From technical outdoors slippers to electrolyte-laced hot cocoa, this year’s Outdoor Retailer Winter Market trade show in Salt Lake City proved again to be the best place to peek into the future of gear for the great outdoors. Here are a few hot items that caught my eye on the show floor—water booties, jackets, electrolyte-laced hot cocoa and all. . .
Merrell Apparel’s DIY Puffy Coat—This concept piece from Merrell Apparel is like a puffy down jacket, just without the “puffy” or the “down” parts. Indeed, the jacket comes as an empty shell, a semi-transparent white nylon piece with its insulating areas open and free. It is a blank canvas of sorts ready to be stuffed with whatever insulating items the wearer desires. Just zip open the long pockets and stuff in crumpled newspaper, dead leaves, Styrofoam packing peanuts, or whatever else. Anything light and fluffy—and colorful and cool—are candidate for insulating this customizable winter coat.
Available: Fall 2008; will come in a men’s and women’s version
Price: $99
Contact: www.merrell.com
Clif’s Electrolyte-laced Hot Cocoa—
Made for wintertime athletes, CLIF SHOT Hot Electrolyte is a hydrating and refueling drink hidden under the guise of hot cocoa. Just add 8 ounces of hot water to this powder, stir, and you have a steaming cup to drink during or after cold weather sports that will hydrate and replenish muscles. I tried a few hot shots of the formula at the OR Show. Not bad medicine at all.
Available: Now
Price: $1.69 per packet
