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COLUMBIA SPRING 2012 Performance Wear, Footwear + Gear


Baselayers


Outdoor Retailer/SLC

words/images Judith Ecochard

Columbia Sportswear Company requires a whole lotta floor footage for is apparel, footwear and gear...and its exhibit space is always state-of the art...PLUS a catwalk for retailers to see the apparel on humans.



For water and trail outings...Columbia adds Omni-Freeze® Ice (proprietary cooling ingredient), Omni-Shade® (SPF+ protection) and Insect Block® to their technically performing fabrics used to make the women's and men's pieces.






Smaller backpacks that are super light -with techy features...vented mesh back, like suspension straps, padded shoulder straps and hip belt.






















Endura












Pictured above-a highlight---the Compounder Jacket -made from OmniDry®-seam-sealed, waterproof and breathable fabric and OmniWick Evap® lining that spreads moisture and then-"wicks it through and out faster..."




Compounder Shell-(Men's extreme left, women's right), Flyin' Dry Shell front)-


Columbia demo-ed its water shoes with water!





minimalist footbeds-drainage ports in footbed disperses water on side-so no gushing
Getting on board with the barefoot movement, Columbia's offerings for its water-savvy performance footwear focused on  keeping the minimalist mantra while removing the heft via its OutDry technology-a waterproof, breathable laminate that prevents the wet stuff from collecting in a submersed shoe...which usually doubles the weight of many water shoes.
OutDry "like a sock-bonds outside shoe with outside membrane so no water retention inside-keeps weight light-does not retain the wetness..." Women's Powerdrain

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The OutDry technology gets deployed in the collection that includes trailrunners and hiking boots (15 styles in all)-as does construction methods including TechLite® a closed cell compound-for added stability, cushioning, and support via different densities of the midsole compounds...and "Fluid Post"technology-that helps runners transition through different terrains -i.e. road-to dirt trail.




Ravenous Lite-trailrunner-6 ounces
TechLite Fit=Women's Peakfreak Low w/OutDry

Sleeping bags get refreshed with the new Omni-Heat® technology -introduced seasons back-that's a silver dotted lining that increases thermal insulation without the weight. (Our review)

Synthetic and down keeps campers warm/dry in all temps.


Radiator + Moonstone Mummy






Reactor Mummy







What Else: A new "antispokesman, Dutchman Wim Hof---who uses his "mental themostat"--- outfitted in the bare minimum- to do things like climb Kilimanjaro and run marathons in freezing cold temps--- set to appear in person- submerged in icy cubed waters for the Guiness World record---Nov. 17th@ Bryant Park, NYC. Wow-mind over matter-for the rest of us...though-Columbia offers apparel that'll do.


Moonstone Mummy