Gear of the Show: Summer Outdoor Retailer 2016
Gear companies from around the world released their brand-new summer 2016 products this week at Outdoor Retailer in Salt Lake City. We pored over all of it, and these five products—from a brilliant new water filter to a totally reinvented waterproof jacket—were our top picks for Gear of the Show.
Columbia OutDry Extreme Diamond Shell
Most shells are made the same way, with a waterproof membrane sandwiched between a tough, durable exterior fabric and a softer next-to-skin layer. This technique has two major downsides: the face fabric on the outside can wet out, making the jacket feel clammy; and gluing layers of fabric together reduces breathability. Enter the OutDry Extreme Diamond. Columbia ditched the exterior fabric entirely by layering a thin, diamond-patterned film over the waterproof membrane to protect it from abrasions and boost durability.
Read more about Columbia's OutDry Extreme Diamond Shell.
Jetboil Genesis Basecamp 2 Burner System
The Genesis Basecamp 2 Burner System from Jetboil is a complete rethink of the traditional car camping stove many of us grew up with and still have in our garage.
Read more about Jetboil's Genesis Basecamp 2 Burner System.
Patagonia Merino Air Base Layer
Patagonia’s gossamer new base layer is insanely light and airy, but, thanks to a new manufacturing technique, just as warm as its heavier competitors.
Read more about Patagonia's Merino Air Base Layer.
MSR Guardian Water Filter
The MSR Guardian represents a quantum leap forward in the world of water filtration. For this new device, MSR developed a hollow fiber structure that’s ten-times smaller than previous iterations so that it catches viruses, but still lets users clean a respectable 2.5 liters of water per minute.
Read more about the MSR Guardian Water Filter.
RinseKit
For those who find the standard hang-it-from-a-tree gravity showers lacking in pressure and pump-up showers a touch too involved, there’s a new supremely simple option: RinseKit. Call it a shower in a box.
