RideWool

Andy Finch World Heli Challenge Champ!

2009-09-09T20:50:00.000-07:00

Congrats to Andy Finch, newly crowned Champion at the Rip Curl World Heli Challenge in Wanaka, New Zealand! www.worldhelichallenge.com. Read Andy's observations about being on top of the world down under on his blog at http://www.go211.com/u/Finch/blogs/6574.

Along for the T Ride

2009-06-17T08:08:00.000-07:00

I/O is next-to-skin with Kim Havell and 3 Telluride-based amigas on the T Ride Women's Ski Mountaineering Denali Expedition. The accomplished skiers are already on the massif, where they will attempt some fresh lines on N. America's biggest mountain. Read the ESPN article here:

http://espn.go.com/action/freeskiing/blog?post=4230474

Follow Kim's blog at havelltravels.com.

Proof of Concept

2009-05-21T09:43:00.000-07:00

Mark Glick (shown here blurring down with Switchfoot's Jon Foreman) corresponds,

"I still haven't washed my I/O shirt after a dozen transcontinental flights and 2 years of regular wear. Still smells new. Is that a record?"

Mark, yes it is, and we commend you for taking corporate warfare to a new level of HUN-dom. Kudos for pushing back against the laundry, and please keep us in the loop on the merger and acquisition of Civilization (Inc.) and its Discontents (LLC).

Hawaii in Black and White

2009-04-22T19:55:00.000-07:00

The Old Hawaii: Duke Kahanamoku in a white rayon shirt with lei.
The New Hawaii: Makua Rothman sporting a black wool I/O hoodie. No Lei.

Matthias Giraud blasts first ski-base off Telluride's Ajax Mountain

2009-04-22T19:41:00.000-07:00

I/O daredevil Matthias Giraud skiied a sketchy line off Ajax Mountain, opened his parachute and landed....on Good Morning America! Check it out here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZBENYzwenZY

Matthias dedicated his jump to the memory of Shane McConkey.

I/O presents The Gathering at Red Mtn

2009-04-22T19:26:00.000-07:00

I/O Bio was proud to present the first annual Gathering at Red Mountain March 13-15, 2009. John Falkiner, Ace Kvale, Marko Shapiro, Paolo Tassi and John Eaves were only a few of the many legendary skiers, photographers and filmers who visited Red Mountain last week for the first annual Gathering. As chronicled in the current issue of Ski Journal, John, Marko and Ace along with a crew of friends perfected the free-ski alpine lifestyle, melded mountaineering with mogul-mania, fashion with free-dog, and managed to stay under the radar to all except the cognoscenti of the ski and mountain industries.

The Gathering at Red celebrated a remarkable convergence of these international adventurers who have crossed paths in far-flung locations but have rarely been captured in the same place at the same time. Saturday night marked the end of a three-day powder-filled ski fest culminating with an evening of slide shows and videos by these international artists as well as locals from the Kootenay region. The audience was wowed by the level of talent and quality of imagery during the presentation and finished off the evening dancing in the Rafters pub to the rocking blues tunes of seven-time world freestyle ski champ John Eaves and the Blues Riders.

Bamboozled?

2009-01-16T18:19:00.000-08:00

Henry Krieger gets to the root of bamboo fabric manufacturing:

"Most bamboo fabric that is the current eco-fashion rage is chemically manufactured by “cooking” the bamboo leaves and woody shoots in strong chemical solvents such as sodium hydroxide (NaOH – also known as caustic soda or lye) and carbon disulfide in a process also known as hydrolysis alkalization combined with multi-phase bleaching. Both sodium hydroxide and carbon disulfide have been linked to serious health problems. Breathing low levels of carbon disulfide can cause tiredness, headache and nerve damage. Carbon disulfide has been shown to cause neural disorders in workers at rayon manufacturers. Low levels of exposure to sodium hydroxide can cause irritation of the skin and eyes. Sodium hydroxide is a strong alkaline base also known as caustic soda or lye. In its dry crystalline form, caustic soda is one of the major ingredients of Drano."

For the complete expose, see Henry's website at http://turnanewleaf.ca/green-pages.htm

Navy SEALS

2009-01-14T13:04:00.000-08:00

I/O's Resistance Team infiltrated the core of the US military elite at the Navy SEALS annual foundation gathering in San Diego, CA. Even the party decor was heavy-duty - target practice on hapless caricatures of Middle Eastern soccer players. I/O has outfitted select SEAL teams, who are busy spreading the word that only dumb tough guys still wear Under Armour.

Surviving New Guinea

2008-12-04T16:33:00.000-08:00

David Michell led an I/O expeditionary team on the Kokoda track in New Guinea. The trail is famous for brutal tropical heat in the days followed by freezing temperature at night, not to mention torrential rains. The famous Kokoda Track is the site of one of the most famous ANZAC battles of WWII. Performance in all conditions is built into every I/O garment.

Golden Boy runs I/O on HBO

2008-12-01T07:39:00.000-08:00

Oscar de la Hoya was seen training in the I/O Hoodigan on HBO's 24/7 show last night (Episode #3). The superstar boxer has been testing wool on the advice of his strength and conditioning coach, HUN team member Rob Garcia. Hoodigan was designed with fighters in mind, and it's perfect for knocking back the chill at Oscar's training camp at 6000 ft in Big Bear, CA. Eat up Pac Man on December 6, Golden Boy!

Sacred Craft

2008-11-12T12:06:00.000-08:00

The Sacred Craft tribute to the art of making surfboards took place in Del Mar in October. Just as wool linings have been introduced into wetsuit design, we are seeing a move toward biodegradable materials in board design. Here Bernie B. examines one of the show's chef d'oeuvres - a core blank made of structural recycled cardboard. Just don't get it wet...

October South Swell

2008-10-02T20:46:00.000-07:00

I/O product manager Outi in Carlsbad, Ca.
South swells still providing some fun size surf in October! When are the northwest swells going to force the I/O crew to dip into the first series of wool surf shirts to add some extra warmth under the neoprene??

I/O Kootenay Links Golf Challenge

2008-09-16T13:39:00.000-07:00

The First Tee of the annual I/O Kootenay Golf Invitational
August 2008
I/O defends wools golf heritage with the annual Rough Golf Invitational.
"Without sheep there would be no Golf" says John Ashworth.
Back in Scotland the links courses were groomed by the sheeps appetite for destruction and digestion, clearing hectares of unhospitable terrain into a playground for the wool wearing lairds.

Mountain Season Coming

2008-05-25T08:08:00.000-07:00

Summer coming to the mountains, winter swells dropping off fast in the SoCal bite, with not much action out of the south. Mountains win again.

HUN North Sea Action

2008-05-23T07:28:00.000-07:00

Hans Solmssen - HUN guide - When not sniffing out the best powder around the world, Hans also likes a mellow sail on his sailboat.

In the Home of The Sheep Whisperer

2008-05-22T15:33:00.000-07:00

Deep in a remote Swiss Alpine valley, I/O Hun member and Mountain Guide, John Falkiner tests the juicy fibers that run through his veins.

Prophets in fleece

2008-05-22T14:13:00.001-07:00

Well, the prophets will confirm that wool never went away. Hangin' at Seaside Market in full regalia, rocking the ZZTop shades while scoping the Cardiffit scene. Gimme all your lovin too.

photo: Zeke Jr.

ROI = I/O (in Canada)!

2008-05-22T13:49:00.000-07:00

Recreation Outfitters Inc. has inked a deal to become the exclusive distributor of I/O Bio for Canada. ROI brings considerable outdoor and mountain expertise in importing the world's softest merino to the Provinces, and to support existing dealers Valhalla Pure, Ross Vegas, Ripping Giraffe, and more!

See the Press release here:

http://www.roirecreation.com/newsite/index.htm

Swedish late winter fun!

2008-05-22T13:27:00.000-07:00

Check out I/O HUN guy Magnus Tveito floating the Hochjoch in Sverige in May! Photo by Vegard Breie.

Ride Wool

2008-04-29T11:33:00.000-07:00

Here we go, enter the domain of RideWool, an ongoing commentary on the I/O collective at
the vanguard of an apparel revolution.