If in the past getting ready for a trip was a matter of throwing a few sandwiches into the bag, filling a water bottle, putting on something comfortable and going out into the open, today Israelis have become professionals down to the last detail: gadgets, brands, advanced equipment and dedicated clothing - all of these are an integral part From the preparation for going out into nature, and when it comes to a winter trip the preparation is even more rigorous.
hiking stick, outdoor,
The manufacturers of the brands for travelers and the people of the camping equipment chains say that the Israelis, as lovers of field trips, do not give up on being equipped.
"The field trips became very popular after the Corona period," says Dana Nega Levy, brand manager of the "Ricochet" network.
"It's not really about traveling around Europe, but actually field trips. People are exploring the area, connecting with nature. That's why there's also a very big increase when it comes to 'outdoor' sports equipment.
"We have just returned from a large exhibition in Europe of Jack Wolfskin - a brand that we have in the network and which has many franchisees in the world. It is a brand that advocates connecting people to nature, and each item is produced with an emphasis on the quality of the environment. All products are produced without the use of chemicals, and without materials that pollute the environment and dye the garment. They have new collections made from recycled materials. This is more than 60 million bottles a year that are recycled for the benefit of clothing production."
down jacket, light back,
Levy explains that these clothes are made with a new technology that evaporates the sweat from the outside, but in terms of moisture and wind, nothing penetrates inside: "We have a quilted jacket with insulation (NIS 369) - on the one hand it has a silver inner layer of insulation to maintain body heat, and on the other The coat is water repellent and windproof. Also, we teamed up with a large factory in the east and produced products that are going to be the hits of the winter. This factory uses volcanic stones to produce volcanic fiber, and the fiber is combined with threads. The fabric is very thin, but its heating ability is very fast, 30 times that of any product Another thermal.
"In general, the thermal products are the hit of the winter. There is no one who goes outside or flies on a trip abroad and does not buy thermal clothing.
The thermal clothing provides a good answer, because once with these clothes you couldn't move.
Today you don't feel like you have a layer that is close to your body.
"In addition to that, it is important to wear good socks that will keep your feet warm. We have Kopron copper socks (two pairs for NIS 99), which provide bacterial protection against viruses and fungi. The socks are suitable for diabetics and have a soft hem to prevent pressure, prevent bad odor and improve the The skin is visible. Additional socks are made of merino wool, they are very warm and ideal for trips, journeys and treks during the cold winter."
Pamper yourself with fluff
Roman Ostrovsky, the manager of the Lamtail chain's online store, characterizes the differences between Israeli consumers and consumers abroad. "In terms of hiking shoes, in Israel there is a preference for taller shoes, perhaps because it is similar to military shoes.
In the world there is a trend of lower hiking shoes, at the height of sports shoes, which are lighter.
Another difference is in the walking sticks.
Abroad it is very popular to use walking sticks on trips. In Israel there are walking sticks, but they are seen as a product for adults, and if someone has it - they have a problem. Walking sticks help with going down, protect the knees and help with stability.
Treps brass, Trek Market,
"In terms of drinking, in Israel they like lockers, while in the world there is more emphasis on drinking bottles that are filled from water sources and put a filter. In Israel it is not so common, because there are not many water sources."
Ostrovsky points out that Israeli travelers prefer to take clothing that warms and keeps the body warm, but that is compact and that can be packed, against the background of the limitations of low-cost flights.
The same clothes should be suitable for several activities at the same time, for example a walk in nature and a sports activity.
"On this background, there are all kinds of classic products in the field of thermal clothing, which are upgraded every year. What is unique about them is their versatility. Thermal clothing knows how to warm, but unlike a sweater - it also knows how to insulate the body's heat. There are times when the temperature drops It's minus ten degrees outside in Europe, and then you enter a heated place like a museum, and very hot. With high-quality thermal clothing, which knows how to wick away, you can go on an active trip such as trekking, cycling, skiing, snowboarding - and also for an urban trip in Jerusalem or Europe. There are thermal pants like tights , or thermal shirts that can be worn under the regular shirts.
"As for innovations - we have down-like coats. The disadvantage of normal down is that if it gets wet from rain or hail, it may lose its insulating ability. Down-like ones warm well, and since they have a special synthetic material - they do not lose their insulating ability. Added For that, they are pleasant, even though they are synthetic. A product that is not new but is always in demand online for travelers is touch gloves, which allow you to continue working with a touch screen."
Touch gloves, for a traveler,
Avi Sharaf, the marketing director of the "Kel Gav" group that markets the Rab brand, a manufacturer of reversible jackets, expands on the product: "The biggest advantage of these jackets is that they dry very quickly compared to regular jackets - about twice as fast.
"On the sides of the coat there is an elastic fabric, which allows easier and more pleasant movement. Another new coat from Rab is a coat whose reverse is size 900 (out of 1,000). The size is determined according to the volume of the filling: the higher the volume, the greater the amount of reverse that goes in. High-quality. The thinner the spine of an upside-down - it is of higher quality, because its down ratio is high. Size 900 down is very light. Its outer fabric is also water-repellent, but it is not water-resistant."
Sharaf adds that in terms of "outdoor" thermal clothing, clothes made of Polartec fabric are especially recommended.
"This is the first company that started producing the synthetic fabrics of the brass, which know how to retain heat very well. Thermal clothing keeps the body warm, and on the other hand, when we are active, it knows how to wick away the sweat. Polartec is a global name, and is used by all the major companies in the world. Also We at the outdoor brand use this fabric. There are also thermal shirts that are not made of Polartec, and then the price is a little lower because the fabric is simpler."
A Polartec thermal shirt costs NIS 199.
A thermal set (not from Polartec), which includes pants and a shirt, costs NIS 119.
From the brand directly to the consumer
Shabtai Kimchi, founder and CEO of the Trek Market chain, points out that the chain's way of offering attractive prices is to import products directly from factories. the products and be competitive against the websites from abroad, including Amazon.
The entire Internet sector has led to a price revolution.
The international sites are much cheaper.
When the importer buys from the brand and distributes to stores in Israel, this is another hand that takes another 40%-30%.
The solution is to buy directly from the brand, distribute in Trek Market stores and discount significantly.
Two seconds tent, Fresh& Black,
"We contacted 'Trespas', a British travel company which is a chain of stores in Europe, 270 of which are in the UK alone. They manufacture and distribute to their stores, and to date have not worked with Israel. They did not want to work with an importer, but directly with the stores, and the difficulty is working with Many stores. We distribute the brand's items only at Trek Market, and thus we maintain a good price. Among other things, the brand's brass jackets are offered in the Trek Market network for 120-250 shekels. The more sophisticated jackets, with nylon and down, are offered for -400 250 shekels.
"This is a huge company with high-end products at higher prices. What sells for around NIS 1,000 with us, costs NIS 1,600-1,500 in other brands. As for thermal shirts - we work with an American brand called 'Heat Holders', whose shirt prices range from 89 to 150 Shekels. We also do a sale of a third product for free for every two additional products. The goal is to get buyers to purchase two shirts and a pair of pants. For a trip to Europe - it sets your week in order."
Traveling and considering nature
Another brand that Trek Market sells is "Thermwave".
This company deals in the field of merino wool thermal clothing, and these are very high quality items that protect the environment and do not harm the sheep.
"It was very difficult to bring her to Israel," says Kimchi.
"Since we import directly through our stores, we bring the products at a more attractive price. The price of the items is NIS 160-369."
Collapsible water tank, Gadgetshop,
What about better known brands?
"We aspire, but we fail to import all our products ourselves. That is why 20% of the products are complementary brands. If there is an importer in the middle, it is difficult to be more competitive. The expenses in Israel for real estate and labor wages are high, you cannot sell cheaply and make money.
The way is to save the number of hands the product goes through on the way to consumers, and to offer a lower price tag."
The Trek Market chain operates in partnership with "New Cinema" - owner of the "Vishuz" chain and importer of leading brands such as Crocs.
To the question of what this means in terms of the prices of Vishouz's brands, Kimchi replies: "Connecting with Vishouz gave us the momentum. This way we can reach attractive prices compared to what is on the market today. Vishouz are importers, and they deal more with shoes. The collaboration created great strength and opened We have doors in the malls, since Wisshuz is a chain that is valued by the malls, so we get better rent conditions.
"When we talk about Wishoz's brands, we have a relative advantage because they are the same owners, but it's still another hand. We are indeed attractive, but not at a 40%-30% lower price, because that's impossible. On top of that, the mix of And a little shuffling inside the store. We have 'touches' from the moment they entered as partners. We included some of the products that seemed suitable, but it is still a small component and makes up 10-15% of the mix. We are a camping and hiking chain, and they offer more footwear."
This month, the annual innovation competition of the international Decathlon brand took place, in which the four outstanding innovative products of the year were selected in the technical field, in the field of responsible (environmental) innovation and innovation in use.
Among the competitors, several products stood out, among them an ultra-light jacket belt.
This belt includes a coat that is easy to carry during the trip, and is comfortable and simple to wear while walking. Also selected in the competition were wooden walking sticks, produced with innovative technology of using natural materials, which can be recycled and help the environment.
These products will be distributed throughout Europe in the coming months and will arrive in Israel towards the end of the year.
Decathlon also offers shoes that are designed using components that belong to the same family of materials, so that they can be recycled in their entirety and made into a new product without leaving any waste. In Decathlon branches you can find other new travel products, such as a two-second tent with an innovative mechanism for quick opening.
Energy system, Electra,
According to company personnel, the tent reduces the heat inside by 17 degrees compared to any normal tent, and creates 99% darkness for quality sleep even in the field.
The tent won first place as product of the year, and was chosen as the innovative product of the year in competitions in the USA. The price is NIS 520. A mattress that inflates independently, without human contact, can be attached to it for NIS 420.
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