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[trenttrendspotter]

Authentically Outdoors

Outdoor brands are trending so how do authentic brands become mainstream darlings? I was amused that some brands at the recent Outdoor Retailer Winter show in Salt Lake City, January 10 – 12, 2017, preferred to talk lifestyle vs. product. I am concerned that the authentic pioneers will continue to be trampled by marketing whizzes.

In Malibu, where my PR firm’s West Coast office is located, A-list celebrities wear down jackets designed for the arctic to withstand the air conditioning in hip, exclusive restaurants. It may have been the Kardashians that sported the look first. Now everyone can and does as well.

According to Oprah Winfrey, adventure travel is in. People are checking off adventures on their bucket list making the mainstream of adventure travel a metaphor for the new normal.

People want to spend more time outdoors. They may not be climbing Mount Everest, but they are riding their bicycles to work, walking their dogs, eating outdoors more or bringing outdoor furniture inside for fun and inspiration. It’s called getting “outdoorsy” and we’ve been watching it grow for a few years now.

Here are a few of the products indicating the outdoors is here to stay.

Get your backyard in gear

Fun products for the yard make you want to spend more time playing outside.

Eagles Nest Outfitters’ gorgeous “nest” hammocks are eco friendly, stylish, and durable. They use special tree-saver straps to not harm any flora when put up. Don’t just look to this company to lounge, their collection of outdoor accessories are a must have to enhance your outdoor experience.

Flowerhouses create a stylish line of easy “pop-up” home and garden innovations. Storage sheds and greenhouses that go up fast and get to work!

The leader in “backyard adventures” B4 Adventure allows friends and family to enjoy outdoor wilderness activities in their own backyards or anywhere.

Night is the new day

We all know sun exposure isn’t good for us and during the day time we have too much to do anyway. Night is a great time to be outdoors if you can see and be safe. These two companies make it possible.

Lighting up the way for consumers in the dark, Niteize provides brilliant LED lighting and accessories for fitness, biking, pets, gaming and the workplace.

Safe Reflections inspired by EMT’s working in low-light conditions; Safe Reflections provides reflective material for garments to ensure safety wherever lighting conditions are dangerously low. Shining a flashlight is frequently not adequate protection.

Play safe

We wear glasses, goggles, and eyewear to protect our eyes from getting dry and blurry – but what happens when eyewear that’s supposed to protect our eyes impairs our vision? Sven Can See is the leading visibility safety product that provides instant anti-fog/frost relief in all temperatures. The new “Spray, Wipe n’ Go!” formula is non-toxic, biodegradable and odor-free.

Protect your body when you ask more of it

Whether you’re a novice who wants to stay active or a professional athlete you’re asking a lot of your joints and muscles when moving. Wearing compression gear can relieve some of the stress you put on your joints and muscles and decrease recovery time.

Because we are either asking a lot of our hearts and muscles or we live in our brains and on our devices and due to inactivity our bodies are atrophying. Compressport Compression wear is for athletes of all types.

CEP is intelligent compression sportswear for the active novice or fitness fanatic who want to run, walk or train outside, but protect their muscles. CEP products enhance performance and recovery through the targeted use of compression to improve blood circulation and speed up metabolism.

Muscle and joint pain have sidelined many from the physical activities they used to actively participate in, but CW-X’s Support WebTMTechnology is changing that. The Patented CW-X Support Web™ technology mimics kinesiology-taping techniques that trainers apply to injured muscles. When you’re wearing CX-X’s tops, tights or outwear this technology is applied to muscles and joints creating an exoskeleton support system that improves biomechanics during motion.

Your body’s recovery is just as important as your workout

We pay so much attention to our workouts and making sure we get the most out of them, but sometimes we neglect a very important piece of the puzzle, the recovery. After you get the most out of your work you will need to make sure you are helping your body rejuvenate and repair so you can perform at your peak.

Fight chaffing, blisters and irritation, burning and redness with Body Glide. Easily applied before you begin your workout, Body Glide offers a range of anti-chafe balms to help soothe and prevent skin irritation, redness, burning and blisters. Get the most out your training without being distracted by those pesky deterrents.

Your feet serve as your foundation no matter what your workout is and they take on the most stress. Make sure they get the most of their recovery with Oofos. This line of recovery sandals works to reduce stress on sore feet knees and backs by supporting your arches absorbing 37% more shock with every step than traditional footwear foam and propelling you forward as you walk.

Recharge with massage from Moji Moji uses the elements (heat and ice) for their collection of massage wands and rollers. Portable and light, so you can throw them in your luggage or gym bag these products will dig deep into sore muscles to relieve pain and break up scar tissue.

Tech clothes get fashionable

Clothing companies are taking note that fashion and functionality can be merged when creating clothing for an active clientele. Companies have taken note that although they are creating clothing that is functional and environmentally friendly, they don’t have to sacrifice style.

Champion freestyle skier Kari Traa kept the woman who’s active, but fashion-forward in mind when she created he popular European sportswear line Kari Traa. Consisting of leggings, parkas, t-shirts, base layers and sports bras in classic and modern patterns, this eco-friendly collection is proof you can find quality athletic wear that reflects your personal style.

Gone are the days of snow boots that protect your feet from the elements, but are an eyesore, thanks to Cougar. Functionality and fashion merge and the result are Cougar snow boots that look great and keep your feet dry. Cougar snow boots come in some of the most fashion forward styles, but are weather proof and insulated allowing women to stay protected and chic at the same time.

Southern Tide takes all the modern design elements of today’s youthful trends and ties them in with old southern culture and lifestyle to create a brand that stands for craftsmanship, clean lines, classic design and rich heritage. Bearing a distinctive Skipjack logo Southern Tide is tailored for men, women, and youth who love the Southern culture and lifestyle.

Refuge from tech and back to basics

In the digital age of smart phones, emails and social media sometimes we spend more time staring at screens than we do interacting with people and nature. Now there are companies that are helping us get back to the basics of social integrations and also allowing us to bring the comforts of home with us when we’re experiencing the outdoors.

Going to an outdoor concert? Entertaining outside? Got a camping trip coming up? If you’re going to spend time outdoors Bare Bones has products that bring the comfort of indoors outdoors. Their collection of outdoor products, from coolers to hunting knives are not only sleek and functional, but also give back to organizations that provide shelter, food and much provide important services to people in need in the USA and around the world.

Your mom was right: yelling “Don’t forget to put on your hat!”, as you walked out the door. You’ll never forget to grab your winter accessories if their made by SCREAMER. This brand’s collection of high-performance headwear, scarves and gloves/mitts are for the fashionable who want to take on a winter wonderland or a cold day in style.

Don’t leave your furry friends behind

Your pets like going on adventures too. There are products available that will allow you and your furry friends safely travel and explore wherever the road takes you together.

Nick-named “the world’s best pet carrier” the K9 Sport Sack allows you and your dog to go on adventures safely and comfortably. Essentially in a sling with their weight distributed along the entire bag to provide your dog safe comfort, the K9 Sport Sack makes bike rides, hiking, shopping and anything else you can think of an experience you can share with Fido!

Clothing that works with you

Do not ask “What can you do for quality clothing?” ask “What can quality clothing do for you? With an oversaturated market many clothiers are rising to the top by creating apparel that goes above and beyond the call of functionality.

Harnessing their enthusiasm and experience from outdoor adventures, Avalanche creates and manufactures some of the highest quality and affordable outer- and active wear garments in the market today. The company uses high-tech design software so that the Avalanche man, woman or child will be comfortable in whatever elements Mother Nature decides to send their way.

Gramicci has been the soulful, free spirited, brand of the outdoor industry for over 30 years. It’s engineered gusset crotch and one hand, easy cinch and release nylon belt/buckle system created what are now the archetypes of design and function for climbing and outdoor activity. Deeply committed to greener manufacturing, Gramicci continues to research and adopt new standards of manufacturing that reduce its impact on the environment.

Inspired by the majestic and hardworking Yaks that work with Sherpas in frigid temperatures of the Himalayan Mountains, BlakYak outwear works with you to help keep you warm and regulate your body temperature in cold weather. BlakYak’s double-layered down products are very light which don’t limit the wearer’s mobility, but still keeps the body warm thanks to the strategically placed down chambers.

With KuttingWeight products, you no longer have to wear uncomfortable plastic sauna suits to burn calories and lose weight faster. KuttingWeight provides modern sauna suits with fabrics that are durable, flexible and allow more of your skin to breathe. They keep your core heated up so that you can effectively lose water weight and burn more calories, whether for weight loss in a competitive sport, or just working to stay trim without looking like you stepped out of the 1980’s.

– By The Trent Trend Spotter, Nancy Trent

Featured in Whole Foods Magazine