Adventure Gear Exciting Improvements In The Adaptive Niche

D isabled adventurers are          and the annual Outdoor Retailer’s  well-versed in adapting         Show is one of the best places to  outdoor gear to fit their       showcase this.                     needs. World-renowned climber                                            Mark Wellman has made a life of       The Outdoor Retailer’s Show (ORS)  it, and sells his adapted             in Salt Lake City is a huge        climbing gear through his own         annual event that overflows into   company, No Limits Tahoe. Many       the parking lots of the Salt Lake  other adventurers with                City Convention Center. This      disabilities have done the same       year the show was as big, if not   to kayaks, skis, and other            bigger, than it usually is, with   mainstream equipment. But these      thousands of manufacturers         hard-core adventurers who have        showing off their new outdoor      spent the last decade adapting        gear. From big names such as      adventure gear to fit their level     Patagonia and L.L. Bean to         of need seem to have finally          smaller and newer companies        broken through, and the               trying to make a name for          manufacturers of outdoor              themselves, the ORS becomes a      equipment are finally beginning       city of itself of like-minded      to adapt their gear for people        enthusiasts. Attention-grabbers   with disabilities. For years         like the Paddle Pool filled with   disabled adventurers and              kayakers of world-class ability    innovators struggle to gain           and evening block parties          sponsorships and financial aid to     complete with live bands are       help them create adapted gear to      annual staples for this event.     get them back into the sports         Retailers come from all states     they love. Due to a combination      nation-wide to make their          of supply and demand, inventors       seasonal purchases at this         seem to be catching on to this        unmatched exposition of outdoor    expanding niche of adventurer,        gear.                                                                                                      Over the past few years several       Jankowski hopes that the tent      companies have been working on        gains popularity among the         prototypes for adventurers with       disabled community, and is proud   disabilities. Last year’s ORS         to offer this tent to them, but    featured the first adapted tent       knows how tough it is to market    on the market, Eureka’s Freedom       to this group. Although the        Tent, designed especially for         Freedom Tent has been on the road  campers with disabilities. The       for a year, Eureka has sold only   Freedom Tent includes a front         a handful of these tents, and has  vestibule shelter for a               few retailers willing to offer     wheelchair as well as toggle pull     it. But to really get the tent    zippers on the doors and windows      out there to its needy consumers,  for those with hand-mobility          Jankowski is going to need help.   challenges. Released during          To encourage other companies to    summer of 2004, the Freedom Tent      follow suit and begin making       spent its first year trekking         equipment with a more “universal”  around the U.S. on demonstration      design, disabled outdoor           at outdoor expositions and            enthusiasts must begin to          conferences such as the ORS.          purchase products geared at their                                        needs such as the Freedom Tent in  However, Eureka’s biggest             larger numbers.                   challenge is finding its                                                 consumer. Marketing Director for     The highlight of this summer’s     Eureka, Kirsten Jankowski,            ORS was inventor Kevin Carr, an    emphasizes this. She states,         independent dealer and product     “This tent is one of our higher       designer for major canoe           priorities, but each year we have     companies. Carr was proud to      new tents that we have to spend       exhibit his latest addition in     our marketing dollars on.”           adapted canoe gear, a fully        padded and supportive seatback        hose-attachments for easy          that is still in prototype stage,     drinking while on the trail in     but will hopefully be released in     all seasons, but as of yet,        spring of 2006. Other paddling       CamelBak has not released a pack   gear has been adapted for             that is adapted for wheelchairs.   disabled outdoorsmen, including       Wesley Watson, V.P. of Operations  paddles with hand attachments for     for CamelBak, states this is       grip assistance as well as padded     something the company has already  foot “cages,” but this new seat       begun discussing designs for.      will make paddling a reality for      CamelBak has been providing the    quadriplegics and many                U.S. Military with these           paraplegics as well. Carr has        hydration systems for the past     designed the seat to fit into any     decade, and has recently added a   canoe with easy installation. The     new competition design to their    seat was also designed to fit         line. Innovative companies like   with removable wheelchair seats       this, thinking of all types of     for the most comfort. Adjustable     needs from combat to competition,  straps and a lightweight fame         are just the kind to begin         make this seatback a luxury for       adapting their outdoor gear for    all water enthusiasts with            adventurers with disabilities.     disabilities.                                                                                                  Marketing these newest             Another company that has begun to     innovations in adventure gear      prototype gear for adventurers        will be the toughest test, and     with disabilities is CamelBak, a      the more consumers with            well-known innovator in               disabilities take advantage of     hydration. These backpacks           these leading products, the more   include water bladders and            products will follow!              About the Author: http://www.accessanything.net Published At: www.Isnare.com