felt through.

table of contents

What kind of event is ISPO?

ISPO, an international sports exhibition that has been around for over 40 years

ISPO MUNICH, which began as an international sports goods exhibition in 1970, began with 816 companies in 25 countries. After about 40 years, in 2017, it grew into a huge sports goods and business fair with over 2,700 exhibitors and exhibitors from all over the world reaching approximately 85,000 visitors from 120 countries.

The forefront of all kinds of sports goods-related businesses in the world are right in front of you

Due to the regional and seasonal nature, the main focus is on exhibiting mainly in the winter sports market, but in reality, ISPO has been open to the entire sports business from its founding until today.

As a result, it has grown into an event that boasts a unique range of broad and scale, bringing together a wide range of sports-related products, including winter sports, outdoor sports, action sports, team sports, health and fitness, and lifestyles, as well as consumer products, not just materials and parts manufacturers, and is constantly changing today.

In addition to the exhibition booths for each brand, the venue also features areas that attract particularly notable topics, such as the "ISPO Award" and "ISPO Brandnew" areas, which showcase the innovative items of the year, as well as digital specials, sustainable specials, textile specials, and wool specials.

This year, as we did last year, we also focused on the theme of "sports and women," and held discussions by key female athletes and celebrities, as well as tours of manufacturers' booths that are branded with women in mind.

Some parts have posted "Job information" and "University Recruitment Guidelines," which gives you a sense that all kinds of information about the sports industry is gathered here.

The ISPO Academy, where lectures and talk shows are held, provides a wide range of information and insights on the latest trends in the sports business, from digitalization to social media to new ways of branding, and more than 300 programs were held this year.

Looking outside the event venue, the entire city of Munich will be "Sports Week" for a week during the period, with events such as workshops, presentations, autograph sessions and more being held at many Munich sports goods stores. Also, on January 27th, 2018, the day before the ISPO was held, a trail running event called ISPO Munich Night Run was held at Olympia Park, which is what Yoyogi Park is called in Tokyo.

In other words, ISPO MUNICH is an event where you can experience the cutting edge of sports business and industry, and all the industries involved in the creation and reaching the hands of users as a whole, "connection." As far as I know, you can only experience this kind of experience here, not only in Japan but also around the world.

We'll introduce some of the most popular items we've encountered at ISPO.

That's all for the introduction, and now we'll start off with the thousands of exhibits! We will introduce some of the items that we thought were.

Just to be safe, the products introduced below are only listed models that are scheduled to be released in each local market, based on local coverage permission. Please note that it has not yet been decided whether it will be available in the same way (regularly) here in Japan.

Introducing popular items Part 1: The latest gear that has become smarter with digitalization

The wave of "digitalization" of sports goods has finally come into play in recent years. This time, the momentum has been accelerating even more rapidly, and for better or worse, the digitalization of all elements of the sports business has progressed to the stage of "when to do it" rather than "whether to do it or not." I couldn't help but get the impression that these things, which I had just thought were conceptual, had come to an almost practical level before I knew it.

O-Synce USEE

This is the future...The world's first head-up bicycle display to be worn on a helmet, developed by a German startup. Useful information such as driving speed, distance, and navigation information, as seen on a regular cycling computer, is displayed three-dimensionally from the small irradiation light, allowing you to check without distracting your attention. (ISPO Award Gold)

Talking Head

This is also from Germany, and is the world's first smart ski helmet that can be connected via Bluetooth and can be used for phones, music playback, intercoms, etc. These helmets can communicate with each other on their own, making them extremely convenient for parties such as backcountry.

LIVALL BH51M Helmetphone

The smart helmets are already moving forward in all areas. These are smart headphones for bicycles that allow you to make hands-free calls, turn signals, and listen to music. I'm no longer surprised that a Chinese brand would create such sharp items. (ISPO Award Product of the Year)

MY ESEL

I want it...A completely custom-made bicycle made using local wood frames. You can easily create a machine that fits you, by choosing not only your body shape, but also frame types such as city-facing, cross roads, and other frame types, designs, and coloring. The stylish design is also great! (ISPO Brandnew)

FitStation powered by HP

A "original running shoe manufacturing system" that is jointly developed by Brooks, Superfeet, and HP, from 3D leg type collection to finished products. Once you enter the data, you'll be able to get running shoes that are sizing and colored to your own foot shape in just a few hours. The manufacturing machines are large enough to be available in a slightly larger mass retailer in the suburbs, and it's moving to think that there is a future where this will come to fruition a few years from now. (ISPO Award Product of the Year)

ICAROS ICAROS Home

Born in Germany, this training machine uses VR to train your core like a game. Apparently it has already been featured in Japan several times, but this was my first time trying it out at the venue. This is a VR game in which you become like a flying Iron Man, using your whole body to lift, sink, and twist your body, passing through the rings in front of you. It was a three-minute course, but the sweat was unexpectedly oozing out on my forehead, which certainly looks good on my core, and most of all, it's fun! The website is here . (ISPO Award Gold)

myontec MBODY

These are also smart spats by a German venture that uses sensors woven into the fabric to record the activities of each muscle from the waist to above the knee (including data such as heart rate, of course) in real time and in detail. It is said that coaches who mainly coach full-scale athletes use this to improve the efficiency of athletes and prevent injuries through training. We were shown a demo, and it was refreshing to see the image on the screen showing the "what muscles are used and how much tension" of a person squatting in front of their eyes displayed in shades of color on the illustration on the screen.

HYDRO_BOT

An electronic humidity management system developed by a Swiss technology company that allows the humidity inside the clothing to be automatically controlled by processing the back of the outerwear (light blue in the photo) into a special fabric. As you can see from the demonstration, when sweating, moisture inside was quickly draining water into water and was expelling it to the outside. For now, it has a breathable speed that I've never seen with an existing membrane. On the other hand, in a mild environment and situation, it is said that it is possible to keep it mildly warm (cool) without excessively increasing the breathability.

Introducing Featured Items Part 2: Eco-conscious Items Edition

While it is difficult to understand in Japan, there are some aspects of the world of outdoor and sports in Europe, and in reality, the shift towards materials with a low environmental impact is progressing at an incredible rate. This year, many models that use a lot of natural materials were awarded to great products.

When I come here, the attitude that we can only pursue convenience and economics that have continued to this day is gradually being reconsidered, and I feel the seriousness of the industry as a whole to position the use of products that can fulfill our responsibility to maintain the field we enjoy for the future.

To be honest, as someone in a region like Japan, where there is little awareness, it is still unclear whether the user's awareness will actually accept this. However, it is almost impossible to rely on individual change in their own sense of values, and it can be said that the entire industry should work together as a whole. We will continue to look forward to seeing how far this major trend can progress.

Patagonia Capilene Air

A highly functional base layer made by seamlessly knitting recycled polyester and merino wool into a unique uneven structure that combines heat retention and breathability...and actually, this has been around since last year. I was wondering if it was a problem last year, but since this year the country of origin of merino wool has also changed (Patagonia to New Zealand), so perhaps there have been issues with procuring raw materials. (ISPO Award Gold)

VAUDE Green Core

VAUDE, a long-established German outdoor brand, has been a brand that has been particularly focused on eco-friendly in the world for the past few years. This is a multipurpose backpack made from organic ingredients, including organic cotton, castor oil and milk, which seems to have finally arrived. Not only the fabric, but also the zipper, buckle, and hooks, all return to the soil. (ISPO Award)

Bergans Stranda

From Nordic outdoor brands with many environmentally conscious brands, Norwegian Bergans' latest down jackets are made of 100% recycled polyester "SpinDye" on the front and back, and 100% recycled "Re:Down" on the padding down, making it a model that is focused on the environment. "SpinDye" is an excellent new material that maintains high quality despite reducing the amount of water used to produce and dye polyester by 75%, chemical use by 90%, CO2 emissions by 25%, and electricity by 30%. (ISPO Award Gold)

ORTOVOX ZEBRU JACKET

An insulation jacket made from high-quality Swiss wool, which is extremely elastic, lightweight and provides maximum insulation. Animal hair insulation such as wool has become more common in recent years. Needless to say, they are more environmentally friendly than synthetic fiber padding. (ISPO Award Gold)

Next page: Introducing some of the future's highlights I've encountered at ISPO: Go to the latest winter gear

Introducing Featured Items Part 3: Latest Winter Gear

Snow activities such as skiing, snowboarding and snow hiking are the most spectacular sights at this exhibition. However, I can't keep up with snowboarding in general and skiing in general, so I've only picked out the things that I personally wanted. In that sense, it may be a bit disappointing for those in that field.

Scott Backcountry Patrol AP 30

Currently, several systems compete to become standard for avalanche airbags, but this is the latest avalanche airbag that uses the Alpride E1 airbag system with the new "Super Capacitor" for the first time. It is resistant to low temperatures and operates at temperatures ranging from -30°C to +50°C, and can be recharged in 20 to 40 minutes, with a longer lifespan of over 500,000 times. Plus, the avalanche system is lightweight at 2,670 grams.

POC Obex SPIN

A versatile snow helmet with lightweight, excellent ventilation, and equipped with a patent-pending shock absorbing system SPIN pad. Not only does it have a good performance, but the colour and design are still great. (ISPO Award)

Oakley Prizm React

A new model that uses "Prizm React" technology, which allows you to dim light with just one button on the left and right sides near the temple, using a single lens.

KOMPERDELL CARBON-AIR FRAME 25

These snowshoes are made from lightweight, high-strength carbon material, which was unlikely to happen, and weigh only 600g per shoe.

Advenate Hybrid Pro

This is a nice idea product. At first glance, it looks just a shovel, but it is actually an expandable avalanche shovel that allows a probe to be built into the shaft. Additionally, a two-person shelter comes in the set, and by combining a shovel, probe, and ski pole, you can instantly set up an emergency shelter. (ISPO Award Gold)

Fischer Ranger Free 130

The new model compatible with Tech Binding is 130 flex, with ankle range of motion of 55 degrees and only 1,500 grams, making powder lovers irresistible, with the high gliding ability of alpine ski boots in their BC boots. The design is also amazing, but I definitely want it!

Hillstrike

Just as you can see, this unique winter sports gear combines the fun of skiing and mountain biking. If you can rent it at a ski resort, you'll definitely do it. (ISPO Brandnew)

Introducing Featured Items Part 4: Latest Outdoor Gear Others

MAMMUT Nordwand HS Flex Hooded Jacket

The hard shell has a new stretch technology that is GORE-TEX®, and is stretchy, providing you with a hard shell around the sides, making it easier to move than ever before. It is optimized for activities that require intense activity, such as ice climbing. However, recently GORE-TEX® has really begun to meet a variety of requests. (ISPO Award Gold)

Peak Performance Frost Dry Down Jacket

A down jacket with a luxurious outer material texture and clean design, yet waterproof. Even though there are jackets with similar looks, Peak Performance's high-quality design, which is still somewhat elegant, was still outstanding. (ISPO Award Gold)

CEP Ortho Pronation Control Socks

Functional socks with bonded tape that increases compression and supports natural movement of the feet, and controls excessive movement. It is said to stabilize the arch and prevent blisters, preventing injuries during long distances. (ISPO Award Gold)

Devold of Norway Tuvegga

One of the things that surprised me most about this year's exhibition was the increased functionality of the base layer, including seamless 3D sewing technology. Among them, this is a base layer with 100% merino wool and a reversible base layer with different functions on both sides. Surface A is important for heat retention and surface B is important for breathability, so one piece can accommodate a variety of activities. (ISPO Award)

GORE-TEX® INFINIUM

GORE-TEX®'s new brand line was created for people who incorporate outdoor styles into their daily lives. What's surprising about this line is that it utilizes extensive knowledge of "comfort science" on how the human body responds to various weather conditions is that it provides improved performance to ensure a more comfortable life, not just waterproofing. In other words, everything is already there! Let's wait and see what it will be like.

TECNICA Forge S

The thermoforming customization, which was previously common with ski boot liners, has finally become a trekking boot. The latest trekking boots can be heat-molded and fit into one pair that fits perfectly to each foot in less than 20 minutes. I've known about its existence since last summer, but this time I finally got to see it. It is said that it will be on sale soon, so I will definitely review this. (ISPO Award Product of the Year)

Mountain Equipment Tupilak

The simple design that removes waste is lightweight yet highly durable and multi-functional Alpine Pack. The Patagonia Ascensionist is made even lighter and more functional, making it extremely popular.

SOTO Stormbreaker

One of the few Japanese manufacturers, SOTO, has exhibited a new stove that will be released this spring. A multi-functional model that can be used in combination with liquid fuel and gas cartridges, making it extremely strong against the wind. I'm looking forward to reviewing this season.

FLSK

An excellent German water bottle with excellent heat and cold retention functions, yet has a high design. It's a great item that can also be used to put alcohol and carbonated drinks.

summary

Even though I still think I've narrowed it down to a fairly narrow aperture, but before I knew it, I'd found myself wanting so this time I've introduced more than ever before.

Lastly, what made me feel a little sad this time was that I was able to discover many small, yet spirited products from small European countries such as China that are small but full of energy to change the world with new products and services that make full use of technology, while there are too few communications from Japan, one of the world's leading economic powers and should boast the rich nature that is rarely seen in the world.

This is just an impression, so I don't think I'll easily develop the "Japanese watara theory" here, but I'm sure I felt a strong sense of waste that was a waste to me, even though there is such a lively and global market that is spreading right in front of my eyes.

It's not a place where only great companies like Descente, Goldwyn, Toray, and YKK can finally open stores. In fact, even small brands that are attracting attention have a lot of rough and rough products, so I think that if Japan's technical capabilities, carefulness and good sense will be enough to make it stand out.

To be honest, overseas interviews that are almost always covered up are only in the red, and it is honestly unknown whether this will continue in the future. However, every time I go there, it is filled with new stimuli, and once I learn the depth of the industry, the outdoors (sports), and the excitement of seeing people who are doing lively and challenged there, I can't help but feel this and share it with me again and I end up visiting again. I will continue to continue as long as the outdoor industry is full of diversity and vitality and I have the capacity to spare, and I will be happy to accept any individual requests for reports or interviews, so please feel free to contact me. See you next exhibition.

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