5 Great New Products From Outdoor Retailer Summer 2018
Last week, the top brands in the outdoor industry descended on Denver, Colorado to share their latest and greatest creations. There were endless aisles of backpacks, tents, boots, and other gear to discover, some of which shows great promise for making our time in the outdoors more comfortable and enjoyable. After sifting through dozens of new products, most of which won’t be available until next spring, we’ve selected a few of our favorites that stood out from the crowd. Here are some products you can look forward to in the near future.
Vargo Outdoors Tent
There were a number of new tents to be found on the OR show floor, but few were as impressive as the new camp shelter from Vargo Outdoors. Weighing in at 2 pounds, 6 ounces and offering 34 square feet of livable space, the Vargo Tent is a marvel of efficiency. The free-standing tent comes with carbon fiber poles, is fast and easy to set up, and features an integrated rain fly built to keep the interior as dry and comfortable as possible. The Vargo Tent will go on sale in October for $500.
Therm-a-Rest NeoAir Ultralight Sleeping Pad
It’s no secret that Therm-a-Rest makes some of the most durable, comfortable, and lightweight sleeping pads on the market, but with the new NeoAir Ultralight version things get even more interesting. This pad tips the scales at just 8.8 ounces, making it one of the lightest inflatable camp mattresses on the market. It can also be paired with the new Vesper 32ºF sleeping bag –– which weighs just 15 ounces –– to deliver a complete sleep system that is just 1.5 pounds. Both products are set to begin shipping in January with the NeoAir Ultralight selling for $180 and the Vesper 32 priced at $330.
BioLite Headlamp
Lightweight and incredibly comfortable to wear, the new BioLite Headlamp can produce as much as 320 lumens of light on its highest setting. Powered by a rechargeable battery capable of as much as 40 hours of burn time, this headlamp was designed with hikers, backpackers, and trail runners in mind. It uses a combination of smart fabrics and a slim design to create a fit that is unlike an other headlamp on the market. In fact, it feels so comfortable that you might even forget that you’re wearing it. The BioLite Headlamp will be available in the spring of 2019 for $50.
Jackery Explorer 160 Portable Power Station
There once was a time when getting portable power to your campsite was a real challenge as nearly every solution was bulky, heavy, and awkward to use. That isn’t the case any longer, particularly with the introduction of the new Jackery Explorer 160. This diminutive portable power station weighs only 2.6 pounds but offers 160 watt-hours of juice. It is equipped with USB-C ports, fast-charging USB-A ports, a standard 12-volt plug, and an AC inverter. That means it can charge everything from smartphones and laptops to cameras and drones. The portable power station itself can be recharged using a standard AC outlet at home or a solar panel while in the backcountry. The Explorer 160 starts shipping in September at a price of $200.
LifeSaver Liberty Bottle
Purifying water has never been easier thanks to the new LifeSaver Liberty Bottle. With its own built-in filtration system, the bottle can automatically remove 99.99% of all viruses found in water, and an even higher percentage of bacteria and cysts. This allows hikers, backpackers, and travelers to simply dip the bottle in any water source and just start drinking. Want to fill an even larger bottle or hydration reservoir? The Liberty ships with a pump that allow you to do just that. It retails for $100 and is available now.
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