Archives: Press Releases

Bentonville/Bella Vista, Ark., (Oct. 5, 2023) – Olympic mountain bike champion, Tom Pidcock, and multi-time national champion, Savilia Blunk, will headline the elite fields at Life Time Little Sugar MTB on Sunday, Oct. 15. The world’s top mountain bike racers, many of whom are contenders in the Life Time Grand Prix presented by Mazda, make up the impressive fields.

Pidcock made the journey to North America to complete the last two races in the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup series after competing in the Tour de France and winning the UCI XCO World Championships earlier this year. He will be joined at Little Sugar MTB by Ineos Grenadiers teammate, Cameron Wurf. It’s fitting that Pidcock returns to Northwest Arkansas, as he won the UCI Cyclocross World Championships in 2022 when they were hosted in Fayetteville.

Blunk is a multi-time US national champion who focuses on World Cup XCO racing for most of the season, racing to a career-best 4th place finish in the Snowshoe, West Virginia, World Cup recently. In 2022, Blunk won the Life Time Chequamegon MTB Festival presented by Trek and placed 10th at Life Time Big Sugar Gravel presented by Mazda.

The men’s elite field will also feature Leadville Trail 100 MTB record-holder, Keegan Swenson, Cape Epic winner, Matt Beers, marathon MTB national champion, Cole Paton, Big Sugar Gravel winner, Russell Finsterwald, Canadian marathon MTB national champ, Andrew L’Esperance, and former marathon MTB national champion, Payson McElveen.

In the elite women’s field, Blunk will be joined by marathon MTB national champion, Alexis Skarda, Leadville Trail 100 MTB winner, Sofia Gomez Villafane, marathon World Cup winner, Hannah Otto, and Canadian marathon MTB national champion, Haley Smith.

View the full elite women’s and men’s start lists here

Racers will tackle 100 kilometers (approximately 61.5 miles) with around 7,000 feet of elevation gain as they race through grinding climbs, rolling descents, rough and rocky limestone, and views of caves, waterfalls and iconic ledges on the trails of Bella Vista. The courses use a point-to-point format, starting at the Homestead in Coler MTB Preserve and finishing in Bentonville Downtown at the Square. Additionally, the event offers a 50k race with approximately 3,700 feet of elevation gain, along with a 20k race with approximately 1,250 feet of elevation gain for athletes who don’t want to bike off more sugar than they can chew.

Life Time and OZ Brands are offering a $65,000 prize purse to be equally split between the top five men and top five women finishers, as follows:

• 1st Place: $12,000
• 2nd Place: $8,500
• 3rd Place: $6,000
• 4th Place: $4,000
• 5th Place: $2,000

The Life Time Little Sugar MTB race will kick off the Life Time Big Sugar Classic week, which will culminate with the Life Time Big Sugar Gravel presented by Mazda in Bentonville, Ark. on Oct. 21. The final off-road cycling event of the year is the Stages Cycling Austin Rattler MTB on Nov. 4.

While the Life Time Little Sugar MTB has sold out, spaces remain available through the Life Time Foundation. For more information, please visit leadvilleraceseries.com/little-sugar-mtb. To view all Life Time athletic events, visit my.lifetime.life/athletic-events.

About Life Time

Life Time (NYSE: LTH) empowers people to live healthy, happy lives through its portfolio of 170 athletic country clubs across the United States and Canada. The Company’s healthy way of life communities and ecosystem address all aspects of healthy living, healthy aging and healthy entertainment for people 90 days to 90+ years old. Supported by a team of more than 35,000 dedicated professionals, Life Time is committed to providing the best programs and experiences through its clubs, iconic athletic events and comprehensive digital platform.

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BOULDER, Colo. (Oct. 4, 2023) – Earning accolades from testers for Outside, SKI and Backcountry magazines, SCARPA, maker of high-performance footwear for mountain sports, is releasing a completely re-tooled Maestrale and Gea alpine-touring ski boot collection for Fall 2023/24. The new models continue the category leadership of what have become the best-selling AT boots in the world, offering high-performance for both the climb up and the ski down, paired with sustainably sourced plant-based construction.

In addition — in the lightweight ski-touring category — SCARPA is also releasing the new F1 XT in North America, a boot that provides astoundingly powerful downhill performance given its feathery weight.

Of the fully redesigned Maestrale RS, Outside and SKI testers called out that they were “impressed by its versatility as a do-it-all AT tool.” As for the F1 XT, the same testers said it “blew our minds with both its blissful walking abilities and its capacity to drive any ski we threw at it.”

The Maestrale RS and F1 XT — along with the SCARPA Quattro XT, a more freeride-oriented AT boot introduced in Fall 2022 — also earned Backcountry Magazine’s 2023-24 Editors’ Choice Award.

Backcountry Magazine’s editors said the updated Maestrale RS (women’s version is the Gea RS) is “the ultimate do-everything AT boot.” The called the F1 XT made for “efficient travel without having to sacrifice downhill performance.” The Quattro XT, meanwhile, offers “a perfect blend of downhill performance with overall lighter weight and a solid walk mode.”

Fully redesigned for Fall 2023, the SCARPA Maestrale and women’s Gea alpine-touring boots offer more power for downhill skiing while simultaneously improving fit and features across the board. Long considered best-in-class AT ski boots, the Maestrale and Gea have stayed ahead of the pack thanks to ongoing evolutions to continually optimize their uncompromising performance for both climbing uphill and skiing down. For Fall 2023, new innovations include Carbon Core inserts in the upper cuff of the RS versions, which already offer SCARPA’s innovative Carbon Core construction in the lower shell. Carbon Core construction uses U-shaped carbon inserts co-molded into the shells that surround the lower foot and the upper ankle. This design optimizes torsional stiffness, directing power to the skis while still allowing for the progressive forward flex that’s so important to the movements in skiing. Third-party testing validates that SCARPA’s Carbon Core design results in less sidewall boot deformation than competitors, instead translating that power to the ski edge and facilitating the ability to drive wider skis. The regular Maestrale and Gea now also have a Carbon Core insert in the lower shell, while shedding 60 grams per boot (size 27). Other improvements on the Fall 2023 new models include:

• More precise fit. Compared to their predecessors, the new Maestrale and Gea are slightly wider in the forefoot at 102mm, slightly narrower in the back part of the boot, and feature reduced volume in the instep. This evolved shape provides a more precise fit for the majority of skiers’ feet.
• Lower stand height, putting skiers’ feet closer to their skis and to the ground for improved skiing precision.
• Improved lower boot construction thanks to SCARPA’s Alpine Axial Hybrid construction. This design employs a boot tongue that is fixed on the medial side of the lower boot shell but floats over the other for excellent volume control, providing the power of an alpine boot in a much lighter-weight design. A new floating strap increases closing force over the instep.
• An extra layer of insulation underfoot for added warmth.
• First to market with Vibram’s new Traction Lug Technology, which features 25 percent better traction and increased surface area compared to the previous sole.
• A new Wave Lite closure system on the lower boot shell, which is lighter and more adjustable, and provides better adjustment for a wider range of foot shapes.
• An integrated, more powerful Booster strap on the stiffer RS models.
• An updated Heel Retention Strap design that is field-replaceable.
• A wider, beefier Speed LTM ski/walk mechanism that doesn’t increase weight and has 61 degrees of cuff range (16 degrees forward lean +/- 2 degrees).
• Updated Intuition thermoformable liners provide the warmest, most durable inner boot option on the market.

SCARPA also continues to build these market-leading boots using plant-based plastics, helping reduce its carbon footprint. The Maestrale and women’s Gea come in four models: Maestrale RS, 125 flex, 1460 grams (27); Gea RS, 120 flex, 1300 grams (25);  Maestrale, 110 flex, 1380 grams (27); Gea, 100 flex, 1220 grams (25). $949 and $849.

In the ultralight AT-boot category, the 1145-gram F1 XT offers the ultimate combination of touring efficiency and downhill performance, Ideal for multiple-lap days, long ski traverses or steep couloir skiing. The 95-flex boot uses a Carbon Grilamid LFT cuff paired with a Cam Buckle Power Strap for power transmission. Underneath the buckles, SCARPA’s Overlap Shield Tech gaiter allows easy entry and excellent protection from the elements. On the lower boot, a Grilamid Fiberglass shell features a full-length Lambda Frame for torsional rigidity and power to the skis without excess weight. The buckle on the lower shell engages SCARPA’s Wave Lite Closure system for a secure uniform fit over the entire instep without pressure points. The Speed Light LT ski/walk mechanism is time-tested and provides an exceptional 72 degrees range of motion in walk mode. Inside, the Intuition liner is thermoformable and guarantees a warm, precise, comfortable fit. $899.

About SCARPA and SCARPA North America 

Founded in 1938, SCARPA builds performance footwear for climbing, hiking, skiing, mountaineering, trail running and other outdoor pursuits from its headquarters in Asolo, Italy. SCARPA has been owned and operated by the Parisotto family since 1956. In 2005, SCARPA opened its North American headquarters in Boulder, Colo., staffed and directed by veterans of the North American outdoor industry, to oversee sales, marketing and distribution in the U.S., Canada and South America. For more information about SCARPA footwear, visit www.scarpa.com.

 

STOCKHOLM, Sweden. (Oct. 4, 2023) – RECCO, manufacturer of rescue technology that makes backcountry travelers more searchable, has partnered with the American Institute for Avalanche Research and Education (AIARE) to support the institute’s Women’s Mentorship Program. The partnership will enhance AIARE instructor and student awareness of RECCO technology and how to incorporate the technology into safety planning for backcountry travel.

AIARE’s Women’s Mentorship Program, now in its third season, is a three-pronged community-focused program that aims to support women in avalanche education with opportunities and resources in order to grow and sustain careers. Women currently make up just 20% of AIARE instructors, and the organization’s mentorship program aims to increase representation and mentorship in a heavily male-dominated industry.

As supporting partner of the Women’s Mentorship Program, RECCO instructors will participate in a webinar for AIARE instructors, educating them on the RECCO system, which is made up of a Detector and a Rescue Reflector. Reflectors will also be sold in the AIARE online store.

“In order to stay as safe as possible in the backcountry, we want to educate our students about all tools that make them searchable in an emergency situation, both to their companions and professional rescue teams,” said AIARE Executive Director Vickie Hormuth. “Our partnership with RECCO helps to further our mission of saving lives through avalanche education.”

RECCO is well-known worldwide as an advanced technology that can help locate people in the case of avalanche burials. With the introduction of the brand’s helicopter-mounted detector in 2015, the RECCO system has grown into a tool to assist in four-season rescue operations to locate a range of outdoor users such as hikers, bikers, and runners.

“We’re excited to not only be able to support AIARE’s impressive ongoing avalanche education efforts, but specifically to support a program that helps get more women educators out in the field,” said Julia Granhed, head of marketing for RECCO.

The RECCO system is used worldwide at more than 900 ski resorts and mountain rescue organizations in 32 countries, including by top resorts and rescue organizations in the United States and Canada. Its reflectors are embedded into products from more than 150 outdoor gear brands such as Helly Hansen, POC, Patagonia, Black Diamond, and Arc’teryx.

About RECCO

RECCO® advanced rescue technology makes outdoor enthusiasts searchable to rescuers in case of an avalanche accident or when lost in the outdoors. The technology builds on a two-part radar system. Rescuers carry RECCO® detectors that send out search signals which are echoed by RECCO® reflectors, carried by the user. RECCO® detectors are used worldwide at more than 900 ski resorts and mountain rescue organizations in 32 countries. RECCO® reflectors are integrated into select apparel, helmets, protection gear and boots manufactured by more than 150 leading outdoor brands. RECCO AB was founded in 1983 in Sweden and is owned by its founder Magnus Granhed and the publicly traded investment company Traction AB (listed on OMX Nordic Exchange Stockholm). More info at recco.com.

 

SEATTLE (Oct. 2, 2023) — Building on its upward brand and sales trajectory over the last 12 years, Outdoor Research (OR), the Seattle-based manufacturer of leading outdoor apparel and gear, hired Felix del Toro as Senior Vice President of Product.

Stepping into the top product position at OR, del Toro brings more than three decades product leadership and apparel experience to his new role, including experience at brands ranging from Athleta and Lululemon to Fabletics, Calvin Klein and the Gap.

Most recently, del Toro worked as chief product officer at Athleta. He also worked as general manager of men’s product at Lululemon.

At Outdoor Research, del Toro will implement the merchandise expertise developed throughout a career in the apparel and design space to steer the growth and development of the OR’s product line. He will lead the design, materials and sustainability, sourcing, and product management teams, reporting to Outdoor Research President Roger Barton.

“Felix knows the power of a strong brand and having him step into this role will help us continue to unlock our potential,” Barton said. “He has demonstrated that he knows how to help well-established brands continue to grow by staying true to what made them successful in the first place, by listening to the unique needs of the consumer, and by shifting the internal mindset within an organization.”

Outside of work, del Toro is an accomplished endurance runner, having completed numerous marathons, contributing to his understanding of the need to build gear for functional usage as well as aesthetic appeal. He’s also an avid photographer focusing on both urban and natural settings, as well as climate change.

“I’m excited and inspired to join Outdoor Research — brand DNA, product quality, technical excellence, team and values powerfully come together to enable people of all skill levels to thrive outside,” del Toro said.

Del Toro’s hire follows the promotion earlier this year of three of its longtime department leaders to new brand leadership positions. Katarzyna Schoewe was promoted to Vice President Design and Product Innovation, Alex Lauver to Senior Director Materials Innovation and Sustainability, and Chris King to Vice President Brand Creative. Schoewe and Lauver will work closely with del Toro in his new role.

About Outdoor Research

Since 1981, Outdoor Research has created trusted apparel, accessories, and equipment for you to thrive outside. Our award-winning outdoor gear is meticulously researched and tested for outdoor enthusiasts and military users around the globe. Grounded in our values of curiosity, passion, innovation, collaboration, and community, we strive to create space for all in the outdoors. We celebrate wins outside at every level together with our ambassadors, non-profit partners, and employees. For more information, visit www.outdoorresearch.com.

 

 

 

[Kittery, ME, October 2, 2023]—Good To-Go, the award-winning dehydrated gourmet meal brand founded by Chef Jennifer Scism, has expanded its product line to include microwavable cups for grocery stores. Good To-Go’s microwavable cup meals are handcrafted with convenience and quality in mind. Now you can experience a meal created by an award-winning chef in the comfort of your own home, at work, or wherever life takes you.

“Our meals, while delicious, are larger in size than I wanted for lunch,” said Chef & Founder, Jennifer Scism. “I’ve been secretly making cups for years, taking unpacked Good To-Go meals and microwaving them with room temperature water, putting a lid over the bowl and waiting. I’ve always looked around in grocery stores for something similar, not just noodles and a spice packet in a cup but a real meal—something that will satisfy me for lunch. I realized that there wasn’t anything like it on the market. With the new cups, we’ve packaged four of our best-selling meals so folks can enjoy Good To-Go at home, work, school or anyplace they desire.”

The cups, made from 35% post-consumer recycled fiber, are available individually or in packs of eight. Prices start at $4.99 with offerings including Mushroom Risotto, Pad Thai, Pasta Marinara and Cuban Rice Bowl. Each meal can be made by adding water and popping in the microwave or adding boiling water and waiting several minutes. Customers can expect the same clean, recognizable ingredients they’ve come to trust in Good To-Go’s backpacking pouches.

“In 2014, Good To-Go reimagined what adventure meals could be,” said Matt Andrews, Good To-Go’s VP of Sales. “With high quality ingredients, international flavors, and exciting dishes designed by a chef, we set a new standard for dehydrated outdoor meals. Today, Good To-Go meals can be found in every outdoor store across the country but, not at your local supermarket. Grocers are constantly searching for exciting new products to bring to their customers and now we can offer a better instant meal than anything previously available. Once again, changing the paradigm of what to expect from an instant meal. Our customers love our meals in the backcountry because they’re innovative, interesting, delicious, and better for you than most other options. Now, they can enjoy the same quality meal in a smaller portion and quicker prep time at their desk, between classes, before practice, or anywhere their adventure takes them.”

Good To-Go’s cups are now available at www.goodto-go.com and select grocers.

Good To-Go was founded by Jennifer Scism in 2014 with a mission to elevate expectations of what trail food can taste like. Scism was an award-winning chef and long-time co-owner of Annisa, a Michelin-rated restaurant in New York’s Greenwich Village. Her career has long been focused on the importance of good food. She has cooked at NY Times 4-Star rated restaurants, traveled to over 20 countries studying regional foods, and along with her team from Annisa, beat Mario Batali on the TV Food Network’s Iron Chef program. It’s safe to say she knows good food. The brand has won multiple awards including three Backpacker Editors’ Choice, Backpacking Light’s Members Choice, and was named to Saveur Magazine’s The Saveur 100 list of favorite foods, people, places and things. Today, Good To-Go is sold in over 700 stores nationwide and in Canada. More info can be found at www.goodto-go.com. For media inquiries, please contact Kate Ketschek, kate@revolutionhousemedia.com.

 

{Dover, NH—October 2, 2023}—Achieving the highest warmth-to-weight ratio ever for a sleeping pad, NEMO’s newest product, Tensor™ Extreme Conditions, is a prime example of the award-winning brand’s commitment to building only gear that improves the adventure experience. Featuring NEMO’s patent-pending Apex™ baffle construction, Tensor EC represents a new chapter in backcountry sleeping pad innovation with an 8.5 R-value at only 16 ounces for the regular mummy size. This pad is the warmest, most insulating ultralight pad on the market, and remains the quietest pad in its class.

Backcountry enthusiasts looking for the lightest, warmest pad for year-round overnights now have an ideal option for their kit that only builds on the features that made NEMO’s Tensor series both award-winning and beloved. In addition to offering stable and noticeably quiet support for re-energizing sleep, Tensor Extreme Conditions is a half inch thicker for greater comfort; uses more durable, bluesign® approved materials to protect from terrain; and packs in enough insulating layers to combat the outdoor world’s harshest conditions.

“We continue to use low-stretch, die-cut trusses to eliminate springiness and provide the ideal mix of support and give,” said Luke Scotton, NEMO product developer. “But to achieve that sky-high R-value, the Apex™ system uses trapezoidal trusses to suspend four sheets of Thermal Mirror™ metallized film within each pad. Each sheet has a different sized slot, so they stack evenly without the need for welding. By eliminating welding, we’ve created the quietest and warmest insulated air pad on the market.”

Each layer of Thermal Mirror also reflects body heat back and helps block radiant heat to keep you warmer throughout the night, making Tensor Extreme Conditions 16% warmer than any air pad on the market. Like most NEMO pads, it includes a Vortex™ pump sack for fast, easy inflation when attached to the updated, cold weather–optimized Laylow™ valve.

The pad, which just received the international ISPO Award, is available at specialty retailers and on NEMO’s site now, offered in Regular Mummy (20” x 72”), Regular (20” x 72”), Regular Wide (25” x 72”) and Long Wide (25” x 76”). MSRP $249.95 – $279.95.

About NEMO

NEMO is a New Hampshire-based outdoor gear company known for creating award-winning products that are built to last, comfortable, and fun to use. Named one of Outside Magazine’s and Business New Hampshire’s Best Places to Work, NEMO has also been recognized as a small business leader for the environment by New Hampshire Businesses for Social Responsibility. NEMO’s reputation for design innovation across its product lines—tents, sleeping bags, sleeping pads, camp accessories, and furniture—is an outgrowth of its design philosophy to never bring anything to market that doesn’t offer a meaningfully better experience. NEMO’s team of designers and engineers are motivated by a passion for outdoor adventure and sustainability.

Adventure Anywhere. Adventure for Anyone. Adventure Forever.™

 

 

London/Elkton, MD, October 2, 2023 – W. L. Gore & Associates (Gore) has announced that the consumer business of its Fabrics Division has launched a new GORE-TEX Brand campaign for the Autumn/Winter 2023 season.

The AW23 campaign, the first with new global creative agency TCO London, highlights the GORE-TEX brand’s continued commitment to innovation and responsible performance by showcasing the durability of new GORE-TEX products with ePE membrane.

Products featuring the GORE-TEX Brand ePE membrane offer durably waterproof, windproof, and breathable performance; are light, thin yet strong; have a reduced carbon impact (per Higg MSI) and are PFC Free*. These products are made for consumers to experience life’s adventures and to help create unforgettable moments while offering the reliable performance expected from the GORE-TEX Brand.

TCO London developed the campaign to champion the human story behind the brand by highlighting people and their stories that celebrate the GORE-TEX Brand promise of ‘Going Further, Together’.

Spearheaded by a 45-second film directed by Arthur Couvat and produced by TCO, the campaign captures the brand’s essence through inspiring, documentary-style visuals that range from bustling London streets to wild Icelandic landscapes. Photography was captured by Pim Rinkes.

The campaign storytelling is shared through the perspective of nine people who have a personal connection to the outdoors. The cast were selected by TCO through its editorial networks, with a focus on capturing the diversity of both the activities and the communities.

“This campaign showcases our story of expanding the boundaries of performance, comfort, and sustainability while demonstrating the versatile nature of our products,” said Marc Bock, Global Content Leader for the GORE-TEX Brand. “We’ve highlighted people who use and enjoy GORE-TEX products in recognition of the ever-growing and changing communities who rely on us in the outdoors.”

Simon Baker, TCO London Managing Director, said: “As an owner-managed and fully independent agency with roots in sport, we are proud to partner with a brand who shares our ambition to elevate the role of the outdoors in culture and to build on the GORE-TEX Brand’s position as a leader in sustainable performance. In our first campaign, we have applied our publisher-agency model to appeal to both core fans, and a new generation of consumers, who are discovering the outdoors for the first time.”

Kerry Summers, Global Marketing Leader for Gore Consumer Fabrics, added: “Our GORE-TEX brand and products are widely loved and admired, and we are confident that through this campaign and those to come, with TCO’s roots in culture, its global network and its strengths in sustainability and DEI, we’ll build more of these connections. It’s fitting that this first work delivers our brand promise of ‘Going Further, Together,’ because we share the perspective that the outdoors should be comfortably enjoyed by everyone, everywhere, today and in the future.”

* The new ePE membrane and all laminates it’s built into are “PFC-free” and advance the Fabrics Division’s goal of being free of PFCs of Environmental Concern over the lifecycle of our consumer products.

Media Resources:

Link to campaign hero film on YouTube: https://youtu.be/_SNTGL21YVM (directed by Arthur Couvat)

Link to campaign landing page on www.gore-tex.com: https://www.gore-tex.com/new-products