Protect Our Winters (POW), the leading non-profit climate advocacy organization for the outdoor sports community, has officially launched its 2025 winter collection of brand collaborations and merchandise. This annual initiative, structured around the organization’s "Brand Alliance" program, serves as a critical fundraising and awareness mechanism designed to convert the passion of outdoor enthusiasts into systemic climate action. By partnering with established industry leaders in footwear, technical gear, apparel, and lifestyle products, POW aims to leverage consumer spending to fund its ongoing lobbying efforts, educational programming, and community mobilization strategies.
The release comes at a pivotal moment for the outdoor industry, which contributes an estimated $1.1 trillion to the United States economy annually, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA). As climate change continues to shorten winter seasons and reduce snowpack in key mountain regions, the outdoor recreation sector faces significant economic risks. POW’s strategy involves harnessing the influence of the "Outdoor State"—a demographic of over 50 million hikers, skiers, snowboarders, and climbers—to advocate for renewable energy transitions and land conservation policies.
Strategic Partnerships and Product Innovation
The 2025 collection features several highly technical and artist-driven collaborations that emphasize both performance and sustainability. Each partnership is designed with a specific "give-back" model, where a percentage of sales is directed to POW’s advocacy fund.
High-Performance Footwear and Technical Accessories
One of the flagship releases for the season is the POW x KEEN Whyser. This slip-on footwear model features artwork by Max Romey, a renowned artist and member of the POW Creative Alliance. Romey utilized a unique "snowflake painting" technique, incorporating actual Alaskan snowflakes into the watercolor process to create a visual representation of the environments the organization seeks to protect. This product exemplifies the intersection of artistic expression and utility, serving as a walking billboard for the climate movement.
In the realm of technical hydration and storage, POW has partnered with HydraPak and Fishpond. The POW x HydraPak Stow bottle is a packable, lightweight hydration solution designed for backcountry travel, with $2 from every unit sold supporting climate advocacy. More robust storage needs are addressed by the POW x Fishpond Thunderhead Grande Submersible Duffel. This 100-liter, fully waterproof bag is manufactured for extreme environments. Notably, 50% of the proceeds from this collaboration are donated to POW, marking it as one of the most significant financial contributors in the current collection.
Sustainability in Winter Hardware
Addressing the environmental footprint of winter sports equipment, the collaboration with Stoke Tracks introduces ski pole baskets designed without the use of microplastics. Traditionally, ski pole components are prone to wear and shedding, which can introduce synthetic polymers into alpine watersheds. The Stoke Tracks baskets are designed to mitigate this impact while featuring aesthetic patterns inspired by animal tracks, reinforcing the "Leave No Trace" ethos in a tangible hardware application.
The Intersection of Lifestyle and Advocacy
POW’s 2025 strategy also extends into the lifestyle and beverage sectors, recognizing that climate advocacy occurs not just on the mountain, but in the community spaces surrounding outdoor recreation.
The Rise of Non-Alcoholic Apres Culture
In partnership with Best Day Brewing, POW has introduced the "Dark Diamond NA," a limited-edition non-alcoholic beer. This collaboration reflects a broader trend within the athletic community toward "sober-curious" lifestyles and high-performance recovery. The product features artwork by Hannah Eddy and is championed by POW founder and professional snowboarder Jeremy Jones. By entering the rapidly growing non-alcoholic beverage market—which has seen double-digit growth in recent years—POW is reaching a health-conscious demographic that prioritizes wellness and environmental stewardship.
Ethical Fashion and Apparel
The apparel segment of the collection emphasizes long-term durability and responsible manufacturing. The POW Cord Button Up, a workwear-inspired garment made from 100% heavyweight cotton corduroy, is designed to counter the "fast fashion" cycle by providing a multi-year wardrobe staple. Similarly, the Burton Reserve 2L Pant highlights the industry’s shift toward circularity. Made with over 90% bluesign® approved materials and 100% recycled polyester, the pants represent Burton’s 13-year commitment to reducing chemical waste and environmental impact in the textile supply chain.
For the jewelry sector, POW Athlete Alliance member and Olympic gold medalist Jessie Diggins collaborated with Larissa Loden on a collection of earrings and hair accessories. With 50% of proceeds supporting POW, this partnership utilizes Diggins’ platform as one of the most recognizable figures in Nordic skiing to engage a diverse audience in climate philanthropy.
Chronology of the Brand Alliance Program
The Brand Alliance program has evolved significantly since POW’s inception in 2007. Initially founded by Jeremy Jones to address the lack of a unified voice for the winter sports community in climate policy, the organization began with a handful of pro-athlete supporters. By 2015, the organization shifted its focus toward building a robust network of corporate partners who shared a vested interest in the "snow economy."
In 2020, POW intensified its efforts to link product sales with specific legislative goals, such as the promotion of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), which contained the largest climate investment in U.S. history. The 2025 collection represents the most diverse array of partners to date, moving beyond traditional hardgoods (skis and snowboards) into digital services like AllTrails and specialized nutrition products like Gnarly Nutrition’s Mint Mocha whey protein.
Supporting Data: The Economic and Environmental Mandate
The urgency of POW’s mission is supported by increasingly stark environmental data. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), winter is the fastest-warming season for much of the United States. In regions like the Northeast and the Upper Midwest, the number of days with sub-freezing temperatures has declined by an average of two weeks since the 1970s.
For the outdoor industry, these shifts are not merely environmental concerns but existential threats. A report by the Outdoor Industry Association (OIA) suggests that low-snow years can result in a loss of over $1 billion in consumer spending and the elimination of thousands of seasonal jobs. By funding POW’s advocacy, Brand Alliance partners are essentially investing in the preservation of their own market.
Broader Impact and Policy Implications
The revenue generated from the 2025 merchandise and collaborations is earmarked for several key advocacy pillars:
- Renewable Energy Expansion: Funding efforts to streamline the permitting process for solar and wind projects on public lands.
- Voter Mobilization: Expanding the "Outdoor State" voter turnout initiatives, which target outdoor enthusiasts in key swing districts to prioritize climate-conscious candidates.
- Public Land Protection: Supporting legislation that prevents fossil fuel extraction in sensitive alpine and Arctic ecosystems.
- Transit Solutions: Advocating for sustainable transportation options to reduce the carbon footprint of mountain tourism.
The organization’s "Creative Alliance" and "Athlete Alliance" members act as the primary messengers for these initiatives. By integrating these messages into product launches—such as the Skida Alpine Hat featuring cyanotype prints of Vermont trails or the Arcade Collab Belt with Joseph Toney’s mountain art—POW ensures that the call to action is embedded in the gear that enthusiasts use daily.
Industry Reaction and Future Outlook
Industry analysts view the POW Brand Alliance model as a benchmark for "cause-marketing" in the 21st century. Unlike traditional corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs that may be perceived as "greenwashing," the POW model requires partners to engage in active advocacy. Many of the brands involved, such as YETI and Burton, have historically joined POW in signing open letters to Congress or participating in "Lobby Days" in Washington, D.C.
As the 2025 winter season commences, the success of this collection will likely be measured not just in units sold, but in the growth of POW’s membership base and the tangible policy shifts achieved in the coming legislative sessions. By turning gearheads into advocates, Protect Our Winters continues to bridge the gap between individual consumer choice and large-scale systemic change, ensuring that the outdoor community remains a formidable force in the global climate movement.
