Unique products to hit market

Here’s another peek at a few of the new products and test prototypes among the hundreds of items that debuted at the Outdoor Retailer Winter Market 2006 trade show last month in Salt Lake City.

SnoMoBike

The SnoMoBike is a one-of-a-kind prototype bicycle debuted at the trade show. As the name entails, this bike was designed for snow, particularly Nordic ski loops, snowy roads and snowmobile trails. Up front, the bike sports a short ski connected to the handlebars. In back, a long and skinny metal tread provides power and float in the white stuff.

Cheney Family Enterprises, the Lindon, Utah, hopes to have a product to market by next winter at a cost between $2,000 and $3,000. ( www.snomobike.com)

GEL-BOT

Endurance athletes are used to carrying a water bottle and an energy-gel flask in separate pack compartments or pockets. The GEL-BOT, which looks like a regular plastic water bottle, hides a small gel flask inside the cap, allowing for fueling and hydration from a single vessel. Athletes can eat energy gel or drink water from the same valve; the position of the valve determines whether water or gel flows into your mouth. Will be available later this month for $16. ( www.gel-bot.com)

Princeton Tec Genesis

Princeton Tec introduced a small super-bright black flashlight that will cost a pricey $85 when it ships in June. Featuring a rating of 47 lumens from a 3-watt LED, this intense light can be used as a self-defense tool, temporarily blinding or disorienting a bad guy.

In the outdoors, the light could be used to scout climbing routes in the dark or chase off unwanted campground wildlife. ( www.princetontec.com)