Adventure Couture

by Shannon Kelley Gould

What’s a horny toad? Technically, it’s a horned lizard, best
known for winding up squashed on Southwestern roadways; but in
Santa Barbara, a horny toad is a stylish, comfortably outfitted
lover of all things adventurous, earth-friendly, and fun. The Santa
Barbara-based clothing company that calls itself Horny Toad
specializes in cool, comfy pieces that are perfect for pretty much
whatever floats your boat, whether it be yoga, running, kayaking,
biking, or hiking; but the kicker is that they’re stylish enough to
smoothly transition from walking the dog or playing 18 holes to
dinner out.

The fabrics are meticulously chosen and the pieces are designed
for maximum efficiency: The “Dyno Ringer T” has cotton on the
outside and a wicking-enhanced poly on the inside, which means that
what looks like a standard T-shirt keeps your skin dry even if you
happen to be glistening like a pig. Doubleface Open Weave Gauze
“Bud” shirts are designed for maximum breathe-ability, and the
appropriately named “Hangover Pant” is perfect for a lazy day of
lounging (or recovering, as the case may be). Better still, Toad
uses organic cotton and other enviro-friendly materials in order to
protect the great outdoors — after all, what good are the perfect
outdoor duds if there’s no outdoors in which to wear them?

The Toads have been in town for four years; among the racks of
samples in their newish office space on Mason Street — known as
Toadville — you’ll find bikes, ping-pongers, barbecues, and dogs.
The company philosophy is one of having fun, staying passionate,
creating something special, and doing the right thing. And they
have a “horn” in every sort of pie: Horny Toad was born in
Colorado, and is a partner of the Telluride Mountainfilm Festival
and the annual unicycle street-hockey game. They’ve produced a
movie and have assembled an impressive “Team Toad,” a group of
creative, passionate folks like musician Chris Pierce and mad
unicycler Kris Holm — people whom Horny Toad actually support and
work with regularly to further their pursuits, as opposed to just
slapping a logo on ’em and sending them on their way. It’s an
impressive little company, with big ideas and fantastic
clothes.

P.S. They’re hiring!

4·1·1 Buy Horny Toad clothes at Santa Barbara
Outfitters or online at hornytoad.com.