Arete Outdoor Subsidiary - Files Two New Patents - Opens New
Facility - Readies to Begin Sales of the SnowFangs and Rush Products
BOULDER, Colo., Aug. 9 /PRNewswire/ -- Arete Industries, Inc.
(OTC Bulletin Board: AREE) announced that subsidiary, Arete Outdoors recently
filed two new patent applications, the first relating to a revolutionary
Nordic ski pole design (the 'Power Pole'); and the second relating to a major
innovation in clip-less bicycle pedals for road and mountain bikes (the 'Snap
Pedals').
(Photo: newscom.com )
Arete Outdoors also announced opening an R & D, product development and
fulfillment facility in Berthoud, Colorado. Mike Lowe, Arete Outdoors
President stated that Arete Outdoors plans to conduct product development,
production, sales and customer service fulfillment from this location. "We
even have room for a 4 acre test track on which we can test our recently
developed full-suspension mountain bike and off-road motorcycle trailer."
"This move helps us focus on sales and production of the products we have
developed and enhances our ability to bring products through the pipeline much
more efficiently," Lowe continued.
"Our R&D team has several other products in the pipeline selected for
development in the upcoming months including the 'Power Pole'(TM) Nordic ski
pole and the 'Snap Organic Mountain Bike Pedal' and the 'Snap Road Bike
Pedal.' These products are intended to open up entirely new product
categories for us."
"Filing these patent applications enables us to create entire families of
products based on our innovative technology, and promotes brand leadership in
multiple categories. While we have many ideas we can pursue, our decisions on
timing for product introduction and patent applications are dictated by market
conditions, financial resources, seasonal timing limitations and results of
market acceptance testing," Lowe stated.
The Arete Outdoors is ready to launch its first three products into the
market: the SnowFang(TM) Snowshoes, the Powder Rush(TM) and the Dirt Rush(TM)
Downhillers. All of the products will be sold through the Arete Outdoors new
website, www.AreteOutdoors.com and other conventional channels.
The first product going to market is the SnowFang(TM) Snowshoes. Arete
Outdoors plans to have the final version of the SnowFangs manufactured and
available for delivery by September 15, 2000. Arete is distributing the
SnowFangs Snowshoes through Jeff Lowe's Cloudwalker field sales team.
Cloudwalker manufactures and distributes innovative climbing and
mountaineering clothing and hardware, and will add the snowshoes to its
presentations at technical retail outdoor and mountaineering shops in North
America and Europe this fall.
The SnowFang(TM) Snowshoes will be shown in
Cloudwalker's suite at the Salt Lake City Marriott during the upcoming Outdoor
Retailer Trade show beginning August 11th running through the 14th and then at
their booth at the Outdoor Sports Show for Europe in Friederichshafen,
Germany, the following week. Also, Arete Outdoors plans to have available a
lightweight trail running and racing model as well as a model that works with
a users' own technical climbing crampons. "I am very pleased with the look
and feel of the SnowFangs. Our field testing in Rocky Mountain National Park
and third party feedback indicates they're everything we imagined they would
be and more, and we are ready to go to market with them," Lowe continued.
Production of the full-suspension, Dirt and Powder RUSH Downhiller(TM) is
on schedule. It will be produced and assembled in Taiwan. A limited
pre-production quantity will be delivered in September, with full-scale
production starting thereafter for delivery in November, 2000. Arete Outdoors
will focus its initial sales efforts on gaining mountain access at the ski
resorts and placement at the mountain rental shops. Arete Outdoors is
presenting the Rush to ski areas and resorts in the USA, Canada and Europe,
and plans to present the products at the Outdoor Retailer Trade Show in Salt
Lake City, Utah, at the Friederichshafen show in Europe, at the Interbike show
in September, at several ski industry shows including the SIA Snowshow, and at
ski-patrol conventions, regional and national ski area shows.
Mike Lowe announced that Arete Outdoors recently filed a patent
application for the Power Pole(TM). The salient feature of the Power Pole is
the spring-loaded, pivoting lever arm. While contemporary Nordic ski pole
designs are essentially straight sticks, without mechanical advantage, the
Power Pole's mechanical lever arm enables the skier to drive the pole shaft
with greater speed. In addition to higher pole speed, the lever arm extends
stroke length, engaging the pole for a longer period of time. The Power Pole
tests demonstrate a substantial speed advantage for the cross country skiers
over traditional poles. The Power Pole is displayed on the AreteOutdoors.com
website at areteoutdoors.com.
A patent application has been filed for the "Snap Organic Mountain Bike
Pedal and the Snap Road Pedal," continued Lowe. The product development team
has completed solid model production drawings, and prototypes are being built
and tested. Production is scheduled initially for Spring, 2001. The Snap
Pedal provides greatly improved mud clearance and safety during falls and can
be clipped into from any direction. They will provide full ankle float and
release easily with simple rotation of the ankle outward. The Snap(TM)
Organic Mountain Bike Pedal snaps into the rubber ring molded into the Patent
Pending shoe sole design without the necessity of bolting on the metal pedal
clip required by all other clip-in pedals.
A critical advantage is that any
shoe from a running shoe to a hiking boot can be made with the Snap sole
design and be used with the snap pedal without compromising the performance of
the sole when walking, running, or climbing. The Snap Pedals are scheduled to
be displayed on the AreteOutdoors.com website at
areteoutdoors.com within the next few days.
Safe Harbor Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act
of 1995: Certain statements contained herein which are not historical are
forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties not
known or disclosed herein that could cause actual results to differ materially
from those expressed herein.
For information contact: Eric Popkoff, President of Undiscovered Equities
Research, Inc., 718-998-8124, ir@areteindustries.com.
SOURCE Arete Industries, Inc.
-0- 08/09/2000
/CONTACT: Eric Popkoff, President of Undiscovered Equities Research,
Inc., 718-998-8124, ir@areteindustries.com/
/Photo: NewsCom: newscom.com
AP Archive: photoarchive.ap.org
PRN Photo Desk, 888-776-6555 or 201-369-3467/
/Web site: areteoutdoors.com
/Web site: areteoutdoors.com
/Web site: areteindustries.com
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