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.
