Technical puffy jackets and ice axes may get you to the top of the mountain, but sometimes you just want to look good. This is Outdoors In Style, GearJunkie’s own weekly outdoor lifestyle column.
Outdoor Retailer is where brands showcase next year’s gear. Some debut bold, out-of-the-blue releases while others stay true to their roots.
GearJunkie was on site in Denver scouring the trade show for technical and core gear. (You can read about that in our “Best In Show” article.)
But we also kept our ears and eyes open for trends in the ever-emerging lifestyle space. And that space is increasingly on companies’ radars – brands collaborated, used flashy colors, and blasted house music from the tops of hotels in downtown Denver to showcase non-technical wares.
Most releases from Outdoor Retailer will hit shelves in 2019. But beyond the availability of the products, the items showcase trends from big outdoor brands.
Delta X: Mammut Launches Urban Streetwear
A group of 12 models stood frozen in an open circle from the rooftop of Le Meridian in downtown Denver. Onlookers stood eager, totally unaware of what would come next.
Electronic house music started pumping out of the speakers. With a beat drop, the models came to life and started to dance. Each wore Mammut’s new Delta X “Urbaneering” Collection.
Mammut, a 156-year-old core mountaineering brand from Switzerland, made a splash at Outdoor Retailer with the release of this technical urban collection.
“For Mammut, the urban environment is far more than simply a new playground,” said Adrian Margelist, chief creative officer of Mammut. “Delta X marks an evolution of our brand DNA and design language from the mountains to the city — from mountaineering to urbaneering.”
Delta X includes technical rain shells, jackets, T-shirts, button-downs, and lacy tank tops. In the garments are waterproof laminates, bonded seams, laser cut fabrics, and Mammut’s Georganic 3D technology.
The Mammut Delta X line is available in summer 2019.
Recycled Denim Cardigan: Toad&Co
Toad&Co is giving your ripped jeans a second life. The Recycled Denim Cardi is made with a blend of 75 percent recycled “mom-jean” denim and 25 percent recycled polyester.
GearJunkie felt the Cardigan at Outdoor Retailer, and it feels nothing like denim. The Cardi is soft to the touch and has a nice indigo color.
To make the yarn, Toad&Co shreds discarded denim and then spins and blends it with recycled polyester. The process uses no water or dye in a 100-percent mechanical process powered exclusively by solar energy.
The Recycled Denim Cardi is available in spring 2019 for $110.
Hydro Flask Shave Ice Collection
The sheer number of water bottle brands out there is staggering. At this point, you can get a water bottle in just about any size, shape, color, coating, and insulation.
For fans of all things tropical, Hydro Flask released its eye-catching Shave Ice Collection. The line comes in three flavors — I mean, colors: Mai Tai, Blue Hawaii, and Hawaiian Rainbow.
Hydro Flask used a unique three-color ombre application for the release — a first for the brand.
As with other Hydro Flask products, the bottles are BPA free, crafted from stainless steel, and insulated via double-wall vacuum. The Shave Ice Collection launches in 2019 for $20-23.
Mountain Hardwear Selvedge Climbing Denim
Climbing jeans are all the rage these days, granting wearers super-stretchy comfort and good looks. Black Diamond released jeans at the show, and major Kickstarters from Boulder Denim and Meridian Line Denim clearly show the trend.
But one brand, Mountain Hardwear, has taken a different approach to climbing jeans. Whereas most brands maximize stretchiness, Mountain Hardwear maximizes durability.
At Outdoor Retailer, Mountain Hardwear released the Selvedge Denim Climb Pant. It’s constructed with Japanese Selvedge Denim (read: no stretch) and 1 percent elastane for a bit of give.
The fabric is real Japanese selvedge from Mitsui in Japan.
Climbing requires freedom of movement, and the Selvedge Pant offers a more relaxed fit so your legs can move within the jeans. And best of all, the jeans have a deep blue hue and will break in with time, so each pair is unique to the user.
Mountain Hardwear designed the jeans to be harness compatible, and you better believe these jeans are durable. The jeans cost $200 and are available in spring 2019.
Tracksmith Strata Tee
On the surface, the Strata Tee is a minimal T-shirt with comfortable fabric and a simple band design across the chest. But under the hood, this T-shirt boasts some of the most cutting-edge fabric out there.
Schoeller coldblack technology keeps you protected from the sun’s rays while minimizing heat absorption. Tracksmith knitted the Strata for breathability, with a closer knit where you need structure and an open knit for improved airflow where you don’t. And best of all, the Strata tee resists odors due to its silver antimicrobial finish.
Tracksmith designed the Strata for running, but it looks good while jetting around town or the track.
