ATTENTION SCOTTEVEST Travel Clothing Blog Readers

Scott's Offical blog has permanently moved: Scott's Community
Update your browser's bookmark to http://community.scottevest.com/blog



Monday, May 31, 2010

HUGE Scottevest article in USA Today, with picture.

Here's online edition, I believe print is tomorrow or Wednesday

http://www.usatoday.com/travel/flights/2010-06-01-airlinefees01_CV_N.htm

More consumers pack lighter, smarter to save when flying

Updated 1h 5m ago |  Comment    |  Recommend   E-mail | Save | Print | Reprints & Permissions | Subscribe to stories like this
Although the Scottevest has 22 pockets, this one is a little full.
By H. Darr Beiser, USA TODAY
Although the Scottevest has 22 pockets, this one is a little full.
Frequent traveler Rich Truesdell has experienced firsthand how serious airlines are about collecting their bag-check fees.

On a recent flight from San Francisco International, an agent affiliated with United Airlines stopped him at a security checkpoint and sent him back to the ticket counter. His duffel roll-aboard, which he'd used as a carry-on for years, was slightly larger than the limit of 45 inches in combined width, length and height. He paid the required $25 fee to check it. "She was there to monitor carry-on luggage," says Truesdell, editorial director of AutomotiveTraveler.com. "I still made the flight, but not by much."

Vowing to avoid such embarrassing encounters, Truesdell promptly bought a smaller carry-on — a 21-inch-tall bag he could roll aboard. He also travels now with a copy of luggage instructions from the Transportation Security Administration and a tape measure so that "some wise person wouldn't try to stop me from taking it on the plane."

Forced by an airline industry determined to squeeze every ounce of efficiency and every dollar in fees, Americans are capitulating to the new realities of travel. Like Truesdell, they're packing lighter and smarter to cope with the realities of the domestic flying experience. Shipping heavy bags in advance is becoming more popular. So, too, are vacuum packing clothes, storing personal items at hotels, and forgoing laptops and power cords.

Luggage manufacturers, hotels and airlines also are responding. They're introducing products and services that cater to the collective pressure and a desire to get in and out of airports and planes with minimal fuss.

Some pressure is entrenched at airports: long lines at ticket counters and stringent security checkpoints imposed after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. But others have emerged more recently as airlines sought new sources of revenue and cut costs to survive: extra fees that escalate every few months to check bags, cramped regional jets and reduced staffing at ticket counters.

It all often translates into passengers carrying on all they need. "I call it the battle of the overhead bin," says Scott Applebee, vice president of marketing at Travelpro, a luggage manufacturer.

Word is spreading

The oft-repeated mantra of the hardened road warrior is, "Never check luggage." But the lesson is sinking in on less jaded travelers, too.

Bob Burns, an aviation industry executive in Orlando, says he switched from the "ranks of the occasional checked bag to the never check bag, regardless of the location and duration of the trip."

After learning that a flight home from New York's JFK was canceled, Burns hopped on another to Rome on a whim, and discovered he can last 10 days with a carry-on. He's never looked back.

A dreaded fear of losing luggage motivates Bill Worth to keep his bag with him at all times. "I've had long weekend trips to Europe and (had) my luggage go to some other place, only to show up the day I'm departing," says the education industry executive from Atlanta.

Bag-check fees don't apply to premium status fliers, including Steve Milby. But the Sears executive in Marietta, Ga., has seen more regional jets on his routes and has had to downsize to two pairs of slacks to avoid checking a bag at a gate. When he knows he'll be on regional jets, he replaces his carry-on with a duffel bag that fits in the smaller overhead bin. "I miss having the wheels, but it gets me out of the jet bridge waiting line," he says.

The battle for the overhead bin has been a boon for luggage makers such as Travelpro, which has seen a 30% increase in demand for carry-ons since airlines introduced fees for checking bags two years ago. "Now, we (deliver) more carry-ons as a percentage. Consumers have adapted quickly to them," Applebee says.

The focus is on weight. By simplifying design frame, removing unused straps or using lighter fabric, manufacturers have lowered the weight of a 22-inch carry-on to between 6 and 10 pounds from the 10 to 15 pounds commonly found a few years ago, Applebee says.

This month, Travelpro will introduce a line that will be its lightest yet: the Atlantic UltraLite bag that weighs 6.5 pounds. "I don't know if we can take it much below that," Applebee says.

Briggs & Riley, another bagmaker, in May started shipping its lightest carry-on yet, the 7-pound BRX line. Another of its popular line, Baseline carry-ons, shed its weight last summer to 10 pounds from the 11 pounds of the previous version.

With space in overhead bins tighter than ever, 20-inch carry-ons that roll aboard — 2 inches shorter but wider than the more typical model — are the "single biggest craze" among luggage shoppers, says Jim Lahren, vice president of marketing at Briggs & Riley. They also meet the luggage height requirement of many international airlines, which cap it at 21.6 inches (55 centimeters), vs. 22 for domestic travel.

Frequent traveler Jeanniey Mullen, chief marketing officer of digital book distributor Zinio, prefers a duffel roll-aboard that's more flexible for packing and storing. "In overhead bins, you sometimes have to scrunch it," she says, claiming she can live up to 16 days with the contents of a carry-on.

The industry has also introduced "spinners," particularly aimed at women. They're four-wheel bags that can move in any direction and provide sliding navigation for travelers who find two-wheel bags too heavy.

For customers who flirt daily with the airline's bag weight limit, Delsey Luggage introduced carry-ons in January that are equipped with a weight indicator. A red spot on the handle will light when the bag exceeds 50 pounds, an industry limit for checked luggage.

Introduced several years ago, "TSA-friendly" briefcases remain popular among the laptop-toting segment of frequent travelers. The bag splits open like a butterfly, with the laptop sleeve side directly exposed to the X-ray machine, eliminating the need for the computer to be taken out at checkpoints. "It's the most important piece of luggage I have," says Richard Bradbury, director of product management in Atlanta. "It's so worth it."

To keep from having to check bags, travelers are shedding items as they go. Their options have grown in recent years, as airlines and hotels partner with shipping companies to give customers the option of sending their bags separately.

United Airlines can deliver customers' bags door-to-door overnight via FedEx. The price starts at $79 for a bag up to 50 pounds. Disney World resort hotels, W Hotels and Marriott Vacation Club offer similar luggage delivery options for customers.

Shipping an option

Zinio's Mullen used to check bags full of books and marketing literature for conferences, but now ships them ahead. "I'd often bring an empty bag for vacations," she says. "If I'm going to be in London, I'd be shopping. But now I look to ship."

Bob Schneider travels to the same locale weekly. Rather than bring clothes home to be laundered, the project executive from Medway, Mass., leaves them at a dry cleaner.

W Hotels keep loaner laptops for travelers who leave them at home, and store luggage for long-term guests who come and go regularly.

Michael Feeney, a commercial pilot in Honolulu, says it's easier to toss some things on long trips, though he acknowledges his practice of ditching undergarments is "wasteful." For a three-week trip to Europe and Africa, he once bought white T-shirts from Costco and left them in hotel rooms. "The (souvenirs) I buy fill (my luggage) back up," he says. "Maybe someone else will use them."

Some travelers are learning to shed weight by rethinking their tech gadgets.

Ralph Velasquez, an executive for a building supply company in Nashville, has switched from a laptop to a smaller netbook. "Combined with my BlackBerry and flash drives, it is working just fine, so far."

Feeney no longer packs multiple charging cords. He recently got a surge protector that has USB ports that can charge his camera, iPod and iPad with just one cord. "It's the size of three golf balls and fits in my shoes," he says. "That thing is amazing for travel."

Some travelers are literally wearing their gadgets, Scottevest CEO Scott Jordan says. His company's vests provide 22 "layered" pockets for cellphones, keys, camera, passport and water bottle. It includes a transparent pocket for users who want to scroll through their iPhone without taking it out, and around-neck lining for earphone cords. It's just introduced a model with a pocket large enough for an iPad. "It enables you to have all your stuff with you at all times, not just as a second carry-on but also when you're out at the grocery store," Jordan says. "Unlike wearing a photographer's vest, you wouldn't look like a tourist."

The packing trend toward smaller and smaller is far from universal among frequent travelers, though.

Ellen Tyler from Healdsburg, Calif., can't be bothered with the new rules and pursuit of lightness. "Heaven forbid that I don't have the proper shoes, handbag or different outfit for every occasion," the food industry executive says. "I'm just not willing to sacrifice. I'm stuck in a rut of inefficiency, but I'm well dressed when I arrive at my destination."

Scott

Scott Jordan, CEO
Sev/Scottevest
Follow me on Twitter, friend me on Facebook & become a fan of SeV.

Posted via email from SeV / SCOTTEVEST the best travel clothes and clothing in the world

Sunday, May 30, 2010

Packing Light: Ten Ways to Fit it All in a Personal Item - SmarterTravel.com

Packing Light: Ten Ways to Fit it All in a Personal Item

by Kate Sitarz, SmarterTravel.com Staff - May 29, 2010
| recommend (14)
Air: Passengers waiting in line (Photo: iStockphoto/Gene Chutka)

Spirit's latest fee for carry-on items got us thinking: Is it possible to vacation with only a 16x14x12-inch bag? The answer: Yes. Get your ruler out, and prepare to dodgebaggage fees, because this is how to do it.

Use your pockets. JetBlue poked fun at Spirit's fee with a photo of a man wearing a suitcase-turned-shirt. However, the airline's idea wasn't far off the mark.

Scottevest travel clothes include reasonably stylish coats that are designed to hold a carry-on's worth of items. The company claims the jackets prevent potential pickpocketing by having interior compartments, and make it easy to go through airport security since you can remove your jacket without taking everything out of its pockets. The Essential Travel Jacketcomes with 19 pockets (18 on the women's version), is wrinkle-resistant, and has removable sleeves. Other options include waterproof jackets, sweatshirts, tops, and shorts, all with tons of pocket space.

No matter what type of coat you're traveling with, wear it on the plane and make the most of the pockets by packing them with any items you'll use during the flight, such as books, snacks, and music devices.

 

Find Cheap Flights

 
Advertisement
http://hamptoninn.hilton.com/en/hp/promotions/hx_femaleleisure/index.jhtml/?W..." target="_blank" style="text-decoration: underline; color: rgb(0, 51, 102);">
Reuse clothing. Packing neutral-colored clothes (think blacks, whites, and grays) makes it easy to mix and match; a couple of interchangeable tops and bottoms can create infinite combinations. For inspiration, consider Sheena Matheiken, who wore thesame dress for an entire year by accessorizing with items such as scarves and belts. Jewelry is also another way to change up the same outfit.

Pack the right fabrics. Worried about wrinkles? Remember, some fabrics travel better than others. You can purchase clothes made with travel in mind, but chances are there are items in your own closet that will do the trick. Pick knits over woven items, and opt for blended fabrics, especially those with a bit of spandex or polyester.

Do a load of laundry. If you don't have access to water to wash your clothes, you're likely not the type of traveler that's concerned with having a new outfit for every hour of the day. Washing, whether by hand, at the hotel, or around the corner at a Laundromat is a quick way to get more mileage out of the same outfits.

Leave (some of) the toiletries behind. If you're staying at a hotel, chances are you'll find soap, shampoo, and conditioner in your room. Many hotels also offer extras such as toothbrushes, toothpaste, razors, and shaving cream upon request.

But if it's a challenge to go without your favorite products, brush up on the 3-1-1 rule to avoid any unpleasant surprises as you go through security. Also consider non-liquid toiletries to avoid the 3-1-1 hassle all together.

Check, and recheck, the weather. Lay out everything you think you need for your trip at least one week before you leave. As it gets closer, look at current weather reports to see temperatures and forecasts for your destination, and determine what items you can definitely remove. Wear your bulkiest clothing items such as pants, a coat, sunhat or baseball cap, and shoes on the plane. Pack smaller, lighter items such as your t-shirts, shorts, swimsuit, and sandals. Skip items you can go without or that you can find at your destination, such as hair dryers.

Use compression bags. Several of our readers are super-light packers, and already use compression bags to pack a lot into a little space. If you set out everything you think you absolutely, without-a-doubt must bring and it still won't fit into your bag, try putting your clothes in a vacuum bag to reduce the volume. It may even free up some space for extra items.

Pack nothing. It takes guts to take off to a new destination with nothing, but you might feel a sense of liberation. Bring an empty backpack or small duffel with you for the return trip to hold anything you bought. Purchasing necessities at your destination may be more expensive, but it's also a great way to ensure you bring home useful souvenirs rather than a bunch of tchotchkes. You can always rent items at your destination.

Excluded items. There are, thankfully, several items you can take that do not count toward your baggage allowance, including umbrellas, cameras, infant diaper bags, and outer garments, including hats and coats with stuffed pockets. Bassinets, child car seats, strollers, and wheelchairs are accepted as checked baggage at no charge.

Ship ahead. Have must-pack items that won't fit in one bag? Consider sending them to your destination in advance via UPS, USPS, or another carrier. You'll pay a fee, but the cost is sometimes more reasonable than the exorbitant airline charge, depending on your carrier and what you're packing. This is also a good option to consider for any souvenirs.

Limiting yourself to the essentials will provide you with a vital tool: mobility. You can tote your bag through the airport with ease, and can start sightseeing immediately without having to schlep luggage into museum coat-checks. Instead of packing all the items you might need, pack only the items you will need. Chances are you won't miss what you leave behind.

Have you ever packed for a vacation using only a personal item? What are your tricks for packing light? Share your tips and advice by leaving a comment below!

Find Related Stories: airfarebaggageJetBlueKate SitarzpackingSpirittaxes and fees

Guidelines: We love hearing from you, especially when your posts are thoughtful, polite, concise, and unique. However, we do reserve the right to remove posts that are written in less than a "community spirit." Please see the full list of unacceptable comment types here.

800 character(s) left

Posted via email from SeV / SCOTTEVEST the best travel clothes and clothing in the world

Friday, May 28, 2010

Here's Print Version of the WSJ Article about Scottevest

We are looking for a good video editor to help with these various projects

Any help?

Scott

Scott Jordan, CEO
Sev/Scottevest
Follow me onTwitter, friend me on Facebook & become a fan of SeV.

There are four general projects that we are looking to do, details are below.  Please take a look and get back to me with questions, etc.


*****

1) SIZZLE REEL:

a compilation of our best TV & Film exposures, then a compilation of Scott's appearances and other media mentions.
PART ONE:
CHUCK:
Chuck - S02E17 - http://www.motionbox.com/videos/3097d4b3121de8c0be - Full Episode
Chuck - S02E18 - http://www.motionbox.com/videos/3097d4b31b1aeccabe - Full Episode
Chuck - S02E19 - http://www.motionbox.com/videos/3097d4b31a1de5c5be - Full Episode
Chuck - S02E20 - http://www.motionbox.com/videos/3097d4b0191ce0c1be - Full Episode
Chuck - S02E21 - http://www.motionbox.com/videos/3097dabb151defc6be - Full Episode
Chuck - S02E22 - http://www.motionbox.com/videos/3096d2b31c1ae6c0be - Full Episode
Chuck - S03E??? - need to track down this episode
Chuck - S03 Finale Parts 1&2 - http://www.motionbox.com/videos/1c98deb4181ee2c994 - All appearances clipped into one reel

FlashForward - http://www.motionbox.com/videos/7c98deb21014e1c6f4 - All appearances clipped into one reel

Jimmy Kimmel Live - http://www.motionbox.com/videos/3097d4b31a18e2c7be - full appearance

Sahara - Feature Film - there is one scene on a boat chase where Matthew McConaughey wears a black SeV vest the whole scene

HBO's The Wire - we should show a title card, but not worth tracking down clips

PART TWO:
Scott & SeV Media Appearances.  There are tons of clips to compile, but here is a short playlist for reference -

2) NEW PRODUCT VIDEOS: All of our products have short descriptive videos associated with them.  Click on a few products from this index page - http://www.scottevest.com/v3_store/subindex-viewall.shtml - and check out the "Video" button underneath the main image.  We have a number of new products coming out between now and Fall, and need videos for them.  Scott can do the filming in the office on our greenscreen, and we would need you to edit the videos.  The background may be a graphic or something that our graphic designers will prep, and/or it could/should also incorporate 360 footage (as linked below).

3) 360
* General idea - last year we set up a small green screen studio in Scott's office and using an HD camera, mannequin body and SeV products, shot 360 degree video of many of the SeV products.  This was to be in lieu of 3D rendering of the products, but was intended to have a similar effect.  The footage keys pretty cleanly, and a slight wobble in the turntable can be fixed in post.  Other than that, the footage is crisp and can be used in a myriad of ways.
* Scott's Tokbox video describing the original idea, based on a commercial from last year.  The concept is to have products rotating in 360 with quotes flying in/appearing on screen around the 360 videos: http://www.tokbox.com/vm/32xb7lsxx6nf
* 360 footage is here - http://www.motionbox.com/filings?folder_id=7104156

4) Gadget Dance/Safety Dance
Gadget Dance - Crank Dat - this is the loosest of the concepts, but we have the idea of a "Gadget Dance" at SeV, where someone carrying lots of stuff needs to pat himself down to find where all of his things are.  The Safety Dance song from the 80s seems like natural background music for this.  The link is to one interpretation of the gadget dance, but this could be developed into a cool commercial.


 


Posted via email from SeV / SCOTTEVEST the best travel clothes and clothing in the world

SeV on Chuck Finale Highlight Reel

http://www.motionbox.com/videos/1c98deb4181ee2c994

All of the appearances of SeV in the Chuck two-part season finale in one long clip, about 9 minutes long.

Posted via email from SeV / SCOTTEVEST the best travel clothes and clothing in the world

Bluff Magazine for Poker Players Gives Scottevest Gold Award in May edition- see our full page ad in same issue

Download now or preview on posterous
Bluff Ad June 2010.pdf (404 KB)


Scott

Scott Jordan, CEO
Sev/Scottevest
Follow me onTwitter, friend me on Facebook & become a fan of SeV.

Posted via email from SeV / SCOTTEVEST the best travel clothes and clothing in the world

SeV in National Geographic Traveler (China)

Thursday, May 27, 2010

SCOTTEVEST mentioned in Wall Street Journal- will be on front page tomorrow's paper

MORE IN US »

Chuck Pretto couldn't figure out how to carry around his new iPad. So he decided to wear it.

After ordering Apple Inc.'s new multimedia tablet last month, the 52-year-old property manager realized it might weigh down his briefcase. He didn't have another bag or carrier to cradle the 9.7-inch, 1.5-pound device. For a time, Mr. Pretto considered getting a "man purse" for it. Then he learned about iPad-compatible vests on a blog and immediately bought one.

"People can't believe this darn thing will fit inside my pocket," says Mr. Pretto, who now wears the $100 vest every day. The San Diego resident has since bought other iPad-friendly apparel, including a second vest and a windbreaker from travel-clothing maker Scottevest Inc.

Mr. Pretto's carrying conundrum isn't unique. After Apple started selling its tablet in April, early adapters were stumped on how to easily hold and transport the glass-screen gadget.

IPad's unusual size—far bigger than a 3.5-inch iPhone but much smaller than most laptops—has ramped up opportunities for enterprising individuals and companies.

In Fairbanks, Alaska, stay-at-home mom Kate Clark created a white, feminine-hygiene-product-shaped iPad case called iMaxi as a play on the jokes that were made about the iPad name when it was first revealed in January. Orders flew in. Other companies are marketing backpacks shaped like Star Wars robot C-3PO as iPad bags, while still others are developing industrial-strength iron-on pockets to hold the gadget.

Ms. Clark, 33, the creator of the iMaxi, fashioned the $30 quilted cotton case with wings for a laugh and put it up on Etsy Inc.'s online handicraft marketplace in February. Then she started getting thousands of hits from curious buyers. The attention, she says, caused her "major anxiety" because she hadn't kept track of how she made the first one and couldn't duplicate it. She eventually figured it out.

Now "we're super crazy busy just by sewing," says Ms. Clark, who has sold more than 100 of the bags and is now looking for a production firm to help her keep up with orders. "We're trying to stay ahead of the wave."

One iMaxi customer is Matthew Crowley, a 25-year-old aspiring writer. The Dedham, Mass., resident bought the iMaxi in March because he says he was impressed by the care and attention that was put into making the bag—and he actually uses it. While his father is a fan of the bag, his fiancée isn't. Does he worry about gawkers? "I'm quite immune in fact."

Although Apple has largely ceded the market for accessories for its laptops and phones, the company does sell a $39 black iPad case that can be used to protect the device on the go and prop up it up on a tabletop. Still, the company says it is thrilled to see the bag industry that has popped up around the gadget. The marketplace for iPod and iPhone cases "has been a great opportunity for developers, and we're excited to see the same enthusiasm for the iPad," says an Apple spokeswoman.

In some instances, entrepreneurs are rebranding existing products to suit the iPad. In January, Scottevest, the travel-clothing maker, began touting some of its existing multi-pocketed travel vests that can hold magazines, water bottles and a myriad of gadgets as iPad compatible.

The Sun Valley, Idaho, company—which counts Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak as a member of its advisory board—markets iPad wear starting from $75, and has since hired additional employees and more than doubled production.

Scott Jordan, Scottevest's chief executive, says the company is now working on an iPad-compatible trench coat that can be wrapped into itself to become an overnight bag.

Luxury luggage brands are keen to land iPad's more stylish fans. Tumi Luggage Inc. and Liz Claiborne Inc.'s Jack Spade and Kate Spade accessory lines have iPad bags in the works. Gucci NV says it is also considering iPad-specific cases.

LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton SA jumped on the concept early. "Louis Vuitton is all about nomadism—chic nomadism, explains Yves Carcelle, chief executive of the company's namesake brand. "As soon as we read about it [the iPad], we contacted Apple—to get the dimensions, not the functionalities."

It began selling two iPad-specific cases earlier this month, both with the iconic LV logo, for $320. "In a few weeks we'll have a crocodile version," says Mr. Carcelle. "I remember the surprise Steve [Jobs] had when he found out the crocodile case cost more than the iPad." The price to be stylishly exotic: $1,850.

MZ Services Inc. of Auburndale, Mass. developed a waterproof cover with a transparent surface that lets users operate the touchscreen so they could take their iPads to pools, beaches and even the bathroom. It comes with an adjustable strap so they can hang the iPad from their neck or shoulder. The company says its $26.99 cover, which it sells under the brand name TrendyDigital, is so popular that it has sold out on Amazon.com Inc.'s online store.

The interest in iPad-related carrying accessories is so high that even spoofs are taken seriously. Jordan Owen, member of a Chicago design collective, created a digital prototype of a pair of jeans with an iPad-sized pocket called iBap (iGotaBigAssPocket). Mr. Owen says he received as many as 50 emails from people wanting to buy a pair. Still, he doesn't intend to produce any.

—Christina Passariello contributed to this article.

Write to Yukari Iwatani Kane at yukari.iwatani@wsj.com

Posted via email from SeV / SCOTTEVEST the best travel clothes and clothing in the world

ANOTHER HAPPY CUSTOMER!

Hello!
 
I had purchased the Essential Travel Jacket from ScotteVest and loved it, so ordered the SeV Travel Pants, and the SeV travel shorts for a trip to Guatemala.
 
I travel twice a year to Guatemala with Partners in Development to do volunteer work in a poor village on the edge of the rain forest. I assist in a clinic, and do a lot of work with the children in the village, teaching them English and working on projects with them. With temperatures in the 90's,  100 percent humidity, and a daily soaking rain in the rainy season, I wondered how your products would hold up.
 
Not only were they cool, comfortable, and easy to keep clean, they were also surprisingly tough and durable.
 

Best of all, in the above photo I have the following in the shorts: A bottle of water, 2 energy bars, a digital camera, a flashlight, spare batteries, a poncho, a bandana, spare socks,an insulin pen and needles, a small first aid kit, some money and a video recorder!
 
Your products really live up to the hype! Thanks to the pockets I could leave my backpack at the clinic when I went around the village.
 
Muchas gracias,
 
 
 
J.T. Turner
Actor, Director, Stage Combat Choreographer
AFTRA/SAG/Equity/SAFD
www.jtturner.org

Follow my blog for actors at http://jtturneractor.blogspot.com/

Posted via email from SeV / SCOTTEVEST the best travel clothes and clothing in the world

Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Just named as one of Entrepreneur's Annual 100 Brilliant Ideas, yea! WSJ tomorrow!

Health & Fitness
A gym for gamers. Score!
XRKade combines two of the biggest trends--fitness and gaming--to create a workout that's actually play

The national obsessions with healthcare reform, childhood obesity and organic foods are generating more customers for health 

and fitnessbusinesses: Fitness clubs and health stores now amount to a $41.44 billion industry--that's up a stunning $1 billion from just the year before. In a recession, no less.

Lenny Lowenstein knew about that kind of potential--after all, he was one of the major players in the fitness world: a vice president at 24 Hour Fitness. But when the company switched owners in 2003, Lowenstein left and began to think about ways to attract the soft-bellied, younger generation to the gym. Around the same time, he bought his son a Dance Dance Revolution video game, which gets players moving by making them stand on an electronic pad and stomp on colored arrows in response to musical and visual cues.

Then it hit him: The way to get kids active is to use something they understand--technology. Soon he had compiled a suite of interactive games that were already on the market, and he, above right, along with Andrea Oh and Christopher Avina, opened the first XRKade in 2004.

XRKade offers users a serious workout while having fun playing arcade-style games that involve dancing, biking, skateboarding, kickboxing and even rock climbing.

"We wanted to connect fitness and technology to create active play," Lowenstein says. "I challenge any traditional club owner to look at their treadmills during prime time and find a smile."

XRKades are sold as turnkey packages--for $25,000 to $75,000--to be built within traditional health clubs. More than 70 XRKades are around the world, with the highest concentration in the Midwest and New England. Sales are exploding faster than a BioShock grenade taking down a Big Daddy: from $350,000 in 2007 to $3.65 million in 2009.

With more than 90 million millennials in the U.S. fueling the $18 billion video-game industry, virtual gaming may just be the future of fitness.

In fact, the XRKade team plans to create a web-based gaming community, so members in Denver could be competing in a dance-off against members in Russia--in real-time, of course. --K.O. 



9 More to Watch:

HappyBaby A premium brand of organic meals for babies and toddlers, HappyBaby is now sold in more than 5,000 stores across the country.

Mod Beauty Squad On a mission to combat skin cancer, this mobile skin-care spa will come to homes or offices with a pop-up spray tanning booth. 

Perfect Fitness Founded by a former Navy SEAL, this online mega store sells unique fitness gear for people of all fitness levels.

Pink Gloves Boxing This women's-only training outfit in Montana, North Carolina and Florida offers members boxing-style, high-intensity workouts, with 10 percent of the profits going to the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation.

Pop Physique This pair of Los Angeles fitness studios features hipsters in retro Spandex, state-of-the-art sound systems, sprung dance floors, mirrors, ballet barres and eco-mats. 

Posted via email from SeV / SCOTTEVEST the best travel clothes and clothing in the world