MY SHOW: Hot trends from OutDoor 2007

Live from OutDoor 2007: Thinking outside the box appears to be the way forward for companies wanting to make a splash at OutDoor 2007. The radical design of the Edelrid folding helmet that won the OutDoor Gold Award this year is a fine example of what can be achieved when functionality and the latest manufacturing technologies meet.

The ETA Power stoves shows just how much wasted energy is used in normal stoves and how much extra gear we have to drag across the hills if it were not for such out of the box innovation.

The new range of Grivel packs (shown above) provide vast amounts of new practical features, while their exploded diagram makes it easy for the potential purchaser to see what all the features are designed to do.




Macpac have further developed their rucksack range with the change in the location of where their rucksack hip belts pivots (see above image). By moving the pivot point up the rucksack, it is able to rotate from the same point as the wearer's back flexes, rather than at the base of the spine where most hipbelts are designed to rotate from.

Radical designs are appearing that seem so challenge our concept of what is normal, while new technologies allow lighter, more functional products to be developed.

So if you are in the market for some new gear, take a sneak peak around the corner, as something that you thought was normal could just about to be changed.

Graham Thompson, Technical Editor

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COMMENT: Gear – no substitute for brains

“Is this Dove Crag?”
“No mate it is Sunday Crag.”
“Oh! That means my GPS receiver was right after all!”

This conversation took place two days ago, between myself and two weary walkers who stumbled onto St Sunday Crag in the Lake District. I had just climbed Pinnacle Ridge and was sitting eating lunch on the summit of St Sunday Crag. They thought they were part way around the Fairfield Horseshoe, which they had started from Ambleside.

They were equipped with an OS 1:25,000 map, that did not extend as far as the summit of Fairfield, and a GPS receiver. Taking advice from a fellow walker, they attempted to bag the summit of Fairfield and continue around the horseshoe to Dove Crag and ultimately back down to Ambleside. However in the clear conditions, they followed the equally clear path from Fairfield over Cofa Pike and up to St Sunday Crag, believing that the path was so clear that it must have been the correct route to follow. Having arrived on St Sunday Crag they felt concerned so they checked their GPS receiver. As the grid reference provided by the GPS receiver was completely off their map they decided that it must have an error!

You can have as much gear as you like, but without switching your brains into gear even a map and GPS receiver won’t save you from getting lost.

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Written by Graham Thompson

COMMENT: Green fever doesn't spread to outdoor industry

Shares in companies fighting climate change are soaring. The UK’s ethical finance market is now worth £12 billion according to a recent survey by the Co-op Bank. According to Sir David Attenborough, there is a “moral change” in the public’s attitude to global warming. This view is supported by research showing that three out of four British families would boycott firms that do not take real steps to cut their environmental impact. However, more than half were sceptical about firms' commitment, believing they made only superficial changes to win public favour.
Some of the biggest new green evangelists can be found in the retail sector, with supermarkets. Wal-Mart, the owner of Asda, has committed itself to using 100% renewable energy, reducing waste and selling more sustainable products. Marks and Spencer has introduced ‘Bags for Life’ to reduce the use of plastic carrier bags, a move that comes as part of M&S's drive, called "Plan A", towards ethical trading and the promotion of healthy lifestyles. The five-year scheme will see M&S become carbon neutral, stop sending waste to landfill and extending its sustainable sourcing by 2012.
The outdoor industry already plays a significant role in fighting climate change by connecting people with the outdoors and championing its benefits in terms of personal development, fitness and well being. Getting out and being a part of nature undoubtedly encourages understanding and protection of the natural environment and ultimately of the planet.
Perhaps it is no surprise to see that Patagonia still leads the field on environmental philosophies and they continue to raise the bar for those brands that have jumped onto the ethical bandwagon. A look through Patagonia catalogue is like reading a green guide to life.
Recycling is a major method of reducing human impact and Patagonia has installed recycle bins in many of their stores. Polartec have been making recycled fleece since 1993 and are launching a new recycled base layer in the Autumn. Osprey are now making a rucksack that is made from 70% recycled materials. Merino wool is now a common alternative to petro chemically produced materials in base layers and socks and used by many companies. Going carbon-neutral is a common direction for the eco-conscious brand and Craghoppers have followed this route to gaining their green credentials.
Inov-8 are fresh new brand and they are also tackling their ecological footprint and implementing a wide range of practical steps from reducing their travel to changing their method of transport when importing products from China.
To reduce travel and in particular importing from China, a manufacturing base in the country of sales is an excellent course to take. Altberg continue to make boots in the UK as well as investigating the use of wind turbines to run their factory.
These examples give an impression that the outdoor industry is well ahead of the game, but in reality I had to scratch and scrape to find anything new to report apart from Patagonia’ dominance.
Nick Brown of Nikwax presented 'Climate Change in the Mountains - its significance for your business' at the 2006 Outdoor show in Friedrichshafen. It appeared to generate much thought and talk. One year on has anything changed? Not a lot from what I can tell!

For more information on how climate change could effect your enjoyment of the hills, check out the July issue of Trail, which went on sale at the start of June.

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Written by Graham Thompson