Every season, an international jury of outdoor journalists and outdoor gear specialists come together to decide the winners of Scandinavian Outdoor Award, a prestigious prize handed out by Scandinavian Outdoor Group.
Today, the winners for the upcoming Fall/Winter 2022/2023 season are announced, with one of Norway’s oldest shoe manufacturers, Alfa, securing the most prestigious award, as Overall Winner. The brand uses 100% wool from Norwegian sheep in their new boot Stad and it’s woven to give better tear resistance than more commonly used felted wool. As reinforcement Alfa uses nubuck and a Vibram Megagrip sole for great traction in winter. All in all, the hybrid silhouette is adapted for everyday use on urban as well as suburban walks.
The jury statement: The lightweight winter boot Stad from the Norwegian footwear specialist Alfa looks and performs great and won every jury member’s heart. Upper and lining are woven with Norwegian wool that is more durable than the normally used felted wool. Woven wool has been used for over 100 years for manufacturing furniture and folklore. Wool keeps your feet warm, breathes better than leather or waterproof membranes and sheds snow. The sole uses Vibram Megagrip compound. What a great way to use Norwegian wool, the jury agrees.
The second most prestigious award is the Sustainability Award and this time, the prize goes to Silva. For the new Terra Scout headlamp, the Swedish premium sports and outdoor brand uses hemp instead of plastic, which means 90 % less C02 footprint in a product that’s already made to be long-lasting and of high quality.
The jury: The Swedish brand Silva brings sustainable materials into the head-lamp-category: The Terra Scout is made from hemp and recycled plastics with a CO2-footprint reduction of up to 90 percent compared to standard plastics. The compact and lightweight headlamp (84 g with three AAA-batteries) is easy to use and will be available at an affordable price. A rechargeable battery pack can be purchased separately and will add to the lamp convenience and sustainability.
Three more prizes are announced today:
Hardware Award: Pannier Rolltop 22L from Iamrunbox (Sweden)
Footwear Award: Classic Winterboot from Polyver (Sweden)
Kids Award: Megapito from Reima (Finland)