Shedding Light on Compression Gear
Compression gear rides a strange duality: the highly visible arm sleeves and tights are often seen on high-profile athletes in both individual and team sports, but many people don’t know exactly what benefits compression actually provides. Even explaining compression apparel can be tricky. For many, it fits into that category between fad and magic beans, […]
USA Pro Challenge Rests and Raves at Copper Mountain
Copper welcomes the USA Pro Challenge cyclists and supporters in the only way the authentic mountain community knows how—a festival party. Copper Mountain plans to offer action and cycling-centered activities for the family to enjoy, along with free music concerts and screening of the Aspen finish line. Although cyclists won’t pedal from Stage 3 until […]
Running Apparel, a Runway Success
This year, wellness items (athletic apparel, soul cycle, green drinks) gained significantly in the race against the prescription drug industry. Estimates from the Global Wellness Summit are that while the pharmaceutical industry tops out at an estimated one trillion dollars, the wellness industry has achieved a personal best, more than tripling that number. Saucony Apparel […]
LEKI Enters Camping Market
Hikers, trekkers and skiers know the importance of strong, stable poles to get up the mountain, and a way to relax at the top. LEKI, known in the outdoor industry as the “pole experts,” put two and two together by inventing new products that use existing pole technology in a whole new way – camping […]
MSR Unveils Military-Grade Water Purifier
Seattle-based legacy outdoor brand MSR released at Outdoor Retailer Summer Market what the company is calling the world’s most advanced portable water purifier, the Guardian, $350. In 2009, the U.S. military selected MSR and its bio safety Level II water lab to create a device capable of keeping its service members safe from waterborne illnesses. Five […]
Columbia Reinvents Rainwear
For Spring 2016, Columbia Sportswear is introducing OutDry Extreme, which it touts as the biggest breakthrough in the rainwear category since Gore-Tex introduced conventional waterproof breathable construction more than 40 years ago. In an interview at its New York City showroom, Blaine Perrin, director of product marketing for Columbia, said OutDry Extreme basically brings OutDry, which […]
R.L. Winston’s Boron III Plus Catches Anglers’ Attention
R.L. Winston Rod and Co. has added a series of Plus fishing rods to its line. The “Plus” stands for heightened line speed, extra power and design features to handle monster flies, strong winds, sinking and oversized head lines and of course big catches. Serious anglers will appreciate the versatility offered in the Plus […]
Ahnu Yoga Footwear Aids the Om
Building on the strong retailer response to the upcoming launch of its YogaSport collection, Ahnu has partnered with Blake Brody, a niche maker of premium in-studio footwear, to launch its first women’s slip-resistant, on-the-mat yoga studio footwear product. Ahnu, a division of Deckers Brands, unveiled its first après yoga footwear line in 2012, and Jacqueline […]
Trail Running Contenders Duke It Out for 2016
As with so many growing categories, trail running shoes have gone through drastic evolutions since they became a major player in the industry back in the 1990s. We’ve seen them adapt from basically pared-down hiking shoes with bulky toe bumpers and stiff outsoles to a sort of running slipper with only a thin layer of […]
Red Bull Sponsors Giant Redwood Climb
Santa Cruz rock climber Chris Sharma set his sights on free climbing a new medium last week – giant redwoods in the Northern California old growth glade. In free climbing, he was protected from falls by rope and harness, but Sharma used only his feet and hands to scale a redwood in Eureka, CA. The […]
Newest Technology in Spill-proof Caffeine
The quarter-sized Voke Tab is a chewable, candy-like tab made from a basic combination of organic guarana berry, organic acerola cherry and natural green tea leaf. One Voke Tab is equal to 77mg of caffeine, or one strong cup of tea, “minus the jitters,” according to Voke. Instead of spiking energy, Voke offers a few […]
Adidas 2016 Mountain Footwear
Adidas Outdoor unveiled new footwear styles from its Terrex line with mountain-friendly designs made specifically for the outdoor athlete. Whether climbing, trail running, mountain biking, kayaking or on another alpine-inspired excursion, Terrex promises to earn its hashtag, #livewithoutlimits. The Adidas Terrex line includes the much awaited X-King and Climacool Voyager Water Shoe Hiker, among other […]
Old Town Revives 20-Year-Old Loon Kayak
Old Town, one of the brands under titan outdoor recreation company Johnson Outdoors, celebrates its 20th anniversary of the original Loon Kayak. The classic model gets a new-age transformation as Old Town unveils its new series for 2015 and 2016. The biggest eye-catcher on the updated model is the wood deck positioned at arm’s reach […]
Icebug’s 2016 No-More-Excuses Collection
Swedish-born Icebug set out in 2002 to challenge the big-wigs of the outdoor trail running category and now the brand will launch its 2016 Spring/Summer Trail and OCR (Obstacle Course Racing) footwear range with the same intent. Designed for “those who crave outdoors,” the line offers a mix of trail running and multi-sport offerings with […]
SealLine and Jackson Kayak Connect Over Made In The USA
“The new 2016 Jackson Kayak/SealLine Seat Back Pouch was born of a partnership between two companies with a shared commitment to U.S. manufacturing,” said Damon Bungard, product manager, Jackson Kayak. SealLine, a leader in dry bags and packs, announced a partnership with Jackson Kayak on a custom SealLine weatherproof seat bag system for Jackson’s new […]
