This week, we’re sending a small army of writers, editors and videographers out to Denver, Colorado to cover the Outdoor Retailer Summer Show. As one of the biggest outdoor events in North America, it’s a great time for our experts — and you — to get to see firsthand what innovations, updates and new products are coming down the pipeline for the coming seasons.
Starting Tuesday, June 18th you can expect daily updates from the floor of the Colorado Convention Center. Whether you want to know more about the latest backcountry gear, the newest materials or the Rivian R1T electric truck, you can follow along here and at @gearpatrol for the duration of the three-day event. We’ll post the latest news, roundups, video clips and exclusive coverage below as they go live on the site.
OUTDOOR RETAILER 2019
Editors Picks
Daily Roundups
Stand-Out Gear
Editors Picks
These 12 Amazing Products Will Revolutionize Your Next Outdoor Adventure
At the country’s biggest outdoor trade show, we picked a dozen awesome items we can’t wait to see hit shelves in the year ahead.
Daily Roundups
The Best New Outdoor Gear We Spotted at Outdoor Retailer: Day 1
Much in the same way that techies tune into Apple’s special events every year, Outdoor Retailer captures the attention of industry insiders and enthusiasts alike every June. It’s here that the latest, greatest and yet-to-be-released hiking equipment and outdoor gear sees first light. We’ve sent an entire team of writers, editors and videographers out to Colorado to capture the 3-day event — here is what they saw on Day 1.
The Best New Outdoor Gear at Outdoor Retailer: Day 2
All the gear news and releases for Fall 2019 and Spring 2020 are dropping at Outdoor Retailer. Day 1 was a whirlwind and Day 2 promises to be even better. Check out our team’s roundup of the best of the best from Day 2 at Outdoor Retailer.
The Best New Outdoor Gear at Outdoor Retailer: Day 3
For the final day of the Outdoor Retailer event, there are even more new releases and innovative outdoor products of the future to discover. Keep up with our team on the ground in Denver as we discover everything from compact and lightweight canister stoves to a sleeping bag that incorporates titanium, and much more. Our roundup of the hottest new gear from Outdoor Retailer Day 3 is right here.
Stand-Out Gear
This CamelBak Vest Will Keep you Hydrated All Day Long
This vest will get you out the door to the mountains in a jiffy.
Black Diamond Is Making its First Shoes That Aren’t Just for Climbing
Two years after making its first rock climbing shoes, Black Diamond reveals a new collection of footwear for life on and off the rock.
This CamelBak Vest Will Keep you Hydrated All Day Long
This vest will get you out the door to the mountains in a jiffy.
We’re in Love with the Lightest, Most Packable Camp Stool Ever
The Hillsound BTR is so light and compact, you can stash it in the water bottle slot of your backpack and almost forget it’s there till you reach your campsite and have a seat that is much, much better than a rock (in case you were wondering what BTR stands for).
This 2020 Sleeping Bag Is Warmer and Lighter — Thanks to Titanium?
When outdoor gear makers equip sleeping bags with new innovations, it typically results in a sack that’s lighter, warmer or, in many cases, both. That’s true for Rab’s forthcoming Mythic Ultra sleeping bags, which use a new fabric technology to, according to the brand, increase warmth by 32 percent without increasing weight.
This Impossibly Small Canister Stove Is the Sleekest We’ve Seen
Primus introduces an incredibly travel-friendly canister stove that’s ultralight and barely bigger than a roll of quarters when condensed for stashing in your pack.
2019’s Most Popular Hiking Shoe Gets an Earth-Friendly Update
Back in February, Adidas dropped the Free Hiker, and the outdoor world went crazy for it. The Adidas Terrex Free Hiker Parley is the next iteration of the uber-popular shoe, now with sustainable upper material.
This Duffle Survived Two Weeks Under Water
If you’re packing for a water adventure that involves some traveling over a large body of water, Dakine’s newest duffle, the Cyclone Hydroseal, is the move. It’s fully submersible, meaning you don’t have to sweat about the possibilities that your phone, laptop and other electronics get thrown overboard.
Darn Tough’s Retro-Styled Gym Socks Will Upgrade Any Workout
Darn Tough brings durability to its athletic socks. Old school stripes make for a not-too-flashy design that we can’t wait to rock to the gym, CrossFit box and even on the road.
Your Perfect Travel Water Bottle Is Almost Here
To complement its range of packable bags and travel accessories, Matador is releasing a one-liter water bottle that weighs less than 2.5 ounces and packs down tiny when it’s empty. The container is made of TPU and includes markings to let you know how much is in it, as well as a small handle for use with a carabiner and a one-way bite valve instead of the screw-on lid you might encounter with similar flexible plastic bottles.
Ace Your Next Cookout With Snow Peak’s Three-Layered Charcoal Grill
The Snow Peak Kojin Grill will instantly upgrade your future backyard BBQs thanks to its sleek design and three-layer interior.
The New Skechers Trail Shoe Looks Radically Fast
Skechers brings its relatively new and super lightweight Hyper Burst foam (the same deployed in the Go Run 7 and the GoRun Razor 3 Hyper) to trail shoes. The Go Run Speed Trail Hyper has a burrito construction and self-tightening heel lock for the perfect fit, plus the forefoot plate provides an added spring to your step on hills.
Your Dog Needs a Perfectly Constructed Dog Bed — That’s Also Easy to Clean
Yeti’s products are engineered to perform in a range of conditions and survive chaos — and no detail was forgotten when designing the brand’s new dog bed. Those in Yeti nation with dogs will love it, and those without dogs will likely think about getting one.
An 87-Year Old Company Just Made Its First True EDC Pocket Knife
Helle, a Norwegian knife brand that’s been in operation since 1932, is releasing its smallest knife ever, the Kletten. The folding pocket knife has a 2.1-inch drop-point blade made of Helle’s triple laminated stainless steel and a handle made of curly birch wood, and it weighs just three ounces.
Yakima’s Versatile New Roof Rack Makes Packing For Overland Adventures a Snap
With more and more people planning trips that get them outdoors and further away from any gear rental spots, it makes the most sense to bring your bikes, SUPs, fishing rods and other big adventure items with you. The LockNLoad platform rack features side-to-side slats that make it super customizable so that you can load up a kayak or skis or a tent — all on your car roof.
We’ve Never Seen a Headlamp Quite Like Knog’s Newest Light
The Knog Bandicoot is just 60 grams, lighter than most headlamps we’ve used in the past, and since it’s mostly silicone, there are no water worries; you can wear in the rain for your long run and it’ll still shine brightly. At $35, it’s on the very affordable end of headlamps, especially ones that are USB rechargeable and waterproof.
The Ultimate Disaster Survival Bag Just Doubled Its Impact
Uncharted Supply Co. already makes some of the most thought-out survival kits available to help you survive everything from a tornado to a hurricane to a forest fire. This bag doubles its life-saving capacity from one person to two.
This Clever $25 Item Will Be the Easiest Way to Upgrade Your Tent
Stakes — the nails that lock your tent to the ground — might not be the most obvious element of a tent in need of innovation, but Nemo Equipment decided to rethink them anyway. It tackled two all-too-common stake problems: they’re easy to trip on in the dark, and they’re covered in dirt when you remove them from the ground. Nemo is solving both issues at once with the same feature — a sliding glow-in-the-dark band that scraps dirt away in one swoop.
In 2020, Hikers Will Get a Hydration Breakthrough the Military Has Used for Over a Decade
Filters offer a more palatable alternative to water treatment products like iodine and chlorine, but they can be bulky, and they add an extra step — pumping — to the process of wilderness hydration. MSR’s forthcoming Thru-Link Microfilter simplifies filtration: the 2.5-ounce, two-stage system splices into hydration systems (like those made by CamelBak and HydraPak) between the hose and bladder to filter water as a user drinks.
A First Look at Tecnica’s New Customizable Running Shoe
Recently, Tecnica revealed that its next stride in footwear is toward trail running, with the announcement of the Origin, a custom-fit running shoe for trail runners.
Chrome Industries’ New Voodoo Doughnut Backpack Makes Us Hungry
When Chrome Industries and Voodoo Doughnut got together, out popped the beautifully whimsical Limited-Edition Voodoo X Chrome Volcan bag.
Peak Design Rethought the Tripod and the Results Are Incredible
In every one of its products, Peak Design harnesses intelligent design to create no-brainer items that are remarkably easy to use. It’s true about everything from its backpacks to its camera straps, and it’s true about the Travel Tripod, which might be its most technically complex product to date.
A First Look at Yeti’s New Gear Storage Box
Yeti just revealed its first new large item of the year: a cargo box called the LoadOut GoBox 30. It’s gear storage hyperbole; like the bombproof ice vault coolers that gave the brand its original cult following, the GoBox is nigh indestructible, waterproof and dustproof. It is, to use an all-too-common turn of phrase, a Rubbermaid bin on steroids.
Celebrate Issue Ten with Us at Our Happy Hour in Denver
If you’re in Denver, don’t miss our happy hour celebrating the upcoming release of Gear Patrol Magazine, Issue Ten with Topo Designs. Join us on Wednesday, June 19 from 5:30-7:30 pm MT for an evening of pizza, beer, gourmet s’mores and experiencing the skills of a master knife sharpener. Special guests James Brand, Fat Tire and AutoCamp will be there, too.
