A summary of popular trends from the largest outdoor gear fair in the United States, "Outdoor Retailer Winter Market" (part 2)
Written by Yasushi Hisatomi
The Outdoor Retailer Winter Market, the largest outdoor gear trade fair in the United States, was held in Salt Lake City for four days from January 21st to 24th. introduced the event and some of the notable gear , but this time we'd like to continue by sharing other notable items and topics that were available online.
table of contents
Winter gear (winter mountaineering and backcountry equipment)
Will ABS airbags become standard equipment soon? New products are being released one after another
ABS is a new avalanche prevention backpack that instantly fills with air when caught in an avalanche by releasing an airbag attached to the backpack. It quickly opens to provide buoyancy and reduce the risk of being buried in the avalanche. There are many references on YouTube to show how it actually works, so please take a look at the video below
In Japan, the availability of such products is limited and an application for the use of explosives is required, making it difficult for them to become widespread, but in North America and Europe, new products are appearing one after another. Representative manufacturers in this category include Backcountry Access, Scott , ABS (backpack and external system) , Mammut, Deuter, The North Face, and Black Diamond .
The North Face has announced an ABS system that can be attached to backpacks that do not already have one (see photo below). It's interesting to see which system will become the standard in this area, and whether it's safe enough, as there is still little comprehensive information available in Japan. While there is no absolute safety in avalanches, we want to take all the precautions we can, even if it means risking our lives, and we should, so I hope that more systems will become readily available in Japan
Other outdoor wear and gear
La Sportiva Trango Ice Cube GTX: The ice climbing version of the Trango Cube!
It seems that a winter version of the Trango Cube, the lightweight alpine boot used by Outdoor Gearzine, is finally coming out! Lightweight, easy to walk in, and offering a firm grip on rocky terrain, these versatile boots offer exceptional performance, and their stylish design is a departure from typical mountain boots. This winter version inherits all the features of the Trango Cube, but comes with gaiters as standard and, of course, insulation. It's exactly the lightweight winter alpine boot I've always wanted, and I can't wait for them to arrive in Japan!
Image: Outdoor Industry Association
FlameStower Candle Charger: A revolutionary new thermal charging adapter
BioLite, a camping stove that can be charged over a bonfire, was released in Japan about two years ago, but since it can basically only be charged over a bonfire, I didn't have much opportunity to use it. However, this manufacturer's charger, which is not sold in Japan, apparently allows you to charge it not only over a bonfire or barbecue flame, but also over a cooker or candle flame!
Will merino wool become the standard base layer material, leading to a wool-synthetic fiber boom?
According to an executive at Icebreaker, one of the leading manufacturers of merino wool apparel, there are already over 140 brands using it across the US. This momentum is real, and I have a feeling that the line between wool and synthetic fibers will become increasingly blurred, leading to the emergence of new solutions that achieve a high balance between the benefits of both (photo below: Begans of Norway AKELEIE). This is similar to the conflict between down and synthetic fibers in insulation, or the contrast between leather and synthetic materials in shoes
Related reading
A summary of popular trends from the largest outdoor gear fair in the United States, "Outdoor Retailer Winter Market" (part 1)
Summary of the latest gears that interest you at Outdoor Retailer Winter Market 2016
I can't wait until next year! Summary of the latest gears that interest you at Outdoor Retailer Winter Market 2017
We will be participating in the 2015 Outdoor Retailer Summer Market, one of the world's largest outdoor gear fairs!