Hiking clothes are the new in thing

[keepinitsimple]

It seems that technical clothes, or hiking apparel are the "in" thing. A friend noticed our local REI gear section getting smaller and more clothes for sale. I have also seen entire familes shopping there. I don't get it. The specialized clothes I buy to hike and backpack are kept seperate from my everyday clothes. I couldn't afford to wear my hiking clothes on an everyday basis. Not that I would'nt like to wear them every day.

I have noticed that EMS doesn't even carry Thorlos, and their book section is a joke. EMS seems like a place for college kids to buy fashions like North Face. North Face is now a world wide label like Coke, or McDonalds. I can't knock their clothes- never had enough $$ to buy them.

So this is where we are as a culture- not all who wear hiking clothes are hikers- kind of funny. Not all who drink from Nalgene bottles have hiked on the AT. And not all of the EMS/REI employees know how to lightweight backpack. I guess it should be true enough- not all who wear hip-hop clothes are from the 'hood either.

Just an observation. Fashion comes and goes.

[Tenderheart]

You finally got it. You don't have to be a hiker, runner, skier, or woodsman. You just have to look like you are. I find it very annoying that one cannot go into a Footlocker and buy a decent pair of running shoes. One can't find useful backpacking gear in an REI or EMS. They just don't carry it.

[TJ aka Teej]

All my clothes are hiking clothes. I had no idea I've been "in" for decades.

[Sarcasm the elf]

I agree that this trend has been going on for a while. I was lucky that when I got back into backpacking my local EMS had a good staff including several thru hikers, unfortunately I have since learned they this is the exception and not the rule for chain outfitters.The funny thing about it is that as my initial gear is starting to wear out I am replacing it with much cheaper alternatives, Costco synthetic shirts and thrift shop polyester works just as well as underarmour and Padagucci in my experience.

[Amanita]

What's annoying is that the "designer" clothes are driving out even the clothes that I would actually hike in. My local outfitters are swamped with $300 "down jackets" in which the shell weighs more than the fill. If I'm going to pay that much for a down item, I expect it to have a better warmth to weight ratio than synthetic fleece.

There are plenty of people who wear "hiker chic" in my classes that drive across campus to class (less than a mile) and look shocked when I suggest that they could WALK in those $200 hiking boots with that cozy warm $300 down jacket.

[quilteresq]

In November, I spent a day in Washington, DC. Since I was doing a turn-around trip - driving down to deliver my old car to my daughter and traveling by train on the way home, I had backpack to kick around Washington - nothing fancy - I took my Ray-way pack. Once I was on the subway, I noticed a very citified guy in a very nice North Face jacket staring at me. It was only after I got off the subway that I realized I had on a North Face polar fleece headband I had grabbed from the hat bin in our house. I then wondered if it was the new fashion trend in the city. Guess so.

[Blissful]

As long as people get the idea what they can be used for and go take a hike...no biggie to me.

[keepinitsimple]

Padagucchi, Hiker chic- good stuff. Hey I love REI, best store policies ever. I am just getting pushed out. Married, father of 3, underemployed. Most of my gear is pre nuptual, home made, or thrift store- and I am proud of that. Good thing I saw the Lynne Wheldon Video. I remember when I got a sarcastic compliment on my pack on the AT maybe 10 years ago. A proud moment- some ***** head with 50 lbs on his back smirking at me. Go ahead buddy. I will hike into old age God willing .Another thing- I see certain products being pushed by REI and Backpacker Mag- I wonder of they have an unstated relationship?

I am late with all of this stuff. Just shooting from the hip . I love hiking.

[Papa D]

You are right about this trend and there are reasons for it not mentioned - being around "outdoor retail" a bit, I can tell you that there is much more profit in what is termed "soft goods" - like a North Face fleece sweater than say a western mountaineering sleeping bag or some Black Diamond Sabretooth climbing crampons - (extremes here, for example) - you turn your stock and make more money and (in the case of REI) the sales staff doesn't have to be (umm, errr) expert. Now, this creates another problem for backpackers committed to quality clothing and gear -- manufacturers (like North Face - now owned by Vanity Fair) realize that 90% of their clients are not "users" but buy their crap to mall-walk - so, the quality goes down -- way down -- I remember not long ago actually speaking to a guy in the A-5 (climbing subsidiary to NF) on the factory floor - he actually customized something for me on the spot - doubt that would happen today. There are still some good brands - ArcTeryx, MontBell, Western Mountaineering, MSR, but I think and hope that the little cottage industry companies will start filling in the gaps too folks like Etowah Outfitters, Ray Jardine, Clark Jungle, etc. might start getting my business more.

[Slo-go'en]

But then, if these big "box" stores sold only true hiking gear, just to hikers, they wouldn't be around for long. Everyone needs clothes of some kind. A lot fewer need backpacks, sleeping bags, tents and what not.

[rocketsocks]

Just Today I purchased a 650 weight down jacket from EMS.This was a early birth day gift,and suits my needs perfectly,not to heavy not to much fill, I had 50 dollar gift certificate,and was able to take advantage of a large winter sale that has been running for a while now(but tweaked a little bit each week).A $119.00 jacket @ 50% off was $59.00 and I am happy.This jacket stuffs into it's own inside zippered pocket to also become a pillow(another luxury item I have to have) and a great use of dual purpose item the pillow is approx.9x12 but will scrunch much smaller and the pocket is not a tight fit for once,so no trying to stuff 10 pounds into a 5 pound bag.It weighs 1lb.4oz.But this isn't about that.is it?There products seem to run on the high price side but like all my shopping practices"Ya gotta shop the sales"there are some things I just won't and don't buy there.The original poster is correct in that traditional gear companies are moving into a market that sale to the every day person.Business 101 says move into an existing market for a possible 50% share,If you see a Mcdonalds chances are there is a Burger king across the street,it just makes good business since.We live in a global economy now and competition is fierce.Hey ,I also shop at the Red White and Blue store,recently saw a TNFace Shell Gore Tex For $49 dollars and would have bought it if it was my size,but XLs not even close nor was the price for a used jacket,but hey there price is there price, supply and demand.I don't give "One Tater Tot"what someone wears,I'm an individual and wear what I like ,I just happen to like loose fitting form fits function Zip-offs,with colors,sizes,and price in my range.My family thinks it's kooky looking to wear long johns with zip off pants in the shorts mode,sandals with sox and long sleeve polyester shirt in the summer and winter,but that's what I live in and have for years......I'm a Geek Hiker trash non sleepin in the park,drum playing,wannabe thru hiker,down in the dirt,trendy clothes wearin.......and I hike,vote,live,love my garb is my garb,and I DIG IT.Isn't America great?you decide.

[HeartFire]

And the women's clothing items are "fashionable" and certainly NOT "Functionable"

[jakedatc]

North Face and Patagucci have been popular for over 10 years. Mountain Hardware and Arc'Teryx are catching up in the past 5.

this is not a new thing.

you can get plenty of hiking gear at REI and EMS i'm not sure what you're missing but i'm curious what you can't find?

[topshelf]

I always get crap for wearing hiking clothes as I teach. Wearing straight hiking pants, boots, and collared shirts. I always wear them unless its a day when the school board is coming in.

[keepinitsimple]

I can get whatever I want at the stores mentioned. I am just commenting on who I am sharing the store with now, and who works there. Truth is I spend most of my time cutting base weight down and seeing how little I can go with. But, to give you an example of how these stores are changing. I wanted to go from the Esbit fueld cube holder to their emergency model, which I know the store had. The push of clothes has pushed all of the hard gear in to a corner and the selection is low. Fine though, I used two rocks with my fuel cube for tea today- works just fine.

I think it's funny how the fashion industry is now the outdoor clothing industry- never saw it comming- it's probably related to the Green movement- which is a good thing.

Rocket Socks- Thanks for the insiders view

[NotYet]

It does seem that women's "outdoor clothes" are designed to be cute, not to be worn on a backpacking trip. I've noticed over the years that the women's pockets are getting smaller and smaller...large enough for lipstick which I'm not taking, but not big enough for maps or guidebooks which I like to be able to access without taking off my pack! I've been wearing the men's pants for several years as a result, but lately, the men's pockets have begun to shrink, too!

[Papa D]

You know what bothers me more than the fashion is VANITY SIZING - I'm a 32" waist guy with a 31" inseam but if I buy a pair of jeans with that measurement, they will fall off me. The same thing is true with Patagonia stuff - which I love but it's soo "roomy" - it really sucks for actual movement - I like my stuff to fit - not tight: but a technical fit - and you can forget so called "relaxed fit" that means it will really fall off. I've gone to wearing a lot of Saucony running stuff to hike in - it still fits pretty good.

[Amanita]

You're right about that Papa D. With women's clothes it's much worse, because they're not even theoretically beholden to standard sizes. But if you give a size in INCHES, shouldn't that garment actually be the stated size?

Deep down, this is part of the beef I have with boy scouts. To buy a non refundable insanely expensive uniform, only to have it arrive 15 inches larger than the size given (size was given in inches). Stuck wearing a squirrel suit all summer. The BSA must make a killer profit on selling clothing that's the wrong size.

[rocketsocks]

My wife had the same experience with her leader uniform for cub scouts and girl.mine clothes are aways a little long too,I just deal with it.but then again,don't care not one tater tot.

[mirabela]

Look on the bright side -- while not everyone wearing that stuff is getting outside much, some are. I certainly see more people out on the trails in winter than I used to when my Dachstein mittens, Sherpa snowshoes, 60/40 anorak and woolen Canadian army pants were like some secret known only to God and me. They're selling a lot more gear and clothes, and a lot better gear and clothes, and some of it is actually getting used.