Outdoor Market Alliance Summer 2024: Gear Trends and Cool Things we Saw
What to look forward to in outdoor gear
Seven of Treeline Review’s editors and writers talked with nearly 80 companies at the Outdoor Market Alliance’s (OMA) Summer 2024 Denver Media Show this month.
We discovered what’s new and exciting in the world of outdoor gear and wanted to share it with our readers. Best yet—the Outdoor Market Alliance show is a non-profit that donates proceeds to getting more folks outsides, like this show that donated to Women’s Wilderness.
Here's what we’re looking forward to testing for Fall 2024 and Spring 2025.
Interested in winter gear trends? See our OMA Winter article.
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The new Hubba Hubba LT tent with solution-dyed mesh and tent fabric.
Less traditional sustainability, more PFC-free
One thing I’m always keen on hearing from makers in the outdoor industry is how they’re working to become more sustainable. Over the past few years, I’ve heard heaps—manufacturers have turned to quite a bit of recycled materials in their manufacturing and they should be commended for finding better ways to reuse and repurpose other materials like plastic bottles into clothing.
Cradle-to-grave lifecycles
Some companies have committed to strategies where they have developed what’s known as cradle-to-cradle or circular lifecycles for their products. NEMO’s Endless Promise designs, which we discussed in our winter OMA roundup, are probably one of the best examples of this type of design commitment.
Waterproofing that is PFC and PFAS-free (not intentionally added)
Treeline Review editor Becca Downs lounging in the new Stargazer chair made with eco-friendly fabric. See more on this below in Liz’s section.
At this summer’s OMA a lot of the sustainability discussions took a backseat to other things. But there was a consistent and very prescient matter that we kept hearing about…the elimination of forever chemicals, otherwise known as PFAS or PFCs.
This is hugely important for the world as these forever chemicals are pervasive, they’re in everything from clothes and plastics to pots and pans and have made their way into the groundwater and indeed most living things including us. There’s concern that these chemicals, which last for a very long time, can cause illnesses including cancer. So we need to get rid of them and states are outlawing the use of them and working on cleaning them up.
Previous formulations of waterproofing, like Gore-Tex, used these long-lasting chemicals to make clothing, shoes and other gear waterproof. Now, Gore-Tex and gear manufacturers are swiftly moving away from their use as bans from states and retailers are being enacted. New York and California (two of the US’s largest markets) are among the first that will require apparel manufacturers to end the use of them and Safer States has a list of states and retailers, like REI committed to ending the use of these chemicals, but it will take time.
At least one manufacturer at OMA noted that moving to PFAS-free manufacturing methods means they have to look at everything in their manufacturing process. In some cases they can’t yet guarantee that a single thread used in the manufacture of their shoes or pants is 100% PFAS free, for instance.
Safer dyes
Another thing I always like to hear about is companies that are doing their best to reduce the use of other chemicals and waste water in the manufacturing process.
For that reason I was excited to learn about MSR moving to solution dye on the mesh and tent body of the next round of its popular Hubba Hubba line of tents, the Hubba Hubba LT and its less expensive Elixir line of tents. MSR says the use of solution dyeing in these materials means a reduction of 80% carbon emissions in the manufacturing of them. And yes, the rain flies are PFAS-free and seam-sealed.
First glimpse at the new Thule upright bike rack
Innovative design for mountain bike cargo racks
In mountain biking gear, two items caught my eye. Thule has now joined the growing number of bike rack manufacturers offering an upright bike rack that can carry 4-6 bikes with only the tires touching the rack, reducing any chance of damaging the bike frame. Each set of trays can handle bikes up to 52 pounds. The entire rack also is mounted on a hydraulic swing arm that makes it easy to access a truck tailgate or the back door of an SUV without removing the rack—or the bikes and is easy to push back into an upright position for driving with the bikes. The hydraulic arm might be the defining feature because it’s much easier to use than models without the feature.
A look at the 3D-printed back panel and back protector on Deuter’s upcoming Hiline pack.
3D printing
Another interesting piece was the new Hiline mountain bike backpack from Deuter. Rather than a trampoline-style mesh back panel or raised foam back panel, the backpack has a 3D-printed back panel that keeps most of the backpack off your back allowing for significant ventilation and minimal contact with your back while riding. This should mean a lot less sweat and, in manufacturing the pack, it means a lot less waste since 3D printing is an additive process the back panels are essentially zero waste.
It’s not the first such back panel we’ve seen using 3D-printing. We remember Jack Wolfskin introducing the concept a few years ago. But it’s the first time we’ve seen it in a mountain bike backpack application and we’re interested in seeing how well it actually performs and whether the suspension and minimized contact points actually work as expected. The pack also has a 3D-printed Level 2 back protector in it that’s the most flexible back protector of that level we’ve seen to date. This pack won’t be out till 2025 but we’ll let you know what we find out we put our backs into it! -Chris Meehan, contributing writer
Salewa’s Alpine Hemp jacket is a new technical jacket featuring sustainable fibers.
Natural Fibers!
The push towards becoming PFC-free by REI’s deadline (2025) seems to have distracted some brands from their overall push towards integrating sustainable materials into their new products.
However, several brands showcased at this year’s OMA have stood out for integrating natural fibers into their clothing and even shoes. Some other brands also stood for sustainable choices and I’ll touch on those as well. But this year, it was (mostly) all about the fibers. I saw garments made with organic cotton, beech wood, wool, bamboo, and tencel. But what stood out most was hemp.
Hemp clothing and shoes
Salewa showcased its new Alpine Hemp clothing collection, which features an abrasion resistant stretch fabric made of a combination of hemp, recycled polyester, and elastane. This fabric is super soft to the touch, much more comfortable than outdoorsy polyester fabrics. Hemp is also thermo-regulating, breathable, and strong. Is this the new unicorn fabric of the outdoor industry? Or will too many people be unable to take it seriously and simply make weed jokes? I’m looking forward to finding out.
Perhaps even more notably, Salewa is now making their shoes with hemp as well, and not in the upper fabric portion either. They’ve designed a midsole material that uses a combination of EVA foam and hemp. EVA foam midsoles are one of the many challenges shoe manufacturers face in creating more sustainable footwear. Salewa is cutting the amount of EVA that goes into every shoe with a polymerized hemp compound. I’m excited to test a pair of these shoes that cushion with hemp as well.
Salewa’s Alpine hemp line also extends to shoes.
Royal Robbins, which Becca goes into detail about below, has also been using hemp fibers in their clothing for years along with organic cotton, wool, and beech wood. Their new Camino Shirt is made of 70% recycled Beech wood. They’ve also revamped their Desert Pucker, which is a wildly comfortable favorite made of a combination of beech wood and organic cotton. The Desert Pucker now comes in a women’s cut and is subtly techy in a way that only natural fibers allow.
Cotton
Kuhl’s Deviator shirt is made of a cotton-lyocell blended fabric. Cotton isn’t the most high-performing fiber, but it is very breathable and the lyocell adds odor resistance. Brands who are commonly thought of as “outdoor lifestyle” more than performance, like Kuhl and Royal Robbins, have been using natural fibers in their clothing for years. In a sense, they’re now leading the industry while brands like Salewa, who design for alpine athletes, follow.
Wool
Outdoor Vitals is also releasing an updated version of their Tern wool sun hoody. This redesign features NUyarn, an incredibly soft and stretchy wool blend that doesn’t absorb water and sag like some wool fabrics do. As an ultralight backpacking brand, they know exactly how much the Tern weighs—5 ounces.
Icebreaker, who is known for natural wool fiber blends, is releasing a new ZoneKnit Seamless Base Layers, which are a merino wool and tencel blend with a bio-based elastane for stretch. Adding stretch to fabrics using natural materials has long been a challenge for garment makers, and I’m excited to see how this bio-based elastane compares to traditional elastic materials.
Fjallraven’s hemp shirts are designed with a classic look.
Fjallraven’s hemp t-shirts are designed with a color palette that works with last year’s models and future models.
Color palettes that work from year to year
Finally, Fjallraven provided a much needed breath of fresh air at a point in two days of looking at new gear by mentioning they weren’t releasing very much new clothing next year. Everything new that they are making is in the same color palette as well. This means you can mix and match your older and durably-made clothing, like the G1000 pants made with organic cotton and recycled polyester, with any new garments you do need. And of course, Fjallraven has a few hemp garments in their clothing line as well. -Sam Schild, contributing writer
Versatile pieces to pare DOWN your wardrobe
Treeline writers from left to right: Erica Zazu, Becca Downs, Chris Meehan, and Liz Thomas.
Another theme we noticed at the OMA media show this summer is a trend of helping folks pare down their wardrobe by making more versatile, all-in-one or multi-activity gear. This trend was particularly noticeable with clothing and footwear. For example, brands like Fjallraven, Cotopaxi, and Royal Robbins showcased shirts, pants, dresses, and jackets that blend casual wear, travel, and performance.
Casual and travel wear
Fjallraven’s new Abisko dress is intended for both casual and travel days, but is made of breathable material that performs well on day hikes. The new Sun Hoody dress will also make a great trail-to-town dress. Additionally, their upcoming fall and spring lines show very few new items in an effort to be more sustainably-minded.
Cotopaxi has new and updated shirts, pants, and jackets that are designed for travel, casual wear, hiking, and active lifestyle. I’m particularly looking forward to testing the new Brinco skort, which blends technical materials for breathable outdoor wear, functional pockets, and a cute design.
Royal Robbins’ updated their classic Camino and Desert Pucker shirts, reviving archive prints and giving the women a higher hem for a more updated, trendy look. This shirt is not just cute, but made of a beech wood blend that is soft, quick-drying, and stain resistant for medium-output activities like hiking, biking, walking, and climbing. Royal Robbins is also releasing the All In Short, intended for river use, biking, and other medium output activities. They’re made of nylon, have no liner, and have three pockets.
Cotopaxi’s technical hiking shorts have a retro look.
Royal Robbins has a new Mosquito Protection Tech line of clothes that bugs can’t bite through.
Mosquito Protection clothing
Additionally, Royal Robbins is releasing a new Mosquito Protection Tech (MPT) line of clothing made from a tighter weave that doesn’t allow mosquitoes to sting though. As someone who grew up in a muggy, mosquito-ridden environment and spent many itchy summers completely covered in mosquito bites, this naturally mosquito-resistant material (that’s also so soft!) makes a great, versatile addition to one’s wardrobe.
Trail-to-town versatile shoes
Shoe companies — which typically engineer hyper-specialized shoes for specific occasions (which runners among us haven’t felt the need to own a pair of shoes each for speed workouts, distance workouts, long runs, recovery days, and race day?) — are now also showcasing multi-use shoes.
Scarpa, for example, showcased their Rapid approach shoes, which also serve as lightweight hiking shoes. They’ve also updated the Rush, a lightweight hiker that also works as a trail running shoe. For folks with multiple hobbies, this is a great way to buy less by buying one thing that serves you for several activities. -Becca Downs, contributing editor
Education on caring for PFAS-free gear
Treeline Review writers at OMA from left to right: Stasia Stockwell, Becca Downs, Liz Thomas, Mary Beth Skylis, and Sam Schild.
As Chris mentioned above, there was a lot of conversation around removing PFAS chemicals from product lines across the board, and that of course included apparel. Waterproof breathable pieces like hardshell jackets have been one of the challenging pieces to convert as the industry moves away from traditional Gore-Tex and other membranes that historically used PFAS chemicals.
PFAS-free hardshells
The new Gore-Tex ePE membrane is now being implemented in multiple brands’ offerings. This includes Arc’teryx, who is working to convert their whole line to Gore’s ePE membrane. While they don’t have a specific date to reach this goal, our favorites from their ski line—the Sentinel and Sabre—will be PFAS-free starting this fall.
We’ve tested a couple jackets with this new membrane and actually think it’s a bit more supple, a little less crinkly, and breathes better than traditional membranes–all while keeping moisture out.
Garment care education
The big difference is how we care for garments with these new PFAS free membranes. One of the big reasons these chemicals have been used in waterproof gear for so long is because of their ability to repel oil and other liquids like it.
What that means for the new apparel that forgoes these chemicals is simply that they’ll need to be washed more often. And this is what many brands are hoping to get across to their customers: the new Gore is just as good, it just needs a bit more care than your old stuff, like washing a few times a season (instead of maybe just once a year) and retreating with a PFAS-free DWR with something like Nikwax (which has always been PFAS-free).
And while it may seem counterintuitive, washing your hardshell properly is actually good for the material and prolongs the life and performance of the garment. -Stasia Stockwell, contributing writer
Comfort hiking, backpacking, and camping
As materials get lighter, more brands are choosing not to count the grams but how to create gear designed for more comfortable hiking, camping, and backpacking. Clever design makes it easier to carry stuff and easier to get out there–even if it's a little heavier.
Camping gear
Nemo took their popular Stargazer camp chair and has made it more foldable and collapsible so you can bring it sports games. We love the Stargazer but the new system is more packable and dare I say, comfortable, than the car camping model.
Backpacking gear
The best example is a new line of backpacking gear aimed at comfort. The Therm-a-Rest Loft sleeping pad is almost like a hybrid of their popular NeoAir and the comfort of their car camping mattress, the Mondo King. The result is a 24-oz backpacking mattress that is as thick and soft as a car camping mattress.
Modular carry-all backpacks
Grayl is launching a backpack line specifically designed to carry their water filters. About the size of a 32-oz Hydro Flask, their water purifier + bottle combo sometimes doesn't fit in traditional backpacks. So the brand designed their packs to securely carry their bottles. What sprung from that are modular cubes that hold other items that often don't have an obvious place in your pack, like AirPods.
Modular car camping gear
Lastly, the Japanese brand DoD isn't going for ultralight at all. Their car camping equipment instead is designed to be compact, foldable, and modular with an emphasis on smart storage.
I found their camp tables to be clever with plenty of storage. Their camp chairs can be adjusted to multiple heights and even turned into a rocker. This all seems especially useful for folks who live in small apartments who want outdoor gear that doesn't take up space. The brand is relatively new to the U.S. but I'm looking forward to seeing how they bring comfort to the outdoors with their focus on "slow camping."
Ultimately, the trend appears to be ways to get outdoors in ways that are more comfortable and approachable for more folks. And with the sustainability trends mentioned by other Treeline writers, hopefully this can be done in a way that requires less stuff and easier on the planet. -Liz Thomas, editor-in-chief
