28
SEPT/OCT 2018
RIVER SWIMMING| PRODUCTS| WATER BOTTLES
Frank Dietsch, age 66, has been swimming in rivers since he was a kid, winning his first
open-water two mile race at age 11. MIZU INC.
Frank Dietsch has been swimming the Deschutes for over 20 years - ever since moving
to Bend in 1996. Frank usually swims with his buddy Jeff Keith. The put in for the river
swim is by the Tumalo Kayak & Canoe and they swim upstream as far as the rapids, past
the Healy Bridge (Reed Market Road). It is just over 1 ½ miles upstream! Then they turn
around and swim back for a fast return. Curiously, they get colder on the return portion.
The furthest they have swam is the entire length of Bend (all upstream), having to walk
around dams and other obstacles.
Founded: 2008
Location: Del Mar, California
Website: www.mizulife.com
Attitudes are changing. Single use is out and reusable is in. From outdoor adventures to
everyday life, from the moment you rise out of bed and get your coffee to the last sip of
water you have before you go to bed; there are endless opportunities each day to choose
reusable over single use. Founded, owned and
operated by outdoor athletes and adventurers,
Mizu makes premium reusable products that
last a li fetime to help take advantage of these
opportunities.
“SWIMMING THE RIVER IS THE
HARDEST WORKOUT YOU WILL EVER
DO. IT WILL GET YOU IN SHAPE! ESPE-
CIALLY FOR SURFING!”
The worst danger a river swimmer encounters is other people. This is why river swimmers
tend to swim on quieter days and times. The possibility of injury is real, once a river floater
thought it funny to maneuver their tube in front of Jeff Keith. They didn’t realize that you
are swimming hard face down and when your arm hits their tube it can blow out your
shoulder. This happened to Jeff and he had to have surgery on his shoulder because of it.
Swimming the river can start as early as the beginning of April and last through the be-
MiiR
MiiR is based in Seattle, WA and was founded in 2010 with the mission to provide people
access to a better future. MiiR, a Product to Project company which donates 3% of rev-
enues to trackable Give Projects, creates timeless, innovative and thoughtfully designed
products, primarily in the insulated drinkware category. MiiR partners with some of the
most respected non-profits in the world to create sustainable Give Projects in the clean
water, health, and food space which address both domestic and international issues. To
date, MiiR has granted $600,000 in Give Projects and empowered the lives of 100,000
people. In addition, MiiR has an innovative custom partnership program in which they
co-brand stainless steel drinkware with some of the most recognized and socially con-
scious brands in the world (Patagonia, Blue Bottle Coffee, REI and Starbucks) and create
custom Give Projects that align with each brand’s mission and values.
Mizu can be found in the hands of people who
squeeze every ounce of fun out of life and
share a passion for protecting the oceans,
mountains and cities we play in. From water
bottles to cutlery, from insulated to single
wall - from the coffee shop to the beach, from
driving to work or hiking for first tracks, when
it comes to going reusable with performance
and style, Mizu always has your back.
-FRANK DIETSCH
“River swimming - as in against the current - is the hardest workout I have ever done.
The swim is harder than any other sport I have participated in”, Frank says. “As soon as
you hit the water - it is on! Long, strong full strokes or you are going nowhere, or worse
yet - going backwards with the current! Sometimes the current pushes you left or right
so navigation plays a big part in keeping forward motion. In some places the current trys
to pull you under. Large boulders and sunken logs from days gone past create vortexes
and whirlpools that are very challenging and can mess with your mind. You just have to
put your head down and swim 100% wide open until you get out of the river’s clutches.
During the start of the season you are doing good to get halfway to the Reed Market
bridge due to not being in the best of shape coming out of winter combined with fighting
the high and cold fast water. The warmest water temperature was 64 degrees recorded
in July in the 1980’s. Wetsuits from 4/3 to 3/2 work depending on water temperature.
Neoprene swim cap and ear plugs are also needed and kayak style nose clips also help
from cold water inclusion.”
29
BE BOTTLE
Oregon-Based Founders: Daniel Egeland, Drew Bledsoe, Chris Cox, and Jeremy Cox
Website: www.bebottles.com
Email: [email protected]
ginning of November. Water temperature dictates when it is reasonable to swim. Usually
the end of May to mid October. Frank and Jeff have found that no matter what wetsuit
you are wearing the coldest reasonable water temperature is around 50 degrees. Colder
than that and you risk getting frost bite on your open skin areas. Think of wind chill and
multiply it because water is 16 times more dense than air. At first swimming upstream
is very difficult. But spending the winter training with Coach Bob Bruce of C.O.M.A. at
Juniper Swim & Fitness will get a swimmer ready for the next season. An upstream
race is in the works so start training now!
Neil Korn
In outdoor-centric communities
like Bend, people are well versed
in using personal hydration prod-
ucts, but when Be Bottle founders
looked beyond these nature-rich
towns and into big cities, they
found very few people carrying
their own reusable bottles. Could
this be because there was nothing
in the market built for both the
outdoors and the big city? After
the Be Bottle founders recognized
the plastic epidemic as a ridiculous
problem, and also realizing that there was a large gap between who is using reusable
bottles, they knew it was an issue that could be addressed effectively with a new, innova-
tive, versatile, and highly differentiated reusable bottle.
HYDRO FLASK
Hydro Flask is the award-winning leader in high-performance insulated products ranging
from beverage and food flasks to the new Unbound Series™ of soft coolers. Delivering
unexpected refreshment, Hydro Flask innovations showcase TempShield™ double-wall
vacuum insulation to lock in temperature, 18/8 stainless steel ensuring pure taste and
durable, ergonomic design for the ultimate transport. Founded in 2009 in Bend, Oregon,
Hydro Flask is committed to
making tomorrow better - from
using BPA-free, recyclable ma-
terials to its charitable giving
program Parks For All, which
supports the development,
maintenance and accessibil-
ity of public green spaces so
people everywhere can live
healthier, happier and more
fulfilled lives. Learn more about
Hydro Flask, Parks for All, and
our mission to save the world
from lukewarm at https://www.
hydroflask.com.
After two years of design, engineering, and product development, Be Bottle Co. proudly
launched their personal hydration product line in December of last year. Be Bottle’s re-
movable bottom not only makes for easy cleaning, but it allowed the company to create a
built-in infuser to make water even more delicious. The stainless steel mesh core screws
onto the base, creating a reusable, infuser water bottle which allows you to create re-
freshing, new tastes that are limited only by your imagination. Overall, Be Bottle aimed to
create a bottle that’s as versatile as our lifestyles are today, one that looks sophisticated
in the boardroom but is just as functional on the hiking trail.
Be Bottle has also shared success with nonprofits & schools by creating a fundraiser
program featuring customized bottles. Their latest fundraiser has been the partnership
with the Hilinski’s Hope Foundation, led by Partner and Chief Brand Champion, Drew
Bledsoe. Be Bottle helped the nonprofit raise thousands towards funding programs that
help educate, advocate, and destigmatize mental illness in student athletes. For every Be
Bottle purchased, the company also makes a donation to Water.org, a nonprofit that gives
Third world countries access to safe drinking water and sanitation.
HYDAWAY COLLAPSIBLE BOTTLE
Website: wwwhydawaybottle.com
More than an inventor, Niki Singlaub is a ‘product guy’
and lives for designing, developing, building, and launch-
ing new products into the world. Niki came up with the
Hydaway concept while traveling as a freelance product
developer. “Trying to stay hydrated in different countries,
climates, and elevations, while spending time both in
business meetings and in the mountains inspired this
water bottle concept. I was looking for a durable, stable,
fully-functioning water bottle that collapsed enough to fit
in my back pocket. I was really surprised I couldn’t find
anything like the Hydaway bottle out there.”
Niki’s expertise stems from almost twenty years in design,
development, and management of consumer products in multiple industries. His back-
ground in engineering and business has prepared him to problem solve at all stages of
the product launch process. On most days you can find Niki in and around the high desert
of Bend, Oregon testing gear, brainstorming ideas, and taking his family beyond their
comfort level.