Have you ever wondered if you’re pronouncing properly the brand names of your outdoor gear and equipment? With so many foreign brands in the market, (and ukay-ukay) it’s quite interesting to find out if you are giving 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.
16 Outdoor Brands that You’ve Probably Mispronounced
Here are some of the outdoor brands that you have been using and probably have 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. First appeared in 1460 in the Medieval Latin phrase for “Bird of Prey” while wordsmiths trave its name even further to 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: French-based company specializing in outdoor equipment founder 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 One One – ‘ho-ka-oh-neh-oh-neh’
Name Origin: New Zealand Maori phrase meaning “to fly”
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
Disclaimer: I am in no way affiliated with these outdoor brands. I’ve just got curious; and I felt the need to share my output. Everything here is also based on my research. In case I’m wrong, feel free to message, and help me correct my mistakes. Let’s continue learning from each other!
Dakilanglaagan 