Spring brings the return of the Noah Winged Foot logo. For us, it's a symbol of the true spirit of athletics and sportsmanship as applied to anything you love to do, anything that lets you live an active, engaged life.

We want to stress that winning at something holds no place in our hearts. Participation is what really matters. That's probably why we tend to favor individual sports. Running, skating, and surfing are at the top of our list because they require only that you go out and do them, however, and wherever you want.

Historically, the Winged Foot represents the magical sandals worn by the Greek messenger god Hermes (or Mercury, in Roman mythology). It's often associated with running, but its importance is not limited to that.

As a go-between for Olympians and mortals, Hermes was also a god of boundaries. He conveyed souls safely to the afterlife and often intervened on behalf of humanity, sometimes cleverly tricking angry gods. He had a reputation for eloquence as a result and was a patron for travelers and heralds--anyone who was actively going places and had a message they wanted to spread.