Backpacker Magazine Announces Nationwide 2009 Get Out More Tour to Inspire and Empower People to Enjoy the Outdoors

Boulder, Colo. (March 17, 2009) – In the spirit of backcountry adventure, Backpacker magazine announces the 9th annual Get Out More Tour presented by WOOLRICH®—an interactive mobile media and education tour—designed to inspire readers and encourage participation in active outdoor pursuits. 

Backpacker’s Get Out More Road Team will visit specialty outdoor retailers and festivals in more than 30 states and 60 cities over a 7-month period to promote the active outdoor lifestyle and teach practical outdoor skills. The tour offers interactive retail workshops and presentations full of trail-tested tips, plus hands-on experiential outdoor excursions to educate consumers about the skills and equipment they need to get out more.

This year, Tour guides Sheri and Randy Propster will bring the pages of Backpacker to life from April through October as they share their passion for wilderness exploration and extensive outdoor expertise. Their 60-minute seminars will navigate everything from trip planning and choosing the right outdoor gear and apparel, to safety in the outdoors and essential outdoor skills. 

“The Get Out More Tour provides a unique opportunity for Backpacker to share its message with a broader audience,” says Backpacker Editor-in-Chief Jon Dorn. “Through the Tour we are able to visit readers in their own backyards and offer quality, first hand experiences.” 

Backpacker is pleased to announce WOOLRICH®, the Original Outdoor Clothing Company®, as this year’s title sponsor. "It is our pleasure to team-up with Backpacker in sponsoring the Get Out More Tour again in 2009," says Woolrich's Keith Myers, National Sales Manager. "We are continuing our commitment to the outdoor lifestyle by utilizing our rich heritage and combining it with the technology needed by today's active outdoor enthusiasts. Woolrich could not ask for two better brand ambassadors than Sheri and Randy Propster, who continue to put our apparel to the test."  

 Other Tour sponsors include CORDURA® Brand Fabric, KayLand®, Lowe® Alpine, POLARTEC®, Primaloft®, SPOT™, Subaru®, Brunton®, Burt’s Bees®, Kershaw® Knives, Mountain House®, Sea to Summit® and TIMEX® Expedition®.

Backpacker’s mission is to inspire and enable people to enjoy the outdoors by providing the most trusted and engaging information about backcountry adventure in North America. For a complete list of the Get Out More Tour schedule of events, please visit http://www.backpacker.com/getoutmore.

About Backpacker:

Backpacker brings the outdoors to reader's doorsteps, inspiring and empowering them to get out and enjoy nature more often. The authority on active adventure, Backpacker is the world's first GPS-enabled magazine, and the only magazine whose editors personally test the hiking trails, camping gear, and survival tips they publish. Backpacker's Editors' Choice Awards, an industry honor recognizing design, feature, and product innovation, has become the gold standard against which all other outdoor-industry awards are measured.

Backpacker is published by Active Interest Media (www.aimmedia.com), has a circulation of 340,000, and is published nine times per year. In 2006, the magazine won a coveted National Magazine Award for editorial excellence. Backpacker's award-winning website, www.backpacker.com, is updated daily and features more than 3,000 hikes, a searchable and comprehensive database of outdoor gear (www.gearfinder.com), special sections for beginners and female hikers, the most active community forums in the outdoor space, and a wealth of trail tips, videos, and GPS know-how.

Louisville, Colo. (February 9, 2009) – MyChelle Dermaceuticals is pleased to welcome their newest team member to the company, Atali Carr.  Atali is taking the Sales Trainer post and will be the new voice and face on the rep frontline to communicate product news, features, benefits and more.

Atali comes to MyChelle with a rich background in retail sales and sales representation experience, bringing a wealth of knowledge to MyChelle’s retail sector.  She will work with MyChelle’s internal team, sales force, demo reps, retail employees and consumers to train and educate on MyChelle’s product, ingredient formulas and skin care, as well as the natural lifestyle.

“Because Atali has a background in retail sales, she understands the challenges and opportunities for our reps and is excited to help them identify and build success for MyChelle at the retail level,” said Kristine Carey, marketing director for MyChelle Dermaceuticals.  “I am looking forward to the training and knowledge that Atali will bring to the sales force, demo agents and retailers, boosting MyChelle’s presence at the retail level by promoting a better understanding of the company’s fundamental philosophy and ingredient benefits.”

With a myriad of experiences in the health and wellness markets, formulations and practices, MyChelle looks forward to Atali’s first presentation to their retail team at the upcoming Natural Products Expo West in Anaheim, Calif.  Atali will help kick off the Expo with a great training seminar; the trainings are on Friday the 6th, at 11:00 am, 1:00 pm, 3:00 pm, and 5:00 pm in room 201 B, and will cover new products, skin types and product ingredient details. 
more

About MyChelle Dermaceuticals
Founded in 2000 by Myra Michelle Eby, MyChelle Dermaceuticals is a leader in educated skin care with the ultimate in bioactives. MyChelle is a pioneer and leader in the creation of completely nontoxic, highly effective products that incorporate cutting edge science and bioactive ingredients. MyChelle offers a full line of cleansers, serum treatments, toners, nourishing creams, sun protection, intensive treatments, mineral makeup and a line of men’s products. The company’s mission is to create a skin care product line that was truly clean and doesn’t use harsh toxins.  MyChelle is sold in natural products stores nationwide.  Visit their website for more information at www.mychelleusa.com.  You can also visit MyChelle on Facebook.

Bend, Ore., February 2, 2009 – Nine outdoor industry companies have joined The Conservation Alliance since the August OR Show. With a steady increase in membership, the Alliance now boasts 165 companies.

The new members are:  Nester Hosiery, Inc.; Adventurecorps, Inc.; Ultrarunning Magazine; Terri Schneider; Cosmic Planet; Leisure Trends; Outdoor Sports Marketing of SC, Inc.; Outdoor Industry Jobs;  and Justin Bailie Photography.

Each company joins at a time when the Conservation Alliance is focused on recruiting as many industry companies as possible. Each member company pays annual dues into a central fund, and the Alliance donates those funds to grassroots conservation organizations. The Alliance plans to donate $900,000 in 2009.

At the same time, the political landscape for conservation has rarely – if ever – been as bright as it is today. With a conservationist in the White House, and solid pro-conservation majorities in both houses of Congress, opportunities for conservation in the US are many.

“The grants we make over the next two years will be seeds planted in fertile political ground,” said John Sterling, Conservation Alliance Executive Director. “Our new and existing members will help save some very important wild places in the near future.”

Building on a partnership launched in 2005, KEEN Footwear has matched the first year’s dues of the new member companies. With these new additions, KEEN has thus far matched $421,100 in new member dues since June, 2005.

New members include from the manufacturers, publications, freelance photographers, mills, sales representatives, creative agencies, and other industry vendors.

“Our community of conservation-minded companies continues to grow,” said Sterling. “Together, we will save the wild places so important to outdoor customers.”

About the Conservation Alliance:
The Conservation Alliance is an organization of outdoor businesses whose collective contributions support grassroots environmental organizations and their efforts to protect wild places where outdoor enthusiasts recreate. Alliance funds have played a key role in protecting rivers, trails, wildlands and climbing areas.

Membership in the Alliance is open to companies representing all aspects of the outdoor industry, including manufacturers, retailers, publishers, mills and sales representatives. The result is a diverse group of businesses whose livelihood depends on protecting our natural environment.

Since its inception in 1989, the Alliance has contributed more than $7 million to grassroots environmental groups. Alliance funding has helped save over 39 million acres of wildlands; 27 dams have either been stopped or removed; and the group helped preserve access to more than 16,000 miles of waterways and several climbing areas.

For complete information on the Conservation Alliance, see www.conservationalliance.com.

PICKERINGTON, Ohio (February 4, 2009) -- Terrasoles®, a casual feel-good brand of footwear designed for the young-in-attitude, active consumer, has been selected by readers of the influential trade magazine Footwear Plus as winner of the 2008 Plus Award for Design Excellence in the Outdoor Lifestyle category.

“The Plus Awards are a celebration of the footwear industry’s talent, creativity and incredible hard work,” says Caroline Diaco, publisher, Footwear Plus.

Awards were given out to the winners at the 10th Annual Plus Awards Party at the Ava Lounge in New York City on February 4, 2009. The March issue of Footwear Plus will feature profiles of all of the winners and photos from the party.

Terrasoles was competing with the following companies that were also nominated in the Outdoor Lifestyle footwear category:  J-41®, El Naturalista® and Chaco®.

Winners in the class of 2008 reflect the breadth of the footwear industry from “luxury comfort” to “athletic lifestyle” and include such well-known brands as Nike®, New Balance®, Merrell®, Stride Rite®, Coach® and Kenneth Cole®. The Outdoor Lifestyle segment was one of three new categories added this year.

“We are deeply honored to receive an award that was based upon the votes of retailers and industry leaders,” says Jerry Hemphill, brand president, Terrasoles. “Terrasoles debuted two years ago based upon our vision of a young-in-attitude, active consumer who participated in or was inspired by an active lifestyle. Our research told us that whether a consumer actually lived an active lifestyle or was simply inspired by its concept; they wanted unique products that reflected their vision. They sought comfort, practical functionality, quality and unique aesthetics that set them apart. That is the essence of Terrasoles.”

Please visit the Terrasoles Social Media Release Webpage here for product images, company news and information.

Also, please visit the Footwear Plus Magazine website here.

Toronto, Canada (January 19, 2009) –Tilley Endurables, the first company to successfully bridge the concept of hats to gear, is bridging a new relationship with the National Audubon Society.  Tilley proudly supports the mission of Audubon and is working with its retailers to strengthen the organization through cross branding.

Tilley has re-branded their LTM5 Hat in Olive; it is now officially named the Tilley Audubon Hat.  This style comes with Tilley’s lifetime guarantee and it also: floats, ties on in the wind, is certified UPF 50+, repels rain, is crushable, packable, machine washable and has Tilley’s infamous secret pocket. As with almost all Tilley Hats, the Audubon style is made in Canada.

“Consumers can purchase National Audubon Society consumer products, such as the Tilley Audubon Hat, and raise awareness of our conservation work,” said Sandy Pinto, director of Licensing.  “We are excited to be working with Tilley and to gain their support for our mission and organization.”

Tilley makes the best, most practical outdoor hats in the world™. They are an essential accessory when enjoying wetlands and wildlife and they offer protection from the sun and rain. A Tilley client can feel good that their Hat purchase is associated with such a wonderful cause and organization.

Keep up to date on news from Tilley Endurables by subscribing to their RSS feed.  And be sure to check out their Facebook page.

About the National Audubon Society
Now in its second century, Audubon is dedicated to protecting birds and other wildlife and the habitat that supports them. Our national network of community-based nature centers and chapters, scientific and educational programs, and advocacy on behalf of areas sustaining important bird populations, engage millions of people of all ages and backgrounds in conservation. Please visit our website for more information.

About Tilley Endurables
Tilley Hats can be purchased at more than 3,100 partner retailers worldwide, including over 1,900 active lifestyle stores across the United States. Consumers can find store locations and obtain further information at http://www.tilley.com or call 1-800-ENDURES (1-800-363-8737).  A leader in travel and sun protection gear for more than 28 years, Tilley Endurables designs its signature Tilley Hats and travel clothing with unique, long-lasting features for travellers who embrace their unique spirit of adventure.

Media Contacts:
Verde PR & Consulting
Julie Snider-Popp
juliepopp@verdepr.com
970-259-3555

Tilley Endurables
Zoë Zwolak
zoez@tilley.com
416-444-6944 x 258

The National Audubon Society
Delta Willis
dwillis@audubon.org
212-979-3197
 

January 20, 2009, Bend, Oregon – ConservationNEXT, a program of The Conservation Alliance, launched the Backyard Collective last week.  This event was the first in a series of stewardship efforts that will bring together outdoor industry employees and Conservation Alliance grantees for hands on environmental stewardship.

In partnership with Oakland-based nonprofit Save the Bay, more than 80 employees from seven Bay Area outdoor industry companies restored wetland habitat and picked up trash in the Martin Luther King Jr. Shoreline Park in Oakland, CA. Companies participating in the event included The North Face, Clif Bar, REI, Mountain Hardwear, CamelBak, Wilderness Press, and Ahnu Footwear.  Their efforts resulted in the planting of 864 native seedlings, and over 100 pounds of trash being removed from the shoreline.  To put their work into perspective, the 82 volunteers who came out for this event worked the equivalent of 6 people working a full 40-hour work week.

Morning and afternoon clean-up sessions overlapped midday with a barbeque and volunteer fair where volunteers met with other Conservation Alliance grantees and learn how to participate in future environmental action projects in their community. Representatives from California Wilderness Coalition, Friends of the River, The Wilderness Society and Friends of the Inyo were on hand to talk about their conservation efforts, and sought volunteers from the day’s participants.
The Conservation Alliance launched ConservationNEXT in August, 2008 to connect individuals in the outdoor industry with the work of organizations that receive financial support from the Alliance.  ConservationNEXT.com provides people with opportunities to take online action in support of conservation. The Backyard Collective moves that action to the field, and gives people a venue to get their hands dirty in their own communities.

“This project represents ConservationNEXT’s commitment to making conservation happen, not just online, but by being the place where volunteers and projects connect directly,” said Brook Shinsky, Co-Founder of ConservationNEXT and employee of The North Face. “We’re bringing together companies that are competitors on a day-to-day basis, and inviting them to work together on an issue that is bigger than any of us, and has a direct impact on our industry.”
Amber Hoffman, Outreach Specialist at REI Berkeley said, “REI’s partnership with The Conservation Alliance is a superb match. Our mission is to inspire, educate and outfit for a lifetime of outdoor adventure and stewardship. Through efforts like the Backyard Collective and ConservationNEXT.com, The Conservation Alliance is helping to create the next generation of outdoor stewards, people who will be stewards for a lifetime.”

Conservation Alliance Executive Director John Sterling agreed. “Our ConservationNEXT program is building a community of people within the outdoor industry who want to become more actively involved in the work of The Conservation Alliance and our grantees,” he said. “We look forward to planning additional Backyard Collective projects throughout 2009 and beyond.”
 

Contact:
Brook Shinsky                        Deanna Kavanaugh-Jones
303.717.3849                        530.344.0100
brook_shinsky@vfc.com          deanna@theforestgroup.com
 

SALT LAKE CITY – Recreational Equipment, Inc. (REI), a national retail cooperative providing quality outdoor gear and clothing, announced its 2008 Vendor Partner-of-the-Year awards at the Outdoor Retailer Winter Market trade show, including the selection of Osprey Packs as winner of the camp/travel division. Osprey Packs is based in Cortez, Colo.

“REI is privileged to work with some of the top companies in the retail industry today, leaders in product quality and innovation, outdoor stewardship and financial performance,” said Angela Owen, REI’s vice president of merchandising. “It is our pleasure to recognize our standout industry partners in this special way.”

The annual awards program, established in 1993, recognizes three key vendors and one overall vendor partner of the year for efforts that have built a strategic and successful relationship with REI. The co-op’s three merchandising divisions – camp/travel, action sports and outdoorwear – nominate companies based on several measures, including performance, community and industry involvement and product quality, among others. In addition, REI retail employees vote from the slate of nominees to help determine the winners.

From its humble beginnings building custom backpacks and sleeping bags in Santa Cruz California, to its current recognition as an industry leader, Osprey has always flown its own course. Their mission is to create innovative high performance gear that reflects a love of adventure and a devotion to the outdoors and the environment. Osprey defines success when it meets the demanding expectation of its most discerning customers. Based in Cortez, Colorado, Osprey has over 35 years of pack-making experience.

The overall 2008 REI Vendor Partner-of-the-Year winner is Petaluma, Calif.-based CamelBak Products, LLC. The other 2008 vendor divisional award winners are:
•    Outdoorwear Winner: Outdoor Research (Seattle)
•    Action Sports Winner: Pearl Izumi (Louisville, Colo.)

Other vendor partner award nominees included Arbor, Arc’Teryx, Big Agnes, Black Diamond, Mountain Hardwear, Ortlieb, Planet Bike, PROBAR, SmartWool, Smith Optics and Teva.

About REI
REI is a national outdoor retail co-op dedicated to inspiring, educating and outfitting its members and the community for a lifetime of outdoor adventure and stewardship. Founded in 1938 by a group of Pacific Northwest mountaineers seeking quality equipment, REI operates retail stores nationwide, two online stores – http://www.rei.com and http://www.REI-OUTLET.com – and an adventure travel company, REI Adventures. REI offers products from all of the top brands for camping, climbing, cycling, fitness, hiking, paddling, snow sports and travel, including its own line of award-winning outdoor gear and apparel. While anyone may join or shop at REI, members pay a one-time $20 fee and receive a share in the company’s profits through an annual member refund based on their purchases. As an active supporter of the communities in which it does business, REI is committed to promoting environmental stewardship and increasing access to outdoor recreation through education, volunteerism, gear donations and financial contributions.
 

January 20, 2009, Bend, Oregon – ConservationNEXT, a program of The Conservation Alliance, launched the Backyard Collective last week.  This event was the first in a series of stewardship efforts that will bring together outdoor industry employees and Conservation Alliance grantees for hands on environmental stewardship.

In partnership with Oakland-based nonprofit Save the Bay, more than 80 employees from seven Bay Area outdoor industry companies restored wetland habitat and picked up trash in the Martin Luther King Jr. Shoreline Park in Oakland, CA. Companies participating in the event included The North Face, Clif Bar, REI, Mountain Hardwear, CamelBak, Wilderness Press, and Ahnu Footwear.  Their efforts resulted in the planting of 864 native seedlings, and over 100 pounds of trash being removed from the shoreline.  To put their work into perspective, the 82 volunteers who came out for this event worked the equivalent of 6 people working a full 40-hour work week.

Morning and afternoon clean-up sessions overlapped midday with a barbeque and volunteer fair where volunteers met with other Conservation Alliance grantees and learn how to participate in future environmental action projects in their community. Representatives from California Wilderness Coalition, Friends of the River, The Wilderness Society and Friends of the Inyo were on hand to talk about their conservation efforts, and sought volunteers from the day’s participants.

The Conservation Alliance launched ConservationNEXT in August, 2008 to connect individuals in the outdoor industry with the work of organizations that receive financial support from the Alliance.  ConservationNEXT.com provides people with opportunities to take online action in support of conservation. The Backyard Collective moves that action to the field, and gives people a venue to get their hands dirty in their own communities.

“This project represents ConservationNEXT’s commitment to making conservation happen, not just online, but by being the place where volunteers and projects connect directly,” said Brook Shinsky, Co-Founder of ConservationNEXT and employee of The North Face. “We’re bringing together companies that are competitors on a day-to-day basis, and inviting them to work together on an issue that is bigger than any of us, and has a direct impact on our industry.”

Amber Hoffman, Outreach Specialist at REI Berkeley said, “REI’s partnership with The Conservation Alliance is a superb match. Our mission is to inspire, educate and outfit for a lifetime of outdoor adventure and stewardship. Through efforts like the Backyard Collective and ConservationNEXT.com, The Conservation Alliance is helping to create the next generation of outdoor stewards, people who will be stewards for a lifetime.”

Conservation Alliance Executive Director John Sterling agreed. “Our ConservationNEXT program is building a community of people within the outdoor industry who want to become more actively involved in the work of The Conservation Alliance and our grantees,” he said. “We look forward to planning additional Backyard Collective projects throughout 2009 and beyond.”
 

Brook Shinsky                        Deanna Kavanaugh-Jones
303.717.3849                        530.344.0100
brook_shinsky@vfc.com          deanna@theforestgroup.com

 

Bend, Ore., January 16, 2009  – The Conservation Alliance Breakfast at the January 2009 Outdoor Retailer Winter Market will feature guest speaker Steven Kazlowski, a wildlife photographer who has accumulated a comprehensive and unparalleled portfolio of polar bears in the wild. His work documents the impact global warming is having on polar bear habitat. Before Kazlowski’s talk, The Conservation Alliance will provide an update on recent progress to protect three million acres of public land and 1000 miles of rivers throughout the US.

The breakfast, which is open to the public, is Friday, January 23, 7:00-9:00 AM at The Marriott in Salt Lake City.

 “Our breakfast will be exciting both because of Steve Kazlowski’s incredible photographs and stories, and for the great news that many of the projects we have supported are coming to fruition,” said John Sterling, Conservation Alliance Executive Director.

During his presentation, Kazlowski will share his stunning images and observations, talk about the challenges and thrill of photographing in the Arctic, and discuss what every citizen can do to make a difference for polar bear habitat in light of global warming.

“The Polar bear is global warming’s canary in the coal mine,” said Sterling. “We’re fortunate that Steven Kazlowski has taken the time to document these special animals in the wild, and that he will share his work with us.”

On the conservation front, legislation passed the US Senate on today that will protect new Wilderness areas and Wild and Scenic Rivers in Oregon, California, Idaho, Utah, Colorado, Wyoming, New Mexico, Arizona, Virginia, and West Virginia. Many Conservation Alliance grantees played an important role in this historic initiative.

The Conservation Alliance Breakfast is open to the public. For complete information, see http://conservationalliance.com/articles.

About the Conservation Alliance:
The Conservation Alliance is an organization of outdoor businesses whose collective contributions support grassroots environmental organizations and their efforts to protect wild places where outdoor enthusiasts recreate. Alliance funds have played a key role in protecting rivers, trails, wildlands and climbing areas.

Membership in the Alliance is open to companies representing all aspects of the outdoor industry, including manufacturers, retailers, publishers, mills and sales representatives. The result is a diverse group of businesses whose livelihood depends on protecting our natural environment.

Since its inception in 1989, the Alliance has contributed more than $7 million to grassroots environmental groups. Alliance funding has helped save over 39 million acres of wildlands; 27 dams have either been stopped or removed; and the group helped preserve access to more than 16,000 miles of waterways and several climbing areas.

For complete information on the Conservation Alliance, see www.conservationalliance.com.