Walking towards the Salt Palace for 2010 Winter Outdoor Retailer, I was filled with the anticipation of a kid going to the candy shop. There were tons of products waiting for me, unfortunately I wouldn’t be able to get to all of them.
First stop, Ellington. They make classy handbags for women that are meant to last a lifetime, or until you want a new one. First in the spring 2010 line is the Bella tote, made with Ellington Glossy Italian Leather, polished hardware and smooth leather accents. It comes in four different styles, the tote, cross body, hobo, and the shoulder bag. All four designs are available in the color of your choice: green, black, paprika, yellow, and gray.
The Ellington Hannah line is made with Ellington Matte Italian Leather. What’s eye catching about this line is the plush, hand stitched surface. At a glance the material looks like a gorgeous work of art. Made in two different styles, the tote and the cross body, both bags are available in black, brown, red and yellow.
Last in the line, the Lindsay Tote, is a fresh new design for the on-the-go fashionista. It works great as a gym bag or a better yet, a travel carry on. The Lindsay is made of lightweight nylon and is available in black and red. For more information or to shop, visit Ellington’s website.
Next stop, Ibex, a company whose cornerstone fabric is high quality Merino wool. Demand for this natural fiber has grown exponentially in the past few years. Ten years ago there wasn’t much available in Merino wool. Now in 2010, Ibex has various grades of Merino, everything from a base layer that feels like cashmere, to a soft shell with a coarse outer layer.
The newest layers are meant to be thermo regulating, transporting sweat away from the body to keep core temperatures at 98.6 degrees. Each sheep is bred to produce a specific grade of wool. Because of this, Ibex says consumers should expect to see new fabrics and textures from them in the near future. You can shop for Ibex products here.
Finally, Five Ten. They’re one of the first companies to develop a women’s specific climbing shoe, and has now come out with a women’s hiking boot called the Camp Four. The Camp Four features new technology – a molded PU external heel cage that adds support and stability.
Also, fairly new to the line, is a light weight mesh shoe, the Runamuck, which is great for puddle jumping, hiking, or just roaming about town. Moving into the future, Five Ten says its challenge is making a women’s line of attractive, technical, colorful shoes, with sticky rubber. You can shop for Five Ten online at Backcountry.com
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