Disruptive technologies alter the way we engage with the natural world.

History is filled with countless inflection points where new technologies completely changed the way people interacted with the world. Disruptive technologies in materials science, textiles and mechanical engineering are responsible for many advancements, including innovations that changed outdoor recreation. Whatever form these technologies took, they were often the work of innovative thinkers who found novel solutions to common problems.

Read on for five innovative technologies that transformed outdoor recreation.

Modern Neoprene Wetsuit
Before the modern neoprene wetsuit design that is known by surfers the world over, there was no flexible, cold-weather garment to wear in colder waters. The only alternatives were stiff rubber suits used by divers. While the neoprene material was already available at the time, it wasn’t until Jack O’Neill, founder of iconic surf company O’Neill, took the material and began producing this new style of wetsuits in California in the 1960s. Now, watersport enthusiasts from Alaska to Iceland can surf comfortably in suits inspired by the original neoprene wetsuit.

GORE-TEX Fabric
Comfortable waterproof clothing is taken for granted now, but decades ago, the only alternatives were too heavy, not breathable or had other less than desirable trade-offs. Following a discovery in 1969 that created ePTFE — or expanded polytetrafluoroethylene — which offered new properties that proved ideal for waterproofing, W.L. Gore & Associates filed for patents and created a new breathable and lightweight waterproof fabric. Since the 1970s, GORE-TEX fabric has enabled more outdoor adventures in all kinds of conditions — even adorning NASA astronauts.

Sticky Rubber Climbing Shoes
Recreational rock climbing has long been a pastime all over the world. Up until a few decades ago, early sport climbers wore heavy boots, sneakers or even went barefoot to get the best traction. In the 1970s, brothers Miguel and José Gallegos approached Spanish footwear company Calzados Boreal S.L. — Now Boreal — to design purpose-built climbing shoes with rubber soles that had superior friction while also being durable and abrasion resistant. This “sticky rubber” debuted in 1979 and has since become the standard in the rock climbing industry.

Quick-Release Clipless Bicycle Pedals
A lot has changed since the first bicycle of the 1800s, including technologies to increase rider performance and safety. One such advancement is the quick-release clipless bicycle pedal and cleat system that first came about in the 1980s. This attachment system allows riders to both push and pull pedals to achieve more power output and quickly detach in case of emergency. Today, quick-release clipless pedals are used by professionals in the Tour de France and by everyday people who take at-home spin classes on stationary bikes.

Personal Locator Beacons and GPS Tracking Devices
Up until the latter part of the 20th century, if an individual were to get lost anywhere in the world, whether it was on land or at sea, there was little hope of finding and rescuing them. With the advent of satellites, communications technologies flourished and brought about new ways for government agencies — and later civilians — to track, locate and communicate like never before. Thanks to satellites, adventurers can transmit distress signals via personal locator beacons and even share their precise location through GPS devices, making outdoor adventures that much safer.

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