Plenty of exciting new equipment at OTS 2023

Neil McQuoid
17 June 2023

The 2023 Outdoor Trade Show in Liverpool saw a lot of new and innovative kit to make its was into the marketplace. A number of products have recently caught the eye of Racer Ready that will help parents, coaches and racers as well as fans with their enjoyment of the sports we all love.

Halti had a lot of their clothing on the racks but it was their snow boots that caught the eye. A collaboration with Michelin has seen the soles of their boots fitted with Michelin rubber including the ability to add spikes to the soles of the Kuru range. These will be very useful to stop slipping about when trying to get into great positions when trying to watch events. Targeted at the hiking market, they should also appeal to winter sports fans.

Halti have also brought a great little backpack to the market that would be great for taking snacks up the hill when watching events. Nothing new in having a backpack to carry this but the bag rolls up into a small bag so that it is easy to pack when travelling.

With many athletes now spending time on the glaciers as they put in the runs to hone their technique, the importance of hydration has never been more important. Lifestraw have produced a great filtration system and a number of bottles and carriers to suit all. The filtration can fit in a hard Lifestraw bottle, a soft bottle, can be attached to the top of a 500ml coke or soft drink bottle and in the interests of not passing germs from one another, it can be used for one person or many.

If you or your club are looking for personalised water bottles, have a look at www.mizulife.co.uk . They have some great designs and also there is no need to buy huge amounts on one bulk order.

With many families taking the family pets away with them to watch the ski racing, the number of options for coats to keep the dogs warm, was also impressive. The swanndri coats really caught the eye especially with their range of tartan jackets.

One relatively unknown sunglass company were keen to show their products and the brand is Tifosi. Made to the same high specifications that the likes of Oakley are made but with no big budget marketing and expensive support on athletes, the cost of the glasses is much cheaper than other brands.

The brand with the funkiest display case had to be Pit Viper. The increasingly popular glasses have many different styles for different requirements.

Falke had their impressive training tops on display as well as an array of socks that all help with keeping the body fit and healthy and making sure that the athlete gets the most out of their drylands training.

Uphill ski are a new brand to the market in the UK with their Finnish made socks that cater for all sides of the sport. From coaches, to fans, to parents and to the athlete as well. With unique and innovative creations, they are a brand that will be taking the making by storm soon.

The importance of nutrition was not lost on the show either and our attention was caught by the to Torq fitness team with their gluten free and good for vegans nutrition packs. Watch out for more articles on nutrition coming from them. One of the real positives for Torq is the attention to helping vegans, diabetics and others.

Probably the most interesting products that we saw was a collaboration between two firms that will give great communication on the hill or in the training environment. Hands free headphones from Shokz and the technology from Join-In will allow coaches to have simultaneous group chats without waiting for each person to finish what they are saying. They can also be used when out on bikes, running etc to keep the communication going. They are run through the internet.

Another brand that we have also become aware of, are SnowShephard Gloves. Coaches that are struggling with cold hands while setting courses and standing on the side of slopes should get in touch with them and try out their gloves. We have been very impressed with them in the indoor halls this summer.