Ultrafit: Green Gear

Going green is not a new phenomenon in the world of outdoors gear. Almost 15 years ago, Patagonia unveiled a jacket made of fibers derived from recycled soda bottles.

But today's eco-friendly gear -- including packs, shoes, socks, gadget cases and camp stoves -- reflects an industrywide push to think broadly about sustainability.

"Consumer demand is there," said Berne Broudy, a Vermont-based editor with Backpacker magazine who covers the environment. She said sustainable manufacturing processes, new chemical treatments and the availability of materials ranging from organic cotton to PVC-free plastics have changed the industry.

"Making a wide range of green gear has now become viable," Broudy said.

Here are 10 new products that tout a good eco story as well as performance for use in the field.

This eco-cocoon is made of 96 percent recycled content, including a rip-stop nylon shell. But you don't lose comfort for the bag's green bias: Big Agnes stitches in a pillow pocket and cuts the bag wide for more room at your feet and shoulders. $160, www.bigagnes.com or REI (several Twin Cities locations), Midwest Mountaineering and Hoigaard's in St. Louis Park, 952-929-1351, www.hoigaards.com.

Touting an eco ethos with a Cuban flair, the Cadet Cap is an organic cotton alternative to the workaday baseball bill. Bonus: The cap comes with a worn look and feel that requires no break-in time. $16, REI or www.rei.com.

The Solio clips to your backpack while you walk, sucking rays all day and saving the juice in its internal lithium-ion battery. Later, plug in your iPod, or even a laptop computer, to bank off the device's 5-watt output -- enough to power most mobile devices. $79, www.solio.com or REI.

Wasting little of its flame output, the Primus EtaPower MF stove uses up to 80 percent of the heat it generates for cooking -- a good eco-move to start. But to go another step, the company buys carbon offsets for every EtaPower MultiFuel stove sold, making cooking your hotcakes now a carbon-neutral experience. $190, www.primuscamping.com. Also available at Midwest Mountaineering in Minneapolis, 612-339-3433, www.midwestmtn.com.

Made of a biodegradable corn-based fiber, these socks have extra reinforcement in the heels and toes for durability. The fabric transfers moisture and sweat to keep feet dry and prevent blisters. $13.95, www.tekosocks.com. Also at Birch Clothing in Minneapolis, 612-436-0776, www.birchclothing.com; Sox Appeal at Calhoun Square in Minneapolis, 612-822-6960; and Tri Fitness in White Bear Lake, 651-426-1919, www.trifitnesswbl.com.

New Zealand-based Icebreaker's line of biodegradable apparel includes "Plant It" T-shirts and tops for women and Renew/Recycle T-shirts for men made of 100 percent merino wool, a sustainable, biodegradable and annually renewable fiber. Wear one of these shirts for a few years, then, as the "Plant It" name implies, dig a hole and throw the shirt in for a ceremonial, ecosystem-sustaining burial. $55 and up, www.icebreaker.com. Also at 45 Degrees in Stillwater, Birch Clothing in Minneapolis, Midwest Mountaineering in Minneapolis and Sports Hut in Wayzata, 952-473-8843, www.sportshut.com.

Woven hemp fiber gives this popular Keen hybrid sandal-shoe a new look. The patented toe guard protects from errant roots and rocks on the trail, while the airy and eco-friendly upper lets your feet breathe. $95, www.keenfootwear.com. Also Nokomis Shoe Shop, Minneapolis, 612-724-1406 and online at backcountry.com and zappos.com.

This plastic waterproof camera case is now 100 percent PVC-free; polyvinyl chloride has been cited in some studies as a pollutant and a carcinogen. Made for tiny digital cameras, the case has a polycarbonate hard lens for clear images and a watertight seal to keep out moisture. $45, www.aquapac.net. Also at REI and Cabela's in Owatonna and Rogers.

Stephen Regenold is a Twin Cities writer and author of the syndicated column www.thegearjunkie.com.