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| The Ultrachange's removable liner. Sweet, right? |
"Trying Stuff." Two words that say an awful lot about what Columbia Sportswear is all about.
You've got to give Columbia props for trying to push the boundaries of outdoor sports tech every season. I love that Columbia keeps trying stuff. Even if all the stuff doesn't end up working. you're bound to have some home runs in there.
This week, I along with about forty other editors and journalists went to Park City, Utah, to check out their new wares. Food, drink, gear and snowsports ensued. If I were to go in-depth into every great aspect of this week, this would be a ridiculously long post, and you'd probably get sick of hearing me prattle on. So I'll save the bobsledding, amazing food, whiskey lessons, aerial ski training at Utah Olympic Park, athletic training facility tour, snowboarding, et cetera, and just get to the gear that caught my fancy. Here are a few of my favorites:
1. PeakFreak Trail Running Shoe ($150): You had me at the name "PeakFreak". Waterproof, breathable, and lined with the OmniHeat reflective dots, which could come in handy on snow runs. Could be a great winter trail runner. I'm hoping to get a tester and see just how rugged it is.
2. Men's Ultrachange Jacket ($450): Menage 'a Utility. Columbia's 3-way jacket is composed of a waterproof (OmniDry) breathable (OmniWick) shell and a sharp-looking, sleek, removable insulating liner with Columbia's distinct OmniHeat. So far, I'm loving the liner as a standalone, and the shell works well as a windblocker. Can't wait to see some rain.
3. Montlake Pack ($115): Digging the retro styling on this adventure/day pack. It sports top-loading access, load lifters, a removable belt, and TechLite padded shoulder straps for dayhiking, snowboarding, and whatever else you can imagine. A felt-lined laptop pockets makes it a viable commuter pack, giving it an urban dimension as well. Felt good while snowboarding today, I'll give it a shot on the bike when I get home.
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| I couldn't get a press image, so here's one from my hotel room. |
Those are some of my favorites, but it looks like Columbia's going to have a lot more rolling out next fall (including some ballsy fashion-forward pieces), so keep an eye out for some more of that stuff they're trying.
