A summary of interesting gear I came across at OR Summer 2015 - Tents, Sleeping Bags, Mats Edition -
Written by Yasushi Hisatomi
Outdoor Retailer Summer Market 2015 This is the outdoor gear exhibition held twice a year, in summer and winter, in Salt Lake City, USA, where thousands of outdoor manufacturers from around the world gather to exhibit. This is the third installment, and we'll be introducing some noteworthy models of tents, mats, and sleeping bags scheduled to be released next season (from spring 2016 onwards). As always, the details may change before the products are released, and it's unclear when they will be available in Japan. So, let's get started.
Click here for featured gear in each category of the Outdoor Retailer Summer Market 2015
HILLEBERG
A lightweight 3-season tent we can't wait to see released: the NIAK 1.5
Hilleberg, a Swedish tent manufacturer popular in Japan for its exceptional durability and thoroughly refined functionality, is releasing a new product in 2016: a freestanding, one- to two-person, three-season tent! When it comes to one-person, three-season tents, Hilleberg's award-winning ENAN is a well-known example. However, that tent was a "non-freestanding" tent that required pegs to set up, making it somewhat difficult to use in Japan's mountains, requiring careful pitching. However, this new tent offers ample space for a comfortable one-person tent, weighing just 1.6 kg (including pegs). It's lightweight and durable, and seems to have enough specs to set a new standard. But it's probably a bit pricey
Big Agnes
Self-powered and self-illuminating tent: Krumholtz UL2
As mentioned in this year's preview , tents have always protected lives from harsh climates, and while they have continued to evolve in that direction, they have also been increasingly positioned as tools for staying comfortable at campsites and festivals. The Krumholtz UL2 is a new model that further advances the tent with built-in LED lights (Mountain Glow Tents) that was released last year in response to these needs. As you can see, it can now be fitted with a GOAL-ZERO solar panel, and it comes equipped with not only a Mamelight but also a lantern and fan. To be honest, it still feels like a gimmick, but perhaps we'll soon see a time when flies are fully solar-paneled and lights inside tents are the norm. The future is exciting.
The North Face
Ultra-lightweight and stylish: FUSE MICA FL 2
Although the details are still unknown, The North Face exhibited a new model in their ultralight MICA FL series with a vibrant gradient. While ultralight, it offers ample livability thanks to features like access doors on both sides, and its striking appearance is enough to make you want to buy it on impulse
Mountain Hardwear
The best of both worlds: the Hylo 2 single-wall and double-wall tent
Mountain Hardwear's new Hylo is a technical yet affordable two-person tent that combines the best of both single-wall and double-wall construction. Its poles are efficiently connected by hubs, allowing for easy setup without the need for a flysheet, just like a single-wall tent. The breathability and efficient ventilation that allows for effective airflow are unique to double-wall tents. The fact that it combines these two advantages while also being lightweight and highly livable makes it even more intriguing
SlingFin
WindSaber: Lightweight, Double-Walled, Four-Season Tent
Ultra-lightweight or ultra-durable? Slingfin, an emerging tent manufacturer known for its stylish and exceptional quality, has debuted the WindSaber, a lightweight, four-season double-wall tent. While details are still unknown, the design seems to offer Slingfin's strengths of high wind resistance and livability thanks to its pole structure, and above all, its unique and stylish appearance
THERM-A-REST
An amazing mat that expands with just a gentle spray: NEO AIR CAMPER SV
Until recently, sleeping mats (tent mats) were heavy, prone to tearing, and difficult to inflate and deflate, but the evolution of these mats has been remarkable. The new NEO AIR CAMPER SV from Therm-a-Rest, the leading tent mat brand, is not only more comfortable than ever before, but also features a new Speed Valve (see photo below) that makes inflating and deflation incredibly easy. This large valve apparently allows air to be inflated up to 10 times faster than previous valves
When I saw the demonstration, I was amazed at how quickly and easily it inflated! Seeing is believing, so I've shared a video to help you
Kelty
Always the right amount of comfort: TRU. COMFORT
One of the big trends in sleeping bags this year was the pursuit of comfort on a par with that of a bed. The new product from Kelty, a long-established American outdoor manufacturer, has a classic mummy-style design but incorporates a removable blanket inside. It also features a shape that allows your feet to be exposed when needed, and a large head section that can accommodate a pillow, making it as comfortable as sleeping in your own bed at home. While it's obviously not designed for mountaineering, where lightweight and compactness are key, this trend toward temperature-matching components and customization seems to be spreading the Kammok Thylacine , which raised $118,545 on Kickstarter last year and was a hot topic at this year's exhibition.
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