HeyHeys Origins - Old
Hi, I'm Bret! I love outdoor sports, visiting the world's wild places, meeting people and building community, stretching personal limits, and wearing bright colors! HeyHeys combine all of these passions - welcome to the community and thanks for checking out the HeyHeys story!
Where did HeyHeys Come From?
As a former alpine ski racer, I grew up enamored by a global athlete base donned in tight and bright athletic wear. That love resurfaced ten years later when I discovered the world of trail running and its community of outgoing, incredibly enthusiastic, and happily stylish adventurers. On one of my first races I wore a pair of neon green digital print women's tights I’d received as a birthday gift, which earned heaps of hi-fives and even a cover shot on the race recap. I left that race thinking, how fun would it be to have a trunk full of these to share!?!
Back home, the only fun tights I could seem to find were for women – men’s tights were scarce at best, always black or camouflage, and lacking in basic performance elements. So I bought women’s tights and wore them on treks, trail runs, ski tours and other adventures in national parks all over the country and world: California, Patagonia, Iceland, Alaska, Utah, Arizona, Hawaii, Peru, and Norway. On each trip, the tights painted the trails with a bit of happiness, and spurred spirited conversations with those met along the way.
Each adventure inspired a different outdoors design that seemed simply too much fun to create and share. With a passion for the wild, and understanding of athlete needs across multiple sports, I decided HeyHeys was the next fun community building project!
What’s with the name, HeyHeys?
Just as HeyHeys are inspired by a series of world adventures, so to is the name, which draws on a competitively friendly spirit across several cultures:
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In Scandinavian countries, "hei hei!" or "hej hej!" is a smile-inducing, universal greeting to bring extra cheer, even in the most blustery and arctic conditions;
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In New Zealand's Maori culture, a "heihei" is a megastorm;
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In Hawaiian, a "heihei" is a competition or race, often by canoe or foot; and
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In the Continental USA, "hey hey" is simply a greeting with a bit of extra moxie!
Collectively, these definitions orient HeyHeys in the direction of fun, collaboration, inclusiveness, and of course, the outdoors!
What are HeyHeys for?
HeyHeys go wherever the adventure is big...and the activities spirited! So far, they’ve been tested and approved for trail running, trekking, climbing, camping, building campfires, skiing, après skiing, yoga, recharging in cabins, apartments and coffee shops, cooking mountain breakfasts, sunrise road tripping, invigorating baselayering, and, of course, parking lot dance parties. HeyHeys are equal parts fun tights for serious athletes and serious tights for fun athletes – combining a bit of style with a bit of performance. For more information on HeyHeys fabric & performance, check out the FAQ.
Made in the California – Supporting National Parks Everywhere
HeyHeys are proudly designed and manufactured in California, USA! HeyHeys contributes 5% of proceeds to trail maintenance in the state and national parks in which they were conceived.