Best new products for travelling
ANY adventure in the great outdoors means your choice of travel gear becomes so much more important. Let's face it, get it wrong and you may even die.
Outdoor adventure stores are constantly unveiling new technology in the latest gear. Think fully seamed seals, breathable membranes, fabrics that insulate and pressurised hardened rubber: It all suggests Mother Nature isn't going to have it all her own way when throwing obstacles in our path these days.
No longer is it appropriate to simply reach for that battered old raincoat, comfy tracky dacks or those old sole-destroyed runners. Preparation is paramount, as many things can go wrong, from getting wet to being uncomfortable and/or even having an accident. Where to begin? An outdoor adventure specialist is always a good starting point, whether it's a Kathmandu, Paddy Pallin or a Snowgum.
"The golden rule is to ask questions," Kathmandu's outdoor gear guru Ross Joyner says.
"People are employed at these places because they know what they're talking about due to their experiences," Joyner says.
"It's important to get the appropriate gear and remember the three basics - keep warm, dry and safe."
With an hour in store, we investigated some outdoor adventure clothing options and discovered the technology behind them.
-- Gloves
- Kathmandu Advection Gloves (RRP $69.98)
Gear guru Ross Joyner, from outdoor adventure specialist Kathmandu, says anyone trekking into the great outdoors must consider three basics when buying clothing keep warm, dry and safe.
Ross says: "There aren't really too many gloves that can do everything, so it really comes down to what it is you're looking at doing and finding the right glove to suit that pursuit everything from an alpine ski glove that's going to give you the waterproofing, padding and insulation, to a wind-stopper glove like this one. It's a windproof glove and it's not bulky it's thin and quite light, which means you retain dexterity.
These gloves have the specially patterned silicone ribs to give you an immense amount of grip on smooth surfaces. But what I really love about them is the pads on the fingers they are designed so you can use it on any gadgets with touch-screen technology."
-- Footwear
- Kathmandu Tiber NGX Boots (RRP $399.98)
Ross: "These boots are appropriate for almost anything.
Not quite mountaineering but more of a bushwalking, trail walking and hiking product. Waterproofed and a particularly thick whole-grain leather means they could be used at the snow and they are ideal for hiking. The outer has a solid Vibram rubber sole.
The inner maintains the strength and rigidity throughout the sole that is essential for a hiking shoe, and it takes all the strain off your muscles but still gives you the flexibility where you need it. It makes it a lot more comfortable and, by the end of the day, you're a lot less tired than you would be wearing runners.
So it's really suitable for wearing packs in that the full boot really does help lock in the ankle. The outer material and the upper is a whole-grain leather and thick, and that, combined with the toe guard, means you can 'break trails' (old-fashioned bushwalking)."
-- Jacket
- Breccia Jacket (RRP $574.98)
Ross: "The best way to spot a hiking jacket is by the guards (laminated shoulders) across the shoulders because when you're loading up a backpack all the time, that's the area where it wears down first. This jacket has a relatively new membrane technology called C-change.
In effect, they've taken what Gore-Tex has developed and heightened it in that it reacts to your body temperature. So the warmer it gets, the pores open up the tiny microscopic holes in the jacket, whereas other jackets are static and don't change.
The membrane is heat-sensitive, so when you're really exerting yourself and producing a lot more sweat and vapour, that can escape. With a static product, you often find dampness inside the jacket through exertion or in a high humidity area. When it gets colder, those microscopic holes close up and increase the insulation. The other aspect of it is how light it is."
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Read more: http://www.news.com.au/travel/travel-advisor/best-new-products-for-travelling/story-e6frfqfr-1226436664302#ixzz2215p2LJv
