Wilderness crowd pays big bucks to rough it in comfort

SALT LAKE CITY - Suffering used to be a source of satisfaction tothe backpacker. Aching shoulders, sore feet, lousy food, gettingsoaked - ah, roughing it!

"I remember going out with my dad, and it was almost like a pridething to get a little beat up," says Scott Monte.

But as publisher of Backpacker magazine, Monte is aware that inthe 1990s, pride in pain has gone the way of the canvas tent.

Now people head for the hills in a costly cocoon of comfort andsecurity - everything from ergonomical backpacks to globalpositioning systems - so even well-heeled wimps can weather thewilderness.

The gradual transformation of backpacking into the upscaleprovince of the fitness-and-fashion crowd was apparent at thisweekend's Outdoor Retailer Summer Market.

Some 800 manufacturers teased retailers with what could be onstore shelves next spring: gourmet dehydrated food, cloth maps thatcan double as bandanas and a waterproof material that breathes andstr etches for climbers or cyclists who need body-hugging apparel.

Subtle changes in what has evolved over 20 years into high-techstandard equipment illustrate the ferocity of the competition in a $5billion industry bent on making camping cozy.

Take the sleeping bag, a seemingly simple tube filled with somekind of down or synthetic insulation. Next spring, Kelty Inc. willhave one designed for those who sleep on their backs with their toespointing up.

Not comfy enough? WestWind Trading Co. has six styles of silksheets to slip inside even the most pedestrian bag.

Germany's Jack Wolfskin is introducing a line of backpacksdesigned to let air circulate around the shoulders and back toprevent sweat from soaking the pack and spoiling all those gourmettreats.

In another display, Kelty showed off photochromatic tent windowsthat turn blue when hit by sunlight, reducing daytime light and heatand enhancing privacy.

"Comfort is king," Monte says.

Of the more than 550 who responded to a survey by his magazine,comfort was the top criterion when it came to various items,including backpacks and socks. To Monte and the manufacturers,demand for comfort over durability or price means consumers aregetting smarter, not necessarily softer.

"I think at the end of the day, the more comfortable you are, thegreater is one's ability to stay outside longer," said John Wilson,president of Duofold, which makes underwear with a fabric that sucksperspiration off the skin and through the garment for easyevaporation.

And while it would seem backpacks couldn't hold the endless numberof gadgets available, manufacturers keep coming up with ways to makethem lighter and more compact.

Mountain Safety Research of Seattle introduced its titaniumcookware - two pots and pan weighing a half-pound combined - at $89 aset.

Riley Cutler, co-owner of Wasatch Touring Co. in Salt Lake City,believes the cookware is a bit pricey for his clientele. But, headmits, he's been wrong before.

"One year I was worried about stocking a backcountry bistro coffeemaker, and we sell a lot of those," Cutler said.

Wilderness crowd pays big bucks to rough it in comfort

SALT LAKE CITY - Suffering used to be a source of satisfaction tothe backpacker. Aching shoulders, sore feet, lousy food, gettingsoaked - ah, roughing it!

"I remember going out with my dad, and it was almost like a pridething to get a little beat up," says Scott Monte.

But as publisher of Backpacker magazine, Monte is aware that inthe 1990s, pride in pain has gone the way of the canvas tent.

Now people head for the hills in a costly cocoon of comfort andsecurity - everything from ergonomical backpacks to globalpositioning systems - so even well-heeled wimps can weather thewilderness.

The gradual transformation of backpacking into the upscaleprovince of the fitness-and-fashion crowd was apparent at thisweekend's Outdoor Retailer Summer Market.

Some 800 manufacturers teased retailers with what could be onstore shelves next spring: gourmet dehydrated food, cloth maps thatcan double as bandanas and a waterproof material that breathes andstr etches for climbers or cyclists who need body-hugging apparel.

Subtle changes in what has evolved over 20 years into high-techstandard equipment illustrate the ferocity of the competition in a $5billion industry bent on making camping cozy.

Take the sleeping bag, a seemingly simple tube filled with somekind of down or synthetic insulation. Next spring, Kelty Inc. willhave one designed for those who sleep on their backs with their toespointing up.

Not comfy enough? WestWind Trading Co. has six styles of silksheets to slip inside even the most pedestrian bag.

Germany's Jack Wolfskin is introducing a line of backpacksdesigned to let air circulate around the shoulders and back toprevent sweat from soaking the pack and spoiling all those gourmettreats.

In another display, Kelty showed off photochromatic tent windowsthat turn blue when hit by sunlight, reducing daytime light and heatand enhancing privacy.

"Comfort is king," Monte says.

Of the more than 550 who responded to a survey by his magazine,comfort was the top criterion when it came to various items,including backpacks and socks. To Monte and the manufacturers,demand for comfort over durability or price means consumers aregetting smarter, not necessarily softer.

"I think at the end of the day, the more comfortable you are, thegreater is one's ability to stay outside longer," said John Wilson,president of Duofold, which makes underwear with a fabric that sucksperspiration off the skin and through the garment for easyevaporation.

And while it would seem backpacks couldn't hold the endless numberof gadgets available, manufacturers keep coming up with ways to makethem lighter and more compact.

Mountain Safety Research of Seattle introduced its titaniumcookware - two pots and pan weighing a half-pound combined - at $89 aset.

Riley Cutler, co-owner of Wasatch Touring Co. in Salt Lake City,believes the cookware is a bit pricey for his clientele. But, headmits, he's been wrong before.

"One year I was worried about stocking a backcountry bistro coffeemaker, and we sell a lot of those," Cutler said.