ABC of Rock Climbing News Feed

Crazy Creek Original Chair: Tough Stuff

The Crazy Creek Original Chair� has been chosen as one of the products highlighted in the April Backpacker Magazine feature "TOUGH STUFF - 30 indestructible gear picks from two decades of hardcore field-testing."

The Backpacker article begins, "Readers constantly ask us: 'What's the most durable gear you've ever used?' Here's our answer: A collection of rugged favorites voted on by 12 editors with 170 total years of field-testing experience. Trust us.. in the long run, durability is lighter on your wallet - and the planet." Regarding the Crazy Creek Original Chair, Backpacker says, "A decade-plus of relaxation. This seat features thick padding, nylon reinforcements, and the ruggedest stays around. One chair has supported an editor for half of his life."

We couldn't be more pleased to be included in this virtual pantheon of innovative, �ber-durable products. But it's no surprise - Crazy Creek Chairs have always been made for Sustainable Sitting. With their "capacity to endure", our chairs are the standard by which all others should be measured. Not only because they are built to last for years of hard use, but also because our strikingly simple design accommodates a wide range of uses from the backcountry to the backyard. You won't find a Crazy Creek Chair thrown away in a landfill after only a season or two of use. In fact, customers often tell us that their Crazy Creek Chairs are still going strong after 20 years!

So, thank you Backpacker Magazine. You've confirmed once again what we've always known about the durability of our deceivingly simple yet revolutionary chairs. Oh yes, and they're awfully comfortable too.

Crazy Creek is the creator of versatile, portable, comfort seating products that are the choice among veteran outdoor enthusiasts. The company offers a complete line of chairs, hammocks, tarps, and other accessories for active pursuits, available at leading sports and specialty retailers worldwide.

For more information, contact Crazy Creek at 800-331-0304 or visit www.crazycreek.com.

Source: www.outdoorindustry.org

Guidebook to Getting Kids Active Outdoors

A new guidebook to getting kids active in the great outdoors addresses one of America's top concerns.

"Outdoor Parents, Outdoor Kids - A Guide to Getting Your Kids Active in the Great Outdoors" by award-winning author Eugene Buchanan extends parents a helping hand, or set of training wheels, in getting their kids active outside. Included are informative and entertaining look at biking, camping, swimming, paddling, fishing, skiing, hiking, climbing and other outdoor pursuits. Proceeds from the soft cover book, available in stores this April, benefit the Outdoor Foundation's efforts to grow youth participation in the outdoors.

Today, more than ever, the game is on to get kids off video games and into the great outdoors. Childhood obesity statistics are staggering � the rates have tripled in the past 30 years, affecting nearly a third of our nation's children and costing the U.S. $150 billion every year to treat it. It's epidemic enough to prompt President Barack Obama to appoint a Childhood Obesity Task Force and First Lady Michelle to launch a foundation to fight it.

Participation numbers are no less encouraging. The Outdoor Foundation reports that youth participation in outdoor recreation has dropped nearly 17 percent over the last three years. Additionally, it finds that most youth are introduced to outdoor activities through their families. "Sadly, fewer youth are heading outdoors each year," says the Foundation's Christine Fanning. "The U.S. is facing an unprecedented public health problem, reconnecting youth with the outdoors is critical to the health of future generations and our natural landscapes."

These figures and more are why The Heliconia Press is proud to release the book that has garnered early and widespread accolades. Richard Louv, author of best-selling Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder, calls it "An excellent beginner's guide to help parents instill in their kids a love of outdoor activities." Carl Pope, executive director of the Sierra Club, calls it "an important contribution to the work of connecting our children to the outdoors." And award-winning filmmaker Ken Burns says, "Nowadays, too many of us, especially our children, suffer from a Nature deficit. This wonderful book will go a long way toward remedying that."

Source: www.outdoorindustry.org

Point6 Donates to Haiti Relief Effort

Point6, the independently owned designer and manufacturer of the "Best Wool Socks Ever," recently donated 500 Pairs of socks to Soles4Souls, a shoe charity that collects gently worn shoes and monies to provide shoes to those in need, to support their Haiti relief effort.

"We are thankful to our friends at point6 for recognizing the need in Haiti," said Wayne Elsey, Founder and CEO of Soles4Souls. "Their donations will be used to bring hope to the people of Haiti as they struggle to rebuild their lives."

Soles4Souls has committed more than 1.3 million pairs of shoes to the devastated area. They have partnered with other organizations on the ground in Haiti to transport and distribute the aid. More than 120,000 pairs of shoes, including work boots, rain boots, children's athletic shoes and clothing items, have already been distributed in Haiti.

point6 will bolster these efforts by contributing 500 pairs of their premium merino wool socks to provide some added comfort and support to those affected by the catastrophic quake in January.

"We are very grateful for the opportunity to partner with Soles4Souls to offer relief efforts to the victims of the catastrophic earthquake in Haiti," said Betsy Seabert, marketing director for point6. "By partnering with non-profits that are working hard to provide humanitarian aid such as Soles4Souls, we can maximize our collective support to help those in need."

For more information on how to get involved and donate to the victims in Haiti, visit www.giveshoes.org.

Source: www.outdoorindustry.org

Briggs & Riley Partners with Conservation Alliance

Hauppauge, NY -- Briggs & Riley Travelware, the world-renowned business and leisure travel Luggage Company, has joined The Conservation Alliance to assist in the organization's nationwide support of conservation efforts. Briggs & Riley's partnership with The Conservation Alliance will help to fund grassroots conservation organizations throughout the United States; the Alliance plans to donate $900,000 in 2010.

The Conservation Alliance is comprised of outdoor businesses whose collective contributions support grassroots, citizen-action groups and their efforts to protect wild and natural areas that are frequently visited by adventure enthusiasts and travelers. Briggs & Riley's partnership with The Conservation Alliance represents the company's commitment to sustaining and protecting natural areas throughout the United States that adventure travelers love to explore and visit.

"Partnering with The Conservation Alliance is a perfect fit for Briggs & Riley, as we continue to expand our industry-leading product line into the outdoor travel and retail space, while always keeping an eye on the health and vitality of the outdoor spaces we all love to live, work and play in," said Jim Lahren, vice president of marketing for Briggs & Riley.

"We are excited to welcome Briggs & Riley into our growing membership," said John Sterling, executive director of The Conservation Alliance. "As a new player in the outdoor industry, Briggs & Riley brings a sincere commitment to protecting our wild lands and rivers."

The Conservation Alliance celebrated its 20th Anniversary in 2009, while contributing $900,000 to 34 conservation projects in the United States and Canada. In 2009, Conservation Alliance grantees succeeded in protecting 10.5 million acres of land, 1,000 miles of rivers, removed one dam and acquired one popular climbing area.

"The Conservation Alliance has demonstrated its ability to fund projects that can succeed given adequate resources," said Sterling. "We look forward to including Briggs & Riley in those tangible, on-the-ground, successes."

For more information, log on to www.briggs-riley.com and www.conservationalliance.com.

Source: www.pr.com

Guest Editor of Climbing's 40th Anniversary Issue

Skram Media, publisher of Climbing Magazine, today announced that storied climber and journalist Jeff Achey is adding another first to his resume: guest editor of CLIMBING Magazine's 40th Anniversary issue (No. 285), on newsstands in late April.

"Climbing Magazine's first issue was the May 1970, so we talked about celebrating the 40th Anniversary with a special issue to coincide with the May 2010 issue for a while, and, of course, Jeff came immediately to mind," said Climbing Publisher Mark Crowther. "Jeff's been a prominent figure in the American climbing scene since the 1970s and editorial protege of Climbing's longtime editor Michael Kennedy, all of which makes him the perfect guest editor. The editorial team is excited to have his involvement and voice in this special issue."

Achey has been a prominent figure in the American climbing scene, with many first ascents and first free ascents to his credit. He has an extensive journalistic and photographic background that includes posts at Climbing as Photo Editor, Editor-at-Large, and Editor-in-Chief.

"Looking back on 40 years of Climbing, one constant I can trace is my connection to this magazine. When I first discovered this sport, Climbing was my inspiration, its stories and photos filling me with dreams of adventure. Climbing published my first-ever article, in 1978. Now, it's an honor to give back to Climbing and climbing by editing this special 40th anniversary issue," commented Achey.

Source: www.outdoorindustry.org