Columbia Spring2012 Event

Last Tuesday I attended Columbia Sportswear's Spring 2012 Gear Preview event at the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco. The press event consisted of a presentation in the museum's planetarium, followed by a tour of the museum that was interspersed with mini-labs in which Columbia employees wearing white lab coats demonstrated the company's new technology.

The idea that was emphasized most during the event was Columbia's aversion to slow, incremental progress in gear. Instead, they're advocating that the outdoor gear industry grow in leaps and bounds, in immediately quantifiable ways. It's an ambitious thought, but certainly a welcome one.

To prove this point, the folks at Columbia rolled out some unique gear on their quest to bring about what they called "The End of Wet" and "The End of Sweat."

On the apparel side, Omni-Wick EVAP jackets feature an interior lining designed to pick up sweat and spread it over a wide surface area that dissipates sweat and allows it to evaporate quickly. They also featured bug repellent mesh jackets, as well as my favorite - the Omni-Freeze ICE fabric. It's treated with a powder coating that cools down when it gets wet (essentially the polar opposite version of Mizuno's Breath Thermo fabric). I asked one of Columbia's executives during dinner what the secret powder was, and he mentioned that it's something that we eat every day. Guess that rules out freon.

 

We were given an arm sleeve of the fabric and had it sprayed with water, and the drop in temperature was noticeable. This could be great news for Redding athletes, where temps average in the triple digits during the summer months.

Columbia also unveiled a fleet of footwear that they'll be rolling out next year. These shoes are embracing the popular minimalist movement with lightweight, waterproof/breathable materials, including Columbia's Techlite midsole foam.

Speaking of their TechLite foam, one of the biggest reveals of the evening was Columbia's new line of backpacks. The packs range from 10- to 65- liters, and one of their most striking features is the Techlite foam straps with breathable mesh venting. Haven't seen shoe foam in a backpack before.

Columbia is also adding sleeping bags in Spring 2012. The sleeping bags continue the "leaps and bounds" theme by lining the interior with metallic Omni-Heat lining, which is designed to reflect body heat back to the wearer. The bags will be available with down or synthetic insulation, and could be a boon to anybody who tends to sleep cold.

If the Spring 2012 line is any indication, it looks like Columbia isn't averse to taking some chances in pushing outdoor gear to new heights. It's nothing if not ambitious, and other companies should consider the gauntlet thrown. Good for Columbia.

 Good for us, too.