Blackwolf Tuff Dome Tent

New for 2009 the Blackwolf Tuff Dome range of tents fits in between the Blackwolf Classic range of family tents and Blackwolf adventure tents. The Tuff Domes are unique for family-sized domes as they use aluminium poles, 150 denier fly fabric (about double the fabric weight of your average family dome – their Classic tents are 68 denier) and 300 denier oxford polyester for the floor. They are perfect for someone stepping up from an adventure tent because they now have a family but understand the quality components like aluminium poles that their adventure tents have.

The Tuff Dome has a tough floor and tough aluminium poles, is easy to pitch, lightweight to pack and comes in three sizes.

Mountain Hardwear Men’s Refugium Trifecta / Women’s Radiance Jacket

Two San Francisco Bay area companies, Mountain Hardwear and Ardica, are changing the way we use the outer jacket. Introducing the Men’s Refugium Trifecta and Women’s Radiance Jacket, the new 3-in-1 jacket system from Mountain Hardwear. A waterproof/breathable snow sport shell houses a Thermic Micro insulated liner jacket featuring Ardica Technology that is pre wired for the Ardica heat and power system… that’s right, power and heat in a jacket. The jacket not only delivers heat on demand, but can also recharge mobile phone, GPS, SAT phone, head lamp or MP3 player. Ardica’s Moshi Power System is a 295 g portable heat and power system. Three lightweight, flexible, rechargeable lithium-ion batteries are comfortably positioned on the fronts and the back of the jackets. Three temperature settings can provide up to 8.6 hours of on-demand heat to suit the user’s needs. Moshi System only takes two hours to fully recharge from an electrical outlet.

Wenger NewRange Touring

Swiss mountaineer Ueli Steck who climbed the North face of the Matterhorn in January this year in a record time of 1 hour and 56 minutes has turned designer to help Swiss Army Knife manufacturer – Wenger design the NewRange Touring.

The ergonomically optimized handle of the blade has grip that will not slip even if wet or damp, with an anti-slip pyramid shape engraving at the front, and a structure at the back that ensures a firm grip. The tool features a large serrated main blade with safety lock, heavy duty, high grade stainless steel pliers that act as a wire cutter and nut wrench – each is 100 percent foldable, flat screwdriver with exclusive safety lock that doubles as a wire bender, standard ¼ inch bit holder; 50mm screw bits; Phillips PH3, flat 6 x 45mm as well as can opener, reamer, corkscrew and awl with a sewing eye. Phew!

Ueli Steck won the prestigious Piolet d’Or, an annual mountaineering award, in April this year. The Piolet d’Or, French or the Golden Ice Axe, was held this year in Europe between Courmavur, Italy and Chamonix-Mont Blanc, France.

COLEMAN Quad Lantern

Those diehard campers at Coleman are always looking to make the camping experience that little bit more comfortable and accessible so they are introducing the Quad Lantern to their 2009 range. This lantern is four lights in one with a very clever docking facility that allows you to remove any of four lights as required and return to create a full lantern. Each removable pod contains NiMH rechargeable batteries – with an individual runtime of 1.5 hours. The main dock will charge the pods and illuminate for a 360-degree light. The Quad Lantern uses 24 X 5 mm white LEDs that output 190 lumens and have a runtime of up to 75 hours. These clever guys are available from August.

Sea to Summit
Delta Mug and InsulMug

One of the great pleasures of the SOTA experience is the coffee stand at the Sea to Summit display. This year the savvy STS team handed out coffee (good coffee too!) in the super smart InsulMug. Designed by STS the InsulMug along with the Delta Plate, Mug and Bowl are made using the patented Protex hex pattern base which disperses surface temperature, whilst the EVA ThermoSkin on the InsulMug ensures your drink retains heat without being to hot to handle. The hollow, cool-grip rim provides another ergonomic holding option, so the mug maintains a low-profile without the need for a hard-to-pack handle.
The food-grade, BPA-free, Nylon 66 material has an incredible strength-to-weight ratio, it is impervious to odours and stains and it will not crack in extreme cold. The large 473 ml volume Delta Mug and InsulMug features a stable, hard-to-topple low profile design with a wide diameter base and a weight of only 62 g and 125 g. This is the complete gear lover’s mug.

Backpackers Pantry Astronaut Ice Cream

We have wondered, if you decide to follow your childhood dream and take on the rigours of space work would you also sacrifice many of life’s small delights, like ice cream? Having spotted Astronaut Ice Cream we are reconsidering our career choice. Originally developed for the early Apollo Missions, Astronaut Ice Cream is real ice cream that is frozen to -40°C, then vacuum-dried and placed in a special polyfoil pouch. And for all budding astronauts out there (like us), Astronaut Ice Cream packages include interesting facts and information about the process and development of freeze-dried foods. Freeze-dried foods are used by astronauts eating under weightless conditions in space, and they continue to be used on NASA missions today. With flavours like Neapolitan and chocolate and weighing only 28grams who wouldn’t take them out on their next mission. Or aim smaller, and take this tasty delight on your next camping trip instead.

Therm-a-rest NeoAir

For a good nights sleep it’s hard to go past the efficiency of the NeoAir from the sleep-loving team at Therm-A-Rest. The NeoAir uses a patent pending reflective barrier which returns warmth to your body and reduces heat loss to the ground, keeping you up to three times warmer then a regular uninsulated air mattress. The Triangular Core Matrix technology creates an internal truss system which creates a super stable air mattress. The NeoAir can be inflated directly and with no insulating down or fibre, no need to worry about exhaled moisture entering the mat. This full size mat packs down to the size of a 1.5 L water bottle and weighs less then 400 g… impressive.

Icebreaker Superfine Lite Pizzano Dress

This is one for the outdoor ladies (or men, if you like, we don’t discriminate). A little black dress that can be thrown on at the end of a hard day outdoors, is also a perfect in-flight dress for that next long-haul trip, is a super comfy option when sitting around the campfire, or simply throw it on for an instant outfit on any other weekend! This little number is made from 190 weight merino wool and is part of Icebreakers’ Superfine range. Perfect for travel, this dress is breathable, odour resistant and easy to care for. Cool in the heat and warm after dark making this a versatile and trans seasonal staple.

Vasque Footwear
M Possible SS – Alpine

Sea to Summit has recently scored the rights to distribute Vasque footwear in Australia. This legendary brand is based in Red Wing, Minnesota, USA, and has built over forty years of solid brand loyalty through manufacturing high performance footwear.

The company started out manufacturing work boots in the early 1960’s under the Red Wing banner. Numerous loyal wearers were writing to Red Wing suggesting they should create a boot that offered the superior construction, function and fit of their famous work boots, but could be used on the weekends for outdoor recreation. They wanted a boot for play. The outdoor footwear side of the company was born.
The name Vasque comes from an observant employee noticing on a map of Europe that the Basque region along the France and Spain border formed a ‘V’. The ‘V’ replaced the ‘B’ and the Vasque brand was born. The ‘V’ came from the original brand name ‘Voyager’.

Wilderness Systems Zephyr 155st Limited Edition Kayak

This is one for the paddling purist. A limited edition kayak that combines advanced materials and engineering with breathtaking beauty and meticulous craftsmanship. The Zephyr 155st Limited Edition is a unique lay up of fibreglass, carbon and Kevlar fibre infused with vinyl ester resin. Delivering a lightweight craft that doesn’t compromise strength, impact resistance or durability. This model is engineered for manoeuvrability, responsiveness and sea-worthy tracking. Built ready to tackle expedition and extended camping trips, the Zephyr is equally at home in the seas. Wilderness Systems have been developing and building quality adventure kayaks since 1986 and have built a reputation on performance and comfort. These attributes are evident in every aspect of this unique craft. Individually numbered, only 50 of these handcrafted kayaks will be available worldwide, with prices still to come. So you better get to it, if you can see yourself stroking along in one of these sexy craft…

Vaude Ecosystem

The good folk at Vaude say that they see themselves as a ‘partner to the environment’. Happy to back up words with action they have launched the Vaude ecosystem. Already the first European outdoor company to achieve eco-registration through the EU Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS), Vaude has also become a member of bluesign a commitment to sustainable practices and corporate responsibility.

So it is no surprise to see a new range of bags under the Ecosystem banner manufactured from recycled PET plastics. Marrying European styling and functionality with environmental ideals this range looks good and will put your guilty gear devouring conscious at ease.

Cotinus Jumper Kathmandu

The Cotinus Jumper is part of the new Enact range from Kathmandu. The Enact range of clothing uses organic cotton, recycled polyester and hemp fabrics. The zippers are made using 100 percent recycled yarns and the buttons are constructed from 90 percent recycled cotton and 10 percent recycled polyester and plastics. In addition, the dyes used are from organic cotton plant dyes.

Silkbody Pilot Top

What’s behind the Silkbody story? An army of little worms spinning to their little hearts content. The result is a soft, lightweight fabric, which has an amazing ability to absorb moisture. The hygroscopic silk fibre absorbs one third of its own weight in moisture without feeling damp. The absorbed moisture is evaporated into the environment or absorbed by outer clothing layers. Silk is extremely versatile, especially for travelling, for luxurious warmth in winter or as a super lightweight, breathable garment in summer that will keep you dry and cool. Also odour resistant and super smooth, as the saying goes, silky smooth. Silkbody’s new Pilot Top is the ultimate in adventure base layer clothing. It was developed in conjunction with a hang glider pilot looking for the perfect base layer. Features include sunglasses slots, off-centre front zip, thumb loops and flat seams. The stealth looking all-in-one hood and top eliminates any chilling neck gaps.