The recent Toronto Sportsman Show, held from March 19th to 22nd at the International Centre in Mississauga, proved to be the ultimate testing ground for the future of outdoor technology and recreation. Moving far beyond traditional gear, this year’s event highlighted next-generation advancements across the ATV, boating, fishing, hunting, and camping industries. From ultra-high-definition fish-finding sonar and smart-mapping GPS systems to off-grid solar power and advanced vehicle telemetry, the show was an absolute paradise for tech-savvy adventurers.
Industry heavyweights like Yamaha, BRP, Garmin, and Lowrance revealed their newest electronic wares, proving that the digital innovations hitting the wilderness this season certainly do not disappoint.
Show Vendor Highlights
Lowrance
When it comes to advanced marine navigation and sonar tech, Lowrance is a dominating force. At the event, the brand drew crowds with their premium HDS PRO fish finder system. This powerhouse device replaces traditional guesswork with ultra-high-definition data, utilizing the company’s Active Imaging™ HD and ActiveTarget® sonar to drive massive improvements in fish-finding accuracy. The result is a significant leap in underwater clarity, rendered beautifully on the HDS PRO’s expansive, sunlight-readable color touchscreen.
Garmin
While Garmin is widely recognized for its land-based GPS, their setup at the show made it clear they are just as focused on marine navigation. The booth featured a solid cross-section of their outdoor tech ecosystem, ranging from high-end marine displays like the GPSMAP x3 to satellite communicators like the inReach Mini 3 and flagship wearables like the Fenix 8 Pro. For boaters and anglers, the standout features of Garmin’s marine tech are their highly detailed inland water plotting and charts that update daily, keeping users navigating with the most current data available.
BRP
Occupying a massive footprint on the show floor, BRP (Bombardier Recreational Products) utilized its expansive booth to highlight the Canadian manufacturer’s recent push into outdoor tech integration. Over the past few years, BRP has heavily invested in embedding smart connectivity across its product lines. This shift is highly visible in models like the Ski-Doo Backcountry X-RS and the latest Can-Am motorcycles. The Ski-Doo features a 10.25-inch touchscreen display equipped with onboard navigation, Bluetooth audio, and integration with the BRP GO! mobile app. Similarly, the Can-Am motorcycle lineup now supports Apple CarPlay alongside the BRP GO! platform, bringing automotive-level smart connectivity to the open road/trail.
Dogtra
Garden Grove, California-based Dogtra expanded the show’s tech focus into pet wearables, displaying a lineup of smart bark control and GPS tracking collars. A focal point of their exhibit was the PATHFINDER2 COMPASS, a device that leverages both GPS and compass technology for precise canine tracking in the field. For consumers, the standout feature of Dogtra’s ecosystem is its cost structure: representatives emphasized that the hardware operates entirely via a free companion app, eliminating the need for monthly subscription fees.
