A brand that you can demonstrate your love of the outdoors by owning.

MOUNTAIN HARDWEAR was established in California, U.S.A. in 1993. MOUNTAIN HARDWEAR may be a relatively young brand in the outdoor industry. However, its gear, born from a spirit of challenge to materialize new ideas and develop new technologies, offers high performance. In addition to that, it has excellent design, and it did not take long for the brand to gain the support of many athletes.

Mountain Hardwear is an American brand, so it has a hard-core image," he said. Scandinavian brands have an image of sophistication, but Mountain Hardwear has more of a masculine feel."

Daisuke Ueda, president of DOVE WORKS, which handles PR for a variety of brands, from apparel to miscellaneous goods, says, "I am a person who loves camping and fishing, and has tried out a lot of gear in the field. He loves camping and fishing, and has tried many kinds of gear in the field.

I use their tents and sleeping bags, and their gear is very good. They are not a camping brand, but are made for mountain activities, so they do not compromise on specifications. I feel very secure.

The gear is designed to support hard activities such as mountaineering, trail running, skiing, etc., and has specifications that can be trusted even in the harsh conditions of the mountains.

To be honest, you don't see many Mountain Hardwear items at campgrounds. But when I see someone carrying one, I say, 'Whoa! I'm like, 'Wow! I think, 'This guy must really like the outdoors,' because it's a real piece of gear.

Easy to move, water-resistant down jacket.

This is a down jacket made of stretch fabric newly created by "Mountain Hardwear". This jacket ensures ease of movement and allows you to concentrate on your activities without feeling stressed.

. It's very comfortable. It's perfect for biking to work, and I can work in it while wearing it when building a tent for camping. I never used to look for stretchy material in down jackets, but it is very convenient (laughs). It's easy to move around in, and it keeps you warm, so you can use it as an outer layer, or if you're a little short, you can throw a light coat or shell over it.

Incidentally, the fill power of this down is 800; it is generally said that if this number is 700 or higher, it can be called high-quality down, but this item far exceeds that standard.

." "That means it's perfect when it comes to thermal protection. . And the fact that it is made of water-repellent down is also attractive. Down is vulnerable to water, but with this, there is no need to worry about the loft (bulk of the down) decreasing even if it rains. I think this is a big advantage."

Generally, the bulkiness of down creates a layer of air, which is the source of its warmth retention, but when it gets wet, its bulkiness decreases and its warmth retention weakens. However, this item uses a water-repellent down called "Nikwax Hydrophobic Down," which makes it difficult to lose warmth.

. and the moderately close fit makes it easy to feel the warmth of the down. . The seamless design with no seams is also cool. It fits in with the urban scene. In my case, I can use it for work on weekdays and for camping on weekends.

When choosing gear, it's important to know if it makes you feel good.

Ueda's motto is to work hard from Monday through Friday and stay active on Saturdays and Sundays. He laughs, "My style is to work as hard as I can in order to have as much fun as I can. It is absolutely impossible for me to work without a break, so I make sure to switch between work and play.

. Every weekend, I try to schedule something in my schedule. I try to get home as early as possible on Friday nights so that I can have a good time on Saturday and Sunday. When I start the weekend in the best condition, I feel like, "Yay! (laughs). (Laughs). It is natural, but the quality of excitement is totally different from that of a weekend with a hangover.

Wearing a stretch down jacket from "Mountain Hardwear" on this day, Mr. Ueda visited the campground with his wife. They will meet up with their friends and start a 2-day, 1-night camping trip.

. "Camping is like going all the way out to do something tedious, with all the trouble of preparing equipment and meals. But the food you eat outside is simply delicious, and the time you spend breathing in the natural air is liberating and pleasant. It's good to reset your mind and body."

Mr. Ueda first became interested in camping when an older colleague took him camping. Many years have already passed since then, and he now has a lot of gear in his house.

. "In the case of camping, as far as clothing is concerned, there is not that much change from daily life. . The only things I pay attention to are outerwear and shoes. . I want something that can be used in all weather conditions, or something that can be used in various climates. In that sense, this down jacket is very attractive. Basically, it's cold in the mountains at night because the temperature drops and the weather is hard to predict.

. There is one more thing that Mr. Ueda considers important when selecting gear.

. It is important whether or not it makes me excited. No matter how good the specs are, if the design is tacky, it's meaningless. . In order to feel comfortable while camping, it is necessary to pay attention to style, isn't it? Whether it is clothing or tools, I want to use cool things. I think everyone has their own criteria, but I like the design of this down jacket. The blue and red colors are beautiful and look great against the natural scenery.

You can stay connected with people with whom you share a lifestyle.

Mr. Ueda drove from his home to the campground, unpacked a lot of stuff, set up tents and tarps, made space for a fire, and worked incessantly throughout the day. I was impressed by the way he said, "It's so much easier to move when you're stretched out.

. this down was developed for hard activities such as mountaineering, so there's no reason why it wouldn't work for the camping scene. It's still very dependable."

Even after the sun goes down and the temperature drops, Mr. Ueda stays warm and comfortable. One of the best parts of camping is the time spent talking with fellow campers as they reflect on the day ahead.

I think the charm of camping lies in communication. We work together while having casual conversations, and once we are done setting up, there is nothing to do but eat and talk with friends while lounging around. We exchange information about gear, daily life, and so on. And when we talk in a place like this, I feel like I can get closer to my friends because I can let my mind go.

Ueda continues, "I think I can stay close with people I can camp with, even if I become a grandfather myself.

. I think that being able to share a lifestyle together is proof that our vectors of feeling are pointing in the same direction. I think that people who can share the joy of living together can stay connected, and I would like to stay connected with them. I think camping is an activity that makes it easy to do that. You can easily spend a lot of time together from morning to night, so it is easy to get to know each other.

Perhaps the reason why the number of campers is increasing one after another nowadays can be attributed to the words of Mr. Ueda.

. the camping population is really growing these days. . I see a lot of people, especially families, doing it together. . And since the performance of clothing has improved, people are gathering at campgrounds even during the cold season. I think this down jacket from Mountain Hardwear will help with that. It's also easy to layer, so it would be nice to go camping in the winter with this on. . And when you come back to town, you can add it to your wardrobe as everyday wear. It's a great item that connects the mountains and the city.