Outdoor Retailer Summer 23: Essentials

Outdoor Retailer Summer 23: Essentials

The Outdoor Retailer Show made it back to Salt Lake City for its Summer 23 show this June. Many brands showed up with the latest and greatest and I was able to explore the show and check out some of the new offers. Here is a look at some of those products, my Outdoor Retailer Summer 23: Essentials guide.

Helle Knives

As you all know, a knife or cutting tool is one of the ten essentials of exploring the outdoors. Nothing says that the knife has to be boring though! Helle Knives are a family owned knife company born in Norway. I actually got to speak to the grandson of the original founders of the company that has been around for 90 years. Knife culture is different in Norway, as they teach even young kids the proper use of a knife and and outdoor adventure is usually always taken with a knife.

The Helle knives were really beautiful and very unlike the tactical knives that I see more often in the stores around the US. Helle Knives use hand crafted wood handles to make each knife unique and as much as piece of art as a functional tool. The most popular handle material is a curly birch tree that wraps around a full tang. The Eggen knife is their version of a daily utility knife and is one of the most popular knives that they offer. I found the knife to be extremely well balanced and it felt really comfortable in my hand with the wood handle. The tip was nice and strong as part of the demo was to store the knife in a log tip first. A really nice and functional knife.

Helle has a full line of knives for the hunters, anglers, and even chefs out there. All with the distinctive handles and available leather sheaths. Gorgeous knives that also make a functional tool for outdoor adventures. You can purchase Helle knives direct on their website as well as in select retailers.

Sawyer Water Purification

Another essential in outdoors is having drinkable water. You can carry all of your water or have a filter system to clean the water you find by removing the impurities and bacteria that can get you really sick. That is where Sawyer comes in. Sawyer is a leader in filtration process and they have filters that fit on individual bottles, hang bags for camping and even faucet attachments to purify your water.

The bottle top MINI from Sawyer filters 99.99999% of the bacteria that causes Salmonella, Cholera and E. Coli as well as 99.9999% of the bacteria of protozoa such as giardia and cryptosporidium. Plus, the MINI only weighs 2 ounces so you can always have it in your pack and if you come across dirty or questionable sources you can just attach it to your bottle for safe water. The MINI attaches to most reusable bottles that come with a 28 thread.

Sawyer Clean Water for All

What is even more impressive about Sawyer is their dedication to provide clean water to entire communities that are in developing area’s or just don’t have access to a clean water source. With the help of Sawyer and their filtration products and volunteer hours, the country of Liberia now has clean drinking water from border to border for the first time ever. Even in the most remote areas of the country.

Sawyer has also provided clean water to remote areas of Fiji and next up is the Marshall Islands as part of their Clean Water for All initiative. They also provide water to natural disaster locations around the world. It is a pretty amazing program to help people who have gone without for so long to have clean and healthy drinking water.

Sabre Personal Protection

If you enjoy hiking in the mountains where bears live, it is best to be prepared for an encounter but also proactive in trying to avoid an encounter. Sabre has a full assortment of personal protection items. Including pepper spray, key chain alarms that set off high decibel alarms and even stun guns. Those items are effective against attackers but not necessarily around large apex predators.

For bears, Sabre has the Frontiersman Bear Spray among other products. Frontiersman comes in a 9.2 oz or 7.9 oz cans. The 9.2 oz can will send a powerful stream of repellent up to 35 feet. The 7.9 ounce container will send a similar powerful stream up to 30 feet. An important line of defense for any back country hiker who spends time where the bears live.

The best way to stay safe in a bear encounter is to never have one in the first place. That is where the Frontiersman from Saber Bear Bells come in to play. Bear Bells are designed to be attached to your body or pack to make noise as you hike through the back country so you don’t sneak up on a bear or other animals and frighten them. The Bear Bells are lightweight (0.1 pounds) and have a velcro strap to make attaching easy. These bells even have a magnetic silencer feature so you can shut off the noise if you aren’t in an area that an encounter is likely. That way you can always have the bells on your gear without having to worry if you remember it on your next back country adventure. Really good and important ideas to keep you and the bears safe on the trails!

Spot GPS devices

The next step on the essentials list that I found at Outdoor Retailers Summer show was in communication. Spot is a satellite driven, two-way communicator that can get a rescue message out when cell phones can’t.

Spot has three products that they were showcasing. The Spot X, the Gen4 and the Trace. Most hikers would be looking towards the Spot X which is a two way communicator that weighs in at a light 7 ounces. The Spot X mapping feature also allows for friends and family to track your progress and can be set to tracking intervals of 2.5, 5, 10, 30 or 60 minutes. Spot X has a full keyboard and screen.

Spot offers SOS features and allows you to message with any phone number or email address. Plus, it allows for easy preset check in messages to let your loved ones know you are ok. Spot offers a monthly contract plan or a flex plan for those using it more on a seasonal basis.

The Gen4 is a smaller version of Spot that comes in at about 5 ounces but doesn’t have a keyboard or screen. It does continue to have the S.O.S ability and check in capabilities as well as tracking.

The Trace is designed more as a security tool. It can be placed on a boat or in a car for GPS mapping of the item. If you are worried about people stealing any of your high ticket items, the Spot Trace might be the perfect was to keep an eye on where that item is at all times.

Jack Wolfskin

Staying dry and warm is another essential to outdoor adventures. The weather can change in an instant especially at elevation and if you get stuck without the proper clothing and jackets it can get down right dangerous. Jack Wolfskin is a brand that is popular in Europe over the last 40 years and is now making a big splash across the pond. states with lines of highly technical clothing to protect you from the elements.

The main star of the show was the Pre-light jacket. The Pre-light came in both men’s and women’s and also came in an insulated version, the Alpha. The jacket uses Pertex Quantum Air, a windproof, water-resistant fabric with nanoparticle holes to increase ventilation and breathability, and Polartec Alpha, an active insulation technology that can be worn in direct contact with skin and expands durability and breathability in garments. It is a windproof, water resistant, lightweight workhorse of a jacket.

Jack Wolfskin also has a full line of technical rain jackets, wind breakers, fleece, and vests. They also have shoes, pants, and tops for men and women. Just as importantly they work really hard at sustainability. They have banned using PFC’s, fur and Angora wool, along with using recycled materials. Wolfskin also uses 100% recycled cotton in their products.

It is great to see a company not only talking about being sustainable but implementing it into every aspect of their clothing. Jack Wolfskin can be purchased direct online and in select outdoor retailers.

Tommy John

The final list of my essentials that I found at Outdoor Retailer may or may not be essential to some, underwear! There is nothing worse than getting a few steps into a hike and having your underwear start to pull, bunch, roll and do all sorts of other unimaginable things to make you uncomfortable. Tommy John has set out to make underwear with “no adjustment needed”. (My apologize to Tommy John for not taking pictures in the booth but they were nice enough to give me a sample pair to do a future full review on.)

Tommy John prides itself on making underwear that doesn’t run up and socks that never roll down. They do this by using a nylon mesh and spandex combination for a comfortable fit with flexibility to move with you as you hit the trails. The “hammock pouch” pair that I was given only weigh in at 2 ounces. Also, with perforated fabric for quick drying and airflow. The “HP” are also anti-microbial and and anti-odor which is a big help on those hot summer hikes.

The Tommy John “Hammock Pouch” has a stay-put waist band to avoid rolling and contoured pouch for comfort and control. Every bit of comfort is important on there hiking and underwear that doesn’t bunch would go a long way to a more comfortable adventure. Tommy John also ladies under garments and lounge wear available. Stay tuned for a more in-depth review of this one!

More from the Fatman

For a list of other products that I have reviewed you can check my Product Review page here. If you have any products you would like me to review or any comments you can email me at fatmanlittletrails@gmail.com. Or you can follow me on any of the below social media platforms. Happy Hiking!