Did you hear?…Germany's ispo show awards outdoor, ski, and safety design

At the ispo sporting goods show in Munich, Germany, various categories give a variety of awards. Many focus on the outdoor and snowsports areas. Here’s a short summary of the winners. Look for more detail on some of these products in upcoming SNEWS® reports.

>>Outdoor awards: Arc’Teryx, Mammut, G3

Arc’Teryx was selected in the backpack category for its AC2 (Advanced Composite Construction), an extremely light and sleek pack in its second generation. Mammut took the top spot in the accessories category for the Pulse Barryvox avalanche transceiver, partly for its ease of use. G3 Genuine Guide Gear’s telemark touring ski binding Targa Ascent won in the hardwear category. Arc’Teryx took a second honor in the textiles category for the Fission LT Hoody which is helmet-compatible and has a lightweight Primaloft fill and Windstopper outer.

>> European Ski awards: Fischer, Salomon, Swix Sport, Elan, Fritschi, Scarpa, W.L. Gore, Black Diamond

In Nordic hardware, Fischer won for its Jibskate. The binding system SNS Pilot Equipe Classic from Salomon took honors in the Nordic binding category. Swix won for its pole concept, Force, for cross-country skiing in the Nordic special division. The Speedwave series from Elan won in the ski category for its novel wave technology.

In the ski binding category, the Diamir Freeride Plus from Fritschi took top honors. In the ski boot division, the Tornado from Scarpa was the winner. For W.L. Gore, an award came for its concept Windstopper Snowsport Jacket in the ski apparel category. Black Diamond was selected as the winner in the ski special category for its Anarchist Backpack.

>> Volvo Sports Design awards (“Active Safety” theme): This award’s theme changes annually, and this year it focused on safety in all arenas, from skiing to motorsports to golf. More than 300 items were nominated in seven categories, some by well-established companies and some by very niche brands. Here are the winners that pertain to our industries:

Body protection category, Core Jacket Out, Dainese S.p.A; head protection, Skull Comp Helmet, POC Sweden; safety and security equipment, Pulse Barryvox and Raptor Avalanche Shovel, Mammut; and body prophylaxe (where do they come up with these names?), W’s Down Sweater, Patagonia.

In a special student category (you find the most outlandish things here, but the concepts are often quite intriguing), an honor went to the River Travel System by Serge Kaeppeli that allegedly allows someone to cross rivers easily and safely while keeping possessions dry and secure. A second winner was Johannes Goegele for a Check and Ride Avalanche Tool, designed for young boarders with an emphasis on simplicity and lightness.

To take a look at some of the products as well as semi-finalists, go to www.ispo-sportsdesign.com