When looking for the perfect activewear piece, there is a lot to think about. Is it moisture wicking? Is it comfortable? How does it fit? Can it be worn on many different adventures and seasons? Is it high quality and long lasting? And finally, is it sustainable? Sustainability has quickly come to the forefront and now more than ever is a major factor people consider when making buying decisions. At Skirack, we take all these questions into consideration when carefully curating our collections each season. We work closely with our trusted brands and dive a little deeper into what sustainability means, asking: who made it, how is it made, where are the materials sourced, and what is it made up of?

As mountain bikers, getting through the ups and downs of the Vermont fifth season aka "mud season" can be challenging. One week, trails are dry and open - and the next week, they are closed due to rain (or even snow).

To get through this difficult time, we have come up with 5 things you can do instead of biking on the trails.

Keep up-to-date on trail status, find your Vermont Mountain Bike Association chapter and learn more about mud season at: vmba.org).

The Popularity of Bikes

Are you feeling cooped up and ready to get outside during 2021? You’re not alone! The past year of travel restrictions and unprecedented challenges have changed all of our lives. One silver lining is that more people have taken up new outdoor hobbies as a way to get out of the house, get back into shape, or safely socialize while relaxing and enjoying the outdoors.

Bicycles have always been a great way to get out in the fresh air, and in the summer of 2020, their popularity skyrocketed. Everyone desired the utility, freedom, and ability to explore that a bicycle provides. As a direct result of their newfound popularity, every type of bike, from kids bikes to electric bikes, have been in demand like never before.

Cross country, also known as Nordic, skiing is a fantastic sport to pass what can be a dreary, cold, and long winter. Instead of waiting patiently on the spin bike or treadmill dreaming of those sunny spring days that could be months away, just grab a pair of skis, poles and boots and hit the snowy woods, mountains, and valleys!

Cross country skiing has is a surefire way to improve your cardio fitness as well as full-body physical strength, as well as increase your mental resilience during activity. The stimulation of full-body coordination and elevated heart rate will also help increase your mood, promote healthy metabolism, and give yourself an appreciation of winter, nature, and your body that you may not have had before.

How can one industry save us all? It’s simple. The ability and willingness to adapt, and the deep understanding that there is no success without our planet’s success - in business or in life. The Outdoor Industry is rooted in the environment, recreation, and community, but it isn’t until now, or at least it hasn’t been truly visible until now, how powerful that connection is.

With all of the mayhem this pandemic is creating it is important to take a step back from the news, negativity, and stress. Stay aware of what's going on, but take some time to unplug and clear your mind. It is now typical that wherever you go places are closed and no one is to be seen. Although this eerie sight has become the norm, birds are chirping, the sun is still shining, and there should be even more of a motivation to get out and do something while still keeping a safe physical distance.

Last January my family and I spent 6 months living and traveling in India. My wife Abby is a South Asian Historian at the University of Vermont, was on sabbatical, sponsored by a Fulbright Scholarship. Accompanying us was my wife’s nephew Ross who would become like a big brother to our son Zachary. We lived in Mumbai where Zach attended kindergarten and Ross 10th grade at the American School. The weather in India varies by region, ranging from triple digits and humidity to snow and cold in the Himalayas. In Mumbai, the temperatures range from the 70’s to low 80’s in January progressively climbing toward the high 90’s with increasing humidity hitting 80% as the monsoons approached in mid-June.

In 1969, twin brothers Zandy and John Wheeler, along with a group of UVM ski bums opened up a small town ski shop and called it "Skirack".

50 years has seen a lot of changes in gear - do you remember leather boots and straight skis? What about the day-glow days?

Whether you are someone who spends their whole day lapping the park; or the dedicated split boarder heading out at first light exploring ever further from the resort area boundaries; we all are listening to something. With headphones on or just on the way to the mountain, we all need that little something to get us amped and ready to shred. We have assembled a play list from a bunch of our staff who snowboard to help get your day off to a great start. Our staff has some pretty diverse tastes and each pick is of the employee's own liking. The lyrics may not be suitable for all folks or tastes, but diversity in how we ride and what we listen to is what makes snowboarding so fun. This is just meant to possibly expand our customers own music libraries and create some conversation on what you’re listening to as well.

Feel free to put your own top five picks in the comments so we can all find something new to queue up for that next awesome powder day!

As an outdoorsy native Burlingtonian, my relationship with The Skirack/Downhill Edge is a long one, so here goes. You can also Google some of the long-gone businesses and brands mentioned here.

Center Street:

I remember the first Skirack location on Center Street, where the Daily Planet restaurant is today. At 12 years old I wasn’t much of a customer yet, but my brother, my friends and I would frequent Skirack to ogle the bikes from brands like Paris Sport, Gitane, Atala and Crescent, and skis from brands like Rossignol. I even remember seeing a very early carbon bike frame there. They sold Ski Racks too, and one of the best brands was Barrecrafters, made in Shelburne VT by a company owned by Dick Snelling who later became Governor of VT.