Outdoor Research Earns Two Editors’ Choice Awards for Gloves, Gaiters from Backpacker

October 29, 2018

Backpacker team praises first-to-market use of aerogel in glove palms/fingers; Crocodile Gaiters earn ‘Hall of Fame’ accolades.

SEATTLE, Wash. (Oct. 29, 2018) – Outdoor Research, the Seattle-based manufacturer of leading outdoor apparel and gear, won two Editors’ Choice Awards this month from Backpacker Magazine. The awards call out a category leading glove insulation technology for Fall 2018, as we as long-term brand leadership in gaiters. 

The first Editors’ Choice Award was given to the Outdoor Research Bitterblaze and Ouray Ice Gloves, which use Aerogel, originally developed by NASA to insulate space suits, in a first-to-market application in the palms and fingers of gloves. The super-insulating PrimaLoft® Gold is a malleable solid made of more than 98 percent air and which has incredibly low density and thermal conductivity. As opposed to traditional insulation, which traps heat, Aerogel simply blocks cold from moving into the palms, or heat from moving out. Moreover, Aerogel won’t compress the way traditional insulation does, which greatly compromises warmth. All those benefits make it ideal for application to the palm and fingers in a glove, where users are often gripping cold objects. 

“Pick one: Warm hands or nimble fingers. That’s usually the choice with gloves, but not with the BitterBlaze (the women’s version is the Ouray Ice),” the Backpacker team wrote. One tester added: “With these gloves, my fingers didn’t suffer any cold spots.” 

Outdoor Research will build on its collection of gloves using Aerogel in the palms and fingers with new models being unveiled at the upcoming Outdoor Retailer and Grassroots Outdoor Alliance Connect shows in Denver, Colo., Nov. 4-11, 2018. 

In addition, Backpacker awarded Outdoor Research a Backpacker’s Editors’ Choice 25th Anniversary Hall of Fame Award for the Crocodile Gaiters. The 25th Anniversary Hall of Fame Award is dedicated to highlighting the Backpacker team’s favorite gear of the past two-and-a-half decades – products that have stood the test of time and are still going strong today. The Crocs were first introduced in 1981, and have been revised and updated a number of times, but still lead their category in sales. 

“For three decades, from Mt. Rainier to Mt. Washington, the Crocodiles have kept our feet dry when we’ve post-holed through snow, slush, or muddy sludge,” Backpacker’s Editors write. Another tester added: “I’ve had mine for 10 years. If it weren’t for sun fading due to high-altitude UV, they’d still look new.”

These awards from Backpacker follow awards earlier this fall from Powder and Backcountry Magazines. The Hemispheres Jacket and Bibs, which use an innovative stretch GORE-TEX fabric, were awarded Powder Magazine’s first-ever Apparel of the Year Award. The Hemispheres Bibs also earned Backcountry Magazine’s Editors’ Choice Award. And, in the spring, Outdoor Research won a 2018 Gear of the Year Award from Outside Magazine for its Interstellar Jacket, which uses a proprietary material called AscentShell, and which combines better breathability, stretch and actual air permeability in a waterproof hard shell. 

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 outdoorresearch.com to follow the journey via Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.