Sacony(R) Unveils Vizipro Pink(TM) Women's Performance Apparel Line

Nov 03, 2011

Just in Time for Autumn’s Shorter Daylight Hours, Brand’s Highly Visible Apparel Line Now Delivers Uncompromised Performance Specifically
for Women Runners

LEXINGTON, MA (November 3, 2011) – As runners are faced with autumn’s shorter daylight hours, Saucony, Inc., a leading global supplier of performance athletic footwear and apparel, continues to set the standard for visibility with the launch of its highly visible ViZiPRO Pink, a new line of women’s performance apparel and accessories now available at select specialty retailers. Saucony’s ViZiPRO Pink™ offers an additional color option for women runners seeking the visible advantage of the brand’s successful ViZiPRO® Orange line, with its highly reflective fluorescent colored fabrics, allowing runners to train confidently in fall and winter’s reduced daylight hours.

“With personal mobile devices like cell phones, GPS units and MP3 players, as well as on-the-go meals and back-seat kids, drivers today have more distractions than ever before,” said Todd Dalhausser, general manager of Saucony apparel. “Add to that the reduced daylight of fall and winter, and a runner’s visibility while on the roads can be severely compromised. Our mission is to inspire people to run. ViZiPRO® does that by removing the limitations, delivering both uncompromised performance and enhanced visibility for runners in any season, in any light and at any time,” added Dalhausser.

The ViZiPRO Pink™ women’s performance apparel line includes jackets, vests, sport tops, tights, headgear and gloves featuring a fluorescent pink color that maintains an incredibly luminescent, reflective surface for heightened visibility of the wearer. The new performance apparel products utilize a combination of lightweight, water-resistant fabrics engineered for maximum comfort and mobility. Select items from the collection also feature a USB LED blinking light for enhanced visibility in low-light conditions.

According to the most recent statistics by the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 10 percent of all on-road pedestrian fatalities were related to pedestrians not being visible to drivers. The report also states that from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., the time when runners are most likely to be out on the roads, is the most dangerous time of the day for pedestrians.
“As a runner, high-visibility apparel is our first line of defense,” said Dalhausser. “We engineered ViZiPRO Pink to be a high-visibility collection that allows women to run confidently at any time and in any light. All ViZiPRO products feature 360 degrees of reflectivity from 3M™ trims and piping, delivering increased visibility from any angle. Our outerwear pieces also come with a great rechargeable USB LED light that can be set to either a blinking or steady light option. The combination of these elements creates a much more confident and visible runner,” Dalhausser added.
A runner’s safety is dependent on the runner’s exercise of caution, which includes tactics for better visibility to drivers. Both the ViZiPRO® Pink and Orange collections passed rigorous tests to ensure runners training in these low-light conditions can be better seen, giving them a visual advantage when out on the roads. Saucony commissioned an independent test with a leading color science expert to qualify the luminosity of ViZiPRO Pink™ and ViZiPRO® Orange using a measure called “reflectance factor.”
Reflectance factor is a measure of the extent to which a fabric surface will reflect (versus absorb) light. Colors that exceed a reflectance factor of 1.0 are considered fluorescents and reflect more light than they absorb. In general, colors with higher reflectance factor scores will appear more visible to the human eye than those with lower scores.

During testing, ViZiPRO Pink and ViZiPRO Orange demonstrated a superior reflectance factor rating when compared to fluorescent colors such as neon green and neon yellow that are commonly used in high-visibility apparel.

The ViZiPRO Orange performance apparel line is available in both men’s and women’s sizes. The ViZiPRO Pink women’s performance apparel line is available in women’s sizes only and includes the following:

ViZiPRO Pink™ Nomad Jacket
The Nomad Jacket (SRP: $100.00) is the perfect solution for running on a cold, windy day.

Windproof Viperlight front panel
Therma-regulating DryLete® on the back and arms
Mesh back panel for maximum ventilation
Printed zipper tape with SilkZip flap for greater insulation
Front hand pockets

ViZiPRO Pink™ DryLete® Sportop
The ViZiPRO DryLete Sportop (SRP: $70.00) features superior moisture transfer and warmth for next-to-skin comfort.

USB LED light holds two hours of charge
Invisible zip pocket on right side seam
3M™ reflective on zipper and back

ViZiPRO® Ethereal Jacket and Vest
The ViZiPRO Ethereal Jacket (SRP: $90.00) and Vest (SRP: $80.00) are lightweight, breathable, and wind and water resistant. A USB LED light is featured on the jacket’s right sleeve and on the vest’s right hem for enhanced visibility in low-light conditions.

DWR-coated exterior shell
3M™ reflective elements
Front zippered hand pockets

ViZiPRO® Run Lux Long Sleeve
Recycled fabric and 50+ UPF sun protection make the ViZiPRO Run Lux Long Sleeve (SRP: $40.00) perfect for the dedicated runner.

Fabric made from 50% recycled polyester
Contrast mesh panels promote airflow

ViZiPRO® Omni LX Tight
Perfect for race day, the ViZiPRO Omni LX Tight (SRP: $65.00) is made from thermo-regulating DryLete® fabric with 3M™ reflective piping for maximum visibility.

3M™ reflective piping on sides
Center back mesh storage pocket
Gripper elastics at ankles secure fit

ViZiPRO Pink™ Accessories
ViZiPRO® accessories offer dedicated runners a sense of security through performance gloves and hats integrated with Saucony’s reflective material and USB LED light.

About Saucony, Inc.: Saucony, Inc., a subsidiary of Collective Brands, Inc., is a leading global running lifestyle brand that fuses performance, innovation and style to create compelling footwear and apparel with its widely recognized brands Saucony and Saucony Originals. Founded in 1898, Saucony continues to inspire runners everywhere with its award winning innovations, including PowerGrid™, ProGrid and ViZiPRO ® and AMP PRO2™ apparel. For more information, go to www.saucony.com.

Collective Brands, Inc. (NYSE: PSS) is a leader in bringing compelling lifestyle, fashion and performance brands for footwear and related accessories to consumers worldwide. The company operates three strategic units covering a powerful brand portfolio, as well as multiple price points and selling channels including retail, wholesale, ecommerce and licensing. Collective Brands, Inc. includes Payless ShoeSource, focused on democratizing fashion and design in footwear and accessories through its nearly 4,500-store retail chain, with its brands Airwalk®, Dexter®, Champion®, Zoe & Zac®, the first-ever affordable green footwear brand, and designer collections by fashion designers Christian Siriano, Lela Rose, Isabel Toledo and Silvia Tcherassi; Collective Brands Performance + Lifestyle Group, focused on lifestyle and performance branded footwear and high-quality children's footwear sold primarily through wholesaling, with its brands including Stride Rite®, Keds®, Sperry Top-Sider® Robeez®, and Saucony®, among others; and Collective Licensing International, the brand development, management and global licensing unit, with such youth lifestyle brands as Airwalk®, Above The Rim®, Vision Street Wear®, STRIKEFORCE®, Clinch Gear™, Sims®, Lamar® and LTD®, World Snowboarding Championships™ and Hind®. Information about, and links for shopping on, each of the Collective Brand's units can be found at http://www.collectivebrands.com/.SA