I was recently inspired by a series of Reddit threads highlighted on Digg.com (which is maybe the most millennial sentence I’ve written to-date). The thread highlighted products that Redditors believe have improved in recent years, call it the last decade or so. The list included some logical call-outs like phone-based GPS, non-alcoholic beer, and my personal favorite, the frozen pizza (I personally believe that Urban Pie makes the best frozen pizzas, but they are expensive). It inspired me to think through what sports-related products that have markedly improved in recent years, and to start in the outdoors space specifically.
I quickly realized that nearly every single sports-related product has improved in recent years, as the constant drive for competitive edge naturally breeds better products. The most prominent driver of this improvement is simply the evolution of the materials that make up the products— carbon fiber bikes are lighter, new textiles breathe better, batteries last longer, and so on. As a result, I’ve tried my best to ignore any pure materials-based improvements and focus on fundamental changes to the product features— the interaction points, the form factor, the core mechanisms, etc. I’ve also tried to limit myself to a total list of ~10-15 outdoor sports-related products, and described each improvement within the length of the Reddit posts that inspired me, so about 1-2 sentences.
So without further ado, here is a (extremely non-comprehensive) list of outdoor sports products that have improved in recent years:
1. Headlamps. Beyond just getting brighter, my favorite trend in headlights is the distribution of battery weight to the back of the head. Gone are the days of looking down and having your headlamp strap or the headlamp itself flop over due to the momentum of the many AAA batteries you’re dangling off your forehead.
2. AT Bindings. Even apart from the rise of hybrid bindings like the Salomon S/Lab Shift and the Marker F-Series, smaller quality-of-life improvements like simpler heel-riser mechanisms, DIN-rated pin bindings, and lighter-weight interfaces with boots have all made AT bindings more tempting to purchase, even for skiers who only go uphill a few times a year.
3. Fish finders. A family friend showed me a video of a modern fish finder from Garmin and it blew my mind. In real-time, you can effectively spot the live location of fish and see them actively approaching and biting your bait. The fidelity and range is mind-blowing.
4. Running backpacks. Despite my recent prediction they won’t be part of elite ultra-running in 5 years, the new designs with upfront water bottle holders, pockets for snacks, elastic chest straps, and different pouch sizes on the back really beat a traditional hiking backpack when it comes to trail running.
5. Snowboard step-on bindings. They are more expensive than traditional bindings, but it blows my mind that step-on bindings from Burton aren’t dominating the market. They are easy to use, make keeping up with skiers feasible, and have enough security and rigidity for most recreational boarders.
6. Earphones (Aftershokz). The whole family of bone-conductive headphones that don’t actually go in your ears are a game changer. I wear mine on trail runs, long road rides, and often while running errands to keep full sound awareness of what’s around me.
7. GPS/Smart Watches. Smart watches have come a long way since the early days of Fitbit and the Apple Watch. The screens are better, integration with sensors is easier, user interfaces are easier to navigate, and the product suite of super capable watches spans a wider range of price points now, all the way to sub $300.
8. Bike trainers (turbos). Integrating directly into the drivetrain of bikes, virtual gear-shifting, bringing the experience to a virtual online world like Zwift, and an ever-growing ecosystem of trainer-based accessories like the Wahoo desk make the experience much more enjoyable, quiet, and effective than before.
9. Magnet-based goggle lenses. Being able to hot swap lenses attached to your goggle frame by magnets has been so relieving for me. I no longer feel like I’m going to shatter my lens or frame by twisting the lens out to swap it on a cloudy or sunny day.
10. Hip packs. I hesitate to say that we’ve upgraded from the fanny packs of the 80’s and 90’s, but I think we may have. Companies ranging from Norrona to Swix to Osprey to Rapha all make great hip packs for individual sports with bottle holders, clasps, and access points designed for specific sports.
11. BOAs galore. BOA-based tightening mechanisms are seemingly everywhere now, and I love it. BOA’s recent foray into ski boots makes the most sense to me, given how clunky and coarse tightening a boot with buckles can be.
12. Bike racks for cars. Küat didn’t necessarily start the trend, but I really love their hitch-mounted bike racks. They don’t require you to take your bike wheels off, they’re ergonomically efficient, and feel built to last— hitch-mounted bike racks can be expensive, but are worth it.
Recess 034