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Published: 27 November 2023

Ortovox combines light weight with great insulation in its Thermovent Shortpants, comfortably achieving base layer goals on long days in the snow. Read on about the benefits of this new garment that convinced the ISPO Award jury and brought the Bavarian brand an ISPO Award.

It all starts with the right base. Same for base layers in ski touring or freeriding. The pieces that come first on and last off can make or break your day in terms of warmth, ventilation or fit on long days out in the mountains. The Ortovox Thermovent line perfectly combines lightness and warmth through innovative production techniques and the selection of proven raw materials. The Merino Thermovent Shortpants are characterized by their ideal weight-to-insulation ratio and smart 3D body mapping. With their breathable and stretchy mesh structure on the thighs, this super lightweight base layer guarantees ideal ventilation and moisture management while still providing excellent heat retention. A special knit structure in the knee area also ensures warm joints without any bulk to allow a natural range of movement. So thanks to 3D body mapping, the different areas of these pants have been smartly tailored to the needs of the different areas of the body they cover. More warmth where it is needed but also enough sufficient ventilation on the parts of the legs that need more cooling.

95 Percent Merino Wool and Less Cutting Waste

The flat knitting technique used to produce the pants creates no cutting waste in production, thus making the product more sustainable, as only as much is knitted as used or needed. Consisting of 95 percent merino wool, the Thermovent Shortpants feature a very high share in raw material, making it more eco-friendly. With its proven characteristics, merino keeps you warm or cool, depending on the circumstances, but in any case helps to prevent bad odors, even on longer tours or when worn over multiple days. The pants are super soft and comfortable to wear, from the elastic waistband to their stretchy seams. They are also the perfect length to use in combination with ski socks, creating less bulk while still not riding up during movement. The Ortovox Thermovent Shortpants come in a neutral dark grey blend and sizes XS to XL for women and S to XXL for men.

Here’s what the jury had to say about the Ortovox Merino Thermovent Shortpants:

"During long missions in harsh weather, a great base layer cannot be appreciated enough: A high proportion of merino wool and well thought out 3D body mapping make the Ortovox Thermovent Shortpants comfortable, warm, light and eco-friendly. The stretchy mesh structure on the thighs is great for high aerobic activities, while this base layer still keeps the body warm overall." ISPO Award Jury

5 reasons why the Ortovox Merino Thermovent Shortpants convinced the ISPO Award jury:

• Breathable mesh structure on the thighs 
• Reinforcements on the knees for warm joints
• Merino wool as sustainable performance material
• Ideal weight-to-insulation-ratio for a base layer
• Perfect length for combination with ski boots and socks

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Published: 27 November 2023

The Freeletics Lifetime Fitness Bundle provides everything, an athlete needs: Space-saving adjustable dumbbells, lifetime access to the coaching AI, and practical nutritional knowledge.

Lifetime access to flexible and personalized training

Athlete. If you’re ready to take your training to the next level, the Freeletics Lifetime Fitness Bundle is built on a 360-degree approach that includes proven training techniques, sports science, expert nutrition knowledge, and high-performance equipment made to go the distance: As a user, you get lifetime access to the Freeletics AI Coach within the Freeletics app.

 

 

You will get a training plan that is perfectly tailored to your goals, no matter if you want to reduce weight, build muscle, or improve your general fitness - you can just set your goals and achieve them with the AI coach whenever it fits your schedule. This also means lifetime access to all the AI-powered personalization with built-in on-demand flexibility, and future enhancements to Europe’s #1 training app. Over 350 exercises and personalized workouts help you get strong and work out according to your goals. Whether you want to gain muscle, improve your fitness and strength or run and burn calories, giving the AI coach an idea of what you want to achieve, creates a training plan according to your needs. When, where, how much and how long you train is up to you and will be tailored to your life, be it 15 mins or an hour.

Adjustable space-saving dumbbells

Also included in the bundle are space-saving adjustable Staedium by Freeletics dumbbells. These ultra-compact, aerospace-grade, 6-in-1 cast-iron dumbbells can be quickly adjusted between 4-24 kg with just a twist of your wrist. This easy adjustment option keeps your workouts seamless, when switching between different weights. Also, your space stays tidy, and you won’t need a lot of space to store different weights as the dumbbells are pretty compact: They will take up a lot less space than traditional dumbbell sets. Still, they will give you all the variation you need when lifting. You can also purchase an additional training mat for your workout. And in case you only want to get the dumbbells or other additional Staedium equipment components such as a workout mat or weighed vest for your training, you can purchase them separately through the Freeletics shop online.

Practical Nutritional knowledge

For being in good shape, training and nutrition go hand in hand. You don’t know where to start in terms of developing good nutritional habits to achieve the most in your training. Not to worry.

Last but not least, comprehensive, practical nutrition knowledge is part of the plan here: A no-BS online course covers nutrition science, practical eating tips, fads, and myths, as well as food psychology, key nutrients, and recipes. The course has been developed with insights from millions of users and gives you access to evidence based knowledge. Daily actionable insights account for immediate results and help you understand which nutrition strategy and foods support your goals. 

No matter where you are, you can learn whenever you have the time. You can even take the course with you wherever you go with your app version of the course. All three parts of the lifetime bundle enable you to train how it fits your life and schedule.

 

Here’s what the jury had to say about the Freeletics Lifetime Bundle:

"Keeping a healthy workout and nutrition routine has never been easier: Whether you use training plans by the Freeletics AI coach and learn about nutrition in the app on the go or exercise at home using the space saving adjustable dumbbell set - this bundle puts your fitness and health first." ISPO Award Jury

5 advantages of the Freeletics Lifetime Bundle:

• Space saving, aerospace-grade cast iron 6-in-1 dumbbells 
• Seamlessly adjustable between 4 and 24kg with a twist
• Train and learn in sync with your own life
• Personalized AI-powered in-app coaching
• Practical nutrition online course

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Published: 27 November 2023

The significance of regeneration and the time between training sessions is growing for many athletes. How can one optimally recover and prepare for upcoming sports activities? This question also intrigued international ice hockey coach Doug Boulanger, who, joined the biotechnology and health experts from Satimed, developed the Aprèsport brand. In the interview, Boulanger explains the four key factors that lay the foundation for athletic success and how the Aprèsport modular system contributes to this.

Doug Boulanger's journey with Aprèsport sounds like it's straight out of a storybook. As a young ice hockey player, the Franco-Canadian Boulanger ended up in Vermont with a Lithuanian host family. Initially unable to speak a word of English, he formed a lifelong ice hockey friendship with the host family's son. Later, now working as a professional coach in Switzerland, Boulanger receives an offer to coach Lithuanian youth national teams. Without hesitation, Boulanger says "yes," leading him to meet Tomas Andrejauskas, Co-Founder of Aprèsport and the father of an aspiring hockey player. Together, they develop Aprèsport—a product line based on natural active botanical ingredients including  Cannabidiol (CBD) aimed at enhancing performance, injury prevention, and faster recovery.

ISPO.com: Doug, how did you come to support Aprèsport as a Co-Developer?

Doug Boulanger: For me, it was a way to give back. During my years as a hockey player, I met some incredible people, not only on the ice but also off the ice. Aprèsport is, I would say, the result of friendships that led to the people I met developing Aprèsport. Tomas as Co-Founder witnessed first hand the toll that intense training and competition can take on an athlete's body. His son faced recurring microtrauma that hindered his progress and potential. It was this insight that spurred him to seek a solution – a product line that didn't just heal but also prevented and protected.

And how did you as a Coach came in then?

The fundamental thing for me as a coach is to help the players I work with—to make them better, find clubs for them, and make them feel better. It's not just about boosting their performance; it's also about being there for them. When you talk about confidence, the success formula for an athlete involves four things: hard work, repetitions, recovery before and after the game, and this is where the Aprèsport concept comes into play. The last part of this is, once you have the hard work, repetitions, and recovery, it just needs the good stress—the stress that gives you the chance to be creative.*

Could you explain what you mean by the Aprèsport concept?

Generally speaking, the market is full of universal products, relaxation, and trauma gels. We provide a dedicated product line for athletes, and we do this on an organic natural basis. Our products are based on our proprietary herbal formula that includes CBD and other beneficial botanical ingredients, that possess therapeutic benefits. The concept is based on four products:

How did you ensure that it really differs, and that athletes understand how to use it?

The entire product range is developed by scientists focusing on the research and applicability of natural herbal remedies. In the development process, we made sure to have a lot of reality checks with different athletes during training and competition periods, even when preparing and running marathons. The athletes used the product ranges, of course, differently depending on the sports they practiced, but all of them had an almost intuitive approach.

You are using CBD as the main ingredient…

Yes. It is certified THC-free, safe, and legal to use. The World Anti-Doping Agency allows CBD use. But it is not only CBD. Our patented herbal formula does the job, by combining botanical ingredients that possess therapeutic properties and work in synergy. The athletes, especially the hockey players I train in Switzerland and on an international level, loved the effect, the smell, and how easy it was to apply. We received much important and positive feedback during the development process and still do. And again, Recovery is one of the most important things for an athlete, and Aprèsport supports that perfectly, in my opinion.

What makes Aprèsport concept so unique?

Very few topical products in the market are explicitly designated for athletes' use. Most products are all-in-one or one-for-everything concepts and do not address specific issues that athletes encounter. Aprèsport is an entirely new concept designed for the specific needs of both athletes and amateurs. The beauty of this concept is that when you use Aprèsport products as a system, for example, cooling cream right after a workout and deep relief gel before bed, you may achieve incredible results. We have prepared condition-specific protocols on when and how to use these products. I have not seen anything like this with other topical products in the market, which is why the Aprèsport concept is so unique.

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Published: 27 November 2023

Tecnica’s Zero G Tour Pro ski touring boot has undergone significant improvements to enhance both downhill and uphill performance while reducing its weight. The focus of this update lies on both functional aspects such as light weight and fit but also on the use of recycled materials and being recyclable at its end of life.

Tecnica’s Zero G Tour Pro ski touring boot has gotten an update: The functional aspects of fit and material of this new boot revolve around eco-friendliness, lightweight construction, recyclability, and the use of recycled materials. 

“We are really proud to celebrate such a great achievement like the ISPO award. It’s the right reward after a long development time”, says Matteo Murer, Product Manager Tecnica Skiboots. “We started collecting feedback from our athletes, guides and end users at an early stage of the process. As a result, we knew very quickly what worked well and which details we could still improve.”

 

Tecnica Zero G Tour Pro: Lighter Weight, Stronger Performance

Key developments include the Quick Instep construction, increased walkability through a better range of motion, as well as a better fit. The product also brings improvements to functionality, including a lightweight cuff, reduced friction hinge points, and a T-Hike double-blocking mechanism, resulting in a 10% increase in range of motion. Fit enhancements include an improved anatomical shape, especially in the toebox and instep area, achieved through co-injected materials combining carbon with thermoplastic materials. All these enhancements make the boot an even lighter and more comfortable companion on the uphill. Overall, the boot comes in at 1290 grams and Tecnica’s developers were able to carve off 100 grams compared to its predecessor.

“Together with all the R&D team we worked on a daily basis to find solutions to bring this boot to the next level. The solutions were tested in the lab and on the field, to be sure that all the work was heading to the direction we wanted”, explains Matteo Murer.

Tecnica’s Zero G Tour Pro Ski Touring boot still features a progressive flex of 130 catering to those ski tourers that prioritize exceptional downhill performance and its unique 4-buckle overlap construction with improved buckles. For the new ski touring season, it has 1.5 degrees more forward lean - for even more downhill orientation. A T-Hike mechanism with double-blocking technology provides a solid downhill behavior but still feels playful.

 

Recycling Program and Reduced Footprint

Overall, the boot has a reduced CO2 footprint. Recycling is facilitated by more environmentally friendly materials and a simplified material structure, excluding PVC and incorporating recycled materials. Second-generation materials undergo rigorous testing to meet the high-quality standards. The selected materials prioritize lower environmental impact, i.e. PU instead of PVC and recycled materials. Additionally, Tecnica is involved in the "Repair if you care" project with Vibram and operates a specific recycling initiative known as Recycle Your Boots, contributing to a reduction in CO2 emissions and simplifying the recycling process. The Zero G Tour Pro is also entirely produced in Europe.

Matteo Murer, Product Manager Tecnica Skiboots, sums up: “Knowing that the ISPO Award committee has recognized the step ahead we were able to make is gratifying and gives us also the power to go on and work on this direction. But first, it’s time to celebrate!”

 

Here’s what the jury had to say about the Tecnica Zero G Tour Pro ski touring boot:

"This upgrade of the Zero G Pro Tour is a sophisticated blend of performance and sustainability. The boot features increased mobility and a lighter weight while keeping a progressive flex. Combined with its reduced carbon footprint, it is a standout choice for downhill focused ski tourers." ISPO Award Jury

5 reasons why the Tecnica Zero G Tour Pro ski touring boot convinced the ISPO Award jury:

• 10% increased range of motion
• Lightweight construction 
• Improved anatomical shape & quick instep
• Hike mechanism with solid downhill behavior
• Eco-conscious material use

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