LOWA Boots Takes Over Distribution of X-Socks Products in U.S.

Stamford, Connecticut – January 18, 2007 – Peter Sachs, general manager of LOWA Boots in the U.S., has announced that the company has acquired distribution rights to X-Socks® effective immediately. Based in Asola, Italy, X-Socks designs and manufactures X-Socks and X-Bionic Underwear.

The socks cross over many market boundaries including outdoor, hunting, biking, golf, and military. The underwear targets active sports such as skiing, biking, winter hiking, and climbing. LOWA is active in most of these markets so there is built-in synergy between the two brands.

“Many of the stories we’ll use in explaining X-Socks to our customers are those that we’ve used for years to talk about with Lowa,” commented Sachs. “Made in Europe, quality, moisture management, climate control, padding in the right spots…These features are built into every LOWA boot and every X-Sock product. The brands are compatible, as is the distribution and target consumer market.”

The sport-specific socks, long underwear, and second layer clothing are well-known for their highly functional moisture management systems throughout the whole aerobic range of temperatures. Many of the products feature compression for added circulation and support. The socks have anatomically shaped footbeds, padding, and buffer zones. The X-Bionic base layers incorporate a temperature regulating element that activates only where sweat glands are found. This helps the body maintain its optimal temperature range, which conserves energy and enhances performance.

The U.S. X-Sock sales force is currently being put together. Listed below are those on-board at this time:

Brian Hamann/Hamann Group – New England
Dan Hill/Arizona, Nevada and California
Ryan Leach – Utah and Wyoming
Gordon Lehmann and Andrew Eugster/Pacific Northwest
Bruce Marsh/Western Great Lakes
Jessie Pomerance – Colorado and New Mexico
Ron Rockman – Mid-Atlantic

LOWA Boots LLC, with headquarters in Stamford, Connecticut, is a partnership with LOWA Sportschuhe Gmbh founded in 1923 and based in Jetzendorf, Germany. The U.S. company, launched in 1996, sells, markets, and distributes a complete line of hiking, backpacking, hunting, trekking, mountaineering, task force and all-terrain boots, active casual shoes, clogs, and sandals in the United States and Mexico. All LOWA boots and shoes are designed and manufactured in Europe. LOWA Boot, L.L.C. also distributes X-Socks and X-Bionic base layers designed and manufactured by X-Socks out of Asola, Italy.