We looked through 12 of "The Best of Outdoor Retailer 2012" reports to find out what was the hottest gear of the biggest winter Outdoor Gear event in the United States: the Outdoor Retailer Show. Below are the products with an annotation of how many sites mentioned them as a "Best of Show" product.
Best of Show
These two products were the buzz of the show. Adding testament to that, the sources listed below give the Petzl Nao eleven mentions and the Mojave Jacket seven mentions. No other products were as frequently cited.
Petzl Nao - Cool new headlamp offering super bright beam, lithium battery, and intelligent brightness adjustment for close proximity and distance. Available in stores this Summer 2012.
Visit on outdoorgearlab.com
Brooks Range Mojave Jacket - One of the first jackets to use water-resistant down
Hot Products Introduced at the Show
The sources listed below mentioned each four times.
Suunto Ambit - Altimeter, 3D compass with advanced heart rate monitoring, and a GPS all into one watch.
Outdoor Research Lodestar Jacket - Uses different fabrics in different areas to maximize warmth, mobility and durability.
SmartWool SmartLoft Divide Full Zip - Part wool layer and part insulated jacket.
Gregory Alpinisto 50 - Reviving a classic climbing back in a new lightweight package.
Hi-Tec Timaru Down Hoodie - 700 fill jacket features Hi-Tec's new Color-Tec Dyed down
Runners Up
Each of these products generated significant excitement and was often mentioned by the sources below as top introductions at this year's show.
Goal Zero Yeti 1250 - Alternative to gas-powered generator.
Mammut Alpine Rider - One of the first helmets marketed for both climbing or skiing.
Brooks Range Invasion - Lightweight mountaineering tent.
Pearl Izumi Ultra Barrier WxB Jacket
Marquette Backcountry Ski - Part ski and part snowshoe.
Sources
In addition to attending the show ourselves, we monitored the articles posted on other sites and took note of which products each considered the best. Take a look at each of these articles for their take on the show:
http://www.climbing.com/exclusive/basecamp_blog/outdoor_retailer_top_10/
http://gearjunkie.com/outdoor-retailer-best-in-show-winter-2012
http://www.splitterchoss.com/2012/01/27/the-overwhelmingly-massive-winter-or-climbing-report/
http://sectionhiker.com/outdoor-retailer-show-roundup-winter-2012/
http://www.thegearcaster.com/the_gearcaster/archives.html
http://www.outsideonline.com/outdoor-gear/gear-of-the-show/
http://equipped.outdoors.org/2012/01/best-new-gear-from-winter-outdoor.html
http://www.openairlife.com/industry-news/65-new-products/223-best-of-outdoor-retailer-show-winter-2012
http://www.activejunky.com/thefix/outdoor-retailer-best-gear-for-2012-3
http://www.backpacker.com/gear/
http://www.trailspace.com/blog/outdoor-retailer/
http://ymmvreviews.com/gear_list/outdoor-retailer-winter-2012-show-new-hotness-part-3-clothing/