Ortovox

Once again this year, the Alpinforum will not take place at the Insbruck trade fair as usual, but digitally. The top-class presentations are therefore accessible to everyone with an internet connection, either as a live stream on Friday or later on YouTube.

At the first edition of the "Futuresymposium Wintersport" last week, new products from selected manufacturers were presented and trends and developments in the scene were highlighted in a variety of panel discussions and presentations. The event largely took place virtually and the PG team followed the more interesting contributions on screen.

As in previous years, there are two clear trends at ISPO again this year: firstly, the trade fair is increasingly losing exhibitors, especially in the winter sports segments we have observed, and secondly, the exhibitors represented are focusing more and more on the central theme of "sustainability". I think this trend is always particularly noticeable in the clothing segment.

In the "Safety Academy Lab Snow", PG partner Ortovox teaches important content for everyone who moves around in unsecured terrain - from careful tour planning to what to do in an emergency. In this special winter in particular, Ortovox recommends being considerate and responsible in the mountains.

Ortovox reminds you in a press release that the carbon cartridges of the AVABAG airbag backpacks must be weighed regularly. Occasionally there may be a loss of pressure, which is reflected in a deviation in the weight of the cartridge.

The vastness of the internet is not only full of funny cat and dog videos, but often also good instructional videos on the subject of winter sports. Here is a compilation of videos about snow and avalanches, with recommendations from the snow rummager.

Down, synthetic or wool. We are now spoiled for choice when it comes to materials. In addition to standards for down and sustainable alternatives in the development of synthetic fiber products, more and more emphasis is also being placed on sustainability and certifications for wool. This is also the case with the "Ortovox Wool Promise".

A third layer jacket with merino wool sounds a bit strange at first. On closer inspection, however, you realize that the merino wool is only used on the inside. On the outside, the jacket shines with the high-performance Dermizax®EV membrane from Toray with a water column of at least 20,000 mm and is therefore permanently wind and waterproof.

Since the ABS patent on airbag backpacks expired, new models of avalanche airbag systems have been springing up like mushrooms. Ortovox has also turned its back on ABS and developed its own system. This system has been installed in various new backpacks. PowderGuide had the opportunity to test this new system in the Free Rider 22 Avabag.

As an elementary piece of safety equipment, the probe is (hopefully!) stowed in every freerider's or ski tourer's backpack and always ready to go. Actually, there is not much to such a probe and practically all models available on the market are likely to work reliably. For me, a "good" Sonder is therefore characterized more by a combination of the right little things.

In the third part of our ISPO report, we present the new products in the textile sector. As we already saw last year, manufacturers are once again focusing on muted colors such as ochre and merlot. More and more companies are also attaching importance to ecological clothing and are using wool or recycled materials, for example.

Professionals bouncing on slacklines, virtually climbing the Matterhorn or test paddling with kayaks: at Outdoor 2015, manufacturers spent four days promoting their new products. PowderGuide looked for trends and innovations for you.