Six Highlights From the 2016 Winter Outdoor Retailer

Gear manufacturers from around the world meet in Salt Lake City, Utah, twice a year for the Outdoor Retailer.

At the start of January, the winter event took place and showcased some of the newest gear that will be available in 2016. Technically, the event caters more to snow sports more than to climbing, but a few made-for-climber pieces caught our eye.

Canadian prices to be announced in the coming weeks. Look for more on these products in the upcoming issue of Gripped magazine.

The Petzl Leopard LLF

Petzl has replaced the metal between the toe and hell components of the crampon with Dyneema cord. The light-weight set-up is perfect for glacier approaches or Bugaboo romps.

La Sportiva Otaki

The Otaki is La Sportiva’s modern version of the Katana. With their unique S-Heel construction, Sportiva has created an optimal shoe for the climber who desires a snug heel cup. Great for indoor and outdoor projects.

Camp Alp Mountain Harness

The new Alp Mountain is Camp’s answer to a light and fast harness for alpine adventures. After trying the slick harness on, it’s clear their new load webbing reduces pressure points. The harness can be fully opened, meaning the crampons and skis can stay on while you take the harness off.

Arc’teryx Procline

While we have been raving about the new Acrux AR alpine boot that will be available this spring, we have to note the talk-of-the-show boot, which was the new Arc’teryx Procline. The ski boot will double as an alpine climbing footwear for ski mountaineers.

Scarpa Drago

The Drago is cutting-edge shoe from lead designer Heinz Mariacher. This is a step-up from the Furia and offers the much-loved foot-wrapping system designed to offer more feel and greater friction. Using their single strap for easy use and the VS Heel Unit for better control, this is a breakthrough shoe for 2016.

Metolius Polyurethane (PU) Climbing Holds

Metolius has designed a line of PU holds that will soon be favourites for gym climbers. With over 200 new shapes, they were devloped with gym owners and comp climbers. They come in a number of collections, including: Sunspot, Splines, Morphology, Cobble, New Wave, Mud, Pitted Feet and Joey.

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