Outdoor Retailer - Winter 2016 - 39

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bright, smiling face beaming outdoor stoke from the top of mountains, the sharp end of ropes
and the midst of deep powder
fields. The Utah-based pro skier,
Powder and Backcountry cover
girl and Protect Our Winters
ambassador shares her life with
7,000 Facebook and 92,700
Instagram followers pretty much
every day. Pay attention, retailers.
This is how you spread the gospel
of the outdoors: Get out, have a
blast doing what you love, and
share that smile on social media.

Photos by Caroline Gleich, courtesy TOPO Designs, Matthew Stan

10.
KATIE ARMSTRONG

WHY SHE'S HOT: More than just
entrepreneur, this yoga-chic designer walks the walk. Her business does what yoga should do:
remind us of our inner beauty,
the joy of life and our pure potential to make this world a better place. Made from recycled
plastic, her fashion-forward,
OM Collection's H2OM Legging
comes in dazzling, durable prints
and was voted best pant by Yoga
Journal. But it goes beyond the
small niche of yoga: You'll find

stand-up paddleboard champs,
runners, climbers and hikers as
well as the Burning Man faithful
and urban trendsetters wearing
her eco-friendly apparel.

11.
TOPO DESIGNS

WHY IT'S HOT: In 2013, this
Colorado-based, heritage-style
pack-and-apparel company
launched its forward-thinking
flagship store in Denver's firstever permanent shipping-container retail complex in the hip
RiNo (a.k.a. River North Art
District) neighborhood. With a
philosophy of functional, uncomplicated design,Topo's minimalist crossover gear, is meant to be
used 90 percent of the time, from
town cruises to hikes. Made-inthe-U.S.A. manufacturers with
rustic aesthetics like Topo are
on an upswing in the outdoor
space-partly due to "the success
of American outdoor brands in
Japan, as well as refocusing on
the story of a brand rather than
always focusing on the story of
the latest technology," says cofounder Jedd Rose .

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B CORPS

WHY THEY'RE HOT: They could
change the future of human
enterprise. A B Corp, or Benefit
Corporation, is a closely monitored legal entity, a business that
must place doing social and environmental good ahead of making
profits. Don't think that means B
Corps can't succeed: Patagonia,
Kleen Kanteen, W.S. Badger,
Elemental Herbs and United by
Blue are all B Corps.

13.
REWILDING,
THE FILM

WHY IT'S HOT: Boulder,
Colorado-based adventurer
Jesse Spiegel takes climbing and
the power of the wilderness to a
new level in this courageous film
due out in January. The gist?
Jesse takes a wilderness journey
with his best friend Vitek, his
yoga-teacher sister Suzanne and
Anthony, a formerly incarcerated young man from the Bronx.
Their goal: Have an adventure,

overcome trauma and emerge
with heightened joie de vivre.
The filmmakers plan to use
Rewilding, the film, as a launch
pad for the Rewilding Retreat
Center, which will provide programs to formerly incarcerated
persons who want to get in touch
with nature, overcome fear and
learn to reembrace life.

14.
YETI'S COULSTER

WHY IT'S HOT: Because getting
people to pay $30 for an item
they would, in another form,
get for free-and loving it-is a
stroke of retail genius. This is a
goddamn high-class beer holder
(cans or bottles... come on!) and
outdoor consumers will want it
chilling their favorite new craft
beer whether they are out backpacking or simply sitting back
and enjoying a big view.

15.
TNF'S SUMMIT SERIES

WHY IT'S HOT: No matter your
thoughts on the size and scope of
the brand, The North Face keeps
Winter 2016 / OUTDOOR RETAILER 39

Outdoor Retailer - Winter 2016

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Outdoor Retailer - Winter 2016