Summer Outdoor Retailer – Footwear Sneak Peak

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It’s almost time for the Summer Outdoor Retailer trade show, and everyone’s bringing something new. The summer footwear performance category is brimming with supportive, versatile and impressive kicks. Here is a sneak peak at some of the upcoming footwear that will be released in the Spring of 2019.

Oboz

Sun Kosi sandal

For free flow adventures on water and land, Oboz’ Sun Kosi is light on the feet thanks to R-MAT® cushioning that is gives immediate comfort and a supportive, soft feel. Dual density R-MAT, which is also known for its outstanding rebound, traction and durability, is used in the sculpted footbed, midsole and in the Canyonlands blended rubber outsole. On top, soft quick-dry webbing crisscrosses the foot and is secured by a buckle and at the heel, by Velcro. At 1 lb. 1 ounce per pair (men’s size 9), per sandal, the Sun Kosi is up to 12 ounces lighter than comparable sandals on the market. obozfootwear.com

Cirque Low

Oboz’ Cirque Low Waterproof is for hard-charging peak bagging men and women that want agility and support. The A3 Chassis™ system features two independent TPU stabilizers with integrated shanks that actively steady the foot on off-kilter traverses, rough trails, and scrambled descents. The all-synthetic waterproof B-DRY upper features welded construction, a cage that holds the midfoot and anchors the lacing system, and a generous protective anti-abrasion guard on the side. The outsole’s rubber thickness varies to shave weight, and rounded perimeter lugs roll easily. The embedded topo map features Montana’s Beartooth Range. A non-waterproof Cirque Low is also new. MSRP $145 obozfootwear.com

Oboz O FIT Insole™ Plus

Oboz’ new trim-to-fit O FIT Insole™ Plus is an outdoor-inspired replacement footbed that amps up the comfort above and beyond the signature insole that Oboz includes in every pair. Poron® Comfort pods absorb shock in the heel and ball of the foot, and sculpted high density EVA supports the arch and heel. Full-length EVA adds cushioning and the antimicrobial top sheet, with a topo map graphic, has a soft foam underlay. Shoppers can see and feel the insole through two open windows in the packaging, which highlights trim-to-fit instructions and Oboz’ 60-day satisfaction guarantee. For every pair sold, Oboz will plant a tree through its partnership with Trees for the Future.

Lowa

An athletic alpine boot to go from trail to basecamp and above, the LOWA Alpine SL GTX is ideal for speedy acclimatization training and climbs. LOWA Pro-Team athlete David Gottler worked with the R&D team to develop LOWA’s lightest alpine training boot (2 pounds, 4 ounces per pair) for speed acclimatization and climbs that involve only a combination or strap-on crampon. LOWA RepTex abrasion-proof uppers are flexible and lightweight and the low-profile, close-to-the-ground feel features the new Vibram Alp Trac SL crampon compatible sole package. The upper is an all-synthetitic material injected with polyurethane for foot protection and durability with extra toe and heel protection added along with an internal stabilizer for support. The close to-the-ground lightweight EVA midsole and all-new Vibram Alp Trac SL provide underfoot traction with minimal weight. lowaboots.com

SOLE

SOLE is launching an entire new line of recycled cork footwear at summer OR, including the Laguna: featuring colorful knit straps, these versatile flips are perfect for heading to the yoga studio, beach or casually around the neighborhood. Boasting 100% recycled cork footbeds, vegan, met pad, anti-odor, natural splay and splash friendly. secure.yoursole.com

Vasque

Vasque adds some color to its traditional lineup with the Breeze LT GTX, a lightweight hiker with a high rebound footbed that resists wear-induced flattening. MSRP $170  vasque.com

Mammut

Taiss Light Mid GTX – a new generation of mountaineering boots. At Mammut, they place great importance on light weight and lasting durability combined with high performance in alpine terrain. The shoe meets these requirements with perfectly coordinating materials and technologies. With the Mammut® Georganic 3D Technology ™, the three-dimensional cut of the Taiss Light GTX has been developed directly on the foot. This gives the shoe a natural fit and enhanced comfort. The two other technologies – Contact Control and Vibram Litebase® – ensure an optimum balance between lightness, durability and performance. mammut.com

Keen

The KEEN AXIS EVO Mid has out-of-the-box arch support thanks to a dual-density footbed and plastic stabilizing shank. KEEN has also eliminated PFCs, a harmful chemical used in manufacturing, from 95 percent of its footwear. MSRP $160  keenfootwear.com

Tecnica

Thanks to a proprietary patent pending machine the Tecnica Plasma uppers and footbeds are fully fit customizable. It is the first shoe which can be shaped around each individual customer’s feet delivering a unique custom fit feeling, precision, support, comfort and zero break-in times. The operation is done in a limited number of specialty retailers worldwide in only 20 minutes. It is the only shoe in the industry where outdoor specialty shops can offer a great added value of their service to consumers versus mass sports chains or online sales. Plasma is a modern, light, agile, cool looking hiking shoe with a great anatomic out of the box fit, overlap design, megagrip Vibram outsole and Gore-Tex lining. tecnicasports.com

LALO

LALO, the athletic and tactical inspired brand, is building upon their footwear offering for men and women with the brand new, Zodiac Recon AT, an over-sized, rugged running shoe with lightweight component construction and responsive geometry. The LALO Zodiac Recon AT provides a quick and responsive ride for both on and off-road terrain. MSRP $160 lalo.com

adidas Outdoor

adidas Outdoor introduces Hiking Boots with Trail Runner DNA – featuring the trail runner components, PRIMEKNIT, Boost and Continental Rubber. adidas.com

Five Ten

Five Ten goes retro with this year’s Five Tennie, an approach shoe with high friction rubber and color accents that are hard not to love. Parent company adidas’ sustainability strategy stretches across the entire supply chain. MSRP $125  adidasoutdoor.com/fiveten-brand

Merrell

The HyperLock TPU heel on Merrell’s MTL Cirrus is designed to keep narrow feet supported while moving over variable terrain. The Merrell Magic campaign, where the company surprises overheated hikers with lemonade and grimy thru-hikers with a night in a five-star hotel, makes for good story telling on the sales floor. MSRP $180 merrell.com

Salomon

The Salomon Odyssey Triple Crown has a toebox big enough for a wide foot, or for letting toes spread out on long thru-hikes. The brand aims for 100 percent of its suppliers to meet its social compliance standard by 2025. MSRP $140 salomon.com

Astral

New to Astral’s growing collection of performance casual footwear, the Hemp Baker, Loyak and Maria mix style, performance and sustainability to create comfortable everyday shoes. Durable and naturally odor-resistant Hemp Canvas is stitched to a flexible and grippy G®Rubber outsole on the Hemp Baker, which is an everyday slip-on (MSRP: $90). Astral’s best seller goes hemp with the Hemp Loyak, which combines a super soft Hemp Canvas upper and low profile, high performance G®Rubber outsole to give you more function and fun (MRSP: $100). Be ready for travel, dinner out on the town and unexpected adventures. Last, but certainly not least, Astral’s Hemp Maria slip-ons are made with beautifully detailed stitching on hemp uppers. The outsoles are made from Astral’s proprietary no slip G®Rubber. Walk with ease and good vibes in the Hemp Maria (MSRP: $90). astraldesigns.com