The outdoor apparel and equipment market has been growing steadily since 2020. European industry experts will have the opportunity to meet at Outdoor by Ispo from June 12 to June 14 in Munich. More than 300 brands and service providers are scheduled to exhibit at the Munich Order and Convention Center’s 30,000 square meters of exhibition space.

On Sunday morning, visitors will be given an insight into the outdoor market at a conference that starts at 11:00 a.m. at which Mark Held and Arne Strate of the European Outdoor Group will present industry facts and figures together with Klaus Dittrich from Messe München. This will be a good opportunity to find out more about the industry before starting the tour of the four halls and the outdoor area.

Hall 1 and 2 are certainly the most fashionable, hosting sportswear, urban outdoor wear, water sports equipment, and hiking apparel and gear as well as a start-up zone with brands such as Fusion Clothing, Helly Hansen, Eastpak, Aries, UYN, Helinox and even Norwegian brands Häglofs, Colmar and Bergans.

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The third hall is reserved for running, trekking and hiking brands such as Lowa, Scott, Craghoppers, Merrell, Reef, Osprey and La Sportiva, while hall 4 caters to mountaineering and climbing enthusiasts with brands such as Hanwag, Recco, Petzl and Fjällraven. The open-air area will present tents and other outdoor equipment from brands such as Marmot, Dometic, Vaude or Sea Summit.

23 award-winning products and services

The show's organization will also be awarding prizes to products considered to be the season’s best. 23 products or services from different categories were awarded. "Two dominant trends crystallized among the winners of the last ISPO Award," said Andi Spies, juror and editor-in-chief of the ISPO.com press team.
 
“First of all, the weight of the equipment and product plays an increasingly important role with many manufacturers, such as extremely light headlamps and trail-running shoes that are light as a feather. Lightweight products create added value for all athletes and improve usability in virtually all types of sports. At the same time, product developers are increasingly focusing on durability. This trend is still ongoing. Single-material textiles and fully biodegradable functional clothing are setting the standard for this. Another aspect of sustainability is the durability of products. Modern products last longer thanks to the extremely resistant materials and robust components used to manufacture them. A supposedly higher prices are justified in these terms."

Among the products recognized by the Ispo Awards were a series of backpacks including the Shell travelbag from Tropicfeel, which features compression systems to optimize storage space, Deuter's The Vertrail, a lightweight, waterproof bag with a style that could potentially appeal to urbanites, and The Guide, weighing just 880 grams for 30 liters of storage space, featuring compartments for mountain gear. The Peak by Ortovox opts for versatility, offering a product that takes advantage of the temperature-regulating properties of wool.

In the footwear category, Adidas' Terrex brand received an award for its Free Hiker XPL Gore-Tex Parley hiking boot, which is partially made from recycled materials. Merrell took home two awards for its The Rogue hiking shoe, which the brand says combines the trail properties and comfort of hiking products. Its MTL Skyfire 2 shoe model was designed for trail running and combines lightness, agility and comfort, making them ideal for competitive runners.

Jackets continue to be a key item of clothing at Ispo. Adidas’ Terrex also placed among the winners in this category with not only one but two products. The "Made to be Remade" Wind Anorak in polyester is recyclable and made with a specific mono-material construction. The Techrock Light Gore-Tex is an ultra-lightweight mountaineering jacket.

Kathmandu was awarded for its NXT level BioDown jacket, which uses biodegradable nylon polymer and Responsible Down Standard (RDS) certified down feathers. The packaging itself is compostable.

Helly Hansen presented its Odin 9 Worlds 3.0, which further develops the Norwegian brand’s sustainable practices. The North Face was recognized for its Dawn Turn 50/50 Synthetic jacket and its highly air-permeable 50-50 construction. Finally, Rab had cyclists in mind when presenting its Cinder Phantom jacket. The outdoor wear specialist is beginning to develop a cycling apparel collection for 2023 that will feature its award-winning waterproof ultralight jacket that can be easily compressed.

Other pieces of clothing were rewarded such as Odlo's X-Alp PW 115 T-shirt for its unique blend of wool with Nuyarn fiber, striking a balance between softness, comfort, flexibility, product drying time and abrasion resistance. Schöffel was recognized for its Circ Pants Loops, a hiking pant developed with revolTex technology, which allows the recycled polyester to be transformed into polyester at the end of the product's life. Finally, the Canadian brand BN3TH won two awards: one for its North Shore Chamois Bike shorts, which feature an improved and protective design for the wearer as well as an odor control system. The other for its Glacier Creek Merino Full Length Baselayer, a first layer pant made with the brand's patented 'MyPakage Pouch Technology' system that provides men with enhanced intimate support.

Innovative products will be on display during the three days of this year’s Outdoor by Ispo.