The Gear Junkie: Sneak Peak at 2017 outdoors gear
The twice-annual Outdoor Retailer trade show, held recently in Utah, is a mecca of gear. Thousands of brands show off products for the coming year. Here’s my exclusive look at a few standout outdoors items coming to market for 2017.
Rooftop tents: Rack juggernaut Yakima is jumping into the world of car-top tents with the SkyRise Shelter line. Starting at just 75 pounds for a two-person model, the rack-mounted tents are lighter than other options on the road. They have a built-in foam mattress and come with a fold-down ladder to access the sleepy heights.
Bug repeller: A new form factor, the 4-ounce Backpacker Repeller from Thermacell, mounts on a camp-stove fuel canister. It then creates an invisible “cloud” of repellent with allethrin, a copy of a chemical that naturally occurs in chrysanthemum flowers, to keep mosquitoes and black flies away.
Flowing reservoir: The Camelbak Crux Reservoir promises 20 percent more water with every sip because of a fatter drink hose. It also has a leak-proof lid and on/off lever, plus a new larger handle for one-handed filling. I tested a pre-release model and was happy with the hydration upgrade.
Bi-directional belay: The Wild Country REVO is a “bi-directional” auto-locking belay device, meaning it can hold a rope either way it is fed into the product. Designed to overcome belay-related accidents, the Revo will pay out, lock, and keep the rope aligned for smooth operating.
Anti-theft daypack: Made for travel in sketchy places, the Pacsafe Vibe 20L anti-theft backpack protects against bag-slashers, grabbers, and common thieves. It has cut-resistant straps and a security clip that allows it to be attached easily to fixtures, among other security features.
Titanium cook kit: Snow Peak takes a swing at the ultralight cook kit with its Titanium Mini Solo Set. The pot is large enough to hold a 110g fuel canister and a GigaPower stove. The Mini Solo does the job of several pieces without adding much weight to your pack.
Headlamp mighty mite: A tiny headlamp with a bright beam, I got a pre-release version of the Iota model by Black Diamond to test. The 150-lumen headlamp weighs 56 grams and is matchbox-small. It has a fade effect, going from its brightest setting to its dimmest when you hold the main button down. This allows a user to choose the exact, optimal brightness (and battery conservation) for the task at hand.