- New award for outdoor products generates strong interest
- 203 nominations in 28 categories
- Outstanding products selected in the areas of sustainability, comfort performance, lightweight and urban outdoor
With the Outstanding Outdoor Award, OutDoor by ISPO is honoring products that make the outdoor experience something truly special. One striking aspect of the nominations was the clear focus on sustainability. Nico Thomas, Product Manager for hardgoods at Globetrotter and a member of the Outstanding Outdoor jury, said: “The issues of sustainability and quality continue to be a high priority for retailers. Customers expect products to last a long time, to be produced in a resource-conserving manner and to be able to be repaired, if necessary.”
The nominees for the award also provided a comprehensive peek at trends for the 2020 summer season. “In addition to demand for products that people use everyday, for example to commute on their bicycles, the need for extremely light, multi-functional gear has increased tremendously in recent years,” said Johannes Ahrens, the Chief Equipment Manager at Camp4 Berlin. “The demand for comfort remains the challenge. Even with all of the lightweight materials, enjoying nature is what it’s all about.”
The jury was made up of a total of 21 experts from nine countries, including specialist retailers, designers, marketing professionals, journalists, consumers and athletes. The jury meeting was held in cooperation with the Annecy Mountain region, the outdoor mecca of France: Over three days, the region provided the jury members with a variety-filled testing ground consisting of water, boulders, mountains and forests where they could put the products through their paces as well as with a professional infrastructure to conduct events.
In addition to the recognized products for outdoor adventures like camping, trekking, trail running and climbing, the jury awarded the Outstanding Product label four times for exceptional work in relevant industry trends.
An overview of the winners:
For anyone who is passionate about style and the environment: the all-weather jacket Redmont made by Vaude
The choice to use GOTS (organic) cotton using natural dyes is a double win: no use of pesticides or herbicides during the growing process and it doesn’t hinder the natural biodegrading process of cotton the way synthetic dye does.
The durable wind- and waterproof 1L jacket represents a new generation of street- urban and outdoor wear for men that care about both style and the planet. Trims and logo applications are made of certified cork.
Waterproof, breathable and extremely comfortable: the FUTURELIGHT™ jacket made by The North Face
FUTURELIGHT™ brings a new level of waterproofing comfort to users with unmatched levels of fabric breathability. Nano-spinning allows to fine-tune levels of breathability, lets air move through while maintaining waterproofness. This technology is setting a new standard in comfort and performance while maintaining sustainable practices in the fabric creation process, using recycled fabrics and a production that cuts chemical consumption.
An extremely light revolution for mountain climbers: the mountaineering belt FLY made by PETZL
Designed for (ski) mountaineers, this harness features a world premiere: The patented construction of the belt uses an innovative loop technique which enables a balanced proportion between metal and conventional buckles. Removing the comfort foam, this lightness miracle minimizes its weight from 120g to only 90g. Multiple gear loops and ice-screw retainers transport all the equipment required on technical adventures.
Outdoor performance meets the urban lifestyle: the MYSHELTER Parley jacket made by adidas Terrex
The MYSHELTER Parley jacket by adidas Terrex shows how outstanding outdoor performance and urban lifestyle go together. The three-layer, yet very breathable construction and clever details make the jacket suitable for an active urban lifestyle (e.g. when commuting to work) and make no compromises in terms of style. Non-dyed fabric highlights the inner seam tape, which shines through the outer fabric showing a powerful message: 'For the Ocean'.
The Outstanding Outdoor Award ceremony will be held on June 30 in the Retail Lounge (Hall A4) at OutDoor by ISPO in Munich. The award presentation will be broken down into two separate ceremonies – one at 11:00 and the other at 15:00. All 21 gold winners and their recognized products will be honored in the area Outstanding Product.
