BOCO Gear, a brand of performance headwear, based out of Boulder, Colorado, raised its head above the parapet at the Ironman World Championships in Hawaii this October. Last year, pro triathlete Luke Mackenzie placed second and ran the marathon portion of the race with a generic bright green trucker hat. Since then, BOCO Gear notes that the demand for the ‘Trucker’ grew, although athletes desired a more technical version.
Kay Martin, President and Founder of BOCO Gear, worked with pro athletes and age groupers this spring and summer to… ‘dial in the performance fabric, fit and functionality to create a hat that was more comfortable to train in, more breathable and ultimately, something they could race an Ironman race in.’
With over 23 years in the apparel industry across companies such as Pearl Izumi and Moving Comfort, Kay Martin has a rich history in performance fabrics and has ‘established herself as someone that delivers quality and meets the timelines of her customers.’
Martin was the former President at Headsweats and she launched BOCO Gear to have more freedom to ‘fulfil the most specific customer requests [with] a desire to make her product even better than what the market offered.’
With the Performance Trucker hats for example, a point of differentiation noted by BOCO Gear is that all fabrics utilized are performance fabrics. Moreover, BOCO has the ability to fully customize the product with sublimation and embroidery. The company developed a technical sweatband on the inside to help move moisture and worked with customer brands and teams to develop a fit and look that would satisfy the athlete, fan and sponsor.
‘BOCO is not limited by what they can print and they can even match athlete race kits, which drives some fashionable looks on the branded side.’
In 2013, BOCO was a new player in the endurance sports market. The company notes that it immediately established a name when it ‘changed the performance visor landscape overnight.’ This was accomplished by offering an updated elastic back to a visor that could be customized, alongside a progressive line of beanies and headbands that were also trending.
In just one year, BOCO is on track to triple its year on year sales growth. A number of high profile brands have started to work with the company for custom gear production.
For Kona 2014, brands that wore BOCO Gear headwear included The Ironman Foundation, CEO Challenge, GU, Newton, Zoot Sports, Cervélo, Betty Designs, Tri Bike Transport, Roka Sports, Normatech, Bike Works, Velo Stop, Ashworth Awards, Everyman Jack, Training Peaks, Smart Triathlon Training, Osmo Nutrition, Oomph, Smashfest Queen, Coeur Sports, Active Angelz and Bonk Breaker.
“I launched BOCO Gear because I saw an opportunity to update and upgrade the options available in custom performance headwear,” said Kay Martin. “The category had become stale and dated and we wanted to build a brand that was more updated and on trend. We also work really hard to customize product for our customers rather than insisting on our own logo placement and exposure.
“While it’s a philosophical shift in the headwear market, this pushes us to continue to drive innovation, dynamic designs and eliminate barriers such as lead times, minimums and customization options that have frustrated customers in the past.”
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BOCO headwear offers performance hats, visors, beanies, headbands, trucker hats, gloves, race belts, all of which can be customized.
As a company known for progressive customer service, BOCO aims to make its ordering process simple for brands, stores and for event directors by shortening lead times to 35-40 days and allowing for minimum orders of 25 units, ‘placing them in a headwear category that stands apart.’ BOCO is also able to turn product in 2-3 weeks and it offers templates and help with the design process.
