So another year, another OS Outdoors Show. Slightly less disappointing than last year, maybe due to lower expectations. Some disorganised thoughts below:

• the show seemed to be better laid out and easier to get around this year (especially the bottleneck between the two halls), but I have a nagging feeling that this was due to fewer exhibitors and fewer visitors.
• there were even fewer retailer stands this year and more brand led stands. While this gives a better understanding of the range of the various brands, it limits diversity. In particular, for someone interested in lightweight gear it means less chance to see products from suppliers across the pond that a retailer might be able to source. It looks as though the way forward is independent smaller scale events, such as at the Backpackers Club AGM.
• fewer canoeing stands and most notably no British Canoe Union (BCU) stand. I know that there was a canoe show a few weeks previously, but it’s a shame that the BCU who are responsible for promoting canoeing and kayaking in the UK did not have a presence
• as I noted in an earlier post, the talk programme was indifferent. I ended up going to two talks:
  • Andy Rouse: a wildlife photographer, associated with Paramo. I think I was confusing him with Joe Cornish when I looked through the programme on the train on the way up. Anyway, it was an interesting enough talk in the “here are some pictures, here are some anecdotes and a few photography tips…” kind of way (although I would have preferred Joe Cornish).
  • Alan Hinkes: I may have been one of the few outdoors interested people left in Britain who had not been to a talk by Alan Hinkes. Given his schedule on Saturday, with two talks and two meet and greets, Alan is working hard to remedy this state of affairs. I poked my head into the ‘essentials theatre’ just as he was starting, so thought I’d have a sit down. One more for Mr Hinkes to cross off the list.
• a good chance to look at various GPS units, including the Satmap Active 10:
  • There was talk of French, German and Italian mapping being available for the Satmap unit this summer, but experience of Satmap’s rollout last year (supposedly at last year’s show, then eventually in Sep/Oct) and of Memory Map’s rollout of their French mapping doesn’t leave me holding my breath.
  • Looking around the GPSs and mobile map software including the new Garmin Colorado and Viewranger software, I get the impression that the availability of mobile phone GPS and car Satnav is having a positive impact on recreational GPS units
  • I was hoping to have a chance to look at the Spot GPS tracker at the show or other simple GPS tracking systems, but only found an asset tracking system designed for outdoor centres

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I also bumped into a few people at the outdoors show, all the earthly avatars of some of the well known names of UK outdoors podcasting/blogging:

• Bob & Rose from Backpackinglight.co.uk and The Outdoors Station – hopefully they’re not too fed up with people coming up and saying thanks for the podcasts. (Bob even kindly remembered me from a brief chat at the OS two years back)
• UK Outdoors Bloggers at a catch up for the wildcamping ePetition – Aktoman, Weird Darren, BG, John Hee, London Backpacker, Alan Sloman (apologies if I’ve missed anyone). It looks as though the hard work put in by these guys is beginning to trickle through to the petition, which has nudged past the 800 mark (820 at time of posting).

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And as for my ability to resist temptation and not buy anything? I ended up with:

• one pair of Pacer poles (+ goody bag) – based on widespread recommendation and a play around at the stand
• Alpkit gamma headtorch
• Swedish firesteel scout
• John Muir Trust calendar (free with membership of the JM Trust, which I’d been meaning to get around to)
• a large pile of catalogues to read through
• a stomach full of wild boar and apple sausage cobs