The show is winding down and there were quite a few more open parking spots in the garage this morning. We still had a busy day meeting with a bunch of companies regarding their fall and spring lines. While the beer wasn’t flowing quite as freely today, it was still quite a good day at the show. Here’s some of the new stuff we saw today:
CLIF is expanding their line of performance foods by introducing Clif Shot Roks. These malt ball looking energy bites are pretty tasty in the cookies and creme flavor I tried. I didn’t get a chance to take a look at the ingredients, so no word on how useful they will be out on the trail.
Makers of ultra-light shoes, GOLITE Footwear are coming out with some new products this fall and spring. We got a pair of their new sky lite boots to try out. The sky lite is their first over ankle hiker that just happens to be waterproof. We haven’t put them on a scale, but they’re some of the lightest boots we’ve seen. Look for a review of them in the future.
In the last couple years, Gregory has made some significant design changes to its packs to update their styles. In the spring, Gregory is introducing the new Jetstream LTS suspension system into several of their packs. This suspension system removes the traditional mesh panel from sitting against your back and instead transfers the load directly to your hips leaving your mid back completely free. Keep an eye out for our review once the release date gets closer.
Guyot Designs introduces a new product in their line of squishy bowls. They’re now making squishy bowls for pets. So instead of a fabric dog bowl, your dog can use a more sturdy bowl on the trail.
This start-up has introduced a novel insulation system that seeks to replace down and synthetic fillers in our gear. They use Argon gas (much like you find in an insulated window) to provide insulation for their jackets. According to the company, their first revision of the technology insulates exactly the same as down when dry. When wet, Argon gas insulates 10 times better than down and 4 times better than synthetic insulation.
Another advantage to the insulation is that it can be adjusted according to your needs. Without any gas in the vest, it looks like the standard soft shell and allows you to participate in high output activities. Once you rest, you can inflate the vest with a handy little tank of compressed argon for added insulation. We tried on one of the vests and while it does feel a bit like wrapping yourself in bubble wrap, the technology looks promising.
Kylmit is looking to license its technology to other vendors but has come out with a few models of the vest that you can buy now. The vest retails for $200 and a 3 pack of the Argon canisters is $24. Each canister will refill the vest 3 times.
Scarpa is coming out with some new boots throughout its lines. There are 2 new hiking boots, 5 new shoes, 4 alpine boots, and a few new climbing shoes coming out in the spring. For mountaineering boots, Scarpa has reduced the weight and improved the shock absorbing by building in a new midsole insert. The company claims their new insert absorbs shocks 30% better than the standard EVA insole that’s popular in other boots today.
