By STEPHEN REGENOLD
Going green is not a new phenomenon in the world of outdoors gear. To be sure, it was almost 15 years ago that Patagonia unveiled a jacket made with fibers derived from recycled soda bottles. But today’s eco-friendly gear — including packs, shoes, socks, gadget cases and camp stoves — reflects an industry-wide push to think broadly about sustainability.
“Consumer demand is there,” said Berne Broudy, a Vermont-based editor with Backpacker magazine who covers the environment. She said sustainable manufacturing processes, new chemical treatments and the availability of materials ranging from organic cotton to PVC-free plastics has changed the industry. “Making a wide range of green gear has now become viable,” Broudy said.
Here are a handful of new products that tout a good eco story as well as performance for use in the field. . .
Carbon Neutral Camp Stove
Wasting little of its flame output, the Primus EtaPower MF stove utilizes up to 80 percent of the heat it generates for cooking — a good eco move to start. But to go another step, the company buys carbon offsets for every EtaPower MultiFuel stove sold, making cooking your hotcakes now a carbon-neutral experience. $190, www.primuscamping.com

Osprey Circuit
Tote gear in an eco-friendly pack: The Osprey Circuit is made of 70 percent recycled materials, including re-born PET plastic, webbing and mesh. Bonus: With a slim laptop-compatible pocket this pack does double duty in town or on the trail. $99, www.ospreypacks.com

Keen Newport Hemp
Woven hemp fiber gives this popular Keen hybrid sandal-shoe a new look. The patented toe guard protects from errant roots and rocks on the trail, while the airy — and eco-friendly — upper lets your feet breathe. $95, www.keenfootwear.com

Solio Hybrid1000
The Solio clips to your backpack while you walk, sucking rays all day and saving the juice in its internal lithium-ion battery. Later, plug in your iPod, or even a laptop computer, to bank off the device’s 5-watt output — enough to power most any mobile device. $79, www.solio.com







