by Alicia MacLeay
Today I head west to Salt Lake City for the semi-annual gearapolooza known as Outdoor Retailer. OR is where all the gear companies known to man, as well as the unknowns trying to get known, converge for four days of gear madness and idolatry.
Companies will show retailers and the media their new, even more fabulous products for spring/summer 2008. Retailers will decide what they’ll stock in stores next year. And media people, like me, will wade through hundreds of booths and a lot of hype to find the truly interesting and revolutionary gear and gear trends that backcountry enthusiasts like you care about.
Sometimes people ask me what OR is like, maybe to be polite, or perhaps hoping for exciting insider tidbits about free Arc’teryx jackets for all (not true) or free beer (true). I usually say, “It’s big. It’s really, really big.”
No, I’m not blowing off the question. It’s just that the show is so massive with 20,000 attendees packed into the Salt Palace and more outdoor clothing, shoes, packs, sleeping bags, and accessories (oh the many, many accessories) than you can imagine. Even a confirmed gear junkie can have a hard time wrapping her head around it.
But amid the many media advisories, sponsored athletes, odd contests, book signings, and giveaways, you can discover some exciting outdoor gear. And I don’t mean yet another rip-off of Crocs. For instance, this year’s advance info promises even more green backpacking options, including some bona fide green packs and sleeping bags that I’m very excited to see. I’ll keep you posted with the details by reporting back from the show starting tomorrow.
