Walk The Easy Way

It’s a very light down liner made of 90% goose down and 10% feather with a 700 power fill insulation. It features Omni-Shiled durable water repellent treatment, one inside security pocket, one inside mesh pocket, 2 hand pockets and a zip-in interchange system. But the most innovative and important feature of this piece is the Omni-Heat lining, which boosts the heat retention by 20%, without having to add some insulation and weight to the garment.


Innovations:
The Omni-Heat lining is a thermal reflective technology which helps to regulate body temperature by reflecting and retaining the warmth generated by the body, while dissipating moisture and excess heat to keep you comfortable. It boosts heat retention by 20% on average. Further, metallic nature neutralizes static build up. Of course it complies with all consumer product safety guidelines.

Function/Quality/Technical Solutions:
Thanks to the lining, it’s a very warm down piece which still offers a very high level of breathability and so it reduces excess heat and moisture. So it has the benefit of a down piece (light and warm) enhances by the Omni-Heat lining properties.
User-Friendliness/Serviceability:
Super light and warm piece with a lot of versatility from outdoor activities to an every day use. Whatever the activity is, the consumer will always feel comfortable thanks to Omni-Heat and the body temperature regulation. Very functional thanks to the zip-in interchange system which allows this liner to be zipped in to any of the Columbia interchange shells.

Design:
Trendy small baffle piece with a nice textured Tactel nylon ripstop fabric. It also has a huge visual impact thanks to the Omni-Heat lining (silver dots) which is very attractive and unique in the market place. We believe it’s the first time there is a visible and easy to understand technology.

Cascade Designs, Inc., the Seattle-based industry leader in the design and manufacture
of premier outdoor equipment, today announced the upcoming release of the reusable Platy SoftBottle
handheld hydration system. The lightweight, BPA-free bottle is easy to bring anywhere due to its flexible
construction and ability to fold flat for convenient packing.

Certified with the Platypus brand Clean-Taste Guarantee™, the Platy SoftBottle water carrier delivers clean
hydration in a shape that is easy to hold and drink from. Its multi-layer construction combines a tough and
pliable outer layer with a BPA- and taste-free polyethylene lining that resists bacteria build-up over
extended use. The refillable bottle is ultralight, weighing up to eighty percent less than traditional hard
hydration bottles.




Two cap options are available—a simple Closure Cap or a new dual-valve HyperFlow™ Cap with bite valve that delivers a superfast flow rate. The HyperFlow Cap also features a twist-lock, leak-proof travel valve that shuts down the system during transport, even under pressure.

“People understand that drinking water from a reusable bottle is the right thing to do for the environment”
said Erik Flink, Hydration & Water Treatment Division Director for Cascade Designs. “In addition they are
looking for BPA-free alternatives. This Platy bottle delivers on both accounts, but unlike hard bottles, it’s
extremely lightweight and when empty, can be rolled up and fit in your pocket.”
The Platy SoftBottle water carrier will be available in five colors and two sizes: a one liter and a slim half liter
that is designed to fit securely into any standard drink holder. It will be available in stores September 2009.

The ultralight NeoAir mattress is a compact air mattress
designed with patent-pending technologies that make it warm and comfortable when inflated for sleeping
in the outdoors.


The Therm-a-Rest NeoAir mattress packs to the size of a one liter bottle and weighs only 14 ounces for
a regular size, making it the perfect choice for people with strict weight and space limitations. When
inflated, the NeoAir mattress is warm to sleep on, thanks to a patent-pending Reflective Barrier that
reflects heat back to the user’s body and reduces convective heat loss to the ground. A second patentpending
technology, the Triangular Core Matrix, contributes to the warmth by creating a multitude of air
cells that minimize air movement and convective cooling. This matrix also creates an internal truss
system that virtually eliminates the instability generally found on large tube-based air mattresses and
assures that the user will shift less while resting comfortably on a 2.5 inch-thick mattress. Since thermal
efficiency is achieved without the aid of down or fiber insulation, the NeoAir mattress can be blown up
directly, without the added weight of an air pump or having to worry about exhalation moisture wetting
insulation and decreasing performance.

“Nearly forty years of hands-on mattress-building experience has been utilized to create the NeoAir
mattress,” said Doug Jacot, Therm-a-Rest Business Director. “That experience has been key in
engineering the unique design and manufacturing process it takes to make this truly innovative air
mattress.”

The Therm-a-Rest NeoAir mattress will be available in four sizes, ranging in retail price from $119.95 to
$169.95 USD.

In addition to the Therm-a-Rest NeoAir mattress, the entire Therm-a-Rest Fast & Light series of
mattresses and accessories are new, re-designed or updated. New products include the Therm-a-Rest
Compack Chair, the lightest and most compact chair sleeve available for regular-width Therm-a-Rest
mattresses, and the Therm-a-Rest SimplyDry Sack, an ultralight and waterproof roll top stuff sack for all
Therm-a-Rest mattresses and accessories. The Therm-a-Rest ProLite 4 mattress is redesigned—now
called the Therm-a-Rest ProLite Plus™—the mattress features innovative die-cut foam, making it 20%
warmer than the original four-season ProLite 4 of the same weight. The Therm-a-Rest ProLite 3
mattress is also redesigned—now called the Therm-a-Rest ProLite™—the mattress features a new
streamlined shape along with lighter fabric and foam, making it even lighter than the original Therm-a-
Rest ProLite 3 mattress.

Over the years, most of us have been forced to get used to the nuisance of icy conditions: Dreading to fall or even choosing to stay inside. The first time trying Icebug is an eye opener. It will make you determined never to accept slipping again!

Even if Icebug started as running shoes, the testimonials we keep receiving show an equally strong appeal of great walking shoes with great traction. People report that they feel a new freedom to go light trekking, dog walking, Nordic walking or just “normal” walking in winter. And when the Finnish Institute of Occupational health tested different anti-slip devices available on the market, Icebug’s Speed BUGrip was found to be the best gripping.

We quote from the summary:
“Twelve participants (50%) of the participants slipped during the trials on slippery ice. The result showed that the studded boots reduced the number of slip incidents. None of the participants with the studded boots slipped, nor did they feel that the icy surface conditions was unsafe.”

High lights from the fall/winter 2010 Active range for winter walking:

SPEED BUGrip®
SPEED is a sporty winter walking shoe that extends the season for a wide range of fitness activities. Fleece lining and BUGdri membrane keeps you warm and dry, the midsole provides comfortable cushioning, support for the foot and good roll, and the upper supports the ankle.
The BUGrip technology features 16 carbide tip studs that provide an always-on (studs are permanently mounted in the sole), durable (carbide tips are virtually impossible to wear out, even if using a lot on asphalt) traction (not only traction, but the best traction – see test above!) that adapts to the ground (meaning it grips like stink on ice, and with the dynamic funtion, the studs can sink in towards the sole on asphalt to it doesn’t get slippery or uncomfortable).
No wonder perhaps that it’s Icebug most popular style and we keep fine tuning it. Dark moss is the new color for fall 2010/2011.

METRO-L BUGweb®
METRO-L is casual but functional. DWR suede upper, zipper on inside for quick closure and a soft neoprene collar. It has a BUGweb® with six carbide tip studs that fit into a groove in the sole pattern.
When the extra grip is not needed, the BUGweb can be removed, but when it’s icy, having the six studs of the BUGweb is a huge traction up-grade compared to only rubber.
Due to the versatility, METRO is a perfect travel companion.

Air 37 is a strongly wind- and waterresistant softshell jacket. Of course, we tried to set the level of eco-friendliness as high as possible: That's why the jacket is equipped with a fluorcarbon free DWR-treatment. The hood is sturdy and can easily be adapted by two-way adjustments. The two handpockets are pretty luxurious: we integrated ventilation and lined it with mesh and warm fleece. Small things fit in the chest or arm pocket. The articulated arms provide freedom of movement as well as comfort.



Windresistant and water repellant bonded soft shell jacket
Full length zipper
Two large hand pockets with integrated ventilation,
lined with mesh and warming fleece
One chest pocket and one arm pocket for small items
Sturdy hood with two way adjustments
Reflective details on front and back
Articulated arms
Fluorocarbon free DWR-treatment