Scarpa Boostc and Crux Editors Choice in Urban Cimber Magazine Blamm !

UrbanClimber2012-Boostic-Crux

Runner’s World names SCARPA Spark ‘Best Debut’ in trail running footwear !

SCARPA’s newest trail-running shoe embodies its ‘Mountain Minimal’ philosophy, incorporates recycled materials.
March 7, 2012Print PitchBOULDER, Colo. – In its Spring trail-running footwear guide, Runner’s World Magazine named SCARPA’s Spark trail runner as ‘Best Debut’ in new trail shoes for 2012. The annual April issue that features the season’s best trail shoes came out this week.

“The shoe offers impressive protection from sharp trail obstacles, thanks to a plate under the forefoot and wide overlays at the base of the upper,” Runner’s World wrote. “With all that, the shoe weighs just 9.7 ounces … Bottom Line: A lightweight trainer ideal for steep, shale-covered trails.”

SCARPA, well-known for its dominance in hiking, backpacking, skiing, mountaineering and rock climbing footwear, first developed a more comprehensive line of trail runner’s starting four years ago. Each year it has grown the collection, and for 2012 it introduced four new models – including the men’s and women’s Spark – driven by its ‘Mountain Minimal’ philosophy. SCARPA Mountain Minimal strives to build very lightweight trail shoes, but footwear that still retains a sufficient level of midsole cushioning and sole traction for true mountain running in rugged terrain.

“At SCARPA, we build the highest-performance mountain footwear, whether that’s for the trail, rock, snow or ice, and we’ve invested a lot in the last four years in making sure our trail-running program competes right up there at the same level as our ski boots and hiking footwear,” said Mark Mathews, Director of Summer Product Development for SCARPA North America. “So we’re obviously gratified to see North America’s most widely read running magazine recognize the work we’ve put into developing the Spark.”

Mathews said the ‘Mountain Minimal’ theme for SCARPA’s new line was designed to reflect the company’s perspective on the minimalism trend.

“There’s no doubt that minimal is here to stay, and it’s led to a lot of innovations in lightweight footwear,” he said. “However, with our mountain heritage at SCARPA, we were very careful not to go too far with the minimal philosophy. All of our shoes have to perform on rugged trails, and that means providing the appropriate levels of support, protection and traction, even if it’s in a lightweight package like the Spark. We feel like we struck the right balance with this shoe.”

The SCARPA Spark features a new midsole and outside package that is lower to the ground, and features a 6mm drop from heel to forefoot. That combination allows runners to have superior feel and lighter weight for running on the forefoot or mid-foot, yet still allows sufficient cushioning for runners if they employ a heel strike during a long-distance mountain run. Along with its low-profile midsole, the Spark employs reduced foam thickness in the tongue and ankle collar, as well as a lightweight high-tensile fabric forefoot strike plate. Construction is synthetic leather and polyester mesh for quick drying. Adhering to SCARPA’s Planet Friendly guidelines, construction is 30 to 40 percent recycled-content materials, and the midsoles add EcoPure® for quick breakdown under landfill conditions. They retail for $115.

About SCARPA and SCARPA North America
Founded in 1938, SCARPA builds performance footwear for climbing, hiking, skiing, mountaineering, trail running and other outdoor pursuits from its headquarters in Asolo, Italy. SCARPA has been owned and operated by the Parisotto family since 1956. In 2005, SCARPA opened its North American headquarters in Boulder, Colo., staffed and directed by veterans of the North American outdoor industry, to oversee sales, marketing and distribution in the U.S.A, Canada and South America. For more information about SCARPA footwear, visit www.scarpa.com.

Julbo Eyewear Sponsors of National Ski Patrol for 2012

Industry News
Julbo Eyewear Sponsors of National Ski Patrol for 2012

For Immediate Release

Mary Jane Carroll

Verde PR

970-259-3555

mj@verdepr.com

Williston, VT, Nov 28, 2011 –

Julbo, a long-standing pioneer in mountain eyewear, continues to be on the forefront of freeride optical goggle performance and technology. Beginning Jan. 1, 2012, Julbo and its expanding line of wintersports goggles, will be an official sponsor of the National Ski Patrol (NSP).

Since 1938, the National Ski Patrol has been dedicated to serving the public and outdoor recreation industry by providing education and credentialing to emergency care and safety service providers. Specifically, ski patrol trainings involve intensive study and hands-on training for outdoor emergency scenarios.

The non-profit organization supports over 27,000 members, serving over 600 patrollers across ten U.S. divisions and one European division. Members are educated and trained in Outdoor Emergency Care and participate in continuing education to keep their skills sharp, as well as other important matters related to patrolling, such as avalanche awareness.

With millions of wintersports enthusiasts traveling far and wide to hit the slopes this season, Julbo is honored to sponsor an organization devoted to making slopes safer and welcoming to all levels of skiers and snowboarders, nationwide. In addition to a monetary sponsorship aiding the NSP, Julbo will provide members with discounts on its ski and snowboard goggles.

Julbo’s innovative goggles are extremely versatile with lens options such as the award-winning anti-fogging, photochromic Zebra lens and the polarized, photochromic Camel lens. Furthermore, Julbo goggles are designed and promoted with the help of freeskiing legend and Julbo athlete, Glen Plake.

In early 2012, NSP members and Julbo enthusiasts alike will be introduced to further updates and innovation in the Julbo goggle line.

Please visit the Julbo social media release site for up-to-date company news, featured products, video, sponsored athletes, and much more.

For additional information on Julbo eyewear, visit Julbo’s website or call 800.651.0833.

JULBO – The World Needs Your Vision

JoinTeam up with the OIA

Scarpa .. Total Global Domination ???

Member Center
• SCARPA North America leads market in alpine-touring, telemark ski boot…
WebNews
Sep 20, 2011
SCARPA North America leads market in alpine-touring, telemark ski boots
Heading into Winter 2011-12, SCARPA – for the first time since establishing its own wholly owned North American subsidiary in 2005 – topped market share in both alpine-touring and telemark ski boots in all three consumer sales categories tracked by Leisure Trends market research sales data. Those three categories include outdoor specialty stores, chain stores and internet sales.
The news follows SCARPA receiving four media awards in the past month for 2011/12 ski boots, two Editor’s Choice Awards from Backcountry Magazinefor the Maestrale and Terminator X Pro, and two Skier’s Choice Awards fromPowder Magazine for the Mobe and the T1.
“Innovation is what drives sales in technical categories like alpine-touring and telemark, and unleashing innovative new products in all categories over the past two years, along with a commitment to superior customer service and a lot of plain-old hard work, took us to this market-leading position,” said Kim Miller, CEO of SCARPA North America. “We’re very proud of that, but at the same time we also recognize that future innovation is critical to helping us continue to the lead the market, so as we savor this honor and vote of confidence, we will remain focused on the future and always strive to do better.”

In recent years, SCARPA has introduced new products and ski boot families in all areas of its ski line.

In more backcountry-focused products in the alpine touring category, SCARPA introduced the Maestrale and Gea last season, the lightest, stiffest four-buckle ski touring boots available. This season, it builds on those with the new Rush and Blink, even lighter, three-buckle versions of the Maestrale and Gea.

In the Freeride segment of alpine-touring, SCARPA introduced the Mobe and Hurricane in recent years, lightweight but powerful boots designed for sidecountry-style skiing – boots powerful enough to drive big skis and ski in-bounds, but light and comfortable enough for backcountry use. This year, it builds on the category with a redesigned and stiffer version the Hurricane, the new Hurricane Pro.

In telemark, SCARPA has led the charge in developing boots for the Rottefella NTN binding with its Terminator X series boots, including the first ski boots in the world to work in both a telemark binding (NTN) and an alpine-touring binding (tech). This year, it builds on that category with a new version of the Terminator X Pro specifically designed for women, and it also redesigned the Terminator X Pro and Terminator X Comp with a more powerful walk/tour mode and stiffer Intuition heat-moldable liner.

In traditional 75 mm telemark, SCARPA redesigned its category-defining T-Race, T1 and T1 for women last year with many of the same upgrades – a more powerful walk/tour mode and stiffer Intuition heat-moldable liner.

The data from Leisure Trends Group, a leading outdoor and winter sports research firm, compares retail sales by units and dollars in the three core outdoor channels from August 2010 through July 2011 to the prior rolling year. The three retail channels include outdoor specialty stores, chain stores and internet merchants.

About SCARPA and SCARPA North America

Founded in 1938, SCARPA builds performance footwear for climbing, hiking, skiing, mountaineering, trail running and other outdoor pursuits from its headquarters in Asolo, Italy. SCARPA has been owned and operated by the Parisotto family since 1956. In 2005, SCARPA opened its North American headquarters in Boulder, Colo., staffed and directed by veterans of the North American outdoor industry, to oversee sales, marketing and distribution in the U.S. and Canada. For more information about SCARPA footwear, visit www.scarpa.com

German running biomechanics researcher calls barefoot running a ‘fad’

Posted: 08/29/2011 In Category(s): News & Features :: Outdoor Headlines, Product Trends :: Product Trends Articles
Print Email Save This Comment Post a release
A national class gymnast turned biomechanics professor, Gert-Peter Brüggemann, Ph.D., began taking a harder look at running with his athletic and scientifically-inclined eyes more than 25 years ago. Competitive life as a high bar and tumbling gymnast was over after the 1972 Munich Olympics and, to stay in shape and blow off steam, he became a recreational runner. But can an analytical type just do something without pondering every step? Brüggemann is now the director and a professor of biomechanics at the Institute of Biomechanics and Orthopaedics at the German Sport University, Cologne. And he was the consulting researcher behind the Brooks Running PureProject running shoes, which debuted at the 2011 Outdoor Retailer Summer Market.
To Brüggemann, natural motion is the key to staying injury free, and that research has put his stamp on other companies’ footwear over the years, too. Ask him about the barefoot running trend, though, and you’re sure to get an earful. SNEWS asked him about just that and more to gain insights about where he thinks running footwear is headed. In the end, however, what does Brüggemann really enjoy about his work? Making a difference, he said. So forget all the technical chatter, he wants to make your running safer and more comfortable.

SNEWS: How does a biomechanist and former top-flight gymnast become THE running shoe researcher globally?
Brüggemann: Working with gymnasts and gymnastics skills — the most difficult movements in sports or in general — built a perfect basis to understand human motion and locomotion and to do research on the most natural movement: running. My experience with recreational running began three decades ago and since then I have personally enjoyed the development of technical footwear and running shoes. My interest in running is based on my own practical experience, but is mainly driven by increasing the understanding of this cyclic movement in general and the relationship of musculoskeletal loading and biological tissue response in more detail.
How do you feel about the trend of barefoot running?
Barefoot running on artificial surfaces is nothing more than a strange fad. In a population that lives in footwear and on artificial surfaces, running barefoot is not at all the habitual or “natural” way of locomotion. The biological system in modern society is habituated and adapted to using shoes that offer an interface with some cushioning to the artificial ground, and offer load distribution and support. Especially in running, the barefoot trend will increase the frequency of overloading and serious overuse injuries.
What then is the future of barefoot or minimalist running?
Barefoot running on an artificial surface has no future. It is a short-term trend and will disappear soon. What will survive is the additional training for the foot through barefoot workouts on natural surfaces or in specially designed footwear. Running increases the potential and the strength of the cardiovascular system, and barefoot training trains the structure and functional capacity of the musculoskeletal system. Barefoot training – not barefoot running – will be an add-on for the runner to make him or her stronger.
How has your research and recommendations changed over the years?
In 1995, I was part of a team that published the first critical paper on impact forces and its possible relation to injuries. This was – from my point of view – the start for a great change in footwear technology. The cushioning concept was replaced by motion concepts. We focused on motion control and especially on the control of rearfoot eversion or pronation. Some years later, we began to switch the focus to the new paradigm of natural joint motion that was first discussed in 2006. Each phase of research from cushioning to motion control to natural motion has increased our understanding of running motion and had an impact on recommendations for running shoe technologies.
What do you see as the benefits of the Brooks PureProject footwear, on which you most recently consulted?
PureProject and PureProject technology is closely related to and based on our concept of the natural joint motion or, in other words, the preferred motion path of the joints with least resistance. Increased joint frictional resistance and additional muscle work increases the energy demand and makes running less comfortable and enjoyable. The PureProject concept does not interfere with an individual’s motion. Therefore, the runner can feel his or her interaction with the physical environment and the ground, and can enjoy a comfortable stride.
Before Brooks, you worked with Ecco and Nike. Can you explain the differences and how they have affected the path of running shoe development?
The designers of Ecco listened to the natural motion discussion carefully and from this, derived the main ideas of their Biom concept – that is, low to ground, more or less artificial heel cushioning, and energy dissipation. Nike Free was a completely different story. From the experience of athletic training and the experience of barefoot movement on natural grass, they derived the concept of mimicking the foot’s motion barefoot on grass while using footwear on an artificial surface. The purpose of Free was to train the foot structures and especially the intrinsic foot muscles. Free was originally not designed as a running tool, but a training device mimicking a biomechanical situation for the development of the foot.
What makes your work exciting and interesting for you every day?
We started years ago extremely mechanically, then added the muscles to the understanding, and finally learned of the tissue behavior and its response to loading. Research on humans is now the major challenge of our work. Every day is exciting because every day gives deeper insights. The most challenging work is when you can contribute to changes and innovations, for example through sporting goods or – like in our case – running shoes.
– Therese Iknoian

Big Agnes Lands Backpackers Editors Choice Once Again !

Big Agnes’ Copper Spur UL4 Tent Named Backpacker 2011 Editors’ Choice
March 9, 2011 (Steamboat Springs, Colo.) – Big Agnes has been honored as a recipient of a 2011 Backpacker magazine Editors’ Choice Award, the most prestigious award in the outdoor industry, given annually to products in recognition of their outstanding innovation in design, materials and/or performance.

Backpacker Editor-In-Chief Jonathan Dorn and his staff of editors and testers presented Big Agnes with the award at the annual Outdoor Retailer Winter Market in Salt Lake City, Utah on Thursday, January 20th.

The Backpacker Editors’ Choice Awards, bestowed annually since 1993, honor the products that Backpacker editors have chosen as the best of the year based on months of trail testing by teams of highly experienced hikers and climbers. With no set categories for the awards and no set number of recipients, the products and the testing process drive the award categories.

Big Agnes’ Copper Spur UL4 tent was one of only 13 innovative products that have been honored with a 2011 Backpacker Editors’ Choice Award. The new Copper Spur UL4 tent is a free standing, three-season, ultralight backpacking tent featuring double doors and vestibules and weighs in at only 5lbs 10oz. The Copper Spur UL4 retails for $599.95 and will be available at specialty retailers this spring.

“BACKPACKER gear reviews have many imitators, a few competitors, and no equals,” said Editor-in-Chief Jonathan Dorn. “That’s because no other magazine or website conducts in-depth field-testing as vigorously or impartially as the crew led by Gear Editor Kristin Hostetter. With a core team that has several centuries of combined trail time, along with first descents, decades of retail experience, and expertise in every backcountry discipline, Kristin puts new products through an unprecedented level of real-world abuse in every terrain and weather imaginable. She also oversees a transparent process that has earned an unrivaled amount of trust from readers, retailers, and manufacturers. The results are reviews that lead consumers to smart, durable products that consistently prove their worth with years of best-in-class performance.”

“Big Agnes is honored to be recognized by Backpacker for our Copper Spur UL4 tent. To be surrounded by such great competition and come out on top with the 2011 Editors’ Choice is something that makes everyone at Big Agnes proud,” says Bill Gamber, Big Agnes co-founder and president.

The Backpacker Editors’ Choice Awards are the gold standard against which all outdoor products are measured, and are a seal of approval that can help put an outdoor company or product on the proverbial map. Each year at the Outdoor Retailer show, retail buyers use the awards announcements as a must-buy shopping list, knowing that their customers will be asking for these products in the spring.

Since their inception, the Backpacker Editors’ Choice Awards have come to be regarded as the most sought-after award for outdoor equipment and apparel found in the industry. The impeccable outdoor credentials and rigorous field-testing standards of the Backpacker staff

guarantee that these awards are an undisputed mark of quality for the companies and products selected. All winners must excel under extensive field-testing conducted by Backpacker’s team of editors, who take hundreds of new products every year into the backcountry to put them to the test. This rigorous process ensures that the performance of the winners is truly worthy of distinction and meets the guiding principle behind the program: gear that is of real value to the readers of Backpacker magazine, who are very active, long-term outdoor enthusiasts.

The complete list of Backpacker 2011 Editors’ Choice Award winners will be officially announced to the general public in the magazine’s April Gear Guide issue, on newsstands March 9, 2011.

About Big Agnes:
Named for a peak in the nearby Mt. Zirkel Wilderness, Big Agnes®, Inc. is located in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, and produces award-winning sleeping bags, pads and tents. For more information, visit www.bigagnes.com or call 1-877-554-8975.

KNS Reps comes home from Outdoor Retailer with 2 Rep Agency of the year awards !

What a great way to start the show season ! KNS was awarded Best Agency of the year for Big Agnes and Scarpa for 2010. It is such a great honor to be the recipients of both. Thanks to our retailers for supporting us every year and making this industry the best in the world !