Once again, the OutDoor Industry Awards have attracted a strong field, including 330 products entered, underlining the innovative nature of the outdoor industry. The judges were particularity impressed by 38 products, which received one of the coveted OutDoor Industry Awards, presented at the end of the first day of the show on Lake Constance in Friedrichshafen, Germany last week.
Nine of these winning products have been further singled out for their exceptional design. These are the Gold Award winners. In addition, three particularly innovative young companies are honored with a Start-Up Award.
An “expert panel of judges” reportedly was looking for products that it feels really excel in terms of quality, design and sustainability. Moreover, the judges expect to see the nine Gold Award winners set new standards in their respective sectors. During a two-day process, experts from the worlds of retail and industry associations, trade journalists, designers and outdoor athletes worked hard to select the 38 award-winning products, said show organizers Messe Friedrichshafen.
“Even with such a competent panel of judges, it’s still a very demanding task to test and evaluate so many excellent products to determine the best of the best,” explains Dirk Heidrich, OutDoor project manager, Messe Friedrichshafen. “Initially, there were different opinions and a lot of discussion. However, the intensive judging process ensures that, in the end, a consensus is reached on which products should be given an award. This applies in particular to the winners of the Start-Up Awards, which show just how innovative, young and dynamic the outdoor industry is.”
Here’s the list of OutDoor Industry Gold Award winners and the respective statement from the judges’ panel:
Micro Puff Hoody by Patagonia
“We are really excited about this hooded synthetic insulation jacket. It’s extremely lightweight and has body-mapped, quilted baffles in a unique and distinctive tiled design. It’s also very comfortable on.”
Baltoro 65 Litre Backpack by Gregory Packs Europe
“The best backpacks are so well designed that you hardly notice that you are carrying them after a while. This certainly applies to the Baltoro 65. The carry system with its independent and adjustable shoulder straps, load panels and hip belt is very comfortable and offers great load management.”
Rider 3.0 by Skylotec
“We feel that the Rider 3.0 represents an important step forward in via ferrata safety. The free-running ascender brakes automatically in the event of a fall. This significantly reduces the fall distance which helps prevent injuries. It also allows the user to rest anywhere.”
Chair Zero by Helinox
“Helinox lightweight camping chairs started a whole new trend. The Chair Zero weighs just 460 grams. This is amazingly light for such a comfortable chair. It also packs down amazingly small into any backpack.”
BeFree Water Filtration System 1.0 L by Katadyn
“This filter concept is simple and effective. Its lightweight, packable design makes it an essential item for every hiking trip.”
Primetech Stove Set 1,3 l by Primus
“We were convinced by this lightweight, performance stove. In particular, the integrated heat exchanger is very effective and fuel-efficient, and also makes the cooking pot much lighter than conventional designs.”
Downmat TT 9 by Exped
“We really like this sleeping mat for long trips and expeditions. It’s very comfortable, very durable, very robust and offers excellent insulation. We particularly like the fact that it is totally repairable – and the inflation system with adjustable zones is great.”
Earthcolors technology by Archroma
“Colour-dyeing normally involves a lot of chemicals. Earthcolors’ high-performance dyes are synthesized from natural leftover products, such as almond shells. We believe this is an important innovation and a major step towards greater sustainability.”
Ride on pant by Ternua
“The Ride on pant is a fine example of sustainable functional clothing. The recycled, bluesign-approved stretch fabric made from Basque fishermen’s nets is also very comfortable to wear. And we like the stylish details too.”
And here’s the OutDoor Industry Start-up Award winners and the respective statement from the judges’ panel:
Fision Size Advisor by Fision
“Great idea: a real innovation that will go down well with end consumers. The Fision Size Advisor will make it easier to select the right size when shopping online.”
Tex-lock by Texlock
“It is pretty amazing to see how well this bike lock works. Especially given the fact, that it is made solely of textile materials. It’s also lighter than conventional metal locks and offers a good level of safety.”
VJ1 by Vaterland
“The concept behind this jacket is very worthy of a reward. Vaterland has successfully set up a production system where refugees living in Europe use their skills to make high-quality clothing.”
