Monday, November 1, 2010

Durango X Rock clean up

The Durango XRock clean up was awesome!

XRock is the oldest established climbing area within Durango. Josh and his Kling Mountain Guide group did an awesome job putting all of the logistics together creating wonderful new and improved trails, replacing old anchors and adding new ones. Not only did folks dig, move rocks and establish new trails, everyone gave a hand in picking up trash as well. The strangest thing they had found was a rotting skunk carcase. Yes, they cleaned it up and got it the heck out of there, thank god, it stank something fierce.

Backcountry Experience, Pine Needle Mountaineering, Gardeswartz Outdoors, Ska Brewing, Durango Parks and Recreation, San Juan College, Evolv, Metolius, Trails 2000, Leave No Trace, Access Fund, and Outdoor Pursuits were all supporters in the first annual crag clean up. All the supporters gave out great stuff to all the participants for their hard work and efforts. Ska Brewery had a great after party with lots of great beer and brats for all that were involved.


X Rock

Getting ready to clean.

Skunk be gone.

Participants receive goodies for their hard work.

Ska Brewery gave us a tour!

Evolv team member Byron and local fireman Dan psyched!!

MMMMMMM, bbbbbbeeeeeerrrrrrrrr.

Come on, we had to get some climbing in.

Goodness.

More goodness.

The Box Car Boulder.

All in all, the event was super cool and everyone had a great time.
Thanks Durango.


Monday, October 25, 2010

Shoes Heading out to Haiti






On Sunday afternoon and evening, Cyn and I met with an awesome lady who is now are connection I Haiti. As we all know, Haiti was rocked by a powerful earthquake, killing thousands and injuring masses to large to count. In all that craziness, people were losing limbs at an alarming rate, and with the heath care being that of a 3rd would country, people are forces to get by on what ever is around. I had heard of the plight and after speaking with my man EZ Harrison and Brian at the trade show, we all came up with a plan of getting our sample shoes out to people who need them. Being an amputee myself, my heart goes out to these groups, and here in the states I’ve been able to pass our shoes out to the ones who need them. But, then Haiti came along with the mess there and I wanted to step in, enter Alice. She is working with a doctor there and his clinic to pass on our shoes to the ones who need them, we are passing on not just approach shoes, but flip flops since the tropics are a bit toasty and we try to fit them the best we can.
As we talked with Alice, she filled us in on the day to day there and it makes you want to cry. If , through the generosity of Evolv, we can help in any way, we were psyched to step in and help out. Brian and Donny made sure I had the shoes in plenty of time and last night she picked them up on her way to New York to meet with the doc’s team and get ready for the trip over. We will keep sending shoes as long as there is a need, and you can’t believe how a small act on our part, impacts the greater world.
Super cool. A huge thanks to the Evolv team, showing the world, again, how cool the vibe we own really is.

Story and photo by Evolv athlete, Craig Demartino.

Monday, October 4, 2010

October Events

 October events in our Rocky Mountain area:

Oct 7- R&J 1 comp.
Oct 8- Lakewood Rec Center Comp.
Oct 9- Wilderness Exchange Parking Lot Gear Swap.
Oct 14- Reel Rock Tour- CO Springs.
Oct 15-22- Stone Age Prime 8 climbing festival.
Oct 23- Santa Fe Climbing Center Comp.
Oct 23- Spot SBS Comp.
Oct 28- San Juan College Comp.
Oct 30- Durango Co. Clean Up through Backcountry Experience. 
Oct 30- Adams State College Comp CCS.

Wednesday, September 1, 2010

Paradox Sports Vedauwoo climbing weekend

Subject: Paradox Sports Vedauwoo climbing weekend September 10th, 11th, and 12th
Hi Gang,
You are receiving this email because you have expressed interest in coming to our climbing weekend up in Vedauwoo, Wyoming. Named after an old Arapaho indian name meaning "earth-born", Vedauwoo is a magical place of tumbled rocks, winding trails, dark skies and near-constant wind. It is wild Wyoming at its best. It also happens to offer world-class rock climbing at all levels, great mountain biking, hiking and star-gazing. At an altitude of around 8,000 feet it is a wonderful respite from the heat of Denver and Boulder but that altitude also bring cold nights and the possibility of wild storms.

We are about 2 weeks away from our Vedauwoo climbing weekend September 10th, 11th, and 12th. We are really excited to see everyone and get some climbing in. Along with climbing Vedauwoo offers some great mountain biking, hiking, trail running, stargazing and fishing. If none of those are your interest just come out anyway and hang. Vedauwoo is a fee area. You will be able to get in with your National Parks Pass. For those of you with disabilities it is FREE for you with your Access Pass. Here is information on how to obtain your Access Pass

Here are a few links with information on Vedauwoo: 

Location: 

From Denver Take I-25 North to Cheyenne. From Cheyenne go West about 30 miles on I-80 to the Vedauwoo Road, Exit 329. If you are headed there from Laramie, it is about 18 miles east on I-80 to the exit. It takes about 2 hours to get there from Denver/Boulder. Map 

Location: 

From Denver Take I-25 North to Cheyenne. From Cheyenne go West about 30 miles on I-80 to the Vedauwoo Road, Exit 329. If you are headed there from Laramie, it is about 18 miles east on I-80 to the exit. It takes about 2 hours to get there from Denver/Boulder. Map 

The Plan: 

Friday September 10th - Arrival at Vedauwoo. We will setup our camping site and depending on arrival time climb a few pitches. All meals will be the responsibility of the participant. Paradox Sports will provide a camp kitchen. 

Saturday September 11th - Climbing, Biking, Fishing, or hanging out. Breakfast and Lunch will be the responsibility of the participant. Dinner will be provided by Paradox Sports. 

Sunday September 12th - More Climbing, Biking, Fishing, or hanging out. Depart when you need to. 

Camping:

There are no hotels at Vedauwoo so we will be camping. Since the camping will be first-come, first serve, our local crew will go up there a day early and try to secure the group camping sites. If these aren't available look for Paradox signs and directions. Bring the following:
Bring a good tent (remember the wind)
A sleeping bag that will keep you warm to freezing
A sleeping pad. 
Flashlight or headlamp (better)
1 Bundle of firewood
Camp chair
Personal necessities: toiletries, sunscreen, hand lotion, first-aid stuff (See: offwidth climbing)

Food and Cooking: 
Paradox Sports will provide dinner on Saturday night. All other meals and food are your responsibility. We will have cooking facilities set up and have pot and pans available. As with any large group of uncertain lineage, however, it would be wise of you to bring a small backpacking stove and pots if you have them. In addition, be sure to bring your own:
Fork, knife and spoon
Plate
Bowl
Drinking cup
Insulated cup
Trash bag
Cooler with ice
For breakfast we recommend cold or hot cereal or granola (don't forget the milk or yogurt), fruit, coffee and juice. Lunches should be snack bars, fruit and munchies. Sandwiches if you like them. Dinner? Be creative. Saturday night will be spaghetti, salad, bread and wine. Don't forget appetizer stuff. Cheese, sausage, crackers and Cheetos are favorites. Don't forget personal (adult) beverages.

Clothes:
The weather is wild and unpredictable: it could be blazing hot and, half an hour later, it could be freezing, windy and raining. In addition, the rock is very coarse so tough and bulletproof clothes are a must. Here is our recommendation:
Tough cotton shorts
2 t-shirts
long-sleeve pullover top that won't get trashed by the rock (rugby shirts used to be cool)
Long pants that are tough. (Carharts are a favorite)
Sun hat
Beanie or warm hat
Fleece jacket
Down sweater
Rain coat
Bandana
Sunglasses

In order to purchase the correct amount of food and secure the correct size of campsite we would like for you to RSVP to me (chadb@paradoxsports.org) if you are coming for sure. We need your response by Tuesday September 7th.

If you have any other questions or concerns please let me know. 

See you in two weeks! 

Chad 
-- 
Chad Butrick
Paradox Sports
(303) 210-1996
chadb@paradoxsports.org
www.paradoxsports.org
www.chadbutrick.com
---------------------------------------------------------
Paradox Sports provides inspiration, opportunities and equipment to the disabled community, empowering their pursuit of a life of excellence through human-powered outdoor sports.
---------------------------------------------------------
Paradox Sports is a U.S. I.R.S 501(c)(3) Charitable Organization. Tax ID# 26-0153796.

Please consider the environment before printing this e-mail.

Thursday, August 19, 2010

Territory Evolv Dealers

Hey team, I thought it might be a great idea if I acquainted you with our dealers in the areas you live.

There have been a couple of new dealers that I have opened in last few months that I thought it would be great if you could stop by from time to time and just hello.

There are also dealers that I have been working to get, that it would also be great if you were in the area, to stop in and say hello.

Thanks team, I really appreciate your help to continue to move Evolv into the #1 ranking climbing shoe company in the world.

Colorado
Backcountry Experience- Durango,CO
Bent Gate Mountaineering- Golden,CO
Estes Park Mountain Shop- Estes,CO
Jax Outdoor Gear- Ft Collins, Loveland, Lafayette,CO
Montbell America- Boulder,CO
Mountain Chalet- Co Springs,CO
Neptune Mountaineering- Boulder,CO
Outdoor Diva- Boulder,CO
The Boot Dr- Telluride,CO
Rock'n & Jam'n 1- Thorton, 2 Englewood,CO
Rock N Roll Sports- Gunnison, CO
Summit Canyoneering- Glenn wood Springs, Grand Junction,CO
The Mountain Shop- Ft Collins,CO
The Trailhead- Buena Vista,CO
Ute Mountaineer- Aspen,CO
Wilderness Exchange- Denver,CO


Accounts I am trying to get that if you are in the area, stop by and say hello.
Bristlecone Mtn Sports- Basalt, CO
Ouray Mountain Sports- Ouray,CO
The Edge Pack and Paddle- Pueblo,CO


New Mexico
Mudd N Flood- Taos, NM
Stone Age- Albuquerque, NM


South Dakota
Granite Sports- Hill City, SD
Take A Hike- Rapid City, SD




Utah
Al's Sporting Goods- Logan, UT
Black Diamond- SLC, UT
Camp Saver- Logan, UT
Canyon Sports- SLC, UT
Gear Heads- Moab,UT
Hansen Mountaineering- Orem, UT
Kirkhams Outdoor Products- SLC, UT
Mountain Works- Provo, UT
Pagan Mountaineering- Moab, UT
The Maple Leaf Company- Ephram, UT
Utah Mountain Sport- SLC, UT


Wyoming
Eclosure Climbing Center- Jackson, WY
Teton Mountaineering- Jackson, WY
WIld Iris Mountain Sports- Lander, WY




Accounts I am trying to get that if you are in the area, stop by and say hello.
The Great Outdoors- Pinedale, WY
Sunlight Sports- Cody, WY

Monday, August 16, 2010

Evolv shoes for a great cause.


Shoe Give Away


Sometimes doing the right thing looks really cool. You know what I mean, like the guy who jumped on the subway tracks in New York City to save the kid who had fallen on the tracks. I mean, that’s cool! Other times the right thing is not as glamorous but just as cool. Sometimes it takes one company who sees a need and decides to step up and do the right thing.
A little while back EZ Harrison got a hold of me and asked if I knew of any guys who had one leg like I did and might be in need of a shoe. It seems that when Evolv moves from a style or has demo models, they had a wealth of one sided shoes on hand and didn’t want to just add to the landfill. Being on the Evolv Team has been such a great experience for me, and I thought if I could spread some of that love around to some folks who needed some help, well, that would be the right thing to do.
I put the word out and sure enough, the responses came in.
And so did the shoes?!
Donny loaded me up with two huge boxes of one sided beauties. My wife Cyn and I went through the shoes one by one, pairing when we could, and separating the sizes out. Once we got that done, I started the mailing and connecting with the guys and gals who could use the shoes. My friend Pablo who lost his leg in a climbing accident and has not been able to work since, flipped out at the idea Evolv was going to give him shoes. He’s returned to climbing, it’s a huge part of who he is and I think we can all understand that, but to see his thanks really blew me away. He understands the cost of these shoes, and to have a company want to help him spoke volumes. Then there is Todd from Decatur IL who is not a climber, never heard of Evolv, but was shocked we wanted to send him shoes! He has Cerebral Palsy and wears out the fronts of his shoes from the shakes. Two pairs are in the mail to him tomorrow to help him on his way.
The other huge box of singles will be re-boxed and sent to my friend Gary Falleson. Gary runs an organization of climbers who do amazing service projects around the world when they go on climbing trips. He’s built schools and wells in almost every third world country out there, and recently was very active in Haiti. Before the huge earthquake there, they had built a school in a little village where they met a boy named Gilbert. Gilbert had lost his leg after falling off a roof, and through some generous donors, been flown here so I could help him build a leg to walk on with the team who makes my legs. He can only use his leg part time and has to crutch around the village on a pair of wooden crutches and a pair of manky flip flops.
 That is till now.
 In January, Gary will take a box of shoes over for us and deliver them not only to Gilbert, but to any other kids and adults who are in need after the quake. It seems there are tons of people who lost limbs after the quake and are still in dire need.
All in all, the right thing is pretty cool no matter what shape it comes in. So from our dingy garage to the hills of Haiti and the front range of Colorado, Evolv stepped up and did the right thing in a big way. Thanks!

Paublo digging his kicks.

The Man, the myth, Craig Demartino helping others.

Story written by Crag Demartino, Evolv athlete CO.

Friday, July 16, 2010

Bent Gate Night and Nick Duttle

Every third Wednesday of the month, Bent Gate in Golden putts on a "Community Night".


It is a lot of fun because Bent Gate does a great job at bringing in interesting folks within the climbing community to talk about various topics.


This last Wednesday's "Community Night" had Evolv team member, Nick Duttle giving a great slide show and informational segment on training, cross training and balance. Originally from Las Cruces New Mexico, Nick has been a fixture in the Hueco Tanks scene and is now a Colorado crusher. As a climber of 13 years, I learned quit a bit myself from Nick's presentation. He was very informational about his training techniques and about nutrition. 





Nick giving a great presentation at Bent Gate Night.


Here is a great article on Nick I found that you may enjoy. Nick is one of the nicest and hard working climbers out there, enjoy.





Nick Duttle: American HeroPDFPrintE-mail
Written by Kerry Ellard   
by Kerry Ellard
When you hear that Nick Duttle is a champion rock climber who is one of only a few in the U.S. to have ...
        ... climbed a boulder with a V14 rating, it would be a fair assumption to think that his skill and success in this area is the most interesting and impressive thing about him.  However, once you get to know Duttle’s story more fully, you realize that his success as a rock climber is really the pinnacle of a life of even greater challenges and triumphs. 
Duttle says he his perseverant personality is why he likes climbing, and from the time of his birth in Las CrucesNew Mexico, in 1981, it was clear that he would need tremendous inner strength in order to just survive, let alone thrive as he has.  He was born with Hypohydrotic Ecodermal Dysplasia, a genetic condition that affects the development of many bodily structures, such as skin and hair, and in Duttle’s case impeded the development of his sweat glands, which was especially dangerous because he grew up in the desert, and as a result experienced heat-induced seizures and other health problems. He faced social discrimination due to his sparse hair and other physical issues, but Nick never let such issues hold him back, instead choosing to focus on his positive attributes. Nick’s optimistic and driven personality and natural athleticism allowed him to overcome these difficulties and participate in activities like soccer, which allowed him to develop ways to get around his condition, such as dumping ice water over himself during games to simulate sweating.
Nick’s athletic skill and work ethic made him a standout competitive runner from 6th grade on, and he took part in Junior Olympic track events until he suffered a severe injury to his ACL at age 15 while playing soccer.  He was unable to pay for the surgery or continue competitively participating in soccer and track, but still he did not give up.  Instead, Duttle was amazingly able to rehabilitate himself through swimming, hiking, and cycling, and moved on to excel at a new sport: rock climbing. 
Initially, it was hard for Duttle to even hold on to the rocks, because his lack of sweat meant it was impossible to achieve the necessary friction.  But after attempting to climb immediately after swimming, he learned that if he applies moisture to his hands before climbing, it allows him to grip more easily, and, combined with his skill and strength, allowed him to succeed at boulder climbing. He was able to climb a V14 rated boulder, which is a world class level “only thought to be achievable by climbing
legends”.  Despite these accomplishments, the “legend,” as he has been referred to, has not lost the desire to challenge himself, and has branched out even further into sport climbing,
Duttle is skilled in more than just the athletic world, having graduated from New MexicoState University with a bachelors of science in Geography and a minor in Mathematics in 2006.  He hopes to climb 5.15.c or harder despite his struggle to balance work and climbing and his ongoing health problems, including continuously deteriorating vision due to his Hypohydrotic Ecodermal Dysplasia.  However, with all Duttle has overcome and accomplished so far, it is clear that nothing will hold him back if he can help it, and it is only a matter of time before he moves on to his next achievement.  As he humorously puts it, "I hope to inspire but I just can't perspire," and he’s definitely an inspiration.  
NOTE: Nick Duttle is represented by nationally prominent attorney David C. Grossack.  To learn more about Nick, please contact Attorney Grossack at dcg3@ix.netcom.com 

Here is a video of Nick crushing Esperanza V14 in Hueco Tanks.







Monday, July 12, 2010

Wyoming International Climbers Festival

 Hey all, this is EZ, the Rocky Mountain sales rep and  I just got home from my rounds around Wyoming and my first WICF event.



Wyoming is one of the most beautiful places I have ever been to. I made my way up to Jackson Hole to say hello to our retailers and climbing gyms on my way to Lander.  One of our retailers, Teton Mountaineeringhttp://www.tetonmountaineering.com/,  is situated dead center of Jackson Hole and has everything you could ever need for your outdoor adventures.
Enloseure,  http://www.enclosureclimbing.com/,  is a beast of a climbing gym that is located just outside of town on your way up from I-80. Not only do they have tons of steep terrain, but they also have a really great retail shop that carries many Evolv models. I was bummed to have to leave Jackson Hole, but I had to get to the WICF and represent.


The Grand Tetons.


Teton Mountaineering's main man Neil Starrett.


Enclosure's owner, Randall Townsand.


Lander Wyoming is situated right below Sinks Canyon,  one of many world class climbing destinations in the Lander area  and is home to the Wyoming International Climber's Festival. http://climbersfestival.org/



The town has a great vibe with super friendly locals that are very accomidating and strong as shit. The local mountain shop is Wild Iris Mountain Sports,  http://www.wildirisclimbing.com/, and is located right on Main St. Just outside of town to the south is Wild Iris,  also a world famous limestone crag that boasts 100's of super fun and inspiring routes.

Brian Rhodes warming up at Wild Iris Wyoming.

The 17th International Climber's Festival was in full swing this last weekend and Evolv was there to represent. Ryan Arment busted his ass running this awsome event and is a wicked climber in his own rite. There were parties, pull up contests, arm wrestling contests, clinics, demos, slide shows, crate stacking, slack lining, dyno comps, running races, and beer of course. The Lander Brew Pub kept everyone in great spirits as the four day event unfolded.

The Evolv booth in City Park.

Vendors, vendors, vendors.

Oh yeah, the Crate Stacking contest.

Free camping in City Park.

Pretty shoes with Wild Iris in the background.

The ever hard working Ryan Arment.

The watering hole.

Laif in the Dyno comp.

5.10's very own Ronnie Jenkins gettin some.

Bikers in Wyoming love watching dyno comps.

Ryan Arment getting his dance on!

Free camping in Wild Iris.

Evolv team member, Brian Rhodes gettin his Wyoming on.


Laif Gasch is one of our team members that is from Lander and has been a part of the WICF since it's infancy.  He pretty much knows every single person in town and helped me with my first WICF, thanks Laif.


Everyone had a lot of fun and Evolv was welcomed with warm hearts and happy feet.
I look forward to having Evolv being part of the 18th WICF. until next year, happy climbing:)



Smiles from all around:)

Happy climbing from your Rocky Mountain Evolv sales rep, EZ.

Thursday, February 25, 2010

Outdoor Industry Becoming Conscious


Oh yeah, these babies are sexy!


I have read all of the reviews on the Nike Lunar Glides+ and I have to say, these bad boys rock! I have gone to various running stores and have been fitted a couple of times. One place said I needed shoes with more support, while another said I was fairly neutral. I purchased a pair of Nike AirZoom Triax 13 to help with my overpronated stride. On one of my long runs, my knees and toes started to hurt so I started to my own research. The description for the Lunar Glides went as such, The LUNAR GLIDE'S DYNAMIC SUPPORT system responds to a runner's changing needs, constantly adapting to your stride to deliver just the right amount of comfort and support. LunarLite cushioning provides excellent shock absorption and responsiveness for a bouncy ride. A wedge of firm foam on the back side of the midsole offers pronation support for those who need it. 
Once I tried these on and actually ran in them, I was totally blown away. They seem to have great response with a very fluid heal in to toe out flow. The heal section of the shoe is mildly rounded which I think decreases the clunky feeling of some shoes. I am psyched to do a long run in these bad boys to see how comfy they are at mile 8 once again.



I have been getting into running a bit this winter. While at the Out Door Retail Show for Evolv Sports, I found myself over in the running shoe area whenever I got the chance. Being the shoe whore that I am, I found it very intriguing to check out the new running shoe technologies.
One of the coolest technologies I saw was Brook’s MoGo, a biodegradable midsole. The midsoles are designed to break down in landfills within 20 years. Along with Brooks, much of the running shoes out there are utilizing recycled materials on their uppers, water based adhesives and other recycled materials within their midsoles. Check out Brook’s environmental involvements at, http://www.brooksrunning.com/Green+Room/

Nike has had their recycling program for some time and is called the “Nike Reuse a Shoe Program”. http://www.nikereuseashoe.com/ Nike utilizes their recycled material for a plethora of athletic services that includes, children’s playgrounds, weight room flooring, outdoor synthetic courts, running tracks, indoor wood courts, and many more applications that are listed on their website.

Another company I found super intriguing was New Balance. Their line of recycled running shoes, the New Balance 70, http://www.nbwebexpress.com/newbalanceME070SN.htm were cool looking and super light.  Along with their recycled running shoes, their environmental quest is note worthy as well.  You can check out what New Balance does to be more environmentally conscious at, http://www.newbalance.com/responsible-leadership/#/ei/eihome/

At Evolv, we have been trying to move the climbing industry forward with our recycled materials within our climbing shoe line, called EcoTrax, http://evolvesports.com/traxrubber.htm

I am super psyched to see all of the outdoor industry manufactures trying to decrease the footprint on this wonderful planet of ours. Not only are the products becoming more environmentally friendly, but they are getting cooler and cooler looking as well.

Updated schedule

Evolv Events 2010
Collegiate Climbing Series- Rocky Mountain Region
1) Comp schedule
Feb 20th UNM-Albuquerque
Feb 27th UCCS-Colorado Springs
March 6th Western-Gunnison
April 3rd Adams-Alamosa
April 17th CU-Boulder Regionals (Spot)
27-Jan The Front Bouldering comp
Jan 23- Grand Junction Bouldering Comp.
Jan 30- Sport Climbing Center Bouldering Comp (shoe demo), Co Springs.
2010 SBS Series-National- $2000          
May- Out Door Pro Comp- Spot            
Feb 6- Miramont Ft Collins Shoe Demo/ Duttle Clinic @ 9a.m.-12 p.m.
Feb 6- Lakewood Rec Center Comp.
Feb 13- Grand Junction comp- Ben
Feb 25- Rockn and Jamin 1 Thorton, CO Comp.
Feb 27- School of Mines Climbing Comp- (shoe demo), Golden Co.  
Feb 27- Colorado High School Nationals- Co Springs, The Rock.
 March 5-6- Camp Saver Grand Opening- Logan Ut
March 8- Shoe demo- The Spot Bouldering Gym- Boulder CO
March 13 The Rock Climbing Center, Co Springs- (shoe demo), GRAND OPENING.
March  27-  Irock Climbing Gym comp- Ogden Utah
May 28- 24 hours of Gunnison.            
October 16- Stone Age Climbing comp- NM
Hera Climb For Life              
Boulder 6/11- 6/12              
Salt Lake 9/16- 9/19              
                   
Horse tooth Hang ?              
Weber State University –Ogden Utah Comp series
Feb 6- Collegiate Comp  
   
Weber University -  April 9-10 Climbing festival  
9th- Demo multi vender.  
10th- climbing comp.