Indonesian Digital News Archive

While at Outdoor Retailer earlier this month I met with the good folks from SlingFin to checkout some of the products they are currently producing and have in the pipeline. The company has some fantastic tents that are versatile, well designed and the perfect option for those traveling in environments that range from arctic to desert to alpine and beyond. At the time I remarked that they were especially great for adventure guides who needed a single shelter that could operate in a variety of environments.

While chatting with the SlingFin staff I got the clear impression that they were a talented and creative group who have more ideas on how to improve gear than they have hours in the day to actually implement them. One of the products they were showing off at the time was a new backpack that they lovingly named the Honey Badger. It didn't look like anything else I had seen at OR. It was  lightweight, waterproof and incredibly versatile. It is designed to be easily repaired by the owner, can be used in a variety of activities and can quickly go from our backs to being mounted on a bike for a long distance cycling adventure. Like it's namesake, the Honey Badger is also tough and rugged, so it can take whatever punishment we throw at it.

Fast forward a few weeks and SlingFin has launched a  Kickstarter campaign to get the Honey Badger off the ground. The pack is now out of the prototype stage and has moved into pre-production. The company is hoping to raise $175,000 to get the product off the ground and after just a few days they already have 70 backers and have raised a considerable chunk of change. Ultimately they hope to have the HB in production within about six to eight months.

If you're interested in smaller gear companies who are doing innovative things, than I'd definitely invite you take a look at the SlingFin website to see what they have to offer. I'd also encourage you to checkout the Honey Badger Kickstarter page to learn more about that product as well.

Over the past few weeks I've posted a few times about some of the new gear that was on display at the Outdoor Retailer Summer Market in Salt Lake City. One of the companies that brought a lot of new, innovative gear to the show was Sierra Designs, which not only showed off their waterproof Down options, but also had new gear to keep us warm, called the Cloud Layer System, on display. But perhaps most impressive of all was their new Mojo UFO tent, a 4-season shelter that weighs just 1 pound 11 ounces. (.76kg) including the poles and fly. The kicker? It comes with quite a hefty price tag. When available in the spring, the tent will cost $1800.

Just one glance at the tent tells you exactly where it derives its name. The thing looks otherworldly or at the very least high tech. It is made of Cuben Fiber, a very lightweight but insulating material that has been used in a few other tents in the past. Sierra Designs also outfitted their offering with carbon fiber poles, which helps to reduce the weight even further. That addition will help to make this one of the lightest free-standing, two-person tents on the market when it drops in a few months time.

While $1800 doesn't make this the most expensive tent around (there are mountaineering options that run more) it is definitely on the more expensive end of the spectrum when it comes to backpacking tents. Because of that, SD says they'll only make them in limited quantities, although I'm sure there will be some gear hounds that are obsessed with weight enough to shell out the cash.

I have to say, seeing this tent in person it was impressive. Sierra Designs had it floating in air at the entrance to their booth, which made it nearly impossible to miss. But personally I think I could get by with a tent that weighs a but more and costs a lot less. Think about all the other gear you could purchase with the money you'd save!

The 2012 Outdoor Retailer Summer Market gets underway later this week and most of the gear manufacturers will be on hand showing off their latest creations. The bi-annual event is a busy and wild  affair featuring more backpacks, boots and jackets than you could ever possibly hope to see. But it is also an opportunity to mean some very interesting people, network and talk outdoor adventure for a few days. In preparation for the oncoming gear-pocolypse, several websites have begun posting previews of what we can expect in the way of new gear.

Over at Trailspace.com there are previews of new climbing equipment and backcountry camping gear. Amongst the items that will be enticing you to spend money when they hit stores is the new Black Diamond Vapor climbing helmet, which weighs in at just 6.6 oz (187 grams) and a new rope bag from Millet that keeps your gear nicely organized. Campers will be interested in new tent lines from both Eureka and Mountain Hardwear, not to mention a new sleeping bag from Therm-a-Rest who enters that market for the first time.

Trailspace always does a great job of reporting OR news directly from the show so be sure to keep an eye on their Outdoor Retailer Summer Market 2012 Coverage page.

The Gear Junkie has also posted an early look at some of the gear that will be on display in Salt Lake City this week with some unique and interesting items catching his attention. For instance in his first preview we get a glimpse at Kelty's new air-pole tent that features an inflatable frame to keep it in place and a minimalist hydration pack from Platypus designed for cyclists. Gerber has a new flashlight powered by a crank, while a company called Biolite introduces a cook-stove that generates power to recharge your cell phone as well. GJ's second preview includes other intriguing gear such as  Mountainsmith's new lightweight, three-season tent that uses trekking poles to keep it suspended. We also get a look at new alpine boots from Scarpa – designed by Ueli Steck no less – that promise to shed bulk and weight while remaining comfortable. Granite Gear introduces a new backpack with a host of features that mountaineers are sure to love which will be available later in the year too.

I'll be headed out to Salt Lake City for the show on Wednesday and I'll be there when the doors open on Thursday morning. Like last year I intend to share as much stuff as I can directly from the show floor, so if you're interested in checking out the new gear as it's announced follow me on Twitter at @KungFuJedi. I promise to include photos of the gear as often as I can so you'll have an idea of what to expect when this stuff hits the market in a few months time.