From the heat of Sedona, Ariz., at a national press event in May, Columbia Sportswear unveiled the latest in its 112 seasons of innovations, dating back to 1971 when Tim Boyle and his mother began producing affordable, versatile performance wear and breaking ground in the moisture-wicking market.
This latest innovation, however, set to be in retail locations in Spring 2013, goes beyond wicking. It is being touted as revolutionary “sweat activated cooling,” and will be incorporated into dozens of Columbia products currently in production ranging from the company’s new Drainmaker watersport/running shoes to its apparel and accessories.
Columbia is also introducing the new cooling technology into many Spring 2013 Mountain Hardware products, having acquired the company last year, in a similar technology called Cool.Q ZERO Active Cooling. CoolQ follows more closely the Mountain Hardware branding and technology advances that were released to the public this spring, including the Gore-Tex-replacing Dry.Q.
More than 50 journalists from around the country gathered to bike, run, hike and do yoga in the new gear, putting it through the ringer while also digesting product presentations and hospitality by Columbia leadership.
Omni-Freeze ZERO is the culmination of a four-year effort to develop a new line of apparel that becomes cooler in hot, moist conditions, while being comfortable to wear whether being active or not. Distinct visible blue rings with a special cooling polymer are embedded in the fabric of Omni-Freeze ZERO apparel and footwear…when exposed to sweat or other moisture these rings swell and create a cooling sensation that is immediately noticeable. The prolonged effect is also noticeable.
“Historically, outdoor and athletic brands have looked at sweating as a problem, something to be wicked away with so-called technical, decades-old polyester fabrics,” said Mick McCormick, Columbia executive vice president. “Omni-Freeze is an entirely new approach, and unlike anything the industry has ever seen. We see sweat as a renewable resource that will allow athletes, outdoor enthusiasts, and anyone that spends time in hot, humid conditions to sweat smarter, staying more comfortable.” The company even proposes providing its employees and factory workers with garments from the new fabric to help them stay cool and improve working conditions.
Omni-Freeze ZERO will be integrated across a line of 40 styles that will include men’s and women’s shirts, performance layers, headwear, sleeves and other accessories. Columbia will also add Omni-Freeze to its Powerdrain footwear models to keep the shoes cooler in hot weather, since the feet contain more sweat glands than any other part of the body.
Omni-Freeze adds to the string of new technologies developed by Columbia’s “Performance Innovation Team” (PIT), the research and innovation division of the company tasked with developing consumer solutions for the company’s brand portfolio including Columbia, Sorel, Mountain Hardware and Montrail. According to company executives, they have innovations mapped out through 2016.
“We see Omni-Freeze as a real game changer in terms of how people think about performance and comfort in hot weather,” said Woody Blackford, vice president of innovation and head of the PIT. “In general, people remove clothing layers to stay cool, but sponsored athletes using Omni-Freeze ZERO have noted that in hot, humid conditions this is the first technology that feels cooler and more comfortable than wearing nothing at all.” They are also more protected from the sun and elements.
Columbia is the flagship brand of Portland, Ore.-based Columbia Sportswear Company. The company has been in existence since 1938. Visit columbia.com for more information.
