**Special Advertising Section**
What better place to build an outdoor brand than in the state that gets outside and plays more than any other? The people who work at these companies live the Colorado life—and that dedication to adventure shows in the businesses they run and the products they produce.
EPIC BREWING
The Story
We were birthed in 2009 in Salt Lake City, Utah. We were the first brewery since prohibition to brew exclusively high alcohol content beer there.
Colorado-Ness
We “Escaped to Colorado” five years ago and started an adventure in Denver while still continuing business as usual in Salt Lake City, Utah. In celebration of a little bit more freedom in brewing, we created a delicious Mosaic Hop forward IPA called Escape to Colorado.
New Products
We are in the middle of one of our favorite seasons: Baptist Season. Big Bad Baptist is one of our favorites. We release it once a year and alongside the OG we will be releasing the popular Baptista again and a new big guy, Quadruple Barrel Big Bad Baptist. It’s one you will not want to miss. It tastes like a warm fuzzy blanket surrounded by your favorite people at a campfire! Also, we just released Drama Juice, the newest of our NEIPA series and we will follow in a few months with Maximum Cowbell.
Come visit
We are right in the middle of the booming RiNO neighborhood, easily accessible by car, bike, foot or city scooter. We pour 25 taps of fresh and delicious beer daily and we have a fully stocked TO-GO beer cooler for your adventure needs. We also host fitness events and partner with outdoor lifestyle partners. And we make giving back a priority by hosting charities every month as well as putting a monthly rotation of local artists’ work on our walls.
Fun Fact
We have a sister brewery in Santa Barbara, California named Telegraph Brewing. We also sell and pour thier beers, like West Swell IPA, at our Denver Taproom.
LEMS SHOES
The Story
For Lems, it’s simple: Shoes should be designed using the bare minimum. They should fit the foot’s natural shape, while allowing your feet to move like you’re wearing nothing at all.
In 2008, Lems’ creator, Andrew Rademacher, reached his end point, searching for shoes that fit the natural shape of the foot. Andrew decided to learn the art and science of shoemaking in his own way, starting by dissecting his favorite running shoes and cutting out the extra, unnecessary material. He studied shoe fitting, last construction, and pattern making so that he would be able to design his shoes to fit like no others on the market.
After years of research, countless hours of design and dozens of prototypes, Andrew’s unwavering focus finally paid off. In September 2011, Lems released its first product—the Primal. Though Lems has come a long way since that original design, Andrew continues to study his art while staying true to his mission of making naturally fitting footwear that allows your feet the freedom to be just as nature intended.
Colorado-Ness
Back in 2015, we decided to make a big change and move Lems from small town Hermitage, Pennsylvania, to mountain-based Boulder, Colorado. Throughout our time in this beautiful town, we’ve been influenced and inspired by the outdoors, the culture and of course, the Colorado lifestyle.
With that in mind, we recently decided to take on a new logo that shows our love for the outdoors, a color scheme that is welcoming and energetic and a tagline that expresses our sense of adventure and minimalism.
When thinking about the future of our brand, we feel that Colorado will be our forever home, and we wouldn’t want it any other way.
New Products
After living in Boulder for the past three years, we’ve been inspired by the Colorado lifestyle and are starting to reflect that in our product offering.
Our newest and most versatile shoe yet, the Lems Trailhead, is equipped to take on any adventure. It’s the first product in our “Mountain-to-Town” collection, and we’re excited to expand our product line with a new and innovative shoe suited for both the trail and the town.
With its wide toe box, minimal heel drop and lightweight design, the Trailhead is sure to keep pushing your boundaries. Whether you’re climbing a fourteener, going on a bike-and-brew tour or even backpacking around the world, this mountain sneaker will take you far away from the ordinary. Designed for the trail but styled for the town, this 100-percent vegan friendly shoe is sure to be the answer for your every move.
Testimonial
“I can’t remember anything I have worn on my feet, or anywhere else, that has so radically changed my opinion about clothing. I have always felt that my feet were the only part of my body that hated hiking. That doesn’t seem to be the case anymore. In fact, so far I have not even changed shoes, either at the trailhead or back at the car, something that used to be standard practice. I will get back to the car and think, ‘Well, the shoe I’ve been wearing all day feels like I just put it on.’ I just get in the car and drive home. I never thought I would find a hiking boot that I put on getting right out of bed and took off right before I went back there. But it seems that I have…” —Donn S., Happy Customer
Fun Fact
Lems was founded back in 2011, but at that time we were known as Stem Footwear. After about a year of being in business, we received a cease and desist letter from Nordstrom and it was brought to our attention that there’s a clothing company they carried in their stores, called “Stem.” Who knew? From there we were forced to change our name and decided on “Lemming.” Well, that also didn’t last long. We received an astronomical amount of complaints referring to the Disney video portraying lemmings as “suicidal creatures” and nobody could understand how we had named our brand after such an animal. We obviously scrapped that idea. Since then, we have been, and plan on forever being, Lems.
MEIER SKIS
The Story
Meier skis was born in 2009 out of a passion for skiing. Founder Matt Cudmore was looking for a lightweight, high performance ski that was fun in backcountry pow, trees, crud and on groomed resort runs. Giving up on name-brand skis, Matt engineered his own and the Heritage was born. Meier skis has been crafting unparalleled, handmade skis ever since. As with many great ideas, it started in the garage, but progressed to a larger facility soon after. In 2016, Meier mover from the Roaring Fork Valley and is now happy to call Denver home.
Colorado-Ness
Meier skis wood cores are handcrafted in Denver, Colorado, entirely from locally sourced Aspen and Beetle Kill Pine. By using Colorado forest products, we are not only helping the environment and striving to be the most eco-friendly, high-performance ski company around, but we are also providing jobs and boosting the local economy.
Come Visit
Visit us at our new factory or “craft skiery” as we like to call it. We are the first ski manufacturer who give you the chance to have a seat at our bar, enjoy a tasty beverage poured by our “skitender,” watch your skis being pressed through large glass windows and even chat with us about making your own 1 of 1 Meier Custom ski!
NED
The Story
Headquartered in Boulder, Ned is a small-batch, premium wellness brand committed to helping people feel better and live better through simple means and a deep connection to the natural world.
Founders Ret Taylor and Adriaan Zimmerman established Ned on an alpine adventure in Colorado’s Indian Peaks Wilderness in the belief that there’s a better first line of defense to our well-being ahead of doctors and pharmaceuticals. Those answers often lie in nature—in a walk through the forest, in the glow of a campfire, and in the plants, herbs, roots, fungi and minerals that our ancestors have used for millennia.
Ned’s debut collection of Full Spectrum Hemp products is slow-crafted from the finest Colorado-grown hemp flowers to restore balance in the body and mind.
Testimonial
“I began training for a half-marathon and ran into many hiccups along the way—sore and tight muscles, strained ligaments. This made my recovery and training so much easier. Thank you Ned! (Also, five stars for wonderful costumer service! Quick and informative.)” –Hannah French
Fun Fact
The understated topography lines on Ned’s product labels were designed to show the land surrounding the farm where our hemp is grown on the Western Slope of the Rockies. It’s one more way Ned shares the magic of Colorado with its customers.
Use promo code ELEVATION for 10 percent off your first order at HelloNed.com! Instagram @meetned
FattE-BIKE
The Story
Co-founders Victoria Brunner and Kenny Fischer were looking for a solution to their commute that didn’t involve a car. Upon discovering electric bicycles, they realized they had hit upon the next revolution, not only in cycling, but in transportation. FattE-Bike’s mission is less about biking more, and more about driving less, because our bikes are built to be your go-to commuter and recreational vehicle. There’s no sweating on your way to work, you get up hills with ease, and you go twice as far, twice as fast, with half the effort! We provide four models, one for every lifestyle, in a variety of eye-catching colors, including our cruiser model (Londonderry), mountain style (Sgt. Mingo), cargo (the Major T- a true workhorse!) and folding bike (Peñalosa). We also love our fat tires and put them on all our models (hence our name, FattE-Bikes). The bikes provide an array of benefits like better traction, stability, and allow for year-round riding in all types of terrain and weather.
Colorado-Ness
FattE-Bikes is Denver’s first locally born electric bike company and one of the only ones in the industry who can claim to be built in America. We are also one of the most sustainable, as our operations are 100-percent run on renewable energy!
Fun Fact
All of our models are named after famous people in bicycle history. For instance, our cruiser model is named after Annie Londonderry, the first woman to bicycle around the world. Another model, the Major T, is named after Marshall Taylor, the first world champion bicyclist.
Come visit
Schedule a free electric bike demo and come visit us at our new location, or we can even come to you (we are mobile)!
Testimonial
“I’m in absolute love with my FattE-Bike!
I sold my car and now I ride it everywhere!” —Mia P.
SCOUTbox
The Story
SCOUTbox is the only subscription box created by scouts, for scouts. Subscriptions start at $35 per month and each monthly shipment of gear, snacks, accessories and educational items is based on a different theme—perfect for adventurers of all ages and backgrounds. Whether you’re a seasoned outdoorist looking to explore unique gear, a complete newbie, or a family with a variety of experience levels, you’ll look forward to your SCOUTbox each month!
Colorado-Ness
“We’re new to the Colorado scene and loving every bit of it. We often support Colorado nonprofits and partner with a ton of great outdoor brands also based in Colorado. Reach out if you ever want to hit some trails together!”
Fun Facts
We were founded by two Eagle Scouts (and brothers). They started SCOUTbox to share their love for the outdoors and educate families about quality gear. We have hundreds of subscribers across North America. We began shipping in April 2017 to all fifty states in the U.S., Canada, Puerto Rico, and beyond. We donate more than one percent of our total revenue. Every year, SCOUTbox supports youth/scouting, outdoor/conservation and other worthy causes.
Testimonial
“Best. Subscription. Box. Ever!” —Sami K., subscribed February 2017
“I can’t recommend SCOUTbox enough. It gives you the opportunity to try things you might not necessarily try otherwise.” -Trudy, S., subscribed March 2017
Monthly Themes
Every SCOUTbox features hand-picked gear from leading outdoor experts and scouts. Past themes have ranged from Trail/Hiking to Camp Cooking, Outdoor Technology, Wilderness Survival and everything in between. You always get more value in each box than you pay for (some boxes are worth more than $80!), and you can cancel anytime. We even throw in a free fire-starter with every single month (hint: it’s a cardboard box)!
