Big Gear Show: Innovative Products

Big Gear Show: Innovative Products

The Big Gear Show just wrapped in Park City, Utah and it was a great experience. An outdoor convention held outdoors! A ton of companies attended. I covered the show as media and saw some great new products. I will have a series of posts but to lead off here is Big Gear Show Innovative Products.

PurTrek

In my opinion the most innovative product at Big Gear was the PurTrek water filtering trekking pole. PurTrek combines two things that most hikers have with them, a trekking pole and a water filtration system. Making getting clean water as easy as can be. The PurTrek is a wonderful idea.

The pole itself has a sediment filter at the bottom which can be placed into a lake or creek. Then, utilizing a pumping motion on the top of the pole you can suck water through a Hollow Fiber filter system that brings filtered drinkable water into a tube that can be directed to either your mouth or into a reservoir.

I spoke with Kyle, the owner and creator, about why he came up with the design. He told me about a story of a camping trip in Yellowstone with a large group of younger campers. The group stopped for water but couldn’t get the water filtered fast enough through the filters they had and as soon as the water was good…it was gone. He wanted to come up with a higher volume filter that was convenient to carry and I think he nailed it with the PurTrek.

Plus, having it conveniently in the hiking pole you don’t have to worry about storing another bottle in your pack. For some of us who struggle with sore backs, knees, or just being up there in age, not having to bend over to get to the water is also a nice bonus. One of my favorite products seen and a great pickup for any outdoor enthusiast.

Opinel

In 1890 Joseph Opinel designed and made his first pocket knife and the legend of Opinel Knives was born. Opinel makes high quality and extremely light weight knives. It was my first experience with an Opinel and I couldn’t believe how light they were! Yet, with a weight of just ounces they were sharp enough to cut veggies paper thin and strong enough to cut through paracord at the booth.

Opinel has come out with a new line that I think will go a long way in the ultralight and backpacking communities, the Picnic Plus line. They have adapted a fork and spoon that attach perfectly to a lightweight Opinel No.08 knife when it is folded. Combined the three utensils and a cloth wrapping only weigh 3.5 ounces!

This kit from Opinel seems like the perfect option for anyone trying to keep their weight down on a trek and have a full dining kit that comes with a really nice pocket knife.

Nakee

The Nakee Butter booth wins the award for the most energy. (Side Note: Maybe I should give out awards at these shows. I could call them the Fatty’s!) Evan, The Nakee Dude, and Steffani aka QuirkMasterFunk were full of life, positive energy and what I liked best is that they weren’t just passionate about their Nakee Butter but adventuring as well! They even asked my advice on hikes to take around the convention so you know they are smart people!

What separated Nakee Butter for me was how they use MCT oil. MCT oil was described to me as being distilled from coconut oil and helping to give more focus. They call it “brain fuel” which might be wasted on the Fatman but 10 grams of protein in a 33 gram squeezable pouch is right up my alley.

The high protein comes from a very short list of ingredients that includes organic natural peanut butter, organic raw agave, organic plant protein, MCT oil, organic coconut oil, organic cacao, organic vanilla bean, and organic sunflower lecithin. Plus, Nakee Butter tastes really good. I mean really good. This is a great spread to either put on a piece of toast with breakfast or have in the pack to squeeze when energy is needed on those tough trails. Plus, it is good for you. And did I mention it tasted good! (Lets be honest, the Fatman wouldn’t eat it if it didn’t taste good!)

InstaPrivy

The last of the Big Gear Show innovative products I wanted to talk about is the InstaPrivy. Everyone uses the bathroom from time to time in the outdoors. Some are more free with it. Some prefer a bit of privacy. That is where the InstaPrivy comes in.

InstaPrivy is self-contained in a seven pound backpack. Inside the custom pack comes a foldable toilet chair, an Instant Privacy Tent, and waste bags. Also included, a hand shovel, toilet paper roll, seat covers and hand sanitizer. The tent provides complete privacy for those who have to go. It pops up in seconds and can easily fold back down when job is done.

This kit is everything you need to use the bathroom in the backcountry with a bit of peace. The folding seat is strong and sturdy. Everything then folds back up into the custom pack for easy carrying. A perfect item for anyone who is a little bit nervous about their time in the woods.

More from the Fatman

I will have more coverage of the Big Gear Show in the coming days. You can find my coverage of outdoor conventions in my Product Reviews section.  If you have any items you would like me to review or any comments feel free to email me at fatmanlittletrails@gmail.com or you can follow me on any of the below social media platforms. Happy Hiking!