I’d like to start a list of gear that we could realistically see in our near future. So near, in fact, that these products may be in development right now, we just don’t know about it. Or maybe since I’m only an amateur gear whore (meaning, I start out just going to REI, CampSaver, or Backcountry), these items may already exist….but only for elite athletes, for a pretty penny.

The first one is a minimalist waterproof shoe. I don’t know a lick about shoe construction, but why is every waterproof trail runner so bulky? Is it impossible to design something like a New Balance Minimus that’s waterproof? C’moooooon. Get on it!

The next one on the list is an Omni-bag from Columbia. Between their OmniHeat, OmniDry, OmniWick, and any of their other Omni-technologies, they should be able to design one helluva kick-ass sleeping bag and/or bivy system. I know that’s not really their product expertise, but it seems like a simple, parallel jump…to me.

**UPDATE!!** It appears as though Columbia read my future mind quite some time ago as they already have Omni-Sleeping Bags. Guess I need to do better research.

A shirtless pack. Ok, what the heck do I mean by that? Well, backpacking can be a very sweaty endeavor, and during those times, I’d prefer if I could go shirtless. The problem with shirtless trekking is that the shoulder straps, lumbar support, and hip belts aren’t too flesh friendly. Can we fix that?

Ok, help me out, and add yours to the comment box, mkay? Thanks!