The Daily - August 11,2021 - 59

Double
Mission
Rab's goal is to make the best apparel
and equipment-while becoming a
net-zero-emissions company by 2030.
By Chris Van Leuven
" WE NEED TO PRIORITIZE SUStainability
as the backbone of our
company, " Rab owner Matt Gowar
says. The company's general manager,
Jon Frederick, explains that
any company can purchase carbon
offsets, and doing so is kind of like
joining a gym: you simply sign up.
What makes Rab different, he believes,
is that the company is putting
in the hard work, reducing carbon
emissions from the top of the supply
chain down, as well as using recycled
fabrics and insulation. Beyond
the performance aspect of Rab's
product line, the company's goal is
about " reducing emissions for the
whole supply chain and changing
how we do business fundamentally, "
says Frederick.
" What's next for us? It's a
two-prong thing, " he says. " One
is continuing to rethink our line
with sustainable materials. If you
look at our insulation, 100% of our
down under 700 fill is recycled
right now, and we're going more
and more recycled with our fleeces
and face fabrics. " The second prong
is Rab's commitment to using fluorocarbon-free
fabrics, using only
necessary packaging, and relying
on renewable energy, including
wind power and electric vehicles in
its global warehouses.
Rab is doing all this while producing
high-quality apparel and
equipment. For spring 2022, the
brand is releasing an all-new range
of products, including sleeping
Green is the
theme at Rab.
bags, packs, shelters, a lightweight
mountain-running line called
Skyline, and a climbing line called
One80. The latter is designed to be
the perfect blend of durability and
comfort.
Frederick, a mountain climber
since age 5, is most excited about
the Skyline gear and Aeon LT
pack series-items that fit his
lifestyle. " The past summers, I ran
to 14,000 feet once a week. If you
commit to doing one thing, you
get really good at it, " he says. He
describes the one-pound, oneounce
Aeon as the perfect mountain
pack, one that fits snugly like
a running vest but can hold up to
28 liters, allowing him to scramble
technical terrain and carry what
he needs without it throwing off
his balance. He couples the Aeon
with apparel from the Skyline
collection-including the Phantom
and Windveil pull-on tops, Phantom
pants, and the Kinetic Ultra
jacket-for his above-treeline runs.
" Our athlete Sarah Keys ran
the Western States 100 in the new
Skyline kit, and she gave it a rave
review, " says Frederick. " She loves
the durable mobility and how it
doesn't inhibit movement. And it
wicks well. " Rab team athlete Scott
Bennett and Arc'teryx athlete Jordan
Cannon have been using the
Aeon pack and Skyline apparel for
a massive Rocky Mountain link-up
mission that includes climbing the
Spearhead, Chiefs Head peak, and
the Arrowhead.
" As a technical brand, it's about
how light and stretchy our goods
can be without sacrificing durability, "
says Frederick. " It may not
appeal to all users, but it's designed
for a core end user. "
For Frederick, a self-professed
gear nerd, he came to this summer's
Outdoor Retailer Show to do more
than talk gear and sustainability;
he came to escape the monotony
of Zoom meetings and finally have
face-to-face chats with other industry
professionals. " Last night, we
met with one of our main retail partners, "
he says. " It was a three-hour
business meeting over dinner where
we talked about the similarities of
our business ethos and why we're
excited to grow together. And, after
my Thursday meetings, I'm looking
forward to getting up to Berthoud
Pass to run a 13er. "
OUTDOOR RETAILER SUMMER 2021 /
59
LAUREN DANILEK
The Daily - August 11,2021

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