In Spring 18 line, Outdoor Research builds on core categories of shells, climbing, travel, accessories

July 17, 2017

In hard shells, Outdoor Research employs today’s two most advanced membrane technologies to make jackets increasingly versatile.

SEATTLE, Wash. (July 17, 2017) – As its guiding principle, Outdoor Research creates gear built ‘For the Journey Ahead.’ Part of all adventurous journeys is being prepared for any kind of outdoor sport or situation. For Spring 2018, Outdoor Research builds on and reinvents some of its core product collections – hard shells, rock climbing gear, apparel for travel and lifestyle, and accessories like hats, gaiters and gloves – to ensure the brand is always up to that challenge.

Hard Shell Innovation

In hard shells, an area where the brand is well-known for their innovation, Outdoor Research focuses on advancing standards for breathability in waterproof shells by using two of the most advanced membrane technologies on the market, its own highly air-permeable AscentShell™ fabric and the newest version of GORE-TEX® Active fabric.

Thanks to AscentShell™ fabric, the new Interstellar Jacket combines the best qualities of a hard shell and a soft shell. The Interstellar is lightweight, highly breathable, air permeable, fully waterproof, soft and quiet, and super stretchy. It’s the most breathable waterproof shell from Outdoor Research.

On the other hand, the Optimizer Jacket, is one of the first to use the latest generation of GORE-TEX® Active fabric. Their most breathable 3-layer fabric, the new GORE-TEX® Active improves comfort and durability over the current version, while reducing weight by 20 percent. The result is a highly versatile, ultra-durable shell with a minimalist ethos.

Dedication to Climbing

As much as climbing is a sport, it’s also a way of life. What works at the crag needs to serve a lot of functions – high on the rock, down on the trail, back at the campsite, and – increasingly – around town after a rock-gym session. With the advent of climbing gyms bringing new people into the sport at an ever-quickening pace, the versatility demands on climbing apparel are broader than ever.

In its Spring 2018 rock collection, Outdoor Research draws heavily on input from its athlete ambassadors to create products like the Fifth Force Hoody and the Wadi Rum Pants and Shorts. Those pieces blend active, comfortable designs with nylon, spandex, and cotton construction to bring an innovative approach to the delicate balancing act of being highly durable, super-stretchy, and incredibly comfy all at the same time.

OR also introduces a lineup of three innovative new climbing gloves, including the Splitter Work Gloves, a supple, durable glove for cold-weather big-walls and guiding situations, as well as the Payload 18, compact backpack built for single-day multi-pitch climbing.

Outdoors as a Way of Life

Technical sportswear is often viewed as “lifestyle” apparel. Much of what’s in this category lacks the technical chops to make it truly functional. While it’s true that apparel in this category must first have enough style to be worn in the first place, the best apparel has sophisticated-yet-understated looks and can truly cross over when the situation calls for performance.

Embodying that ethos are four new jackets from Outdoor Research within the men’s and women’s Prologue Collection. This line uses a durable, stretchy and comfortable nylon/spandex double-weave fabric that won’t wrinkle and always looks great. It’s also wind and water resistant, breathable, and quick drying. Importantly, they also look great. For men, the Prologue Travel Jacket offers a shirt-jacket feel with a full lining, inspired by a travel blazer, but much less formal. The men’s Prologue Field Jacket, by contrast, with its double-needle stitching, offers a more workwear-inspired look. For women, the Prologue Trench offers a longer-cut, more refined appeal, while the Prologue Moto Jacket gives a nod to casual weekends and chilled-out evenings with its asymmetric closure, which looks great zipped or unzipped.

Those pieces are only four of the 30 new Mountain Life styles that pair performance fabrics and construction with great-looking silhouettes.

Fun Helps Drive Accessory Innovation

Of all the qualities that make Outdoor Research’s history so unique, the brand’s constant ability to have fun tops the list. When it comes to accessory innovation, Outdoor Research is always generating new ideas about how products can work better to enable more fun in the outdoors. We also like to have some fun in the design process – evidenced in the Spring 2018 line by the fact that we’re offering some of our most sought-after products in retro color schemes. Products like the Seattle Sombrero and Crocodile Gaiters, some of the first to put Outdoor Research on the map, will be available in their most up-to-date versions, but with colors that hearken to our first years in business.

Beyond that, Outdoor Research is introducing a number of other new hats, gloves and gaiters that show how the brand is constantly innovating. New products include the Surge Running Gaiters, which feature a unique tensioning system so they stay in place on the heel of a running shoe. The ActiveIce Casting Gloves, a sun-protective glove built for warm-weather fishing that also cools you down as temperatures heat up, is another new offering. And a line of Performance Trucker Hats adds to the fun with stylish hats the deliver on functionality. Trucker hats are in, but they usually earn more style points than performance points. Which is why Outdoor Research has created an entire collection of trucker profiles designed with built-in performance for different sports – trail running, paddling, and even the Trucker Sun Runner, which includes a removable cape.

About Outdoor Research

Outdoor Research® is dedicated to inspiring the journey ahead with award-winning technical apparel and accessories. Based in Seattle since 1981, we are committed to improving our customer’s experience through innovative materials, purpose-driven features, and versatile products that are backed by our Infinite Guarantee®. We rely on the real-world testing of our athlete ambassadors, mountain guides, and local adventurers involved in our core sports: alpinism, rock and ice climbing, hiking, backpacking, paddling, trail running, and backcountry skiing and snowboarding. We’re here for the fun, adventure, excitement, and For the Journey Ahead™. Get to know us at www.outdoorresearch.com or follow the journey via Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.

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