The DARK SIDE of the Outdoor Clothing Industry
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- čas přidán 21. 05. 2024
- The outdoor gear industry started as a purely functional thing and today price tags are higher than they’ve ever been, the hype is ridiculous, and it seems like the whole point of all this has been missed… to get us outside.
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For further reading, check out the sources for this video here:
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Script: Jordan Tucker
Editor: Matthew Veal
Project Manager: Lurana McClure Rodríguez
Host: Levi Hildebrand
Want to work with Future Proof? Suggestions? Hate mail? Get in touch with the project manager, Lu: contact@befutureproof.ca
this feels like a similar trend that cars are facing where the aesthetic of being outdoorsy is causing people to spend all this money even if they never use it to their full potential. like all these people with jeeps and huge trucks are not going to go off roading but they spent thousands on the gear for it, and like fast fashion much of the new gear on the market is not functional for what its marketed to do.
Think Tacoma pick-up trucks... YOU HIT IT ON THE HEAD!!!!
Fully agreed. I drive a Subaru because we’re a family of rock climbers and needed a roof rack for skis and our Thule. We have to off road to get to a lot of crags. I’m always amazed how many people own a Subaru or any SUV and never leave the city
SUV-s are so dumb. And I am 100% sure they are dangerous (getting hit by those means sure death etc)
Future Proof should make a video about this.
This sounds like a capitalistic country
Yeah, over a year ago I decided I wanted to go backpacking. I've now spent well over 500 hours researching gear and skills and I haven't spent a single night in the woods. I still barely understand how rain jackets work but I can tell you the expensive ones aren't worth it.
Hahahhaaa!!!!!!!
Sir, you just admitted you haven't spent a night in the woods... Why should anyone trust you to say expensive rain jackets aren't worth it.
@@andrewa9700sorry I didn’t realize it only rains in the woods???
@@andrewa9700 @MyLifeOutdoors just released a video showing how Gore-Tex is mostly just hype because while it is true that it can be waterproof OR breathable, it cannot be both at the same time. So in the rain, you might as well wear a cheap poncho or carry an umbrella, and both will keep you drier and will definitely be more breathable.
@@andrewa9700 Well, you're right; they can either believe me for no good reason, buy an expensive jacket that will keep them dry for a few hours and think they got their money's worth, buy a cheap jacket that will keep them dry for a few hours and they think they got their money's worth, or they do what I did and spend a stupid amount of time researching when they could just have just taken the risk of buying the wrong thing and at least they'd be outside.
I`m one of those guys who overthinks every purchase.
Not because I want to have the most fashionable thing ever, but because I was dirt poor for many years. Every purchase out of the ordanary had to be on point, do what I need it to do and has the best price to performance that I could get for a certain set price. A misbuy resulted in me maybe not beeing able to afford food. After years I still can't get rid of that feeling, so every purchase is super stressful for me.
One good rule of thumb is to ask you one thin "does any of my gear do what the new shiny thing does", if you can answer yes -> DON'T BUY ANYTHING.
This is a thing i experience as well. Now having more "disposable" income of my own, i tend to splurge on unpractical (fun) crap now, but when i want to buy a functional tool, i have to get the best thing for as cheap as possible, so ill put in the extra effort of being a critical consumer. I just feel thats the smart thing to do, honestly.
Welcome to the Old Fart Club, All your gear has to be tarnished, and tape together and better than any of the new shit in the stores.
I'm on the smaller end of plus size. It's getting easier to find gear, but I still spent more than I needed trying to find out what fits and what works.
After trying sun hoodies, pfg tops, multple pairs of pants and shorts, I finally dialed in my summer camping and hiking clothing.
Most expensive items were the pants and shorts. They come from a small startup. The quality and fit is amazing though.
Growing up, my outdoor wear was just a jean jacket. Oh how I miss those days.
I mean it is a jacket that you wear outside so 🤷🏻♂
Hiking in denim sounds like torture
@maillardsbearcat and yet, somehow, we coped 🤷♀️
You don't have to miss those days...I'm just gonna roll with waxed canvass when I finally get tired of riding my bike in a swimsuit on these cold, rainy days in the Pacific Northwest.
Nowadays we can cover almost double the mileage than was standard 20 years ago because of the advances in gear. People who actually do this stuff as a sport really appreciate all the advancement. Nothing is stopping you from not getting the top echelon of gear. Most of my stuff is mid range and I go out every weekend.
i’ve never experienced a social expectation to wear a specific brand of clothing while hiking.
Same! Most of the time people are out just enjoying nature or trying not die from the uphill climb. This video reeks of "I don't actually hike, I see hiking content creators on TikTok who over consume and assume everyone lives that way."
It's a question of a single individual experience vs massive data set
Results may vary
@@toneeviera8336 All I said was that I have never experienced it myself. Another datapoint.
It might also be related to the fact that i choose to avoid people that are that shallow and superficial
@@coloradohikertrash9958 Not sure where in you are hiking in Colorado, but I have definitely experienced this in CO
Same. People overthink all the time.
I am a person that camps yearly (not serious camping). I dont have any of his stuff. Military suplus has served me well.
I was raised in Norway. We were skiing or hiking all year around. I've been cross country skiing since I was 3 years old. Now I'm 65. My dad had a Fjallraven jacket he used all the time. When he passed away in 2020 I took over this jacket from 1972. It's as good as new functionally. Looks awesome and just works.
I bought a $400 Fjallravem jacket here in the US in 2022. It's already useless since stitching is failing and so is the main zipper. I'm pretty sure I will not hand that jacket off to my kids. They will have to buy their own Fjallraven, Patagonia etc stuff at ridiculously high prices. It's sad and annoying.
I'm sure you can get high quality stuff these days also, but it will not be fashionable in 5 years and you'll have to get something new.
I had one of the more expensive Decathlon jackets (around 80 euro for a fairly thin waterproof jacket) and that's only lasted a few years of occasional wear with the lining of the hood coming apart. It's pathetic. I thought Decathlon's more expensive stuff would be good quality, because you're not really paying for the brand.
Don't care about fashionable. Fashion works in cycles, what matters is if it's functional, and you like it.
Don't forget to renew the waterproofing with beeswax. They have their own official videos on how to do it.
The problem is that nothing is functional today anymore. You could spend an endless amount of money and still end up with cheap stuff from a factory on china. Companies just realised its more profitable to sell us crap
@@joepiekl I had a thin waterproof jacket from decathlon that was IIRC 40€
Lasted about 5 years of regular use, it still looks ok but it is no longer waterproof.
My general experience of the brand is that the entry level stuff (usually marked as "beginner" is stuff that will fall apart fairly quickly.
Stuff that is branded as intermediate and above tends to be pretty solid, but you can still get a lemon.
Their warranty has not let me down yet though, they will exchange/return stuff without arguing.
As a former 4 yr old I like to say that I hate outdoor clothing brands
brb going tantrum mode 👹
Wow! I too was once a 4yo what are the chances of that!
We really need more CZcamsrs to raise awareness on overconsumption (or just plain mindless consumption) because it's causing so many kinds of harm.
think for yourself and don't participate in this nonsense, my dad taught me that as a kid. he told me this story of when he was an accountant everyone went to lunch with the boss. the boss ordered 1st. every one there then ordered what the boss ordered. my dad ordered the hamburger. a year later my dad quit and started his own business because he hated working indoors and hated corporate culture.
If you want overconsumption from a fashion point of view, try Alyssa Beltempo
IDK where (or what content creator) i've heard this:
"If you are at the gym or on the trail in a bland non-branded T-shirt or hoodie, you are one of the ELITE moFOs that don't give A . You're there for the iron or the activity".
It is kind of wild that anything today's need to be a special experience or Instagramable event contribuating to your image. Some people should try to just do what they actually want to do instead.
I hiked a little 2 hour trail recently in my work pants and running shoes..EVERYONE i crossed paths with was dressed like they were going on a 10 month hike across multiple states.
Could we put this down to how little interactions we have during the day? Of course everyone will try and express themselves in any and every way possible when we have much less time to sit down and actually get to know eachother
I remember seeing a tweet or something where a guy in full gear with water pack and hiking sticks were on the same trail as a family with a kid in sandals carrying a barbie.
@@vgee3926 I used to laugh at those people too, but later I learned at least some of them are doing the super sensible thing of test running their gear before taking it on a massive hike.
You do not want to find out you have a problem after you are in the middle of a massive hike...
So true. You just want to enjoy nature. Isn't that the point? I thought the cities were the place where I would get judged for what I'm wearing. Not in the forest. Seems as if you don't have the 'right' tools, you don't have business being outside! Make it make sense!!!
I grew up going to thrift stores and second hands stores with my grandma and my mom (single parent). To this day we still go to those same stores and often find high quality outdoor clothing for an extremely affordable cost. Not the most consistent and guaranteed method by any stretch, but you can get lucky and find some gems.
I grew up about an hour away from yosemite and it was suprising how many of my school mates had not been. We were pretty poor and a family of 7 so 20 bucks plus gas for a fun outdoor trip for a family of 7 was a good deal for my parents. We went almost every weekend in the summer. PB&Js and just regular clothes. We didn't have anything fancy just vans jeans and whatever t shirt we had. Even when we went in the winter it was just put plastic bags over your feet extra socks and the put them in your shoes. Your shoes got soaked but your feet were dryish. I still love the outdoors and I always tell people comfortable shoes is all you really need to get out on a hike.
Bread bags make the best boot bags. I thought it was just my family that did this
Reminds me of the famous Soprano who said that all one needed to sing Wagner was a comfortable pair of shoes!
I would add sturdy shoes. Tourists in my country regularly go hiking in flip flops and then need to be saved with broken legs, etc.
I moved to Portland Oregon from Michigan and was SHOCKED to learn that not only was everyone, spending insane amounts of money to camp and walk in the woods, but they were f-ing PROUD at how COOL they were
People need to stop caring about what others think about them.
“How much do you have to do to satisfy people who don’t really care, anyway?” - Saul Leiter
True 😊
I wanted to express that I feel a little "fatigued" by the constantly negative angle this channel has taken. Every video is about a brand being exploitative, or a chemical being damaging, or a trend being pointless and also damaging. Of course mine is only one opinion, but perhaps I'm not the only one in the audience with some amount of climate anxiety and this doesn't quite help. I was hoping this channel would be informative on brands/materials/trends that are better choices for the planet, or at least less bad. The only one mentioned so far is Patagonia. I think at this point I know what _not_ to do, but sometimes it's really hard to find a good thing _to_ do. Like the old videos about klean kanteen, birkenstock, or even the tip of reinforcing shoes in a specific spot.. That's useful information! Getting "outraged" every week by the absurdity of the world feels less useful to me. I'm not gonna unsubscribe or anything, and will keep watching, but in case this resonates with other people, and importantly with the creative team, maybe you can consider doing more positive videos every now and then? (I know I'm simplyfing a lot with positive and negative.. I don't know, hopeful is a better word?) Or at least keep an eye on the overall ratio? It may very well just be me and how I'm experiencing the channel, but I wanted to share this in case someone else agrees... If not, cruise on and keep up the good work! Thanks!
At the end of the video he suggests that you just make due with whatever you have. Second hand works, thrift works, outlet stores work, just stop focusing on the brands.
I think the alternatives on Future Proof videos are there: they’re just not always glamorous. The solutions are often to buy less stuff, or like Levi suggested, borrow the gear you need or get something secondhand.
This is exactly what I think too. I'm considering unsubscribing.
Instead of attack brands for being 'fashionable' or highly priced, discuss topics like microplastics seeping into our bodies.. There are many topics to cover than just consumerism. The channel is just obsessed with consumerism.
The gear you owned back in the day doesn't matter as much as right now? His parents was dripping in expensive patagonia gear. I don't get his point.
Subplot you may have missed, capitalism isn’t good for the world
Not quite fatigued, but getting there. My favorite video was when Levi explained why Klean Kanteen was the best choice for water containers because of their manufacturing choices and environmental certification.
Maybe mix a few of those in. As mentioned, highlight the brands that are still trying to do the right thing.
As someone who works in the industry, the best gear is what fits you, what you can afford, and most importantly what you already have.
Its a bit sad when i outfit people for their first camping trip and theyre so nervous about what the minimum they need to camp, thinking its going to be a mountain. No my friend, a tent that can fit you, a comfortable sleeping bag that will fit most weather youll be in, and a sleeping pad because sleeping on the bare. ground sucks. Everything is extra.
as a kid, I wasn't from a poor family at all, my childhood was spent half within the house playing and half going outside, one of my favourite activities was going on a morning hike to the mountain with my dad, and what I can tell you if that going to that trail might be one of the experiences with the highest mix of "social classes", everyone poor and rich went to that mountain, people from the richest neighbourhoods to people from slums. Being in that outdoors environment had no elitism and probably was one of the most clasism free environments there was in my city where social discrimination based on apparent wealth is a plague.
This same development towards elitism of outdoors activities hasn't happened there due to different circumstances, but I now live in Europe, and well I am not outdoorsy anymore but can see that elitist part of the public who is competitive about fashion and tech surrounding their hobbies of going hiking, which to my eyes it defeats a big part of the appeal of experiencing that environment outside of regular city social norms, defeats the appeal of "together in nature".
I will forever be a forest goblin, I see so many people in top of the range outdoors clothes that it reminds me of the exercise/gym world where everyone is in specific outfits by specific brands that make you feel like you're out of place. I often go out into nature, and I dont have anything specific I just dress to make sure im warm enough and make sure I got something just in case it rains. The gearification of a thing is the same with bicycletouring/bikepacking you see so many youtube videos of people with their high end gravel bike and their streamlined bags to go on the bike and their racing gear just for a weekend of camping. Meanwhile a lot of people in the commuinity tells newcomers "you got a bike right? ok put your shit on the bike and just go out and have fun" which is refreshing to see. Same with basic camping, now people think they need an entire portable glamping set up just to outside for a weekend.
As someone working with selling outdoor gear and cloth. I can confirm that the request for plus sized outdoor clothing is significantly higher now, yet NO ONE are selling sizes bigger than an XL, maximum XXL. we've been fustrated for years at my work!! So if anyone has knowes of a outdoor brand with bigger size range I would love to know!
Columbia Sportswear has plus sized clothing
REI is really trying to make bigger clothes, their store brand usually goes up to 3xl. From my fat friends they can fit like a bag tho which is uh. Common among larger sizes in general unfortunately
Decathlon goes up to 3XL
Outdoor Research have a Plus size lineup
Berghaus does! and Maier for pants :))
I hike in the same Dickies pants, T-shirt, hoodie, and Merrell boots that I wear to the grocery store; I can't even begin to fathom buying special hiking clothes, lol.
I'm offended. How will people know I have a net worth above $300 without my Arc'teryx shell jacket?! 😮😮
As a rock climber, I do appreciate my well loved Osprey back pack that is the perfect size for my smaller torso. It’s 12 years old and I expect it will last another 12+ easily. I love my gear, but I actually use it. I’m also amazed how much Smartwool and running gear I find barely used at the thrift store!
A new Arc'teryx opened up on my street in Toronto a week ago, and there was a lineup spanning the whole block. For a second, I thought an athlete/famous person was there. But no - just a bunch of people lining up at 10AM on a Saturday morning to buy expensive outdoor gear.
Lots of beautiful mountains in toronto!😍🇮🇳
Always feel like Future Proof brings me back to reality when I fantasize about THINGS. I hate things, I like experiences and this really hits home that I don't need perfect gear to enjoy a walk in a forest preserve.
I think you really got the point: we mistake things for experiences
Hot take: outdoor brands make good names for metal bands.
"Dude, arcteryx is opening for The North Face in September!"
I liked Fjallraven before their third album.
I have an actryx, as a dad it really helps freeing my hands up when Im with kids out in the ... city streets ... And I must say their gortex rain-proof shell jackets are the most comfortable/breathable one i have ever tried. I wear them every rainy day on my school drop offs and straight to work afterwards. They are life-changing to me.
Actryx? Is that a Chinese knockoff brand?
@@Desertbiker617haha, apologies for my poor spelling
I have a channel that talks about outdoor gear almost exclusively. I’ve had similar thoughts and feelings and have wondered how I can continue to serve my audience, help them find the gear that will work for them at every price point without contributing to excessive consumerism.
I’ve also experienced the massive difference in views a gear video gets over a trip video. It used to really bother me, but one of my viewers helped me see it in a different light.
Trip videos, especially to beautiful exotic places, can be discouraging to people who will never get to see those places. Why do I want to see your expensive vacation photos? But gear can go anywhere. If you are only able to hike a few weekends a year close to home, you can still picture yourself there with the gear in the videos. (Assuming it’s within your budget). If you plan one big trip a year that will only last a few days but might have some unique terrain, conditions, or gear needs, you can essentially extend that trip for months through researching and shopping for the gear that will make that trip more enjoyable. It’s fantasizing about the one big trip long before it happens. Do you need that gear, maybe not but it’s not completely about that, it’s about the trip you are looking forward to.
Those perspectives have helped me feel better about the popularity of gear videos. But I’m still concerned about the consumerism.
I enjoy your content BTW. Thanks for making it.
I have learned so much from your gear review videos. I own a store in a small city, with a goal to contribute to the walkability of this city. It turns out that people who live active transportation lifestyles spend a lot of time outside in the weather, every single day; so outdoor lifestyle brands are very functional for us. The way you explain how outdoor gear works has helped me set my customers/community up for success. Every single day is an outdoor adventure for us, even if the forrest we are walking through is planted along the sidewalk. thank you
I've watched many of your videos, and especially liked the advice around budget gear and repair / low-cost modification/hacks (e.g. re-waterproofing your jacket, dealing with leaks or condensation in your tent). I like to watch review videos for products (all products, not just outdoorsy ones) I'm considering buying because sometimes the information on the website isn't enough to know if the product will suit my purpose. Sometimes the specific brands/models that are featured are not available in my country (or they're far too expensive), but your explanation of the reasons for choosing (e.g. the features/specifications), allow me to glean enough information to make an informed decision. Thank you
I remember when I moved from the country to a major city for university. I was so confused as to why everyone was decked out in full backpacking gear for a hike. When I grew up all you wore to hike was a cheap flannel, jeans, and whatever ratty sneakers you happened to have lying around.
Shout out to Columbia for being cheap………now i watch them become The North Face
This all strikes me as something similar to the Bob Ross Effect
The point of The Joy of Painting was to show novice artists a step by step way to create scenic art using wet on wet oil paint. Turned out 90-something percent just watched because they enjoyed watching Bob paint. That seems to be the same with most hobbies that have huge social media presence. Most of the people like watching other people hike or review hiking products but probably have no intention of ever doing it themselves and use the excuse of lacking designer gear as the reason
Most of the time, people with a desire to do something will find a way to do it
I go hiking regularly and I wear my high school PE shoes and some older clothes that I wouldn't mind if they get dirty.
As an European I just love decathlon. It's not the top quality stuff, but can hold without a shame in the middle of the pack. Just bought a nice 30l hiking backpack for 15$ and some running t-shirts for 5$ each. Great value with a really solid quality.
They have great budget stuff. Overall, it's a great place for clothes and basic gear if you're just getting started. I don't recommend buying: 1. Mountain bikes 2. Skateboards from there
Their quality has decreased over the years though. I got travel bags from them that are about 15 year old, and their current equivalent would not survive a couple of years.
The existence of expensive stuff doesn't you have to buy it, and it doesn't create some imaginary barrier to going outdoors. There's a real problem of gentrification of the outdoors, but clothing isn't part of it. I grew up hiking in grubby sneakers, T-shirt and jeans, and those things still exist today.
Furthermore, our wild places are badly overcrowded, so encouraging more people to go visit them isn't a great idea until we first take the necessary step of protecting and restoring degraded land. This is the only way to increase the accessibility of outdoor recreation without simultaneously destroying the wild places we seek to experience.
Yes! It’s not as simple as saying, “clothing is making it harder for people to go outdoors.”
it's literally only a problem if you create it for yourself. 99.999% of people I met on the trail or the slopes is very friendly and willing to spend at least a few moments to have a brief conversation with you regardless of what kind of gear you got.
This is a completely manufactured drama
Invest in a good pair of merino wool socks. I've never regretted dropping the money on a good pair of socks and it was a total game changer for hiking, let me hike longer and further without soggy socks and blisters. Best pieces of gear I own and I they are usually under $20 USD
I've replaced all my normal socks with darn tough socks. Should never have to buy socks again with their warranty.
I have discovered this after many years:
1) it makes sense to buy high quality (expensive) gear if you know you will wear it a lot. I have a few pieces from Patagonia that I wear all the time and the things just last. But so do some of my things from Decathlon.
2) keep what you have. It’s hard sometimes to resist the pressure to gear up in all new fancy shit but if you have older gear that works, keep it. I have hiking pants from Decathlon that are 8 years old and are only now showing some small holes in the fabric. They cost like 50 euros back then. A darn good deal.
3) buy used. Most of my Patagonia stuff is second hand - including a down jacket that I wear all the time, casual shorts that I wear all summer and a running cap. The stuff lasts, you don’t need the most recent season gear to go for a run :)
I miss lightweight windbreakers and athletic wear without corporate logos!
Still rocking my 20 year old Columbia jacket. 0 wrong with it. Wrote to Columbia to thank them for making such great affordable durable winter jackets. I mentioned that I lost the fleece liner on one of them and they sent me a brand new jacket for free to thank me for being a customer for so long. I won't wear anything else!
I bought a good Patagonia rain jacket in 1996/7 for hiking. Still going strong. I do need to replace the waterproofing strips, but I've found a few places that sell it online. But aside from getting a damp neck, it still looks new. I got good hiking socks at the same time. I don't really hike any more, but I still wear them in winter like slippers or outside if its very cold. Still wear the rain coat when its very wet (living in Ireland, it gets a good amount of use!) Still going strong over 25 years later. I'm rough on shoes, regularly needing to repair my shoes, so I don't think its the user, I think its original quality. I can't think about why I'd buy replacements when the originals I have are still perfect. I went in to the Patagonia store to get a bag last year (my previous one had completely died and I expect this one to see my days out). They were very impressed with my 25-30 year old "vintage" jacket!
My favorite clothing was the brand called "The south butt" they got sued out of business by north face, I wanted to buy their clothing out of spite.
Not only are the price tags for outdoor clothing higher, but running shoes have also become increasingly expensive nowadays. The production cost of these running shoes is around $10 to $20 at shoe factories, while famous brands sell them for over $200. Most shoe companies have moved their factories from China to Vietnam, which has much lower labor costs and effectively reduces production costs. However, prices continue to rise every year. For example, the Hoka Skyward X is currently selling for US$225, and the Asics Superblast is priced at US$220.
And are they even as good as hiking shoes from 100 years ago? I feel like i could spend unlimited money and still not get a good quality shoe nowaday because its all crap from china, or rather vietnam now
@@rbkeyz2328 I'd definitely take modern mountaineering boots over the hobnail boots of a hundred years ago for my winter hiking and climbing. I agree that all the Nike/Adidas trainers I have owned recently have been cheaply made and fall apart after a year of use, but my approach shoes (tx4) and hiking boots (Aequilibrium) both La Sportiva have survived a tremendous amount of abuse.
That’s not true for shoes. High end running shoes have always been expensive. My first pair of Air Max were 30 years ago and cost $80 is about $250 today. You only realize high end shoes are expensive now because you’re paying attention to it now.
And production cost doesn’t account for R&D, marketing and endorsements. There are absolutely shoes that do not have high R&D, marketing or endorsements driving the price up, and you can find them for $50. But the quality and performance won’t be the same
I am conflicted on this video.
I 100% agree that the over gearification is a bad trend but a major point I think this video misses is some of the innovation it had created. I don’t buy heavily branded clothes which is the issue here but there are come smaller cottage companies now that offer incredibly quality.
I travel full time and live out of a backpack so I have definitely benefited from this. The 4 T-Shirts I do own are incredibly and is something that would not have existed 20 years ago. This channel is literally called “Future Proof” and what I have gotten out of this trend are things that will last me a a very, very long time
I wear my wool hiking socks indoors because they’re super warm and comfy. I wear my fleece layer in the office because the air con makes me cold. I wear my merino hiking tops when a lot because they’re soft and good regulating temperature. I wear my Rab coat constantly because I live in England and it’s always raining. They’re functional, designed for comfort and I appreciate that….. outdoor clothes have become my everyday essentials.
As someone who has been backpacking for over a decade the gear these companies make is usually highly specialized and you really don’t need it for normal day to day activities. Ex you could get a $250 rain suit from rei that will keep you dry for 8 hours in torrential rain but there are few reasons for you to be outside in torrential rain in your daily life
I didn’t find the video relatable because as someone who spends a majority of their time outside on weekends, I do need reliable clothing to keep me warm and dry. Also, yes, I will ONLY buy expensive branded stuff when my life depends on it (like ropes, carabiners, walkie talkie etc). There are always cheaper options available but the lifetime warranty on products is worth the extra money to me especially when you buy them used on marketplace.
So yes,
Similar situation. I’m outdoors most weekends generally thrashing my gear (off track scrub, rock, etc) and have learnt over time that yeah, quality and performance actually do matter. It is disheartening though to see once quality brands like Arcteryx bending to the wannabe rapper brigade than just concentrating on producing high quality, good performing gear for actual backcountry use. I doubt I’ll replace my Beta AR with another one when it finally dies (almost there after 5 years). On the plus side there are so many awesome local cottage makers about these days solving problems that the big companies don’t or won’t. Alas not in the waterproof jacket/pant space, but for UL tents, packs, base layers etc, I find myself pointing more of my funds towards them.
I do like Patagonia. I buy it 2nd hand on E-Bay. I hike part of the AT every year and other camping trips so I use it. I do also wear the polo shirts to work though.
Same thing happened with Mountain Equipment Co-Op, now known as Mountain Equipment Company... And it isn't passionate people working there anymore, it's... People who will gladly shovel whatever they can towards you, instead of what you actually need.
As a co-op member holding tight to my 5-digit membership number, I too miss the good ol' days of MEC. 😢
I tend to go with cheaper stuff wherever I can afford it, but considering that I walk everywhere and winter drops down to -50 now and again, winter wear isn't a category I skimp on.
This really sucks. I had always gone to outdoors brands for higher quality because they were supposed to be functional. Now it's become "fashionable" it's just as low quality as the next brand name 😢
I grew up in the 80's in the country, and "gear" would have meant wearing a warmer jacket and good shoes
I bought a Filson coat, and do not plan to buy another coat in my life.
Minnesota winters are no joke.
I travel full time in a RV to National and State Parks. You are so right! I'm an old fat guy and it cracks me up to see to see these "influencers" all dressed up in $1,000 of dollars of gear and I'm in my walmart T shirt doing the same things they are. Also, why don't I hardly ever see black people?! I guess they don't camp?
My first Columbia jacket was bought when I was 16 and at that time (2001), It was the thing to have and apparently I also felt the need to "need". We'll that jacket was worn religiously for almost 9 years before my husband claimed it for himself and wore it for another 11 years.
My most recent Columbia winter coat lasted 3 seasons before it fell apart...
Save money, buy your gear second hand. Or get last year's items when they hit clearance if you *need* new. YMMV
i used to work in a small retail store that is selling premium brands ,like Scarpa, Patagonia, Mammoth and so on. The vast majority of people who are customers there probably have never been on a hike in their life (the city is right next to the mountain). They would also buy like 10 patagonia hats and simply collect items. You just need a good pair of shoes and a comfy backpack. Everything else is paying premium for not much.
Depending on what your doing or where you are going wearing fabrics like cotton or not know how to properly layer clothing can literally be a death sentence.
Not saying you need expensive name brand stuff but you do need specific things in order to enjoy the outdoors without putting yourself at risk
The editing in this is just so hilarious I love it
As someone from Australia whos trying to figure out what I actually need for my winter holiday in Iceland, I feel this so much. There is to many options and opinions and everything is expensive, I’m desperately trying to find out what I actually need, I’m not going to wear most of it at home, our winter is less cold than their summer
Back in my old very-active days I bought some workout shorts at Wal-Mart that were a size 4, and then I saw some shorts at REI I like and was shocked to find out I was an REI size 12. It was the largest size they had in stock at the time - so you're not wrong when you said that "...if you're not the right size, there literally isn't a jacket for you."
REI goes up to a 3X (size 26) nowadays btw
Yes. And although they go to size 3x now they’re still a bazillion dollars and I feel extremely judged. Excess has always bothered me. I am one of those people Levi describes as needing to be outside and I just wish the common focus was on actually “doing” going outside.
There's no chance the person buying a $1,000 Arc'teryx jacket is doing it because they think they need to, they just want it much like consumerism in other areas.
Can I just say, I invested in these kind of clothes because my first year as a uni student I remember being soaked and cold head to toe waiting for the bus in Vancouver in wet snow... I decided I'd better get some good rain, wind, "slush" gear just for transit. After ten years, my $100 North Face rain jacket finally started to crap out and let water through it.
We were poor, all my clothes were from Zellers, and I lived next door to my high school so I didn't think of these things before that.
I was a boy scout, I spent my youth camping in the rain, hiking mountains, building snow shelters, etc. My scoutmaster's phrase was "cotton kills", meaning don't wear cotton clothing while doing this stuff, wear layers of wool, polyester, etc. I had mostly generic non-cotton clothing and some walmart winter jacket and I got by just fine on my eagle scout journey. I have some name brand stuff now (ie. Columbia winter jacket), but I maintain the function/price over form mentality with clothing and gear. I hiked angels landing last year wearing a thermal shirt under an old polyester hoodie
I walk a mile to work, four days a week. I often take short hikes on the weekend, wearing the exact same clothes. Anyone can pack a $5 rain poncho and a lunch in any kind of bag they already own and go for a hike. It's easy. But the thing that really surprises me here is the class divide or urban/rural divide behind this topic being a "Thing". Because anyone can buy perfectly usable gear for hiking, camping, etc. at Walmart. It's a big chunk of what the store sells. Lower income people do a lot of fishing. it's cheap recreation, and if the water Is clean you get free food. Many families camp because it's cheaper than motels. Everyone who doesn't live in a city or suburb knows this. Now personally, I'm a left-leaning urbanite. But sometimes my own demographic group seems frighteningly clueless. And I think that's somehow part of the problems we're having these days. So anyway, totally agree that expensive gear is often silly. But who is thinking the expensive gear is necessary? And how can we get them out of that bubble and back into the larger world?
We're so vain. 20 years ago, I tended towards technical gear, not because they were trendy, but because they performed better than similarly priced fashion apparel. Nowadays, both high fashion and technical gear costs the same. Ugh.
"not even their garbage, like literal crap" cracked me up so bad 🤣
This phenomenon has taken over a lot of different hobbies. In photography, it's not about getting out and getting the shot. It's about the camera you're using. Or if you're into running, it's the shoes you're wearing. If you're a gamer, it's not getting that high score. It's the overpriced chair you're sitting on or the headphones you're using to talk smack to others from across the country. It's not even always a hard gearhead flex, either. Sometimes even when somebody is making an honest effort to showcase the outdoors in their content, they just can't help but name drop their newest gear.
Canadian here who grew up in england and hungary.
Both european countries are big on outdoors and as a kid i walked all over these - in simple clothing. Both have a lot if history, there is a lot to discover there.
In 2005 we moved back to canada and it was more than shocking to discover - that the country with the biggest outdoors, is almost out of reach for 95% of the population.
The gear is one thing but then there is the lack if public transport, and the lack of affordable outdoor housing.
Shame.
The lack tall sizes in shirts is the bane of my shopping trip
As a plus-sized woman, I agree 100% the outdoor industry does not make clothing for plus-sized people. From bike shorts to a windbreaker to durable pants, I struggle to find anything that fits. I frequently buy men's sizes and make do with the floppy areas of excess fabric. Why has no-one figured this out?
In all seriousness, buying 2nd hand is really practical. My car is not ‘new’, that would have been almost triple the cost. A lot of really high quality is on Craigslist, eBay, FB marketplace, and the REI outlet.
Interesting watch as always 👊🏿, keep up the great work
In many European countries there's this French outdoors store chain. They mostly sell their own brands (like those German supermarkets but for sports gear). I've noticed they are launching higher price models but overall their gear is very accessible (e.g. less than 20 euros for hiking/trekking boots). For me it really helped getting cheap clothing and gear for outdoor activities for the last 20 years, although I can't shake the feeling recently that this is just like fast fashion before the concept even existed: cheap prices from cheap labor from the other side of the World.
Many experienced outdoors people have a mix of specialty brands (sleeping bags are one of the few things for which the overused trope of "You get what you pay for!" applies), thrift store finds, military surplus, budget, and mid-range gear. They are tools in the kit, and particular tools work better for specific jobs. The most expensive is rarely the best tool, and sometimes the cheapest gear doesn't work, either.
While I agree that few people need an Arcteryx jacket (I indeed don't, and $20 Frog Toggs work for many people), I sure as heck want to know my sleeping bag's temperature rating when I am sleeping during a crisp October evening in the Rockies on a backpacking trip. A -7C bag means a warm and pleasant night paired with my practical and inexpensive discount store thermal layers.
The $20 US bag I purchased for car camping would make me miserable, but it is perfect for a spring evening in the Utah desert in our discount store tent.
I took a hike in a moschino blazer yesterday
As a tall person with a long torso, it really sucks that maybe 2% of all clothing lines stock 4X or 3XT sized tops and jackets. It took forever for me to find a decent raincoat that wasn't egregiously expensive.
I grew up in the countryside, and since my family owns some forest, we'd often go walking there to keep an eye on things, more or less. In Finland it'a a rule that you can freely walk in someone else's forest, too, and pick berries and such, but you can't make a fire or cut down trees without the landowner's permission, so owning land isn't required for rambling in the woods. However, it was why we ended up doing it semi-regularly.
We'd go somewhere, dad would make a campfire, he and mom would grill some sausages and brew tea, and me and my brother would wander about, climb trees and rocks, and then come back to the fire when it got dark. My dad had an old backpack he always brought our food and such in, it was from some army surplus sale like forty years ago. As long as we had rubber boots to keep our feet dry, woolen socks for warmth, and sufficient clothing to keep warm in whatever season it happened to be, we were good to go.
If you live in an affluent area, particularly an affluent outdoor area, you don't need to buy retail. Go to any thrift shop or garage sale and you'll find Patagonia, Arc'Teryx, North Face etc. by the arm full. I've gone to garage sales and thrift stores all over Colorado, California, Idaho, and Nevada and found a literal metric ton of hardly worn outdoor clothes.
Outdoor clothing development had made outdoors much more accessible in certain aspects. For example 20 years ago in my country winter hiking was kind of activity for maniacs, huts were empty. Nowadays many people are able to enjoy it without that much suffer.
This was a thing back in the 90s when I was in school. It was really important to have a Helly Hansen, Berghaus, or similarly expensive outdoor jacket. Something that was presumably expensive for good reason became a status symbol just because it was expensive. This was well before social media or any particular marketing of the brands. It was literally as simple as expensive = good.
My boyfriend is definitely guilty of being a gearhead, and having an REI membership doesn't help. He told me today he has probably 10 tents, and doesn't use about half.
The orange Cassidy clip over "people are becoming more lazy" 😂 appreciated that
As a heavy backpacker and mountaineer. The verity of choice exists because of the verity of outdoor spots and environments people do these days. My backpacking setup is perfect for me because I was able to find the exact perfect piece of gear for each category. This gets me outside more often because I’m prepared and comfortable. If people used the verity of choice as a way to find the perfect ONE or a couple setups for them rather than get a million different setups because the new lightest thing came out, I think it’s a good thing. There are just too many different environments on the planet for the same tent for example to work for everyone.
Here's my top tips if you want to go outside. 1. Just go, initially you'll only go for shorter walks in nice weather anyway so gear doesn't really matter. 2. The invisible stuff is the most important, bad socks is far worse then a bad jacket. 3. Buy work gear instead of outdoor gear. People who are professionally outside all day won't accept crap and it's generally cheaper as well.
Edit:wait, wrong year
2 years ago me and my parents were hiking often, and initially I was just using a regular shirt and such. Later my dad started buying some quick dry shirts, then bought a bunch of shirts from a local outdoor gear brand, and sadly only a few of them are 100% cotton (which I find the most comfortable) and I don't have anything that's linen which I heard is a also a good alternative.
Now, I've been looking into sewing my own clothes cause I also need some handycrafts to keep my hands occupied as that seems like a doable one even in a cramped dorm.
I still use a 50+ year old Fjällräven coat my grandfather had. My mom used it for years in between aswell. That's what I call a sustainable jacket.
I fully agree in the 'make do with what you have' ethos. However, once you start spending a lot of time in the wilderness, in all kinds of weather conditions, perhaps in remote locations with no phone connection or quick exit ... having the right gear that will make your adventure both comfortable and safe really can matter. Yes, most people will never spend enough time outdoors to get to that point. But for those of us who do (and you wouldn't guess that I am that kind of person if you meet me in non-outdoorsy settings) then the very technical information and in depth reviews are actually necessary to help you identify which options would be your most comfortable and safe option depending on your needs, location, activities, etc. It reduces the chances of wasting a ton of money and having to buy even more junk untill you finally find the right option.
Great video, lots of great points! Great gear companies being bought up like Mystery Ranch for profit motives. Thank God for companies like Durston gear, still privately owned, gear driven with some ofordable inivative outdoor products!
ugh. I needed this in this exact moment.
I don´t buy the expensive stuff, because i feel like i´m not worthy of it. Why would i buy expensive running shoes if i can barely run a 5k without collapsing? Why would i buy hiking gear if i don´t go on any hard trails? Why would i wear Gymshark if i can´t even bench two plates?
I would feel ashamed if i was decked out head to toe in Arcteryx but would be out of breath on any steeper climb.
I also grew up with hiking, climbing and yearly camping trips. We didn’t have much money and we’re close or slightly below poverty line sometimes. Yet by investing only in the essentials like a good jacked that protects you from wind and rain as well as some proper hiking boots we were able to afford a camping trip to the alps (I’m from Germany) there were some popular outdoor brands like Jack Wolfskin and others I don’t remember the name. We invested in them because they were functional and good quality. And when my brother grew out of his jacket I got it handed down. That way we only bought new stuff when there was nothing to be handed down from someone else. While the globally popular brands, who lean into (fast) fashion, swept the marked in Germany as well, I think there are still brands which focus on the functionality and purpose of the clothes. Regarding climbing, we usually had options to rent the gear we needed. While I don’t go hiking as much anymore I’d still think everyone is welcome in the alps or similar regions even when on a low cost budget.
Outdoor brands branching into more casual/live style fashion (what ever it’s called) is obviously driven by capitalism. Someone who is genuinely interested in hiking or other activities should not get distracted by that and look for the functional lines/ brands that are out there.
hiking* not hicking
@@muttsmuttt whoops.. corrected it
I have definitely felt like I am underprepared when hiking in regular clothing with a pair of sneakers. Good reminder its just marketing in most cases
depends on where you hike really. If you are scrambling across rocks and boulder fields then yes, you will probably have a bad time. If you're going a short hike on a well maintained trail then probably not. While I do feel a lot of people take it too far it is possible to be under prepared
I love that you said "Sold to people that have no intention of going outside" and you show an image of a black model. This is literally why we don't feel welcome! We do go outside, we do like the outdoors, we are often stared at for simply trying to do that.
On the subject of "being outside in nature is healing for humans, scientifically" - two and a half years ago I was working for a major conservation non-profit and attended a seminar whose central thesis was basically "how do we make children care about and personally connect to the environment, especially underprivileged children who essentially live in a big blob of concrete and maybe have never seen a forest or farm in the flesh".
Some PHD students presented their preliminary findings (unpublished at the time, not sure of status now) about how there is a literal, physical, microbiological component to human health + time in nature. There are microorganisms in the soil in vegetated areas that feed and repair the beneficial bacteria on our skin, in our nasal passages and so on. They were beginning a secondary phase of study to see if there were things like immune system implications, but we're a loooong way off from anything conclusive there.
I've seen some sneerring at the idea of people in cities wearing outdoor brands, and I'd like to push back on that.
I live in the city, and live a city lifestyle. I walk to work and walk for functional errands every day, and that walk is time that I spend outside, every single day, even when it's raining or snowing or incredibly hot and sunny. That's pretty common for people who live in cities, they go outside and use active transportation as a matter of basic function, not just as a hobby on the weekends.
I started switching my clothing/EDC gear over to outdoor lifestyle brands a couple years ago, and it's soo much better. So, I'm really glad that this stuff is fashionable.
So here’s something I’ve realised about my purchasing habits- I do tons of research before buying anything! So if I’m spending hours looking at jackets, I know when I buy it, it’ll be used for years and years. Similarly I just use old clothes for working out rather than buying specific clothes for it. Majority of my wardrobe is full of clothes that are 5-10 years old, some older, some newer. Running shoes and underwear are two things I definitely run through often. But otherwise, just a small bit of care exponentially increased the number of wears per item (for me).
The only time gear really matters is in the winter because it’s your safety.
Microspikes, snowshoes etc. (and it’s the law sometimes)
Other than that, let it rip, just bring enough water and LEAVE NO TRACE.
Being very short and petite gear videos can be helpful to be able to actually see it on someone and being used before investing money in something. I can remember the difference between the first time I went out with borrowed gear and now that my stuff actually fits my size and makes me want to go out more. So much stuff was based off of mens bodies in the past that it’s nice to see more things being geared to all different body types.
On 'What year is your jacket?' - my mom had a cargo skirt with a pocket very clearly designed to hold a flip phone. It was the silliest thing, later, because it was too deep and narrow for anything else you might want on a hike, except maybe a mini granola bar.
Holy crap this hit me hard. I think just the other day I was thinking about what gear I should buy to go glamping....
Interesting video but doesn't this whole topic boil down to "I loved the company when they were small, now they are too big and too corporate". The brands you mentioned were revolutionary back in the day when they were all less than 100 people, in 1 building, owned by climbers who wanted bragging rights in the scene for making the best gear. Brands like that still exist all the way from one person in a garage making backpacks, you just have to search them out. No one will have heard of the brand you are wearing but it will be that durable, cut and sewn stuff that you want, just no stores, no free shipping, no returns, no discounts and you'll have to seek it out.
this phenomenon has also meant that when i just need a simple rain jacket for my wet city's winters, it's very hard to find one that just is pratical and not some overpriced thing