SCANDINAVIAN OUTDOOR AWARD to… ALFA

SCANDINAVIAN OUTDOOR AWARD to… ALFA

The winners of the prestigious Scandinavian Outdoor Award have now been selected! After dedicated outdoor testing and lively discussions, the international jury of outdoor journalists and outdoor gear specialists have agreed on the winners of the Scandinavian Outdoor Award for next year’s fall/winter season. Sustainability is a key concept and the overall winner of the Scandinavian Outdoor Award is ALFA with the boot Stad, a technical winter boot with a focus on sustainability and comfort.

"I am very proud of the very skilled team at ALFA who have designed and developed these environmentally friendly and innovative winter shoes with 100% Norwegian-produced wool" says ALFA CEO Pål Olimb

ALFA Winter boot Stad

ALFA use 100% wool from Norwegian sheep in their new boot Stad, its woven to give better tear resistance than more commonly used felted wool. As reinforcement ALFA use nubuck and a Vibram Megagrip sole for great traction in winter. A hybrid of a trendy and comfortable winter boot for everyday use on urban and suburban walks.

Statement from the Jury:

The lightweight winter boot Stad from the Norwegian footwear specialist Alfa looks and performs great and won every jury member’s heart. Upper and lining are woven with Norwegian wool that is more durable than the normally used felted wool. Woven wool has been used for over 100 years for manufacturing furniture and folklore. Wool keeps your feet warm, breathes better than leather or waterproof membranes and sheds snow. The sole uses Vibram Megagrip compound. What a great way to use Norwegian wool, the jury agrees.

"In this project, we wanted to bring with us the best from two brands with deep roots in Norwegian design and craft history - Gudbrandsdalen Ullvarefabrikk (GU) and ALFA Sko. We were inspired by the Norwegian winter where the weather varies from freezing cold to mild and from wet to dry in the winter. The goal was to develop shoes that will keep the user comfortable regardless of weather conditions. Wool has the fantastic property of keeping us warm at the same time as it has many technical properties and is light in weight. After testing several different wool qualities from GU’s range, it was a 100% Norwegian quality that proved to be best suited for footwear. ‘Stad’ is a shoe that is part of a small collection of wool shoes. It is designed to be as relevant in the city as in the village, but at the same time classic and timeless" says ALFA Shoe designer, Ingrid Brandt 

ALFAs new range of winter boots will be in sale from September 2022.