Fitness Equipment Apparel

protection from extreme wind, rain, and snow conditions. These garments are water-resistant, wind-resistant, windproof jackets or vests made from waterproof or water-resistant breathable fabric vented to allow air circulation. They often have drawstrings and seals to keep the weather out.

* Wear a hat and gloves.

* Also, consider the type of walking you will be doing. A trail walk or hike may call for different apparel than fitness or speed walking.

* Consider temperature and wind factors when choosing the amount of layers and type of clothing.

* Be wary of clothing that doesn't breathe. If your sweat doesn't evaporate, you will be wet. However, in some extreme wet-weather circumstances, such clothing options may not be a choice.

* Avoid cotton. It absorbs moisture without wicking it away from your body. Also, the fabric can rub, causing chafing, and it cools the body.

* Seek professional shoe advice, but of course look for ones that fit, meet biomechanicai needs, and are flexible. When wet, remove insoles, place newspaper in the shoe, and dry away from heat.

Author Karen Fritscher-Porter is a freelance writer based in Bloomingdale, Georgia. COPYRIGHT Review and Herald Publishing Association & Gale Group.

Choosing a sports bra: if your cups runneth over, a good sports bra could be your most important piece of athletic equipment

STRAPS

Straps should be snug but not restrictive, and should have adequate padding. Larger breasted women usually prefer racerbacks or T-backs because they offer more support. Adjustable straps are the latest trend. "They allow you to change the support of the bra to suit different activities," says Tracy Cole, product manager for the Activa fitness-apparel catalog.

STYLES

Compression bras press the breasts against the body. Encapsulation bras have molded cups or built-in liners. While A- and B-cup athletes can wear both kinds, larger-breasted women typically prefer encapsulation styles.

FABRIC

Look for moisture-wicking fabrics. These are typically a blend of cotton and synthetic fibers--cotton for softness and synthetic for dryness. "Champion has a line of 'friction-free' bras [shown here] with special fabric sewn into areas prone to chafing like around the nipples, over closures and around straps," says Marla Blackwell, director of marketing for Champion Sportswear.

THE GORE

This refers to the front of the bra, how high it rises from the bust to the neck, "Larger-breasted women should choose a bra with a higher gore for maximal support and to prevent 'spillage' of tissue over the top," advises Cole.

CLASPS AND CLOSURES

All seams, hooks, clasps and underwires should be covered with a soft, moisture-wicking fabric, and should be ergonomically placed to go with the lines of your body. Endurance athletes should look for bras that are seamless. These are made with a circular knit, eliminating most of the panel seams where pieces of fabric are joined together.

ARMHOLES

Armholes should allow for a full range of movement in all directions without pinching underneath. There should also be no tissue "spillage" out of the armholes.

BY LARA MCGLASHAN, MFA, CPT  COPYRIGHT Weider Publications  COPYRIGHT Gale Group

Dick's tests women's apparel concept: New Ativa offshoot emphasizes upscale athletic lifestyle

ALBANY, N.Y. -- Dick's Sporting Goods opened a new female-oriented retail concept last month, named after its Ativa store brand that could provide a significant source of new growth to a company whose existing operations already possess attractive expansion prospects. The first Ativa store opened last month at the Crossgates Mall in Albany, N.Y., and a second unit is scheduled to open this month at the Walden Galleria Mall in Cheektowaga, N.Y., on the outskirts of Buffalo.

The most intriguing aspect of this new concept is the degree to which it differs from Dick's core focus on freestanding superstores, which generate 60% of sales through hard-lines categories such as golf, fishing and fitness equipment. Ativa, by comparison, is a mall-based concept that measures just 6,000 square feet. The merchandise assortment of apparel and footwear targets women with active and athletic lifestyles, while hard-lines are virtually nonexistent. In fact, Ativa bears virtually no resemblance to Dick's full-line sporting goods stores, and there is nothing in the Ativa store to suggest it is affiliated with Dick's.

Instead, Ativa features a wide entrance from the mall and a predominantly white color scheme with subtle shades of blue and teal used as accent colors. A 4-foot-wide and 10-foot-tall waterfall creates interest at the rear of the store while wooden floors, full-length wooden doors in the fitting rooms, a finished ceiling and recessed lighting create an upscale, feminine environment. There is also a service orientation to the store. The fitting rooms are equipped with call buttons and the footwear department is full service. The store also features a yoga studio with room for 12 people that can double as a community meeting room.

From a merchandise standpoint, Ativa is an apparel store first with at least 90% of the space devoted to women's athletic wear and athletic-inspired casual wear. At least 15% of the space is devoted to the Ativa brand. The broad merchandise mix targets a full range of athletic activities, with looks and at price points ranging from $100 for a sleeveless Nike golf sweater to opening price point Ativa brand merchandise. Leading brands such as Nike, Adidas, Fila, Asics and New Balance are predictably well represented at the store. Those same brands and others such as Merrell are also part of the footwear department, where roughly 70 styles are offered. The very limited selection of hardline merchandise consists of videos, energy bars, fitness magazines and hand weights.

Overall, Dick's appears to have succeeded in creating a store that will interest female mall shoppers and if successful could presumably be expanded quickly given Ativa's small size, reduced staffing requirements, simplified operations and available mall space. Beyond confirming the existence of the initial two units, Dick's has said nothing publicly about its plans for the concept and company officials were not available to speak with DSN Retailing Today.

However, the introduction of Ativa shedes sheds some light on comments Dick's chairman and ceo Ed Stack made in January to a group of financial analysts attending a trade show in Las Vegas. During his presentation, Stack commented that within three years private label would represent 15% of total company sales compared to the current 6%.

"[Private label] is an aspect of our business we are very enthusiastic about," Stack said at the time.

He offered no details of how the dramatic growth in private label would be achieve, but clearly expansion of a store format bearing the name of the company's private label in which 15% of the selling space is devoted to private label would have a big impact.

Before further expansion takes place, Dick's will get a good read on the concept's viability from the two known test locations. The store in Albany is located in a mall that counts as its anchor tenants upscale department stores such as Macy's and Lord & Taylor and footwear stores such as Foot Locker, Lady Foot Locker, Kids Foot Locker and The Finish Line. Meanwhile, the Walden Gallena near Buffalo contains a Lord & Taylor, Galyan's, Champs, The Finish Line, Foot Action and all three Foot Locker formats.

Even if the Ativa concept is deemed worthy of further expansion, Dick's is under no pressure to immediately do so because its existing full-line stores--the company operates two primary formats, 30,000 square feet and 48,000 square feet-are effectively being expanded in new and existing markets. Dick's ended last year with 141 stores, of which 58 were opened during the past three years. Another 20 stores are scheduled to open this year.

In addition, since disclosing its financial results and completing an initial public offering of its stock last fall, Dick's has emerged as a favorite of financial analysts. The company's sales increased 16% to $395 million and profits increased 48% to $19 million during the fourth quarter ended Feb. 1, 2003, prompting William Blair & Company analyst Bob Simonson to comment, "We believe this is a very impressive performance, especially in light of the difficult overall retailing environment, including the sporting goods sector."
The company's share price has responded accordingly, increasing 125% to $27 a share at press time from the Oct. 16, 2002, public offering price of $12 a share.