View the entire 300-plus collection of must-have gear items tailor-made for your adventurous lifestyle. PLUS: A special section on womens gear.
Today's Question What is the best way to carry water on a hike? answer 
Today's Question What equipment should a new mountain biker buy? answer 
Online FavoritesSpecial Issues
Photo Galleries |
|
Outdoor Retailer 2003: The Gear Guy's Roundup More from the floor: Part II
There has always been a strange mismatch between boots and crampons. Crampons have to be designed to fit a generic boot; boots a generic crampon. But Montrail hopes to change that with its newish I.C.E. 9 boot ($350), just now hitting retail channels after a long gestation. It's a high-end insulated leather boot, available with a matching gaiter ($85), and, best of all, a crampon specifically designed for the boot ($185). The crampon uses attachment points at each end of the sole, plus one in the middle. That lets a climber wear a semi-rigid boot for comfort, with the great ice-climbing leverage of a rigid crampon. I'm usually skeptical of gear "systems," but this makes sense and I think will work well. THE FUTURE OF KAYAKING? Fiberglass boats have
DIAMONDS IN THE ROUGH Black Diamond had some new headlamps at the show. Its three-ounce Zenix uses a focused LED to throw out the light of a halogen; price is $42.50. Bibler, feeling the pinch from low-cost single-wall tents such as the Mountain Hardwear Waypoint, showed a new tent made with silicone-impregnated Epic fabric. Called the Lighthouse, it weighs a mere three pounds and sells for $369. Schoeller, the company leading the way in the soft-shell category, has come up with "nano-particles," tiny bits of material applied to a fabric surface that repel water, dirt, and stains. Mammut was showing the stuff in its new Cerro Torre soft shell, selling for $239. Manzella will soon introduce its new Expedition 850 glove ($50), which employs Polartec Power Shield and a tough synthetic leather. I wore a sample pair on Rainier in July, and was amazed by their warmth and dexterity. Finally, Garmin was showing a wrist-mounted GPS unit called the Forerunner 201, designed for hiking and training. It'll retail for $160. IF I COULD BUY FROM ONLY ONE COMPANY... It would be Marmot. They've always made good stuff, but in recent years they seem to have really ramped up their line of offerings and its quality. Their packs, jackets, layering clothing, sleeping bags, and tents all look great. I'm anxious to try the Equinox, a lighter and improved version of what has long been one of the better (albeit heavier) three-season tents on the market. Price will be $259. It has lost about a pound, and uses a new "knee"-pole design, which puts a slight bend in the pole a foot or so above the ground. In effect, it braces the pole against wind, while also creating more-vertical sidewalls. In bags, I liked the 15-degree Helium, which uses 900-fill down and superlight Pertex fabric to create a near-winter bag that weighs a mere two pounds (cost will be $399). Marmot is also expanding its hugely popular lineup of affordable, functional PreCip rainwear. New in spring 2004: the Rim jacket, with a revised formulation of the PreCip material that is more breathable. Taped seams, stash hood, arm and chest pockets, all for $189.
|
Resort Finderadvertisement
 
 
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
More From Outside Online
Outside Exclusives
Ask the Experts
Outside Features
Outside Photo Galleries
Top Gear
- Climbing Gear Reviews
- Mountain Bike Reviews
- Ski Gear Reviews
- Sleeping Bag Reviews
- Trail Runner Reviews
Personalities & Profiles
Outside Blogs
Outside Classics
- Home |
- Travel |
- Gear |
- Bodywork |
- Culture |
- Videos |
- Ski |
- Photos |
- Archives |
- Feedback |
- RSS Feeds |
- Subscribe to Outside Magazine
©1994-2009 Mariah Media Inc. All rights reserved.
Reproduction of material from any pages without written permission is strictly prohibited.
Reproduction of material from any pages without written permission is strictly prohibited.