UKC

OutDoor 2011 - Europe's Biggest Gear Event Report

© Sarah Stirling/Mick Ryan

Friedrichshafen, on the shores of Lake Constance in Germany, is the annual setting for the biggest outdoor gear show in Europe. The UKC/UKH Team of Alan James, Mick Ryan, Dan Bailey and myself flew over for the 18th edition of the four-day outdoor industry extravaganza. (Jack Geldard, meanwhile, was gearing up to attend the Climbing World Championships in Italy). In this news item I'll announce the winners of the prestigious OutDoor Industry Awards; over the coming weeks we'll reveal previews of 2012 gear in categories from climbing hardware to mountain clothing.

As well as sneak previews of products in the pipeline for 2012, OutDoor showcases ranges of Winter 2011 gear coming soon, and is an opportunity to catch up with the faces behind the brands over a few Weissbiers. Essentially a hectic schedule of meetings, drinks, sausages and German-style communal showers (not as fun as it sounds) builds momentum through the week, culminating with a rock party on the Sunday evening.

Richard Cuthbertson and Fred Hall of DMM with the Retro Mamba to celebrate 30 years of DMM  © UKClimbing Limited
Richard Cuthbertson and Fred Hall of DMM with the Retro Mamba to celebrate 30 years of DMM
© UKClimbing Limited

It was DMM's 30th birthday and we enjoyed celebrating it with them, while sporting fake handlebar moustaches like those worn by the original four entrepreneurs back in the day. A photo report will follow... Retro Mambas (actually their new Alphas in the old Mamba colours) will be available in time for Christmas, so you know what to buy climbers of a certain age.

 

Petzl Reverso 4  © Dan Bailey
Petzl Reverso 4
© Dan Bailey
Arcteryx alpha FL jacket  © Dan Bailey
Arcteryx alpha FL jacket
© Dan Bailey
Merino wool company Icebreaker are known for their creative and sometimes racy marketing.  © Mick Ryan UKC/UKH
Merino wool company Icebreaker are known for their creative and sometimes racy marketing.
© Mick Ryan UKC/UKH
Daila Ojeda and Chris Sharma enjoying a beer on Saturday evening on the Petzl stand at the Germany Trade show  © Mick Ryan UKC/UKH
Daila Ojeda and Chris Sharma enjoying a beer on Saturday evening on the Petzl stand at the Germany Trade show
© Mick Ryan UKC/UKH

 

There is a vitality and character to the fair that is unique. OutDoor combines all the elements that make the outdoor sector such a vibrant and exciting place.

David Udberg, President of the European Outdoor Group (EOG) speaking at the close of the show.

 

95% of visitors rated the economic future of the outdoor industry as improving or stable.

There were record numbers across the board at this year's event, proving that the outdoor industry is still going strong:

21,520 visitors (a 5% increase on last year) and
1012 journalists from 32 countries (a 10% increase)
Came together with 890 exhibitors (+3%)
From 91 countries and
200 world premiers of products were revealed.

The weather on our arrival was as stimulating as these figures: after showing-off our tent-pitching skills during thunder, lightning, torrential rain and semi-darkness, we went to bed worried that the event camp ground - which rivals Glastonbury for tents per m/2 - would also rival that event for mud. Luckily the sun returned the next day and the outdoor industry was generally in a positive mood to make the most of their gathering by Lake Constance.

 

Paul Petzl  © Petzl

Celebrity of the Year 2011

French entrepreneur Paul Petzl, the president of Petzl was named this year's 'OutDoor Celebrity of the Year'. Paul's father, Fernand, was a keen caver who developed caving equipment to aid his explorations. Paul followed in his father's footsteps and Petzl's breakthrough products were a rope clamp and a headtorch. Today, Paul Petzl heads an internationally successful business for mountaineering and climbing equipment and work safety gear with sales amounting to more than €80 million, 450 employees and a distribution network spanning 51 countries. He lives with his family at the base of the Chartreuse.

We all had favourite products. Black Diamond's new 'Magnetron' carabiner was interesting (the clue's in the name), although not as compelling as their beautifully simple Gridlock, which debuted last year (the Magnetron does come in a Gridlock version). The revolutionary DMM Chicane belay device was pocketed for testing (due date: September). Rather than compressing the rope in a linear V-groove, the Chicane takes this further by putting a bend in the V-groove, allowing you to apply a lot more friction to the rope and making holding falls easier. The groove is subtled tapered so that it can apply the friction to ropes from 7.5mm to 11mm.

Alan James became a fan of Climbing Technology's Click Up when reviewing Assisted Braking Belay Devices. The small brand (perhaps the Italian equivalent of DMM) have been working on a new 'Alpine Up', which takes twin and double ropes. Dan Bailey, our man in Scotland, was highly excited by Nemo's Bugout, a giant net with a waterproof roof, ensuring rain and midge-free summer camping evenings - something never seen in Scotland before.

I really rate British brand Rab's Vapour-rise products (see this review). Previously exceptionally breathable and with functional designs, the revamped range has what the marketing team call a 'sexy' new look. I was also keen to see products made from the new fabrics at war: Gore-tex Active Shell, Mountain Hardwear's Dry Q and Polartec's NeoShell. Mick was impressed by two rope innovations: Mammut's Transformer which reduces waste through 'pre-consumer recycling': it is made from 'transfer yarns' (essentially off-cuts). Each rope is a unique mix of colours. Beal's new dynamic Diablo Unicore ropes also caught his eye (last year Beal introduced static Unicore ropes). Unicore is a process that binds the core to the sheath eliminating rope slippage, increasing rope life and they say handling is improved, too. Mick will report back.

 

Alpine Up  © UKClimbing Limited
Alpine Up
Rab Neoshell  © UKClimbing Limited
Rab Neoshell
Nemo Bugout  © Nemo
Nemo Bugout
Beal Diabolo  © Dan Bailey
Beal Diabolo

 

photo
British brand Mountain Equipment receiving a Gold Award

The OutDoor Industry Award Winners

 

Out of 301 entries submitted from 23 countries, 46 new products received OutDoor Industry Awards at Friedrichshafen, and 11 were honoured with a GOLD award for outstanding innovation and design achievement.

If you haven't seen any Mountain Equipment products for a while, take a look. One of Britain's oldest outdoor gear companies, the team have moved away from their traditional designs and colours over the past few decades and have continued successfully moving up the brand ladder in terms of innovation, style and 'colourways'. The Mountain Equipment Titan 450 sleeping bag won a GOLD award in the category 'products of high ecological and sustainable value'.

The trend towards ultra-lightweight products continues. The use of material has been optimised, the design reduced and anything unnecessary is being eliminated more and more frequently. This also leads to ultra-functional design. There were exciting new products in all the categories.
Juror Mark Held, MD of the European Outdoor Group.

The outdoor industry stands for a special kind of awareness of life, for a completely different social outlook - and, perhaps most importantly, for the spirit of innovation.
Stefan Reisinger, OutDoor project head and member of the Messe Friedrichshafen board of directors.

 

 

And the 11 GOLD award OutDoor Industry Award 2011 winners are...

 


Mountain Equipment Titan 450 Products of high ecological and sustainable value:
Titan 450 - Sleeping bag by Mountain Equipment (Great Britain)

A down-filled sleeping bag for fast and light adventures, manufactured according to the guidelines of the new 'Down Codex Projects'. This codex was developed together with the International Down and Feather Testing Laboratory (IDFL) to regulate down production eg. live plucking is strictly prohibited and down can only be a by-product of food production after the animals have been killed humanely. This makes Mountain Equipment the only manufacturer who can guarantee the ethically correct origin of its down all along the supply chain.

Jury's opinion: "The first down sleeping bag to be produced according to the clear-cut guidelines of the "Down Codex Project", placing a strong focus on such aspects as environmental protection, animal protection and ethical responsibility. An outstanding product!"

www.mountain-equipment.co.uk

 


Mountain Hardwear Spinoza Jacket Material innovations:
Spinoza Jacket - Outdoor jacket by Mountain Hardwear (USA)

A lightweight waterproof jacket that exhibits excellent breathability - perfect for rock and mountain climbing in different types of weather. What really makes the Spinoza jacket special is its revolutionary DryQ membrane technology for optimum air passage through the fabric shell. The unique 'false twist' weaving technique enlarges the fabric surface so it transports moisture really effectively.

Jury's opinion: "All the best ideas have been included in one jacket: the innovative material, perfect workmanship, optimum climate comfort. Revolutionary membrane technology combined with the ultimate in waterproof protection."

www.mountainhardwear.com

 


 


Primus OmniLite Mountain-climbing equipment:
Primus OmniLite Ti - Expedition stove by Primus (Sweden)

An extremely lightweight (239g), very hardwearing, reliable and versatile expedition stove. Thanks to its small jets, it uses a minimum of fuel and it burns virtually anything: gas, gasoline, petroleum, kerosene and even diesel. As a new feature, the top of the burner can be completely screwed off to allow for easier cleaning or a quick change of the jets.

Jury's opinion: "The world's smallest multi-fuel stove: it can burn gas as well as all kinds of liquid fuels from gasoline to diesel. What an ingenious invention!"

www.primuscamping.com

 


Edelrid Fraggle Mountain-climbing equipment:
Fraggle - Full body harness for children by Edelrid (Germany)

A padded complete harness for children weighing up to 40kg. Thanks to its padding, the harness retains its shape and is easy to put on or take off. Besides being a full-fledged climbing harness, the additional ring on the back also makes the Fraggle an ideal safety harness for steep passes and rough terrain.

Jury's opinion: "The Fraggle makes it much easier to secure children while climbing or on a fixed-rope route and provides for added safety. And besides all that, it looks really good, too!"

www.edelrid.de/

 


Exped Ergo Hammock Camping equipment:
Ergo Hammock Combi - Hammock by Exped (Switzerland)

This backpacking hammock is probably the first one you can really sleep in. Everything is included: the hammock, rain protection, a mosquito net and a cleverly devised suspension system. It makes sleeping in a hammock a viable alternative to sleeping in a tent. The hammock's pocket in the double bottom, with zipper access from both sides, provides for additional warmth and storage space. The mosquito net can be zipped on and off all the way round. Strong Dyneema rope suspension with anti-snarl tubes and a generously sized rain or shade roof for versatile mounting round out the product.

Jury's opinion: "A hammock that includes some very interesting features: it's lightweight, offers good insulation because you can insert an extra pad, the mosquito net can be zipped up all the way round and, thanks to the large rain roof, you don't have to worry about getting wet."

www.exped.com

 


Therm-a-Rest Neo Air XTherm Mattress Camping equipment:
Therm-a-Rest Neo Air XTherm Mattress - Mattress by Cascade Designs (USA)

A mattress which, thanks to its patented, multi-layer reflective barrier, offers good insulation for any time of year - at a weight of only 430g and an R-value of 5.7. The user's body warmth is reflected back to reduce convection heat loss to a minimum. The patented triangular core matrix forms internal air chambers that store warm air and create a stable, comfortable underlay. The use of state-of-the-art fabrics and the cone-shaped design provide highest compression, minimum packing dimensions and lightest weight.

Jury's opinion: "This Therm-a-Rest is ultra-effective - not only can it be used year-round, it is also extremely lightweight and beautifully designed at the same time. A product development that is moving in new directions. Absolutely perfect!"

http://cascadedesigns.com

 


Vaude Challenger Rucksack Products of high ecological and sustainable value:
Challenger - Alpine backpack by Vaude (Germany)

The Challenger is a professionally equipped alpine backpack made of sustainable certified materials. The crampon holder is positioned so that it is easily accessible; an ice-tool attachment system is also integrated.

Jury's opinion: "The Challenger gets a GOLD award because it is made of sustainable certified materials. In addition, it satisfies all the criteria that a good standard rucksack should satisfy."

www.vaude.co.uk

 


Vingetorix Jacket Products of high ecological and sustainable value:
Vingetorix - Outdoor jacket by Vingetorix (Switzerland)

A city jacket that includes functional outdoor properties (good breathability, water-repellent and wind-proof). It combines clean design with top quality and sustainability. Vingetorix is produced under the best-possible ecological aspects: it is made exclusively of organic cotton. In addition, the entire manufacturing process, from spinning the thread, weaving, dyeing and finishing the fabric (EtaProof) and right on up to producing the jacket, takes place in Switzerland. The Vingetorix manufacturing process reduces CO2 emissions to a minimum.

Jury's opinion: "Mountain-climbing apparel is becoming increasingly popular among city people as well. It's quickly turning into a fashion trend. This jacket combines the best of both worlds: on the one hand, it looks good in the city, while on the other hand, it also sports all the important properties of a real outdoor jacket."

http://vingetorix.com

 


Hanwag Real Custom Made Boots Apparel / Helmets / Shoes
Real Custom Made - Customized trekking shoe by Hanwag (Germany)

The first custom-made mountain and trekking shoe. Specially equipped retailers use a 3D laser scanner to measure the customer's feet. This data is used to make the lasts and then the custom-made shoes are manufactured. People with different-sized or shaped feet can now get made-to-order trekking shoes with a perfect fit for the first time.

Jury's opinion: "The first customized trekking shoe. The perfect solution for people with feet of different sizes. And it's incredibly lightweight, too. This shoe has most definitely earned a GOLD award."

www.hanwag.de

 


Valandre Jacket Mountain-climbing equipment:
Valandre Immelman - Down jacket by Valandre (France)

A newly developed chamber system prevents the down from sliding around in this jacket. It was specially designed for use in the high mountains at low temperatures to allow for an extremely wide range of movement.

Jury's opinion: "The right jacket for cold weather in the high mountains. It has been perfectly crafted; there are as few seams as possible and it provides a great fit. A fantastic product for the coldest regions in the world!"

www.valandre.com

 


Mithril Kevlar Jacket Apparel / Helmets / Shoes:
Mithril Kevlar Jacket - Softshell jacket by Klättermusen Ab (Sweden)

A very durable, robust softshell jacket made of 'fluorocarbon-free' Kevlar-reinforced material and certified by sustainable standard for the first time. It is windproof and water-repellent, suitable for climbing as well as for trekking and water sports.

Jury's opinion: "Kevlar has been used in this softshell jacket for the first time, making it last a lifetime! A great contribution to sustainability."

www.klattermusen.se

 



For more information Outdoor Show



Liking the Retro Mambas! ;o)
20 Jul, 2011
Anyone know where you can get Vingetorix in the UK? I like the idea of the jackets for work. S
20 Jul, 2011
BTW the retro draws DMM are doing are the NEW Alpha sport biner in the retro colours... sort of old versus new, not the old Mamba as in the banner pic. The biner Fred is holding is the one you'll be able to buy! Sarah
21 Jul, 2011
I have answered my own question after emailing them. First production this year, on the market start of 2012 but initially only available on the Swiss market. S
21 Jul, 2011
-(
More Comments

Product News at UKC presents climbing, walking and mountaineering equipment posts that will be of interest to our readers. Please feel free to comment about the post and products on the associated thread.
Loading Notifications...
Facebook Twitter Copy Email