By Stephen Regenold

The twice-annual Outdoor Retailer trade show, this summer in Salt Lake City August 3 - 6, is a peek at the future of gear. The items displayed on the trade-show floor are what you'll see at shops this winter and in the spring of 2011. Below is an early preview, a couple scoops from Gear Junkie and my moles in the outdoors space. . .

Super Light Tent. England's Terra Nova Equipment has reached new lightweight horizons with its 1 pound, 1 ounce Laser Ultra 1 tent. It's made for one person and is touted as "the lightest double-wall tent in the world." (The two-person Laser Photon 2 weighs a smidge more at 1 pound, 15 ounces.) There are literally trail-running shoes that weigh more than this tent!

Photo: (c) Terra Nova
Ultra-Light Tent

Pump-Up Camp Pad. The Klymit Inertia X Frame, $99.95, packs down to the size of a soda can. It inflates with normal air or a C02-like cartridge gun from Klymit that pumps in insulating argon gas. Weight: 9.1 ounces. Length: 72 inches. Width: 18 inches. Made from rip-stop nylon and "body-mapped" to support a sleeping frame.

Photo: (c) Klymit
Argon Camp Pad

Endurance Vest. Called an "endurance running vest," the XT Advanced Skin SLAB product from Salomon is essentially a form-fitting hydration pack. It's made for "intense trail running" and ultras. Its meshy, minimalist design holds a water bladder and small essential items like energy food and an extra clothing layer or a light shell jacket. There are no buckles or straps to prevent chafing. Comes with a 1.5-liter water bladder. Weight: 1 pound, 6 ounces. Capacity: 305 cubic inches.

Photo: (c) Salomon
Trail-Running Vest

Tecnica Trail Runner. Tecnica Outdoor has entered the trail-running category with a technology called TRS Max. It addresses stability, absorption and propulsion of the shoe. The claim: Wearers will be able to "surf downhill and roll uphill with maximum efficiency." How's it work? TRS, Tecnica touts, improves energy transmission and comfort with greater toe and heel rocker height. The TRS footprint is also much larger than traditional trail-running shoes. Inferno Max model, $150, shown here.

Photo: (c) Tecnica
Inferno Max shoe

Easton Ultra-Light. Touting a "never-before-seen carbon pole system," Easton Mountain Products' Kilo Tent weighs less than 2 pounds (about 31.7 ounces, including its poles). Easton says its techy poles are 56% lighter than comparable aluminum poles. $399.99.

Photo: (C) Easton
Kilo Tent

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