New stuff from Outdoor Retailer

[David Chenault]

Had the chance to run around the OR show for a day, and found a few things of interest.  Full post with photos here.

Summary:

MTI has a new PFD, designed for SUP, which might be the best packrafting PFD yet made.

Sierra Designs’ new pack (the Flex Capacitor) isn’t perfect, and the compression system is a bit busy/heavy for the function it provides, but the suspension is done very well and the anticipated price will make it the best budget load hauler out there.  For folks who prefer an aggressive lumbar pad it will probably be the premier lightweight option.

A number of good trails shoes with aggressive tread patterns, including the new Altra FKT.

[Ben C]

Thanks for sharing.

[Philip Tschersich]

Well done, thanks for that.

*I want those poles*

[Casey Bowden]

Thanks David. I especially liked the following:

“As an introvert who is determined to embrace his aversion to strangers…”

I think that applies to quite a few of us here on BPL.

[David Chenault]

Casey, backpacking may be the backbone of the industry, but it’s in the minority in many ways. Participant numbers and the social dynamic are just the most obvious.

[Richie S]

Great job on the full update.

 

[Richie S]

I know it’s not lightweight, but did you see the new Arcteryx Bora? Wondering about it outside of the heavy marketing spin.

[Thomas Willard]

What is the target audience of the SD Flex Capacitor?  It misses the mark for the traditional thru hiker as we tend to like the outside mesh pockets.

[David Chenault]

I did make a point to check out the new Bora.

For me the more interesting attribute is the bag fabric being laminated to the carbon framesheet/suspension.

As is always the case with Arcteryx it’s an impressively detailed and visually coherent package.  All sorts of little details like how the front panel is put together, and how the zippers are sewn into the lid, speak of a level of thought and craftsmanship you rarely see in outdoor gear.

Unfortunately, and as is also often the case with Arcteryx, aesthetics seem to take precedence and overwhelm fundamental, functional details.  Pivoting hipbelts are a solution to a problem I just don’t think exists.  I want a pack, especially a pack whose purpose is 40+ pounds, to move with my COG, rather than against it.  The previous Bora hipbelt squeaked like crazy when it got sandy, and there was no easy way to clean it in the field.  This new one seems the same in that respect.  The new Bora, again like the old, is very wide and boxy at the bottom, with no good way to compress that volume.  The wing/bottle pockets are well done and handy, but the zips are still smaller waterproof ones and I just can’t see them lasting all that long until the coating starts to flake, which makes the zipper run rough.

[David Chenault]

Thomas, I can see two distinct users.

Transitional or new lightweight backpackers.  The only packs which are as light or lighter, and will carry as well or better, than the Flex Cap will be ~150 dollars more.  When it comes to load carriage the FC will outperform both cottage stuff and Osprey stuff, and be available from Backcountry.com, REi, and the like, at a siimilar or cheaper price and a lighter weight.

Lightweight offtrail/adventure backpackers.  The load carriage, clean feature set, and short height in either 40 or 60 liter mode will make it good for bushwacking, and the suspension allows for good shoulder movement, which will be good for scrambling.  The fabric isn’t enough to hold up to real canyoneering, but should do the job for milder canyon backpacking (think Hayduke Trail).

For the past few years when someone asks me about a pack like the Seek Outside Unaweep but cheaper, I’ve pointed them towards the Exped Lightning.  Now I’ll recommend the FC.

[Jeff Jeff]

Thanks for putting this together. There doesn’t seem to be much coverage of this event this year. At least not yet.

Do you have any other photos of the BD Blitz packs? That could be just what I am looking for if they have one larger than 28L.

[Thomas Willard]

David-

thanks for your insight.  I suppose with the compression system, it would be difficult to have a dedicated front mesh pocket but perhaps an add-on like Exped offers offers may be an option? Front outside pocket space is important to me.

[David Chenault]

No other photos of the Blitz.  I think the 28 is the largest size.  BD is set to have some larger packs based on the same platform, with added features for ski mountaineering.

[Dan @ Durston Gear]

Neat to see Klymit is offering double wide pad and for a reasonable price. I’d like to give one of these a shot sometime but they gotta add some decent insulation and get the weight closer to 30oz. At 40oz and R-1.6 it’s not that appealing.

Exped checks these boxes with their SynMat Hyperlite Duo (28oz, R-3.3) but the price is so high ($279 vs $129 for the Klymit).

[Paul Magnanti]

Interesting.

I went to the OR for my first and only time ~ 1.5 years ago. (Winter edition)

I must admit that I did not like it overall. I called it “Worshipping in the temple of gear“.

Felt like I was trapped in REI for three days. A partial day may have been better.

And while the gear was there and new, it seemed like nothing truly innovative but more moderate improvements over some familiar concepts if I am feeling generous.

But, that may be a reflection on me rather than the OR itself.

I am not very detail oriented overall esp when it comes to gear.

[Richie S]

Thanks David. I had one of the first Boras back in the 1990s and it has some serious nostalgia points for me. It does look impressive, but you’re right, it could be as much of a marketing feature to justify the $500 price tag as a real benefit,

[James L]

Thanks for that report!

Did SD have any display samples of the Clip Flashlight which is to be reintroduced for 2017?

Looking at that gusset design on the Flex Capacitor pack, it seems like the perfect place for a cord shoelace style arangement. I know you dont like cord compresion systems , but given the fact there are two good compression straps on each side,the cord guesset would cinch the gusset up just as well( like a shoelace) and provide a nearly front pocket like place to jam gear underneath..

[Justin Baker]

I’m excited about the Altra FKT’s. I saw a picture of the new superiors in a pre-season booklet at a local running shoe shop, and it looks like they reinforced the area where the uppers meet the sole on the inside edge – that’s where my last pair of superiors ripped out. But I’ve also heard they are making them more cushy, the current superiors out of the box are not as minimal as I would prefer so I will have to order them both when they come out and see. I’m also super exicted about the lone peak mids for snow use.

I might check out that SD pack, I haven’t been able to get my 60 liter unaweep to carry well. Neither morgan or I could figure out the shoulder adjustment, we couldn’t figure out how to tighten the harness against the pack because there is only one ladder lock, it just sits all loose. It’s completely different that the set up on his older paradox evo frame. We ended up using some cord to tie it to the frame. All information on pack fitting seems to refer to the older adjustment system.

[David Chenault]

We were so occupied chatting with Andrew and geeking out on the pack I didn’t much notice the three tents SD had, the High Route and two others.  One might have been the new Flashlight.

Justin, send me a text or email with photos when you get a chance.  Curious about the issue you’re having.

[Federico Calboli]

The thing I am moderately excited about is putting the WPB on the outside of a jacket — if that works for proper solid hiking jackets and allows for colours other than metallic grey I’d be a happy man.  The moderation in my excitement stems from the suspicion that, even in the best case scenario, I will have to buy an old style jacket before these puppies are out in a jacket I’d like to own.

[Marc Dalessio]

allows for colours other than metallic grey

The current ones (Gore One, Arcterxy Norvan SL (this year’s), and the North Face one) are all black. Mammut has an all black one coming out next year (?).

I’m curious to hear about how well they work with backpacks, I’d like to know how quickly it wears down.

UK Climbing has a bunch of videos from the event: http://www.ukclimbing.com/gear/news.php?id=8595.

[William Chilton]

@jimmerul, a little teaser on the Flashlight here http://sectionhiker.com/outdoor-retailer-2016-new-backpacking-and-hiking-gear-roundup/

[Federico Calboli]

@marcdalessio thanks for the heads up on the colour — in the picture Dave posted on his blog it looks grey on my screen!  Having said that I’m still waiting for a more subdued tone (olive or camo, because I’m one of those people…).

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