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U L T R A L I G H T G E A R

W W W . G E A R T R E N D S . C O M2 2

hough it is one of the most popu-

lar buzzwords in the outdoor

industry these days, “ultralight”

is nothing new. Serious backpack-

ers have been tinkering with

reducing the weight of their packs for

decades. Most famously, well over a century

ago, John Muir took the reductum ad absur-

dum of gear to an amazing degree by fore-

going almost everything so he could cover

up to 40 miles in a day.

The outdoor industry has gonethrough several cycles of lightening upgear to minimal levels. It seems that for awhile, everyone jumped on the bandwag-on trumpeted by radicals like JackStephenson and Ray Jardine. There weresuperlight tents, ultralight packs, phan-tomweight clothing and so on.

The problem was, as consumers quick-ly discovered, none of the stuff held up tonormal wear and tear; it cost a lot and fellapart. After getting spanked with highreturn rates and disgruntled customers,manufacturers would revert to heavier,more rugged materials. Then a coupleyears later, some new technology would

» T H E B O O K » S U M M E R 2 0 0 3

again lure companies into trying theweight-savings game. More often thannot, the hype didn’t live up to the realityand it was back to beefier materials.

Having witnessed history repeat itselfseveral times, it’s understandable thatsome view the recent ultralight trendwith skepticism. Yet three factors areconverging to give this product categorya boost: less vacation time, better con-sumer education, and technology thatfinally makes good on the claims. Add

to this mix the growth of adventure rac-ing, and its associated publicity, whichhas also pushed ultralight gear to supe-rior performance.

Of course, you’d expect companies likeGoLite to be enthusiastic about ultralightgear; owners Demetri and Kim Coupounashave been singing that song for years. Yetthe concept is now becoming pervasive inmany of the old guard brands; just abouteveryone has products with “lite” in thename. According to John Cooley,

“Ultralight is a focus in every category ofMarmot hardgoods for spring 2004.”

SLEEPING BAGSTwo decades ago, high-quality sleepingbags typically had shells of 1.6-ouncenylon fabric that weren’t particularlywind- or water-resistant. The standardinsulation was 550-fill goose down; 625-fill was reserved for premium bags. Therewas only so much that designers could doto reduce weight without turning the bags

into boa constrictors. Now, the best bags have shells of 0.9-

ounce nylon that are nearly windproofand have superb DWRs; Pertex Quantumand Dimension Polyant are the leadingfabrics. With regard to insulation, 600 isconsidered standard while 750-fill goosedown is a minimum for high-end bags,with several companies claiming 900-fill.(A change in the testing protocol bythose in charge certainly helped boostthe power.) Next season, it will be sur-

B Y C L Y D E S O L E S

ˆ

SAY HELLOOOOOO TO MY FRIEND

LIGHT AND FAST GEAR IS HITTING THE MAINSTREAM

T

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prising if somebody isn’t touting four-digit fill-power down, handplucked bythe marketing department. At somepoint, the numbers get ludicrousbecause the weight of the fabric com-presses the down.

Last year, Mountainsmith entered themarket with 750-fill bags and threwdown the challenge in March 2003 thatthese were “the lightest sleeping bags onthe market.” Obviously, longtime bagmakers such as Marmot and The NorthFace weren’t going to let that one slide.And other companies committed to ultra-light, such as GoLite and MountainHardwear, were also not to be put off.

For 2004, all three of the MarmotUltralight bags (Hydrogen, Helium andLithium) will feature Pertex QuantumEndurance, which adds a waterproof/breathable coating to the spectacularlylight fabric. The Helium is also getting afull-length zipper while the other two

retain the half-length zip.Joining Marmot in the 900-fill power

club, The North Face will offer threebags with that lofty claim to fame. TheMomentum (0 degree F) and Hightail (15degree F) will have one-third length zip-pers and contoured hoods, while theBeeline (30 degree F) has no zipper and aflat hood for maximum weight savings.

Though it only offers two 800-fill downbags in its F’Lite Series, GoLite makeseach model in three lengths and threewidths (for a total of nine SKUs per bag

when most others have two). The 40-degree F rated Feather-Lite has no hoodor zipper, while the 20-degree F Featherhas a contoured hood and one-quarter-length center zipper; both come withsuperb silicone stuff sacks (other brandsshould copy this).

Expanding its line-up of superlightbags, Mountain Hardwear has turned thecurrent Phantom (35 degree F) into threemodels rated at 0, 15 and 45 degrees. Allbags in this series have three-quarter-length zippers and 800-fill down, whilethe two warmer models have draft collarsand face muffs. A new cut reduces vol-ume below the elbows to increase effi-ciency while allowing foot room.

Now that it’s moved from sea level tohigher altitude, Sierra Designs has paredthe weight of some components in itsmodular sleeping system. The WickedFastbags feature 800-fill down “lids,”available in two ratings, that zip to a floor

that holds a sleeping pad.Not to be left out of all this feathery

hoopla are some of the superb smallerbrands such as Western Mountaineering,Integral Designs and Feathered Friends.Of course, there are some fine sleepingbags from Europe as well, but they havenothing more to offer than currentestablished brands—besides unpro-nounceable names like Ajungilak. (Giveit up folks—not a prayer of selling thatbrand name here in the United Stateswithout a serious marketing campaign.)

TENTSIt’s deja vu all over again—single-walltents are back. Sure, Bibler (owned byBlack Diamond) and Integral Designshave been making them for decades, butother tent companies have also dabbledwith the concept—often with disappoint-ing results. Rather like one-piece moun-taineering suits that never sell at fullretail but supposedly offer brand credibil-ity, single-wall alpine tents were prestigeitems for the catalog.

In 1996, several manufacturers intro-duced single walls that were nice in prin-ciple but deficient in actual field testing.Only two years later, most of these noveltyitems were gone from the lines while thedesigners went back to the drawing board.

Companies now aim to improve venti-lation, rather than working to enhancethe performance of waterproof/breath-able fabrics. The new breed of single-walltents are less expensive because they donot have the costly fabrics that only workwell in cold, dry conditions.

Next spring, Mountain Hardwear willship three new models of freestandingsingle-wall tents with welded (rather thansewn in) floors. The alpine model, calledthe EV2, will have a waterproof/breath-able fabric canopy and all the bells andwhistles expected in a tent destined forHimalayan climbs. Both the newsuperlight Airjet and roomier MountainJet tents will have waterproof canopiesand be available in two- and three-personsizes. These feature mesh vents aroundthe bottom of the tent and upper ventsnear the peak.

Enhancing the appeal of its classicAhwahnee, Black Diamond is adding asecond door making the Bibler tent oneof the most versatile waterproof/breath-able single-wall tents around. For thefirst time, Black Diamond will offer tentsthat do not use a PTFE laminate, thistime under the Black Diamond brandand not Bibler—confused yet? TheFirstlight (based on the I-tent) andLighthouse (based on the Ahwahnee)will have canopies of Epic fabric andfloors of silicone-coated nylon. Thesenew three-season models are even lighterthan their predecessors and about athird less expensive.

Marmot, which has sporadically madesingle-wall tents since the late ’70s, contin-ues to experiment with the concept. Thenew Alpinist has a waterproof/breathablecanopy with a built-in vestibule, yet it’s 10ounces lighter than the current Up Highand breaks the magic 5-pound barrier.

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AND GETTING MORE THAN JUST A PASSING LOOK.

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The new Trig 2 is the closest thatGoLite has come to producing a “con-ventional” tent. It is a single-wall designthat uses trekking poles for support andhas a silicone-coated nylon canopy likeits other designs. Yet the Trig 2 sportssuch luxuries as a floor, mosquito net-ting and a vestibule—pure decadence forthe ultralight purists—and still weighs inunder 3 pounds.

Showing what can still be done withdouble-wall tents, Sierra Designs intro-duces the Lightning. Weighing around 4pounds, this very compact shelter claimsto be the lightest freestanding tent with afull fly. In an attempt to counteract thecommon mistake of storing wet tents, thenext generation of SD tents will havefloors and flies that have an anti-fungalagent in the urethane coatings.

PACKSMountaineers have long pushed design-ers to make lighter, streamlined packsthat could withstand abuse, resulting insuch classics as the Wild ThingsAndinista and the Kelty Cloud packs. Arecent influence on ultralight pack designhas been adventure racing. Though the

numbers of competitors will likelyremain small, their influence has beenlarge because they abuse gear that is wellsuited to the average outdoorsperson.

These days, it’s a rare pack indeed thatis not designed to carry a hydrationbladder. Unfortunately, many compa-nies insist on providing a poorlydesigned bladder and hose that they out-sourced. The savvy consumer willreplace the cheap hydration system witha Camelbak or Source.

Long known for its stripped-downframeless packs, GoLite is entering theinternal frame market with three newmodels that have a removable, moldableframesheet (reminiscent of oldKarrimors). The Infinity (50 l) andContinuum (40 l) are ultralight top load-ers that differ mostly in volume, whilethe Vision (30 l) is a rear loader withwatertight zipper. These should appeal tothose who want lightweight gear thatdoesn’t sacrifice performance.

Lowe Alpine, which played to thestrip-down market with its originalAlpine Attack models, is going teenywith its Alpine Attack 20, a pack whichwill either be

U L T R A L I G H T G E A R

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The allure of hiking for days with just a few pounds onyour back, or climbing a remote peak in a day is veryappealing to many. After all, nobody likes to carry apack that weighs half their lean muscle mass.

But reducing pack loads by half, or more, generally requiresan all-or-nothing approach to gear selection. Hikers mustexamine every single item that will be worn or carried if theywant to get their pack to under 20 pounds. It’s even possibleto go sub-10 pounds, but that requires a level of commitmentonly a few are willing to make.

Since it involves cutting back to the barest essentials, ultra-light hiking is not for outdoor newbies—experience is requiredto plan a safe trip, read the weather and terrain, and handleemergencies. Nor is this style for technophobes, because some-what fragile equipment must be properly used and matched tothe conditions to avoid suffering. Steer these people into con-ventional equipment that is more forgiving of mistakes andless expensive.

Ultralight hiking is a category where outdoor specialty shopshave the opportunity to excel over big-box stores. A completeultralight setup (pack, bag, tent, clothing system, kitchen) can

easily run upward of $1,000. Superb product knowledge andcustomer service will be expected since these tend to be edu-cated, demanding shoppers.

Often these customers already have good equipment, but itjust won’t get them into the sub-20 pack. Folks who aren’tdripping money will usually upgrade components of their sys-tem as they can afford them. For them, it’s best to start down-sizing the items that will give the most weight savings for thebuck—typically tents and sleeping systems. Then get themthinking about their entire clothing system, from head to toe.

Although substantial reduction can come from a minimalistpack instead of the typical internal frame model, this upgradeshould be saved for last. The lightest packs simply lack thesupport to comfortably carry moderate loads, particularly whenseveral days of food and 2 liters of water add about 10 pounds;climbing gear can mean another 10 pounds.

While some may have grandiose visions of speedhiking thou-sands of miles, most people attracted to ultralight gear areprobably just thinking about fast and light weekend trips.Stores can key in on selling more fun and less discomfort—often the same thing. There is a greater availability of ultra-light products than ever before.

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www.LEKI.com

Automatic Comfort Strap

AirERGO Grip

Universal Carbide Flextips

Interchangeable Basket System

Lightweight Adjustable Shafts

Easy Lock System

LOCK AND LOAD.LEKI’s revolutionary Easy Lock System provides unmatched security and versatility for every walk of life.

Even after significantly loosening the pole

segments, our ELS system ensures that your

pole will not collapse. You won’t find a more

reliable pole, because LEKI understands that

it’s what’s inside that counts.

1. Adjust and lock the sections of the LEKI ELS pole.

2.Loosen the sections with a 360º twist.

3. Lean on the pole with all your weight.

16-27 YthMkt.UltraLte 7/29/03 7:41 PM Page 25

ˆ̂loved or hated. Designed using a uniqueshoulder suspension system, the pack,with a lean 1,200 cubic inches of room,is positioned to sit well above a climber’sharness, offering unprecedented unre-stricted climbing on multi-pitch routes.

Marmot is entering the ultralight packmarket with two new models for climbers.The Alpinist pack comes in either a 40- or55-liter size that has a removableframesheet with stays; the large weighsunder 3 pounds with the frame. TheHimalayan is an 80-liter pack that has abivy pad for a frame, two removable sidepockets and a crampon pocket; it shouldweigh just over 3 1/2 pounds complete.

Mountainsmith is adding a women’smodel, the Seraph, to its Mountainlightpack line and offering more sizes in sev-eral of the men’s models. Otherwise, it’sjust a color change for its trickest packs.

Arc’Teryx is also putting some of itspacks on a diet for next season. The newline will feature roll closures and strip-pable accessories while retaining thecompany’s apparent commitment touninspired styling.

just-in-case situations where a normalshell might be left home.

Next year, Patagonia will offer a jacketversion of its featherweight DragonflyPullover. Likewise, GoLite will add theVentus and Helios Jacket (the latter has ahood) to its Wisp line, which alreadyincluded the Wisp and Ether Wind Shirts.Most people won’t notice the extra halfounce of weight but will appreciate theconvenience. Mountain Hardwear is alsoentering this market with its PhantomAnorak, which will have the distinction ofcoming in men’s and women’s sizing.(The Patagonia and GoLite jackets areavailable in men’s sizes only.)

Many of the new storm shells are madewith waterproof/breathable fabrics,though they lean toward the more water-proof/less breathable side of the scale.Since each manufacturer has its own pro-prietary coating these days, it’s all butimpossible for consumers to know howthey compare with one another. (Plus, inthis age of short and quippy, magazinereviews sure don’t help anymore.)

Unquestionably, Marmot shook up this

SHELL GEARThough the summer Outdoor Retailershow isn’t the usual time for softgoodsintroductions, some ultralight clothing isso technical and summer-oriented that itmakes an appearance. In particular,lightweight shells are generally consideredtoo delicate for winter sports like skiingand ice climbing, yet they are all the ragewhen the conditions are less hostile.

One side benefit of all the soft shellhoopla has been the broader realizationthat heavy, bombproof outer shells areseldom needed. Thus, a lot of emphasishas been placed upon designing shellsthat weigh virtually nothing and disap-pear inside a pack. While these shells aredesigned so that they can be stowed easi-ly, very few have a pocket that serves as astuff sack, and this is a major oversight.

For the past few seasons, several com-panies have offered pullover windshellsmade of 15-denier nylon that areremarkably compact (size of an energybar) and lightweight (just 3 ounces).Though they are merely water-repellent,these next-to-nothing shells are ideal for

U L T R A L I G H T G E A R

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THE CONCEPT IS NOW BECOMING PERVASIVE IN MANY OF THE OLD GUARD

(continued from page 24)

When there’s a long, open road in front of

you, there’s no reason for thirst to force you

off your bike. Take a NALGENE® hyd ra t i o n

pack along for the ride and you can hydrate

on the go. Fill the bladder, strap on your pack

and start pedaling. The only thing yo u’ll taste

is the liquid yo u’ve brought with you and the

only thing yo u’ll feel is the wind at your back.

Find out more at www. n a l g e n e - o u t d o o r. c o m

or call 1-800-625.432 7 .

Life is an adve n t u re. Drink it up.

16-27 YthMkt.UltraLte.qxd 7/22/03 4:34 PM Page 26

part of the industry several years agowith the introduction of its affordablePreCip shell gear, a major cash cow—forretailers at least—that left everyone elsescrambling. Particularly in regions likethe Rockies, this level of rain protectionis all most people need for occasionalsummer showers. Now most lines have awaterproof/breathable rain jacket hover-ing around the $100 price point andweighing well under a pound.

For next spring, The North Face intro-duces its Prophecy Jacket (in men’s andwomen’s sizing), which is aimed straightat PreCip sales. One difference is amicrodot print on the inner surface thatshould help reduce the uncomfortablefeel most coatings have against bareskin. Patagonia will replace its Lightningwith the Specter Jacket, which is essen-tially the same but will come in men’sand women’s styling.

At the beefier end of the ultralight scaleare the shells utilizing Gore-Tex XCR lam-inated to gossamer fabrics. In part due tothe three-ply lamination, these tend to bethe most durable for extended field use.

The question to be answered this season:How will consumers respond to reallynice, but necessarily less-durable, shellsthat cost nearly $400? At least Gore-TexPacLite shells are in the $250 range andit’s debatable whether they are significant-ly less rugged.

Keeping to its minimalist roots, lastwinter MontBell introduced the DynaAction Parka, which is a Gore-Tex XCRshell that weighs a mere 16 ounces and isarguably the lightest technical shell on themarket. Similarly, Mountain Hardwearrolled out the Tenacity Lite Jacket, whichis also XCR and just 2 ounces heavier.

» T H E B O O K » S U M M E R 2 0 0 3 W W W . G E A R T R E N D S . C O M » 2 7

BRANDS; JUST ABOUT EVERYONE HAS PRODUCTS WITH “LITE” IN THE NAME.

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