Cold Thistle: retail

I'm back in SLC. Hopefully for a few days of climbing and to see the newest toys. I'll update this blog post as often as possible over the next few days as I explore the show. Check back when you have time to see what I think are going to be the cool new toys for next fall.

If there is anything specific you want to see, let me know and I'll try to track it down.

The new Batura! New zipper, should be a big improvement, which is not the TZip I first saw. Most importantly to me an totally new lace system. That should add some stiffness to the cuff and again be a big improvment on the new boot . I'll know more soon on this one. But it looks very good. I've had a love-hate relationship with this boot. But the basic design is literally time proven so I know it can be done very well.

Previous comments on the 1st gen. Batura;

http://coldthistle.blogspot.com/2010/04/la-sportivas-batura.html

http://coldthistle.blogspot.com/2010/04/scarpa-phantom-guide-vs-la-sportiva.html

The new BD mono...lwt 900g and very cool. Still in prototype form and not being shown at this OR. But very close to production and should be available early next winter. Buuuutt! I' ll be climbing on these while I am here in SLC and in Chamonix next month . Very exciting.

First crampon I have actually seen that does fits the Scarpa Ultra. Obviously some serious thought went into these guys.

Just a couple of the new things I saw today. I'll get much more content up in the morning.

Grivel, La Sportiva, Wild Things, Brooks Range, Westcomb, Arcyeryx, Boreal, Black Diamond, OutDry, Kuhl, Petzl were the players today.

I'm really excited to see Wild Things back and into hard core alpine climbing again, clothing and packs!

The clothings lines for us as climbers are going to be a signifigant change.

I was one of the first into Gortex back in '76/'77. If it does really work as well as they say, POLARTEC Neoshell, is going to make an even bigger impression than Goretex did originally.

I have a buddies that have been climbing for a full year in Neoshell now and they are impressed.

"The answer."

Neoshell is a super lwt, 4 x stretchy softshell that is water proof and more breathable than any thing pevious by a good amount.

Wild Things Guide pack

New Camp tools...can you say Ergo?

Super lwt touring crampon from Camp...very cool.

Boreal Fruit boot with Black Diamond Raptor....which will now a stainless version BTW.
Carbon fiber mid sole....more to come on these as well.

Brooks Range which has a ton of neat things I'll be writing about and using...two man bivy sack here.

New tools by Grivel :) $700 retail for the all carbon version $500 for these. Nice tool but a little pricey!

The Ueli Steck Wagner knife is pretty slick as expected...more coming.

Official word from Petzl this morning......new Quarks are shipping. Extra picks aren't going to be available until March. New Nomic and Ergo won't be available again until fall of 2011 for a new release of "improved" version.

Brooks Range's new clothings line