The Best New Gear From Winter Outdoor Retailer 2018

Last week I attended the 2018 Winter Outdoor Retailer gear show in Denver, and while the event was smaller and quieter than most other OR shows, there was still plenty of good equipment and new products on display. In fact, my podcast partner Dave Adlard and I gave out the very first Adventure Podcast "Best of Show" awards. Who won? We'll be sharing the results in our episode that comes out a bit later today. But, we weren't the only ones handing out awards and giving accolades, as some other great media outlets also offered their picks for the best new gear as well.

First up, Gear Junkie handed out their awards as well, spotlighting ten different items that they felt stood out from the crowd. We agreed with them on a couple of those products too, so you'll see a bit of overlap when our winners are announced. Some of the highlights from Gear Junkie's list include a new mountaineering boot that can be used to ski as well, waterproof blue jeans from Duer, and a new base layer from from Smartwool. The other seven items I'll leave for you to discover on your own, but they include three Adventure Podcast award winners as well, not to mention some really great products that you'll probably want to have in your gear closet.

Next up, Outside magazine wasn't handing out awards like they usually do, but they did produce the video below to share their favorite new gear items. The three-minute clip gives viewers a sense of what it is like to attend OR, while also highlighting a couple of the more impressive pieces of gear that stood out to the Outside team.

Most of the gear in each of these round-ups won't be available until next fall, but it is always fun to get a sneak peek at what's coming.