ed ▁to ▁testing ▁in ▁extreme ▁out door ▁conditions . ▁ ▁After ▁success ▁with ▁the ▁prototype ▁tent , ▁Early ▁Winter s ▁became ▁the ▁first ▁commercial ▁company ▁to ▁place ▁an ▁order ▁for ▁G ore - Tex ▁fabric . ▁ ▁Early ▁Winter s ▁introduced ▁The ▁Light ▁Dim ension ▁tent ▁in ▁May ▁ 1 9 7 6 . ▁ ▁This ▁tent , ▁along ▁with ▁other ▁items ▁made ▁with ▁GO RE - TE X ▁fabric , ▁deb uted ▁in ▁the ▁first ▁official ▁Early ▁Winter s ▁catalog ue . ▁ ▁Early ▁Winter s ▁approached ▁$ 2 0 ▁million ▁( US D ) ▁in ▁annual ▁sales , ▁mostly ▁through ▁catalog s , ▁before ▁being ▁sold ▁to ▁the ▁Or vis ▁company ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 4 . ▁It ▁was ▁later ▁purchased ▁by ▁the ▁Norm ▁Thompson ▁group ▁in ▁Port land , ▁Oregon . ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 4 ▁Norm ▁Thompson ▁renamed ▁the ▁company ▁[ S ah al ie ] ▁who ▁still ▁s ells ▁Early ▁Winter s ▁brand ed ▁cl othing . ▁ ▁Foot notes ▁ ▁External ▁links ▁ ▁www . g ore - tex . com ▁P ione ering ▁Seattle ▁Area ▁Comp an ies : ▁Early ▁Winter s ▁Sah al ie ▁Picture ▁of ▁Early ▁Winter s ▁sp ire ▁in ▁the ▁North ▁C asc ades ▁of ▁Washington ▁The ▁Most ▁In flu ential ▁G ear ▁of ▁All ▁Time , ▁Out side ▁Magazine , ▁May ▁ 2 0 1 2 ▁ ▁Category : C amp ing ▁equipment ▁manufact ur ers ▁Category : Comp an ies ▁based ▁in ▁Seattle ▁Category : S port ing