Patagonia last week launched its Common Threads Initiative, a partnership with eBay that asks customers to buy less, buy better quality, and reuse, repair, resell and recycle more. The Common Threads online storefront allows consumers to buy and sell used Patagonia clothing through eBay (a company that reminds us, “the greenest product is the one that already exists”), while Patagonia promotes the merchandise on its site, with zero commission.

The Ventura, Calif.-based outdoor apparel company—known for products that survive extreme environments and usually outlast our need for them—has been recognized for its environmental stewardship and is perhaps the first major retailer encouraging its customers to consume less. Vice President of Environmental Initiatives Rick Ridgeway says at a time when there are too many people buying too many things and impacting the planet too much, business as usual is not an option. “Reduced consumption,” he says, “ is a requirement.”

Teva has been on a tear. Some of their competitors might choose to say terror. We are sorry to loose Simple but are optimistic that Teva will continue to up their game and be our shoe of choice as the seasons progress. We appreciate the multi sport functionality of most of their shoes and the waterability of the rest.

They have been pumping out new shoes all spring and we add another shoe to our – hope to test soon list. These launch in January 2012 and they look awesome.

More than half of Teva’s spring 2012 collection is comprised of new styles that appeal to active and adventurous consumers while staying true to Teva’s commitment to water, which continues to define the brand’s DNA.

The soon to be issued new style is the ReForge ion-mask™ and is beinc called by Teva the next evolution of the classic hiker. The moment you exit a watery environment, water drains through the midsole’s Drain Frame channels and the ion-mask-treated upper shrugs off water droplets. Unlike membrane waterproofing technologies, ion-mask is not a physical barrier to water, rather, it is an invisible nano-coating that makes the fabric totally hydrophobic. Being only nanometers thin, ion-mask does not add any weight and does not wash out or wear off with use.

The ReForge will be available on Teva in January 2012 and will sell for $130.

Teva has a new shoe this summer and I can’t wait to get my hands on it. The men’s Mush Frio Slip Canvas and Mush Frio Lace Canvas come in brown, grey and black hues accented with pops of orange, red, blue and yellow, feature ultra-light synthetic and canvas uppers with collapsible heels.

These shoes look awesome and they look for traveling, camping, journeying to a backcountry hut or anytime you want to lighten your load. I love light shoes and seek them out with tons of effort. No need here to have a baller watch the size of a iPhone or a pair of heavy shoes. I find them both useless.

The women’s styles are $45, and $50 for the men’s, which, compared to other weight loss solutions, is a steal. They are available now at retailers worldwide and on Teva.

Throughout 2011, Teva will continue its commitment to clean water through a new initiative called “Pair for A Foot.” The program will help protect one linear foot of global waterways for every pair of Teva shoes and sandals sold in 2011 through donations to clean water non-profits including the Ocean Conservancy and long-time partner Waterkeeper Alliance. Teva estimates “Pair for a Foot” will help preserve 4.3 million feet of waterways in 2011.

“The Teva brand was born on the water and we feel a strong obligation to help protect our most precious natural resource,” says Joel Heath, Teva Global Marketing Director. “We’re proud to support organizations that do vital work to protect water for the environment.”

Last year, Teva donated $100,000 to the Waterkeeper Alliance’s “Save Our Gulf” initiative, a fundraising and awareness campaign fighting to protect the Gulf Coast’s communities and environment from the long-term devastating impacts of the BP oil disaster. The emergency donation from Teva assisted in the effort to save marine life, wildlife, beaches and waterways that are relied upon for both fishing and recreation.

“Teva has been a terrific corporate partner for Waterkeeper Alliance and we’re thrilled about the Pair for a Foot campaign, both from a fundraising and an awareness standpoint,” states Marc Yaggi, interim Executive Director for Waterkeeper Alliance.

The “Pair for a Foot” program (www.teva.com/cleanwater) extends Teva’s commitment to clean water and its partnership with Waterkeeper through 2011 and beyond. “Over the years, we have participated in numerous community river clean-ups with local Waterkeeper chapters. We are excited to be making a deeper, long-term commitment to water with this initiative,” says Heath.

“We look forward to working with Teva to promote the healthy oceans and waterways that are the heart of our mission,” says Vikki Spruill, President of Ocean Conservancy.

Nice going Teva.

Like a grill full of tasty treats it’s time to get fired up for our 30% Off Sale. Visit your local Patagonia store or click over to Patagonia.com today to get your pick of the season, while the days are still long and your appetite’s strong.

The crew at Teva sent over a pair of their new shoe – the Links for our review. This shoe was created with the Teva Mountain Games in mind. With this being their 10th anniversary year they introduced their first bike shoe and a freeride shoe at that.

Let’s stop for a moment and think Teva and think shoe. Yep. A bit of a blank. Teva brings up the sandal with an ankle strap. Perfect for the river.

Alright, history lesson over.

The Links arrived and on they went. Fresh out of the box and safe for the house so I wore them all night. None of that new shoe burn.

Next morning. Off to the gym and so it went. They are my go to. Love them and use them a bunch. We went camping this weekend and they were perfect for all of the activities.

The colors are a bit much. They sent two pairs of shoe laces and the grey pair is going to be in full effect and soon. After two weeks of use there are no concerns with durability. Stitches and glue are holding up – as they should.

Next time up will be all about the bike. We will let you know how they handle the pedal and help push power.

Check them out here: Teva Links

The crew over at Simple sent over a pair of Tuba II Herringbone for us to check out.

A few quick thoughts. These kicks are light. At the same time they are comfortable and have support. I tore through a number of vans over the years and did it without support. Every rock was felt. These Tuba II’s also have some serious eco cred. Certified Organic Cotton; No Bleach Hemp; Recycled materials and eco friendly packaging. We are going to put them through the paces and give you all the feedback in upcoming product reviews.

Matt S
Outside All Day

An update about our items from the Independent Trading Company. As we mentioned before, if you have a sweatshirt or fleece from Volcom, Quiksilver, Element, Oakley, DC Shoes, NHS, Monster, Hurley, Fox then chances are it was made by Independent Trading Co. Independent Trading Co. has made custom fleece for the top companies in the apparel industry since 1996 so they know the drill. When it comes to cut and sew companies Independent delivers the goods.

Back in May we were sent three items to try out and give a long term review on. Now is the time for update number 2. All three are wearing well. I wear the Sherpa Fleece Hooded Sweatshirt on a regular basis. Mostly to go check the surf or out in the garage at night when I rewax boards and make adjustments to the bikes before morning rides. The French Terry Zip Hooded Sweatshirt is my go to around the house. I love wearing it for TV viewing or while I read the mags at night. The Hi-Tech Zip Hooded Sweatshirt I wear post workouts. It breathes and yet keeps me super warm and comfy. Love all three. My fleece and flannels aren’t getting much wear.

Below is the inside of the French Terry Zip Hooded Sweatshirt. So soft and light.

Below is the inside of the Sherpa Fleece Hooded Sweatshirt. Got to love the lamb on your back.

I don’t go far without these three items. When I head out in the morning I make sure I have my Lamy pen, Rhodia pad and Sigg bottle.

Love this pen. The Lamy pico. It has a rounded design and fits neatly in a pocket. Open it up and the pen expands to a comfortable writing size.

These are a bit hard to find but easily purchased online. Rhoida, the stationer known as “Papeteries Verilhac Freres” was founded in Lyon, France in 1932 by two brothers, Henri and Robert Verilhac. They came from a family of paper merchants. The name “Rhodia” comes from the Rhone, a river flowing by Lyon dividing the Alps from the Massif Central. The Rhodia notebook was to become its most famous product. It immediately overshadowed other notebooks of the time because of its quality materials and original design of a scored front cover. The orange cover dates back to the 1930s. It remains unchanged to this day.

And of course water. This one liter Sigg is trendy but bullet proof. Keep it out of the sun and you are golden.

When I travel I love to go to a great store and pickup something nice. I have a great Lamy pen from the UW bookstore outside Seattle. A Black Diamond backpack I picked up after meetings in Boise. Magazines from most every city I have traveled to. So we present some watering holes in Europe to grab a jacket before heading out. Or a place to grab a fresh pair of socks enroute. Enjoy.

Patagonia Dublin



Patagonia Milano

Patagonia Prague

Patagonia Munich

Patagonia Zurich

Our boy over at VeloDramatic has posted his cycling tab. Yep. The money he has dropped on cycling in the past few years. Lads, check this out then have a sit down with your wife. Your gear needs an update. And no more pearl izumi. Time to grab some rapha, panache or assos.

From VeloDramatic. “No excuses, no apologies. It is what it is. There’s no denying I’ve spent a lot on cycling in the past few years (some of it is my wife’s gear) but I’ve got more enjoyment and payback out of this passion than can be accounted for in mere dollars and cents. There have been one or two purchases that didn’t work out, but almost everything in the closet has its place in the starting rotation, and all the bikes get ridden.

I doubt publishing the Tab will help any of you persuade your spouse your own gear habit is healthy, that’s a line of reasoning that never seems to work. It may point you in the direction of some good kit that you’ve missed though, and it beats gambling and drinking. And if it strikes you as lunacy, and that makes you feel good about yourself, that’s OK too. Enjoy.”

VeloDramatic.com Cycling Tab.

“Rapha was created to celebrate road riding and develop the best performing and most stylish cycling clothes and accessories in the world.

The first Rapha collection was launched in July 2004, at a month-long Rapha exhibition of cycling memorabilia and events called ‘Kings of Pain’. Since then, the Rapha product range has grown dramatically and the brand has become synonymous with the highest levels of quality, style and performance. Road racing is the toughest and most beautiful sport in the world and everything Rapha does is designed to celebrate the glory and suffering unique to road riders.

Road racing requires stamina, strength, focus and fortitude, yet the rewards can be huge – the more effort you put in the greater those rewards become. More and more men are discovering that riding a road bike can be the perfect counterpoint to the cosseted and quick-fix nature of modern life. In a society only too comfortable with instant gratification and sanitised pleasure, it has been forgotten that the greatest highs come from the deepest lows. Applying yourself totally can produce a sense of satisfaction that is impossible to replicate. From pain comes pleasure.”

A few years back we came across rapha. A site of pure inspiration. My last trip in to London didn’t provide the time to get over to the store but soon.

enjoy.