360 Imaging!

I wanted to let you know we are excited to share some new imaging of 10 of our current tents. Click any of the links below to view our tents in 360 degrees. You are able to zoom in, and click on the NEMO icon to get more information about details of each tent. Theses are all viewable from the each main tent page on our website as well, just click the small "VIEW 360" icon in the box below the main image.

Morpho 1P
Morpho 2P
Espri 2P
Losi Storm 2P
Gogo LE
Losi 3P
Meta 2P
Meta 1P
Moki
Tenshi

-Bill

Off the Radar...

On Wednesday, the NEMO crew will be heading out in our backyard for a little R&R (Research and Recreation). For three days we'll be backpacking in the Pemigewasset Wilderness, within the White Mountain National Forest. You can see our planned route below.


If you happen to be hiking in the area and see a large group on the trail, say hello! And Bill will be armed with the camera so be sure to check back next week for images and tales of the trip.

Adventure Anywhere...

NEMO Disambiguation

One of the charms of Wikipedia is getting caught in the web of disambiguations associated with what you're actually searching for. You may be surprised to learn that NEMO can refer to many things.

The ones we most often hear from people making an association with the company name are Finding NEMO (too obvious) and Captain Nemo (for the literary folks).

The Latin meaning for "nemo" (meaning "no man" or "no one") tends to be referenced from time to time. Less popular -- unless you salute the maple leaf -- is Mt. Nemo, a popular sport climbing destination in southern Ontario. Nemo Peak is a volcano in the Kuril Islands, Russia.

You might drive a Nemo in some parts of the world (warning: rollover hazards)... perhaps on your way to Nemo, Texas?

View Larger Map

My personal favorite is Point NEMO, also known as the Oceanic Pole of Inaccessibility. This point, located in the South Pacific, is the furthest point from any land mass at 1,553 miles (2,500 kilometers).

The 'NEMO' from NEMO Equipment, Inc. comes from the fact the company was originally named New England Mountain Equipment (read more here).

-Connie

With a Little Help...

With help from some of our industry partners, NEMO has made a financial donation to 5 nonprofit organizations this spring. Surfrider Foundation, International Mountain Bicycling Association (IMBA), The Humane Society of America, Wounded Warrior Project and The Youth Outdoors Legacy Fund have all been chosen as beneficiaries.

Last year, we invited our industry friends to join us in utilizing our Pro Purchase Program to donate $2 in lieu of a handling fee, to one of five non-profit organizations. We pledged to match the donation at the end of the year. The five organizations were chosen by NEMO employees based on personal connections to the cause and a shared opinion of the organizations’ global value. Below are links and descriptions of each of the five organizations. We understand the value of supporting organizations that protect the people and places that make adventure both possible and deeply rewarding and we encourage you to get involved with an organization you share common goals with.


Surfrider Foundation is a non-profit grassroots organization dedicated to the protection and enjoyment of our world’s oceans, waves and beaches. Founded in 1984 by a handful of visionary surfers in Malibu, CA, the Surfrider Foundation maintains over 50,000 members and 90 chapters worldwide. (A timely donation in the wake of the BP oil spill.)


IMBA was founded in 1988 by a group of California mountain bike clubs concerned about the closure of trails to cyclists. It believed that mountain biker education programs and innovative trail management solutions should be developed and promoted. Its mission is to protect, create, and enhance quality trail experiences for mountain bikers worldwide. In addition, it actively promotes responsible mountain biking, supports volunteer trail work, assists land managers with trail management issues, and works to improve relations among trail user groups.


The Humane Society of America, established in 1954, seeks a humane and sustainable world for all animals. It works to reduce suffering and to create meaningful social change for animals by advocating for sensible public policies, investigating cruelty and working to enforce existing laws, educating the public about animal issues, joining with corporations on behalf of animal-friendly policies, and conducting hands-on programs that make ours a more humane world. It is the lead disaster relief agency for animals, and provides direct care for thousands at its sanctuaries, rescue facilities, wildlife rehabilitation centers, and mobile veterinary clinics. (Also a timely donation with the BP oil spill).


Wounded Warrior Project’s mission is to honor and empower wounded warriors. It aims to raise awareness and enlist the public’s aid for the needs of severely injured service men and women; help severely injured service members aid and assist each other; and provide unique, direct programs and services to meet the needs of severely injured service members.


Youth Outdoors Legacy Fund was established in 2005 when several leaders in the Outdoor Community came together to pool resources for the purpose of providing assistance to non-profit organizations that were reaching out to urban kids to get them involved in outdoor activities. It believes that with a long term investment in community, ten to twenty years from now we will have fostered passionate stewards to continue the great work that has been going on in the conservation community

~Kate

Sticker Love

First sign of (new) sticker love from one of our customers... keep them coming, and we'll keep posting them.

-Connie

June Beach Cleanup Results

We snuck in our June beach cleanup last Friday morning when the waves were still working out on the NH coast. Although it took us a little bit of effort to find some clean waves, they were so fun that we forgot to take any pictures. I grabbed this screenshot of the beach later in the afternoon.

Of course, we're all waiting for a time we can grab our boards à la Holly Beck like this:



We were lucky to run into NEMO friend Marta D. who was just finishing up her own morning session. She joined us on the cleanup, and together we picked up about 100 lbs of trash from our section of Jenness Beach. If you're interesting in participating/adopting a beach through your own organization, check out the Blue Ocean Society.

-Connie

NEMO Ambassador Spotlight: John Lacroix

NEMO ambassador and ultrarunner, "Sherpa" John Lacroix, takes a few minutes out of his busy school/work/training schedule to tell us a bit about himself and what keeps him going.


Name: "Sherpa" John Lacroix

Birthplace: Manchester, NH

Current residence: Epping, NH

Day job (what pays the bills?): Full Time Student at the University of New Hampshire majoring in Outdoor Education. Part Time employee at Eastern Mountain Sports

Life Motto: "Human Potential is that little voice in your head that dares you to dream it, moves you to do it and wills you to experience it. It is unlimited.”

Favorite organization you support: Vermont Adaptive Ski and Sport
What are you doing to change the world?: Trying my best to inspire people to chase their dreams no matter how impossible they seem. We can do anything we put our mind to and our bodies are amazing machines. I'll do anything I can to make sure people see that.

Favorite piece of NEMO gear & why: My favorite is the Mio. Not only does it offer plenty of space for me and my gear, but it’s mutli-functional in the field: I can have a separate vestibule area or I can have more space inside the tent, depending upon my needs. It's perfect for a trip on a plane; lightweight and doesn't take up much room in my bag. It's the perfect fit for a traveler like me.

Songs that get you going: Shinedown "I Dare You," Metallica "Bleeding Me"

Give us a ‘green tip’ that you personally do: I pick up trash along the road while on my training runs.

Favorite trip & why: Pemigewassett Loop. There is something magical about the Pemi. The history, the trees, the wilderness, the peaks. Words just can’t describe it.

Food you miss the most while on a long run: Steak tip and cheese sub

Favorite food to have on a long run: Gummy Bears

Something you always bring on your trips that you don’t need (good luck charm, etc.): My Buff

Friends describe you as: Stubborn, Authentic

Favorite book: Born to Run, Losing The Garden

Who inspires you? The people who get out there and do stuff. The ones who not only do it, but inspire others to do it. I also truly admire those folks who stick around to cheer their fellow adventurers on. Community is everything.

Summer 2010 Schedule
The Barkley Marathons, TN
The McNaughton, VT
Western States 100, CA
The Vermont 100, VT
The Leadville Trail 100, CO
The Wasatch Front 100, UT

~Kate

New Stickers!

New stickers arrived today. Which one is your favorite?

-Connie

Spill Baby, Spill

It's not good. And it's going to get a lot worse before it starts getting better. A week ago, the NYTimes reported 491 dead birds, 227 dead sea turtles, and 27 dead mammals. (photo credit: IBRRC)

A Gulf of Mexico fishing ban now extend 60,683 square miles, and scientists project the ocean current to carry the oil up the Atlantic in the upcoming months. What can we do about it?

The National Audubon Society has set up an action center to link volunteers with organizations in need of hands. Check out the site or read the FAQ to see if you can contribute.

-Connie

Local Wildlife Part 4-The Barred Owl

On a trail run with Connie this morning,  we were stopped in our tracks about halfway into the run. 15 feet away from us on a small dirt road, was a beautiful Barred Owl staring right at us, without a care in the world. We watched it for 2 minutes in awe of its stoic, ghostly presence. As much as it pained me to leave, we let it be. The rest of the run I was super excited and could not stop talking about how many times I have looked along that very same road for owls and never saw even a feather. With a tinge of hope, I swung by the same spot a half hour later, camera in hand. These images are the result. Glad I checked it out! To see more images have a look here .

-Bill

23,000 miles and 20 lessons learned

[Editor's note: our buddy Ben (Jetboil engineer and part of the New England based network of outdoor companies) recently got back from a 6 month, 23,000 mile motorcycle journey from New Hampshire to the southernmost tip of South America. We gave him one of the first prototypes of Morpho 1P for his journey. I think it is safe to say that he has spent more nights in this tent than anyone else in the world now, combined.]

I spent 6 months riding 23,000 miles through 15 countries. I was often been asked "What's your favorite place." It was such a hard question to answer and people stared wide eyed with anticipation. At the beginning of this journey I envisioned seeing some of the world's most spectacular landscapes. It's true, the land I saw was simply breathtaking. However the moments lived and the lessons learned were the real treasures. Here are just a few:

1. I've done a lot of camping in bear country and I'm confident in my ability to stay safe. On the other hand, I've never camped in gator country. I realized this while setting up my tent near a waterway in South Carolina. Are they attracted to the smell of humans? Will one stare at me while others attack from the flanks (Thanks, Jurassic Park). I didn't sleep much that night...

2. I was intensely terrified and extremely excited when I crossed the US/Mexico border. A new language, driving style, and culture awaited. Friends, family and the US State Department warned me of Mexican hostility, muggings, and drug cartels. I was so nervous that I rode 200 miles, without stopping, from the border to the international rock climbing destination of El Potrero Chico.

3. Not long after devouring some delicious roadside tacos in rural Mexico, I was struck by Montezuma's Revenge. Fortunately, a gas station appeared out of nowhere. Thank you!!! That day I learned that Mexico is like one delicious party, but remember to BYOTP.

4. Think twice before peeing out of your tents zipper when camping in the jungle. Did you check for fire ants? That stinging pain on your private parts isn't from brushing against the tent's zipper...

5. That overly friendly and slightly unattractive woman who randomly started talking with me in the park wasn't looking for conversation when she asked "Where are you from? What hotel are you staying at? Are you married? Do you have any cash on you?"

6. Banditos aren't your main threat while riding at night. Animals, unmarked speed bumps, cars with no lights, entire sections of missing road, dangling electrical wires, and giant boulders are the real dangers.

7. Climbing active volcanos is AMAZING. One girl learned the hard way that standing on a loose rock pile perched above flowing lava with no safety rails was a recipe for disaster. The rocks gave way and she went tumbling down towards the red hot magma. Luckily another traveler (and motorcyclist) was nearby. He reached over instinctively quick and pulled her to safety. Just because you can, doesn't mean you should.

8. It wasn't the best idea to touch wires together after my bike blew over in the wind and smashed the ignition switch. The downside was a $500 repair, a new CDI, and 6 days without riding. The upside was learning 10 ways how not to fix my bike, making friends with the locals, and being invited to stay at their beach house.

9. With scorching temperatures, the Central American Border crossings are time consuming, inefficient, illogical, and utterly exhausting. I could have spent the 4 hours yelling at all the officials, standing pissed off in a quarter-mile long line, and being generally frustrated. Instead I chose to spend the 4 hours talking with a local who walked from Honduras to Texas, dancing to reggaeton, and thinking about all my friends back home who were stuck in the office.

10. Next time I charter a sailboat from Panama to Colombia I'll be sure to look for a captain who is not addicted to cocaine, working safety equipment, mattresses that are not covered in mold, pressurized gas lines that are not made from water hose and hose clamps, a cook and first mate who will not quit on the second day, and food and water to last longer than day 3 of a 6 day journey.

11. Passing traffic on blind curves was a great way to keep things moving. I always stayed on my toes for that oncoming traffic and several time I had to swerve onto the opposite shoulder to avoid a collision.

12. I saw a bird out of the corner of my eye. It was darting low and fast across the road. It didn't seem matter if I slowed down, sped up, or maintained my speed. There was a collision. A three pound bird packs a punch when riding at 60 mph. This happened twice... (and once with a cat).

13. Colombian salsa clubs were intimidating. Being a wallflower was an option but dancing like a fool until 5am was way more fun.

14. When I was invited to a family party in Ecuador during Carnival I had no idea just how amazing the night would be (and how terrible the hangover would feel the next morning).

15. Soccer games were a way of life. I learned to run quickly through a crowd when I saw tear gas, riot police, and dynamite.

16. There was a bus coming at me head on while riding offroad in Peru through a quarter-mile long one-lane tunnel with no lights. I Hugged the tunnel's sidewall and started praying.

17. Bolivia - 15,000 feet. Altitude sickness sucked.

18. Bolivian road blocks didn't mean that I was stuck. It meant that it was time to get creative with my route. Sidewalks, irrigation canals, downed telephone polls, and squeezing in between parked buses were all fair game (and encouraged by the locals who set up the blockades).

19. A Chilean earthquake at 4 in the morning was unsettling to say the least.

20. I thought I'd ridden in windy conditions before. Then I rode through Patagonia... I found that screaming out loud in my helmet gave me strength to carry on. "Is that all you got! AHHHHH!!!!"

-Ben

NEMO Classroom Lesson #152: Breaking Down Your Pole Set

Here's one trick that not too many people know about. To prolong the life of the shock cord that holds your poles together, always break them down starting from the middle. Otherwise, you end up stretching one end of the shock cord more than the other (which wears it down and overstretches the elastic). Steve and I made this quick video to demonstrate the concept.



Any questions?

-Connie