Outside Shares Their Favorite Gear of Winter Outdoor Retailer Too

Last week I posted a link to the Gear Junkie's coverage of the Winter Outdoor Retailer gear show, in which he shared his favorite new gear that will be making its way to store shelves later this year. Now, Outside magazine has also posted their selections for the Gear of the Show, spotlighting 10 items that stood out with the editors.

Amongst the items that received "Gear of the Show" honors were The North Face's new Modulator ABS which has received a lot of press in the wake of its unveiling at the show. This safety device can convert any backpack into an avalanche airbag system, potentially saving your life while in the backcountry. This is counter to most other ABS devices which typically come built into a pack, requiring you to use a different sized backpack depending on your needs. The North Face now gives us a single option that is adjustable to any pack we want to carry on our adventures.

Also earning a spot on the list is a new waterproof, breathable jacket from a new company called Voormi, an incredibly warm down jacket from Columbia, and the new shoes from Under Armour that incorporate a sole that resembles a fat tire. That funky-looking footwear is also garnering a lot of attention as well. Other items include a couple of pair of ski and snowboard googles from Julbo and Abominable Labs, as well as a few other items designed with the skier in mind.

Since this was the Outdoor Retailer Winter Market, most of the items shown there were focused around winter sports. The Summer Market show is scheduled to take place in early August and will feature more general outdoor gear with a focus on hiking, backpacking, and so on. Neither show is particularly healthy for your pocketbook since they always introduce great gear that we just have to have.

The Best Gear of Winter Outdoor Retailer 2015

The 2015 Outdoor Retailer Winter Market gear show wrapped up this past weekend. The bi-annual event attracts the biggest gear companies in the world to show off their latest and greatest products, most of which won't arrive on store shelves until this coming fall. As usual, there were a host of interesting products on display, some of which were even truly groundbreaking. In fact, there was so much good stuff to see, that the Gear Junkie had to post his best of show selections in two different articles.

In Part 1 of his "Best of Show" round-up we get a look at a super-comfortable looking new hiking boot from Hoka, an avalanche air-bag system from The North Face, and a versatile new crampon developed by Black Diamond. There is also an ultra-light hammock from Eno, and a new moveable goggle lens design from Julbo, amongst other products.

Part 2 of the "Best of Show" round-up introduces us to a charger for our smartphones that provides power from a candle, as well as a new shoe from Under Armour that incorporates the tread from a fat tire mountain bike. There is also a cool device called the Fogo that incorporates a GPS device and two-way radio into a 1000-lumen flashlight. There is also a new battery pack for your GoPro courtesy of Brunton which not only provides a 400-lumen light, but promises to keep your camera running for 24 hours.

This is just a small taste of the gear that GJ highlighted from the show, and what he spotlights is just a tiny fraction of all of the items that were unveiled at Outdoor Retailer. Some of what was unveiled there will be arriving in your favorite gear shop soon, but much if it is slated for release in the Fall/Winter of 2015. This gives you plenty of time to start saving your pennies for that one item you need to complete your gear closet.

Adventure Tech: The North Face's New Virtual Reality Experience

It's no secret that fewer people are heading outdoors these days, with a particularly sharp decline amongst young people. Researchers believe that the rise of technology, including smartphones, tablets, and video games, has helped to erode interest in outdoor pursuits, as many now prefer to stay inside with their gadgets rather than go for a hike or on a camping trip. But The North Face has come up with an interesting new way to possibly spur interest in the outdoors once again, and with an ironic twist, they're using technology to do so.

At the Outdoor Retailer Winter Market convention,  currently taking place in Salt Lake City, the gear company introduced the Virtual Outdoor Project, which uses virtual reality video footage – specifically created for the Oculus Rift – that was shot by the wizards at Camp 4 Collective. Reportedly, the result is an immersive experience designed to create a sense of being outdoors in some incredibly wild and remote area.

For those not familiar with the Oculus Rift, it is a virtual reality headset that has become the talk of the tech world over the past year or so. With high resolution video screens and head-tracking technology, it creates an incredibly immersive experience that allows users to experience an environment that exists 360º around the viewer. In other words, tilt your head to the left and you'll see what is happening in that direction. Turn around completely and you'll see things that are taking place behind you.

According to the Stephen Regenold of the Gear Junkie, the video experience that The North Face was sharing at Outdoor Retailer transported viewers to Yosemite National Park to experience a difficult rock climb up a route called "Separate Reality" from the eyes of the climber himself. The VR film included amazing views of the surrounding landscape, and captured the experience of what it was like to be scaling a big wall. At one point, the climber even loses his grip, falling down the rock face momentarily until his protection arrested the drop. The experience for Stephen made his stomach drop however, as the virtual reality environment simulated the plunge a little too closely. Later, the video even followed some BASE jumpers as they plunged off a cliff, capturing their fall in in "360 and 3D" as well.

North Face intends to roll out this VR project to its retail stores sometime this year. That means if you have a store in your area (Mine just opened!), you'll be able to drop by and give it a go yourself. The hope is that by bringing a virtual outdoor experience to customers, they may inspire more people to actually get outside themselves. Int his case, virtual reality may spur interaction with actual reality.

Call me a pessimist in this regard, but my guess is that it will probably spur consumers to actually want to buy an Oculus Rift or similar product, rather than actually go spend some time int he wild, but we'll see.

Gear Junkie Takes A First-Look At The Gear of Winter Outdoor Retailer

Right now, the world's top gear companies have all descended on Salt Lake City where they are showing off their latest creations. The 2015 Outdoor Retailer Winter Market got underway a few days back, and as usual there will is a dizzying array of new products being unveiled. Unfortunately some personal commitments have kept me from attending in person, but thankfully the Gear Junkie is on hand, and he has given us a "first-look" at some of the best new gear on display.
Amongst the items that have caught the eye of the Gear Junkie crew is the new Longhor jacket from Ternua. The product is setting new standards in terms of creating sustainable gear in the fact that is uses recycled down as its insulation. The down is apparently re-claimed from the "bedding products" industry, and is cleaned and sanitized before being reused in these jackets. This is an interesting trend that I'm sure will gain traction with other manufacturers as well.

Also earning a spot on the GJ list is a new ice axe design from Black Diamond that incorporates adjustable grips, who also have a new crampon built to quickly and easily transition across a variety of terrains. Columbia gets a nod for their new Heatzone 1000 TurboDown Jacket, which is described as possibly the "world's warmest jacket," while Vasque received kudos for a redesign of their classic Sundowner GTX boot. Other gear of interest include a protective vest that could save you from an avalanche, as well as a new lightweight running vest that incorporates a 150-lumen lamp right into the chest strap.

It should be noted that most of what is shown off at Outdoor Retailer won't hit the store shelves until next fall. So while you may see something on the list that catches your eye, start saving your pennies now. Meanwhile, all of the gear that debuted at last summer's OR show will be arriving in your favorite gear shop sometime this spring.

There is plenty more to check out in the Gear Junkie story, so take a peek at what's coming by clicking here.