Eco-Friendly Outdoor Gear | 10 Sustainable Hiking Products We Rate - Outdoors Magic

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Eco-Friendly Outdoor Gear | 10 Sustainable Hiking Products We Rate

Some of the highlights from our recent Green Gear Guide, as chosen by the Outdoors Magic team

The global outdoor industry accounts for a gigantic carbon footprint unfortunately and there’s an embarrassing irony in that for us outdoor enthusiasts. We are, after all, the people who get our kicks from being out in beautiful, untouched places. 

There is, however, at least some reassurance in the fact that we’ve seen a ramping up of sustainable efforts to create eco-friendly outdoor gear in recent years, all driven on by certain companies, many of which are in the list below. 

We’re seeing new ways of creating products using recycled materials, products that can now be fully recycled, the introduction of new methods of responsible practice and ethical standards and also a bigger push to make kit that actually lasts. There’s a long way to go, for sure, but things are starting to change at least.

We put together our Green Gear Guide every year to recognise the brands that are doing something. In that you’ll be able to read about 30 products that have impressed us with their eco creds. Here are 10 examples…

 

10 Eco-Friendly Outdoor Products We Rate

  • Haglöfs Duality Walking Boot – Best In Test Eco-Friendly Product
  • Helly Hansen Odin Mountain Infinity Pro Shell
  • Sierra Designs Meteor 3000
  • Fjällräven Expedition Pack Down Hoodie
  • Craghoppers Pember Insulated Jacket
  • Eagle Creek Migrate Duffel
  • Icebug Acceleritas7 RB9X Trail Shoe
  • BioLite Campstove 2 Bundle
  • Páramo Alta III & Nikwax
  • Patagonia Recycled Better Sweater

BEST BUY: Haglöfs Duality Walking Boot


Price:
£220
Weight: 394g

Haglofs have taken a unique approach to designing their new Duality shoe. Featuring two sets of midsoles: one that provides cushioning and low weight for a comfortable feel, and another that provides support for when you’re carrying heavier loads and racking up long mileage.

This streamlined boot is all wrapped up with a stretch Gore-Tex membrane and reinforcement around the toes and heels. The modular design isn’t just for comfort, either. Made from an algae-based ‘Bloom Foam’, the Duality is said to save on fresh water and CO2 during production. The sock-like upper is also made from 100% recycled polyester.

Read our full Haglöfs Duality Walking Boot review.

Get the latest price at:
haglofs.com

 

Helly Hansen Odin Mountain Infinity Pro Shell

Price: £600
Weight: 600g

This is one serious waterproof jacket from Helly Hansen. You’ve got a high level of protection on offer, without too much of a weight penalty at 600 grams. Because of this, the Odin Mountain Infinity is suited towards a wide range of applications, from winter ski touring, to summer alpinism. Helly Hansen has also taken some big steps to ensure the jacket remains kind to the planet.

This eco-conscious build is primarily thanks to the fact that the Odin Mountain Infinity is made entirely without any added chemicals – there isn’t a water repellent treatment in the jacket at all. The Odin Mountain Infinity Shell doesn’t require a DWR treatment thanks to the tightly woven (and hydrophobic) Lifa yarns used in the face fabric that rappel any water droplets. We’ve been testing this jacket throughout winter and have been left impressed.

Read our full Helly Hansen Odin Mountain Infinity Pro Shell review.

Get the latest price at:
hellyhansen.com

Credit: Chris Johnson

Sierra Designs Meteor 3000

Price: £290
Weight: 2,126g

The Sierra Designs Meteor 3000 is a tent with bucket loads of space, but it’s still reasonably light, with a few handy little design features to make life on the trail that bit easier. That’s not its only trick up its sleeve, either. The Meteor 3000 is also packing an eco-friendly design thanks to a recent update  to more eco-friendly materials.

This update included a shift away from any eco hazardous PFCs, instead featuring specifically developed DWRs that are much kinder to the planet. Not only that, the Meteor 3000 is now made from fully recycled materials, which have all been given a bit of a toughening up to improve durability. The name Meteor 3000 is actually in reference to the 3,000mm PU flysheet, compared to the Meteor 2000, which featured a 2,000mm flysheet.

Read our full Sierra Designs Meteor 3000 Tent review.

Get the latest price at:
webtogs.com

 

Credit: Chris Johnson

Fjällräven Expedition Pack Down Hoodie

Price: £275
Weight: 490g

Designed around the original Expedition Down Hoodie that Fjallraven’s founder created to keep warm on his bivouacking adventures way back in the 1970s, this down jacket blends traditional styling with modern features.

The Expedition Pack Down Hoodie is filled with 110 grams of 700 fill power goose down, all contained within thin stitched through baffles. A synthetic fill has been used on the shoulders. This has been done to avoid any potentially squashed (and therefore un-insulating) down insulation. 

In terms of eco credentials, you can expect to find a fully recycled polyamide face fabric and lining, a fluorocarbon-free water resistant coating and ethically-sourced down fill that’s fully traceable. To be fair, we’d expect nothing less from Fjällräven.

Read our full Fjällräven Expedition Pack Down Hoodie review.

Get the latest price at:
fjallraven.com

 

Credit: Chris Johnson

Craghoppers Pember Insulated Jacket

Price: £200
Weight: 1,510g

The Craghoppers Pember Insulated Jacket is an extremely warm, comfortable and waterproof jacket that’ll be ideal for those days when you require the best protection from the elements while on country walks or national park excursions.

There’s a lot to talk about with this jacket, so make sure you head to our full review by following the link below.

On the side of eco credentials, Craghoppers have taken a number of steps to reduce the footprint of this jacket. Not only is the DWR on the outer fabric free from any nasty chemicals, but they’ve also made sure that most of the materials they’ve used here are from recycled sources. Finally, a full bluesign approval gives you that extra reassurance that Craghoppers have done their utmost to reduce the environmental impact of this product.

Read our full Craghoppers Pember Insulated Jacket review.

Get the latest price at:
craghoppers.com

Eagle Creek Migrate Duffel

Price: £90
Weight: 1160g

When a car gets to the end of its life, while a lot of the parts will get stripped, the windscreens are often tossed into landfill and their plastic coating preserved for years and years. 

Some of them, however, thanks to the intervention of Eagle Creek, are now being harvested and used to create the water repellent coating on these long-lasting duffel bags in the Migrate Range. What’s also cool about these bags is that the fabrics all have full Bluesign approval and you can even trace where every part used in their creation came from. 

Read our full Eagle Creek Migrate Duffel review.

Get the latest price at:
eaglecreek.eu

 

Icebug Acceleritas7 RB9X Trail Shoe

Price: £130
Weight: 190g (per shoe)

If you’re not familiar with Icebug here’s a quick introduction for you: they’re from Sweden; they make some great shoes for trail running; and perhaps most notably, they’re officially the world’s first climate-positive footwear brand. What that means is that they haven’t just offset their total carbon emissions, they’ve actually overcompensated. 

The Acceleritas7 RB9X shoes are a good case study for the Icebug approach. The mesh upper is made from Bluesign-approved polyester, while the lining of the shoe is a Bluesign-approved recycled mesh. Durability has been prioritised here so that the shoes, unlike many models out there, will actually last for more than a few months as well, which is always good.

Read our full Icebug Acceleritas7 RB9X Trail Shoe review

Get the latest price at:
icebug.com

 

BioLite Campstove 2 Bundle

Price: £220
Weight: Campstove 935g, KettlePot 465g, Grill 850g

What we have here is a biomass powered stove and grill that’s portable (well, just about), smoke limiting and that can, believe it or not, charge up your mobile phone.

That’s all thanks to its in-built 2600mAh rechargeable battery which can store up to 3W of power.

Stoves that can be powered by renewables like deadfall wood have obvious eco advantages over gas burning stoves and that’s just one of the reasons why Biolite made it into our Green Gear Guide. There’s also the work that the company does to help create energy solutions for developing countries. It is a sad fact that more than three billion people across the globe are forced to cook on smoky, toxic open fires and this causes over 4 million deaths per year, according to World Health Organization data. These open fires also release CO2 and produce a staggering 25% of global black carbon emissions. To address this BioLite run a ‘parallel innovation’ business model with the intention of developing useful technology that not only helps us campers and backpackers but that also applies the same innovations for off-grid households in emerging markets. So gear like the BioLite Campstove supports similar products that help people in need of energy and electricity throughout the globe.

Read our full Biolite Campstove 2 review. 

Get the latest price at:
uk.bioliteenergy.com

 

Páramo Alta III & Nikwax

Price: £300
Weight: 805g

Páramo are renowned in the outdoor industry for their environmentally-friendly approach to kit. Unlike many other brands, their unique Nikwax Analogy waterproofing system has never used the harmful PFC treatments that have – deservedly – attracted such negative public attention in recent years.  

Páramo’s green ethos doesn’t end with its waterproofing though. The durable 100% polyester used for this jacket is fully recyclable, and it is ethically made too, thanks to the brand’s long-standing manufacturing partnership with the Miquelina Foundation in Bogotá, Colombia. 

A shout out also to Nikwax, their sister brand, for their successful efforts to offset all of their CO2 emissions produced over 40 years of business. 

Read our full Páramo Alta III review

Get the latest price at:
paramo-clothing.com

 

Patagonia Recycled Better Sweater

Price: £100
Weight: 638g

This fleece’s fabric is made from 100% recycled polyester that’s derived from old plastic bottles, manufacturing waste and worn-out clothing. Here’s an interesting fact for you: Patagonia have actually been using recycled polyester in their products since 1993 – and they were the first outdoor clothing brand to do so. 

There are more eco-creds to this simple, functional fleece as well. For instance, all production of Better Sweaters is Fair Trade certified and there’s Bluesign approval for the fabrics, which are dyed using a low-impact process that significantly reduces the use of energy and water. 

Read our full Patagonia Better Sweater review.

Get the latest price at:
webtogs.com

 

For More Like This:

Best Walking Poles Reviewed

Kit Care Guide | What To Do With Old Or Damaged Kit

 

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