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To make gear you’ll love for longer we have to do things differently and constantly rethink what gear could be like. Reimagining how it could be made and how you might take care of it, after you’ve bought it.
Here are seven great examples of how we do this. They shine a light on the principles that guide our collective of designers and of course, they’re great bits of kit in their own right.
Simplification
- Definition Jacket
Nothing to add, nothing to take away. Start from scratch with one simple aim, make the best waterproof jacket out there.
Sustainability
- Kepler Merino
100% merino means comfort, warmth and above all, sustainability. Keeping things as nature intended.
Inside out thinking
- Rhythm Elite Bib Shorts
For real comfort, start from the inside and work out.
It’s the pad in these shorts that makes the difference.
Worlds apart comfort
- Gravitas Jacket
So light and so breathable, it’s difficult to imagine that it’s a hard-working waterproof.
Challenge everything
- Griffon Fleece
Just when you think fleece has become an out of date idea, this gridded fleece comes along and changes everything.
Made for movement
- Kraft Trousers & Werk Shorts
Space and stretch built-in, exactly where you need it.
Value
- Arro Jacket
Possibly the most useful jacket you’ll ever own. Some things on your kit list don’t need overthinking or overengineering.
Gear you’ll love for longer
“The Definition is arguably as good or better than some jackets costing twice as much. The cut is sleek and efficient and components are top-notch.”
Outdoors Magic’s review of our Definition Jacket, May 2018.
Definition
Nothing to add, nothing to take away, this jacket is a fortress. Inspired by the Lotus Cars design philosophy, we do not play by the rule book, we redefine it. We don’t stop until there is nothing more to add and nothing left to take away. The result is a beautifully simple, full specification mountaineering jacket that is arguably better than jackets costing twice the price.
£199
REPAIR STATION
Hole in your waterproof jacket? Bring it to one of our stores and we’ll try and repair it, whatever brand it is.
As nature intended. Our base layers are 100% pure merino, 100% recyclable & 100% sustainable. No nylon, nothing plastic.
You probably already know all about the benefits of merino wool. It’s soft, comfortable, anti odour and remarkably keeps you warm in the cold and cool on hotter days. And keeping it pure means that after a lifetime of love,
hopefully being darned a few times and even passed on, it will return to the ground. The moment you cut the fibre with nylon, it can’t be recycled. So unless the garment absolutely demands it, we keep it pure.
REPAIR STATION
Hole in your merino? Darn! Literally –we’re running our first wool darning repair class at our Hathersage store on 28th September 2019.
Our quest for happy bums.
It’s what’s on the inside that counts, particularly with padded shorts. If the chamois (the bit you sit on) isn’t the right mix of soft and supportive you’ll be in all sorts of discomfort.
We spent thousands of hours obsessing over design details and created ‘the most comfortable chamois I have ever ridden’,* with added SilvadurTM antimicrobial treatment to stay fresh for longer.
*According to our Sonder guru Neil.
DESIGNER’S NOTES:
Multi-density foam in the Rhythm chamois gives cushioning around the sit bones and doesn’t restrict your circulation. Wide wings contour to your shape, reducing chafing. Perforations in the chamois create airflow to combat moisture and bacteria build-up.
Gear you’ll love for longer – Gravitas Jacket
Gravitas vs. Apple
Weighs 165g
Available in apple green
Fully waterproof
Packs down to the size of an apple
Unpacks to fit a human, beautifully
Multiple ‘best in test’ winner awards will bring pleasure for years to come
Give a man an apple and he’ll eat for a day, give him a Gravitas and he’ll spend the rest of his life happily scrumping fast and light in all weathers.
UKClimbing.com and UKHillwalking.com ‘Best In Test’.
Worlds apart comfort.
A waterproof running jacket? A superlight walking jacket? An ultra-packable bike jacket? A just-in-case travel jacket? You decide why you need it, we’ll just make it as good as we possibly can.
Gravitas Jacket
How a gridded fleece can completely change your life.
BEFORE Flustered, frustrated and fed-up.
Lola may look every inch the seasoned mountain athlete now but it wasn’t always like that. Days out in her old fleece were trying. Heavy, hot and ill fitting, it was holding her back. Good for eating peanut butter sarnies on a damp day on Kinder, but not much else. Now she’s nailing 8a’s on bolts in the sunshine and feels a million bucks. Her garage is filled with gravel racing bikes and she listens to bands you’ve never heard of. Of course her journey to rock goddess wasn’t all down to ditching that baggy grey fleece and buying a Griffon from us. It was the first step though and it changed everything!
AFTER Fitted, free and feeling fabulous.
Men’s Nemo Women’s Fontainebleau
The clever gridded design on the inside traps warm air to insulate effectively on the coldest days. It reduces weight and pack size to make this a brilliant winter mid-layer.
A close fit also means it doesn’t bulk up under your shell jacket. Its soft touch inner also means you can wear it as a heavy base layer and, of course, it’s an outer layer on warmer days. We’ve challenged what a fleece can be, now it’s your turn.
£42
Griffon
Arro Classic windshirt, made for high intensity activity. £35
Worth twice its weight in gold.*
113 grams. 35 pounds. Crikey. If you’ve ever had the pleasure of pulling out an unassuming windproof jacket, that you almost didn’t bother to pack, from the bottom of your rucksack at the summit of a hill as an unexpectedly strong wind rips into your sweat-moistened skin, you’ll understand why this bit of kit is so important. If you haven’t, you need to try it.
A good windproof is a game changer. Ideal for biking and running, but also handy for hikers and climbers who need to cut out the windchill.
*That’s a metaphorical £7652.80 at today’s prices fyi.
Don’t even get us started on how light the sleeveless version is.
Same as the jacket but with no sleeves, obviously. £30
’Forecast is Misti’ at alpkit.com
Arro Vest
Made for movement.
Not that our other stuff isn’t, in fact we pride ourselves on building unrestricted movement into all our clothing, but it’s particularly noticeable in these beauties.
Fitted but stretchy, with a cunning diamond shaped gusset. They are never-want-to-takethem-off comfy, organic cotton, hard-wearing, good-time-seeking trousers and shorts.
Brick
Tarmac
Kraft (Men’s & Women’s)
A crafty diamond shaped gusset and natural stretch in the fabric make these organic cotton trousers adventure ready.
£49
Werk (Men’s)
Same fabric, same cut, made in shorts, for lads.
£39
Werk (Women’s)
Same built in movement, cut for lasses.
£39
Self confessed ‘fabric geek’ Ronnie tells us a bit about being Design Manager.
Last time we interviewed Ronnie was on Cross Fell in 2017 as part of an overnighter to Greg’s Hut bothy. She’s been busy since then.
How long have you worked for Alpkit now?
It’ll be four years in August.
I was working at another well known outdoor brand as a designer but wanted a fresh challenge, so when I saw the job advertised at Alpkit I jumped at the opportunity.
Alpkit doesn’t seem like your average outdoor brand – what’s it like to work there?
We definitely do things differently here. Being a smaller company full of enthusiasts means everyone is much more involved in different areas of the business than at a larger company, where everyone sticks to their small area of responsibility. You get a greater sense of ownership and pride in what we do. The office is freezing in winter and boiling in summer, but at least you can test clothing just sat at your desk!
What’s your job title?
I’m the Design Manager, with a specific focus on clothing design. I’m a fabric geek so I’ll get involved wherever fabric comes into play, whether that’s in packs, sleeping bags or tents.
How big is the AK design team?
Smaller than you’d think! Apart from Nick (founder and head product guy) and me, there’s Gabe who works on clothing, Rowan on equipment and Neil on Sonder Bikes. We collaborate with other designers with specific expertise if we don’t have it in-house.
How long is the design process?
Once we’ve decided on the product brief, it takes about a year to prototype, test and manufacture.
Some things are quicker, like UK made products, and some take a lot longer, like the Gravitas where it took four months just to develop the fabric. But compared to the rest of the industry, this is almost half the time it takes them to go from concept to launch. We spend the same time on development, but don’t have to make samples to show retailers and wait for them to order before we go into production. We can get gear into our customers’ hands faster.
Roughly, can you take us through the design process, from idea to being available in store?
The idea for a new product can come from a customer, or be sparked by innovation in materials or manufacturing techniques that mean we can make something our customers don’t even know they are missing. Either way, we always have a clear end purpose in mind. We start by searching for the right materials and best factory to make it, alongside building a specification with dimensions, fabrics and components all detailed. The chosen factory then make us a prototype to start testing. With clothing we spend a lot of time fitting to build in freedom of movement for the specific activity the product is going to be used for. After two or three rounds of prototypes we confirm the final spec, costing, decide on colour and place the order.
What’s the basis for all your work at Alpkit?
We want to make great gear that costs less and works harder, so that having decent kit isn’t a barrier to getting out and enjoying the outdoors. And building it to last –we want people that buy our gear to use and use it for years to come.
Ronnie never leaves the house without her Morphosis jacket, so it must be pretty handy.
Morphosis
Hybrid windshell with gridded fleece insulation, designed to adapt to your activity and effort levels.
£89
Fav’ combo of Nice Place + Good Thing?
I’m a climber through and through, so mountains are my happy place. It’s hard to beat the Alps for sheer variety of routes on rock, ice and snow.
What piece of gear don’t you leave the house without?
My Morphosis Jacket – it works as an insulated jacket in summer, or a super breathable but protective mid to outer layer in cooler conditions. I even managed to wear it as my outer layer for a day’s ice climbing when I forgot my waterproof!
Which product are you most proud of?
Either the Morphosis or Katabatic, both are examples of how the right fabric selection can extend the usable range of a garment way beyond your expectations. They have become old friends that accompany me on every trip to the mountains.
Anything exciting/top secret in the Alpkit pipeline?
