DownTek has been awarded another prestigious “Best In Show” award for the 2013 Outdoor Retailer Winter Show!  This time the award is from Gear Institute.  Here’s what they had to say about DownTek:

“Water repellent down” was the big story of Winter Market 2012 because it was such an innovation. It’s the big story of this year’s show because—it’s everywhere. You can’t spill a 5 o’clock beer at the Salt Palace Convention Center floor without it sloshing (with no ill effect) a coat stuffed with DownTek’s water-repellent feathers.

DownTek is just ordinary down that is treated with a coating to make water run right off the down feather, instead of soaking it and turning it into a cold wad of feathers. Jackets and sleeping bags using the tech are remarkable—you can literally dunk the feathers in water and they come out totally dry, which is why 16 brands have adopted the technology for next season, including Mountain Hardwear, Big Agnes, L.L.Bean, Fly Low, NEMO, EMS, and Brooks-Range in North America.”

Read the full article here.

June 26, 2012, Cincinnati, OH – Down Decor, a wholesale supplier of DownTek™ — the revolutionary hydrophobic and quick-drying down technology — today released the confirmed roster of DownTek partner brands that will be utilizing this water-repellent technology for the 2012/2013 winter season:  Big Agnes, Brooks-Range, EMS, L.L.Bean, Mountain Hardwear, Nemo, Mountain Designs, Reecho, Sea to Summit and Salewa.

As a bulk down supplier since 1996, Down Decor products have been a crucial thermal component within a range of outdoor brands’ products across the industry.  As DownTek grows, Down Decor will continue to exercise their non-exclusive stance with all of their current and any potential partners.

“We are adamant that this technology be available to any brand who wants to use it,” said Down Decor President, Daniel Guigui.  “We also have an open-door policy with our testing and technology.  With such an important and necessary innovation like this, we know we will have a lot of education to do, so we believe equal opportunity and full transparency to be essential.”

In August, Big Agnes is introducing two new DownTek sleeping bags, which will be available for purchase in REI stores nationwide.  The company will further integrate the technology into their lines in 2013, when they are releasing 16 additiional DownTek bags throughout various retailers.

“Water repellent down will be a game-changer for the outdoor industry,” said Bill Gamber, Big Agnes’ Co-Founder, President and Head of Product Development.  “Our entire crew is constantly searching for innovative new materials and insulation so we jumped at the opportunity to incorporate DownTek™ into our products.”

Big Agnes Bellyache Mountain SL
15°F, 2lb 7oz.,700-Fill DownTek™ – $299.95 MSRP (Size Regular), available exclusively at REI

L.L.Bean is another partner company that will be first-to-market with DownTek technology.  The Ultralight 850 Down  Jacket, also available this fall, is windproof, features 850-fill DownTek down and has a built in stuff sack.

“Down Decor has been a wonderful partner for years, supplying us with superior quality down,” said LLBean’s Senior Public Relations Representative, Mac McKeever.  “The invention of their water-repellent down represents some remarkable innovation… It’s an incredible problem solver and we’re very proud to have our jacket utilize this extraordinary technology.”

L.L.Bean Ultralight 850 Down Jacket

Windproof, Insulated 850-Fill DownTek™ – $199.95 MSRP (Men’s)

Read all about it right here!