ECCO EXOSTRIKE™ Wins ISPO Outdoor Gold and Scandinavian Outdoor Awards

February 9, 2018

ECCO Launches Fast Hiking, Street Style Footwear with First-Ever DYNEEMA® Bonded Leather

Leading a new hybridization trend in outdoor footwear, ECCO introduces its EXOSTRIKE collection for Fall 2018, bringing street style and modern, mountain utility together with sleek design and technical performance. At the pinnacle of the new collection is the EXOSTRIKE™ with DYNEEMA® bonded leather, an innovation developed with ECCO that puts the world’s strongest leather into a fast, fully-functional hiking boot.  EXOSTRIKE debuted at the ISPO tradeshow in Munich and the Outdoor Retailer Snow Show in Denver to immediate accolades, honored with both the ISPO Outdoor Gold Award and the Scandinavian Outdoor Award for footwear.

Awards were announced at the ISPO show after the review of hundreds of product submissions and deliberation by independent juries comprised of industry experts, including athletes, retailers, journalists, influencers and consumers.

The ISPO Gold Award recognition describes the EXOSTRIKE™ DYNEEMA® edition as “a fast boot for hikers hitting the trail inside and outside the city. It combines fully-functional materials with an innovative design, boasting light, new P.U. PHORENE™ mid-soles, an external P.U. heel stiffener and trail-grabbing rubber outsoles. Extra strong and soft DYNEEMA® BONDED LEATHER by ECCO provides superb tear resistance, a high strength-to-weight ratio and water-resistance.”

ECCO EXOSTRIKE™ footwear will also be available in a waterproof Gore-Tex® series and a water-repellent HYDROMAX® offering.  EXOSTRIKE also  features ECCO’s exclusive new midsole innovation, Phorene, a lighter weight Polyurethane that enhances all-day hiking performance with greater shock absorption and energy return while maintaining its comfort properties even in frigid temperatures.

One member of the ISPO jury, professional ice-climber Marianne van der Steen, described EXOSTRIKE™ as “a great-looking, durable and super-functional product,” while suggesting that the innovative materials should be implemented in more footwear styles in the future.

The highly-regarded Scandinavian Outdoor Award puts all product entries through rigorous outdoor testing, with a jury composed of leading European outdoor journalists, influencers and retailers.

According to the award, “Bonding ultra-strong DYNEEMA® fabric to premium ECCO leather creates a super soft, paper thin material that provides the soft touch of leather with less weight and added water protection.  The glove-like fit and cushioning of the Phorene Midsole guarantee great comfort, and the traction also proved itself while testing under winter conditions. The modern Nordic design not only appeals out on the trail but also in the city.”

ECCO EXOSTRIKE™ will be available at select specialty US retailers beginning in April of 2018, with prices ranging from $200 to $300.

For more information, please visit ecco.com or contact
Contact: Alycia Cavadi, Momentum Media PR
alycia@momentummediapr.com
617.875.5553

About ECCO 

ECCO is one of the world’s leading shoe brands combining style and comfort. ECCO’s success is built on products with a great fit and top-quality leathers. ECCO owns and manages every aspect of the value chain from tanneries and shoe manufacturing to wholesale and retail activities. ECCO’s products are sold in 88 countries from over 2,000 ECCO shops and more than 14,000 sales points. ECCO is family-owned, founded in Denmark in 1963, and employs more than 20,000 people worldwide. 

www.ecco.com