OutDoor INDUSTRY AWARD

 In a world filled with increasingly complex technology and stress at every turn, people crave relaxing moments in the great outdoors more than ever before. They want to get out of their monotonous everyday routines and leave their sit-down jobs in stuffy offices far behind. To get out into nature, kick back and relax, get active and find some inner balance: this is one desire that many people have in common. And there are virtually no limits to the possibilities that nature offers – we now use the resources available to us to an ever greater extent. The number of different outdoor activities we can participate in is growing with an amazing speed and they range from alpine skiing to wilderness camping.

Such topics as sustainability and ecology have become top priority for nature lovers in their outdoor activities. Just as they have for the manufacturers of the products used in these activities. Their main achievement in affording sustainability is producing high-quality products with a long service life. After all, these products are worn and used more frequently and for a significantly longer period of time than fashionable or cheap products are.

But just how can consumers navigate their way around a market like this? How do they know which products are eco-friendly and sustainable as well as innovative, functional and long lasting? The OutDoor INDUSTRY AWARD seal of quality, which has meanwhile established a solid reputation in the industry, honors not only the benchmarks, it also provides consumers with an endorsement of good design and a sense of orientation on a widely diverse market.

Once again this year, a personality who has made a special contribution to the topic of the outdoors will be honored as the “OutDoor Celebrity of the Year”, selected by a panel of top international trade journalists and with representatives of the industry. In 2009, the two managing directors of Globetrotter, Andreas Bartmann and Thomas Lipke, were the proud recipients of this award. Who will be the winner this year? We can’t wait to find out.

The jury of experts included:
Mark Held (European Outdoor Group), Martin Lotti (Global Creative Director, Nike Inc.), Mikko Lamminpää (RETKI, The Finnish Outdoor Magazine), Boris Gnielka (Outdoor Magazin, Motor Presse Stuttgart), Christian Weiss (Transa Backpacking AG) and Chris Townsend (Equipment Editor of TGO Magazine, Outdoor Writer & Photographer).

The products entered were judged in the following categories: Apparel/Helmuts/Shoes, Backpacks/Travel luggage, Mountain-climbing equipment, Camping equipment, Sleeping bags, Accessories, Products with high ecological and sustainable value and Material innovations. Students are allowed to enter their experimental designs of products yet to be realized and studies in the “Concepts” category.

Awards ceremony
The awards ceremony takes place at OutDoor in Friedrichshafen on Thursday, July 15, 2010 at 5.30 p.m. on the Fashion Show stage in hall A2. This will also be the occasion for presenting the prize for the OutDoor Celebrity of the Year 2010.


Your OutDoor Team and the iF Team.