Over the past 34 years, the Canadian brand with a namesake fossil logo has developed a reputation for highly-technical performance gear and steep price tags. Few will argue: Arc’teryx has developed a reputation for top-tier ski gear by creating a damn good product with timeless style and durability. But historically, it’s been a brand built by a predominantly male snow design team and athlete squad. But all that changed when Chief Creative Officer Katie Becker joined Arc’teryx.

“I say everybody has a masculine-feminine side to them, no matter how they identify,” says Chief Creative Officer Katie Becker. “But this brand has been very masculine focused in how we build product, tell stories, and choose past ambassadors and athletes. I think a feminine mindset was lacking in there.”

When Becker hopped on board with Arc’teryx in 2020, she immediately noticed that the brand used an old-school shape for all women’s apparel. “It was this very hourglass fit,” says Becker. “The brand was aging, our female consumer was aging, and we weren’t being relevant to the needs of women.”

So, Arc’teryx found a new mindset. Skiers with a keen eye may already notice changes in this season’s ski kits, such as extended sizing in bottoms ranging from 00-16 while simultaneously moving its products into numerical sizing rather than generalities like “small,” “medium,” and “large.” They’re also offering a modern, slightly looser fit on new products like the Sentinel jacket while existing styles like the Alpha and Beta jackets also saw a slightly relaxed fit. While designing ski apparel for women who don’t have tiny waists and wide hips was a great place to start, it is only part of the solution. Becker says Arc’teryx needed to focus inwards, beginning with the snow design team. In the past, the four designers who made up the male and female snow teams were typically men. But as of 2021, it’s been a quartet of women. And, Arc’teryx took a look at their athlete team. From 2020-2023, they added 50 percent more female athletes, bringing the tally to 21 women on the 48-person squad.

“It’s pretty magical and special,” says Ashley Anson, senior director, and designer for the brand. “Outdoor design—especially ski and snowboard outerwear and technical products—is male-dominated. That’s why this is so amazing because everybody’s had to fight a little bit to get there.”

Anson and her team of designers got to work on the fit problem, using Arc’teryx ambassadors and athletes like Spencer O’Brien as sounding boards. It makes sense: Not only did O’Brien win gold in slopestyle at the 2013 FIS Snowboarding World Championships, but she is also a five-time Winter X-Games medalist, so she knows a thing or two about what she wants in ski gear. As they worked, Anson began to see a common thread among the athletes: no one agreed. At one point, she remembers a standoff in a meeting room between two women, both with careers as professional snowsport athletes needing the same product but in complete disagreement over the best-fit choice to get there. It was her lightbulb moment.

“We’d been focusing on the pinnacle to the point where there were no options left,” Anson says. “We realized you can still create specialized, pinnacle product, but you have to create variation.”

Bottom line: People like options; frankly, women’s bodies need them. All ski jackets and pants will eventually be available in three fit choices: fitted, regular, and relaxed, and skiers can choose them based on fit and style preference. This will begin in Fall 2023 with the Sentinel kit offered in a relaxed fit. Fall 2024 will bring even more options with varied fits and modernized style silhouettes.

“Redesign is so important because we can always do better and be better,” says O’Brien. “There aren’t only small-medium-large bodies, so to have the ability to really choose a size that works for me was eye-opening. It improved the functionality of my gear.”

Beyond fit, Anson and her team also dedicated countless hours to improving the technical performance of the women’s products, including thermoregulation. Data tells us that women run cold, so a “shrink it and pink it” approach from men’s gear often leads to a subpar performance for women. “If you can control the perception of being cold in certain areas, it will keep you warmer,” Anson explains, noting that extra insulation along the tops of hands (in mittens), wrists, and necks does a lot to keep women comfortable. The design team also dug into sweat mapping, a critical element for backcountry skiers since women sweat less and have thinner skin. “A man will go full vents, open it up and dump all this heat,” she says. “Women are not the same. We might need to let a little out, but we’re not at that same level of heating up uncomfortably.”

Still, it all comes back to choice, says Anson. “Many of our male-identifying athletes buy the women’s [gear] because they run cold. We’re not saying one person should buy one or the other.”

She notes that Arc’teryx has even played around with terms to describe the best-use case of a product without a men’s or women’s label, potentially opening the door to a future when apparel is genderless and only delineated based on fit and performance capabilities.

Anson and her crew at Arc’teryx rely heavily on data from their male and female athlete teams and traditionally-sourced science. However, she is the first to admit that creating products for every body is difficult—particularly regarding naming conventions for nonbinary or transgender skiers.

“While we design for female needs, we know demands range beyond male and female,” Anson says. “We’re constantly thinking about gender-neutral concepts and ways to serve every individual and body type, especially in the snow space.”

There is still a long road between here and there, but Arc’teryx is the first to admit that they are beginning the journey. The ski kits launching this fall are just the next step in the ever-shifting process of improving their women’s line—for whoever wants to wear it.

“Nobody has gotten it right,” says Becker. “But it’s our goal as a brand to get there.”

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It’s a Saturday afternoon in early December and the Treehouse Kids șÚÁÏłÔčÏÍű Center at Colorado’s Aspen Snowmass resort is filled with nearly 250 bobble-headed kids, clunking around in colorful helmets, snowsuits, and ski boots that nearly reach their knees. Like sorcerers, the outnumbered adult instructors herd the childrenÌęinto ability-appropriate groups before whisking them away for their first day of lessons in the Aspen Valley Ski & Snowboard Club’s (AVSC) seasonal youth ski programming.

According to the National Ski Areas Association, which represents more than 300 alpine resorts in the U.S., skier participation has seen a gradual decline for the past two decades as baby boomers hang up their planks. The problem: younger populations aren’t backfilling the losses. Some blame the sport’s all-time high cost for the drop off, while others point to additional hurdles to participation.ÌęWith climate change-related drought conditions making it doubly hard for resorts to operate at capacity, we’re looking at a precipitous moment for winter’s favorite pastime.

That’s where organizations like AVSC slide in. Ski nonprofits are gaining momentum nationwide in an attempt to steer kids back onto the slopes by making skiing more affordable and accessible to families. These groups work hard to reach the communities surrounding resorts, whereÌęblue-collar workers often live. On the surface, kids are just learning to slide on snow, but there is a lot more going on.

“When you help a kid do something that is so inherently part of that culture, you’re able to help them feel like they belong,” says Jennifer Wolfrom-Holladay, the executive director at youth skiing nonprofit Coombs Outdoors in Jackson, Wyoming.

Skiing also instills an awareness of climate change in kids. I’m pretty sure I was still eating crayons when I was 12, but teens like Aspen-based Bodhi Yang are already considering the potentially grim future of their sport. Yang began skiing with AVSC when he was 3 years old. Now 16 and a junior in high school, heÌęmade a documentary called “,” highlighting the plight Gen Z will face as climate change continues.

“I made that connection between what I’m experiencing on the snow and what I’m learning about in school,” Yang says. “It makes me feel less than hopeful about how much good skiing I have left.”

It’s a somber realization, especially coming from a teenager. But it’s also laced with optimism that today’s youth will be invaluable contributors to climate action. The retiring boomers couldn’t be the change we needed, but these kids have grown up chatting about melting glaciers with their friends in the cafeteria. It’s this level of awareness and acceptance from those most impacted that will lead to sustainable change.

Of course, sorcery isn’t real. Few kids live in ski towns, and there’s limited funding available to drive kids to the slopes. This means winter sports are still out of reach for most kids across the country, regardless of snowpack levels. Even with these programs, many families still can’t afford the cost.

But for every kid who gets hooked on their first powder day, it’s a start. Here are five nonprofits introducing winter sports to kids across the country.

Aspen Valley Ski Club

Aspen, CO

Founded in 1937, is the largest youth nonprofit in Colorado’sÌęRoaring Fork Valley. Its recreational skiing division, called Aspen Supports Kids (ASK), offers lessons to kids as young as three and a half and as old as 18. Most lesson packages include 7 or 8 days on snow spread over two months, taught by Aspen Snowmass ski instructors at Buttermilk, Snowmass, or Highlands.

It’s by no means the most affordable youth program out there—lesson packages cost between $500 and $1,000—but scholarships are available, largely funded by the wealth from glitzy Aspen (private donations contribute most of the funding, while some comes from local events like the Audi Ajax Cup). About one-third of participants receive scholarships to cover tuition costs, and many lesson packages include lunch and transportation.

Some kids in the program live as far away as Silt, a small community 60 miles from Aspen. Last season, AVSC offered nine buses with volunteer chaperones to shuttle kids back and forth. This also helps increase diversity in the sport: 22 percent of AVSC participants last season identified as skiers of color.

“Neutralizing valley boundaries is so cool,” says Meredith Elwell, director of ASK.Ìę

Sky Tavern Junior Ski Program

Reno, NV

If you live near Reno, likes to say that your neighbor learned to ski here. The Sky Tavern Junior Ski Program claims to be the oldest and largest volunteer-run ski schoolÌęin the United States. Everyone, from the ski instructors to the cooks, chips in their work for free—and they pay to do it. Each person or family contributes a varying fee in exchange for eight weekends onsite. For kids, this averages out to roughly $311 per season, while parents and other volunteers contribute $40-291 in addition to their duties as support members, bus supervisors, and instructors. It’s an unorthodoxÌędesign, but it seems to work: Sky Tavern has funneled over 100,000 kids through the program since its inception in 1948.

Coombs Outdoors

Jackson, Wyoming

was founded in 2012 by Emily Coombs, the wife of late American skier Doug Coombs. While watching her son recreate in Jackson, Coombs noticed the economic disparity among kids in the Teton Valley, most especially those from Latinx families.

“We see a lack of generational knowledge,” says Wolfrom-Holladay. “Their parents don’t ski or they’re first generation here and don’t see a lot of people who look or speak like them on the slopes. There aren’t a lot of Spanish resources at ski resorts.”

Today, Coombs Outdoors has almost 400 kids spread throughout their three ski divisions. The beginner program at Snow King Mountain Resort, dubbed Learn to Ski, is where most participants get their ski legs through weekly, season-long lessons. Tuition is $150 per year, including season rentals and season passes to the ski hill. But the pricing is flexible: families pay what they can.

Nathan Espejel, 16, started with Coombs when he was in the fifth grade. He says he has noticed the ski season getting shorter every year, which makes him consider alternatives. “I’ve seen those malls that have ski resorts inside of them, and I wonder if that’s what it will be like when I’m older,” he says. “It’s cool now but it bums me out. It’s the same run over and over again.”

Mt. Abram Ski Club Youth Pass Program

Greenwood, ME

It takes a village to make skiing affordable, and the collaboration between Maine’s Mt. Abram Ski Club (MASC), Friends of Mt. Abram (FOMA), and Mt. Abram Ski Area is a quintessential trifecta. In its second season, the collaboration provides Ìęfor local children ages 6-15 who attend one of a handful of area schools. Beginning this winter, kids 16 and older can earn a pass by opting into a workforce development program where they work 10 hours per week as lifties, ski patrollers, ticket agents, and more.

According to Zach McCarthy, director of marketing for the ski area, the median annual income for Oxford County (home of Mt. Abram) is $25,421, while a weekend of skiing costs $1.000 for a family of four. Local families have been priced out, and this program aims to change that. “Skiing is about more than going downhill on skis,” McCarthy says. “It’s an avenue to the outdoors and friendships.

Whaleback Mountain After-School Program

Enfield, NH

It’s a season of under-the-lights ski lessons. That’s what participants in Whaleback Mountain’s get when they sign up to spend their evenings on the ski hill.

Each year, just under 500 kids from roughly ten schools take advantage of Whaleback’s evening lights for a six-week program. Once school dismisses, participants hop on buses that bring them from school to Whaleback. The program costs $85 for weekly 90-minute sessions, or $150 if the student needs a season pass (required for participation). Financial aid is also available, and executive director Jon Hunt notes that any family who has requested assistance over the last three years has received it.

Austin, Addie, and Harper Irwin grew up in the Whaleback program and they don’t want those powder days to disappear. “We don’t get the snow days at school anymore,” 13-year-old Austin says. “It has made me realize that if there is no change, I could lose something I love.” His 12-year-old sister Addie nods alongside him.

But it’s Harper, age 7, who has the plan. “I think we should show other kids how much fun it is to ski so when they grow up, they will show their own kids,” she says. “That makes everyone love it like me.”

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When Zoe Bommarito first opened the TikTok app with the new National Forest Foundation (NFF) account, she had no idea what she was doing. As NFF’s then marketing manager, she thought the short-form video-sharing platform could be useful for outreach (she left the job last December). Within two weeks, a basic reel she posted went viral and she awoke to 25,000 followers overnight.

Just over a year later, that number has more than doubled to 62,000. “In the last few years, our audiences have stagnated on Facebook and Instagram, so that kind of growth was unprecedented for us,” Bommarito said. “Right away we realized that TikTok is a powerful tool.”

Founded in 2017, TikTok is projected to surpass 1.5 billion active users by the end of 2022. In just five years, that’s 50 percent more users than Instagram reported in its first eight years. This despite counter-efforts from giants like Google and Meta (formerly known as Facebook), which tried to mimic TikTok by adding similar features, like Instagram Reels.

In fact, TikTok has seen 43 percent growth since competitors launched the copycats. The secret: unfiltered creativity that’s low on pretense, high on fun. Think recording features like green screen, duet mode, a “stitch” option to incorporate other users’ content, and a wide array of music for business accounts. These are the underpinnings of a platform that thrives on originality and imagination rather than perfectly curated (read: misleadingly flawless) photos.

While compelling, the data only tell half the story. The second piece of the app’s power lies in its massive social influence, so strong that McDonald’s tapped a trending TikTok personality to help reimagine its iconic logo for a digital rebranding. And once-struggling late-’90s “it” brands like Abercrombie & Fitch have enjoyed a recent renaissance thanks to Gen Z TikTok activity hyping up nostalgic trends.

In fact, a bulk of the country’s 2021 viral trends (alternately hilarious, dangerous, and highly inadvisable TikTok challenges) originate on the app, and a majority of users prefer TikTok’s “For You” feed to Instagram’s “Discovery” tab since it provides a more customized layout.

Yet a quick glance shows that the outdoor industry is sorely missing from the platform. Sure, you can find some brands with a cursory search, but not many post on a regular basis—if at all—and follower numbers are lackluster.

Salomon is one of the few actively using TikTok. As the ski/hike/run brand’s global head of social media, Adrien Marchand, said, “A lot of people still think it’s the app for teenagers who like to dance in their parents’ living room.” But in just nine months, Salomon has accrued more than 109,000 followers and amassed more than 2 million engagements.

By contrast, the brand’s Instagram account boasts a million followers but saw 10 percent fewer engagements during the same time period. While follower counts look good on the surface, engagement metrics (likes, shares, comments) are a better indication of a brand’s success.

With both Gen Z and millennial audiences dubbing Instagram too staged, TikTok’s adoption of on-the-fly, unretouched moments as its bread-and-butter content offers outdoor entities a golden ticket to reach younger audiences who want to adventure when, where, and how they want, scenery and Insta-worthiness be damned.

Said Bommarito: “TikTok values authenticity.” Still need convincing? The hashtag #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt has reached more than seven billion video views. “Show up and live your brand values,” she said. “The organic growth will follow.”

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We get it: skiing is the best. But you know what is the worst? Sucking fumes in the bumper-to-bumper ski traffic that has become the norm for many mountain communities. When combined with the top-shelf lift ticket prices during peak resort season, a snowsport vacation for your family begins to sound less than ideal.Ìę

But wait! There is a way to create those snowy memories at home and without the hassle of heading to the hills. We put our ski helmets together to come up with a list of ways that your family can still enjoy a picture-perfect winter getaway–without ever leaving your own community.

Build a Backyard Terrain Park

When there’s a will, there is a way. And, if you have a little snow, a couple PVC pipes, and a lot of gumption, you can cobble together a bonafide mini terrain park in your own backyard. First, take a gander at the topography of your property to find a small hill worthy of dropping into the features. Is your terrain flatter than a pancake? Don’t sweat it; you can build your own ramp with some snow and a shovel. Add in a couple of kickers (small mounds of snow) and you’ve got a solid start. Pro tip: If your daily temperature lows stay below freezing, pour some water on the ramp to keep it icy and frozen. If you’re working with wet, slushy snow and warmer temps above freezing, mix in a little salt to ensure the take-off stays nice and fast. When you’re ready to level-up the experience, build a basic rail with a PVC pipe that will last all season.Ìę

Ski the Green Space

For families looking to get their little groms on sticks sooner rather than later, skiing the local parks is actually better than heading to any ski resort. Bundle the kiddos up in warm winter layers like the before heading to a community green space with varied terrain, including a long, flat section. If it is your kiddo’s first time, encourage them to wear only one ski and use the other booted foot to paddle around the flat space. When they find that balance, add the second ski and practice shuffling. Then, graduate your kiddo up to the small hills in the park. Just don’t forget a sled: Our experience tells us that kids love the downhills but parents do most of the climbing.

Choose the Perfect Sledding Hill

The fun doesn’t end when your little ripper’s ski legs grow tired. Sledding is one of the best ways for families to enjoy a cold winter day. First things first: grab a proper sled like , originally designed to slide at commercial tubing parks so you know it’s built for a good time. Then, take a look at your area and evaluate the best hill for the adventure. It’s important to make sure your chosen hill is legal (because yes, sledding is not allowed everywhere!) Beyond that, keep your child’s safety in mind. Make sure there is an adequate run-out at the bottom of the hill so no one needs to abruptly stop. Scan the hillside for any obstructions that may cause harm like trees or rocks, or even large crowds of people. Once you’ve covered those bases, it’s time to slide.

Snowman + ŽĄ±è°ùĂšČő

You jibbed; you sledded; you even finangled your kid onto their first pair of skis. That’s enough merriment to tire out even the most enthusiastic of winter lovers, but the fun isn’t over yet. Wrap up your backyard vacation with a time-honored tradition: building the best snowman your kids have ever seen. Go big: use wooden boards to roll massive snowballs on top of each other to begin the process. Use old clothes to gussy Frosty’s appearance, and then raid the fridge to do a little decorating. Tomato slices make great eyeballs and carrots or celery stalks work well for the nose. If you have a few red-and-white peppermint candies hanging around, add those for cheeks; the red dye will leak into the snow and create a rosy complexion. Once you’re done, cozy up the kids in their and admire your work with an end-of-vacation Čč±è°ùĂšČő session laden with hot cocoa and marshmallows.

Vacation never looked so good.

Since 1912, has been helping people spend more time outside with high-quality outdoor gear and apparel that makes it easier to take longer walks, have deeper talks and never worry about the weather. Because being outside brings out the best in us.

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For many new parents, attending Outdoor Retailer comes at a cost: leaving your kiddos behind. But, for Tessa Byars, the PR and communications manager at Patagonia, it was as easy as climbing into the cab of a truck.

“Our daughter was six months so my husband joined,” Byars recalled. “They adventured around Salt Lake and went to the Children’s Museum and climbed the hotel stairs hundreds of times. When she felt hungry, he would bring her by the Salt Palace and I’d use the Worn Wear truck cab in the booth as a nursing station.”

Byars credited Patagonia’s travel assist program for the easy transition. If an employee is traveling for work, the company will pay for a childcare professional (or parent) to travel with the employee. But not all working parents have such a generous employer policy.

Parenthood has seen a dynamic shift in the status quo over the past 50 years. Gone are the days where the majority of moms stay at home with the children. Instead, modern women like Byars have been opting to join the workforce, pulling double duty as both mother and employee.

In fact, the numbers are staggering: today, nearly 70 percent of mothers work, compared to less than half in 1975. And, fathers are chipping in on the parenting too. In the 1960s, stay-at-home dads were virtually unheard of, but now, nearly 7 percent of fathers take care of the children. Single parenting is also on the rise: 34 percent of children are now raised by a solo parent.

However, the U.S. childcare system has not evolved as quickly as our familial beliefs. With childcare costs around the country rising to nearly triple what they were in 1990 (surpassing the rate of inflation), recent data shows that infant care now exceeds the average four-year public college tuition in 33 states. For families living on a single minimum-wage salary, this means childcare costs nearly exceed their annual income.

Unfortunately, this comes at a time when women are becoming mothers later in life, so entry-level parents are farther along in their careers than a few decades ago. What this means: we’re losing experienced and qualified candidates because they are forced to choose between family and career.

Increase Employee Retention with Onsite Childcare

In its 36th year, Patagonia’s onsite childcare is a model worth replicating. The concept came about in 1983 when founder Malinda Chouinard parked a trailer with a babysitter in front of the building for employee, Jennifer Ridgeway. At the time, Chouinard was merely helping a friend, but the concept grew wings. The following year, a room in the back of the building replaced the trailer.

Today, the program at Patagonia’s headquarters in Ventura, California, has more than 150 children and offers an after-school program, in addition to the travel assist policy.

“It sounds like I’m bragging but the program is truly remarkable,” said Byars, who has two children in the program. “I’ve learned just about everything I know about parenting from the teachers who are experts in early childhood education.”

In 2017, the brand doubled down at its Reno distribution warehouse by opening the newly-expanded Truckee River Child Development Center. The warehouse employs more than 550 people. Thanks to Truckee River, all of the parents now have care for their children until they begin kindergarten.

Naturally, onsite childcare is a morally easy choice for employers. But, Patagonia’s data shows that it is financially logical, too.

According to Dean Carter, the vice president of human resources, the cost of onsite childcare at headquarters is roughly $1 million annually, after revenues (or tuition fees) are collected from families paying on a sliding scale based on local market value for full-time childcare. Patagonia evaluates each family’s household income to establish a fair tuition.

Of that amount, a whopping 91 percent is recouped through tax credits and deductions, employee retention, and employee engagement. This does not include intangibles like a trusting workplace culture or unsurpassed employee loyalty.

Other companies estimate that 25 to 35 percent of postpartum mothers never return to work, but Patagonia sees 100 percent retention in new moms. According to the company, turnover costs (lost productivity, training time, recruitment, and relocation) amount to 150 percent of a person’s base salary.

So ultimately it costs them roughly $90,000 a year to retain workers with families and increase morale.

“Family is very integrated into our workplace culture,” said Byars. “It’s fine if you need to leave a meeting to nurse or bring in your sleeping baby in a car seat. I’ve even worked countless hours from my car when my kids were little and fell asleep on the way to school. Everyone expects you to take care of your family first and knows that you will get your work done.”

And, even better: these recouping strategies apply to all business, large and small.

Small Business Solutions for Families

Of course, smaller businesses may not have the resources of larger companies like Patagonia, but there are still practical strategies employers of all sizes can utilize to support working parents.

1. Increase flexibility. With stringent childcare hours and ever-shifting health needs for kiddos, a flexible schedule is one of the best benefits a business can offer a postpartum parent. Allowing employees to begin and end their work day early so they can make an afternoon doctor’s visit may not seem like much, but to the parent stressing about time management, that simple swap can mean everything.
2. Offer parental leave. Providing more (or any) paid maternity leave is a godsend, but don’t forget about the fathers, too. Paternity leave gives families time to gel, but research shows that it also increases the strength of familial bonds over time. If ample parental leave is impossible for a small business, consider allowing part-time or work-from-home options to ease the transition back into the working world.

Above all else, remember that it takes a village. Companies that support working parents will receive invaluable employee loyalty, and that is a benefit that cannot be bought.

“Patagonia has made it so easy to integrate my work life and family life; I get to have the best of both worlds,” said Byars. “There is a reason we all come back to work after kids.”

What would your business look like with a 100 percent retention rate of parents?

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This year marks Mountain Hardwear’s 25th anniversary, but that’s not the only major milestone for the brand: with its Spring 2019 line of redesigned and new tents, it becomes the largest player in U.S. tents to completely eliminate toxic fire-retardant chemicals from its shelters—for good.

“One of our core values is environmental optimism, and we evaluated where we could do better,” said president Joe Vernachio. “Fire retardancy chemicals rose to the top. We don’t like them in the finished product, but we’re more concerned about the workers who have to apply them.”

That’s because common flame retardant compounds have been linked to a host of serious health issues. A 2016 Duke University study found that the chemicals used in backpacking tents have direct links to cancer, altered hormone function, and neurological problems. Exposure doesn’t take much, either: the scientists detected flame retardants in the air inside the tents and on the hands of volunteers who set them up.

Still, the vast majority of camping and backpacking tents on the market are doused in the stuff, in large part thanks to a 1972 standard by the Canvas Products Association International known as CPAI84. Created to address the fire risk in large event tents, the standard (which is adopted by individual states, not federally mandated) grew out of a 1944 circus tent fire that killed 167 and injured 700. The scope broadened in the ’80s to include all tents, including camping shelters. Currently, California, New Jersey, Louisiana, Minnesota, and Canada adhere to the standard—and because California is such a huge market, brands often follow its regulations for all their products.

So Mountain Hardwear’s stand is a bold move: by nixing fire retardants, the brand can’t legally sell its tents in those places.

Mountain Hardwear hopes the move will inspire the rest of the market to follow suit. But the choice isn’t as simple for smaller brands, which might not have the financial ability to remove individual states from their distribution systems.

Some larger brands have been working on the problem since 2015, when the Outdoor Industry Association (OIA) formed a working group with companies like Big Agnes, MSR, and NEMO. This OIA Flame Retardant Task Force aims to update the standards to better reflect the 21st century, or better yet, match the European standards that don’t require such chemicals at all. But as with all legal changes, the red tape is time consuming and costly. “Regulations that have been on the books for a long time are almost harder to remove because there is an inherent fear of the risk,” said Jessie Curry, manager of sustainable business practices at OIA. (As of May 2019, Health Canada was also in the process of updating its regulations).

In the meantime, Mountain Hardwear is forging ahead (joining FjĂ€llrĂ€ven and NEMO, which both also offer tents without flame retardants). “I understand that any majority tent brand is likely to look at the risk and say ‘I might go out of business if people don’t come along,’” Vernachio said. “But I’m a firm believer of core values, regardless of the result. To effect change, someone has to take the risk to lead.”

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A relative newcomer to the outdoor scene walks into a brick-and-mortar retailer in search of a waterproof jacket to bring on his first big backpacking trip with friends. He finds the gear intimidating and the prices shocking, but thankfully, an educated staff member explains the importance of proper equipment above tree line. Moreover, he walks out of the store clutching his new purchase along with product samples and the know-how to care for and maintain his investment for years to come. That’s time well spent, and certainly an experience that can’t be bought online. And, Nikwax is doing their part to make sure consumers can continue to interface with experts by supporting their retailers.

Brick-and-mortar retailers are facing unprecedented upheaval with the growth of the online marketplace. But, there is plenty to celebrate: in 2017, 90 percent of retail sales were handled with in-store transactions. In order to accommodate the influx of customers, the United States retail industry employed upwards of 13 million people in the same year. Unfortunately, this is complicated by a 35 percent turnover rate that amounts to $19 billion in costs to hire and train new employees. Since engaged employees are paramount to a positive customer experience, it’s imperative that retailers find new ways to train staff and educate consumers on site.

Nikwax has some ideas and they are garnering successful results.

Get Employees’ Hands on Products

Increasing sell-through of products starts with ensuring staff fully understand what they are selling. Many brands resort to videos and quizzes that employees are asked to view and complete during their work breaks adding stress to their jobs and decreasing effectiveness of learning. Nikwax has a better solution: experiential education.

“Retail staff are a critical resource for shops,” said Heidi Allen, Nikwax VP of marketing. “Their expertise elevates a retail store above the online experience. However, we found that traditional online training methods can be burdensome for the retail staff. We wanted to get them the tools they need to become product experts into their hands as fast as possible.”

Nikwax created their ‘Feel the Love’ kit to be given to staff members to encourage and enhance training. The kits include samples of Tech Wash and TX.Direct (wash-in cleaner and waterproofing), an educational booklet, and a card with information about where to go to learn more and how to sign up for monthly incentives. In short, Nikwax gives employees free product to use and experience for themselves which better equips them to educate potential customers. Once they are initially trained, staff members get continued support with monthly emails containing deals, incentives, and access to new products to continue their education.

Educating Consumers Is Just as Important

Nikwax also launched seasonal retail kits that include a variety of tools to help customers learn about the proper care after purchase. One of the bigger success stories from these kits is the use of how-to-care hang tags on product. For example, a retailer would use the included zip-ties to secure hang-tags on a line of hardshell jackets. While perusing the jackets, the potential consumer could read the hang tag to learn more about how to clean the waterproof shell with Nikwax Tech Wash, ensuring the integrity of the gear investment and frequently aiding in add-on sales of Nikwax products.

Retailers such as Seattle-based Ascent Outdoors have seen great success with the hang-tag program. Additionally, to up the ante, Ascent Outdoors opted to offer a discount on Nikwax products when purchased with an accompanying item. The results speak for themselves.

“Since we implemented the tags, every month has been the best month we’ve had with Nikwax since we started with the POS back in 2014,” said Sam Lozier, the buyer for Ascent Outdoors. “In June we more than doubled our 2017 number.”

Sales are important, of course. So is loyalty. Nikwax is enabling retailers to offer a better experience that creates repeat customers by effectively educating both employees and customers. This is something that Leanna Andersen, soft goods buyer for Seattle’s Fisheries Supply Co., appreciates the most.

“So many consumers didn’t even know they could wash foul-weather gear,” she said. “The hang tags are great for opening a line of conversation that helps us help them get exactly what they need. Those extra $10 or $20 sales are important but it’s even more valuable to us to know that our customers are covered.”

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Colorado is littered with more than 100 abandoned ski resorts whose doors have closed and chairlifts quieted. But they aren’t dead yet. Backcountry ski enthusiasts who value nostalgia as much as low-risk terrain have given them a second life. In fact, while you’ll still want avalanche gear and training, their often low-angled terrain and runs still clear of trees and other obstacles can be a great introduction to the backcountry. Here are a few of my favorites for experiencing some of Colorado’s ski history and snagging some untouched powder at the same time.

Geneva Basin Ski Area: Georgetown

I first explored the 1,250 vertical feet of this ski basin on a scorching late-spring day and almost bonked during the arduous eight-mile uphill slog. Once owned by former state governor Roy Romer and closed in 1984, Geneva sits near the summit of 11,670-foot , just 90 minutes west of downtown Denver, near Georgetown. Expect a veritable playground with easier green runs to looker’s left and black diamonds to the right, with only a few errant saplings to hinder your descent. An abandoned ski patrol hut still stands at the top, complete with an original trail map hanging on the wall, but beware of another holdover. A construction worker died building the resort’s Duck Creek Double lift; since then, former employees and numerous skiers have reported sightings of the Ghost of Geneva Basin.

Hidden Valley Ski Area: Rocky Mountain National Park

Born in a time when the Park Service encouraged developed recreation within , Hidden Valley was closed in 1991 when that mindset changed. Today, backcountry skiers descend the 1,200 acres of now-abandoned terrain. Thanks to its 2,000-foot vertical drop, there’s something here for all skill levels. When I first skied Hidden Valley in college, I humped my alpine skis on my back, snowshoes on my feet, and stuck to the forgiving low-angle snow on the lower mountain, but fit, expert skiers can find excellent lines with epic alpine views of the entire park above Trail Ridge Road.

Berthoud Pass Ski Area: Berthoud Pass

Sitting smack on the Continental Divide outside at a lung-busting 12,000 feet, Berthoud Pass Ski Area was a Colorado staple until its closure in 2001. These days, you can’t drive over the pass without seeing a handful of cars sitting on the east side of the road, their passengers gearing up for a powder day. The steep terrain means Berthoud isn’t for beginners, but it can be for the lazy. Rather than skin back to the top, I often thumb a ride to the summit from a passing vehicle at one of the many switchbacks in the road.

Pikes Peak Ski Area: Colorado Springs

Windblown snow and sparse conditions combined with a lack of money led to Pikes Peak Ski Area’s demise in 1984, but the low-risk, low-angle runs endure as a personal favorite for days when the avalanche danger is simply too high to consider skiing anywhere else. You can scope your options from the Pikes Peak Highway, but looker’s left will give you steeper runs. The snow on this particular section of the mountain stays soft long after storms, so running laps is a no-brainer for mellow days on your planks. But be careful. There’s still avalanche danger,Ìęand aÌęfew skiers have died after losing control in the steeper chutesÌęwhen conditions wereÌęicy.

Mesa Creek Ski Area: Grand Mesa

Tucked on the northern edge of the mountain range in western Colorado, Mesa Creek Ski Area—or Old P, as locals called it—closed in 1966 after the new Powderhorn Ski Resort moved in down the hill. I love Old P because the whole family can come. Kids attack the former base area by the dozens, dragging sleds behind them, while adults with gumption skin upwards of a thousand feet of vertical to find perfectly spaced trees, miles of untracked powder, and utter solitude. My advice: Cross the bridge over Mesa Creek and stay to looker’s right. You’ll find a lot of skiable terrain, and you may even find that a moose has already broken the trail for you.

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In 1965, the world was a complicated place. Sir Winston Churchill died, Dr. Martin Luther King led thousands of nonviolent protests, and The Beatles descended upon America with a frenzied second USA tour. But, tucked away in a house in a quiet corner of England called Batley, West Yorkshire, a small company called Craghoppers came into fruition.

The founders were climbers with their sights set on the Alps, and perhaps Mt. Everest one day. But, they had little faith in the existing gear on the market. Knowing they could never achieve their high-alpine dreams without highly functioning gear, they toiled away in the kitchen, designing and creating the best technical products their minds could imagine.

They tinkered; they tweaked; they fiddled; they fussed. Eventually, they got it right and created the brand’s flagship product: walking breeches. For many, it is difficult to look at walking breeches without a wave of nostalgia washing over you. These three-quarter-length knickers conjure images of rain swept British hillsides, blustery gales, and men in jaunty newsboy caps. And, the British hillsides are exactly where they were used.

The pants performed admirably well. Consumers favored the shortened length, noting the cuffs never uncomfortably crunched underneath gaiters or trailed through the mud found on England’s damp footpaths. News of the famous trekking apparel traveled across the pond, too.

“I was bombarded with requests for walking breeches during my first trip to America,” said Jim McNamara, managing director. “It was really these breeches that started everything.”

The popularity of the knickers was so widespread that Craghoppers eventually expanded the product line to offer an entire range of walking breeches and trousers for middle-of-the-mountain trekkers. Whether the brand realized it or not, they had created the catalyst product that would launch them into the future.

Expanding Beyond Trousers

The brand needed someone to drive the success and this person was Gordon Conyers. As one of the early owners of Craghoppers, Conyers was a gear junkie obsessed with creating technical innovations like waterproof breathable constructions.

“He manufactured bomb-proof products,” said McNamara. “This gear handled the range of diverse weather that climbers faced in the Alps, or even farther afield on Mt. Everest. And he loved that stuff. I’ve never met anyone more excited to talk your ear off about waterproof breathability.”

Dubbed AquaDry, this proprietary waterproof breathable fabric drove Craghoppers forward. The AquaDry membrane is a dual-layer system with a durable outer layer fused to a waterproof breathable membrane. DWR (Durable Water Repellent) coats the outside for added water resistance, creating an outer fabric that stays drier longer.

Using these new technologies, Craghoppers expanded beyond trekking trousers and into a broader spectrum of apparel. Thanks to Conyers, each item boasted technical chops that ensured consumers would be comfortable and happy in England’s finicky weather. As a result, Craghoppers became a staple in every outdoor store in the United Kingdom.

Outfitting the Everyman

Conyers’s affinity for tech specs wasn’t without downfall. He was a brilliant product designer but less enthusiastic about marketing. As a result, the brand financially struggled.

Fortunately, the family-owned Regatta Group was in the market for an outdoor-based brand. They knew Craghoppers carried a spectacular reputation and a background for technical innovation. In 1995, they purchased Craghoppers with one goal: to create highly-performing products at an accessible price point.

And so it went. Years passed as Craghoppers and Regatta continued their partnership. In a curious twist of fate, it was a disastrous epidemic of foot-and-mouth disease that ushered in the next era of success.

In 2001, the British hillsides saw more than 2,000 animal cases of foot-and-mouth, an infectious and sometimes fatal viral disease found in cloven-hoofed animals. As a result, footpaths closed to outdoor enthusiasts.

“It was a gut punch to the outdoor industry,” McNamara said. “No one could go walking until it was solved which took at least nine months.”

Outdoorists who previously spent their leisure time trekking opted to go abroad for vacation in an effort to stay away from the disease-rampant hillsides. In doing so, they exposed themselves to various elements that previously were non-issues in England. Families adventuring to Africa for safari encountered a hot, dry sun. Trekkers voyaging to Asia experienced itchy bites from a plethora of insects like ticks.

Craghoppers saw this new market as an opportunity. Moving beyond their heritage of hill walking, they shifted their gaze toward two different technologies: sun and insect protection for adventure travelers.

“At that time, they wanted to harness their technical capabilities and direct it into protective apparel for travelers and outdoor enthusiasts alike,” said Dennis Randall, newly appointed president for North America. “Our goal now is to roll this unique British heritage and core competence into outfitting anyone with an adventurous spirit as they are the embodiment of our brand.”

Clearly, it’s working. As Craghoppers expands into the US market, they plan to offer stylish and technical products for the modern adventurer into tight, multi-use kits. “No matter where you enjoy the outdoors, we have a range of products that will protect you in all climates and environments,” said McNamara. “Also, the good news is you no longer have to look like Indiana Jones to be protected.”

But, it is loyalty that Craghoppers values the most. “We want to know that our consumers are cared for, no matter where they go in the world,” McNamara said. “If we’ve done that, we’re doing our job.”

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A desperate customer who is tired of looking for hiking boots for his hard-to-fit feet walks into an outdoor shop. The bootfitter who greets him gets excited as she hears his plight, because she has a solution. She fits him with a pair of custom-moldable Tecnica boots. He’s never felt anything like it, purchases the boots, and talks about how he’ll be back. The retailer just created a life-long customer. Try getting that reaction on Amazon.

Tecnica launched the Forge GTX/Forge S GTX ($270/$270) in 2018, a fully-featured midcut boot with a Vibram Megagrip outsole, an overlapping cuff, and a triple layer EVA midsole. But, the customizable fit is its biggest selling point, attracting both retailers and consumers. Not only does Tecnica offer customers the choice between a leather and synthetic upper, but also the new C.A.S. (Custom Adapted Shape) technology promises a unique moldable fit. Quite literally, there is nothing else like it on the market.

Retailers Rave About Tecnica’s C.A.S. System

Outdoor Gear Exchange in Burlington, Vermont was an early adopter of the line and says there is a lot of value in having a shoe that perfectly fits a variety of feet. “It makes our job easier knowing we have something to offer every customer that walks through our doors, regardless of whether they have skinny ankles or a wide forefoot,” said Melissa McNell, the footwear buyer.

Retailers opt in to sell the footwear via a shared investment with the brand. They choose between the Tecnica-developed machine that fits inside a bench ($1,500) or, if space is at a premium, may purchase the rolling option that’s similar to a hard-sided cooler ($1,200). Tecnica invoices the store and provides a product reimbursement program that aligns with the shop’s preseason commitment.*

The return-on-investment has been rewarding for retailers. So many of their customers are plagued with sore feet, so the prospect of blister-free adventures piques their interest. In an era when brick-and-mortar stores are battling the digital space, C.A.S. brings customers into stores since they cannot get the customized experience online. In fact, many are specifically seek out these boots from hundreds of miles away.

“We had one couple show up last week after driving all the way from Elko, Nevada,” said Brendan Madigan, owner of the California-based Alpenglow Sports in Tahoe City. “That’s a five-hour drive, but owning well-fitted boots was worth it for them.”

McNell noted that she has seen an uptick of new customers too, all specifically looking for the custom-moldable hiking footwear. Many of them become devoted repeat clients.

“One guy with heel spurs got fitted and hiked ten miles the next day. It went so well that he returns to the shop once per month, sometimes just to visit with staff and other times to buy something,” McNell shared. “It’s crazy how a simple, 20-minute fitting session created a loyal customer for our store.”

How Does the Custom-Moldable Technology Work?

It may be simple, but it’s also effective. C.A.S. uses a thermoformable material in the key-comfort areas: the arch, heel and ankles, as well as an entirely thermoformable footbed. When heated, it’s highly malleable. When it cools, it becomes rigid and hard like plastic. In fact, the thermoformable material is similar to TPU (thermoplastic polyurethane, a common footwear material) except it has fibers weaving throughout the structure so it won’t crack in cold temperatures.

The straightforward fitting process consists of two-steps. First, the bootfitter heats up the custom footbeds and places them on the customer’s feet. Then, she places his feet inside inflatable booties. Compression molding pressurizes the booties, fitting the footbeds to every unique intricacy of the customer’s foot. While this is happening, the machine heats the hiking boots themselves. Once the footbeds are ready, the bootfitter places them inside the boots, puts them on the customer’s feet, laces them up, and pops them back into the inflatable booties. Finally, she repeats the compression molding process for a few minutes, creating a fully-customized hiking boot. Bonus: the whole process takes a mere 20 minutes which leaves enough time for conversation.

“I love those 20 minutes,” said Madigan. “That’s when I get the customer to connect with my store. I use that time to bond with him to ensure he comes back again.”

McNell agreed, although she admitted she was initially skeptical of wasting time. “We go through employee turnover a few times each year and I worried that training new staff would be a pain. But, it’s so easy that our new employees figure it out in less than an hour,” she said. Plus, the penalty for failure is minimal: the footwear can be reheated multiple times without stressing the shoe.

Retailers Are Stocking up and Selling Through the Forge

In the end, it comes down to sales. And so far, the footwear performs. McNell opted to double down on stock when the Forge first launched, buying twice as many as she usually does for a premium-priced boot. It proved to be a profitable decision.

“I initially ordered 50 but we’ve already requested more,” she said. “We’re selling through them faster than we do models that cost half the price.”

Madigan is experiencing similar results and says he expects sales to increase with the launch of Tecnica’s second custom-moldable shoe. Coming in spring 2019, the Plasma S is a more affordable lowcut: $180 with Gore-Tex and $150 without.

“A custom footbed alone costs $50, so that price point makes the Plasma an absolute no-brainer,” Madigan says.

High sales aside, Madigan most appreciates the loyalty he is able to create with his customers through the C.A.S. footwear process.

“These shoes create trust,” Madigan said. “And once that is established, you have a customer for life.”

Product information:
Tecnica Forge GTX $270 MSRP
Tecnica Forge S GTX $270 MSRP
Tecnica Plasma S GTX $180.00; Plasma S $150.00, available spring 2019
C.A.S. System Bench $1,500
C.A.S. System Trolley $1,200

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