In early January at Canada Sport’s Hall of Fame in Calgary, Columbia Sportswear unveiled their new freestyle uniforms for the upcoming 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, South Korea. Athletes from six nations, including Canada, Belarus, Ukraine, Brazil and Kazakhstan will be outfitted by Columbia with specially design uniforms for their respective disciplines including Aerials, Moguls, Slopestyle and Half Pipe.
Columbia President Joe Boyle said it best in a recent statement: “Olympic athletes are among the world’s most elite competitors. Columbia’s partnership with these teams has not only inspired our designers to create the most technical, innovative and best-performing products, but it has also provided insights throughout our winter collections”
Columbia previously designed uniforms for the US freestyle team in 2014, they have since taken what they have learned from that experience and combined it with two of their new technologies, namely OutDry Extreme and Omni-Heat Reflective.
Columbia’s OutDry Extreme is a unique approach to waterproof/breathable fabrics. The membrane that prevents water from penetrating the garment and also allows moisture to escape is actually placed on the exterior of the fabric. This is incorporated onto a four-way stretch material that provides unparalleled mobility for weekend warriors and pro athletes alike.Traditional waterproof fabrics typically use a three-layer construction with the waterproof/breathable membrane sandwiched between two fabrics. This means that the exterior fabric requires a DWR (durable water repellent) coating to ensure the outer fabric does not wet out. OutDry Extreme needs no such coating and feels more like a rubbery raincoat finish.
Omni-Heat Reflective is Columbia’s innovative insulation technology that is literally tiny little silver dots that reflect and retain the warmth that your body generates. Since these dots are not continuous they provide breathability and the dissipation of excess heat when required. Omni-Heat Reflective doesn’t add any bulk to fabrics nor impede range of motion so it’s ideal for any apparel and even Olympic athletes.
I had the opportunity to sit down with Columbia’s lead designer for outerwear & Youth, Becca Johnson and talk with her about the Olympic uniforms. Her passion for working directly with the athletes was immediately apparent. She wanted to know exactly what worked for them and what didn’t. What features they required and what they expected from their uniforms relative to their sport. Becca incorporated not only Columbia’s best technologies but also reflective emblems inside the jackets to further instil national pride. One of my favourite features on the jackets was the use of Lightrail Zippers which are laser cut and as flexible as the material they are incorporated into. The elimination of stitching and seem tape means that these zippers are low profile and virtually invisible to the eye.
Becca will no doubt be cheering on the athletes, and her uniforms as they compete from February 9th - 25th in PyeongChang at the XXIII Olympic Winter Games.
Here’s the official press release:
COLUMBIA UNVEILS U.S. FREESTYLE SKI TEAM UNIFORMS FOR OLYMPIC WINTER GAMES PYEONGCHANG 2018
2018 kits designed with athletes’ insights and Columbia’s newest technologies.
Columbia Sportswear (NASDAQ:COLM) has unveiled freestyle ski team uniforms that will be worn by athletes from the U.S. and other nations competing in the 2018 Olympic Winter Games in PyeongChang. Every piece was executed with three design cues in mind—high performance, innovation and national pride. Each distinct kit features fresh aesthetics coupled with new technologies developed specifically for the unique needs of these elite athletes.
Columbia has a strong history of developing high performance uniforms and previously designed U.S. freestyle uniforms for the 2014 Games in Sochi, Russia. Columbia uniforms in the Sochi Games were worn by nine athletes from several countries who achieved medal wins, a tally that included three gold medals. Feedback and insights from working closely with these dedicated athletes has driven Columbia’s broader ski collections to new heights for the past several seasons.
“Olympic athletes are among the world’s most elite competitors. Columbia’s partnership with these teams has not only inspired our designers to create the most technical, innovative, and best performing products, but it has also provided insights throughout our winter collections,” said Columbia President Joe Boyle. “We are proud of this collaboration and wish each team great success in PyeongChang.”
At the heart of the 2018 freestyle ski team uniforms is OutDry™ Extreme, Columbia’s solution for maximum waterproof protection and exceptional mobility. The ground-breaking membrane places a durable, permanent waterproof layer that actively repels water to ensure the athletes stay completely dry and comfortable. The uniforms feature the latest iteration of OutDry™ Extreme, and offers four way stretch to ensure the skiers have a complete range of motion. The uniforms are also lined with a fresh application of Omni-Heat™ Reflective, designed for lightweight, breathable warmth. These innovations deliver athletes more warmth with less bulk and offer the critical mobility and unrestricted movement needed to take home the gold.
Six countries will compete in the 2018 Games wearing uniforms designed by Columbia: The United States, Canada, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Brazil and the Ukraine. These athletes will face each other in the moguls, aerials, slopestyle and halfpipe events.
Additional technical features include a unique snow camouflage pattern designed to help mask body movement—a key judging component—for moguls skiers. The technical trims package includes a Columbia-designed, ultra-lightweight and low-profile Light Rail™ zipper. This unique zipper is bonded directly onto laser-cut fabric, completely eliminating the need for zipper tape resulting in Columbia’s lightest-weight waterproof zipper.
But technology is only part of the story—fresh graphics, prints and trims capture the energy and history that have been a part of the games for decades, while also taking into consideration each country’s distinct iconography. Customizable components like knee patches, nameplates, and removable features allow the athletes to make the uniform their own without compromising the cohesive look of their national team.
“It’s a unique opportunity to work closely with a brand and see your input come to fruition,” said Troy Murphy, a member of the U.S. Ski Team. “We spend countless hours on the mountain in a wide variety of conditions. It’s awesome that we can give our feedback to Columbia and have them hand us a uniform the next season that reflects our input.”
Columbia’s 2018 uniforms will be worn by national athletes competing in the following events:
United States: Moguls
Canada: Moguls, Aerials, Slopestyle and Halfpipe
Belarus: Aerials
Kazakhstan: Moguls
Brazil: Aerials
Ukraine: Aerials
About Columbia
Columbia, the flagship brand of Portland, Oregon-based Columbia Sportswear Company, has been creating innovative apparel, footwear, accessories and equipment for outdoor enthusiasts since 1938. Columbia has become a leading global brand by channeling the company’s passion for the outdoors and innovative spirit into technologies and performance products that keep people warm, dry, cool and protected year-round. To learn more, please visit the company’s website at www.columbia.com.
