LYRA MAG.

DESIGNED FOR WARMTH, FLEXIBILITY, and PERFORMANCE September 20th, 2008 Words, Judith Ecochard Images from the company website. We were hauling our surfboard through the massive hallways of the Salt Lake Palace a month ago, when we met the Glacier Outdoor bunch of guys. As our hands are perpetually ICY COLD, we were intrigued by the design specific assortment of gloves made of premium windproof fleece and neoprene –that are made to keep outdoorsy types' digits- warm and dry without compromising movement. Well, we’re not hunters (though the camouflage fingerless bunch makes a fashion statement) but the series designed for kayakers-appealed to us for surfing. As beginners, we knew we’d be spending a whole lot of time in the water. Happily, the version we demo-ed, the 2mm Premium Quality Neoprene with pre-curved fingers and a durable Hypalon Palm ($34.99) kept our fingers dry...and with full range of motion. Which made a huge difference in our comfort level. Other gloves and accessori...

ECO FRIENDLY TEXTILES-ACTIVEWEAR WORTHY ALTERNATIVES OUTDOOR RETAILER MARKET, SALT LAKE CITY, AUGUST 11th Words, Images Judith Ecochard and courtesy of respective companies. There was a lot of exhibitors at the OR Tradeshow... showing innovative materials and products set to hit the market. But the segment of this all encompassing industry that elicited our most gee whiz moments…goes to the fabric manufacturers. PolarMax™ Top And what particularly impressed us were the number of eco fabrics (made from sustainable crops, organic, and/or recycled materials) that performed as well as the more ‘toxic’ variants available…and at reasonable price points too. TRANSDRY™: Cotton Inc’s exhibit featured one of the most exciting technological breakthroughs in textiles- TransDRY™ …that will probably change the way active types will view cotton and performance wear-FOREVER. A revolutionary (patented) product, TransDRY™ is c ompletely natural, is 100% made from domestic cotton textile, and is the p...

SOCIAL/ECO AWARE LIFESTYLE BRAND FOR MEN & WOMEN OUTDOOR RETAILER MARKET, SALT LAKE CITY, August 11th Words and Images by Judith Ecochard Okay-the name Horny Toad did conjure up the creepy old dude that tried to pick us up way back in our hitch hiking days. But lo’ and behold- Horny Toad is actually an active wear line that proves “everyday is an adventure.” In a good way. “ACTION, FUNCTION and STYLE” Hip, sporty and fun –Horny Toad’s S/S 09 offerings are casual and with punched up dressier selections too. We think even the slovenly lazy among us will want to wear the clothes. For gals, HT has a super simple Little Black Dress with a fetching scoop neck, ruching details, an elevated waist and a shaped waist any body size (XS-XL) will look good in. Top-wise a “ Samba ” tee in comfy Tencel/cotton/spandex is a sleek example of the durable performance wear HT makes-that multi-tasks as a shirt we can wear with a suit too. We also liked the skort -also made with a Tencel/cotton blend, t...

POST OUTDOOR RETAILER MARKET, SLC-AUGUST 12TH Wors, Images Judith Ecochard and from respective websites When we got an evite to visit the famed and fabulous snow meccas-in Little/Big Cottonwood Canyons, just outside of SLC- for a summer’s eve, meals, and a mountain hike with wildflowers all a’bloom-we felt like we hit some sort of press junket jackpot . Hands down, there is no place else ON EARTH - starting from many USA locales- where one can hop on an AM plane, land, take a short drive – and be riding the slopes in the champagne powder snow junkies dream about. By 1PM. We’ve never been to the unpretentious ‘resort’ Alta (we snowboard)- and haven’t been to Snowbird or Solitude, two other Utah destinations across the Wasatch mountain range from each other…in years. A sign it’s time. Our journey began with very clear driving directions to Alta from the Salt Palace Convention in downtown SLC-that we managed to screw up anyway. The high altitude! A bit embarrassed (it really is like thre...

FASHIONABLE EVERY DAY BAGS FOR SPRING ‘09 OUTDOOR RETAILER MARKET, SALT LAKE CITY, August 10th Words, Images Judith Ecochard From it’s humble beginnings in a garage- Overland Equipment uses a lot more than the original one single sewing machine that stitched up its first ever bag. With nine haulers in various colors ready for Spring (part of an extensive line of products), we previewed the three latest, reasonably priced totes that are spacious enough for leisurely weekend excursions and/or weekday office grinds. Hana: We liked this tote’s six pocket front organizer with a key clip and fleece lined phone pocket so we don’t have to waste minutes searching around. Other places to stash stuff include two roomy side pockets, an external back pocket and an internal zippered pockets. The understated and durable lightweight bag is available in Bracken, Cowhide, and Black. ($65). Cascadia: Cascadia is the ideal tote for us as we are always carrying our laptops around and appreciate the b...

ADVENTURE, DESTINATIONS, AND UNDERGARMENTS FOR MEN AND WOMEN OUTDOOR RETAILER MARKET, SALT LAKE CITY, AUGUST 10th Words, Images Judith Ecochard On a lengthy camping trip to Africa a few years back, we wore-almost exclusively- EX OFFICIO tops and pants with built in insect repellent and UV protection of SPF30+. The garb worked and held up under rugged conditions. Jump forward to this month -we were bowled over by the broad range of multi-tasking stylish garments cut from technically performing fabrics. Design-wise, the inspiration was the fabled Silk Road cultural trade routes though we think we could confidently walk anywhere in these threads. ADVENTURE: “Durability is Sustainability” ExOfficio’s moisture-wicking, quick-drying and odor-resistant ExO Dri™ knit tops makes a welcome appearance with new styles and vivid colors; its signature ultra-light, ventilated and sun-protective DryFlylite™ shirts; and a broad assortment of Insect Shield® shirts, pants and accessories that protect ...

JEEP® CAMPING EQUIPMENT, ULTIMATE SURVIVAL, SPOT, ENERGIZER, and ESSENTIAL GEAR COMFORTS AND PEACE OF MIND FOR ADVENTURERS OUTDOOR RETAILER MARKET, S/S ’09 - SALT LAKE CITY, August 11th Words, Judith Ecochard Images courtesy of respective companies JEEP® CAMPING EQUIPMENT Manufactured by American Recreational Products, the Jeep® branded tents, an oversized sleeping bag, and airbed- we previewed at the gargantuan Salt Palace Convention Center booth- lived up to its MO as “the quintessential gear from the brand consumers trust to safely have fun out there.” Made from rugged, advanced fabrics, the hot new line of tents that we tried out come in three sizes: “Hiker” (for two), “Sport Dome” (for four)…and the “Family Dome (for five). We set up the latter (12’ x 10’ x 84 inches)-that has the patent pending four corner ventilation system –meaning the fresh air flows in at ground level out, perfect for hot weather-in a buddy’s backyard with the help of a very knowledgeable six year old. And e...