(This story was updated on 6/29/2023.)
The second day of this year’s Outdoor Retailer Summer had a similar steady buzz as Day One, with fairly busy booths and well-attended smaller events throughout the day.
Once again, The Daily walked the floor to speak with brands about their featured new products, stopping by Shwood, Danner, Coal Headwear, Howler Brothers, Solo Stove, GSI Outdoors, Grand Trunk, Nite Ize, Pendleton, Flowfold, and more.
Several of the brands we spoke with were in the Venture Out section of the show, which features up-and-coming companies in addition to some legacy brands.
(See photos of the exhibitors at OR in our slide show below. All photos by The Daily.)
Shwood
Sunglass company Shwood was featuring a few new styles at its booth. The new Francis release is a stylish pair of lightweight glasses with grips in the temple tips.
Shwood Francis sunglasses. Photo by The Daily.
“They just lock onto your face,” said Dan Genco, sales director at Shwood.
The lenses are smudge-resistant and water resistant.
“It makes it super easy to clean the lens,” Genco said.
The idea was to make a pair of sunglasses that were highly functional but also look good.
“We wanted to design a frame that you can still be super active in your sport, then go on a date and still love it,” Genco said.
The polarized versions retail for $199 and non-polarized for $149.
Danner
For spring 2024, boot company Danner is touting its Crag Rat EVO boot.
Danner Crag Rat EVO boot. Photo by The Daily.
The Danner team worked with a search and rescue group out of Oregon to help with its design, according to Donald McLellan, product line manager for the company.
McLellan clarified that the boots aren’t technically a search and rescue product, but they were designed for getting up a mountain to the treeline and to a snow-covered area.
Once the boot-wearer is at that point, the boots are designed to be compatible with a hybrid crampon.
Because the boot doesn’t include leather, they’re the lightest alpine boot Danner has made so far, according to McLellan.
They retail for $350.
Coal Headwear
Coal Headwear had a variety of hats on display, but the key product for outdoor enthusiasts was the Framework hat.
Coal Headwear Framework hat. Photo by The Daily.
The hat is designed for sport, including bouldering and trail running. It’s built with a lightweight EVA brim that can be easily packed. It’s also water resistant. The bulk of the hat is made from a lightweight, ripstop polyester.
The bungee-type closure can be cinched down tight if the wearer is in high winds, for example.
Josh Vester, lead designer for Coal Headwear, said the “vibe” was to make the closure pop against the neutral-colored base.
“It’s something that’s going to stand out, but also perform at the same time,” he said.
It retails for around $40.
Howler Brothers
Howler Brothers’ sun-protection hoodie. Photo by The Daily.
Apparel brand Howler Brothers will be releasing a new lightweight sun-protection hoodie.
Dustin Carlson, regional sales representative for Howler Brothers, said the company had previously released a slightly heavier hoodie and felt a need for something lighter.
“We’ve seen a big trend towards sun protection the last few years,” Carlson said.
The new hoodie is 85% recycled polyester with 15% spandex. The spandex gives it stretch when the wearer is out being active, according to Carlson.
The shirt, available next February, retails at $59.
Solo Stove
Solo Stove pizza oven. Photo by The Daily.
Solo Stove’s previous pizza oven was a dual-fuel model. The new version is strictly a gas burner model.
It does all the same things, with a demi-dome and a wide, “panoramic” opening.
“This is going to come in at a lower price point so that it’s more accessible to the market,” said Matt King with Solo Stoves.
King said the stove will retail under $300.
“I’ve had a lot of experience with it,” he said. “It cooks just as well as the original model.”
Another slightly different feature of this model versus the original gas attachment is that the user has a little bit more control over the actual flame via a control knob.
The new pizza oven should be available to order next month.
GSI Outdoors
GSI’s Guidecast cook set. Photo by The Daily.
GSI Outdoors’ Guidecast cook set comes with two styles of griddles and can be folded down into a small box.
“It comes with everything you need to cook in different environments,” said Tyler Botts, brand marketing manager for GSI.
The set comes in 10-inch and 12-inch versions. It can be used in several different ways, including over an open flame or a gas burner.
The products will be available in 2024 and start at $99 for the smaller set.
Grand Trunk
Grand Trunk camp stools. Photo by The Daily.
Grand Trunk, which is known for hammocks, is expanding its camp stool line. Its new stools both spin 360 degrees, and they are also collapsible.
“If you’re cooking at a campsite, or if you’re in a hunting blind, or if you’re birdwatching, it’s always good to have a chair that can move (rotate),” said Kevin Kaiser, co-founder of Grand Trunk.
Next year the brand will release its “extra-tall” stool in addition to the compact stool that packs down small but can hold 300-plus pounds.
The collapsible ultra-compact stool is going to retail for $99 and the extra-tall stool is going to be $80. They’ll be available in February 2024.
Nite Ize
Nite Ize will be releasing its new camping lantern, the RL3, in September. The light gives off 500 lumens, but that’s not the best part, according to Eric Land, director of sales for Nite Ize.
Nite Ize RL3 lantern. Photo by The Daily.
“The beautiful thing about this lantern is it has battery backup power, but it’s also rechargeable,” he said.
When the charge drops, the light automatically flips over to the AAA batteries. As it charges up again, it flips back from the AAA batteries back over to the internal battery.
It also has a USB port to charge devices.
On the low mode, the device has 400 hours of run time. At 500 lumens, it will still run for 20 hours and 45 minutes.
It retails for $59.99.
Pendleton
Pendleton is featuring several new products, including the Saltillo Sunset blanket.
Pendleton Saltillo Sunset blanket. Photo by The Daily.
This is an intact blanket, which means it’s not brushed and has the original texture that Pendleton’s been making blankets with for over 160 years, according to Casey Fleming, Southern California rep for Pendleton.
“The whipstitch binding gives it a really beautiful finish as well as the vibrant colors,” he said.
All Pendleton blankets have a story, according to Fleming. This one is inspired by the colors of Saltillo, New Mexico’s sunset.
It started shipping in March and retails for $299.
Flowfold
In the Maine Outdoor Brands booth, one exhibitor, Flowfold, was showcasing its new crossbody tote bags, wallets and dopp kits.
Flowfold products. Photo by The Daily.
Nichole Heady, sales and marketing manager for Flowfold, said the company was introducing a new fabric it was calling performance canvas, made from recycled cotton and recycled plastic bottles to create a more rugged look.
Not only does the crossbody bag have new fabric, it was also redesigned.
“This is great because you can carry it like a tote, and the strap is fully extendable to be worn crossbody on almost anybody,” Heady said. “It drapes really nicely on the body because of this fabric.
The bag is big enough for a laptop. It’s also water resistant. Flowfold is currently taking orders, and the products will start shipping at the end of August. It will retail for $120.
Bart Schaneman can be reached at [email protected].
