IO_Winter_22

InsideOutdoor | WINTER 2022 17 Traveling with children can be challenging, said LaToya Allison, CEO, of Austin, Texas-based ternPaks. A journey to a family outdoor adventure can include early mornings, long car rides, uncomfortable seats, waiting at a restaurant and the monotony of “are we there yet?”. “Our goal at ternPaks is to provide parents with highly curated options that allow children to disconnect from their electronic devices, so that they may reconnect and engage with themselves, their family, and their surroundings,” said Allison. “Whether it’s a holiday or an everyday outing, we have options for everyone.” Founders Allison and Mariana Güereque created ternPaks as they found themselves spending an inordinate amount of time choosing activities and products for their own children while traveling. As both were constantly asked by other parents about the things their kids were using, they came up with the idea for ternPaks. Offering more than entertainment, the merchandise encourages kids to reflect on their travel experience in the moment. The products are aimed at children aged 5- to 10-years-old during car, train or airplane rides. The start-up’s signature product – the complete ternPaks – are backpacks filled with activities for both short and long trips: magnetic pads and cubes for STEM play, art and doodling materials, reusable dry erase mazes, and a journey journal that includes a bedtime story and space for kids to reflect on their own experiences. Items also are available for individual purchase. m Ryan and Peter Eiler were frustrated by what they saw as an unnecessary limitation of current action sports helmets. So about three years ago, they set out to build a more versatile helmet that could be used yearround for both biking and snow sports. The end result is Bridger, a Bostonbased start-up dedicated to developing a customizable helmet that can be used for just about any type of adventure. The helmet’s patent-pending removable outer shell allows the user to easily change the helmet’s appearance, ventilation and functionality, said the company. “There’s no good reason that folks should be stuck wearing the same, tired helmet for years on end,” said co-founder Ryan Eiler. “Our clothing changes based on the weather and our activities, but we end up wearing the same one or two helmets all the time.” At the heart of their design is Bridger’s CORS (configurable retention system) technology, which gives users the ability to quickly pop the outer shell on and off. If you’re biking in tar-melting heat, you can snap on the highly ventilated summer shell. If you’re riding the chairlift on a subzero day, attach the cold weather shell and ear pads for warmth. Or, if you’re commuting to work, there are a variety of high-visibility, more functional choices to keep riders safe. According to Peter Eiler, head designer and co-founder, “when we were solving the problem of how to make a more versatile helmet, numerous benefits aside from aesthetics became apparent. We discovered that we could offer improvements to safety, while meeting the performance demands of even the most active outdoor enthusiasts.” Most modern helmets use one chunk of hard foam for impact protection. Bridger has introduced a hightech foam on the helmet’s interior, which the company claims is both more comfortable and better at handling the most common types of concussion-level impacts. Additionally, with the ability to remove the shell, the integrity of the helmet’s underlying foam can be inspected at any time. Bridger officially launches this February. The expected retail price for a complete helmet is $195, with additional shells available in the $30 to $40 range. Start 'em Up Company Provides Kids Alternative to Screen Time During Travel Boston Start-up Creates Customizable Helmet for All Seasons

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