!

"# %&'#('
()*+&% ,#-+&
%#&-#./)&.-
U
S
A
P R S T S T D
U S P O S T A G E
P A I D
P E R M I T 1 2 4 7
L I B E R T Y , M O
C H A N G E S E R V I C E R E Q U E S T E D
1 4 4 4 F r a n k l i n ( 2 / 1 4 ) , S a n t a C l a r a , C A 9 5 0 5 0
!"# % &''() * ++ ,-./01/2 *345
2"(6 789(':6; :6<9) =<><?78)
"96=<>@A"= B >): :C) #<:)': 8)D' "8#78)
!"#$"$%&'# $)*"# $%"
+,-*+")- .-)/0 $, /"1$ 2"3"2
10
4"-."-$ -"',5/&$&,/ 2")3"#
#,6" #'-)$'%&/5 $%"&- %")0#
18
16
29
30
13
[technology]:
FUSE FORM: THE
FUTURE IS HERE
[awards]:
FRIENDS, OR NOT?
[launch]:
PURNELL
17
14
[awards]:
CHECK OUT THE
WINNERS!
[focus shop]:
ALPINE SHOP, A
MISSOURI STAPLE
[events]:
OIWC BREAKFAST
R
e
W
ik
s
t
r
o
m
/
B
a
c
k
c
o
u
n
t
r
y
.
c
o
m
/
O
IW
C
OUTDOOR RETAILER
WINTER MARKET
[cover story]:
OUTDOOR USA MAGAZINE // FEBRUARY 2014 // 17
[cover story]
!"#$%"& (&)*+,"- -)." &"/+"0 0)& .)-$ &"$#+/"&-1 "*"&2)3" +- %#((2
!"#$%%& ()#*+,)& -+.#)& /*&0)#
There was no shortage of innovation at
this past Outdoor Retailer Winter Market in
Salt lake City, Utah, and preliminary numbers
suggest there was also no shortage of atten-
dance. Emerald Expositions estimates a seven
percent increase in overall attendance along
with an increase in store fronts, up nearly 11
percent over the previous year, and the num-
ber of retail buyers up 4 percent. The number
of International buyers at the show is also on
the rise with a notable 14 percent increase this
year.
As is tradition, the industry gathering start-
ed with the All Mountain Demo, once again
held at Solitude Mountain Resort. There were
forty exhibitors showcasing a variety of prod-
uct in core winter categories such as alpine
touring, snowshoeing and telemark gear, ava-
lanche safety equipment, winter camping and
survival gear as well as backcountry apparel
and footwear.
There was also quite a bit of excitement
at the demo this year with a handful of new
events. Gore-Tex sponsored the rst ever
Wasatch Ski Mountaineering race, SkiMo
and MSR debuted its snow park, an obstacle
course for snowshoeing. Can You Dig It, was
another new event that pitted teams against
each other to develop and employ a strategy of
digging, an essential backcountry skill. Snow
safety brand Backcountry Access took home
the top honors as the winning team, and OR
will donate $1,000 to the Utah Avalanche Cen-
ter in the company's name.
During the show, we saw a variety of new
programming aimed at keeping the experi-
ence fresh and interesting. One of the attrac-
tions we were most impressed by was the
Retailer and Rep Lounge, a new space de-
voted entirely to the retail community for re-
laxing, re-charging and networking. We hear
consistently from retailers that the main lure
of making the trek to Outdoor Retailer is the
networking opportunities, so it was great to
see a new initiative supporting that level of
engagement.
Another new addition to the main oor was
Live @ OR , a Tonight Show style production
that hosts live interviews with brands, athletes
and industry notables on a stage located in the
New Product Zone. This was a great place to
stop by and take a break, as well as to hear
rst-hand about interesting products and in-
dustry related topics.
Popular staples at OR like the Industry party,
Around the World Runway Show and Project
OR design competition continued with much
enthusiasm. Attendees were also very excited
for the OIA industry breakfast featuring speak-
er Sally Jewel, the former CEO of REI and now
the current Secretary of the Interior. Jewell ad-
dressed the need for the private sector to work
with the government to support the adminis-
tration's vision for recreation, conservation
and youth participation.
Hear at the Outdoor USA Magazine Center
for OR Booth Exploration, we've compiled a
handful of exclusive interviews and photos
from the largest gathering of outdoor industry
professionals in the U.S.
4#-$ 5)#-$
!"#$%"&
1
Heavy snow and Ice in the Northeast prevented a
lot of travelers, especially international attendees,
from getting to the show on time.
4#-$ 5)#-$
!"#$%"&
23
Retailers back east told us that they were having a
solid winter with much of the inventory sold out...
nally.
6".)
4
Transportation and registration was efcient and
reliable, and new events kept the demo interest-
ing. We encourage exhibitors to do more crowd
engaging activities instead of the typical stop-
and-chat.
7*#/#839% :8-+9
;#$ $%" 6".)<
1
Blaring dubstep so loud you can't hold a conversa-
tion at neighboring booths defeats the purpose of
having music at all. While we appreciate DJ's of all
types...there's a time and a place, especially with
an older crowd.
=%)> 6+*"&-+$2
2
This year we saw a lot of budding categories like
traction footwear, the expanding backcountry
safety tools and technologies and a lot diversity in
people and businesses from all over the world.
?33)*#$+)3
23
Winter gets more and more interesting. This year
we saw brand new fabric technologies ranging
from never before seen construction methods to
enhanced wool and down. Emerging trends like
heritage product brought some iconic style to ap-
parel and footwear. The progress being made in
backcountry safety and alpine sport is overwhelm-
ing.
(56!(7 82(9
OUTDOOR USA MAGAZINE // FEBRUARY 2014 // 21
[cover story]
!!"#$$%
!!'( )*+%
!!,-%./
!!0)1
piece tightening system. It allows you to tighten the front
strap and heel strap evenly and at the same time by just
twisting a dial.
Has the weather been a big issue for the brand?
Tubbs distributes worldwide, so although the east coast
might be getting some snow while Tahoe is very dry, plac-
es like Minnesota and Wisconsin, where we have a great
stronghold, have been wonderful. We're also doing really
well in Japan and Europe right now.
a bunch of new skis.
How have sales been this past year?
As much as there was snow in Colorado
and Utah, it was a challenging year with the
east coast. I do think that there's a lot of re-
covery from the last two years of drought,
which is a good sign. Right now a lot of re-
tailers are cleaning their inventory, so we're
hoping that there's a lot more momentum
and excitement going into next year.
Does K2 assist stores through a rough season?
We do so on a case-by-case scenario. Retailers are the
people who are pushing our products and keeping the
brand aoat, so we do everything we can to make sure
that they're protable.
How does the brand approach online sales?
Boots are a great example. We've taken the stand on
that policy that you need to support specialty retailers. You
go into the shop, you need to be t properly and you need
to be educated. We don't want poor sizing if you order on-
line. With our entry into the boot business, we took a very
specic stand on only selling to specialty retailers and only
having them at retail locations.
of expertise for building better lenses.
Where is the brand growing?
Fishing is always going to be our core
outdoor specialty niche. By far, we are doing
best in the Southeast, mid-Atlantic and Texas,
and were pushing into the Rockies. Then
well probably migrate towards Montana and
Washington.
Are there new styles for this year?
We have a brand new Camo Extra as well as our Mossy
Oak. Weve got a ton of new colors like gun stock or crys-
tal bronze, and were introducing some killer new lifestyle
pieces. We've expanded our ladies styles too.
Scott Youmans // Associate Development
Engineer
What's going on with Tubbs snowshoes?
Our biggest story this year of our new product is that
we integrated the Boa technology into two of Tubbs' new
bindings. This is the rst year that we've done that.
What does the Boa technology do?
It's a really simple and efcient binding system that al-
lows for a precise t. You just snap a dial, twist until tight,
and it wraps around your whole foot. You can fasten it and
loosen it with one hand.
Which snowshoes have the Boa technology?
One is the Flex ERT. This is the top shelf composite
snowshoe. The composite is lighter; it also has specially
designed rails focused more on traction. When the snow
is compact, you're not so worried about sinking into it,
you're more worried about that grip. Its really effective
somewhere like the northwest with a lot of packed snow.
Whats the other new shoe?
We also integrated Boa into our Flex Ridge. This is a
custom-wrap binding. Whats unique about this is the one
Mike Gutt // Marketing Director
Whats going on at K2?
Skis are the bread and butter of K2, and
we're really excited about the Freeride col-
lection and the All Mountain collection.
Has the concept of the Freeride
collection changed?
Our Freeride collection is really going in
two different ways. You have more of the sta-
bility-oriented skis that are designed to go one direction
with really powerful turns, and then we have the twin-tip
collection of freeride skis, which are designed to smear, to
oat, pop and rebound. It's more of a playful approach to
skiing. In other words we have two different approaches to
the same type of snow and conditions.
And what is new in the All Mountain collection?
The root of our line is All Mountain; those skis are either
resort-based or just beyond the resort. Within that line,
we've got the new Backside series; super light construc-
tion with carbon ber that's overlaid. It's got a snowphobic
top sheet with a specic design that won't allow snow to
adhere to it. The Backside skis have a much more modern
shape that tapers in the back, and in the tail. That's one of
Jeff Thibeault // Rocky Mountain
Territory Manager
Jeff, how were sales last year?
Lets just say we crushed the goal. We gen-
erated over $100 million, and we got bought
out by the French company Essilor Interna-
tional for $300 million, which opens a lot of
doors for product development and growth.
Will that change anything internally?
The deal really just provides us with more resources.
Theyre a big lens technology company, so not only will we
have more dollars for marketing, but well also have a lot
Chris Parker // Vice President
Whats new for MSR this year?
Were offering new technologies in categories like
saws, shovels and probes with unique stories and unique
ways of addressing user issues.
For something like the shovel, every little detail has
been considered, from the ergonomic grip to the dual
shaft that can be grabbed higher to use it as a smaller
shovel. The probe has variable diameters, so the lower is
13-inches for stiffness and the upper is at 11-inches for
lightweight portability. You have a lightweight, compact
probe that sticks when you use it.
What about the saw?
When you look at the saw, you can see that the tooth
pattern is truly unique. It makes the whole thing more
effective and efcient for the user.
Whats happening with the stoves?
Were really just trying to get the Reactor out there
more than it has been. Tons of alpinists and climbers use
it, so we're trying to make it accessible.
How do you predict MSR will do this year?
I wish I had a weather prognosis [laughs]. 2014 looks
like it's going to shape up to be a really great year. The
past year there was some bad weather, retailers worked
through a lot of inventory issues that they had, but
they've had a solid season this year. Even though the
West has been dry, most of the country has had a solid
winter. It was cold; the product was selling through.
Are buyers purchasing cautiously?
I still think people will be conservative because weath-
er is unpredictable. We all have to deal with that, from a
manufacturing standpoint to a retail standpoint. We have
to work with retailers to make sure we're balancing what
they need with what we need.
How do you do that?
One thing that makes us totally different from most
of our competitors is that we manufacture in Seattle, so
we can manage inventory levels with our retailers at a
much quicker response rate. It's huge, because we can
make sure they have the right product when they need
it. We also know when to back off when things aren't
looking good.
Whats the lead-time in bringing in new product?
You're looking at a week to two weeks. We can re-
spond very quickly on most of our items. Take last year
for example. We had terrible snow conditions, but when
winter came, it just started snowing and everything
started selling. Retailers couldn't keep enough product;
they needed to resupply and we were there.
How can brands and retailers work together in the
digital space?
I see a lot of opportunity online from an educational
standpoint. I think that's something that we as a brand
can build on, whether that's testing product or explaining
new technologies. It can help the customer ask the right
questions and help the specialty retailer sell the product
easier.
A blue-bird Demo day at Solitude Mountain Resort The re pit was one of the best booth
MSR gives away free mugs and coffee to showcase the quick
boiling power of its Reactor stove
Kelsey Boyce, Tubbs Marketing Coordinator (left); Scott Youmans,
Product Engineer (right) holding the new Flex ERT snow shoe
22 // FEBRUARY 2014 // OUTDOOR USA MAGAZINE
[cover story]
!!"#$%&'()% +%#,-./ 0,'1
!!2.34(
What issues does the accessories business face?
I think sometimes they're overlooked as a category be-
cause the products have a lower price point. But a lot of
times someone might not be coming in for a bug repellent
like a Ben's or Natural Bug Repellent, but it's a great add-
on sale. All those extra dollars at the end of the year can
really add up.
Any advice for retailers considering the products?
It's very important to have a great line of medical prod-
ucts. With outdoor activities, people are always going to
get hurt. It just happens. It might not even be them, but
it might be a person they come across on a trail. We en-
courage retailers to communicate that message and of-
fer safety products because being prepared is good for
everyone out there.
Jonathan Greer // Western U.S Sales Rep
What new AMK products are you excited about?
One of our new products is Advanced Clotting Gauze.
This is a kaolin [a soft white clay] embedded gauze. It al-
lows you to clot three to ve times faster than just pres-
sure alone. We give you 3 inch by 24 inch pieces and 2 in
a pack. It retails for $20.
We also have our all-weather re kits coming out. You
get six extra-large re cubes in a pack, and we include a
sparker as well. This retails for $10. One cube will burn for
10 to 12 minutes at up to 1300 degrees. Or you can cut
the cubes into smaller pieces and easily get forty res out
of one bag.
How about with the emergency blankets?
We have our new heavy-duty emergency blanket com-
ing out. This one comes in olive drab. It's the same metal-
ized polyethylene used in some of our other emergency
blankets, but it's two and a half times thicker, so a much
more durable product. It comes in a 5 foot by 8 foot sheet.
There's a hundred uses for this product: rig a shelter, wrap
yourself up, use it as ground cover, etc. The blanket retails
for $15.
And then for Fall '14, we're bringing out our Sport Utility
Blanket in an additional color. You've seen it in our stan-
dard orange before, but this one will be a more subdued
olive drab with a copper reective backing. Its still go-
ing to reect back 90 percent of your body heat. We can
achieve that with a single weave construction, so you
don't have to worry about de-lamination over the life of
the product. And it's got six tie down points.
0o yo0 have spec|hc co||ect|oos or packages that
you group together for retail buyers?
It depends on the specic retailer. Typically, it would be
a mix of our three sister brands: Adventure Medical, our
S.O.L. line and of course our insect repellents like Ben's,
Natural and our AfterBite treatments. It's a case-by-case
basis. The survival line has been growing rapidly so there's
denitely been a high demand for that collection.
Greg Tutor // Great Lakes Representative
Whats new for Jambu for winter?
Were making our winter collection more technical.
Most of our spring offering is water or trail-ready, and we
wanted to try and transfer that over to the winter line. We
are introducing what we call Flex Traction. On the back
heel, you can turn a dial and deploy tungsten grips on the
outsole for better traction. You can then twist that dial back
and retract the grips.
Why use tungsten?
Its very durable, and it keeps sharper points longer.
Does the boot have other features?
We use a rubber with an additive that keeps the boot
from cracking at 25 degrees below zero. Its also water-
proof, and the inside of the boot is antifungal and anti-
bacterial.
What other styles are in the winter offering??
Sticking with the traction theme, we have what were
calling Hyper Grip. There are patches on the bottoms of
the shoes with glass bers mixed into the rubber, so it
grips really well on wet surfaces. We also have City Hyper,
which is the same technology, but in a bit dressier and
more leisurely style.
And the price point?
The Flex Traction technology comes at a premium, so
the womens are $299 and the mens are $329. The Hyper
products are bit more accessible; the womens oxford is
$119.
How is the market responding to the Flex Traction?
Everybody that has tried the boot has loved it, but peo-
ple have expressed that they would like to see the price
slightly lower.
Is Jambu expanding distribution in the U.S.?
Yes, currently have over 800 independent retailers in
the U.S., and we are also in a few majors like Nordstrom.
Woods, a Canadian brand is bringing back arctic heritage styles Live straw draws attention with its water purifying technology
Live @ OR is a new "Tonight Show" style production added this year to
the New Product Zone
The Marriott, across from the main entrance, renovated the lobby to
provide multiple small meeting places with privacy: smart idea!
The Retailer and Reps Lounge is a new space devoted entirely to
relaxing and networking
A line builds up for Wade Davis autograph at the end of the Conservation
Allaince Winter Breakfast
There are a lot of publications in the outdoor industry, but Outdoor USA
Magazine is clearly the best
Not sure how the Fire Department would feel about a car/booth blocking a
major emergency exit?
Greg Tutor, sales rep (right) and
Yetzalee Cubero, Marketing Director (right)
OUTDOOR USA MAGAZINE // FEBRUARY 2014 // 23
[cover story]
!!"#$%&''&
!!()$*+,-
!!.,')#$
of raised fuzz that gives it this really soft texture, like a
peach. It all goes back to getting our customers to feel and
touch everything.
How is the brand doing overall?
We're doing really well. It's exciting because there is
a lot of energy around the brand, especially in the Rocky
Mountain territories and in the Pacic Northwest. Gram-
icci has been around for over thirty years, and since Marty
Weening [current CEO] took over in 2005, the focus has
been on revitalizing the brand and rediscovering our cus-
tomer with more versatile styles. We draw all of our in-
spiration from the climbing and outdoor legacy, and then
design wise we try and be fun and free spirited.
What do you see as the biggest challenge in the
marketplace currently?
There is a lot of discussion in the industry around the
millennial movement and how to speak to that consumer.
It's been a big topic at the OIA Rendezvous and the Out-
sider's Ball. Brands are encouraged to refresh product and
messaging for getting that market involved, and then the
same thing is being discussed at the retail level.
Do you feel Gramicci is well positioned for that
younger consumer?
Yeah, that's what's great about our story is we started
as a youthful brand, and as our customers have aged, the
spirit stays the same, so I think we still appeal to a younger
demographic. Branding is a daily conversation, and we
don't design for a teenager. We design for a youthful per-
sonality. That's why every time I walk into the design of-
ce, I get so excited. When I rst saw the quilted fabrics on
the pegboard, it was like a burst of energy. And then next
week it was a denim swatch, so we use unique design to
stay youthful.
this summer. How are those doing?
For us it was a major move into the food space. We 're
maintaining a lot of momentum into winter trying to take
as many orders as possible, and they've done really well
at the show. Our next closest competitor is going to be a
Playmate, and those don't connect as well to the outdoor
lifestyle. All of our coolers have a lifetime guarantee, and
we put a nesting bungee on top so you can carry a vacuum
bottle or whatever you want.
Hydration was also a new category for
2014?
Yes, we launched a vacuum insulated
water bottle. Because we are leaders in
thermal performance, we knew we had to
do a water bottle. Our bottle keeps water
cold for about a day and half, and we added
a nice smooth ow and a carabineer to clip
onto a backpack. That category just ts re-
ally well with our other product lines.
Kelsey Goodrich // Marketing Projects
Manager
Gramicci introduced denim for this season?
Yes, our goal wasn't to go out and make a standard
5-pocket jean, like a Levi. We wanted to take denim and
make it suitable for the outdoors. The closest thing we
have to a standard jean is our Shilo pant, which is more of
a utility pant that ts with this rising workwear trend. Part
of our customer group is looking for that more relaxed t
and the other half is after more adventurous styles.
What are some of the more adventurous denim
styles?
Our heritage is in climbing so we took inspiration from
our classic pant styles like the Archive Climber pant and
the more recent Tokyo G. The Archive Climber has a gath-
ered cuff at the ankle with a two piece gusset, and the
Tokyo G still has that gusset, but with a more tailored leg.
We combine about 1 percent elastane with the denim fab-
ric for stretch and freedom of movement. These are pants
that you can climb in, but they don't have too much stretch
to the point that it feels like you're wearing a yoga pant.
The denim fabric feels very soft.
Yeah, we always tell retailers to get the products in the
customer's hand because a lot goes into the feel of the
pieces. For example, with the denim we do a little bit of
sand blasting so it has just the right amount of texture, but
it's a delicate balance. We don't want to do it too much
because we want people to break in their jeans and create
their own lines.
Is there anything else new the lifestyle offering?
We have a Cabin-wear line, so clothing that's very soft
and relaxed; it's more geared for comfort like what you
would wear in a cabin after being outdoors all day. Then
we have some new printed pants. We think the G pant
silhouette is coming back so our designers introduced a
new Gramicci original print that's really cool; it's inspired
by an African pattern.
Are there any new design techniques you
experimented with for this season?
We are doing a men's quilted jacket that has kind of an
old school baseball jacket feel. Its a single pocket crew
that's made with two fabric layers and a subtle ll in each
quilted section that gives it that diamond bafed look. It's
constructed in the same way you would make a blanket
quilt. Also with some of our new woven shirts and annels
we have what we call a peached face. So that is a sort
JoAnne Anderson // Marketing Manager
JoAooe, Stao|ey |s expaod|og |ts ||oe oI asks aod
spirit related products?
Yes, it's a big push this year, and many of them are
brand new this season. For instance, we have a vacuum
insulated pint. It's everything you would expect from our
1.1 quart, but in a beer pint. In other words, it's the pint
glass that Grandpa wishes he had. It comes in the clas-
sic hammertone styling, and the stainless steel vacuum
insulated body keeps your beer cold up to about 4.5 hours.
Theres also a bottle opener on the lid, so you're always
ready to go. It retails for $23.
And that pint is the premium option?
Exactly. We have a similar item, sort of an everyday ad-
venture stainless steel pint. The MSRP is $15. It has an
anti-slip bottom with a neoprene sleeve exterior so you
can get a nice grip, and your hand doesn't get cold. This
one keeps your beer cold for an hour, which is still a very
long time to drink one beer [laughs].
What's new with spirits?
Well, we have our shot glass set, which is
priced at $20. It's basically a party to go with
three 1 oz stainless steel shot glasses that
all pack together into a nice carrier. The shot
set ts well with our 12-ounce ask. We al-
ready had an 8-ounce ask in the line, so we
decided to add a larger size and a smaller
size. The smallest, 5 ounces, retails for $18;
the 8-ounce is $20 and the 12-ounce is $23.
Stanley also launched personal coolers
Roy Shurling // President of Lectra North
America
Can you tell us about the company and its services?
Lectra offers hardware and software for any industry
that deals with soft materials, so that includes fashion and
apparel, furniture, automotive and technical textiles. Our
solutions address the entire product development cycle
starting with design all the way through production.
How are apparel brands using your technology?
Designers use our software to build three-dimensional
styles, silhouettes and embellishmentsthe entire cre-
ative processand then the designer and developer can
work together with those virtual prototypes to get every-
thing to spec before developing a sample to validate for
production.
So what is the advantage of the software?
Fashion and apparel companies can go through a ton of
samples and iterations before achieving the nal product.
Using our 3D software drastically cuts down on the cycle
time, and it makes it easier to collaborate between de-
partments. We also offer the equipment to cut fabric and
leather, so we have every step of the prototyping phase
covered.
Do you have an example of how a company is
employing the technology?
For the athletic space, we have an Italian customer, Ma-
cron. They make sportswear for professional athletes, and
they use our 3D software because they have to position a
lot of logos on their jerseys for advertising. In the past, it
would be extremely hard to see exactly how that would
look without producing sample after sample. With our soft-
ware, Macron can resize and reposition everything virtu-
ally and see a precise, 3D mockup of the apparel. They can
also share the virtual prototype with the sponsor before
making it. And then with our equipment, they can make a
batch of samples in-house more efciently.
What is the focus for Lectra as we enter 2014?
We really want to bring 3D patterning to the outdoor
market, where there is so much innovation. 3D isn't a new
technology, but it's relatively new in the apparel design
process. It's changing the way people are working. Most
design teams are used to at patterns, and our technology
allows designers much more freedom in the ways they
can manipulate the avatar and work together. And then
another service we're expanding is consulting.
What kind of consulting services does Lectra
provide?
We go into companies and analyze each aspect of their
design and development process. We make sure that ev-
erything is as optimized as possible; things like eliminat-
ing waste, reducing cost and cycle time.
How is the service being expanded?
We've always had solutions experts who are well
versed in on our technology, but what we're really getting
into now is looking at the overall business and process.
For example, let's say someone approaches us and says
they want to buy a leather-cutting machine. Instead of just
selling them a machine, we want to go in and analyze how
they can make the most of the technology and also shed
light on other ways they can empower their design teams.
Maybe they thought they needed two machines, and then
we determine they only need one. We want to be on the
factory oor, helping improve the process.
Gramicci continues to experiment with wild colors and exotic
patterns highlighting its free spirited nature
Stanley launches some new alcohol related products and is excited
about its personal coolers
24 // FEBRUARY 2014 // OUTDOOR USA MAGAZINE
[cover story]
!!"#$%&'()*+% !!",--#'
!!.$,%& 0*12&$1*$%( 3.04 (%#(5
Matt Hundley // Manager Retail Marketing
What are some of your highlights this year?
We have the suede Arizona, which has historically got-
ten us to where we are. We've brought in a shearling
line with a uffy lining on the interior. It's one of those
ultimate, "Ooo, Ahh," comfortable things. After a day on
the slopes, or a hike, or even after a day in the ofce,
you come back home and slip these on. We've got them
in the Arizona two-strap and the classic Boston clog as
well.
Then we have a brand new silhouette called the Sa-
lem. It looks like a slipper, and it has that soft, comfort-
able feel in a rich leather. So far we've had a lot of inter-
est in this. We have high expectations. We've also got a
wool and leather combination. It has a rich oiled leather
and a rust sole on the bottom, which is kind of a heritage
look in general.
It seems like heritage is really popular with brands
this year.
That's what we've seen too. We're bringing some
great new products to market, but we're not deviating
from who we are in doing that. I think companies are
recognizing that there is an opportunity to tell their story
in a way that they just haven't done in the past.
Is Birkenstock partnering with other companies in
designing some of the new styles?
Now we have a great partnership with Harris Tweed,
which is an English tweed fabric company. They're over
a century old. That really captures the heritage look, and
we're nding people that want to collaborate with us all
over the place. We're being very selective because we
want to remain true to who we are. In Spring '14, we had
a collaboration with Liberty London for the Papillio line.
A couple of our sandals featured the oral print that they
are famous for, and then we still have our partnership
with J.Crew.
Any challenges recently in the footwear market?
Honestly, for 2014, our biggest challenge is product.
We're sold out. We really don't have as much to sell, and
that's kind of an exciting thing.
Jeff Wellwood // Marketing Manager
JeII, how |s 8aIho do|og?
Compared to the past few years, we're coming off of
a really good winter. I think a lot of stores bought deep a
couple years back following a stronger winter and then
when there was no snow, the sell-through wasn't ideal.
Following that year, retailers were a bit reluctant to pur-
chase as much because they were sitting on so much
inventory. Finally, this season has been exactly what we
needed to get all of that backlog pushed through. Because
of that, we've seen numbers return to how they were four
years ago.
What are the highlights for this season?
We updated the t in our female soft shell piece, and
the white color gives it a more feminine look. We also felt
that there hadn't been enough evolution with pack boots.
A lot of the stuff on the market is heavy and bulky or lacks
style. So we are debuting our Ultralight series, which is a
collection of minus 50 boots that are really lightweight. We
redesigned the liner using less material but with the same
warmth, and we added some interesting colors, which will
help them stand out at retail. Within that collection, we
have men's, women's and children's lines.
Anything else new this season?
The other thing we're debuting is our Heritage boot.
This is to reconnect our customers with the roots and his-
tory of Bafn. The Heritage boot is 100 percent made in
Canada and the style is a re-make of the very rst boot
Bafn ever made, which was a take on the Inuit style. It's
extremely high quality, and it comes in a fancy wood crate
with a certicate of authenticity.
What was the inspiration for the product innovations
this season?
Paul Hubner, our president, goes on a lot of expeditions
to places like the North Pole. And most of our products
sort of grow out of his frustrations. He actually got back
and said, You know what? I want to be able to do a trek
like this head-to-toe in Bafn. So I think in the future we
will be looking at other areas of expedition gear we can
Zach Littlepage // Sales Rep for Utah and
Wyoming
What is the inspiration for the DPS ski designs?
Stephan Drake and Peter Turner have come together
to make the most progressive shapes and constructions
available on the market. Our head of engineering, Peter,
was actually the guy who sat down with Shane McConkey
to build the famous Spatula powder ski for Volant. Since
then, he's designed for a lot of different industries includ-
ing the military where he worked with carbon ber. That's
where we get the experience to work with very advanced
materials.
Are a|| the sk|s carboo hber?
Not all of them. Our agship construction, the Pure3, is
the third generation of full carbon construction using 100
percent pre-impregnated nano resin technology. It's the
material used in cockpits for airplanes and ghter jets. It's
lighter, more durable, and more responsive. Then we also
have a hybrid ski technology, which is about one-part car-
bon and two parts berglass. It brings the price point down
and makes the technology more accessible. The full car-
bon skis are priced at about $1,299,
and the hybrids are about $799.
What are the latest ski models?
We debuted the Spoon last year.
This is like skiing on two surfboards;
it's just absolutely a different ap-
proach to the snow. The Spoon is
a rocker ski that features a convex
shovel design and an edge bevel. We
also used the same technology in
our Lotus 138, which was one of the
rst sidecut rockered skis ever built.
Of course now everybody has them.
We're also really excited about the
Lotus 120. This is an evolution of a
ski that we've had for a couple years
and updated with Spoon technology.
Bafnize. Paul's next trip is to Mt. Logan; we'll see what
ideas he has after that.
Are there any new retail initiatives for the brand?
We just launched our new B2B portal. It's a real-time
tool that provides more efcient order entry to our retailers
and sales reps. We actually developed it in-house, literally
starting from the ground up.
Is the B2B portal live now?
Yes, our dealers and reps can see live inventory, and
the network also facilitates sending marketing and me-
dia assets. In the past the customer service team would
have to manually send out a spreadsheet on Monday to all
the reps, so if you were selling on a Sunday, then you're
working off of inventory that was a week old. We just saw
the technology as absolutely necessary for our business
model, which is very retail driven.
How does the Spoon technology work?
It's this gentle angle that runs from the edge of the ski
inward. It actually makes it smoother in the transitions,
so as you come up, nothing's hanging up and catching. It
allows you to really slash that turn, really surf it and oat
in deep powder. It's different from some of the hull shapes
you see now that bite through the snow with a V-shape
on the bottom.
Is there a line geared more for resort skiing?
Denitely. We carry your daily drivers in each line. The
one that comes to mind is the more versatile Wailer se-
ries, which has the Wailer 112 RPC. RPC stands for Resort
Powder Charger.
How are sales for the brand?
I've worked for several other companies, and our sell
through right now is far beyond other manufactures of our
size. I've been blown away ever since I've been with DPS.
Does DPS work with specialty retailers, especially in
tough winters?
We work with our stores on a case-by-case basis. For
most of the industry, you get about six weeks to sell your
skis. The manufacturer ships the skis with the latest and
greatest graphic that you see in
the magazines. People start buying
them around Thanksgiving. Snow
gets good from Christmas through
January. Then by February, the man-
ufacturer says, Okay, just put them
on sale and get out from underneath
them.
For our skis, we only change the
cosmetic if there is a construction or
a design change. So year after year,
your inventory doesn't age. You can
sell it again next year. The value for
the retailer is really strong. We stand
behind it.
Jeff Wellwood (right) is leaving Bafn and Alicia Gies (right) is
stepping in as marketing manager
The shearling line of sandals is great for the cabin and an eye-
catcher on the shelf
Birkenstock has partnered with Harris Tweed in designing a couple
new shoe styles
The new, post-acquisition Nau booth is a very impressive piece of
architecture that highlights the brand's elegant design ethos
OUTDOOR USA MAGAZINE // FEBRUARY 2014 // 25
[cover story]
!!"#$% '()* !!+,((%)-(,.
Marvin Wedell // Sales Rep, Granite Marketing
Tell me a little bit about the brand.
Snow Peak is a camping equipment brand based out
of Japan. It's about 40-plus years old. Over in Japan, car
camping is very popular and the experience can be more
focused on comforts than ruggedness because it's really
expensive to own an RV out there.
Is luxury camping a growing activity in the U.S.?
It is, but in the U.S. we call it overlanding. It's similar to
what you see in the Australian Outback, where they trek
off road and have camps set out with rooftop tents, tables
set with nice stove equipment, and a fancy meal, etc.
What products are selling well?
Our lighting in the backpacking segment is doing phe-
nomenal. One of our headlamps, the SnowMiner, received
an award when we launched it last year. For our new Mola
headlamp, the LED is balanced with a counterweight, so
it naturally follows the eyes when you tilt your head. For
example, if you look down at something on the ground,
the light gets there before your eyes and you don't have to
adjust it or aim it manually. Plus, there's a button to lock
the light into a xed position, and you can just release that
to make it free-oating again.
Some of the displays feature the Nau clothing brand.
Is there a partnership?
Yes, Snow Peak is doing a co-lab with Nau, which is a
collaboration on designing some of the new products. The
daughter of the owner of Snow Peak Japan just graduated
from design school and she's worked with Nau on a few of
their products, and they've taken a few Snow Peak items
and put their own twist on them.
Which products are part of the co-lab effort with
Nau?
The entire apparel line is a collaborative effort, where
we combine Nau clothing with accessories like a knife
that comes in a nice leather pouch you can wear around
your neck. It's very elegant; Portland meets Japan. We
also have some anodized black chopsticks with the Nau
and Snow Peak label on them that come in a fancy case.
And then we came up with these really cool stainless steel
wine tumblers. With most stainless steel drinkware, you
can taste the metal. So they've developed a way to pol-
ish the inside, so that it's not porousyou won't get that
metallic taste.
What products are good for a store just getting into
the overlanding category?
We always start those customers off with items that we
know are strong like our Baja Burner stove. When we go
to the Overland Expo down in Flagstaff, Arizona, that's the
rst item we sell out of every year. So starting with a Baja
Burner or a Lapel Torch lightit's amazing how many of
those we selland gradually moving your way up into
more car camping oriented product.
Eli Marmar // VP Marketing and Co-founder
Eli, Freewaters footwear features Therm-a-Rest
insoles?
We have the exclusive footwear license for Therm-a-
Rest. We work with Cascade Designs [owner of Therm-a-
Rest] to basically translate their foam technology from a
sleeping pad into our footwear. We offer it mostly in san-
dals and also in a few of the men's shoe styles.
What are some of those styles?
We have two styles just shipping now that we launched
in the springthe Ranger is a classic slip on, kind of like
a Vans or Converse shoe with wax canvas. Then the Cap-
tain has more of a boat shoe look. Once you throw in the
Therm-a-Rest insole, you get a really light, super comfort-
able shoe.
And how about with sandals?
On the sandals side we offer Therm-a-Rest in ve
styles. I'd say our best seller has been the Scamp. It's kind
of a classic cut-and-buff sandal that appeals more to your
casual outdoor person. We also have a version called the
GPS that's built on an injection-molded insole. That allows
you to do color popping around the outside, and it's great
in a water environment. Even if they get highly water satu-
rated, the sandals will still oat.
Do any of the women's styles come with
Therm-a-Rest?
We carry it in a couple styles of women's sandals. The
demand isn't quite as high, but it's really doing well, so
we'll probably add it to women's shoes as well. The Whis-
tler is the women's equivalent of the men's Scamp. It has
a similar construction with nice paisley detail on the strap.
And then we have two more strap styles with more rug-
ged, ergonomic designs aimed at that outdoors person.
How would you describe the women's shoe styles?
The women's shoe styles are more casual, lightweight;
similar to Toms, but with ethnic textiles and wools. In the
Fall/Winter collection, our women's moccasins have done
really well.
Do you think the co-branding with Therm-a-Rest is
resonating well?
Super positive. It's something very unique to the mar-
ket, and it's cool because we are a younger brand; were
about three years old. We're trying to get our foot into the
outdoor market because we are stronger in the coastal
and surf market. Having a name like Therm-a-Rest brings
a lot of integrity and name recognition to our product.
Where did the idea come from?
We were brainstorming ideas thinking about what new
technology we could bring to footbeds. We kept thinking
footbeds...footbeds...beds and then the light bulb turned
on. We needed something durable, active and technical
but also known for comfort. Obviously we didn't want to
partner with a mattress brand.
How did Cascade Designs respond when you reached
out to them?
When we approached them about the idea, they were
actually very conservative. They had never licensed the
name before, and here we are, coming to them as such
a young company. What really turned the corner was that
Cascade Designs is passionate about water issues and
so are we. There was a clear opportunity for us to work
together.
Are you collaborating with them on any water
projects?
Right now we have an initiative with them where we
teach high school kids in Ventura County about water pu-
rication, safety and health. We use the technologies from
Cascade Designs to teach the courses. For example, they
make a small chlorination unit that's used in the military
and in 3rd world countries, so it's a good tool to teach
people about fresh water.
How is the brand doing at retail?
Our key selling months are March thru July. It can be
challenging because we are in a highly price-competitive
market with a lot of competitors. People are still just get-
ting familiar with our brand, but we're growing a ton, and
with outdoor, we're really just starting to crack the door
open.
Do you work with smaller specialty stores to
introduce the product?
Absolutely. We try and be really user friendly, and we
are very clear from the beginning we never do consign-
ment. If a store only sells 0-10% of a style, we are more
than willing to take the rest of that back and swap it out
for something else.
Snow Peak has a design partnership with apparel brand Nau
Eli Marmar, co founder, wants to expand the Freewaters brand from
coastal to core outdoor
The sandals and some of the footwear have Therm-a-Rest footbeds
licensed from Cascade designs
Bench, started in Manchester, UK in the late 80s, belongs to a growing
number of brands that see many opportunities in outdoor specialty
Does Outoddor Retailer need more seating close to the food courts or do
people just like to eat/camp on the oor?
Vasque footwear is branching out into the pancake market or maybe it
was just for the show
This is the line for Starbucks, and they aren't even launching
any new products
Over 1000 exhibitors showcased new product at this winter market; every
inch of the Salt Palace was taken
26 // FEBRUARY 2014 // OUTDOOR USA MAGAZINE
[cover story]
Filson styles still relevant after surviving centuries unchanged
A black and white photo of inuits wearing fur jackets in front of canvas denitely has a vintage feel
The new Bafn Heritage boot comes in a wood crate with a certicate of authenticity
Ibex's booth pays tribute to Sir Ernest Henry Shackleton Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition, 1914-1917
The Woods apparel line is based on century old styles of arctic outerwear
Canvas bags sport vintage military styles
A throwback to the golden age of boxing
Stanley's old cabin-like merchandising "Original" is the new "modern" 2014 is Marmot's 40th anniversary
Owner Operator manufacture all it products in USA
The year of Heritage