Have you ever wondered if you’re properly pronouncing the brand names of your outdoor gear and equipment? With so many foreign brands on the market (and ukay-ukay) it’s quite interesting to find out if you are doing justice to the names that have saved you through the coldest nights, helped you nourish the needs of your body, and made your outdoor experience worth the while.
While we don’t usually give a fuss about this because we often laugh our way out, I guess it’s best that we save ourselves from Nazis out there and learn how to properly pronounce the outdoor gear that we are using.
20 Outdoor Brands that You’ve Probably Mispronounced
Here are some of the outdoor brands that you have been using and have probably mispronounced since acquisition:
1. Osprey – ‘a-spree’/ ‘a-spray’
Name Origin: Coined from the North American raptor that is known for its live fish diet. It first appeared in 1460 in the Medieval Latin phrase for “Bird of Prey,” while wordsmiths derived its name even further from its Latin origin, ossifragus, or “bone breaker.”
2. Deuter – ‘doy-ter’
Name Origin: German brand sports packs and bag founder Hans Deuter.
3. Leki – ‘lay-kee’
Name Origin: Combination of the owner’s name and company’s headquarters: Karl Lenhard in Kirchheim, Germany.
4. Millet – ‘mee-yey’
Name Origin: A French-based company specializing in outdoor equipment founded by J.M Millet.
5. Klymit – ‘klai-met’
6. Fjällräven – ‘fee-yal-ray-ven’
Name Origin: Swedish for “The Arctic Fox”
7. Aonijie – ‘ayo-knee-jie’
8. Hoka – ‘ho-ka’
Name Origin: New Zealand Maori phrase meaning “to fly”. Formerly known as Hoke One One (ho-ka-oneh-oneh).
9. Vibram – ‘vee-bram’
Name Origin: Contracted name of the Italian footwear founder, Vitale Bramani.
10. Arc’teryx = ‘ark-tear-reeks’
Name Origin: Reference to Archaeopteryx Lithographica, the first reptile known to develop feather for flight
11. 2XU – ‘two-times-you’
Name Origin: Symbolizes the multiplication of human performance
12. Suunto – ‘soon-toh’
Name Origin: Finnish word for ‘suunta’ which translates to “direction” or in technical navigation “bearing”
13. Trangia – ‘tran-jah’
Name Origin: Derived from the village of Trång in Sweden
14. Nalgene – ‘nahl-jean’
Name Origin: Derived from initials the wife of the chemist, Emanuel Goldberg who developed the first plastic pipette jars, Natalie Levey Goldberg
15. Mammut – ‘ma-moot’
Name Origin: Reference to the extinct species of Mammoth which is known for strength and power
16. Salomon – ‘sahl-uh-mun’
Name Origin: French founder François Salomon
17. Garmin – ‘gar-min’
Name origin: A portmanteau of its two founders, Gary Burrell and Min H. Kao
18. The North Face – ‘thuh-nawrth-feys’
Name origin: A reflection of the brand’s mission and dedication to the extreme, the founders of the brand named their then-small shop after the coldest, iciest, and most formidable route to climb in the northern hemisphere.
19. NNormal – ‘nor-mal’
Name origin: World-renowned mountaineer and trail runner, Kilian Jornet, partnered with family-owned footwear company, Camper, to design a timeless fear that’s functional, performance-oriented, and built to last. These pieces of equipment are designed in Mallorca and tested in Norway, as indicated by the brand name.
20. Altra Running – ‘al-tra-ruh-ning’
Name origin: Based on the Latin word “altera,” which means “to fix or mend something that is broken.”
Disclaimer: I am in no way affiliated with these outdoor brands. I’ve just gotten curious during the pandemic and felt the need to share my output. Everything here is also based on my research. Feel free to message me and help me correct my mistakes if I’m wrong. Let’s continue learning from each other!
Dakilanglaagan 