Alpkit CoLAB 09 at The Ordnance Survey Outdoors Show

The Alpkit National CoLAB Design Award is now in its final phase, and the contestants are now busy in their sheds fine tuning their designs, ready for the final at The Ordnance Survey Outdoors Show. Despite its modest profile, the event is proving to be one of the most popular events at the show. Away from all the headline grabbing activities, Colab gives you the opportunity to get involved in grass routes design and meet like minded individuals who are passionate about creating their vision for outdoor products.

Back in September 08 Alpkit.com in collaboration with The Ordnance Survey Outdoors Show invited everyone who had a new idea for an outdoor product to take part in the Award. The scope of the competition is wide and as a result the entries ranged from climbing wall holds to environmental protection suits.

This competition is all about amateur designers showing the big guys what they are missing. The initial stage terminated in December 09 when an expert panel consisting of Graham Thompson, Mark Taylor and Andy Kirkpatrick shortlisted just 9 entries to take part in coLAB 09. The final 9 now have a chance to work up their ideas before exhibiting them during the three days of The Outdoors Show in a purpose built coLAB 09 zone.

During the show the visiting public will have the opportunity to talk to the entrants, explore their ideas and vote for their favourite. The Outdoors Show is expected to attract upwards of 40,000 visitors and industry professionals, an incredible opportunity for the finalists. The eventual winner will be announced on the Sunday.

This year we have quite an eclectic mix of products, so from indoor climbing to arctic exploration the contestants have come with ideas to make our lives that bit when we out in the great outdoors enjoying ourselves. The 2009 Award finalists are:

A better climbing shoe – Ian Cornwell
A climbing shoe bringing together several existing technologies to make a better climbing shoe.?This climbing shoe can both a very tight fitting and rigid shoe, or with a turn of the dial it can be flexible shoe which is good for smearing and improving comfort.

The Nest – Liz Asquith
The Nest is a sleep system aimed at making life a little easier for those camping with young children and making camping more fun for the children themselves. ?

Briquette – Yu Ting Yau
A cooking device that utilises traditional charcoal heating and cutting edge insulating devices. ?The device heats up liquids using charcoal sticks and keeps them warm using high tech Aero Gel.

SOS Sleep Mat – Simon Masters
An emergency aid that utilises a previously unused part of an existing product. ?SOS or other internationally recognised emergency symbols are printed on the reverse of a sleeping mat to produce a great safety feature on an item that someone would already be carrying.

Squeeze Box – Kevin Beeden
The Squeezebox Stove is a lightweight replacement for the heavy fully integrated cooking systems and is used as both pan support and windshield. ?Made from a single component it not only saves weight but increases fuel efficiency and reduces burn time.

Segmented drybags – Peter Boyle?
A range of drybags featuring internal and external pockets for organising and water proofing kit. ?Dry bags with a clever twist; a single waterproof bag with several components allow both dry and wet items to be stored safely together.

Bio Endurance – Shekina Tsotetsi?
An emergency signalling and life prolonging garment, it incorporates class leading technologies and materials to form a suit capable of protecting the user.?

Jamulator – Liz Asquith?
A crack simulator that can be changed as regularly as every other hold in a climbing gym.?The Jamulator takes a different approach: rather than having a permanently fitted crack, there is a fitted channel into which specially shaped sections can be bolted in the same way as holds are normally installed on the rest of the wall.

White-out torch – John Martin
A torch to make it safer, easier and less disorientating when navigating in a white-out; especially when moving over irregular terrain. ?An array of 'diffracted' lasers project horizontal lines onto the snow. This gives the user a reference point and reduces spine jarring stumbling! A second vertical laser can be used to indicate the direction of the bearing being followed.

The finalist now have just a few weeks to refine their ideas and prepare for the show. Good luck!

For the entries that did not make it through and for more information visit

The Alpkit National Colab Design Award

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