The story of Houdini Sportswear begins in the late 80s and early 90s when a lot of things we take for granted today in our industry just didn't exist yet. There weren't many women-led outdoor brands, mid-layers were bulky and decidedly technical, and breathability was still years away from buzzword status. Lotta Giornofelice launched Houdini to make the clothes she and her friends were missing for their high-intensity, start-stop activities.

Houdini slowly built a reputation for versatile and breathable garments by designing the clothes they wanted to wear without compromise. When Lotta first got her hands on our durable stretch fleece, Polartec® Power Stretch® Pro™, on a climbing trip in New Zealand, she saw an opportunity to apply the Houdini design philosophy to mid-layers unlike anything on the market at the time.

For Houdini, comfort's not just about how a garment feels when you're wearing it, it's the peace of mind knowing you're properly attired for whatever comes your way and the bond built over years of wear. They call it "Comfort Beyond Words" — the sum of the fit, the layering, knowing you have a piece you can rely on in the backcountry, that feeling you have when you fall in love at purchase and you stay in love for years to come. I think the Germans call it gestalt.

The Power Houdi was born of this design philosophy and Power Stretch Pro was the missing link that brought it all together. When you first throw it on, you know you're wearing something different, every detail considered just for you, for your next adventure, the trip to the bar afterwards, or the lounge after a long workday. There's a distinct feeling that you're wearing the last hoodie you'll ever need, and dammit that's what Houdini's done.

We asked Eva what continues to set the Power Houdi apart after all these years. Her answer adds an important dimension to how Houdini achieves Comfort Beyond Words: "We design without compromise… When we design any product, I think the Power Houdi is a good example of this, we don't look at the market and say 'Where's the gap in the market and what's the price point we should hit to fill that gap?' We look at the product we want for ourselves, that we're craving for, that we envision, and then we go — without compromise — towards that product."

As a parting case in point, we offer you the story of Carl Lundberg, a mountain guide who received one of the first Power Houdis ever made. Through 10 years of the most extensive prototype test of all time, Carl skied Japan, beach-camped Hawaii, scaled mountains in California and vertical rock walls in Norway in his Power Houdi. Meanwhile Houdini was adding more recycled fibers and countless color options to each year's release, ensuring the Power Houdi comes in your favorite hue — further building your connection with the last hoodie you'll ever need.