Swany Gloves are warm and their sales are hot

We’re happy to report it’s been a strong year for skiing and snowboarding in North America,

We’re also happy to report that it’s been a strong year for sales of Swany gloves and mitts.

How strong? Take a look at these highlights from the Leisure Trends report for glove sales from August through January. In the Specialty Ski category, the Swany highlights include:

• The No. 1 ski glove brand in the US (The X-Change mens glove);
• Retail Sales through January that are 10.5% ahead of last year’s sales (The industry average is 4.65%);
• A 15.7% market share;
• Swany has the #1, #3, #4, #7, and #10 best-selling gloves in the U.S. and 10 of the top 30 best-selling gloves in the U.S.

Want to learn more about our great gloves and mitts? Visit our website. Or take a look at all the great reviews we’ve received.

Swany Gloves is dedicated to bringing you the best of outdoor adventure. Like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter.

The story of Taylor Phinney’s long, cold ride will warm your heart

Taylor Phinney

If you read only one story this week, you should read about Taylor Phinney‘s remarkable last-place finish in a stage of the recent Tirreno-Adriatico stage race.

We know what you’re thinking: “What’s so remarkable about a last-place finish?”

On most days, nothing. On this day, everything. Because on this day Taylor wasn’t just racing for himself or his team. As he soldiered on through the rain and cold on his own — after the group he was in abandoned — Taylor found himself riding for his father, cycling legend Davis Phinney, who has suffered from Parkinson’s disease for much of his life.

It’s the sort of stuff that makes a chilling ride a heartwarming read you will not forget. Read it now.

Swany Gloves is dedicated to bringing you the best of outdoor adventure. Like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter.

World Cup Finals: Mikaela Shiffrin gets best of Tina Maze for Slalom title, but Maze wins 3 titles

March 17:  Slovenian superstar Tina Maze may have clinched the World Cup Giant Slalom season crown in January, but that didn’t stop her from winning the final race of the season on Sunday (March 17) in Lenzerheide. The victory means Maze brought home three titles — Giant Slalom, Super G and Overall — while also setting the season record for overall points with 2,414 and for total podiums (24). Read more.

March 16: There is NO way an 18-year-old should be able to do what Mikaela Shiffrin did this season. Not only did she ski well enough all season to be in the hunt for the slalom season title going into the season’s final race, she was able to battle through the intense pressure to not only win the race but get the best of Tina Maze, who had a record-setting season. See how she did it with an amazing second run. Read more.

Weather 2, Ski Racing 0. That’s the score after heavy snow overnight and strong winds during the men’s Super G forced cancellation Thursday (March 14) of that race and the women’s competition in Lenzerheide at the World Cup Finals.

As a result,  Aksel Lund Svindal earned his second Cup title (adding Super G to Downhill) and Tina Maze added a third to her previous crowns in Overall and Giant Slalom. It was a reversal of fortune for Maze, who was virtually assured the Downhill season crown before fog canceled that race on Wednesday. The World Cup does not make up races at the Finals.

The cancellation was a disappointment for Julia Mancuso, who had a chance to catch Maze with a good showing (she trailed the Slovenian 420-365).  Here’s where to find 

Ted Ligety, Mr. GS, wins in Slovenia to claim World Cup season title in discipline

Ted Ligety (US Ski Team)

Ted Ligety made it official with his Giant Slalom victory on Saturday (March 9) at Kranjska Gora, Slovenia. The American really IS “Mr G.S.”, as he clinched his fourth season title in the discipline.

Not that is was a runaway. Even though Ligety has won five of the seven GS races this season, the amazing Austrian Marcel Hirscher, who ran second, had stayed close enough in the season standings that it took until Saturday for him to be eliminated. Read more.

The American has been on fire this season, dominating

Tina Maze wins, sets up winner-takes-all race with Mikaela Shiffrin for World Cup slalom title

UPDATE: Slovenian superstar Tina Maze won the slalom on Sunday (March 10), in Ofterschwang, Germany, to overtake Mikaela Shiffrin in the slalom standings. Even though the 17-year-old American earned an amazing sixth podium this season (plus a World Championship) with her third-place finish, she now stands 7 points behind the Slovenian with one race to go. Learn more.

March 9: Austrian Anna Fenninger won Saturday’s (March 9) Giant Slalom in Ofterschwang, Germany. Fenninger bested Tina Maze, who still will win the discipline for the season, and Viktoria Rebensburg filled out the podium. Julia Mancuso topped

Find out what’s next for gloves in Skiing Business interview with John Kloser of Swany America

The good folks at Skiing Business conducted a live Facebook chat with John Kloser, Vice President of Sales for Swany America, about the latest in gloves. Here’s a look at the great questions asked by Skiing Business and other Facebook users, along with John’s answers.

Jarl Skibumdad Berg (Facebook user): What is your best choice for spring gloves?

John Kloser: I would recommend our FX-10. This is a light-weight Flexor glove with leather palms and fingers. Flexor has mobile knuckle joints for better dexterity. It also has a 3D mesh on the back and a wrap-around strap.

Skiing Business: Would that be a good backcountry glove too, John?

One of the new gloves with Touchtek leather coming out this fall from Swany

Kloser: Yes the FX-10 would be a good ascent glove, lightweight and flexible. But we have developed some backcountry specific gloves for 2013. We are using the NeoShell fabric from Polartec. NeoShell is a waterproof fabric that has unprecedented breathabilty. We have three models (See them here) that are being well received in the marketplace. REI is putting all three of our backcountry gloves into their stores for this fall.

Skiing Business: Speaking of new fabrics and technologies, it seems like more brands are incorporating technology into their handwear. Where do you see that market going?

Kloser: Wearable technology is becoming very important. We are currently selling G-Cell gloves that are bluetooth adaptable and will sync to your phone. You don’t need to take your gloves off to talk on the phone — you feel a vibration and just push a button to talk. The

Get a FREE pair of Swany AIRLOOP rings, the simplest and fastest way to dry gloves

We’ve all been there: your gloves are wet but it’s impossible to get enough air inside them to dry efficiently.

Enter the AIRLOOP, an easy-to-use tool that expands inside gloves and mitts to increase airflow and speed drying.

Here’s how it works (or watch the video):

• Roll the Airloop inside of itself by guiding the pointed end through the top of the hole. (Like you would a belt). Make sure the Swany logo is facing out.
• Squeeze the Airloop together until it is small enough to insert into the middle of gloves or mitts.
• Release Airloop, which will expand inside of gloves, keeping them open and increasing airflow.

Simple, right? Here’s something even simpler: We’ll send you a free set of two AIRLOOP rings if you do one of the following:

• Tweet at us on Twitter: Send this message to us @SwanyGloves “I want my #AirLoop” Glove Drying Rings!.” Find us on Twitter.
• Comment on our Facebook post:Use the link at the end of this sentence to find our Airloop status update and then post this comment: I want my #AirLoop” Glove Drying Rings!.” Find our post on Facebook.

We’ll connect with you and arrange to ship you the AIRLOOP. So what are you waiting for? Get your free AIRLOOP glove-drying system NOW!

Swany Gloves is dedicated to bringing you the best of outdoor adventure. Like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, enter our Outdoor Adventures Video Contest.

Tina Maze wins downhill, sets World Cup season points record, but Mancuso challenging for Super G season title with one race left

Julia Mancuso (US Ski Team)

UPDATE (March 4): Slovenian star Tina Maze received police protection on Sunday at the Super G in the wake of an e-mailed death threat after she won the Downhill on Saturday. Read more.

Tina Maze made World Cup history with her Downhill victory on Saturday (March 2), establishing a new season record for most overall points. Here’s a look at all the women’s World Cup races

Burton U.S.Open Finals: Shaun White bests Ayumu Hirano for halfpipe gold; Mark McMorris tips Torstein Horgmo in Slopestyle;

Here are results from the Burton U.S. Open, which was held in Vail this season after 30 years in Vermont.

HALFPIPE FINALS

Was there ever any doubt? Shaun White took gold in the men’s halfpipe on Saturday (March 2) at the Burton U.S. Open in Vail. But it wasn’t easy, as amazing 14-year-old Ayumu Hirano from Japan was a close second. Louie Vito took third to round out the podium.In Women’s halfpipe, the longstanding leader Kelly Clark defended her U.S. Open crown for her 6th title in this event and and 61st halfpipe win in her career. Hannah Teter earned the

Ted Ligety scores another podium to keep lead in World Cup Giant Slalom

Ted Ligety (US Ski Team photo)

What kind of a season has it been for Ted Ligety? It’s news when he DOESN’T win a World Cup race.

The American has been on fire, dominating the Giant Slalom discipline on the circuit, and in the recent FIS Alpine Ski World Championships Ligety won an astonishing three medals (Super G, Super Combined and Giant Slalom).

But you can’t win ’em all, as Ligety proved by placing third in a Giant Slalom on Sunday (Feb. 24) in Garmisch. Frenchman Alexis Pinturault won the race, followed by Austrian Marcel Hirscher. Read more.

Ligety’s result does mean he has finished on the podium in all six of this season’s giant slalom races (4 wins, 2 thirds) and leads (520-415) Hirscher in GS discipline standings.

Swany Gloves is dedicated to bringing you the best of outdoor adventure. Like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, enter our Outdoor Adventures Video Contest.