Sneak Preview: 6 Of The Best New Gear For 2019!

For a few days every summer, the sleepy southern German town of Friedrichshafen on the banks of Lake Constance becomes the outdoor equipment capital of the world.

Twelve enormous exhibition halls are filled with brand new gear, as manufacturers from around the globe show off all the camping and outdoor kit they've got lined up for the following year.

As always, the Camping magazine team got an invite, and on your behalf we looked at hundreds of new products, from torches to tents and everything in between.

So we’re bringing you an exclusive sneak peek at six of our favourites; exciting new gear that you will be able to buy in time for your 2019 camping adventures.  

OUTWELL DREAMBOAT SLEEPING MAT
Outwell are all about family camping innovation and the new Dreamboat self-inflating mat is their latest ground-breaking creation. At 12cm thick, it’s extremely comfortable. That’s important. It also has not one, but two, of their Air Control valves - to speed up inflating and deflating. But the real innovation here is the heat regulation. The design means it keeps you cool in the warmer summer months, but flip it over when it’s colder and it will retain heat at night.  

FJALLRAVEN KANKEN
Fjallraven’s Kanken backpack is iconic and for 2019 two Swedish artists have come up with their own take on this Scandinavian design classic. Bright colours and bold prints are combined with the traditional Kanken features to create something special. Oh and there will also be a special Pride version available too.    

VANGO MICRO CHAIRS
With the amount of gear most families take with them when they go camping these days,   space is always at a premium when it comes to packing. This new range of chairs from Scottish camping specialists Vango solves that problem. With their steel frames, Micro chairs are sturdy, comfortable and reasonably priced. But they also pack away small, making them ideal for when space is limited.    

BIOLITE HEADLAMPS
BioLite first came on the scene five or six years ago with their pioneering camping  stove, which ran on burning twigs and generated power for electrical devices. Since then they have produced a range of camping products that are always interesting and innovative. The latest is the new Headlamp range… lightweight, ultra-thin, rechargeable and available in four colours. Like all Biolite products, they combine state-of-the-art technology with eye-catching design. 

COLEMAN BATTERY GUARD
There’s nothing more irritating than when you try to switch on your lantern on the first night of a camping trip and discover that the batteries have run out while it was stored away. Coleman’s new Battery Guard system is designed to ensure that batteries in your lighting won’t lose their charge due to residual power drain while they’re not in use. The new feature automatically disconnects the battery as soon as you switch the light off and it also protects them from corrosion. It’s fitted on many of Coleman’s new 2019 lighting range, including headtorches, lanterns and flashlights.      

FIELD CANDY YELLOW SUBMARINE TENT
Field Candy’s tents and accessories are quirky and funny and guaranteed to stand out on the campsite. We loved this design we spotted at Friedrichshafen, based on the Beatles’ famous Yellow Submarine animation – it’s definitely one for music lovers and festival goers!

And we’ve got lots more to tell you about! See more new gear features coming up on outandaboutlive.co.uk and look out for the Autumn 2018 issue of Camping magazine, which will be packed full of even more new kit for 2019.

And we’ve got lots more to tell you about. See our new gear features on   outandaboutlive.co.uk and look out for the Autumn 2018 issue of Camping magazine, which will be packed full of even more new kit for 2019.