With nearly 800,000 square feet of outdoor awesome, the Outdoor Retailer Summer Market exhilarates and exhausts.

Imagine an outdoor store ten times the size of your average Costco, jam packed with the latest and greatest for camping, paddling, fishing, trail running, yoga, hiking, climbing, and, yes, cycling. Unlike your average Costco, it's full of mostly fit, pretty darn good looking people...I mentioned the yoga part, right?

Now throw in some demo areas with climbing walls, paddling pools, and fly casting ponds. If you're envisioning a mega REI on steroids-granola-fed, organic, natural, gluten-free steroids of course-you're getting the gist of what the Outdoor Retailer Summer Market trade show looks like.

Positioned ahead of the Eurobike and Interbike cycling trade shows, "Summer OR" as its casually called, brings nearly 30,000 attendees and some 1,300 exhibitors to Salt Lake City each August. And while we generally get the skinny on new bike stuff at the cycling trade shows and press launches, Mtbr sent me to OR in search of gear that crosses-over. Stuff like bikepacking essentials, sports electronics, and base camping setups, as well as relevant technology and trends in fabrics, apparel and materials. What follows, in no particular order, are some things that piqued my curiosity...as well as blatant pandering to bacon and beer lovers. Take a look and see what you think.

1. Brunton's pocket-sized Hydrogen Reactor a portable power game changer



The portable Brunton Hydrogen Reactor brilliantly makes energy from water and air using lightweight interchangeable Hydrogen Cores.

As all manner of devices-smartphones, tablets, GPS and the like-make their way to the backcountry, the need for dependable portable power has grown exponentially. And while portable solar emerged as a cleaner, greener alternative to disposable batteries a couple years ago, Brunton's new hydrogen-based solution might just be bigger than the sun.

At about the size of a pack of flashcards, the 146-gram Brunton Hydrogen Reactor generates energy by creating a reaction between ambient oxygen, and hydrogen stored in small, lightweight, rechargeable cylinders called Hydrogen Cores, according to product manager Ryan Perry. Energy transfers from the Reactor-essentially a fuel cell-to the device via USB cord just as if it were connected to a reserve external battery or wall charger. For a sense of capacity, each Hydrogen Core stores enough energy to fully-charge an iPhone six times, and users can carry any number of the 100-gram cylinders to fit their power needs.

A bikepacker on a week-long trip, for instance, might carry five or six cores to keep a GPS, USB water purifier, and camping lamp charged, while a single core would likely suffice for a weekend trip requiring just-in-case power.

More mundanely, I wish I had one right now to get my tablet out of the danger zone as I type away in an overcrowded airport with few outlets. The point being, this thing has some real potential for the great indoors as well.

Unlike solar, a hydrogen system is not dependent on bright sunlight and can do its thing under cloud cover, in the rain, and even in total darkness.

When a Hydrogen Core is spent, it's recharged with a machine called an H2O Hydrolizer which is about the size of an electric pencil sharpener, and looks like one too. Simply pour in water, turn on the machine, and it extracts hydrogen, storing it in solid form on materials inside the cylinder core. The $300 charger can be purchased for home use, though Brunton envisions a system similar to propane tank exchanges where retailers can refill or exchange Hydrogen Cores for a small fee--anywhere from free to $5.

The Hydrogen Reactor itself retails for a reasonable $150 and includes two charged Hydrogen Cores. Spares are available for $15 a pop. The pricing seems reasonable even before you factor in Brunton's U-Proof Promise, an unconditional repair/replacement policy that kicks in even if it's your fault. brunton.com

2. Sea to Summit's tiny tent a perfect pick for bikepacking



Despite a pack size slightly larger than a Nalgene bottle, the ultra light Specialist Solo sports roomy proportions when assembled.

Packing up just a smidge larger than a Nalgene bottle, Sea to Summit's feathery, 625-gram Specialist Solo might just be the ideal bikepacking tent. Despite its diminutive pack size, the $429 aluminum-poled Solo boasts 14.5 square feet of well-proportioned floor space and a respectable 3.9 square foot vestibule. The optional 94g Tyvek groundsheet adds durability to the ultralight package and seems like a wise addition. For $70 more and a "penalty" of 220 grams you can get the Specialist Duo two-person version which adds nine square feet and another door. Sea to Summit also makes a full line insanely light compression sacks, sleeping bags, dry sacks and kitchen items perfect for bikepacking. seatosummit.com

3. Thule integrates handy work stand into new bike travel cases



Hard case or soft case, Thule's new pair of bike boxes each include wheel bags, an integrated work stand and retail for $599.

Bikes and air travel go together like peanut butter and pickles. Compounding the already cumbersome task of navigating airports with an awkward, heavy container is the indignity of the hotel-as-bike-shop. It seems you're either out in the parking lot fumbling for tools in the dark, or inside tripping over the bike box and decorating your room with grease. Thule's pair of clever new bike boxes add a handy, integrated work stand to the mix that just might save you from having to pony up for a new set of Egyptian cotton sheets.

Both boxes--one is a hard case, the other soft-sided-accommodate bikes with wheelbases up to 46 inches, meaning almost any road, cyclocross or mountain bike (including downhill) fits. The convertible fork mount accommodates 9 mm quick releases, as well as 15 and 20 mm through-axels. They're both equipped with a pair of wheel bags to keep your hoops safe, and the aforementioned work stand, which clicks into the bags' high-impact ABS plastic base during transit. High-quality dolly wheels, and rugged, rubber-coated handles make maneuvering the boxes easy.

The hard-sided Round Trip Elite employs a version of Thule's wheel strap mechanism to clasp the case shut and is the roomier of the two boxes with a few more cubic inches to stow gear like helmets, shoes and hydration packs around the bike. The soft-sided Round Trip Pro foregoes clips in favor of heavy-duty zippers for closure, and has slightly less room, but folds down for better space management when not carrying a bike-say stored in the back of your garage, a rental car, or in that swanky hotel room you didn't get dirty. Either bag retails for $599 and will be available in November of 2013. thule.com

4. Bacon-covered ice cream powers Outdoor Retailer show



Hydrogen power, lightweight whatever, blah, blah, blah-THIS GIRL GAVE AWAY SOFT SERVE CONES ROLLED IN BACON BITS. FREE. ALL SHOW LONG. Sorry, I didn't catch the name of the booth.

5. West America goes south with Woolrich motorcycle collaboration, journey



West America collaborators James Crowe (L) and Jordan Hufnagel prepped for their epic motorcycle trek to South America by launching a line of riding gear with Woolrich at the Outdoor Retailer show in Salt Lake City last week.

Crass observers might dismiss best friends Jordan Hufnagel and James Crowe as a pair of Oregon hipsters looking to live out idealistic Kerouacian fantasies. But using the Portlandia brush to paint this duo-who collectively handcraft camping gear under the moniker West America-egregiously distorts their truth. Kind of like any rant starting with the words "you people," it can only go more sideways from there. No, what you get with these guys is authentic-though they'd never call it that. To them, it's just living.

When working separately, Hufnagel produces spectacular, eponymous handmade bicycles, while Crowe custom reconstructs beautiful, purposeful motorcycles under the flag of Crowe Metal Co. Until recently the pair shared a metal shop in Portland, but as they prepare for a year-long motorcycle adventure that begins next month, they've pressed pause on their businesses and focused on their trip which takes them from Whistler, British Columbia some 7,000 miles south to the Patagonia region of South America and back.

They'll be riding a matched pair of Honda XR-600's customized by Crowe to expand gear and fuel capacity, handle potential water crossings, and be more comfortable for days on end in the saddle. They chose the bikes both for their versatility and ubiquity-Honda produced nearly identical versions for 15 years making spare parts easy to find worldwide. By using the same bike, they'll also be able to share spares they carry with them-a strategy readers planning epic bicycle adventures might be wise to consider as well.

As if building the bikes, customizing their gear, and planning trip logistics weren't enough, the West America boys collaborated with venerable outdoor brand Woolrich to produce a line of American-made motorcycle apparel-pants, vests, jackets, even a riding pancho that doubles as a blanket, all of which debuted at OR. While they ostensibly made the line for the trip, Woolrich will also offer it at retail.

"The trip is largely unscripted, which makes it simultaneously exciting and a bit scary," said Hufnagel. "But we're going into it well-prepared and with a really positive mindset. I'm confident that will help us overcome anything that comes our way."

When I told Hufnagel it sounded like the trip of a lifetime, he replied, "Hopefully, it's one of many trips of a lifetime." Indeed, Jordan. Indeed.

Follow the build and trip at wearewestamerica.com and by following @woolrichinc on Instagram, check out Jordan's bicycles at hufnagelcycles.com, see James' handiwork at crowemetalco.com, and see the West America/Woolrich gear collab at woolrich.com.

6. LifeStraw water filter makes the outdoors your sippy cup



Originally created for developing countries and humanitarian efforts, the light, simple and inexpensive LifeStraw stands out in the crowded water filter category as a good pick for bikepacking. About the same size as your mini tire pump, this $24 filter packs well and simply works. Photos courtesy of Lifestraw. lifestraw.com

7. Teva clips-in with new Pivot MTB shoe



Teva's PR manager Jamie Eschette shows how cleats can be adjusted through the top of their new Pivot clipless mountain bike shoe.

We got our hands....err feet...on a preproduction pair of Teva's Pivot clipless pedals a few months ago (reviewed here in a long-term test) but thought they might be worth another mention now that they're available at retail and because they were hard to miss at Outdoor Retailer.

While Teva traditionally uses OR to pitch their popular sport sandals, flip-flops and hiking shoes, the new mountain bike shoes shared the spotlight with the brand's more outdoorsy siblings at this year's show. Following up on the success of their Jeff Lenosky-designed Links flat pedal shoes, the Pivot adds clipless-compatibility along with a new twist on set-up, according to Teva PR manager Jaime Eschette who demonstrated the feature.

In addition to threading your cleat screws the traditional way-from the bottom-the Pivots come with a port for mounting the cleats from the top and through the shoe upper and toe box. This allows you to clip into the pedal and make adjustments without clipping out. Yes, you need to pull your foot out of the shoe, but at least you're not twisting and dramatically upsetting the alignment as you would the traditional way. Teva even includes a T25 Torx driver and matching bolts for the task. An added bonus-down the road when you remove worn cleats you won't be fighting beat down bolt heads. Smart stuff.

The Pivots go for $150 and come in black with blue accents, and grey with red accents. teva.com

8. Notable Field Notes makes notation notably noble



A notebook is a notebook is a notebook, right? Not so says Field Notes founder and graphic design impresario Aaron Draplin. The inside covers of his high-quality, American-made notebooks come festooned with useful conversion charts and rulers, as well as less-practical bursts of awesome, like a reference guide for hobo symbols and tips for tic-tac-toe. Just the kind of stuff to put you in a fun mindset for adventure planning-which will be the duty of the $9.95 Steno Book shown here. fieldnotesbrand.com

9. Po Campo bags bridge gap between on-bike function and off-bike style



Po Campo's Maria Boustead couldn't find a bike bag that fit her stylish sensibilities so she started a company to make her own. The Pilsen handbag (top right, $75), the Logan tote (top of rack, $90) and the Loop pannier ($115) highlight her versatile line.

"Brainy and stylish" describes both Po Campo's line of urban bike bags and the woman behind them, Chicago-based owner/designer Maria Boustead. PC's clever Connect straps securely attach bags to handlebars, frame tubes and racks, but virtually disappear when off the bike, even doubling as a yoga mat holder for all but the smallest model. Subtly feminine patterns add a classy panache to the line which recently added a man-patible unisex messenger bag and pannier as well. pocampo.com

10. Clever new version of Goal Zero Switch 8 combines reserve power, lighting



Goal Zero marketing director Jonathan Munk shows off the Switch 8 Light Kit-a combination solar recharger cell and flashlight.

Goal Zero's built such an impressive ecosystem of solar products it feels unfair to highlight just one. But the diminutive Switch 8 Light Kit ($100) serves as an indicator-species of GZ's knack for thinking it through and designing smart stuff with multiple dimensions. Last year, the Switch 8 was "just" a really cool recharger/charge extender for your phone or tablet, powered-up by solar panel, or home or car USB. This year they brightened it up by including a 160 lumen flashlight head, pushing the clever factor to 11. goalzero.com

11. All-natural Hide Outdoors sunscreen is SPF-Dirty



Jennifer Adams Bunker (center) and family own and run TruKids, the company behind Hide Outdoors dirt scented sunscreen, which like their kids line is made from all-natural ingredients.

At first, I thought dirt-scented sunscreen was a joke. But then it struck me that smelling like dirt seems a whole lot more compatible with mountain biking than the tube of lavender honeysuckle whatever in my gear bag at home. We mountain bikers love dirt after all, and that Hide Outdoors is produced by a family-run company like TruKids makes the whole idea more embraceable-as is the company's commitment to making skincare products from non-nasty ingredients. The real reason for dirt scented sunscreen? So hunters can cover their scent. The water-resistant SPF-30 "scentscreen" comes in 3.5-ounce tubes, costs $16 and hits the market in November of 2013. trukid.com

12. Ace Camp's tiny Flame Stick fires things up even when wet



Ace Camp's Michael Beverly sets a waterlogged Flame Stick alight. The small, lightweight sticks make a great pack item.

An ounce of prevention, the old adage goes, is worth a pound of cure. In the case of Ace Camp's Long Time Flame sticks, that ratio is reduced to a few grams and costs just five cents. Along with the lighter or strike-anywhere matches that belong in your pack, these waterproof, odorless firestarters each burn for 6-8 minutes, giving you time to ignite materials and get your fire going. A box of 100 sticks cost just $5. acecamp.com

13. A little bit of everything among OR displays, demos



The OR show featured many unique displays and activities-among them, venerable thermos-maker Stanley's classic Airstream, knife-maker Gerber's murdered-out Honda CB-90, and people doing yoga on standup paddleboards. I don't make up the news, I just report it.

14. Nau perfects techy threads that don't scream 'Fred!'



Nau's forthcoming Tripoly jacket ($255) looks denim but works synthetic, while their Utilize pant ($100) has zippered pockets and a hem that reveals reflective tape when rolled. The lightweight Mojave Dez-Shirt ($98) brings some welcome breathability to the business-casual Friday commute.

Clothing-maker Nau ("now") is known for blending tailored looks with technical function...the kind of stuff an adventuresome sort could wear to a nice restaurant without looking like Crocodile Dundee. And while cyclists adopted Nau early on, the company got more purposeful in their approach to cycling a couple years back. They didn't go the cycling-specific route so much as make regular duds with some biking functionality-a subtle but significant difference. Shirt arms and tails got longer to cover when stretched out on a bike, a hidden zip vent got added here or there for some airflow, polyester was blended in to wick more and stink less-those kinds of things.

If you're beyond the expiration date for fixie kid skinny jeans-and can afford a few shekels-Nau might be the ticket for townie jaunts, commuting, and even the occasional urban freeride session. nau.com

15. Snow Peak's new self-directing headlamp puts light where you're looking



Functional prototypes of the Snow Peak Motil headlamp looked promising and worked well. The self-directing headlamps run on two AAA batteries and should be available by spring of 2014.

You know those fancy car headlights that look around corners to put light where you're going next? That's essentially the idea behind Snow Peak's new vertically self-directing 2.5-ounce, 110-lumen Mola headlamp. Using a counterweight system they call "Optic Motility," the beam aims itself up or down to where your eyes are looking rather than where your head is pointed-think automatic tilt adjustor. The $60 lamp hits stores in March of 2014. snowpeak.com

16. Pat's Backcountry Beverages puts a brewery in your backpack



Pat's Backcountry Beverages founder Pat Tatera holds a carbonator bottle in one hand and renderings of the packaging for his Black IPA beer concentrate in the other. In a couple months, he hopes to replace the drawings with a cold one.

In the first chapter of the Mountain Bike Bible-the Book of Tomac-Lord Nedly comes down from Durango and presides over a wedding between The Sport and The Quenching Nectar. From that moment forward mountain biking and beer were inextricably joined together as God intended. Problem is, a 12-pack weighs 10-and-a-half pounds, effectively limiting consumption to the very determined, and pre- or post-ride parking lot sessions. And while we'd never condone drinking and riding-or driving for that matter-having a few rounds at camp while bikepacking is actually recommended-you know, unless local, state or federal statutes of where you're camping prohibit such.

In any case, a couple years ago, a good man named Pat Tatera got evangelical about things and came up with an on-the-spot carbonation system using a specially-designed 20-ounce bottle to mix powdered effervescent, beer concentrate and water, making on-demand backcountry beer. What's more Tatera-a craft brew enthusiast-spent countless hours perfecting the mixture and claims his first two varieties-Pail Rail and Black IPA-are outstanding, though arcane Utah alcohol laws prevented verification of such. An American lager and nut brown ale are also in the works, and Tatera predicts many more additions over time.

Because the government didn't know how to classify concentrated beer, it's taken Pat several months to clear legal requirements. That done, and production starting, the concentrate should be available by year's end.

You can get some practice now, however, by buying Pats' starter kit ($36) which includes all the necessary parts and alchemy to make soda, which is already available in five flavors: root beer, lemon-lime, cola, pomegranate cola and ginger ale.

The soda kit will work with the beer concentrate as well, and when available, a four pack will go for a reasonable $9.95 and make 64-ounces, or a growler's worth of beer.

A few words of warning-the concentrate comes in very portable energy gel-like packets, so you'll need to be very careful when sorting your rations...or not, said every college kid everywhere. patsbcb.com