Vancouver woman finds perfect breathable, moisture-wicking wedding dress at MEC

VANCOUVER, B.C.—It was the moment every bride dreams of. There it was, nestled in between the bike pumps and the camping stoves.

"You just know. When you finally happen upon the right one, you just feel it," gushes Samantha Fortnoy, 34, who is busy preparing for her upcoming wedding in October.

The dress, which is called "The Basecamp", is part of the Helly Hansen Performance Series. It's a Lycra/Spandex blend, aquamarine in colour, and offers maximum breathability thanks to all-new moisture-wicking technology that keeps sweat away from the body. Perfect for an early morning hike or a sunset paddle, the dress packs up nicely into any backpack and is guaranteed not to wrinkle.

"Her breath kind of caught in her throat when she laid eyes on it, and then she teared up," observed MEC employee Barb Merrick, who was crouched nearby sorting an enormous pile of those weird lizard shoes with individual toes.

Fortnoy recalls that her months of searching for the perfect gown officially came screeching to a halt the moment she noticed the words "Not All Who Wander Are Lost" emblazoned across the chest with a small decal of some pine trees.

"It's just so true," Fortnoy shares, growing visibly emotional.

Fortnoy and her fiancé Toby, who are are avid hikers, kayakers, canoeists, camping enthusiasts and mountain bikers, will be tying the knot at the top of Grouse Mountain, forcing their guests to endure a brutal three-kilometre vertical climb in order to reach the ceremony. The couple estimates that they pop into MEC for some genre of outdoor gear upward of nine times in an average week.

After purchasing the garment for $39.99, Fortnoy's challenge is now to prevent Toby from catching a glimpse of the stunning dress before the big day.

"It shouldn't be a problem," Fortnoy laughs. "I squished it up and shoved it into an old Zellers bag and hid it in the back of the knife drawer. As any bride would do."

At press time, Toby, an ultramarathon runner, stand-up paddleboarder, and amateur backcountry chef, shared that he too found himself "one smart suit" at MEC just days after Fortnoy's successful mission: a three-piece wetsuit with huge block letters down the side of one leg that read "GIVE'R".

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