Astral Asheville

One of our Friends of Rheos, Astral Asheville makes technical footwear for the water, trail or just casual everyday wear. As a fellow small business based in the South, we love supporting Astral and bringing this stellar gear along on all our adventures. Check out more about the team behind Astral and see if they're a fit for you.

ASTRAL FOUNDING STORY

Astral's founder, Philip Curry is no stranger to the outdoor industry after selling his first company to Patagonia in 1999. He lived as a biodynamic farmer for three years until he made the realization that he could save more of the planet by getting back into the outdoor industry. With the vision to always put nature first and the ambition to make products with the least impact possible on the environment, Philip founded Astral in Asheville, North Carolina. With this unwavering commitment, Astral has accomplished just that. The company has succeeded in removing PVC foam from their PFD collection and their footwear line (which is completely vegan) uses 40% less energy to make and requires 70% less adhesive than their big corporation competitors. Astral continues to show that you don't have to compromise to make the best quality gear for water junkies and outdoor enthusiasts alike.

ASTRALS IN ACTION

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ASTRAL PRODUCT LINEUP

Astral's footwear line includes flip-flops, high-performance water shoes and casual lifestyle kicks for men and women. All are made with water-ready features, like their proprietary G®Rubber outsoles, so you can maximize every experience on the trail and water.

One of their coolest shoes is the Rassler. It'll keep you upright if you're romping on the river or balancing a beer trying to pull in a monster trout.

A few more words from the team...

Perfect for: Paddlers and fishermen. The extra sticky rubber soles will keep you steady standing on slippery rocks or SUPing on the river. They dry fast so you can wear them when hiking back or cruising the town. The cool matte black of the Rasta black canvas Rassler pairs perfectly with the Eddies with Gunmetal frame and Light Amber lenses.

Favorite Rheos Watering Hole blog post: Sun Damage to Eyes - And Why It Matters Most On Water. When you're out on a water-based adventure, you should protect your body from your head to your toes. That means not just wearing the right footwear, but also UV protected and polarized sunglasses.

Rheos Shades Pick: Eddies | Gunmetal | Light Amber - The Eddies frame are our most popular fishing frame with full wrap wind and water protection and just enough vent protection to minimize fogging. With a variety of lens options for varying times of day for sight-fishing you can see why the river eddies are the perfect fit for any fisherman and feel right at home on any body of water.

View More Eddies Colors

Friends of Rheos is a collection of our favorite small business and startup gear brands.