EXECUTIVE CHANGES

+++ To further grow the Red Bull SPECT eyewear brand in the U.K., sales representative Sean Ashby, who has been in the apparel and accessories trade for more than 16 years and worked for various brands such as Dolce & Gabbana, Armani, Michael Kors and O’Neill, has joined the U.K. Red Bull SPECT team

+++ Following last November’s announcement, Kathmandu Holding has now confirmed that Friday, April 9, was former group CEO Xavier Simonet’s last day with the company; Simonet’s leadership team will report to the chairman, David Kirk, during the period before a new group CEO takes over

+++ Industry veteran Heinz Zingsheim has been on the road for German backpack specialist Deuter as a field sales representative in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia since Oct. 1, 2020

+++ The Lycra Company has appointed Yafu Qiu, to date chairman of the company, and Julien Born, chief commercial officer of the company, as co-CEOs, effective April 1, 2021, following the retirement of David Trerotola

+++ Saucony, a division of Wolverine Worldwide, has announced the appointment of Fábio Tambosi, former global head of brand, planning and activation for the sports performance categories at Adidas and brand director for Nike Football, as chief marketing officer, effective immediately +++

 

PRODUCT

+++ Rossignol is launching a brand new summer line of products and apparel for trail running, hiking and trekking

+++ CMP has introduced the Glow in the dark jacket, ideally designed for the nighttime activity of cyclists and runners, as it is equipped with a phosphorescent compound – inside the fabric – that absorbs, stores and releases light when in the dark

+++ California-based Sena Technologies, a global Bluetooth® communications solutions company for the powersports and outdoor sports markets, has introduced the Rumba, a new helmet for cyclists, skaters and anyone looking for some casual street style and technology along with their protection, with Sena communications technology integrated directly into the helmet, providing 2-way Bluetooth intercom and smartphone pairing for music, GPS, phone calls and more

+++ South Korean brand Helinox, maker of ultra-lightweight and small-packing outdoor and camping furniture, has once again teamed up with Carhartt Work In Progress (WIP) for a joint limited edition consisting of two Carhartt garment-inspired models, the Valiant 4 Tactical Chair and Valiant 4 Tactical Table, available with the spring/summer 2021 collection

+++ Garmont’s iconic Dragontail product family sees the introduction of two new styles for 2021 with the waterproof Dragontail G-Dry approach and light trekking shoe and the redesigned water repellent, lightweight and breathable Dragontail, both available for men and women

+++ Noble Biomaterials, a U.S. developer of antimicrobial and conductivity solutions for soft surface applications, has released a new silver-based, self-cleaning, odor-eliminating fabric finish called Ionic+ Durable that it claims to be an effective, expedient way to deliver antimicrobial benefits +++

 

MARKETING

+++ To celebrate the 30th anniversary of its Mythos climbing shoe, La Sportiva has launched a photo contest with a nostalgic flavor that, starting with its ambassadors, ”collects, narrates and rewards the stories of our vertical myths”

+++ La Sportiva is the main sponsor of the Villacidro Skyrace, a trail running event on the Italian island of Sardinia, whose fourth edition will take place on April 25, to coincide with Italy’s Liberation Day and a national holiday

+++ Rewoolution, the Italian activewear brand, will be the technical sponsor of Simone Perona in his venture as the first Italian athlete with an intellectual disability to take part in the BI-Ultra 6.24 24-hour ultramarathon

+++ Polaris Inc., best known for its off-road and snow motor vehicles, is once again joining forces with International Female Ride Day (IFRD) to empower women of all experience levels around the world to “Just Ride!” on Saturday, May 1, in celebration of the 15th annual global event +++

 

LEGAL & INSTITUTIONAL

+++ To help everyone “Respect the Wild,” the British Mountaineering Council (BMC) has launched a new series of advice codes and films that reveal the secrets to sustainable and successful outdoor trips

+++ Mountain Hardwear announced its 2021 non-profit partnerships, which will span the course of one year, to include long-time allies American Alpine Club and American Mountain Guides Association (AMGA), and new additions, Protect Our Winters (POW) and YES Nature to Neighborhoods

+++ The U.S. Outdoor Industry Association said it welcomes a new bill based on the framework outlined in President Biden’s American Jobs Plan announced on March 31 that provides $10 billion to create a Civilian Climate Corps (direct file download) +++

 

CSR & SUSTAINABILITY

+++ Kahtoola, an Arizona-based creator of footwear spikes, crampons and gaiters, announced its “Kahtoola for the People” grant program has awarded $28,000 during the first quarter to recipients including Zanskar Films, Esperanca, One New Education and Elevate Nepal

+++ To celebrate Earth Month and the planet’s seas, Zeal Optics is kicking off its 2nd annual “Shades For Seas” campaign and will clean 93 square meters of coastline for a year from locations around the globe with the purchase of every pair of sunglasses, goggles or accessory lenses sold globally in April

+++ Bajio, a U.S.-based maker of blue-light filtering sustainable performance sunglasses built to save saltwater flats around the world, is partnering with Emerger Strategies and the Fly Fishing Climate Alliance to calculate its carbon footprint and provide a pathway to carbon neutrality

+++ Throughout Earth Month, April 2021, Igloo will donate 100 percent of profits from a special selection of products sold on the U.S. website igloocoolers.com to Keep America Beautiful®, the leading community improvement nonprofit organization in the U.S. +++

 

RETAIL

+++ U.S. retail chain Dick’s Sporting Goods is opening its first Dick’s House of Sport, a new concept store in Victor, New York, featuring an array of hands-on activity areas such as a 1,600-square-foot outdoor turf field, a running track, a climbing wall, a batting cage with HitTrax technology, golf tees with TrackMan simulators a putting green, the company’s first “House of Cleats” where products will rotate, a health and wellness area to help customers relax and feel good, and a consolidated service area for breaking in gloves, stringing lacrosse bats and building/repairing bikes +++