Wearable Gear
Bike, climb, and hike
The Road Trip
I’ve always had a fascination with technical outwear. In my mind, it is the bridge between apparel and outdoor equipment. In the backcountry, your shell is the last line of defense against the elements. How it performs in a variety of weather conditions and physical activities is as important as any potentially life saving gear like a tent or sleeping bag. Adding to the design challenge, is the diversity of uses that a typical mountain lover finds to deploy their favorite wearable gear.
Like any outdoors person I’m rather fond of the classic road trip where the same week could include: a long backpack to a remote crag where you spend a few days climbing, followed by several days of mountain biking, perhaps a day of bouldering with friends, and (yes!) finishing the adventure with gobs of well earned beer at a local pub. Typically you bring a backpack filled with food and other necessities, but within its contents you’d find only one shell, one puffy, one pair of shorts, and one technical fleece. It’s the challenge of designing these core “one” items, or “wearable gear” (as I like to call these singular pieces) that I very much enjoy.
