Friday, September 24, 2010

Columbia Sportswear launches new Omni-Heat™ Warmth Technology

Omni-Heat delivers industry-leading warmth and superior regulation of body temperature without added bulk. The innovative reflective technology keeps people 20% warmer than ordinary liners while allowing excess heat and moisture vapor to escape, making Omni-Heat perfect for almost any outdoor activity.
"Omni-Heat's distinctive reflective silver-dot lining is the most innovative warmth solution to hit the outdoor industry in decades and allows consumers to see the technology as well as feel it," said Sue Parham, Vice President of Global Apparel.

Warm and dry, with no more overheating while hiking up a mountain on a windy day. Sounds like a great choice to me and deffinitly something to take a closer look and feel at.

Source: Columbia Sportswear Company

150 years Mammut


In 2012, Mammut will be celebrating its 150th anniversary. Join in the celebrations over the coming months and experience some incomparable anniversary events with Mammut, including the biggest test event of all times. There is plenty of reasons to celebrate. The traditional ropeworks in Dintikon, Switzerland, founded by Kaspar Tanner in 1862 has grown to become an international company producing innovative products for all alpine and outdoor sports enthusiasts.

Good news for all Mammut fans. You don't need to wait until 2012 for some spectacular celebrations. You can be part of our rope team now and take part in the first event "150 years - 150 gifts"!

Send Mammut your birthday greeting for a chance to win 1 of 150 gifts. Select 1 of 150 gifts from the last 150 years of Mammut for a chance to win it. Every day, three gifts will be unpacked. Your chances of winning will be higher if only a few people have selected the same gift as you. However, please note: you do not know what is hidden in your chosen gift and the winners will be selected at random.

Go choose your gift now
Good luck!
Source: Mammut

The North Face® Launches New Trailhead Application for iPhone

" Earlier this week, we announced The North Face Trailhead App, a free and easy-to-use application for locating trails and sharing adventures all over the world. I've downloaded it and started to play around with it right away; I like! It's simple to use and very informative. Makes you want to head out right away on the next adventure.

Powered by EveryTrail, the Trailhead Application has over 300'000 trails stored in its library, including hiking loops, bike routes, backcountry ski trails and more. It features route tracking with a real time interactive map via GPS that monitors distance, speed and elevation. Users can search trips by location, activity or user ratings and, upon selecting the trail, can instantly view driving directions to the trailhead.

Integrated features allow Trailhead app users to share stories and photos of their recent adventures quickly in one post to friends, family and other users via Facebook, Twitter and EveryTrail.com.

To download The North Face Trailhead Application at no cost, please visit http://appsto.re/tnftrailhead "

I've tried it out myself and I can say this is an awesome app! Where ever you are it'll find interesting trails and beautiful hiking routes you can explore. Since every user has the chance to upload infos and photos that you can check out, you know what you're getting yourself into. It's for free and worth downloading!

Source: The North Face

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Are Outdoor Companies Shunning the Plus Size Crowd?

In recent months, there has been a huge debate about the weight of high fashion models. They are essentially glorified skeletons but in the casual/outdoor clothing world we don't often hear the same complaints, perhaps because models for Gap and similar chains tend be just a little less alien looking. Yet, Fabienne and I recently had a discussion after going to a local North Face store. I was complaining about the prices and the lack of sales items, whereas she was saying that she couldn't fit into any of the the women's size clothes. Fabienne is tall, almost 6 feet, and not exactly skinny but compared to most Americans she is quite possibly svelte. So how come, at a time when 60 percent of Americans are overweight or obese, North Face, Patagonia and other chain stores refuse to carry bigger sizes?
I immediately responded with a stereotype. "Well, maybe fat people aren't exactly the most active and outdoorsy people." Ouch. Not my finest moment but could this be the rationale that keeps these stores from releasing plus size clothes? It's kind of like a chicken and egg thing. If fat people are discouraged from buying workout clothes are they less likely to work out? Maybe not, but I think we got ourselves a niche market that's just begging for a new business venture.

Monday, September 20, 2010

REI Finally Opens Store In NYC

Though Manhattan may not exactly evoke images of wilderness, I'm sure many people in New York appreciate a good outdoor clothing store, whether you need some hiking gear for a trip to Yosemite or simply want to buy a jacket for those cold nighttime strolls through Central Park. Either way, REI is coming your way. The Washington-based chain has just announced that they will open a large 3-level outlet in the beautiful SoHo neighborhood in New York City. The New York Times thinks an outdoor chain war may soon break out as Eastern Mountain Sports, an East Coast version of REI, is located just a few blocks down the street. Bring it on!

Source: New York Times

Friday, September 17, 2010

Hawaiians Rejoice - Patagonia Opening Second Store in State

Patagonia, the eco-conscious outdoor apparel company, has just opened their second outlet in Hale'iwa and is excited to be part of the local community: "Our Hale'iwa store has been very well supported by the local residents and visitors to The Northshore and we look forward to being an active part of the Honolulu community with this new location in Ward Centers," says Robert Cohen, Vice President of Patagonia's Global Retail Division. While the store opened late last month, the company will be throwing a little party tomorrow, September 18th from 10-8. Don't miss it - there will be free refreshments!

Source: PR Newswire