[Slide Alder Slayer]

I decided to purchase the premium membership with backpackinglight.com, and just received one of my investment returns with an excellent article/pictures on the Outdoor Retailer 2003 Summer Market Roundup. Just when you think things can’t get any better they do! GoLite has developed a corrugated polystyrene frame sheet that will be used in three new packs, the Vision 30L, the Continuum 40L, and the Infinity 50L. Good looking packs! Black Diamond is introducing new tents/bivy based on Bibler’s designs for the Ahwahnee, I-Tent, and the Tripod Bivy. The difference will be using Epic Malibu (1.9 0z/sq.yd.) fabric that reduces the weights of the tents to fewer than 3 pounds. GoLite is coming out with new tents and Granite Gear has an excellent line of new lightweight tarps in their White Lightn’n series. Also Patagonia, Marmot, Ibex, Mont bell, Western Mountaineering have all improved and/or reduced the weight of their clothing, and there are some substantial weight reductions in sleeping mattresses. But I really could care less about all that. What I was most impressed with was what really mattered, the perfect cup of coffee. My prayers may be answered as Snow Peak has developed a titanium java press for its’ mugs!

[Allison]

...and the really crazy thing is, that as big as that show is, the only things from the above list that I saw were the BD Epic tents. Will be interesting to see if the Epic fabric works for a tent...or not!