Eight-year old KEEN is advancing their commitment to the full product lifecycle – design to production – at the 15,000-square-foot Portland Factory. The first product offerings came off the factory’s line in October 2010, and KEEN has recently announced further plans for the facility.

Emotion Kayaks is delivering its newest kayak, Sparky, to retailers. Emotion Kayaks is targeting younger paddlers with it's kid-friendly design of the Sparky.

Trying to appeal to paddlers of all ages, Sparky has a smaller sit-on-top design (length 6 foot, width 2 foot, weight 22 pounds) and semi-flat shallow “V” hull. It’s equipped with side handles, footwells and front toggle handle.

The Emotion Kayaks Sparky has self-bailing scupper holes and a built-in tank well for storage. It has a maximum weight capacity of 140 pounds.

At 1.1 pounds, the Easton Mountain Products CTR-65 ion trekking pole is new for Spring 2011.

The all-carbon trekking pole is versatile with two-tier adjustability. Adjust the trekking pole and snap Easton Mountain Products' patent-pending  clamp to secure the pole's length.

PROBAR recently introduced their newest product, HALO Bar. Marketed as a snack bar that satisfies guilty cravings although still nutritious, the company is hoping to appeal to consumers that want a sweet treat between meals that doesn’t add to their waistline.

Two new adventure packs have been unveiled by Lowepro – Photo Sport 200 AW and Photo Sport Sling 100 AW. Both dual-compartment packs are designed to haul camera and adventure gear.

The lower compartment on both packs is padded and secures photo gear from bouncing when in motion. A zippered side pocket lets the user rotate the pack to quickly access a camera.

A new cycling hydration system will be available at retailers in July 2011, VelEau 42 Bicycle Mounted Hydration System by Showers Pass. The company is best known for windproof and waterproof cycling gear.

The VelEau 42 fits under the saddle. A hydration tube runs along the stem, down tube and ends at the head tube. The bite valve is held in place by a magnet at the head tube.

After almost ten years of development, Brooklyn Workshop has released the world’s first hubless skateboard. The self-propelled Skatecycle combines the snake-like movement of a caster board with the carving action of a snowboard.

RempRack has designed a new bike rack that mounts in the bed of a pick-up truck. A vertical mounting system secures up to five bikes into a small space.The RempRack is designed for traveling with bikes when hauling a camper or boat.

Southern California-based Coral Reef Wetsuits has introduced the first solar charging surfboard. Coral Reef Wetsuits’ Tony Jones invented the Outback surfboard line that charges small electric devices – cell phones, iPods, smartphones, digital cameras, and flashlights. Jones has used the prototype board for more than two years, and it passed the extreme testing conditions such as very large surf, hitting the board in the water and worldwide travel.

David Parmer is the Editor and Publisher of Japan Outdoor Gear News and resides in Tokyo. Parmer will be contributing a multi-part series for OutdoorInformer.com discussing the current Japanese outdoor industry.

April 11, 2011 marked the one month anniversary of the tragic earthquake in Japan that has resulted in over 10,000 deaths to date. Parmer's first contribution is his recount of the day, one month after the 9.0 magnitude earthquake.