Tropicfeel will sign the official footwear of the America's Cup

Tropicfeel is preparing to make a leap in scale. The Barcelona-based travel equipment company has become the officially licensed footwear brand of the America's Cup. To do this, it has reissued its two most popular models in three versions with the colors of the competition and inspired by Barcelona. In addition, it has created an exclusive edition for the New Zealand team, which will wear its sneakers while defending the trophy in the waters of Barcelona.

The non-slip sole and ultra-fast drying technology of the startup's footwear have been key to securing the license to exclusively design the officially licensed footwear for the regatta. This collaboration came about "very organically and naturally," through an unexpected call, as explained to The New Barcelona Post by Tropicfeel's CEO Alberto Espinós, who founded the company in 2017.

The surprise came with a call from Mack Dalton, head of sponsorship and son of America's Cup CEO, Grant Dalton. "A mutual acquaintance gave him a pair of our shoes when he moved to Barcelona, and they fit him so well that he later gave them to his father," Espinós recounts.

Once the collaboration proposal was launched, they quickly aligned on the design. "The type of footwear we create is designed to transition from water, the sea, a waterfall or a beach to any other scenario, such as a dinner, and that was fundamental. That, and that we are a Barcelona brand," summarizes Tropicfeel's CEO, who has a staff of 50 employees seven years after its opening.

As a complement to the collection, Tropicfeel has designed a special edition of its waterproof backpack and its first tote bag, also following the color scheme of the America's Cup and the inspiration from Barcelona, which will host the competition for the first time. "That a brand as young as ours can participate in the oldest competition in history alongside consolidated and high-level brands represents a great opportunity to continue building aspirationality and accelerate our maturation process, also at an international level," Espinós defends.

Thus, the event will give global visibility to the Barcelona brand linked to travel and adventure, which is now entering the world of nautical with a strong presence. This collaboration has materialized at a time when the startup is also making its way into the retail channel, where it debuted in November 2022 with a store located on Portaferrissa street. This first location in Barcelona was joined by a second establishment in the city in March, in L'Illa Diagonal. Now, according to Espinós, the firm is looking for a location in Madrid. Tropicfeel's desire is to open in the city before the end of the year, with the intention of continuing to consolidate its brand to equip not only travelers, but also nautical enthusiasts.