Five Gear Innovations

June 9, 2010, 9:13 am

In the outdoors world, new backpacks, tents, climbing shoes, and other products are exciting initially but often fail to make a splash long term. Over the past five years, reviewing equipment for camping, hiking, skiing, running, and other sports, a few products and a few ideas have stood out. These “Five Innovations in Gear” below have literally changed the way I do things outside. —Stephen Regenold

1. Merino Wool Base Layers — The fine wool of the merino sheep happens to make a perfect performance fabric for base-layer clothing. Full story here: “Merino Wool Base Layers”

Merino sheep

2. Barefoot-Style Running Shoes — Christopher McDougall’s best-selling “Born to Run” book has seriously ramped up interest in a trend that was already soaring quite high. Full story here: “Barefoot-style Running Shoes”

Minimalist/“barefoot-style” shoe from Inov-8

3. Energy Food that Tastes Good — Remember the energy bars of yore? Or were those hunks of cardboard disguised as food? As a category, energy food has become substantially more palatable. Full story here: “Energy Food that Tastes Good”

Clif BLOKS

4. Single-Speed Bikes — Simple solutions are sometimes the best ones. Thus is the case with single-speed bikes, which have taken off in the past five years for commuters and mountain bikers alike. Full story here: “Single-Speed and Fixed-Gear Bikes”

Fixed-gear up close

5. Hip Pockets on Backpacks — It is a rare day outdoors that I will wear a backpack without a pair of zippered hip pockets on the belt. These small gear holsters are a no-brainer innovation and a logical use of wasted empty space on the side of a hip belt. Full story here: “Hip pockets on Backpacks”

—Stephen Regenold is founder and editor of www.gearjunkie.com.

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Commenting on post : Five Gear Innovations

Posted by Jay - 06/09/2010 04:01 PM

I couldn’t agree with you more, all those innovations rule!

Posted by Nick - 06/09/2010 04:20 PM

Having tried numbers 1 and 2 and verifying their impact it looks like it is try to give 3-5 a whirl. I’ve been wearing wool shirts from both Icebreaker and Patagonia for a couple years now. The Icebreaker gets the most abuse and being black and cleanly styled actually sees a wide variety of settings from backcountry to city. As far as barefoot running goes I’m at the beginning of my long journey to a life of running and just finished reading “Born to Run” today. A highly entertaining must read with a bit of everything (adventure, history, science, life, and religion in the personal running is my religion type of way).

Posted by Dennis - 06/11/2010 07:06 AM

1. I ditched wool 3 decades ago in favor of the (then) new synthetic layers. The new generation of wool base layers is better, but then so are the synthetics. I personally don’t find that wool regulates my body temp any better than the equivalent synthetic – if you choose the right synthetic. Wool may hold up better in use, but I’ve yet to see a synthetic shirt holed by moths – the fate of a Smartwool top I got a few years ago. And even fine-gauge wool gives my skin an allergic reaction. Put me in the “better base layers through chemistry” camp.

3. Yes!! With all the choices out there just about anyone can find an energy-delivery vehicle that matches their metabolism, activity, and taste. I have a friend that loves Shot Bloks, where I go with GU for high-output sports and Clif bars for steady energy. I especially like the Mojo bars, although they do tend to be pretty sticky when eating. A definite step forward.

4. I have to admit I don’t get the whole fixed-gear bike thing. To me, the ability to grab a knee-friendly combination is THE great thing about modern drivetrains. OTOH I have kind of old knees, and I suppose there is something to be said for the simplicity of a drivetrain that’s limited to a chain and 2 cogs. And I welcome anything that gets more cyclists out on city streets. Taking back the city, one fixie at a time. It’s got me thinking about building my “old knees” version of a fixie: 8 – 10 speed rear cluster and freewheel hub, single 39 or 42 tooth chainring. That would get me through everything on my commute…