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Breaking Down the Best in Winter Vests

The temperature has finally begun to drop, as falls late arrival will undoubtedly be met with an early arriving winter. As we pack away the shorts, sandals, and memories of summer, there are a few things we can look forward to. Of course there’s the holidays, snow days, and the Christmas cookies. But breaking out the cold gear or shopping for some new winter wear is always a great time. Dust off the scarfs and boots and head to your local coffee shop for a seasonally theme beverage.

But as you dress for the winter months, you’ll want to be sure you are properly prepared. The vest has made a return to the fashion world, as more men and women are turning to this functionable attire. Keeping your core warm and your arms free has been vital to those on the move. But with so many clothing brands delivering a range of options, it may be difficult to differentiate between them. Outerwear manufactures Patagonia, Columbia, and The North Face are all well known for producing quality apparel that is designed to handle the elements. Deciding which one is right for you can be tough. To make this shopping experience more enjoyable, we’ve broken down each vest’s fit and construction to help you selected the ideal garment.

Columbia Lake 22 Down Vest

Like the other brands featured, Columbia Sportswear needs no introduction. Headquartered in the Pacific Northwest, the folks at Columbia know a thing or two about outerwear. Their latest feature, of the sleeveless variety, is the Lake 22 Down Vest. Insulated with a 650 fill power down, this vest will keep your body temperate comfortably regulated whether you are on the move or not. It’s polyester shell is water resistant and you can even pack this vest into one of its zippered hand pockets for easy storage and travel. Of the three vests featured, this has the most relaxed or loose fit. It is also slightly longer in length than the other two, which could allow for it to be tucked in if used as a layer in the cold climate.

The North Face Aconcagua Vest

It should be of no surprise that infamous outerwear manufacture The North Face would produce a versatile vest built for the elements. Constructed from a water repellent shell, with 550 filled goose down, and synthetic-insulated side and shoulder panels. This unique design prevents the chill from getting to your core and keeps that ever important body heat close by when out in cold. As you would expect from an environmental aware brand like The North Face, the jacket uses more than 50% recycled materials and the carries the Responsible Down Standard (RDS) by Control Union. The fit on this vest is slightly slimmer than the Columbia, and also shorter in length. Works great for everything from holiday shopping in the city to hiking in the back country.

Patagonia Nano Puff Vest

Windproof, water resistant, and extremely efficient is exactly how you would describe the Nano Puff vest from Patagonia. The 100% recycled polyester shell and lining comes with the durable water repellent (DWR) finish. Unlike The North Face and Columbia vests, the insulation is 100% synthetic, made from top of the line PrimaLoft Gold polyester. What this means from a consumer standpoint is that this vest will keep you remarkable warm, whether it’s wet or dry. For those that are really active or moving indoors and out, you may find synthetic insulation is too effect at retaining heat. If this is your primary use, a down vest could be a better option. The Nano Puff is also much thinner and more form fitting than the other vests, making it ideal to be used as an underneath layer if you are exposed to long periods of low temperatures. Complete with an adjustable drop-tail hem and an internal pocket that doubles as storage bag, this Patagonia vest is a perfect choice if you are looking to add some extra warmth to your wardrobe this winter.

written by Dylan Hamilton, Sports Unlimited

End of Season Sale – Winter Edition

It has been cold, quite cold. And as you tire of polar vortexes or vortices or whatever horrifying scientific terms you discover, I want to assure you that winter *does not* last forever. So I am declaring the end of winter. Oh? Well, winter is not technically over, but I am over it. Be gone, I say!

And with the (fake) end of winter, we arrive at the Winter End of Season Sale. Hip, hip, brrr…ay!

Take advantage of some ridiculous deals on The North Face, Under Armour, Patagonia, Sleds, Bern, Oakley and more.

Click the big, beautiful graphic (courtesy of our web-genius, Doug) to land on our Sale!

Polar Vortex, Polar Shmortex

Back to School Backpacks Are…Back!

Check out the latest back-to-school backpacks and school bags in the coolest colors and styles, from Jansport, The North Face, Dakine, Under Armour, Burton, and High Sierra, all here at Sports Unlimited!

It’s that time of year again folks! Time for pencils, time for books, time for teacher’s dirty looks (for all those who didn’t finish their summer reading). And that means it’s time again to stock up on all new school supplies, hip new school clothes, and the most stylish, comfortable school bag in class. After all, walking into school on the first day to find someone else has the same backpack as you would just be the end of the world!!!

Thankfully, Sports Unlimited has an absolutely ridiculous variety of brand new school bags, backpacks, and messenger bags this season, all at the best prices, and many with free shipping! With the most unique designs, patterns, and colors, in the coolest styles, from all of the top brands, some might call our selection, well, unlimited.

Into the sporty look? Check out the latest action-packed backpacks from Under Armour and Nike! The Under Armour PTH Victory Backpack comes in really cool color combos and patterns, plus it’s got plenty of space for your books and binders, and even an interior shoe pocket to store your cleats for soccer practice after school.

Want to go more stylish and trend-setting this year? Look no further than High Sierra and The North Face. With crazy plaid patterns and loud designs, High Sierra backpacks make a statement that’s hard to ignore. And as always, The North Face has stepped its game up, bringing you guys some of the most well-rounded, fully featured, and stylish backpacks in school. Look to the always popular The North Face Recon backpack, to lug even the heaviest of text books around all year in comfortable bliss!

If you spend more time at the skate park than in the library, we’ve got some of the sickest new styles from Dakine and Burton for you, that’ll even hold your board and your books this year. For the understated, stylish, active girls, we’ve got the Dakine Eve Backpack, a female-specific pack with plenty of great storage and a ton of cool designs. If you’re more the boarding type, check out the Burton Emphasis backpack, for ultimate swag style and active features.

Finally, if you love classics that never go out of style, Sports Unlimited’s got you covered. As always, Jansport backpacks rule the school, like they have for the passed few decades. This year though, they’re upping the ante on some of their most popular backpacks, with new colors and patterns unlike anything else out there. Check out the Jansport Big Student backpack, a bright and colorful backpack that holds up from middle school to college graduation. Even the classic Jansport Superbreak is new for this season, with intense oranges, purples, blues, greens, and pinks.

No matter your style, no matter your budget, Sports Unlimited has the perfect backpack for your school year. So Mom and Dad, consider that checked off your back-to-school list. Now all that’s left is all the new school supplies, laptops, iPads, and clothes that they’ll need before heading to the bus stop.

By Brandon Porter.

Brandon is a product specialist at Sports Unlimited.

Think Pink: October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month

TNF Breast Cancer Awareness Denali — The North Face Women's Breast Cancer Awareness Denali Fleece Jacket

Sports Unlimited has always been devoted to bringing you the highest quality, most advanced, stylish, and high-performing sporting goods and active wear on the market today. And as many of you know, we’ve also been passionate about improving the lives of those fighting cancer, by donating to Livestrong, giving to local charities, and helping friends and family out around the Philadelphia area (our home town). This October, during Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Sports Unlimited is able to combine our two passions in our brand new “Think Pink” section, chock full of amazing outerwear and gear from brands like The North Face, Cutters, Reebok, and Oakley, touched with the classic pink ribbon and color that shows your support for breast cancer awareness. In fact, for every purchase you make from this section, these manufacturers donate a portion of the sale price to help spread the word, raise awareness, and fund research for breast cancer prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and cures.

If you’ve been watching the NFL recently (and we hope you have), you’ve seen almost every player sporting something pink on the gridiron. Whether it’s with a pair of Cutters Pink Breast Cancer Football Gloves or a Pink Breast Cancer Wrist Coach, these gargantuan warriors are showing their support for their friends, loved ones, and total strangers all over the world battling cancer every day. How about joining in their fight and taking your next snap with a new pair of pink football gloves or a pink chin strap? The only question is, are you tough enough to rock pink?

But Think Pink doesn’t just stop at the end zone. All month, across the country, the Susan G. Komen Foundation is holding Races for the Cure to raise money for breast cancer research. Find the Race for the Cure near you, sign up, and then check out our selection of Pink Ribbon water bottles, runner’s reflective vests, and socks, to stay comfortable and pink during the race!

However you support, however you participate, and however you spread the word, when you Think Pink this month, and throughout the year, you add your voice to the swell of love that helps people fight and drives others towards a cure. You become a spokesperson for loved ones, and a source of information for others. You become part of a community of women and men that grows by the day, and will see the end of breast cancer in our future.

Thanks for your continued support, and a happy fall to everyone!

New Spring Apparel and Footwear: New Running Shoes and New Running Apparel

We have plenty of brand New Spring Apparel and Footwear that has just come in! From brands including The North Face, Under Armour, Nike, STX, and Burton, we have all the fresh gear you want for the season ahead. We’ve got especially good news for the runners out there: There’s a whole lot of new running gear for you to stock up on this Spring. Some highlights include:

Nike Zoom Structure Triax+14 Mens Running Shoes

Selected as an Editor’s Choice from Runner’s World, the innovative Nike Zoom Structure Triax=14 Mens Running Shoes offer advanced technology in the running shoe world. Advanced features include Nike Zoom Construction, which provides ideal feel and aggressive maneuverability by bringing the foot closer to the ground with lightweight, thin, super-responsive cushioning. Nike Flywire Technology helps provide ultra-lightweight support and comfort for your foot. Strategically placed thin Nylon fibers placed on the upper of the shoe hold the foot in place, helping reduce slippage during your run. Because material is used only where it’s needed for proper structure, less material is used, resulting in less weight and a lighter feel. On top of all of that, these running shoes feature Nike+ Ready technology so you can measure and monitor your workouts.

The North Face Better Than Naked Womens Crew Shirt

Pop Quiz: Are you female? Do you run? If you answered yes to both of these questions, congratulations; you passed. The North Face, known for their outdoor superiority, has done it again with The North Face Better than Naked Womens Crew Shirt. This female running shirt is designed for running, even in slightly lousy weather. Along with being extremely lightweight, the Better Than Naked Shirt has a streamlined design with flatlocked seams which prevent abrasion and chaffing while running. Super comfortable, water resistant, and breathable thanks to a strategically bonded ventilation system, it will instantly become your favorite running shirt!

New for Spring 2011 – The North Face Amp Hybrid Jackets

Spring time is near. Though it’s still mid-February, the Winter season is approaching its end. Throughout much of the United States, for instance, today’s weather is a preview of glorious days ahead, as many regions are experiencing spring-like weather upwards of 50-plus degrees. The cold and dark winter is quickly becoming a memory (fingers crossed, at least), so it’s time to trade in those heavy winter jackets for lighter spring windbreakers.

The North Face has just what you need this spring with its newly designed Amp Hybrid Jackets. These technical jackets are part windproof and part stretch-fit construction, hence the “Hybrid” in the name. Ideal for aerobic use such as running, biking, and climbing in cooler temperatures, The North Face Amp Hybrid Jacket is mostly covered in a windproof shell, protecting you from the cutting wind, while the rest of the jacket is made of four-way stretch TNF Apex Aerobic materials, offering more mobility in places you need it, such as under the arms and the sides, for unrestricted movement.

These jackets also feature a DWR (durable water repellent) finish and have a performance fit, perfect for your exercising needs.

<– The North Face Womens Amp Hybrid Jacket

The North Face Mens Amp Hybrid Jacket –>

The North Face – New – Fall Outerwear

Now that summer is over, it’s time to gear up for the cool days ahead. What better way to do so than with The North Face outerwear? At our home site, sportsunlimited.com, we have added a ton of new The North Face products for the Fall 2010 season.

I’d blab on about how great The North Face is, but I think this quote from our newsletter says it best:

“Every year when Fall comes around, people look to The North Face to keep them warm and cozy throughout the cold months. This year, we bring you the best collection of The North Face jackets and outerwear ever, including fleece jackets for toddlers and infants. Whether you are looking for more casual style fleece or a high-performance softshell jacket, The North Face offers you quality and dependability that can’t be beat. Don’t miss out on the best-selling Denali Jacket that delivers that iconic The North Face look for the whole family.”

Boom. Told ya.