Cloudveil pressed "ctrl alt delete" a year ago and is now looking to make a fresh start by ironically going back to its roots. In February 2010, former Cloudveil executive Jim Reilly, together with some colleagues, bought Cloudveil back from Spyder in order to reinvigorate the brand.
I spoke with CEO Jim Reilly and CMO Bill Lynn at Outdoor Retailer. Both men stressed the teams commitment to bringing Cloudveil back to the core of designing great apparel for skiers, mountaineers and climbers. The company has worked hard over the past year to refine everything from product and production to inventory and fulfillment processes, while winning back the trust of their extended speciality retailer network.
For Fall/Winter 2011, Cloudveil has trimmed the line down to their best-sellers and go-to high performance pieces for mountain athletes. The new collection includes hard shells, soft shells, insulated and down jackets, as well as a range of mid layers- and yes the Koven pants are back!
Cloudveil's soft shell jackets have become a cult following and the men's and women's FirsTurn is no exception. This hooded jacket, aimed at backcountry skiers, combines two-way stretch, weather-repellent Cyclone™ Soft Shell fabric and a high-loft fleece interior. The Cloudveil FirsTurn Jacket retails for $150.
Probably the most famous Cloudveil fleece mid layer is the Run Don't Walk collection of pullovers, vests and hoodies (I love my hoody!). Made from Polartec Power Stretch, the fleece traps heat, sheds light moisture and packs down small. The Cloudveil Run Don't Walk Half Zip retails for $100 and the Full Zip Hoody for $125.