Right underneath Brit’s butt, there’s a shot of Will running through Central Park in Newton Running shoes! Click the page to enlarge (Will Ferrell that is, not Britney’s backside).
Last Friday, a slew of journalists hit the slopes at Copper Mountain to dust off the cobwebs and test out some of Kästle new 2008 skis. The conditions couldn’t have been better with over five trails open, no lift lines, and clear skis. Journalists were able to test out several skis while taking numerous laps with Kästle athlete, Chris Davenport.
Also, present was Kästle’s R&D director, Oliver Binder who came especially for the event to answer questions regarding the designs and development of Kästle skis. Overall, the day was a great success; numerous skis were tested, we closed down the mountain and no one experienced their first crash of the season.
Saturday, the Kästle crew relocated to Aspen to award Bill Miller, owner of
Hamilton Sports with Kästle’s 2008 Retailer of the Year. The award recognizes the top North American Kästle retailer with the strongest Kästle sales in the 2007/08 ski season. Hamilton has been a stand out retail shop since becoming a Kästle dealer in 2007.
Congrats Hamilton Sports!!
Shannon Davis of Backpacker Magazine gets down and dirty in the new Oxen Workwear Carpenter canvas pant and blogs about it.
Oxen Workwear Pants Meld Canvas-Pant Functionality with a Modicum of Hipster Cool
Pants: This unsung hero of apparel, the one that no one really notices until you take them off (“dude, no pants!?”) just got a little cooler, thanks to a new company called Oxen Workwear in Brooklyn. I got a pair of their White Label Carpenter Pants exactly one week ago and have worn them for 5 of the last 7 days [Ed. Note: Absolutely true]. And that’s not only because of my dirtbag tendencies—they’re damn comfortable and fit well.
You can’t not compare them to a pair of duck canvas Carhartts. They’re the same color and equally as tough, if not tougher (a guy rescued by an EMT claims that said EMT’s scissors couldn’t cut through Oxen’s canvas).
But here are the big differences: 1. The fabric is soft, so you don’t have to spend the better part of a year walking peg-legged because your pants are cardboard stiff. 2. These pants actually fit trim and cool, so you don’t look like a lumberjack with a load in his pants (think Carhartts for hipsters). 3. Backpackers and other outdoor types don’t really buy pants like these for building houses. They buy them because they’re durable enough to handle several years of carcamping, falling off your slackline onto the gravel repeatedly, splitting wood in the autumn, and looking more rugged than the guy behind you in line at the coffee house.
With a smarter pocket sizes and configuration—not freaking enormous, but normal, discreet and designed for a pen, a knife, and a cell phone—these pants are perfect for all of that. Except for the hammer holster, which I’m about to cut off, assuming my serrated blade is tough enough. They run big: the 30/32’s fit my 32/32 frame—and they do it quite attractively, I might reiterate.
New Zealand? Possibly
Argentina? Maybe
How about Chile?
Strike three. None of the above.
Kästle athlete, Chris Davenport has spent the last week climbing and skiing some of Antarctica’s super steep couloirs. Surrounded by breathtaking icebergs, thousands of Gentoo penguins, Weddell seals, and Humpback whales Chris has had quite the adventure.
Click on the links below and read more about Dav’s time in Antarctica
From Outside Online
For the past few years, Mountain Khakis, the upstart pant maker out of Jackson, Wyoming, had the market cornered on tough-but-casual pants. In case you’re not familiar, they’re basically a cross between Gap chinos and Carhartts. Stylish and low-key enough to wear to the office or bar, but tough enough, thanks to their durable ten-ounce cotton canvas material and things like triple-stitching and reinforced rear cuffs, to stand up to weekends of abuse outdoors. (Note: If you bought a pair when they first came out, like I did, the legs were tapered a bit, not nearly as bad as your old Gramiccis, but not quite wide enough to fit over Sorels…in any event, they’ve since relaxed the cut a bit.)
The workwear on demand t shirt printing and fulfillment is becoming very popular these days, because more and more business are choosing this for their workwear.
And now they’ve got some competition with Brooklyn, NY¬based Oxen Workwear, Inc. 
Whereas Mountain Khakis’ reinforcements are more subtle, making them look more like Gap chinos than Carhartts, Oxen Workwear’s Double Knee Carpenter Pants ($74), with their double panels on the knees, are more akin to Carhartts. But unlike Carhartts, Oxen’s pants aren’t as stiff as cardboard when you buy them and they have a looser cut than the originals. There aren’t many places that offer as much range for workwear as Coalface may. Coalface offers a huge selection of mens clothing and apparel. Shop now workwear accessories like radiation glasses and find daily wear and tear from any job.
Now hold on a minute. Perhaps you’re thinking: Gimme a break, working-man pants marketed at hipsters, wanna-be carpenters, and urban-dwelling, slack-jawed, iPhone-owning posers? These represent everything that’s wrong with America! Well, if that’s the case, you’re probably being a bit melodramatic. They’re just pants, after all, and, if you’re like me, and don’t have any hang-ups about your manhood or profession, you’d probably get a lot of use out of sturdy pants like these. (Second note: As with Mountain Khakis, they also have a few other styles, including jeans.) We just got a few pairs sent here in the office to be part of our corporate uniforms and they are so functional. And while they fit great, if a bit too low on the hips on the scrawnier guys here, we haven’t yet had enough time to test their durability. Look for a pants smackdown in the future—in which we put a bunch of pants head-to-head in a durability test—but our initial impression is two thumbs up. —Sam Moulton
Colorado-based Electronic Systems Consultants and InPower Systems are pleased to announce the launch of Smarterbuilding.com.
Launching today, Smarterbuilding.com will connect professional architects, designers and alternative energy experts with enthusiasts and consumers to discuss progressive building projects and ideas that push the boundaries of innovation in technology, materials and energy.
The blog will be an open forum where experts and consumers can contribute ideas, project portfolios or innovation with the building community. Electronic Systems Consultants Principal Anson Fogel, and InPower Systems Principal Jim Raras will lead topics ranging from the latest technologies for simplifying home control to alternative energy solutions and modern design. Smarter Building will also highlight weekly, local and national studios leading the way to more environmental friendly architecture and design in the United States.
“We created this blog with InPower so that local Roaring Fork Valley residents and professionals could share insight on local and national green design, technology and energy issues,” said Anson Fogel.
Never heard of Rashad Evans? Don’t know what MMA is?
MSN is a gimme. Microsoft right?
Rashad Evans is a Mixed Martial Arts fighter who competes in the UFC – Ultimate Fighting Championships. We learned about him through his sponsorship with Gerber Legendary Blades – as Rashad sports their tagline “Fend For Yourself” on the back of his trunks in the chain link octagon. Kind of appropriate tag line in his line of work.
Recently, Rashad took down UFC legend Chuck Liddell scoring a huge upset and also a spot in Microsft’s new TV commercials “I’m a PC”. Turns out Rashad trains in Santa Fe next to a MSN office and he wore a t-shirt of a Bill Gates mug shot from an arrest early in Gates career into the ring as a joke.
Speculation rages as to whether this was savvy marketing or an inside joke which has lead to his appearance on the MSN spots. Either way a smart move for Rashad, Gerber and MSN.
check out this video from Sprig.com on easy ways to green-over your home office including one of the new colored bottles from Klean Kanteen.
Sprig.com’s mission is to motivate, inspire and inform 95% of the consumer population toward becoming 5% more green, as we believe this approach will have a great positive impact on the environment. Not to mention on you! Green is good for you—for your health, your looks, your bank, and your personal and home style.
Sprig.com is also about the glamour in green: It doesn’t have to mean wearing brown, living beige or being crunchy. Sprig.com presents a full, rich menu of little touches, easy strategies and small changes in becoming green. At Sprig, we believe that no matter what you need, or what your heart desires, there’s an eco-friendly alternative, and we’re here to find it for you.
In his Editor’s Note in the November issue of Backpacker, Dorn puts out a challenge: the first 10 Backpacker readers who sign up for Summit for Someone and raise $5000 gets their airfare paid by him and you’ll get featured in the mag. Heck, I’m signing up for the Alaska trip! But seriously, Summit for Someone registration opens October 15, so start thinking of what peak you want to climb, who of your family and friends will give you money (my crafty climbing partner this summer did a ‘Lunch Lady’ day at work and made everyone grilled cheese for a $10 donation), what gear you’re going to buy with your $1200 voucher to MountainGear.com, and if you’re lucky, you might get your airfare thrown in as well! Thanks Jon for putting out a great challenge.
See my Summit for Someone recap here: www.wildsnow.com
Autodesk is a 2D and 3D software used for design, engineering, manufacturing, architecture, and entertainment. BD designer Paul Terry, whose previous work experience ranges from Porsche to Birdhouse skateboards, recently attended a display of various Autodesk creations in San Francisco. Included in the display, which runs through October at One Embarcadero Plaza , is the award winning BD carbon fiber Cobra ice axe and the hydroformed Viper.
BD Cobra and Viper ice tools
Other displays included work from Skidmore Owings & Merrill, Renzo Piano, Fuseproject, Boeing, Ford and Chrysler.
Proposed Design for the Cali Academy of Science
From Autos and Architecture to Wooden Surfboards