| Outdoor Retailer Show Day 2 Recap |
|
Outdoor Retailer Day 2 Blog
Today marked the beginning of the madness that is the Outdoor Retailer Show in Salt Lake City, Utah. Below are some of the highlights from a day full of checking out the best everyone has to offer in outdoor gear. Voile Fittingly, we will begin with local Salt Lake City ski company Voile. Brand new for next year is the Buster. The Buster is a twin tipped ski that is 118mm at the waist with camber underfoot and rocker in the tip and tail. It has a full length sidewall to increase durability and edge hold and is an ideal resort and sidecountry ski. The Charger returns unchanged, but it has a great looking new topsheet, which makes the ski even more appealing.   BCA
BCA is still a leader in airbag packs, and they are introducing new colorways for their Float series next year. They also are unveiling a unique new shovel called the D2, which can be configured for use with a hoeing motion.  Loki
Loki is known for making unique products. Their new offerings do not disappoint. The jacket has mittens and a balaclava integrated into it, and it folds up and becomes its own backpack.   Flylow
Veteran outerwear company Flylow is introducing some new gear for next year. Notably, the 20k/20k rated Higgins Jacket gets a face lift and is even lighter than before. The new Magnum pant is made of a new stretchier material, has a new pocket, ideal for touring, and full length side zips that allow the pants to be removed without taking off boots first. The Swindler jacket is a slick new micropuff, and the General’s Down Hoodie is a lightweight, baffled jacket that fits really well.    Black Diamond Equipment
Black Diamond has a new line of poles that feature a new, lighter flicklock mechanism to adjust the pole’s length. They also have new colorways that are a lot more vibrant than before. Their skins feature longer, flatter hairs for increased glide as well as better grip in variable conditions. A new glue is used on the skins that promises to be both easier to pull apart while being sticky in a greater variety of temperatures. Perhaps the most exciting thing coming out of BD is the new pivoting strap system. The waist belt pivots from three distinct points to help the pack distribute weight when a skier changes his or her balance. The packs also feature new tethered straps that evens out weight on the shoulders to compliment its refined Avalung design. Also, the revamped O1 has a couple extra screws making for an ultra strong mount, and the telemark boots have new liners with articulated areas to improve touring efficiency.  Darn Tough Vermont
Darn Tough is a sock company out of Vermont. Their socks have the highest thread count in the industry at 1,441 stitches per square inch, and they are made of a merino yarn that is thinner and stronger than other fibers. These features combine to make Darn Tough the most durable socks you can buy. They back that claim up with an UNCONIDTIONAL lifetime guarantee.  Rossignol
Rossignol is building on the success of their S7 by producing yet another ski based on the original concept. The Squad 7 is joining the S7 and Super 7 as the hard-charging big brother. It is stiffer, has a longer, more gradual rocker and a stronger u-shaped tail to aid in stomping landings.  Dakine
Dakine is launching an outerwear line for 2012/2013 and we got a peek at their 3-layer technical hard shell called the Clutch. It’s rated at 20k/20k and has fully taped seams and water resistant zippers. They’re also launching a technical mid-layer line that incorporates a little bit more of a casual feel. With antimicrobial polyester fabric you can count on a good balance of fashion and function. New in their glove line for the year is the Raptor - a waterproof freeride glove with built-in Touch Tech which allows for easy smart phone use on the hill. They’ve also teamed up with ABS and are launching an avalanche airbag pack called the Altitude that allows you to remove the airbag feature and use it as a stand-alone BC pack with or without the airbag functionality.   Buff
One of the more dynamic and functional accessories we looked at, Buff’s products are as much hat as they are headband or neck-gator.  -Tony Gill and Alex Paul. Photos: Kjell Ellefson and Alex Paul
|
The Telemark Skier Movie Tour 2011
- Starting October we'll be on the road, hitting all the key ski towns, as well as metropolitan areas, for screenings of Telemark Skier Magazine Editor Josh Madsen's new Tele movie, "Loyalty"
