OutDoor Review Lowe Alpine
Lowe Alpine’s SS11 offering is dominated by the news of its two new proprietary ultra light shell fabric technologies – Triplepoint Lite, and Lightflite. Triplepoint Lite is a unique waterproof and breathable fabric using a 30- denier ripstop nylon outer face laminated to a Triplepoint Ceramic membrane. The membrane itself uses silver ion technology to provide anti-odour performance, and is covered with a fine dot print to give
protection and dry-feel comfort. This 2.5 layer fabric weighs just 80g a square metre.
Highlight of the Lowe Alpine range which used this new fabric was the Velocity 2.5, a jacket for high-end activity or hiking, with an RRP of £100.
Lightflite fabric is based on a super-fine 15 denier tightly-woven nylon face fabric with a super-breathable coating and DWR finish, and weighs just 26g per square metre. Garments include the Lightflite Jacket weighing in at just 70g with an athletic slim fit and high- visibility reflective prints and a customer-friendly RRP of £70.00
Crag Attack 42
There was a lot more to talk about on the stand – including the new Alpine Attack, Peak Attack and Crag Attack packs, but we’ve not got space!
Berghaus Alpine Attack 35 Mount Asgard Smock Therm-a-Rest
Therm-a-Rest underlined their reputation for innovation and sideways thinking with the introduction of the rather lovely Alpine 2c Down Blanket. A realistic alternative to a sleeping bag, it weighs just 624 grams and is a three-season, zip-free blanket that surrounds the top of the mattress. Perimeter snaps provide multiple Therm-a-Rest mattress integration options and the box-baffled 700-fill goose down design provides luxurious comfort and compresses down small for packing.
Berghaus produced one of my favourite garments of recent years with the Smoulder mid-layer; could they continue to please? Of course they can! Lightweight is certainly the direction they’re heading, with a raft of product from the MtnHaus in-house team. The results of this investment include the Mount Asgard Smock, a featherweight waterproof and breathable emergency shell for climbers which includes a helmet-compatible hood. In GORE-TEX 3L Pro Shell fabric, it comes in around 289g.
Improved for 2010 is the Yeti TEVA
Teva also launched new product at OutDoor, including the Gnarkosi, which they say was designed in collaboration with waterskaters and uses Teva’s T.I.D.E GRIP technology for traction, T.I.D.E HYDRO for drainage and T.I.D.E COMFORT for seamless comfort. Drain frame perforations in the toe and heel ensure the shoe is sieve-like in wet situations and a Spider Original rubber outsole offers outstanding grip. Its wider, flatter sole provides maximum surface contact for high performance grip and stability.
Forge Pro was of interest to outdoor retailers too, as this multi-sport shoe also features T.I.D.E GRIP and T.I.D.E COMFORT alongside an inner heel counter for stability, a shoc pad positioned in the heel and Teva E brake technology that provides downhill sole traction. Then of course there’s the excellent Itunda, comfortable on land but superb in water, with Drain Frame technology to let water out. Breathable NuFoam dries quickly, while its TPU shank protects toes and feet from the unwelcome effect of sharp rocks.
18 SGB OUTDOOR AUGUST 2010
Gaiter, now known as the Extrem Yeti Pro. It boasts a new improved rubber rand, hidden single pull tension adjustment, and a large front storm flap. ‘Fast and light’ is their motto for the trail range into 2011, and the range features the Elite half zip, of which the men’s large size weighs just 199g; ladies’ equivalent is 165g.
There’s also the full-zip Hybrid, with reflective panels and a water resistant
Extrem Yeti Pro Hybrid Jacket front, with softshell side and rear panelling.
Lightflite 28
Snugpak
Snugpak’s standout for us was The Bunker, an ominously named but perfectly lovely three-man, two-door tent with internal mesh pockets, and taped seams. With a 5000mm PU-coated fly, rain’s really not an issue and with fly-first pitching and just over 3k kilos in weight, this really is a winner. The other tents on show included the Stratosphere, Ionosphere and Scorpion 2 and 3. Snugpak’s Softie Technik sleeping bags were every bit as nice as the name suggests, rising in weight from 1000g with the Technik 1 up to the high-spec Technik 5 at 2600g.
Design Go
Design Go used the show to launch its Go…Outdoor Essentials range, which aims to give retailers a single supplier solution to derive maximum return from minimum floor space. Standouts include a waterproof money belt, an essential plaster kit (including 20 plasters), the don’t-leave-home-without-one dynamo torch, and bug bands, which apparently cut down the risk of being bitten for the wearer. It’s a shame the SGB team didn’t pack some of those for the trip…
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22