Trailspace Blog
Outdoor Retailer: Flashlights from Fenix
Flashlight manufacturer Fenix had some of the most powerful lights at Outdoor Retailer, plus a multifunctional camp light that weighs less than two ounces.
Outdoor Retailer: Headlamp Highlights
It may be the dark days of winter, but there's no shortage of illuminating products to light your way on the trail, the road, or in camp. Here are a few highlights from the headlamp category shown at Outdoor Retailer Winter Market last week.
Outdoor Retailer: Avalanche Airbags Expand
Only a few years ago avalanche airbags were unavailable in the United States, and until now it’s been a limited market. But in 2011, the options available to backcountry skiers, riders, and others venturing into avalanche terrain will expand.
Outdoor Retailer: Clothing highlights from head to toe
Judging by the quantity and variety of technical apparel shown at Outdoor Retailer last week, no outdoorsperson should complain that he or she can't find something appropriate to wear for their favorite backcountry activity. Here are a few clothing highlights, from head to toe, culled from the masses of wool, down, softshell, and other fabrics on display.
Outdoor Retailer: Soto's Muka atomizing liquid fuel stove
Trailspace gets a first look at the Japanese stove manufacturer Soto's Muka (Japanese for "atomize") liquid fuel stove. The unique Muka stove atomizes fuel rather than evaporating it.
Outdoor Retailer: Gore-Tex Active Shell promises waterproof fabric with high breathability
Gore-Tex promises the most breathable waterproof membrane yet with its new Active Shell fabric. Arc'teryx, Mammut, and Adidas are on board to offer fast and light alpine jackets with Active Shell for fall 2011.
Outdoor Retailer: How to use a snow density gauge
Donny Roth — a professional ski guide, ambassador for Brooks-Range Mountaineering, and Trailspace member — explained how to use a snow density gauge for avalanche assessment.
Outdoor Retailer: First Polartec NeoShell Jackets
They may be the most breathable waterproof jackets in the world. Get a first look at the original Polartec NeoShell soft shells for fall 2011 from Marmot, Rab, and Westcomb.
Outdoor Retailer: Talus ColdAvenger face mask
Developed by a doctor to help asthmatics stay outside in the cold longer, the Talus ColdAvenger is a serious cold weather face mask for any winter adventurer.
Outdoor Retailer: SPOT turns smartphones into satellite communicators
It's common knowledge to not rely on your cell phone for help in the backcountry, lest you become a cautionary tale. But, what if you could use your smartphone even after you've lost a cell signal? SPOT Connect turns your smartphone into a satellite communicator.
Outdoor Retailer: Ueli Steck designs climbing knife for Wenger
Wenger partners with speed climber Ueli Steck to craft a Swiss Army knife optimized for alpine ascents.
Outdoor Retailer: All Season NeoAir from Therm-a-Rest
Winter ultralighters, Therm-a-Rest is adding an all-season NeoAir mattress to their sleeping pad lineup. It uses the same Reflective Barrier and Triangular Core Matrix layers as the original NeoAir, but more of them for a 4.9 R-value at 19 ounces.
Outdoor Retailer: Primus Liquid Fuel Pump
Primus has a simple solution to a common liquid fuel stove issue. Scott Kaier shows us how the company's angled pump keeps fuel from fouling or leaking out of the hose.
Outdoor Retailer: Baffling bears with the Bearier 700
Bear canisters. Backpackers often wonder, couldn't I make a lighter/easier/more packable version on my own? Zac Rubenson went and produced his own prototype canister, the modular Bearier 700 canister.
Outdoor Retailer: Adidas unveils expansive line of outdoor shoes, clothing
With over 150 products coming to the U.S. market this fall, Adidas shows it's serious about extending its brand into technical outdoor shoes and apparel.
Outdoor Retailer: Toughstakes for snow or sand
Want your tent stakes to stay firmly anchored, even in loose sand and snow? Eric Simonson of Toughstake says his aluminum stakes with guy wire have 10 times the anchoring force of traditional stakes.
Outdoor Retailer: Hagan Skis
Among the proliferation of wide, heavily-rockered skis being tried out at the All Mountain Demo, one company stood out: Hagan, an Austrian ski-maker that is making its U.S. debut.
Outdoor Retailer: As seen at Demo Day
We share a few of the sights and gear from the All Mountain Demo day on Wednesday at Solitude, including a $400 pair of gloves and a snowscoot.
Outdoor Retailer: Snowshoes from Crescent Moon, Easton, Tubbs
Snowshoes may be thousands of years old, but the current offerings are anything but primitive. Here are a few of the newest models from Crescent Moon, Easton, and Tubbs. Plus, what's the real difference between a snowshoe and trekking pole?
Outdoor Retailer: Transitional Gear from Loki, Voile
Two brands illustrate a narrow but fascinating niche: transitional gear, which reinvents itself in real time
Outtakes from Outdoor Retailer
So, what's Outdoor Retailer really like? Well, starting tomorrow we'll be posting blogs, pictures, and videos from the show, starting with Wednesday's...
Outdoor Retailer Winter Market 2011
The semi-annual Outdoor Retailer trade show happens this week in Salt Lake City and promises much in the way of new, improved, and innovative backcountry gear. Stay tuned to Trailspace for coverage.
Outdoor Retailer: Gear for ninjas (and other backcountry enthusiasts)
Where else but Outdoor Retailer can you see every form of backpack, a baselayer for ninjas, a 9-ounce unbreakable carbon trekking pole, and a sleeping pad heated with water? Follow us as we explore OR's backcountry gear offerings.
Oldest Birch Bark Canoe found in British Barn
This story may inspire you to go clean out your own barn or shed. The oldest known birch bark canoe was found in a barn on an estate in Cornwall, England.
The Gift of Outside: An Atypical Top Ten
See what's on our end-of-the-year, top-ten list for giving the gift of outside.
Books for Backcountry Bibliophiles
There are a host of new, award-winning outdoor books for backcountry bibliophiles, as well as a new edition of a 50-year-old classic.
Gift Idea: Food for the Backcountry Traveler
Don't know what gear your outdoorsy friends or family members need? Give trail food. Everyone's got to eat, especially if they'll be out there snowshoeing up a trail, climbing ice, or skiing a mountain.
High Fashion: Yama Girls Bring Style to the Mountains
Down mountain skirts from Marmot and Columbia. Tweed parkas. Designer gaiters. Teva stilettos. Today we take a brief detour from function to look at the...
The Long Walk: A long story without an ending
The Long Walk by Slavomir Rawicz is an epic story of human survival. A Polish prisoner of war escapes a WWII Soviet Gulag labor camp in 1941 and walks,...
How to Recycle Old Outdoor Gear
Depending on who you're talking to, today is either America Recycles Day or Zero Waste Day. If you can't donate or pass on old backcountry gear, what are your recycling options once your gear reaches the end of its trail life? Here are a few.
Vintage Gear Collecting for Anyone
Until recently I've thought of vintage gear collections as hobbies for wealthy, armchair adventurers.
Hike Safely During Hunting Season
Many areas that hikers, backpackers, and trail runners, frequent, are also popular with hunters. Both hunters and non-hunters need to be educated and do their part to keep the outdoors safe. Follow these safety reminders during hunting season.
Gear from 1910-13 Scott Polar Expedition at Christie's
For just $9,00-12,000 (or so) you can buy a pair of polar worthy skis with an epic story your ski buddies will be hard-pressed to top.
Outdoor Retailer: Petzl, Energizer, SPOT, and Pacsafe
Petzl belay/rappel device and headlamp-charging system; Energizer's solar panel/battery charger; PacSafe's anti-theft devices; and news from SPOT and RAB/Integral Designs.
Outdoor Retailer: Packs from Sierra Designs, Granite Gear
A look at Sierra Designs' "Fulcrum" pack suspension, and Granite Gear's Nimbus Core, built to wrap around a bear canister.
Outdoor Retailer: Platypus, MSR, Therm-a-Rest
New hydration packs, tents, cookware and sleeping gear from Outdoor Retailer Summer Market 2010
Outdoor Retailer: Portable Power
Bright ideas for powering cellphones and other devices while traveling off the grid.
Outdoor Retailer: Goodbye SLC
Outdoor Retailer closed its doors yesterday, and now we're out of here! Stay tuned for some final OR coverage next week, but much of the Trailspace crew (namely my family) will be off exploring the mountains of the west for the next few weeks.
Outdoor Retailer: Highlights from the show
Outdoor Retailer ended yesterday, and after five days of looking at gear, booths, and trade show hallways, things can get a bit blurry. But, here are a few more pieces of outdoor gear that stood out.
Outdoor Retailer: Sovereign Earth's Guardian filter
Look around OR and you'll see company after company hawking water bottles. But amid the racks of stainless steel and BPA-free plastics, here's one that stood out from the crowd: Sovereign Earth and its Guardian filtration.
Outdoor Retailer: SteriPEN Sidewinder -- hand-crank UV purifier
SteriPEN has introduced the battery-free, hand-crank Sidewinder UV water purifier for fall. The Sidewinder uses an exclusive UV system that destroys waterborne bacteria, viruses, and protozoa, such as giardia and cryptosporidium.
Outdoor Retailer: Exploring OR (Part 2)
The third day of Outdoor Retailer included breakfast with the Conservation Alliance and visits to Easton, Hilleberg, Leki, injini, Polar, and Bluewater for contributor Bill Straka.
Outdoor retailer: Getting water in and keeping it out
How's this for contrast: one technology for getting water into your body, and another for keeping it out of your favorite gadgets. We check out the Geigerrig hydration system and the vacuum-sealed waterproof Dry Case.
Outdoor Retailer: Jetboil stoves for 2011
Jetboil is introducing three new stoves — the titanium and aluminum Sōl personal cooking systems and the economical Zip — along with a 1.8-liter companion cup and the CrunchIt (a tool to help users recycle fuel cans), all for 2011.
Outdoor Retailer: Camelbak Antidote reservoir -- total overhaul -- plus packs
If someone develops a torque tool to help open your too-tight hydration reservoirs, you may want to consider a redesign. CamelBak opted for a complete overhaul with the Antidote.
Outdoor Retailer: Mountainsmith adds tents, sleeping bags
Two backpacking tents and six mummy-style sleeping bags will be added to the company's line-up in 2011.
Outdoor Retailer: Exploring OR (Part 1)
The first two days of Outdoor Retailer included visits to Magellan, DeLorme, Suunto, Celestron, and others for contributor Bill Straka.
Outdoor Retailer: Cool new dog gear
Dehydrated food and high-tech fabrics and packs give outdoor dogs plenty to wag about.
