The Daily - June 11,2022 - 57

Bread+Butter
T R E N D S
Body
Glove's
Performer
11 iSUP
Rock the Boat
This year's paddling gear is smarter
and more accessible than ever.
By Eugene Buchanan
FROM LAKES AND RIVERS TO
tranquil ocean bays, water offers one
of the most easily accessible ways to
recreate in the outdoors. This year's
slew of manufacturers are upping
their game to make it even more so,
paying attention to everything from
price to performance.
" Paddlesports participation has
increased upwards of 30% over the
past three years, and we see the
same participation continuing, " says
Eron Chorney of apparel maker
Mustang Survival. " Our job in the
industry now is to continue educating
and welcoming the newer
participants to keep them engaged
and retained. "
Here are a few trends you'll see on
the show floor.
PRICE POINT AND COMPACTABILITY
COME TO SUPS
Lower entry-level prices, lighter
weight, and tighter packages sum
up the design features coming to
the stand-up paddleboard world.
Case in point is Body Glove's
new Performer 11 iSUP, its top
seller in North America. It is beginner-friendly,
inflates in under
five minutes, and rolls up into a
lightweight backpack that's easy
to carry and won't cramp storage
space. And with an MSRP of just
$400, it ensures everyone can jump
in and play. SUPs are also getting
lighter and more compact. RED's
12-foot Compact claims " half the
size, twice the adventure, " blending
stability and maneuverability with
a drawn-out shape to increase glide,
a quad-stringer tensioning system
for rigidity, a split deck pad for more
compact folding, and a custom
carrying backpack with compression
straps. " As our paddleboards
get smaller and more transportable,
we're seeing more people be able to
get out and adventure, " says RED's
Jordan Curet. " This ranges from
taking a SUP on a hike to a high
alpine lake or riding the subway. "
REC KAYAKS ARE BOOMING
The pandemic has drawn more
people to the water, and, as with
SUPs, nowhere is that ringing truer
than in the rec kayak category,
where sales are blossoming from
designs fostering price point, stability
and ease-of-participation. Case
in point: Pelican International's
Pulse 100X, a self-bailing sit-on-top
rec kayak built on a twin-tunnel
multi-chine hull that provides
easy maneuverability and speed,
all in a stable, beginner-friendly
platform. Made from impact-resistant
RAM-X, it includes molded
footrests, adjustable ErgoForm G2
seat, tank well with bungee cords,
and paddle.
APPAREL SEES BETTER MATERIAL
AND PERFORMANCE
Paddlesports apparel continues to
focus on keeping consumers warm
and dry. Continuing its momentum
fueled by recent acquisitions, Mustang
Survival debuts two new dry
suits and jackets at this year's show,
including the Taku Dry Top, a lightweight,
waterproof topper that pairs
with its Taku Dry Bibs. Made from
waterproof-breathable three-layer
MarineSpec SP, it comes with trimmable
latex neck and wrist gaskets,
neck collar fabric overlay and wrist
over-cuffs to protect the latex seals,
underarm gussets for mobility,
and a neoprene waist band. Also
look for its new men's and women's
lightweight Beacon drysuits, which
highlight range of motion with
center-zip entry and a comfortable,
active-standby mode that maintains
airflow. They're also made
from three-layer MarineSpec, with
trimmable latex neck and wrist
seals, a fleece-lined high collar and
stowable hood, and 500-denier Cordura
seat and knee reinforcement.
" Materials and designs are getting
better than ever for protection from
the elements while paddling, " says
Mustang's Chorney. " We've seen
an increase in dry suit purchases,
which points to both colder weather
this season as well as participants
increasing their season's length. "
ACCESSORIES:
DRYBAGS AND PFDS
Wearing a PFD and keeping accessories
dry is paramount, and companies
are going above and beyond to
make both types of protection better
than ever. Nite Ize debuts its new
RunOff Waterproof Phone Pouch,
with touchscreen-friendly clear
material that allows app use and
front/back camera operation up to
one meter underwater. Its waterproofness
comes from durable TPU
construction, RF-welded seams, and
a slide-to-secure, toothless, TRU Zip
tech zipper for closing. The flexible
pouch can also be rolled up for compact
carrying when not in use.
Sea to Summit raises the bar
on dry bags with its new rolltop-closure
Big River as part of a
revamp of its dry storage category.
Made from durable 420-denier
ripstop nylon, it's re-engineered
with a layflat capability, low-profile
attachment points (including
grab-and-carry rail), and PFC-free
water-repellent finish. Its new
420-denier eVac Compression Dry
Bag HD is made from abrasionand
puncture-resistant eVent and
doubles as a compression sack for
bulky layers, sleeping bags, and other
compressible gear. " We're seeing
a diverse mix of new participants
in outdoor activities coupled with
more experienced users investing
in better, higher-quality gear, " says
GM Josh Simpson.
On the PFD front, Mustang
Survival is building on flotation
products with its new line of PFD
belt packs, which it views as a booming
category with the swell in SUP
and other paddlecraft participation.
" Our PFD belt packs are still strong
as minimal designs and the belt
pack trend in mainstream-wear
continues as high participation in
stand-up paddleboarding grows, "
says Mustang's Chorney.
OUTDOOR RETAILER SUMMER 2022 /
57
LAUREN DANILEK
The Daily - June 11,2022

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