A New Backpacking Chair and Other Innovations
How does a two-legged backpacking chair work? More on that
in a moment. Here are a few of the latest backpacking and outdoor
adventure innovations, starting with one that won't be out until
next year.
Thin Warmth
How do you get more mobility when hiking in the "death
zone" on Everest, and at the same time have as much warmth
in a six-millimeter layer as you normally get with forty millimeters
of goose down? I don't have an answer, and the makers of the
Champion Super Suit aren't saying, but that's what their new
product is supposed to provide. Scheduled to be tested in 2010
on Mount Everest, the body-suit is being made by the high-tech
outdoor company Matuse. It uses nanotechnology and a proprietary
"radiant warmth" lining (foil of some sort).
I'm not sure what the suit weighs, but it will be interesting
to see how it performs. I suspect it will be a bit pricey for
general backpacking use, but new technologies get cheaper in
time, so who knows?
New Backpack Idea
Put on a backpack and then reach out with your right hand
to pull a leaf off a tree. What happens? To start with your movement
is somewhat restricted by the right shoulder strap, which pulls
tight against your shoulder. Meanwhile the left one may be almost
falling off your other shoulder.
A solution? Black Diamond's Octane Backpack has one. Instead
of stitching the bottom of the straps to the pack as is normal,
they have them connected them in a continuous loop so that as
you move your right shoulder forward it pulls the excess strap
needed from the left and vice-versa. In other words one side
gets shorter as the other gets longer, allowing for more movement
while maintaining balance and stability.
Electric Clothing
Ardica Technologies, working with Mountain Hardwear, has created
a winter jacket that contains a flat lithium-ion battery sewn
into it. The battery weighs under a pound and will apparently
warm you for up to eight hours and charge your cell phone as
well. The two versions are called Refugium and Radiance.
This idea is more suited to day-trips than backpacking or multi-day
adventures given the limited battery life. Then again, maybe
the next step will be a hand-crank generator so you don't have
to return to civilization for a recharge.
New Backpacking Chair
A fold-up chair that weighs a bit over a pound might be used
by some ultralight backpackers. But Alite's Monarch Chair is
not just light. It is also unusual in that it has just two legs.
Apparently it uses your own center of gravity to balance.
Of course it's a safe assumption that you don't get to put
your legs up. That suggests an obvious question (obvious to me
anyhow). Why two legs? It seems excessive. One leg, along with
your own two makes for a nice stable tripod. I'll bet someone
can create a one-leg backpacking chair that weighs less than
ten ounces.
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