January 24, 2010
sponsored by Winter Market GearTrends®
“My girlfriend says I’m living too much in ’82.” Uncle Rico’s words from the movie “Napoleon Dynamite” rolled through our heads as we cruised the Salt Palace, passing a slew of vintage clothing styles.
Gramicci was highlighting styles from 1982 -- its first year in business -- like its pull-on pants in Yukon khaki. But, really, it’s not a bad strategy. The retro trend is always happening in the outdoor business, and Gramicci is drawing younger folks who are new to the brand and love the old-school look. “What’s old is new again, and that’s OK,” said Gramicci’s Paul Cronin.
Over at Arc’Teryx and Mammut, there were a few hints of “Miami Vice,” with apparel in neon greens and loud purples. But companies aren’t just rocking the ‘80s. The Salt Palace turned into the Plaid Palace this week as Woolrich, ExOfficio and others took us back to the ‘50s with checkered patterns.
At JanSport, we spied a groovy poster showing a shaggy Skip Yowell circa 1969, which promoted the company’s broad Heritage collection. Seems the college crowd is eating up simple, retro designs like the Ski & Hike pack.
Of course, the ‘70s stuff was easy to pick out of the crowd. The Back to Berkeley shoe from The North Face has a nylon upper in a shade of pea green that beckons, “make a shag rug out of me.” If anything good came out of the ‘90s, it was the grunge movement, which is rearing its disheveled head again. Part of this is the denim trend -- did you see the Burton Olympic snowboard outfit with technical pants that look just like faded jeans? Or Birkenstock’s new Bern sandals in hues of faded blue and other, warm grunge colors?
Hey, we don’t mind if the industry has a soft spot for ‘92, ‘82 or even ’52. Let’s just try to steer clear of the late ‘90s to early 2000s…we don’t think we could stomach the Boy Band thing again.
SNEWS Trendlet: Houndstooth patterns are popping up in all kinds of products, from Sound Team earmuffs to Kavu shoulder bags and Smith goggle straps. And where pray tell is this coming from? Could it be coming straight out of Bama? After all, the Crimson Tide just won the college football national championship. The same team whose coach Bear Bryant put houndstooth on the map with his iconic fedora. Now the jagged black and white pattern is all the rage with the college set. Kavu’s Barry Barr said he made a limited run of houndstooth Keeper bags for Mountain High and Alabama Outdoors, and stores burned through them faster than you can say, “Roll Tide!” For the future, Barr said he’ll expand the look into more bags with crimson Kavu logos. --Marcus WoolfIn the hot seat... Letitia Webster, The North Face's director strategic marketing & corporate sustainability discusses the company's efforts to go green and successes and challenges they've encountered along the way.
Peter Whittaker, the owner of RMI and co-founder of First Ascent/Whittaker Mountaineering discusses the launch of the new brand, First Ascent and his career in the outdoor industry. Day 4 Show & Party Scene
Steve Casamiro and Jon Dorn find the future of media a laughing matter during a panel discussion on the topic.
After the show, people at the PrAna booth employ the less conventional relaxation technique of Acrobatic Yoga, while other employ the more conventional method of sitting down.
Thanks to Schoeller Textile company Nano Sphere's amazing stain repellent technology, food now slides effortlessly into your lap...but at least your bibs still stay clean.
Adam Sotkin, from Backcountry Access, is always ready in case of an avalanche. This self-inflating backpack is considerably better than ski mountaineering with a set of Swimmies on your arms.
Hayley Ashburn, from the Gibbon Slackline team, is doing her best to look like the monkey on her shirt.
Imagine our shock when we found out that Royal Robbins' real goal all along was not to sell outdoor clothing at all...it was a front to get the entire trade show addicted to free lattes -- bwahhhahha.
Two girls engage in battle at the Rock and Ice climbing wall. One is going to learn a valuable lesson about potential energy, while the other is going to win a sleeping bag. *Photographs by Ben Fullerton -- http://fullertonimages.com
Gear of the Day
Picks by the SNEWS and Backpacker editors that you need to check out on the show floor:
Komperdell brings an intriguing new trekking pole design to market with the collapsible Approach. Instead of a twist-lock or flick-lock, it borrows from tent poles with shock-corded sections with male/female that pop into each other and secure with a light turn. It comes in five lengths and collapses as small as 14 inches long. Available in carbon ($240/pair) and alloy ($170/pair) versions, both superlight and featuring an extended grip. Booth 35095.
Not all multi-tools are the same – dieu merci! French-based Baladeo, being distributed in the United States by Pacific Outdoor, offers a car-camper’s delight with the Outdoor Cutlery Set that comes with a removable fork and spoon, as well as an attached knife, bottle opener, screw and the pièce de résistance: a wine opening corkscrew (MSRP $47.99). Booth 6001.
While New York may seem worlds away from the Arctic Circle, Canada Goose has found a way to infuse its extreme cold-weather experience into urban styling in the Hybridge jacket for men and women. Using Thermal Mapping, the jacket blends Polartec Power Shield O2 soft shell and 750 fill down technology into one form-fitting silhouette. Its heritage still remains in the small details with iconic features like the grab strap on the back and reflective tape on the sleeve. (MSRP $475) Booth 5045.
CGear Multimat was originally designed as a deployable helimat to eliminate dirt, dust and debris from being kicked up by helicopter rotors when landing. It worked so well, the company thought why not apply that technology to ground cloths for camping and beach use. Sand and dirt fall straight through the mat to the ground beneath, but not back up through the mat. The Multimat doubles as a shade and a windbreak -- perfect for when that helicopter delivering the Chardonnay for the camp dinner arrives. Booth BR417
Most folks don’t stand with their feet parallel. The binding of MSR’s Lightning Axis snowshoe rotates left or right and locks into place so a person can walk comfortably, whether they stand toe-in or toe-out. Also, MSR redesigned the Televator heel lift so that it operates more easily than before, even while wearing mittens. And, it accommodate 5-inch, removable tails that snap into place easily for traversing deep powder. Booth 16015.
Hot Button Q: If you found out today that you could no longer work at the company you love, and that you had to begin working with another outdoor industry company by the end of the day, who would it be, and why?
>>“Patagonia…its history, heritage and culture. Yvon (Chouinard) was 30 years ahead of his time, and the company continues to lead and set the example for others to follow.” --Tommy Knoll, managing director, C.A.M.P. USA
>>“I would work for Big City Mountaineers. I have supported them personally, and believe so much in the work they are doing.” --Mike Welch, national sales manager, Mammut
>>“Patagonia. I love what that company stands for and the culture and its independence. And, I have many friends that work there.” --Steve Bendzak, president, ExOfficio
>>“Conservation Alliance. I am completely appreciative of their objectives and philosophies and to be able to be part of that, part of something that means so much to so many people…at the end of the day, that would be meaningful.” --Seth Cobb, vice president/general manager, Merrell
>>“I would enter the non-profit world, something like an Access Fund, for example. I would want to be the executive director of an organization I could pour my energy and passion into.” --Bill Supple, CEO, Mammut USA
>>“Black Diamond because they are a company that exemplifies the kind of product focus and social and environmental ethics that other companies use as a benchmark.” --Tom Barney, CEO, Osprey
>>“I would work for River Sports in Knoxville, Tennessee.” --Mark Day, vice president of sales and marketing, La Sportiva
>>“SNEWS®…to be in the know and always out front of the news, and giving so many people information they can really use.” --Alycia Cavadi, owner, Momentum Media
>>“Five Ten, because I have always admired their spirit, their uncompromising attitude and their general anti-establishment views.” --Ken Meidell, outdoor group vice president, Cascade Designs
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Komperdell brings an intriguing new trekking pole design to market with the collapsible Approach. Instead of a twist-lock or flick-lock, it borrows from tent poles with shock-corded sections with male/female that pop into each other and secure with a light turn. It comes in five lengths and collapses as small as 14 inches long. Available in carbon ($240/pair) and alloy ($170/pair) versions, both superlight and featuring an extended grip. Booth 35095. 
While New York may seem worlds away from the Arctic Circle, Canada Goose has found a way to infuse its extreme cold-weather experience into urban styling in the Hybridge jacket for men and women. Using Thermal Mapping, the jacket blends Polartec Power Shield O2 soft shell and 750 fill down technology into one form-fitting silhouette. Its heritage still remains in the small details with iconic features like the grab strap on the back and reflective tape on the sleeve. (MSRP $475) Booth 5045.
Most folks don’t stand with their feet parallel. The binding of MSR’s Lightning Axis snowshoe rotates left or right and locks into place so a person can walk comfortably, whether they stand toe-in or toe-out. Also, MSR redesigned the Televator heel lift so that it operates more easily than before, even while wearing mittens. And, it accommodate 5-inch, removable tails that snap into place easily for traversing deep powder. Booth 16015.