Next Year's Gear Revealed At Outdoor Preview

Petzl

New on the climbing front is the lightest helmet to pass safety standards, weighing in at a measly 235g. It's called the Meteor III and has a series of vents down each side, and at the front, for extra ventilation (87 square cms of them to be precise - double the ventilation in the original Meteor). The idea is that wearing a helmet will become so little of a hassle that all climbers will think 'well, why not?' We'll see how it takes off...

Karrimor

Karrimor have overhauled their range pretty comprehensively, making alterations to no less than 95% of their products. The aim is to go for more of a lightweight feel, in contrast to their reputation as manufacturers of more traditional, and durable, but not necessarily light, products. As one example of the kilo cuts, the 90 l Jaguar backpack has lost a whole 750g in one fell swoop. That's an extra waterproof and soft shell, or three quarters of a litre of water, or a lot of cake, or whatever else you want really:-)

Brasher

Don't deny it, you're already picturing old school, leather boots, like the Hillmaster. Nothing wrong with that, but Brasher have decided a bit of variety does no harm, and gone for an image change. They've re-classified all the items in their range, with a 'heritage' category for the good old leather boot range, but also some new additions. The 'ProVolution' series, for example, is designed for four season mountain walking and includes the Aso GTX - Brasher's first C1 crampon-compatible boot. And in case you're looking for the 'Brasher' label in the shops, the new boots will only be identified by the pebble symbol, not the brand name. Why walk away from your image when you can run away?:-)

On the technology front, the talk is all about the exclusive Tri-Fit system, designed to give additional support and stability. It's a three part system consisting of 'Cross Lateral Support' in the upper, which basically looks like a frame around the ankle, backed up by memory foam technology around the collar of the boot, and a three layer footbed underneath.

Berghaus

While we're on the subject of image changes, Berghaus are also trying to extend their market to younger walkers and go for more of a trendy look. They've planned a big new advertising campaign starting next year, bringing on board Leo Houlding (rock climber and base jumper), Rob Jarman (downhill mountain biking champion), and Anniken Binz (BASE jumper), as well as the Huber brothers, Alan Hinkes, and Sir Chris Bonington. Part of the push for a new Berghaus-wearing generation is cosmetic, with more 'street wear', particularly in the footwear department. The footwear range has expanded for hikers as well though.

One of the keystones of the new range is the Opti Stud system, which comes in three forms - the trekking stud, the running stud, and the general purpose stud. In each case, the stud incorporates supporting bars, so it doesn't flex on impact. The trekking studs are the largest and sturdiest of the trio, with a down-sized running version, so your foot isn't brought up short too suddenly, causing injury. The size of the grips also varies on different parts of the foot, with larger studs running down the centre, in the area where the impact is normally greatest, and smaller ones around the outside. All are built onto Alpha rubber compounds, their new lighter sole system.

Camelbak

The latest from Camelbak is a bizarre new drinks bottle with a valve at the top, instead of a wide bottle lip, and a straw right the way down. The idea is that you can drink with your head facing forwards, and keep your eye on whatever obstacles your bike might hit, rather than having to tip your head backwards. And just in case the word 'valve' conjures up the image of tasty green mould growing in crevices out of the reach of your washing up brush, the whole bottle's dish-washable, so you don't have to worry about getting out the bicarb, or whatever your platypus-cleaning strategy involves. The 750ml version will be launched in November, at £12.99, while the 500ml and 1l versions are to follow next year.

On the pack front, there are a couple of new ones for adventure racing about to be launched, which aren't all that light as adventure packs go - 870g for the 8.6 - 12 l (+ 3 l hydration system) version and 1.03 kg for the 15.7 - 21 l (+ 3 l hydration system) version. The idea is that they'll be more durable than most adventure racing gear though. Features include a zip-up back for compression, and draw strings around the 'waist' and 'neck' of the pack so you can compress it whilst running.

That's it for the fly-by tour of next season's new products. There's plenty more to add, so keep checking the home page, as the editor will return shortly with his digital camera:-) We'll also keep you posted when we have samples from the new ranges, and give you the low-down on how they shape up. In the meantime, you can check our product review system for OMers' views of products in the shops at the moment, or write your own review of your kit.