Don’t be fooled by the pared-down look of Out of doors Retailer. What was as soon as a mighty, bustling commerce present has, in recent times, made quixotic efforts to cover a steady decline in exhibitor attendance. For a time, many within the business noticed it as a grim harbinger of the inevitable demise of massive commerce exhibits within the post-pandemic (learn, infinite Zoom assembly) world.
However nobody is happier than I to take a giant previous chew of humble pie. Although this summer time’s present in Salt Lake Metropolis once more needed to take care of empty flooring house and attendance numbers that paled in comparison with these of the twenty-teens, the vibe was undeniably constructive!
And that owed to a wealth of keen, scrappy, hustling small and mid-size manufacturers. A few of these manufacturers mentioned they’d been turned away from, or priced out of the previous OR in favor of glitzier, wealthier out of doors firms. However these large names had been the primary to cancel their tickets when issues took a flip, and that left a vacuum for opportunistic upstarts to fill.
And boy, did they! GearJunkie had two editors in attendance — myself and camp editor Will Brendza — and we managed to lap your entire flooring a couple of occasions over. Even nonetheless, we couldn’t fairly see completely every thing there was to see. However of the handfuls of merchandise we did get our fingers on, many confirmed ingenuity, innovation, and coronary heart in equal measure.
Right here’s a recap of essentially the most eye-catching new gear we noticed on the Summer time Market present.
High Gear From Summer time Out of doors Retailer 2024
Pingora ‘Outro’ Pack
Whereas the largest single product launch from this new model was the Outro backpacking pack, the model itself could also be most noteworthy. Spearheaded by business veterans Mike Could and CJ Whittaker (co-founder of Cotopaxi), Pingora takes a novel method to “accessible” gear.
“We’ve got to start out giving some [bleeping] credit score!” Whittaker informed me in a telephone interview. He and May even see a chance to make technical, legit gear for the brand new crop of outside fanatics. That doesn’t simply imply newcomers. It’s additionally the era of upcoming recreationists and athletes that may go away their very own mark on the business.
This implies constructing on present sustainability tendencies — like using as a lot useless inventory as potential for uncooked supplies. It additionally means creating new options to match the numerous pursuits of contemporary customers. The Pingora pack goals to alter the best way backpackers take into consideration their pack.
For starters, the pack is semi-customizable once you order it — mind or no mind? Hip belt dimension? What’s extra, in line with Pingora, the Outro’s torso size adjustment system maintains the most effective load switch geometry whereas sustaining a excessive stage of stability. It accomplishes this by shifting the adjustment to the underside of the yoke so it doesn’t have an effect on the load lifter angle.
The Outro will even supply novel choices for accessing the pack on the path and organizing and separating gear in the principle compartment. It’ll are available 40L and 55L choices and launch in spring 2025.
Out of doors Aspect ‘Flicker Feather’
An previous pal, Out of doors Aspect as soon as took half in GearJunkie’s “The Pitch” competitors held yearly at our Denver headquarters.
The tenacious purveyor of considerate, multipurpose options to survival and bushcraft situations has been hustling within the intervening years! Out of doors Aspect now has an array of merchandise and even retails in REI. Whereas there was no scarcity of drugs to have a look at within the sales space, the show-stopper was the upcoming Flicker Feather.
This multipurpose fixed-blade knife carries a real chisel grind, an unbroken 90-degree backbone for throwing sparks, and VG10 stainless-steel. G10 scales wrap the full-tang development. And the deal with carries a hex socket that completely mates to the included ferro rod. This helps free the rod from its house within the sheath. The sheath additionally has an built-in diamond sharpening plate and an emergency whistle.
The Flicker Feather launched this spring and is presently dwell on Indiegogo, with reductions on the $50 MSRP.
ØNWRD Provide ‘Seat Organizers’
Using the house in your seatback for added storage is nothing new. Simply take a look at the ratty, sticky, inconvenient pocket aboard each godforsaken airplane.
However ØNWRD goals to class it up a bit. The model’s new Ø1 Bench Seat Organizer ($600), and Ø2 ($400) and Ø3 ($350) Single Seat Organizers make the most of molle and Velcro loops that customers can customise to their wants. The organizers are fabricated from high-strength recycled 900D polyester. They embody a hidden laptop computer sleeve and accommodate a number of ØNWRD extras.
Add patches, a water bottle holder, small cooler, stuff sack, collapsible tote, and power roll (that’s simply what’s included). You too can swap in extras, like a headrest pouch for storing small necessities. We noticed the model at Overland Expo and liked it — and it solely appears to be getting higher.
Zippo ‘Bit Secure’
It’s price noting that for all the flowery, newfangled firestarting instruments on the market, the traditional Zippo has supplied up a trusty, sturdy, wind- and weather-proof flame for practically 100 years.
Little did we all know, the Pennsylvania firm has been scheming to determine what else a Zippo can do. The Bit Secure is a small driver with a set of swappable bits that completely matches right into a Zippo lighter housing. Two magnets on the underside lock the Bit Secure in place.
Now, your dependable Zippo lighter packs much more utility. The Bit Secure launched this summer time for $15.
Impetro Gear
For those who take part in a number of out of doors sports activities, you in all probability personal a few completely different backpacks. Typically, you want a multinight pack for a backpacking journey. Different occasions, perhaps you want a pack for biking or a ski mountaineering pack. Earlier than it, you’ve extra backpacks than what to do with.
Impetro goals to unravel that downside.
The Austrian firm designed a modular pack system that makes use of a shoulder harness “base unit.” That attaches to completely different sizes and layouts of backpacks through a big wraparound zipper. The model calls it a “full eco-system for mountain sports activities.” They promote hike, bike, ski, and mountain pack variations that every one simply zip on or off the body. We all know, we tried it on the present flooring.
The concept is for folks to make use of the identical pack throughout a number of sports activities whereas nonetheless having the pliability to alter the structure and dimension. The model presents its pack in bundle choices, so you should buy it with only one attachment or as much as all 4.
Not solely may this method save folks a number of gear space for storing, but it surely may additionally save some huge cash. The “solo bundle” begins at simply $185, and the “full bundle” is $500 (for what is basically 4 completely different backpacks).
In equity, it may very well be a bridge too far — do of us truly wish to swap completely different pack compartments on the identical harness? Time will inform, but it surely presents a singular answer to a gear overload downside we all know all too nicely.
Terrestrial ‘Carbon Unfavorable Camp Instruments’
One of many scrappy upstart surprises that snagged our consideration on the present was Terrestrial. The grandson of a NASA engineer, founder Brandon Kirk grew up following in his grandfather’s footsteps, designing composite options for contemporary life. However Kirk took it a step additional, tackling the wants of the outside by utilizing a cloth that helped resolve the local weather disaster: industrial hemp, within the type of bio-composite.
With this because the spine, Terrestrial was born. The model designs and builds 4 merchandise, all within the USA — seven in the event you rely the four-in-one Terratool camp instrument as separate implements. The Terratool is a packable shovel that folds to slot in the hydration compartment of a backpack. It weighs simply 10 ounces and in addition sports activities a retractable noticed blade, which hides an axe edge within the deal with. It may even function a mallet.
The orbit desk is a inflexible backcountry desk that boasts the “highest surface-area-to-weight ratio” of any inflexible desk in the marketplace, in line with Terrestrial. It weighs 11 ounces and has a middle cutout to suit a standard Jetboil range and canister.
There’s additionally a 21-ounce folding Soar Seat, and the ADV hard-case backpack. This weighs underneath 3 kilos and, in line with Kirk, can match a full-size SLR with battery grip, mid-range zoom 100-400 telephoto lens, 13-inch pill, DJI air or mini drone, RC2 controller equipment, and light-weight clothes.
We haven’t examined out any of the merchandise but. But it surely’s a promising look from an organization taking large swings at large issues in an business we perceive nicely. Head over to Terrestrial and see for your self.
LIVSN ‘EcoTrek Overalls’
Right here’s a nod to a GJ favourite — LIVSN has lengthy been referred to as considered one of our favourite pants purveyors (try our Greatest Mountaineering Pants for males). Final yr, the model pleasantly stunned me with a pair of rugged, purposeful Flex Canvas Overalls for rough-and-tumble pursuits.
At OR this summer time, the Arkansas model hit the Go Reside button on its newest Kickstarter, a mashup of its award-winning EcoTrek multisport pants, and people outdoorsy overalls. Better of all, the EcoTrek Overalls took the design a step additional. It partnered with Gnara to create an possibility that accommodates girls peeing within the backcountry (all of us have to do it; now all of us can do it).
The EcoTrek Overalls supply all of the utility of their Flex Canvas cousin, however with noticeably extra stretch and breathability. By no means tried mountain biking or climbing in overalls? Properly, now’s your probability. The EcoTrek Overalls are dwell on Kickstarter now and can retail for $229 per pair.
GCI Out of doors ‘Adjustable Freestyle Rocker’
Typically, little modifications to frequent merchandise deliver a smile to our faces. GCI Out of doors did simply that by retooling its well-liked Rocker camp chair (which we already liked). Now, customers can dial within the diploma of stiffness (or squish) of the coil-over spring — form of like a mountain bike.
Whereas it’d sound delicate, the texture — and look — are dramatic. Three settings regulate the motion. On the bottom setting (stiffest), you’ll really feel a pleasing, mild rocking motion.
However double-click it to the very best (squishiest) setting, and deal with your self to lengthy, lazy rocks with loads of tilt-back.
It’s not a backpacking answer, however campers would possibly love this three-in-one camp chair. Search for it in spring 2025 for $80.
GSI Open air ‘Selkirk 270 Butane Range’
GSI’s newest Selkirk 270 range folds as much as the scale of a water bottle. That is the model’s first compact, single-burner butane range.
Open a facet panel, and an arm with the burner swings outward. Connect considered one of GSI’s butane canisters, hit the piezo igniter, and also you’re cooking.
Butane is an environment friendly gas supply for ultralight backpacking and cooking at altitude. GSI mentioned it has had success promoting its butane stoves in Europe, however is simply breaking into the U.S. market with this new Selkirk 270.
It won’t be the lightest camp range GSI makes, but it surely represents a giant step for the model and a departure from customary propane stoves.
Stakk
With the excess of camp kitchenware in the marketplace today, it’s all the time good when a model comes out with a single product that serves a number of functions. The Stakk is a modular prepare dinner system that the model claims capabilities as an air fryer, smoker, and oven — multi functional.
It’s compact, makes use of sturdy supplies, and can be utilized over any obtainable gas supply, whether or not that’s the open campfire flame or a gas-burning range. The Stakk requires no costly add-ons or equipment.
Merely put meals contained in the Stakk, and place it over your warmth supply. The model says the system will prepare dinner small pizzas, bake desserts, air fry snacks, or smoke meats. The cooking choices Stakk presents are numerous and in contrast to most camp cooking gear.
Darkish Vitality ‘Spectre 18W & 8W Photo voltaic Panels’
We already examined and liked Darkish Vitality’s Spectre versatile photo voltaic panels. Now the model presents it in a extra strong, 18W possibility. The Spectre 18W provides a second port for additional peripheral charging (half output when each are used), and a kickstand to assist facilitate correct charging at camp.
The Spectre 18W weighs an eyelash underneath 1 pound, is 2.2 mm thick, has USB-A and -C ports, and can retail for $230 when it launches this fall.
What’s extra, the model is bookending its Spectre 15W with a extra diminutive 8W bi-fold model as nicely.
