In the outdoors world, new backpacks, tents, climbing shoes, and other products are exciting initially but often fail to make a splash long term. Over the past five years, reviewing equipment for camping, hiking, skiing, running, and other sports, a few products and a few ideas have stood out. These five innovations in sporting gear have literally changed the way I do things outside.

1. Merino Wool Base Layers
The fine wool of the merino sheep has found an unlikely path from tailored suits and formal jackets to the outdoors world. The ultra-fine wool, long associated with fancy clothes, happens to make a perfect performance fabric for base-layer clothing. It doesn't itch. It breathes. Merino is natural and durable, and it can be worn for days on end because the fabric has built-in antimicrobial properties. But the kicker for me is merino's seemingly magical feature of regulating core body temperature no matter the weather outside: Merino wool base layers can keep you warm when it's cold, and when you're hot and sweaty, a merino shirt helps keep you cool. I hate to gush, but I am in love with this fabric. Rarely do I do anything outdoors without a merino shirt on.

Photo: GearJunkie.com
Merino sheep

In Patagonia this winter, during a weeklong adventure race, I put a thin merino wool T-shirt on (from Ibex Outdoor Clothing) and kept it on for a week straight. It helped to regulate my core temperature as the weather swung from snow and wind to still air and sun. Today, there are many companies introducing wool apparel. It is a major trend in the outdoors industry. Ibex, Icebreaker, and Smartwool are top brands and longtime adherents to merino. I applaud those companies -- and other adopters now -- for taking the leap with sheep when most of the world still banks on synthetic fabrics like nylon, polyester, and polypro. Caveat: Merino's one downfall is its price. A base-layer top from the above-mentioned companies can easily run $80 or more, which is triple the price of some competing products.

2. Hip pockets on Backpacks
It is a rare day outdoors that I will wear a backpack without a pair of zippered hip pockets on the belt. These small gear holsters -- now seen on backpacks from a dozen or more major pack makers -- are a no-brainer innovation and a logical use of wasted empty space on the side of a hip belt. On hikes, adventure races, backpacking trips, mountain climbs, and even long bike rides I stuff the hip pockets full with energy food, sunscreen, lip balm, a lens cloth, and other items I need quick.

Photo: Inov-8 Ltd
Backpack with Hip Belt

The convenience factor is high. But the pockets also save substantial time -- you rarely have to take your pack off when all the essentials of a hike are so close at hand. These pockets should be mandatory features on most backpacks for wilderness use, that's my opinion! Caveat: On rare occasions -- including for me once while bushwhacking in an orienteering race -- a hip pocket can come unzipped if its zipper pull is snagged in the brush. The potential to lose small essentials is high if the zipper is opened or you forget to pull it closed after grabbing something on the go.

3. Energy Food that Tastes Good
Remember the energy bars of yore? Or were those hunks of cardboard disguised as an edible square of outdoors-oriented food? As a category, energy food -- including bars, gels, "blocks," and other on-the-go options -- have become substantially more palatable in recent years. Not only are there now more choices, but most companies, including Clif, PowerBar, GU, Hammer, and others, all put out products that you do not have to force down.

Photo: Clif Bar
Clif BLOKS

Standouts include Clif Mojo bars (granola-type bars that are more salty than sweet); Clif SHOT Bloks (gummy fruit-flavor bites); Probars (hefty, nutty, "whole food" bars); and new gel flavors from GU and Hammer (which make this category more edible than ever). I can now count on wanting to eat energy food in the outdoors. Calories are easier than ever to get down, and I can go longer and race, climb, or hike faster as a result. Caveat: On multiday trips, I still rely mainly on "normal" food, including nuts, dry fruit, jerky, cookies, and old-school energy foods like Snickers bars.

4. Single-Speed and Fixed-Gear Bikes
You know a trend is dead when a major retailer like Wal-Mart embraces it. That's the case this year with single-speed bikes, as the big-box retailer recently began selling a one-speed bike from Mongoose for just $149. But I remain a fan of single-speeds, especially of the fixed-gear variety. Over the past five years, almost all of my road miles have been spent on a "fixie." A fixed-gear bike locks the chain into the motion of the rear wheel -- no coasting allowed. There is no freewheel, just a "fixed" rear cog. The result is a fast and wild ride, a thrill where your body is locked to the motion of spinning wheels on a road. As long as the wheels are moving, so is the cog, the chain, the cranks, the pedals, and, consequently, your feet, which may be caged or clipped in via the cleat of a bike shoe.

Photo: Wabi Cycles
Fixed-gear bike

To me, a fixie offers more control in traffic. It is a better workout, too. There is no slop in a bike ride. The experience is akin to running for me -- each time I head onto the road on a fixie, I am set to pedal constantly until I stop -- and it has made me a stronger, more confident rider. Caveat: Your butt gets sore on a fixie, as you can't easily shift your weight. Watch your knees, too. Putting resistance on the pedals to slow or brake the always-propelling cranks on a fixie can ratchet your knees as you ride.

5. Barefoot-style Running Shoes
Christopher McDougall's best-selling "Born to Run" book has seriously ramped up interest in a trend that was already soaring quite high. The phenomenon of barefoot-style running shoes -- embraced now by the likes of Nike and New Balance as well as niche purveyors such as Inov-8 Ltd. -- has resulted in a deluge of new footwear that incorporates less padding in the midsole and little or no arch support. The goal with these shoes is to allow the foot to flex and feel the ground as you go -- just like if you were barefoot. About four years ago, the barefoot style completely changed the way I run. After switching from heavily-padded traditional running shoes to more minimal models, I went from long strides and heel strikes to shorter strides and midfoot strikes. My running style became faster, more efficient, and easier on my body as a result.

Photo: Inov-8 Ltd.
Barefoot-style shoe

Where to begin? For shoe styles, Vibram's FiveFingers (touted as the first footwear to offer "the sensation of going barefoot with the protection and security of a sole") is essentially a glove for your foot. Less extreme, shoes like the New Balance MT100 or Nike's line of Free shoes decrease padding and add flexibility to the sole. Deep grooves in the sole grant the Nikes the flexibility to move naturally with your foot and "activate" foot muscles, as the company puts it. One of my favorite brands, Inov-8 Ltd., applies a barefoot philosophy to trail-running shoes. Models like Inov-8's F-Lite 230 offer a low-profile midsole and mesh uppers to create a shoe that promotes natural foot flex on the trail -- and weigh half as much as the competition. Caveat: Got knee issues? You might think twice before pounding in a pair of Vibram FiveFingers. Barefoot style needs to be embraced slowly for runners used to the extra support of a traditional running shoe.

--Stephen Regenold is founder and editor of www.gearjunkie.com.