"ISPO MUNICH 2019" Report #2 Introducing the most popular gear we encountered at Europe's largest outdoor and sports goods exhibition [Outdoor lifestyle]

Wednesday, March 6, 2019

LOEWI , Gruezi Bag , Smacircle , SAMAYA , ORTLIEB , THE NORTH FACE , 7SPHERE , Patagonia , TriEye , MAMMUT , DAIWA , ISPO , QOOL , Houdini , KNOG OUTDOOR , Sony , Light My Fire , BERG Outdoor

Written by Yasushi Hisatomi

This is a special feature on the exciting gear we saw at ISPO MUNICH 2019, Europe's largest general sporting goods exhibition. In this second installment, we'll be introducing outdoor, camping, and lifestyle brands and items!

As always, please be aware that the products we are introducing from now on are only product launches targeted at the European market, and are posted here based on local reporting permission. Please note that they have absolutely no bearing on the release here in Japan.

table of contents

Hot outdoor and lifestyle items spotted at ISPO

Hot outdoor and lifestyle items spotted at ISPO

THE NORTH FACE Future Light

Those with an ear for it may have already caught on. Soon after the show began, THE NORTH FACE's booth made a major announcement about its new, proprietary membrane (waterproof and breathable) and the hard shell products it employs, which will be introduced this winter. It's called "Future Light." Unlike porous membranes like Gore-Tex, this membrane is made by layering fibers at the nano-level to create a sheet with gaps that keep water out but allow air to pass through. It's a hard shell you can wear all day, whether it's hot or cold. It's also thinner than previous models and can be paired with a variety of fabrics, potentially further expanding the possibilities for waterproof products. I tried out the new jacket on-site, and it was indeed so thin and flexible I could almost believe it was a hard shell. The lining was smooth and it looked extremely comfortable, so my first impression was impeccable

It's still unclear how it will perform in terms of performance, but based on the concept, it's definitely a very promising new material. We'll be keeping a close eye on it to see if it will gradually undermine Gore-Tex's stronghold

HOUDINI Power Air Houdi

The outdoor industry is moving forward in various areas with the trend toward "renewing materials to be more environmentally friendly while maintaining the same performance," and this year marks the arrival of yet another new eco-friendly, high-tech material. Polartec's Power Air is a cutting-edge fleece that offers insulation equal to or better than traditional fleece while reducing the shedding of microfibers, tiny chemical fiber debris. While it's not widely seen in Japan yet, the environmental impact of the accumulation of "microplastics" seems to be a hot topic in Europe at the moment. While the environment is important, the sexiness of the clothing is also crucial. In that sense, Houdini continues to create excellent products that balance both

MAMMUT Trion Spine 50

There are still many new innovations to come. Mammut's new backpack for this season is a new trekking backpack with a new concept, where the shoulder and waist harnesses move in sync with the movement of the body axis, keeping the center of gravity stable. I tried it out and it had a great fit that I've never experienced before. I wonder if we'll be able to experience this in Japan soon. I'm looking forward to it

Gruezi Bag Biopod DownWool Nature

Gruezi Bag is a small German sleeping bag manufacturer, a brand you've probably never heard of in Japan. This year's Product of the Year is an eco-friendly sleeping bag made from 100% natural materials, from the fabric and padding to the buttons. Its unique hybrid insulation, DownWool, made from 70% down and 30% wool, is highly comfortable and performs well. Even taking into account the fact that it's an exhibition in their home country, it's impressive

SAMAYA

This young French ultralight tent brand is amazingly lightweight and packable, weighing just 850g for a 2.5-person tent. It's frameless and self-standing (inflatable), making it incredibly lightweight and packable. The fabric is single-layer, with a water resistance of 20,000mm and a breathability of 40,000g/mm/24h. It's also suitable for four seasons. Apparently, they've actually tested it in places like Chamonix, so it's simply amazing

SONY Triporous

One of the few Japanese companies to exhibit at the event this year was none other than Sony. And the product wasn't headphones or a smartwatch. Sony's proprietary porous carbon material, derived from rice husks, has superior absorption properties compared to regular carbon (charcoal), and is said to have natural deodorizing and odor-eliminating properties. This raises hopes that fibers incorporating this material could potentially be given new functions. It would be exciting to see new outdoor wear utilizing this material emerge in the next few years

ORTLIEB Atrack ST 34

For someone who is only interested in the mountains, great items born from other activities often hit blind spots and can be a great learning experience. In this case, we are looking at the new backpack from German brand ORTLIEB, which has expanded from cycling to outdoor travel. Not only is it a backpack with a sturdy back and harness that can be used for hiking, but it also doubles as a travel bag with a zipper that opens vertically from the back for easy packing, and its waterproof design keeps your belongings well protected. It's the ultimate travel ally

7SPHERE HYDRO_BOT Jacket

This waterproof and breathable outerwear was released last year, but it's now even closer to practical use. What's amazing about it is that the electronically controlled HYDRO_BOT membrane can expel moisture from inside the garment much more efficiently than typical waterproof and breathable materials. From what I've heard, it's undoubtedly a groundbreaking idea, but I can't imagine how effective it will be in "real-life activities." It would be pointless if it wasn't comfortable to wear, after all. Regardless, it's certainly an amazing technology

Patagonia Macro Puff Hoody

Just two years ago, Patagonia made a spectacular debut with their Micro Puff, a down-like, ultra-lightweight synthetic fiber padding. A new addition has been made to their lineup: the Macro Puff. As you might guess from the name, this model boasts a richer filling for increased warmth and fluffiness. I personally felt that the previous model lacked a bit of warmth, so this is great news for me. Of course, it retains the same lightweight and packable features as the previous model, making it a more capable belay parka that's easy to use for serious winter mountaineering

DAIWA Jacquard Rain Jacket

Daiwa, a Japanese fishing tackle manufacturer, has actually been participating in ISPO for quite some time, continuing to produce high-performance outdoor products. This year, they finally won an award at ISPO for a rain jacket that combines durability, lightness, and design through a technology that seamlessly joins different woven fabrics. I checked out other products at the Daiwa booth again, and frankly, they are all products that wouldn't look out of place in an outdoor specialty store. I'm sure we'll be featuring them on our website in the future

Smacircle S1

I got to try out this ultra-compact folding electric bike that seems to have been a hot topic at the consumer electronics trade show CES. It's small enough to fit in a backpack, and while the braking sensation is a bit disconcerting at first, you quickly get used to it. It's also incredibly practical, with a top speed of about 20km per hour and a range of about 20km. In Japan, where space is limited, it's far more practical than a Segway. I hope it becomes available in Japan too!

TriEye

For the Dragon Ball generation, a scouter is a dream. There is something unconditionally exciting about it. The gold-winning cycling sunglasses, TriEye, have a scouter that is not a typical cycle meter, but a rearview monitor that lets you check behind you. Indeed, this is several steps smarter than having a rearview mirror or rearview camera attached to the handlebars

QOOL QOOL Box

This cooler box, made in Germany, won a gold medal at this year's ISPO. Its rugged and understated appearance may be unparalleled in its insulating performance. The vacuum insulation panels on the entire surface, the same type used in spacecraft, have 10 times the insulating power of conventional insulation. For example, it is said that this cooler can keep up to 40 cans of beer ice-cold for five days. Of course, this is without the need for electricity or other sources of power

KNOG OUTDOOR Lighting System

KNOG is an Australian brand founded by a British designer. They offer an intriguing smart lighting system that can be used as a lantern, headlamp, flashlight, bicycle light, smartphone charger, and more, simply by swapping out the versatile power supply unit and various LEDs (pictured is a USB-rechargeable ultra-compact headlamp)

There are many outdoor situations where lighting is needed. Until now, I've had a lot of different lighting equipment, but it's also nice to have a smart set like this

Light My Fire spokes, etc

Light My Fire, a cute Swedish brand known for its colorful and useful outdoor and camping accessories, has announced that it will be switching to plastic made entirely from natural materials such as sugarcane. Here again, the influence of the European market, where eco-friendly products are no longer viable, is clearly evident. How much longer can we say that Japan is a different market and does not affect us?

LOEWI

This is a brand new service from a German medical technology venture. First, you purchase a blood collection kit and send your own blood. After that, you can easily manage your health status online or on your smartphone, and you'll also receive detailed advice on any nutrient deficiencies. What's interesting is that from there, supplements and other nutritional products to make up for any deficiencies are delivered regularly. There are apparently already several services in Japan that offer at-home blood collection kits and disease diagnoses via mail, but from what I've seen, I've never seen anything that goes this far (though there may be legal restrictions)

BERG Outdoor SORDO

These rustic-looking boots were this year's ISPO Product of the Year. The new leather boots developed by BERG, a new Portuguese outdoor manufacturer, are made from 100% biodegradable materials, meaning they will completely decompose into the soil. In theory, they will be completely decomposed into the ground in six months. In another sense, an amazing future is just around the corner