After 22 years of working with the best brands in the outdoor gear and apparel space, Backcountry has finally made its own clothing line. Designed closely with their in-house experts (known aptly as Gearheads) who have been testing the best outdoor apparel for decades, this seems long overdue.
The line soft-launched with casual outdoor staples like flannels ($80+), fleeces ($130+), everyday stretch pants ($80), sweaters ($80), and base layers ($100). The pieces hit the now-required dual notes of being well built for outdoor fun, while maintaining style and comfort for the city. The full fall and winter line is expected be available at the end of October.
In addition to their own more casual offering, they’re also launching a Touring Collection, for (you guessed it) backcountry skiiing and snowboarding. These pieces are designed with the aforementioned Gearheads’ insights and the Backcountry community’s feedback. They’ll be produced in collaboration with the likes of Flylow, Black Diamond, DPS, and Smartwool (interestingly enough, a reader favorite everyday sock). The idea is that these individual parts will make a cohesive backcountry kit, while working just as well on their own. This too should be available by the end of the month.
Although I was expecting to see lower prices on the Backcountry line (you tend to get that with in-house retail brands) the hope is that their gear will reflect two decades of learning the nuances of what makes a product succeed or fail, with all the right tweaks that everyday gearheads will appreciate.