Gear companies from around the world released their brand-new summer 2016 products this week at in Salt Lake City. We pored over all of it, and these five products鈥攆rom a brilliant new water filter to a totally reinvented waterproof jacket鈥攚ere 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.
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.
(Columbia)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.
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.
(Jetboil)Patagonia Merino Air Base Layer
Patagonia鈥檚 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.
Patagonia鈥檚 gossamer new base layer is insanely light and airy, but, thanks to a new manufacturing technique, just as warm as its heavier competitors.
(Patagonia)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鈥檚 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.
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鈥檚 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.
(Cascade Designs)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鈥檚 a new supremely simple option: RinseKit. Call it a shower in a box.
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鈥檚 a new supremely simple option: RinseKit. Call it a shower in a box.
(RinseKit)