It's been a fantastic year, and we want to thank all of our partners, teams, and athletes for making it phenomenal. Check out the highlights!
XX2i Optics Fast Becoming an Athlete Favorite
According to USA Triathlon member survey taken by 14,786 respondents, XX2i Optics was the #3 brand of sunglass that athletes intend to buy in the next 12 months, and was rated #5 out of over 20 brands in overall satisfaction. We were ranked higher in quality than brands that are considered industry staples, with over 70% of the 14,786 respondents rating XX2i Optics as a 4 or above (Very Good, Excellent) on a scale of 1 to 5. XX2i Optics also beat out all brands except Oakley and Rudy Project among consumers intending to buy in the next 12 months, showing an upward trend for a brand that appeared on the scene in 2012 to win Outside Magazine's Outstanding Value Award. Read more.
SEE WHAT ALL THE BUZZ IS ABOUT
Bruckner Chase - Ocean Positive
Bruckner Chase is driven by the mantra: “What we do IN the ocean makes us athletes. What we do FOR our oceans and FOR our communities makes us Watermen and Waterwomen.” 2017 was a breakthrough year allowing Bruckner's organization Ocean Positive to launch initiatives around the world that will have a “FOR” impact for years to come, including partnerships with NOAA, National Geographic, and Red Bull. Notable this year too: Bruckner launched the first Blue Journey Unified Team Australia para-surf lifesaving program that builds community partnerships to create opportunities for those with spinal cord injuries to join athletes in open water. Read more...
POLARIZED PERFECTION
Forrest Stump - Nicole Ver Kuilen
An amputee, cancer survivor, and athlete who goes by the moniker "Forrest Stump." Nicole ran and biked over 1,500 miles down the West Coast this fall to raise awareness for amputees that are forced to accept one prosthetic for all activities they pursue. Read more...
NICOLE'S FAVORITE SUNGLASSES
AJ Baucco - Baucco Squad
The year was a good one for the Kona Beer Mile Legend. AJ Baucco was a proud member of the 2017 Major League Triathlon Championship team where the team won 4 out of 4 races, which was a perfect season. He had been on the championship team two years in a row and has won 6 out of 8 MLT races in 2 years, more races than anyone else has won in that series. AJ also took 5th at Challenge Aruba and 10th at Eagleman 70.3 this past season. Now that it's January, read AJ's rules for the off season.
Run Fast, Run Far: Natasha LaBeaud Anzures
Canadian Natasha LaBeaud Anzures (@tashyrunner) cleaned up this year, setting the Canadian record for the 15k distance, and collecting personal records in the 5k and 4 mile distances. Training in 2017 has set her up for a killer 2018 - "I'm excited about what is next!" she said when we asked. How does Natasha stay fueled and fit? She wrote a blog for us about what an elite runner eats. Read more...
EYE-POPPING CRYSTAL FRANCE2 with GREEN FLASH LENSES
The Polar Row: Taking On the Arctic Sea
The international rowing team attempted to break a record this year. Some of the highlights: The Arctic Ice Shelf, Walrus, Whales, SVALBARD, dangerous seas, big waves, Guinness World Records and JAN MAYEN! Read the full report here.
UP THE INTENSITY
How the West Was Run: Strava Femmes
A record setting team of fearless ladies ran from Southern California to Las Vegas this pas summer. Read more to find out how it went, and what kind of things you start to hallucinate when running with only 4 hours of sleep.
DUAL KITS WITH TWO FRAMES and FIVE LENSES
XX2i Optics: Official Eyewear of USA Water Polo
The USAWP Women's Senior National Team continued their dominance by winning their fifth FINA World Championship in July in Budapest. Team USA has won more titles than any other women's water polo program, claiming titles in 2003, 2007, 2009, 2015 and 2017. USAWP's Junior Olympics continues to be the largest water polo tournament in the world. Over ten days in Orange County, CA, nearly 800 teams and over 10,000 athletes from age 10 to 18 competed in this premier youth water polo tournament. Read more...
POOLSIDE POLARIZED CASUALS
Mission of Hope
Famed climber and mountaineer Sean Swarner rounded out the Explorer's Grand Slam this year when he went to the North Pole (after having completed all 7 Summits and having gone to the south Pole). Swarner called it his 'Mission of Hope,' taking a massive flag covered with the names of people touched by cancer and with the word HOPE written on it in large letters. Read the full story...
SEANS PICK:
Live with BowHunter Planet on Facebook
The guys donned pink frames and answered your questions during a 50 minute Facebook Live event, making it clear why the BHP Nation loves our 4k and 8k Polarized Optics.
THINK PINK
One to Watch: Kaia Schmid
Young and talented: two words that very accurately describe 14-year-old Kaia Schmid. Kaia competes on two fronts - she's been skiing since she was 2 years old and competes in mogul skiing events throughout the Rocky Mountains (she's been to nationals twice now). She's also this year's U23 New England Regional Champion in cyclocross AND track cycling. As her post-race interview from a NEHSCA race in April shows, she's a sportswoman of champion caliber. Follow her on Instagram to keep up! @biking1
MORNING, NOON, AND NIGHT LENSES
BibRAVE - Review Highlights
The BibRave community is a group of hard running, fast-tweeting marathon lovers that review products from all over the athletic industry. This year they covered the Bahamas1, which were the favorite of @irunonbeer, who loved how they fit with a trucker hat AND over-ear headphones and didn't bounce, and they were so popular with Angie she had to buy her husband his own pair. Photo courtesy of Jeremy Heath, @runner_blogger_az
ALL AROUND EXCELLENCE
Adventure of a Lifetime: Journey Racing
If you ever want to truly test your limits, we recommend The Crippler with Journey Racing. The elite adventure racing team competed this year in a number of national competitions like the Cowboy Tough National Championships, and is looking forward to 2018 with more of their own races to come!
SOCIAL MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS