inov-8 Scoop 4 ISPO Awards for Best New Products
News Release / 29.01.2015
inov-8 has reaffirmed its position at the forefront of off-road running product design with FOUR awards at the world’s leading international sports business trade show.
The Race Ultra 10 vest pack was voted best in the performance accessories category by a panel of expert judges and named a 2015/2016 ISPO AWARD GOLD WINNER.
inov-8’s Terraclaw 250 running shoe and Race Elite Merino LSZ, both of which are new for autumn/winter this year, as well as the Race Ultra Shell, were all named 2015/2016 ISPO AWARD WINNERS in the performance footwear, base-layer and outer-layer categories respectively.
Having won three awards at ISPO 2014/2015, including gold for the Race Ultra Vest, inov-8’s relentless drive for innovation has now been rewarded with a total of seven ISPO awards in the last two years.
Commenting on the awards, inov-8 CEO Gordon Baird said: “ISPO awards are highly prestigious and fiercely sought-after so to win seven in the last two years is a truly outstanding achievement.
“At this year’s ISPO, we are among a handful of highly-innovative brands to win four awards. That is a deserved reward for the hard-work of our talented, young design team, who continue to deliver innovative products into a competitive running market.”
The awards will be officially presented at the ISPO trade show, which starts in Munich, Germany, on Thursday February 5.
The Race Ultra 10, which is available to buy from January/February, is an evolution of the Race Ultra Vest. It meets the ultra distance runners every need, delivering greater storage (10 litres), more hydration options and the ultimate in fast, on-the-move access for race days.
inov-8 founder Wayne Edy said: “Having set the bar high with the Race Ultra Vest, our design team listened carefully to feedback and went back to the drawing board with the determination to deliver an even better product.
“Running distances of 100 miles or more, ultra athletes told us they needed more storage to carry a greater amount of mandatory race kit, fluid and food – and that they wanted to access it all on-the-move.
“To improve storage capacity and accessibility on-the-move we designed a vest pack with two large stretch mesh pockets that sit on the side of the body. This means more items than ever before can be securely carried closer to the front of the body and within easy reach. We also included softflasks with 12-inch extended tubes to aid drinking on-the-move.
“In total there are ten pockets, including a separate compartment that can hold a reservoir/bladder, for when an athlete wants to carry more fluid.
“The popularity of ultra running across the world is booming, with races like the Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc (UTMB) providing the ultimate test. The Race Ultra 10 has been designed for such races, molding to the athlete’s body to deliver the perfect fit, supreme comfort and zero bounce.”
Also available to buy from January/February is the Race Ultra 5 – a five-litre version of the Race Ultra 10. Both come in two sizes (small/medium and medium/large) with two adjustable straps at the front, ensuring an individual fit for any body shape or size.
A standout product in our off-road running apparel range, the Race Ultra Shell is the ultimate race-day waterproof jacket. Insanely lightweight (125g), breathable and stretchy, it meets the strictest mandatory race-day kit requirements, meaning ultra and mountain runners can race lighter and faster. Not only will it keep an athlete dry and protected but its transparent fabric means race numbers pinned underneath remain visible at all times.
inov-8’s two other ISPO 2015/2016 award-winning products, the Terraclaw 250 and Race Elite Merino LSZ, are both new for autumn/winter this year. More details on both products will follow soon.
Race Ultra 10 video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BfUBAXwBUmc
Race Ultra shell video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NcDGb-Hx8tk
For more information on the award-winning products visit www.inov-8.com
