Author
Gabi Stadulis
You all know we love a good collaboration here at FM HQ. Especially an unconventional one. And well, here we have a collaboration between Tubbs Snowshoes and North Drinkware, maker of glasware moulded like famous mountain peaks, arriving just in time for winter exploring and holiday gifting.
The limited edition NW x NE Flex VRT 24 Snowshoe ($270) celebrate two icons of America's coastal zones—Mount Rainier and Mount Washington—with topographic designs and matching pint glasses.
And if you're wondering what's up with snowshoeing and why we dig it. Well, essentially hiking, but more adventurous, and rather accessible. The snowshoes act as a platform and allow you to explore snowy areas by distributing your weight over a larger plane so you’re not knee deep in snow (i.e. "post holing"). Once you have the snowshoes the activity is effectively free, just like hiking.
Tubbs is a pioneer in the snowshoeing industry. Founded in Maine, the century-old brand originally built snowshoes from fine ash wood, though now uses much stronger, lighter aluminum and composite materials. (Tubbs was also the first company to sell snowshoes designed for women.)
Oregon-based North Drinkware makes hand blown glassware inspired by iconic mountains. You have to see it The two brands collaborated over their love for the tallest iconic mountains of their respective coasts; New Hampshires's 6,288-foot-tall Mount Washington (aka "the world's most deadly small mountain" and Washington State's 14,411-foot-tall Mount Rainier.
The artwork on the snowshoes is made with a hydrodipped paint and shows the Rainier peaks Point Success and Columbia Crest on the left shoe and the Washington peaks Tuckerman's Ravine and The Summit on the right shoe. On the glassware, North Drinkware uses USGS data to imprint the mountain silhouette into the bottom of the pint, making each one handmade and unique.
With only 150 pairs available, the NW x NE Flex VRT 24 Snowshoe prove a rare item in the snowshoeing world and surely make a unique gift for any outdoor enthusiast.
Published 11-26-2020
