Our Favorite Gear of Outdoor Retailer Summer Market 2014
For four days, we slaved through the heat of Salt Lake City eating free food and drinking free beer. Much blood sweat and tears were shed to give you a look at the newest trends in outdoor equipment. While we slugged through countless hours digging through shiny new gear, we came to a realization: in some ways, we are the brave and proud who survived the waves of relentless swag.
Red Paddle Co 98 Ride
MSRP: TBD
Release: Spring 2015
The 98 Ride from Red Paddle Co is different from other inflatables because it solves the issue of bending in the middle from the weight of the paddler (think of a pool noodle that bends in the middle). It solves this with their Rocker Stiffening System which is basically two sturdy metal bars that slide into the sides of the paddleboard. The board also inflates to a higher PSI (normal boards inflate to about 15, this one inflates up to 25 PSI) making it stiffer to begin with. A quick scan at the demo proved the usefulness of these rads – we noticed other inflatable SUPs were bending in the middle.
DaSail Sailpaddle
MSRP: $480-550
Release: Available Now
The Sailpaddle has everything you’d expect from professional SUP paddle but with a little something extra. Simply pull on the handle tip and reveal a full, lightweight sail that just as easy to stow when you’re finished. The ability to switch between paddle power and sail power is unique concept that we think paddlers will love.
Wrappon Green Portable Toilet
MSRP: $1,119
Release: Available Now
This toilet costs more than most house toilets making it immediately impractical for the average outdoor enthusiasts. It’s more for boaters and sanitation professionals who need to contain pathogens. The Wrappon device seals up your poo into a nice zip-lock sized baggy so you can show off your bowel movements to your friends without smelling it. The guy at the booth told us that some people have stored bags of crap in their house for months without the smell leaking out. Not sure why they’d want to do that but I guess it’s worth $1100 to them.
Treksta Hands-Free Shoe
MSRP: $150
Release: Feb 2015
For those of us with extremely lazy hands, Treksta’s new self-tying shoes are a dream come true. Simply slide the shoe on your foot and drag the heel back to tighten the laces. To loosen them, all you have to do is step on release buckle on the heel. These shoes are also great for pregnant women and those with joint or back trouble.
Zap Hike ‘n Strike
MSRP: $98 on Amazon
Release: Available Now
The Hike ‘n Strike is hiking staff with a 950,000 volt stun device on the end. Yes, you read that correctly. This non-lethal device is ready to accompany you wherever you hike and includes a flashlight so you can precisely aim your stun attacks.
Sherpa Manaslu Jacket
MSRP: $170
Release: Available Now
The Sherpa Manaslu Jacket is refined, user focused piece of outerwear perfect for climbing and other outdoor activities where freedom of movement is essential. It’s insulated with 100 GSM Polartec Alpha, and its exterior is made with a combination of Polartec PowerStretch (for increased mobility) and Pertex Quantum (ripstop). There are no seams at shoulder tops or hips so there is nothing to chafe under straps and belts.
NEMO Equipment Wagontop 4P Tent
MSRP: $450
Release: Spring 2015
The Wagontop is gigantic tent perfect for the more casual, less technical camper. I, being 6’3”, barely had to crouch to enter the tent and was able to easily stand with extra head room. While it’s more casual, it’s still a NEMO tent meaning it’s high quality, waterproof and promises to be easy to set up with only two poles.
LightSpeed Bahia Quick Shelter
MSRP: $64.99
Release: Available Now
The Bahai Quick Shelter is quite the impressive little shelter that sets up almost instantly with Lightspeed’s top hub pull system. It comes with three zippered windows for ventilation and sand pockets for stability. Definitely at home on the beach with UPF 50+ material, the Bahai blows any beach umbrella out of the water.
MSRP: $7.99
Release: Available Now
Looks gross but it’s way less so than an actual blister soaking in bacteria and other nasty microbes. This artificial blister replicates the movement of a real blister so your real blister doesn’t rub against the fabric. Having had an infected blister that went septic gives me perspective on how valuable a little fake blister could have been.
Thule Guidepost 65L Pack
MSRP: TBD
Release: February 2015
If there’s any brand known for protecting your expensive swag, it’s Thule. Thule announced their new technical pack line, The Guidepost Series. The packs use the same suspension system as in their car racks, calling them The TransHub Suspension System. It transfers the load to the users hips and helps maintain balance along with the QuickFit shoulder yoke which helps you find the perfect fit in your shoulders. Our favorite part was the Lid to Summit function that detaches off the main bag and into a mini-pack, making the guidepost a 2 in 1 system.
MK Skiff Shirt
MSRP: $99.95
Release: Spring 2015
Just about every fly fishing shirt on the market is made of clammy, sweat soaking, slowly drying quick stinking cotton (we’re looking at your Columbia PFG). I don’t get it – cotton is awful in the heat. Meet the Skiff shirt – made of a sweat wicking Nylon/Spandex blend that feels more like a basketball jersey than a traditional fly shirt. With the same chest, back and underarm vents as other fly shirts as well as a clean plaid button up design, it performs outside in the heat as well as it does in the office.
Metolius Gym Bag
MSRP: $29.95
Release: Fall 2014
Here’s a great all purpose bag that is large enough to fit a rope, some shoes, and some gear. We like it because it doesn’t have all these complicated features, which is what a rope/gym bag should be. We see all this fancy crap at trade shows, like bags that fold out into a microwave, but realistically, this is the stuff we actually use. In the Gearographer office, we have several technical climbing packs but we end up using the most minimal Metolius rope bag so we don’t have to fuss with all of the flashy nonsense that doesn’t get used anyway.
OluKai Holomau
MSRP:$90
Release: Available Now
The OluKai Holomau is the combat boot of flip-flops. You can do everything from lounge around the beach to play soccer in these sandals. The cloud like souls of these sandals feel like walking on white sandy beaches even if you’re walking around the office.
Yeti Tank
MSRP: $249.99
Release: Available Now
Know what’s better than a cooler full of beer? A keg full of beer. The YETI Tank is made to hold a pony keg – the perfect quantity for a boat or small outdoor outing. Similar to their previous 85 liter TANK, it’s lined with YETI’s proprietary Permafrost insulation technology ensuring your keg doesn’t go flat overnight for you know – people who really want a weird start to the day. Other useful features include a drainage system, multiple grippy handles, and a treaded bottom so it doesn’t slip around.
Tenkara SATO
MSRP: $252.40 on Amazon
Release: Available Now
The problem with fishing these days is that it’s too complicated. The good people at Tenkara USA have decided to solve this problem and just give you a rod and some line. The simplicity of the SATO is what makes it so great, all you have to worry about is how big of a fish you’re going to catch.
Pistachio Chewy Bites
MSRP: 6-Pack: $5.99; 16-Pack: $12.50
Release: Available Now
The Pistachio Chewy Bites only have two main ingredients, pistachios and cranberries. This combination is a heart healthy, 100% natural, and gluten free snack and what more could you ask for from your snack? With six grams of protein, three grams of fiber, and healthy fat, these individually wrapped bars are perfect for your next backpacking trip or adventure.
Pacsafe Duffelsafe
MSRP: $180
Release: January 2015
The Duffelsafe is designed for the active traveler and makes it easy to combine safety and functionality all in one bag. With 90L of capacity, this bag has more than enough room for even your longest trips. Pacsafe has integrated their unique anti-theft technologies into this bag such as their slash stopping eXomesh and puncture resistant ToughZip zippers. In my opinion, this is one of the best looking bags Pacsafe has come out with yet.
Peak Design Shell
MSRP: $TBD
Release: 2015
If you like to take pictures outside, the elements are always a factor that you have to take into account. Rain or dust can completely ruin your camera and cost you thousands. The Shell from Peak Design is completely water and dust proof so you no longer have to worry. It also features a rigid hood to help protect the lense. If you’re done shooting and want to fully protect your camera, you can pull the quick-cinch top and bottom to fully protect your camera.
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