Rui Ueda, the world's best trail runner, looks ahead to a new frontier as an athlete.

So, I decided to consult with my acquaintance Daisuke Kobayashi of Answer4 about the clothing, and we decided to work together to create something together.

Answer4" is known among avid trail runners as a competent garage brand. They are especially strong in the ultra category, such as 100-mile races, and have a lot of clothing and gear that can be used in 100-mile races.

In my case, my main races are vertical climbs of 1,000 meters in elevation and sky races of around 40 km in distance, so I planned the first lineup of "Ruy" products to be used only for racing.

It would be what is called OEM. But the nice thing about the trail run community is that it is a Small Circle of Friends. It is not businesslike, and Mr. Kobayashi was happy to get on board "for Rui's sake.

When you look at the existing Answer4 items, some of them are made of the same fabrics, but for frequently worn items such as sleeveless and T-shirts, we selected fabrics from scratch by touching many fabric samples.

The sleeveless garment was the one we were most particular about, but the fabric selection was difficult, and we are still in the process of remaking it (laughs). (Laughs) We wanted it to be light and soft, but not so thin that we were concerned about its strength. We also want it to be comfortable to wear and durable for outdoor use.

In fact, I am such a sleeveless person that even when I was a member of Columbia, I once cut the sleeves of a T-shirt myself to make it sleeveless (laughs). This is no good even with a tank top with narrow shoulders. It gives me an athletic look, or an athletic feel, and I feel uncomfortable with the way it looks when I carry my backpack.

Not only the choice of materials, but also the patterns and coloring are filled with Mr. Ueda's particular attention to detail.

We repeated the tests in the field and exchanged numerous requests for correction with Mr. Kobayashi. For example, I was concerned that the tops would sag too much under the neck when they absorbed sweat, so I asked him to adjust the balance. Also, the armpits were too open for my taste, so I made a lot of corrections there as well.

As with the sleeveless T-shirt, the final choice for the T-shirt was one size thinner than the regular fabric of . The shorts were also customized to my preferred fit, as I felt that the existing Answer4 shorts were too tight, probably due to muscle mass issues. The hem slit was also changed from the inside to the outside to facilitate leg movement.

As for the coloring, one thing I wanted to do was to create a stylish top and bottom set in navy, the navy look of F1's "Red Bull Racing" (laughs).

I also use "Inaho Gold" as my signature color. Gold is a winning color, and also because of a saying I learned from my former teacher, which has become my motto: "The more fruitful the rice is, the more it hangs down its head. It also has a connection to my family's rice farming in Omachi City, Nagano Prefecture.

One item that was not available in the "Answer4" line, but that Mr. Ueda "had to have" was a waist belt.

With this one, I can fit about all the essentials for a skyrunning race without having to carry a backpack. I have used waist belts from various manufacturers in the past, but when I put a 500 ml flask in it, it would inevitably shake. However, by consulting with Mr. Kobayashi on the depth of the compartment, I think the "Ruy" race belt is much less likely to shake.

We are satisfied with the first lineup, but it is still a work in progress as an original brand. With lace, too, I would like to aim higher through experience and brushing up. The process of selecting fabrics, testing them, and giving them shape was more interesting than I had expected. I may work with other manufacturers in the future.