Outdoor Retailer on Tuesday announced the finalists for the inaugural Outdoor Retailer Innovation Awards presented by Capital One Spark Business, which recognize design, innovation and achievement in the outdoor industry.
Thirty-two products and retail services have been selected by the panel of judges to advance to the final round. Winners will be unveiled during a live ceremony on November 8 during the first night of Outdoor Retailer Winter Market at the Colorado Convention Center in Denver.
“The Outdoor Retailer Innovation Awards aim to inspire, and this inaugural list of 32 finalists are doing just that,” said Marisa Nicholson, Outdoor Retailer vice president and show director. “The judges have had an incredible task in evaluating so many innovative products and services that are shaping our outdoor experiences. Now, we are looking forward to seeing the finalists in our Innovation Gallery at Winter Market and to celebrating the winners.”
A live ceremony to reveal the winners will be held on Thursday, November 8, in the Mile High Ballroom at the Colorado Convention Center. Doors open at 6 p.m., and the show is open to all Outdoor Retailer attendees. Winners will be selected from the inaugural list of finalists.
| COMPANY | ENTRY |
| Allbirds | SweetFoam |
| Big Agnes | Insulated AXL Trail Boss pads |
| Black Diamond Equipment | JetForce Pro |
| Blackyak Co Ltd. | Niata Jacket |
| Cake | Kalk Electric Motorbike |
| Costa Sunglasses | The Untangled Collection – Baffin Sunglasses |
| Crescent Moon Snowshoes | Eva Foam Snowshoes |
| Dish and DUER | Performance Apparel |
| DPS | PHANTOM Permanent Waxless Glide |
| Drift | Drift Boards |
| EXPED | MegaSleep Duo 25 |
| Fundbox | Fundbox Pay |
| G3 | ZED 12 Binding |
| GoLite | GoLite ReGreen Windshell |
| Hydra-Light International Ltd. | HydraCell Power Cube XS |
| iKamper | X-Cover |
| LEKI | Micro Vario Carbon Black Series CLD |
| LynQ | LynQ |
| Mad Rock Climbing | Haywire |
| Mammut | Wall Rider MIPS Helmet |
| Matador Packable Adventure Gear | FlatPak Toiletry Bottle |
| O.M.E Gear | The Wanderr |
| PrimaLoft | PrimaLoft Bio |
| SkiAK | Retail |
| SOLE | Jasper Chukka Wool |
| Summit Hut | Retail |
| Teamsworld Innovation Inc. | FOCANO |
| Tecnica | Plasma S |
| Therm-a-Rest | NeoAir UberLite Mattress |
| United By Blue | United By Blue Bison Puffer Jacket |
| United By Blue | 2018 Mission-Driven Event Series in UBB Retail Spaces |
| Yale Cordage | Forj Thermoplastic Tape – Ribbon |
All finalists will be on display on the show floor throughout Outdoor Retailer Winter Market in the Innovation Gallery which runs Nov. 8-11, 2018 at the Colorado Convention Center.
A panel of 12 judges with varying backgrounds in design, retail, education, entrepreneurship and journalism reviewed all award submissions to determine the finalists. Judges evaluated entries based on a variety of factors, including concept, design, functionality, originality, sustainability and impact. The foundation panel will be joined by additional judges to assess the finalist entries on-site in Denver and select the winners on the eve of Winter Market.
Capital One Spark Business is presenting sponsor of the inaugural Outdoor Retailer Innovation Awards. Outdoor Retailer and A+E Networks have also partnered to develop short-form programming around the awards to air as part of the Outdoors programming block on FYI and History networks and Christian Murphy, A+E Networks’ Senior Vice President Enthusiast Brands & Programming Partnerships, will host the awards ceremony.
The awards will become a fixture at Winter Market. Outdoor industry and event veteran Liz Ferrin is working with Outdoor Retailer to produce the awards.
