Slideshow: What's happening inside the Outdoor Retailer show

Sean P. Means | The Salt Lake Tribune
At the Outdoor Retailers Summer Market in the Salt Palace, Eli Resnik from Lightspeed Outdoors of San Diego demonstrated -- over and over again -- how fast the Bahia Quick Draw mini-shelter can open and close. Oddly enough, he didn't seem bored by this.

Sean P. Means | The Salt Lake Tribune
The other way to draw a crowd at the Outdoor Retailer Summer Market at the Salt Palace? Beer! At around 4 p.m., tubs of brewskis almost magically appear all around the convention floor. There were even some brands of beer that mere mortals can't buy at a Utah liquor store. (Shhh -- don't tell the DABC.)

Sean P. Means | The Salt Lake Tribune
When you start to look like this, it's time to leave the convention and go home. (This Bigfoot is the mascot of Leave No Trace, a nonprofit group encouraging ethical outdoor behavior, at its display at the Outdoor Retailers Summer Market at the Salt Palace.)

Sean P. Means | The Salt Lake Tribune
Chris Shultz (left) and Kevin Wade, from HQ Kites & Designs USA of Powells Point, N.C., have fun playing Crossboccia -- sort of a beanbag version of bocce -- at their booth at the Outdoor Retailers Summer Market in the Salt Palace. The two hazards of playing the game in a convention hall: The risk of hitting passing conventioneers, and the occasional small child making off with the beanbags.

Sean P. Means | The Salt Lake Tribune
The Man in the Yellow Hat is getting careless in his old age. (This child carrier was on display at the Osprey Packs booth at the Outdoor Retailers Summer Market in the Salt Palace.)

Sean P. Means | The Salt Lake Tribune
If there's an award for the most elaborate booth at the Outdoor Retailer Summer Market at the Salt Palace, this small-town clock tower and firehouse display for Carhartt apparel would be a top contender.

Sean P. Means | The Salt Lake Tribune
Want to emulate the outdoors in a cavernous convention hall? The JanSport booth at the Outdoor Retailer Summer Market at the Salt Palace resorted to an artificial campfire on fake turf.

Sean P. Means | The Salt Lake Tribune
Some companies will advertise anywhere -- even the men's room -- at the Outdoor Retailers Summer Market at the Salt Palace.

Sean P. Means | The Salt Lake Tribune
Ever been camping and needed to get up at 2 a.m. -- and didn't want to leave your warm sleeping bag? Mike Newlands of Boulder, Colo., happily demonstrates Sierra Designs' new Mobile Mummy, a sleeping bag with a zipper that allows the user to stick one's legs out to walk, and armholes for quick access.

Sean P. Means | The Salt Lake Tribune
Yes, gardening does qualify as an outdoor activity -- as testified by the design on these galoshes by Bogs Footwear, on display at the Outdoor Retailers Summer Market at the Salt Palace.

Sean P. Means | The Salt Lake Tribune
One thing that always draws a crowd at the Outdoor Retailers Summer Market at the Salt Palace: Free food. Here, Jaechon Anderson, at the Darn Tough Vermont booth, was handing out soft-serve ice-cream cones with bacon bits on top.

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Sean P. Means | The Salt Lake Tribune At the Outdoor Retailers Summer Market in the Salt Palace, Eli Resnik from Lightspeed Outdoors of San Diego demonstrated -- over and over again -- how fast the Bahia Quick Draw mini-shelter can open and close. Oddly enough, he didn't seem bored by this. Sean P. Means | The Salt Lake Tribune The other way to draw a crowd at the Outdoor Retailer Summer Market at the Salt Palace? Beer! At around 4 p.m., tubs of brewskis almost magically appear all around the convention floor. There were even some brands of beer that mere mortals can't buy at a Utah liquor store. (Shhh -- don't tell the DABC.) Sean P. Means | The Salt Lake Tribune When you start to look like this, it's time to leave the convention and go home. (This Bigfoot is the mascot of Leave No Trace, a nonprofit group encouraging ethical outdoor behavior, at its display at the Outdoor Retailers Summer Market at the Salt Palace.) Sean P. Means | The Salt Lake Tribune Chris Shultz (left) and Kevin Wade, from HQ Kites & Designs USA of Powells Point, N.C., have fun playing Crossboccia -- sort of a beanbag version of bocce -- at their booth at the Outdoor Retailers Summer Market in the Salt Palace. The two hazards of playing the game in a convention hall: The risk of hitting passing conventioneers, and the occasional small child making off with the beanbags. Sean P. Means | The Salt Lake Tribune The Man in the Yellow Hat is getting careless in his old age. (This child carrier was on display at the Osprey Packs booth at the Outdoor Retailers Summer Market in the Salt Palace.) Sean P. Means | The Salt Lake Tribune If there's an award for the most elaborate booth at the Outdoor Retailer Summer Market at the Salt Palace, this small-town clock tower and firehouse display for Carhartt apparel would be a top contender. Sean P. Means | The Salt Lake Tribune Want to emulate the outdoors in a cavernous convention hall? The JanSport booth at the Outdoor Retailer Summer Market at the Salt Palace resorted to an artificial campfire on fake turf. Sean P. Means | The Salt Lake Tribune Some companies will advertise anywhere -- even the men's room -- at the Outdoor Retailers Summer Market at the Salt Palace. Sean P. Means | The Salt Lake Tribune Ever been camping and needed to get up at 2 a.m. -- and didn't want to leave your warm sleeping bag? Mike Newlands of Boulder, Colo., happily demonstrates Sierra Designs' new Mobile Mummy, a sleeping bag with a zipper that allows the user to stick one's legs out to walk, and armholes for quick access. Sean P. Means | The Salt Lake Tribune Yes, gardening does qualify as an outdoor activity -- as testified by the design on these galoshes by Bogs Footwear, on display at the Outdoor Retailers Summer Market at the Salt Palace. Sean P. Means | The Salt Lake Tribune One thing that always draws a crowd at the Outdoor Retailers Summer Market at the Salt Palace: Free food. Here, Jaechon Anderson, at the Darn Tough Vermont booth, was handing out soft-serve ice-cream cones with bacon bits on top.

The Cricket by Sean P. Means

· August 1, 2013 7:57 pm

This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2013, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

It's hard to miss the number of freakishly fit people walking around downtown Salt Lake City this week.

It can mean only one thing: the Outdoor Retailer Summer Market is back in town.

The semi-annual trade show (there's also a Winter Market in January), in which the people who make outdoor gear show their wares to the people who sell outdoor gear, is ensconced in the Salt Palace through Saturday. It's closed to the public, so The Cricket serves up this slideshow to give you a taste of what's going on inside.