Outdoor Retailer Summer 2023
The trade show returns to Salt Lake City at a much smaller scale
June 28, 2023
Outdoor Retailer Summer 2023 was the first OR I've attended since Covid – and since they moved from Denver back to Salt Lake City. The number of manufacturers was not nearly what it used to be – I'd guess around 25% of "normal." Whether this is the new normal remains to be seen.
However, I still found some interesting new-ish gear, electrolyte replacement, and instant coffee! Read on for more details:
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Soto Titanium Ultralight Cooking Pots
We're big fans of the Soto Windmaster backpacking stove, so we were excited to see their new line of ultralight titanium cooking pots. Their specs are impressive:
The 750 mL pot weighs 2.5 ounces
The 1250 mL pot weighs only 3.2 ounces
It won't be in stores until September. We'll be testing them for our best backpacking cooking pots story!
Great American Rail-Trail
Can you imagine biking a trail that traverses the entire United States, from east to west, Washington D.C. to Washington state? All on trails closed to vehicles? Development is already underway! Read more about the Great American Rail-Trail here, with maps that show existing trails and planned new segments.
Oru Kayak Beach LT Sport
Oru Kayak recently launched the Beach LT Sport model. It's based on the existing Beach LT kayak, with some upgrades:
Integrated rail system for mounting your camera or fishing rod holder
Upgraded seat system for more comfort on long days
Open cockpit for easy access
It's black!
Oru is also offering some limited edition print editions of the Inlet – the latest being the Independence Day Edition. They told us that these special editions usually sell out in days!
Not sure if an Oru Kayak is for you? Read our article Should You Buy an Oru Kayak!
Garmin Instinct 2X Solar
Garmin recently added an option to the Instinct 2 lineup – the Instinct 2X Solar. At 50 mm, it's 5 mm bigger than the Instinct 2 Solar and almost as big as the fenix 7X. But what you get for that jump in size is a massive increase in battery life:
| Model | Smartwatch Mode | GPS Mode | Expedition GPS Mode | Battery Saver Mode |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Instinct 2S Solar | Up to 21 days; 51 days with solar | Up to 22 hours; 28 hours with solar | Up to 25 days; 105 days with solar | Up to 50 days; unlimited with solar |
| Instinct 2 Solar | Up to 28 days; unlimited with solar | Up to 30 hours; 48 hours with solar | Up to 32 days; unlimited with solar | Up to 65 days; unlimited with solar |
| Instinct 2X Solar | 40 days; unlimited with solar | 60 hours; 145 hours with solar | 60 days; unlimited with solar | 100 days; unlimited with solar |
If your wrist can handle the larger size (it would look ridiculous on me!), it's totally worth it! The Instinct 2 Solar series is the overall winner in our Best Hiking Watches story, and we have a long-term review of the Instinct 2 solar as well.
Garmin fenix 7 Pro Series
Garmin also recently launched the fenix 7 Pro series of watches. The Pro watches have some additional features, such as:
Ambient light sensor
Improved Interval
Rest timer
Endurance score
Hill score (running)
Tempo training (golf)
New recreational profiles:
Whitewater
Ice skating
Archery
BMX
Table tennis
Squash
Badminton
Padel
Sailing
Sail racing
Boating
Motorcycling
Overlanding
Motocrossing
ATVing
They're the same price, so we'd recommend going with the Pro model. We have an in-depth, long-term review of the Garmin fenix 7, and it's also a winner in our Best Hiking Watches story.
Nuusol Recovery Footwear
Recovery footwear is growing in popularity, and after testing a pair, I can see why. If you haven't tried a pair of recovery shoes yet, I highly recommend it. After a long run or hike, they provide instant relief for your feet.
With demand comes supply, and it's exciting to see new brands enter the recovery footwear space. Nuusol recovery footwear has some interesting features:
Made with evasol foam
Slip resistant
Textured footbed
Machine washable
Deep heel cup
They float
They come in slides, flip flops, and clogs
They're made in the US
They're only $39.99
We're looking forward to testing these for our best recovery shoes article!
Skratch Labs
After a scary experience on the Arizona Trail, I'm a believer in electrolyte replacements. And while I normally try to avoid sugar, I prefer electrolyte drink mixes that are lightly sweetened with sugar, not stevia or other artificial sweeteners, as these can be headache triggers for me. Skratch Labs delivers on both. Plus, the flavors are fantastic – my favorite was the strawberry lemonade. And for those who get flavor fatigue, they even have a "clear" drink mix with just a hint of lemon.
They've also expanded their lineup with energy chews (with and without caffeine), crispy rice cake sport fuel (my favorite was strawberry & mallow), energy bars, and more. I mean – I'm all for having a rice crispy treat in the form of sport fuel!
Read more about our top choices for electrolyte replacements here.
Projo power coffee
Speaking of caffeine, projo power coffee has an interesting take on instant coffee. They add 12 grams of protein from calcium caseinate per packet, and it's sweetened with monk fruit extract. I'm always looking for ways to get more protein in my diet in the morning on a thru hike, so adding it to coffee works for me! And, although the protein is a milk derivative, it is lactose free.
We're looking forward to testing this side-by-side with the winners in our Best Instant Coffee story.
Liteband Wide-Beam Headlamps
When I first saw the Liteband headlamps, I wasn't sure what to make of them. Instead of a single focused beam typical with most headlamps, the Litebands have multiple smaller lights, with a wide beam of 210 degrees. They're also low profile, with the battery on the back.
I think the use case for outdoor people is camping. Ever been hit in the face with the light from some else's headlamp? Me too. It isn't pleasant. With the light dispersed over 210 degrees, the Liteband headlamps are less obtrusive for the people who aren't wearing them. I'm looking forward to testing this one against the current winners in our Best Headlamps story.
