You might be familiar with the Columbia Sportswear Company through the number of TV ads that they run touting their outdoor, cold weather jackets and extensive testing; but you might not be aware that they also make a number of products for the summertime outdoor enthusiast. Columbia has released a shoe to help the fisherman stay out of slick situations and drain quickly when their feet become submerged.
Inspired by observing fisherman in the Florida Keys wearing running shoes in and around the water, the designers at Columbia figured that they could come up with a better shoe. They created a hybrid shoe that combines the lightweight comfort of a running shoe with the quick-dry capabilities of a water shoe. The upper features breathable open cell mesh with a durable TPU toe cap, while the Techlite midsole has built-in drainage ports in the heel and forefoot to allow water to instantly escape. Wet/dry traction is assured by a siped, lugged outsole with Omni-Grip Wet Grip rubber for sure footing on slick surfaces.
Though the Drainmaker ($80 MSRP) is designed for fishermen and fisherwomen (yes, they are offered for both sexes); these shoes are based on the structure of a running shoe, offer lightweight construction and give more cushioning than a traditional water shoe. If your ‘catch of the day’ is to complete an event like the Tough Mudder, you may want to look at the Drainmaker from Columbia and add it to your arsenal.
The shoes feature an open cell sandwich mesh upper with translucent TPU toe cap, micro suede eyestay and Techlite heel, along with Techlite midsole that includes drainage ports in heel and forefoot, and siped, lugged outsole for extra traction made with Omni-Grip Wet Grip rubber. The shoes easily go from the wet to the dry and help your feet do the same.
Columbia Drainmaker Official Website
The heat is on, and rightfully so as June is here and that means summer – at least in the Northern Hemisphere. And Columbia Sportswear is talking about Omni-Freeze ZERO, the company’s new groundbreaking apparel technology, which is the culmination of a four-year development project.
With winter now actually here the temperatures outside are dropping and that means it can be hard to keep warm. But the Columbia Circuit Breaker jacket could help wearer’s get hot under the collar or just about anywhere else. This jacket uses the same Omni Heat thermal reflective technology that we reported on last week with