Layer Up MIDLAYERS ARE SET FOR PERFORMANCE ON THE SLOPES AND OFF
Strafe's Drifter Jacket is a freeride midlayer with PrimaLoft Silver 60g quilted insulation, a ripstop DWR body and accent shell fabric. "The end result is a high-performance, technical piece that gives off a stylish, street-influenced vibe," said Strafe CEO John Gaston. Strafe doesn’t play favorites when picking ingredient partners, adding new eVent and PrimaLoft partnerships to its freeride line. "It's simply a matter of designing pieces that utilize each in the most effective manner." Eider designed its Aster Hoodie Jacket with American women in mind. Thermostretch side panels add flex and breathability, but its sweater-like outer and "housemade" alpine print add fashion appeal. "Yes – they’re functional," said Maro LaBlance, marketing manager, of Eider’s new midlayers. "But we’re designing them to be more of a fashion piece, too."
The Icepeak NAO looks race-ready on the slopes—or on a motorcycle—and the breathable, four-way ThermoStretch midlayer is brushed soft on the inside.
FABRICS, FIBERS AND FILLS
Stop by the Bergans of Norway booth and give the Strandåtind Air Flake Jacket a squeeze. It's filled with new Air Flake insulation, which the company says rebounds and breathes better than down. The new matte face fabric on the Big Agnes Women's Yarmony Hooded Jacket gives a different look to the wind- and water-resistant puffy, as does the non-traditional quilting pattern. The Botnica Light ML Hooded Jacket is Mammut's high-activity hybrid, with Pontetorto Technostretch across the front and
Manufacturers are adding more performance features to lighter midlayers. These sweaters, fleeces and pullovers will get plenty of exposure off the mountain. Helly Hansen paired its insulation system with different Polartec fabrics to create the women's Odin Flow Jacket, a stopand-go soft shell/fleece. The Enterprise Pullover from La Sportiva is a dynamic layer with four-way stretch and a durable face. It's stink-resistant, too. 686 gave its Tech Fleece a different face and DWR coating to ward off snow. "We have embraced the trend of people wearing these traditional midlayers as their outer layers as part of their daily routine in town," says Brent Sandor, 686's marketing director. With Han Solo back in theaters, it only follows that vests are cool again. SmartWool, Voormi and NuDown offer insulating vests designed for active pursuits or highstyle lounging. —M.T. Elliott
▲ ICEPEAK NAO
STREET SMARTS
STOP AND PULLOVER
SIAsnowshow.com DAY 3 | SNOW SHOW DAILY 2016
▲ UNDER ARMOUR WOMEN'S REACTOR HOODIE
Jacket designers are always in search of ways to improve thermal regulation. This year, brands made technical breakthroughs by assembling existing materials in new ways. Under Armour matched its new vertical-constructed insulation with lining and face fabrics that would allow the widest range of active comfort. The ColdGear Reactor jacket wicks, breathes and vents just enough. Its startand-stop quilt lines are a practical innovation, with added style. "The end result is a jacket that adapts and reacts, but also has an aesthetic that Under Armour can own that is differentiated in mostly a sea of sameness," says Matt Page, the brand's senior director of outdoor performance. Marmot’s Terrawatt jacket takes on traditional hybrids with a composite baffle construction that creates "threedimensional" thermal migration, moving heat across lateral and vertical layers. The secret is in the net baffling, which holds in 800-fill down, yet allows warm air to permeate. Brian La Plante, Marmot outerwear category manager, explains the Terrawatt "uses air flow through the fabric layers to circulate the body heat trapped in the down baffling throughout garment." 686 debuts its Down Thermograph insulation system in the Ether Jacket, a wicking, breathable jacket that saves weight through careful placement of lightweight down in key core spots.
Eider’s new Aster Hoodie Jacket combines fashion appeal and a cozy look with functionality. The brand’s new line of midlayers can be seen in booth #1039.
▲ MARMOT TERRAWATT JACKET
THERMAL REGULATORS
thinner Dryfast elsewhere. For Dare2b, black is the new black. Its weather-resistant Shadow Side Sweater builds off a performance polyester body with stylish knit sleeves, ribbed collar and metal zips. Alp-n-Rock is all about fit and function, says CEO Susanne Reich. This week, Alpn-Rock features the Geneva Parka, made from its Urbanshell nylon wool blend fabric.
PICK OF THE DAY
▲ NUDOWN ECHO LAKE VEST
IN THE APPAREL CATEGORY, CUSTOMERS WILL find the widest range of performance and styling in midlayers. For 2016-17, weatherproofed midlayers continue to get play as outer layers, puffy jackets cram in more warmth at less weight, and light layer options compete for wear-everywhere appeal.
▲ MAMMUT WOMEN'S BOTNICA LIGHT ML HOODED JACKET
▲ BIG AGNES WOMEN'S YARMONY JACKET
MIDLAYERS | TOP TRENDS
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