Down Wind Sports

 Mosquito

Sea To Summit Mosquito Headnet

When it’s bug season, make the outdoors more enjoyable by protecting your head with this lightweight net. It’s black mesh netting offers better visibility than white mesh and when not in use it folds down into a small pouch that fits in the palm of your hand!

• Fine, 500 hole per square inch hexagonal mesh
• Made of a soft multifilament polyester
• Packaged in its own tiny stuff sack
• Elasticized draw cord closure
• Wide enough to wear with a hat or without
• Also available in an Insect Shield® Permethrin treated model
• Weight: 1.3oz

Outdoor Research Spring Headnet

This no-see-um headnet gives you reliable insect protection without the chemicals. The collapsible metal hoop holds the mesh away from your face. A drawcord neck closure prevents the tiniest pests from entering your air space and it collapses into a pocket for easy storage.  Perfect for trudging trough Mulligan Swamp!

Herbal Armor Insect Repellents

Herbal Armor Insect Repellents are the #1 natural, DEET-Free insect repellent according to IRI data and have been mentioned in Popular Science, National Geographic Adventure and more. Using six natural repelling oils in over 25% concentration, they have been proven 100% effective for two hours and 95.8% for three. Allergy tested, and proven non-irritating, the Herbal Armor™ repellents are good for kids and those with sensitive skin. The time-released encapsulation helps make them sweat resistant for active lifestyles. In addition, unlike DEET-based repellents, they won’t damage clothing or equipment.

Don’t let these pesky creature ruin your outdoor adventures……At Down Wind Sports we offer several weapons to combat these dreaded bugs, providing some sanity to your early spring adventures.  Stop by either of our stores and get prepared for the bugs!

 Having traveled to remote area’s around the globe, always suspect of the water I am drinking, there can be nothing as devastating as ruining a trip by being struck by Montezuma’s Revenge!  I am super stoked to see that the new innovative CamelBak All Clear water purifier is finally here!

For more than 30 years, CamelBak has been blazing the path forward in hydration innovation. Now they are innovating solutions in water purification with the same superior results. Meet CamelBak All Clear, the powerful new UV purification system. Fast, effective and backed by our Got Your Bak^TM Lifetime Guarantee, CamelBak All Clear maximizes UV exposure for drinking water you can trust. 

Fresh out of the box….stop in the shop for an in store demonstration!

Many of you are likely contemplating weekend plans since Saturday is graduation, but there may be another event to pencil into your calendar: viewing the “super moon.” At 11:35 p.m. ET Saturday, the official full moon will occur at the same time its orbit brings the familiar white globe closest to Earth.

The moon will appear very large and bright in the sky, about 16% brighter than usual. The best location to view the moon at its largest is when it is along the horizon after rising and just before setting. Viewing the moon behind trees or other objects will create an optical illusion so it appears even larger, making it a perfect time to try and grab some beautiful pictures.

So why is this full moon “super”? As the moon orbits the Earth, there are specific times when it is closest to and farthest away from our planet. Apogee occurs when the moon is farthest away from Earth, and perigee occurs when it is closest. On Saturday, the moon will be at its perigee and thus very close to Earth – about 221,000 miles away.

This full moon will be big, bright, beautiful and certainly worth a look. The timing to see it will be perfect when many of you are out celebrating  Saturday night so be sure to remember to look up!

We have all been there……out camping and prepared a beautiful meal, and then when it’s time to chow down your dinner is as cold as an early spring morning in the U.P.   Have no fear….. the new Optimus Heat Pouch now preserves your marvelous culinary creations with an ingenious, innovative slip-in side pocket that let’s you eat directly from a food pouch!

With the new Optimus (H)EAT Insulation Pouch, you will eat your food as hot as it has been cooked. The Optimus (H)EAT allows you to keep your meals hot to the very last morsel – even while outdoors. No matter how foul the weather is, the convenient slip-in side pockets protect your hands against the wind and cold while keeping your food warm. 

Whether you are enjoying a romantic evening outdoors, hiking, going on an alpine tour or a demanding expedition, you will find the Optimus (H)EAT to be the perfect companion for your outdoor adventures. It transforms any place into a romantic spot and any outdoor meal into a feast. The heat pouch is made of insulated material and is the perfect fit for freeze-dried Trek’n Eat menus. Preparation is easy. Just put the Trek’n Eat instant meal pouch into the Optimus (H)EAT, open the pouch, pour in boiling water, close the pouch again and let the meal cook. Whether in summer or winter – the Optimus (H)EAT will uniformly cook all the tasty Trek’n Eat menus, which will then remain hot in the Optimus (H)EAT for 30 percent longer.

Of course, you can also prepare your menu in a small outdoor cooking pot, for example the Optimus Terra Weekend HE or the Terra Solo. Very useful that it, too, fits into the Optimus (H)EAT. Inserting it is easy and convenient with the Velcro closure. The slip-in pockets at the sides offer a good grip during eating, protecting your hands against the wind and the cold and at the same time against the hot cooking pot or the hot pouch. With a very small packing size of 17.5 x 20 cm, the Optimus (H)EAT Insulation Pouch hardly takes up any space in your backpack, weighing only 77 grams. Whether you are thinking of an outdoor enthusiast or a simple lover of nature, you will find the Optimus (H)EAT a really hot idea for a gift. 

Stop by our stores to check out the heat pouch today!

Our store shop dog Izzy has taken on a new role of a canine product tester!  Our latest gear to hit the trail with Izzy is the Roamer Leash from Ruff Wear.  This  leash has an elastic core that extends, allowing you to maintain control while your canine companion enjoys a generous range of movement- up to eleven feet!  Ruff Wear’s exclusive Talon Clip™ is strong, secure and ergonomically designed for one-handed clip in. 

This intelligent leash is ideal for trail running as you can choose between wearing it around your wrist or for hands free running simply clip it around the waist. (Sizes up to a 42″ waist size.)

Stop by the Marquette store to see Izzy in action with her new Ruff Wear Roamer Leash.  For fashionable dogs, it’s available in Black, Red Blue and Green.

Another  recommendation from one of our customers has led us to bring an amazing product to the store: Hydro Flask. Not familiar with Hydro Flask? 

Hydro Flask began with a challenge: to create a reusable water bottle that truly performs in any environment. It had to keep hot liquids hot and cold liquids cold. Period. The result is our beloved Hydro Flask, the original double wall vacuum insulated stainless steel water bottles.

Made from food grade 18/8 Stainless Steel, Hydro Flask stainless steel water bottles are safe and 100% BPA-free. 18/8 stainless steel is remarkably light, yet extremely durable…

Keep your cold liquids cold for 24 hours, and your hot liquids hot for 12 hours. Get your Hydro Flask Water Bottles now and see why it’s the best bottle you’ll ever own. The Hydro Flask is available in 12-24 oz bottles in both narrow or standard mouth sizes.

You might be asking yourself right now, “What’s so special about a Hydro Flask^® and why should I drop my hard-earned cash on yet another reusable water bottle?”

So let’s start with a simple science lesson.  Everything that has matter conducts heat, including water, air, plastic, aluminum, and stainless steel.

A vacuum is created when all of the air is removed from a sealed object. In other words, a vacuum is a space that is empty of matter, and each Hydro Flask^® contains a vacuum seal between two walls of food-grade 18/8 stainless steel.

(If you’ve already figured out that a vacuum is a terrible heat conductor because it’s composed of almost nothing, you’re way ahead of “the other guys.”)

Our patent-pending double-wall vacuum insulation means that the temperature outside a Hydro Flask^® has a very hard time affecting the temperature of whatever you might put in it. The best part is that this is a two-way street; whether you’ve got hot or chilled liquids inside of your Hydro Flask^®, the internal temperature won’t affect the temperature of the container in your hand. That means no blistered fingers with your daily cup of Joe, and no troublesome sweat rings—from your bottle of ice water. Hydro Flasks^® are pretty amazing, but we can’t make guarantees about individual personal hygiene practices!

At Hydro Flask^®, our designers didn’t come up with “yet another reusable water bottle.”

They’ve created a technologically superior piece of hydration gear, one that puts a double-wall vacuum insulated barrier between itself and the competition.

Rechargeable headlamp with self-adjusting lighting – REACTIVE LIGHTING technology

The rechargeable NAO headlamp adapts its two high power LEDs instantly and automatically to the lighting needs for greater comfort, fewer manual interventions and longer battery life. NAO is the first Petzl headlamp with REACTIVE LIGHTING technology.

What is Reactive Lighting Technology? 

REACTIVE LIGHTING technology is a revolution in hands-free lighting. A built-in light sensor adapts the headlamp’s beam pattern and light output instantly and automatically to suit the user’s needs. This means the user gets an ideal amount of light with minimal manual adjustment required. This self-adjusting lighting mode also results in longer burn times, due to more efficient use of the rechargeable battery.

Adapted lighting

The shape of the beam and the power of the headlamp instantly adapt to the need (lighting for close, medium or long-range vision), so the user always has the right amount of light.

A minimum of manual adjustments

The headlamp automatically adapts to changes in surrounding light conditions, allowing the user to remain focused on the activity at hand without worrying about adjusting the headlamp.

Longer burn times

REACTIVE LIGHTING technology increases burn time, due to more efficient use of the rechargeable battery. Lighting adapts to suit the need, reducing the use of wasteful, unnecessarily powerful lighting.

How It Works For You!

On the headlamp the integrated light sensor is oriented in the same direction as the eyes; it measures and analyzes reflected light in order to instantly and automatically adjust the headlamp’s beam pattern (wide and/or focused) and light output to the user’s needs.  Volia!  No need to fumble around and try to adjust the switch- the Nao will automatically do it for you! 

When looking at an object at close range, for example when reading a map, tying a knot or setting up a tent, the beam is very wide and less powerful.   When you are walking, running, or skiing, the beam is wide and has medium strength in order to illuminate obstacles in the path. 

When raising the head to see into the distance, looking for a trail marker or an anchor on a climb, for example, the light output increases and becomes more focused.

So, now that you’ve got their stockings stuffed it’s time to start looking for some items to put under the tree. Below we have listed some of our favorite items that are not only super useful if you spend any amount of time outside, are affordable and your special someone will love!

Eagle Nest Outfitters Hammock $54.95

These hammocks from Eno are great to have on day hikes, climbing, kayaking and camping trips. They are small, light, durable, and after a long day of paddling or hiking a taking a break in a hammock is a great way to recharge.

Detroit Rock Climbing Club V3 Hangboard $29.95

One of the most beautiful Hangboards in the world… and the least expensive!  Elegant and efficient training for climbing, it can hang over just about any doorway.  This hangboard is great for all climbers who want to increase their strength and endurance. Best for beginner to intermediate climbers pushing the grades up into the V3 range, but it still goes way beyond that with the system training options. A perfect balance of grip variations from juggy edges to small slopy crimps.

Toko T8 Wax Iron $74.00

The Toko T8 Wax Iron lets you wax your skis like the professionals. The T8 has an 800-watt performance power to easily melt any wax, with a regulated temperature range of 212 to 320 degrees Fahrenheit. Toko gave the T8 Wax Iron their patented hot-plate design for optimal wax distribution on your bases.

Tecnica Moon Boot $100.00

A blast from the past these boots scream snow day, vacation & good times! The iconic originals are perfect for heading to and from the mountain or just hanging out looking good while your feet stay super warm. The question isn’t where will you wear them, it’s what color will you choose?  Keep your family’s feet warm this winter with Moon Boots!

Black Diamond Storm Headlamp $49.95

Our best selling headlamp, the Black Diamond Storm shines light on the wettest, coldest situations.  A waterproof housing and powerful multiple LED design raises the bar for tough, head-mounted lighting. On the highest power beam setting, see up to 70m down the ski trail. Single-switch operation makes switching modes simple and quick, and a lock mode on the dimming switch lets you set your light and forget it. Weighing in at a feathery 3.7-ounces, the Storm offers versatile, efficient lighting in a tougher-than-a-rhino package.

Nissan Backpacker Tumbler $39.95

Finally—a thermos that won’t leak in your backpack, purse or bag. Just press the grey button to pop the top when you’re ready to drink. Close, lock and go when you’re through. Double walls and vacuum insulation means your coffee stays hot for six hours or more!  Easy-sip lid prevents spills, no matter how rugged your trek. Dent resistant, unbreakable, and perfectly practical for people on the move. Hands down this was our most popular Christmas gift last year!

Eton Scorpion Weather Radio $50.00

What gear nut wouldn’t want this radio!  Solar-Powered, All-Terrain, Multi-Function Unit with Digital Radio, Audio Line Input and Carabiner.  This devce includes: digital AM/FM radio, NOAA Weather band, built-in LED flashlight, large solar panel, hand crank powered, USB cell phone charger – provides emergency cell-phone power while cranking ,audio line input (AUX) – automatically works when external device is plugged in, bottle opener – for use with standard bottles.  All these functions and no batteries are needed!

Gibbon’s Slackline $99.00

Slacklining is simple, fun, and very addictive!  This sport will get the whole family moving! Whether in the back- yard or the park – within a few minutes any place is a big adventure!  Slacklining is walking on webbing that is suspended between two trees…it helps to improve balance all the while being very fun!  The biggest advantages of Gibbon slacklines is that they consist of just two pieces which you anchor to the tress and join them together with a ratchet – extremely easy, and takes only two minutes to complete!

This incredibly lightweight stove folds down to a super-compact size, and comes with a stuff sack that fits in the hollow space under your butane canister and is one of the lightest stoves on the market!  The Optimus Crux Lite Stove’s 3000W output boils a liter of water in as little as three minutes, and a simmer knob lets you cook food instead of burning it.  From backpacking to kayaking to family camping this stove rocks!

There ya go- another list of great gift ideas for those loved one’s on your holiday list!  In an effort to make your holiday season as worry free as possible- don’t forget we offer free gift wrapping all season long!

ORGANIC COTTON BAG PROGRAM

Want to save 1% on all of your DWS purchases?  Purchase a Patagonia Organic Cotton bag from us.  Bring it in each time you shop and receive 1% off everything you can fit in the bag – for life!  Get one for yourself and give one as a gift that keeps on giving!