Field and Stream has broken new ground in the world of hunting through the use of crowdsourcing to develop their new Vortex boots designed to meet the needs of active hunters. Hunting gear has long been developed through a process of a few experts sitting around a table hammering out designs. Field and Stream partnered with MESH01 to utilize the talents of 9,500 trained, industrial-based designers to create the new Vortex hunting boots.
“The cool thing about our community is the diversity; it’s not just a community of footwear designers,” says Nick Huber, Director of Design at MESH01. “These designers bring their unique backgrounds to every project, which might mean they’re utilizing materials or construction methods that I wouldn’t have thought of myself, being a footwear designer,” he says. “In addition to the boot being lightweight and comfortable, the brand wanted to incorporate some premium features like GORE-TEX® waterproofing and PrimaLoft® insulation,” says Huber.
Utilizing the talents of MESH01, the team of designers accepted over 30 different submissions and selected the top three designs. The team planned to create one pair of boots and through the crowdsourcing effort they developed two styles that have gone on to become top sellers in the line.
Field and Stream is looking to innovate the design process to create boots and gear specifically for the customer. They want gear that is functional and yet still affordable. Embracing innovation and working with a team helped them to create a best-in-class product for the hunting marketing.
We think this kind of crowdsourcing effort is genius. Check out this more detailed article about Field and Stream crowdsourcing.
