Outdoor Retailer - Winter 2017 - 61

Outerwear / BREAD+BUTTER

PRIMALOFT SILVER INSULATION ACTIVE

POLARTEC NEOSHELL

fibers migrate to sell Primaloft's Silver Insulation Active. Here goes: The synthetic fill stays in place so that the jacket can provide the same warmth as beefier
pieces but offer up more breathabilty and less weight and bulk.
THE JACKET: Marrying that Primaloft to stretchy Schoeller, Black Diamond's
First Light Hoodie ($249; blackdiamond.com) is ideal for high-output winter activties-lapping the backcountry, hiking peaks, climbing ice.
WHO WANTS IT: The dawn patrol crowd, but even dog walkers will appreciate it.
SEAL THE DEAL: "Go ahead and sweat in it, bro."

ability, via a membrane that drives heat out of its pores. Customers will judge for
themselves what fabric actually breathes best, but you can point out that many,
young, athletically driven brands are using NeoShell because it definitely offers
up more stretch than fabrics with similar waterproof/breathable properties.
THE JACKET: Meet a three-layer shell that delivers on the promise of keeping out the
elements: Flylow's Genius ($425; flylowgear.com) is a minmalist with guts.
WHO WANTS IT: No-nonsense skiers and riders who are hard on their gear.
SEAL THE DEAL: "The owners of the company ski the backcountry."

NEED TO KNOW: You will have to be able to expalin what it means when insulating

NEED TO KNOW: Polartec designed waterproof NeoShell with a focus on breath-

TECHNOSTRETCH

OUTDRY EXTREME

is, never mind what differentiates it from other fabrics. We say, "go on feel it."
Have your customer try it on and then hit them with the tech gobbeldygook. La
Sportiva's Technostretch is made to-wait for it-stretch, making it ideal for
athletic endeavors as well as athleisurists who wear tech fabrics to Whole Foods.
THE JACKET: Reasonably priced, La Sportiva's Gamma Hoody ($139; sportiva.
com) is a woman's piece that can go from ice climbing to yoga to kid pickup.
WHO WANTS IT: Active women who don't want too many jackets in the closet.
SEAL THE DEAL: "Have you read The Life-changing Magic of Tidying Up?"

which puts the waterproof/breathable membrane on the outside of shells that
use it, rather than sandwiching it between other farbics as is the norm. The result is the ability to make lighter, more breahtable pieces and dump face fabrics.
THE JACKET: With just the right amount of insulation on the inside, Columbia's
OutDry EX Gold Insulated Jacket ($200; columbia.com) easily withstands
a full day riding the lifts for powder turns or trekking in a brutal downpour.
WHO WANTS IT: Consumers tired of waterproof/breathable sameness.
SEAL THE DEAL: "You won't find a better shell for the money." O.R.

NEED TO KNOW: The industry has always had a hard time defining what a soft shell

NEED TO KNOW: Columbia turned the shell game on its head with OutDry Extreme,

Winter 2017 / OUTDOOR RETAILER 61

http://www.blackdiamond.com http://www.flylowgear.com http://SPORTIVA.COM http://www.columbia.com http://SPORTIVA.COM

Outdoor Retailer - Winter 2017

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