The 18 Best Outdoor Clothing Brands—From High Performance to High Fashion
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What matters more to you? Hiking deep into the wilderness and experiencing existential truths about the Earth, our place in it, and our duty as its stewards... or getting sick Gorpcore fits off for the 'gram? Either way, there is a place for you in the outdoor community, friend. the outdoor-obsessed Esquire team is here for you. We've done all the hiking. We've done all the rock climbing. We've done all the camping. We've pitched a million tents, just as many tarps, and we've brewed gallons of camp coffee. We've bought a lot of cool shit. We've bought a lot of dumb shit. And most importantly of all, we've spent weeks, months, years of our lives obsessing over what we're wearing on the trails, mountainsides, and water. We've gone waaayyy beyond regular old REI and Patagonia.
While those are still great options, we're deep in the mud here. We're hiking deep into the big wide world to get to our favorite honey holes. We're looking for gear to help us climb rock faces and shoes that'll last for thousands of miles. But, some of us... we're just using VPN's to buy Japan-exclusive clothing. We obsess over this stuff, so you can read a little story and obtain all our knowledge. These are the clothes we're tossing in our packs and shoes we're slipping on. This is what you should buy.
And Wander
Launched in 2011 by two Issey Miyake alums, And Wander has pretty quickly become the darling of fashion outdoors types, and it's because of the marriage of form and function. No matter how wild the concepts get—asymmetrical zippers, attachable pouches, etc.—they're always born out of real functional needs. It's all whimsical, but nothing is done for the sake of doing it. Also, the little poem tagline is better than any other brand manifesto:
to be rained upon
caught in wind
or simply trekking
the mountain is fun
And Wander
matchesfashion.com
$307.00
The North Face
Before terms like gorpcore and techwear existed, people just wore The North Face. No single brand can be credited for sending down puffers mass market, but The North Face comes as close as any. And to this day, that's what we like to get there—whether it's a classic Nuptse for the city or this Breithorn mid layer.
The North Face
$350.00
Smartwool
This is the purchase that probably most differentiates real outdoorspeople from people that like outdoor clothing. If you're doing any outdoor sport, your base layer is maybe your most important piece of clothing. It's should keep you warm and dry—trapping body heat while wicking sweat. For that, there's no better natural material than merino wool (often it's even better than synthetics). And for wool base layers, we're always going to go Smartwool.
Smartwool
amazon.com
$120.00
KUHL
If you're looking for super technical but not incredibly fashionable pants, you've got to go to KUHL. I'm a bit more on the fashion over form wave. But, my brother—a rock climber and fly fisherman and more Salt of The Earth outdoorsman—is always wearing a pair of KUHL pants, whether they're the rock pants, work pants, or hiking pants. For the price and durability, you can't beat them.
KUHL
rei.com
$69.93
Patagonia
There's no way I couldn't mention Patagonia. Not breaking any news here, but the brand has a pretty good hold on the American Outdoors look in 2024. Even if you don't want to go full head-to-toe and look like a software developer in the Bay Area, there are jackets, tees, and, of course, Baggies that you deserve space in your closet.
Patagonia
patagonia.com
$38.99
Columbia
If head-to-toe Patagonia makes you look like a Silicon Valley bro, head-to-toe Columbia makes you look like a Southern dad fishing off the Florida panhandle. Still! For affordable outdoor clothing, no one can really beat the brand. Look for performance shirts, hiking pants, hiking shorts, and a bunch of dirt-cheap favorites.
Columbia
amazon.com
$55.00
Arc'teryx
Like Salomon shoes, Arc'teryx shells are inescapable. Though there's a longer, cooler history of people wearing them, they've fallen into the same category of meme-wear. That shouldn't be the case, though! Arc'teryx makes the best rain gear on the planet. If you need anything water-resistant, go to Arc'teryx.
Arc'teryx
arcteryx.com
$600.00
Danner
Full leather construction has fallen out of fashion in hiking boots, but if you're a "buy less, buy better" type, nothing is going to last you as long. Buy one pair of Danner Gore-Tex boots, and you'll never have to buy another—only replace the Vibram soles when the time comes.
Danner
amazon.com
$439.95
Salomon
Go to an artisanal coffee shop in any major city, and you'll see a million pairs of XT-6's. Fashion's favorite sneaker has stayed relevant a lot longer than anyone expected. But dig a bit deeper into Salomon's catalog, and you'll find some of the best hiking boots, approach shoes, and trail runners on the market.
Salomon
salomon.com
$200.00
ROA
But if you want to look like you really know what's going on, Italian-brand ROA is making some of the best fashion hiking shoes on the market. Bonus: The brand is building out a nice apparel line to match.
ROA
mrporter.com
$282.00
Keen
If you actually want affordable hiking boots, sandals, and water shoes, Keen is the way to go. The Keen UNEEK (pictured) is my go-to camp shoe—unless I'm backpacking and obsessing over weight.
Keen
keenfootwear.com
$130.00
Snow Peak
Snow Peak is better known for its gear, but the brand has a lovely line of clothing. With generous unisex cuts and a bunch of calm neutrals, it's a look that works for anyone.
Snow Peak
snowpeak.com
$449.95
South2 West8
A Japanese fly-fishing brand from Hokkaido, South2 West8 is part of the Nepenthes family of brands, so it has been adopted by Japanese-influenced streetwear heads. But even without that associated hype, the brand should be at the top of your radar. The materials are killer. The jackets are sick. And, every piece has a shit ton of pockets for carrying fishing line and multi-tools.
South2 West8
endclothing.com
$949.00
Grundéns
If you're more concerned about catching fish than getting fits off, Grundéns is as high-performance as it comes. The brand is loved by working fishermen for its commercial-grade products. For part-time anglers, no one makes better waders, jackets, or fishing shirts.
Grundéns
Grundéns
$899.99
C.P. Company
We love Stone Island around here, but C.P. Company—the older sibling of the Massimo Osti-founded brands—has remained more true to the visionary creator's original designs. And now with his son Lorenzo Osti as president of the company, it seems that will remain the case. Though it's more military-inspired fashion, not super tech-y outdoor clothing, C.P. Company makes plenty of outdoor ready products. Catch me on the trails rocking the classic goggle jacket.
C.P. Company
ssense.com
$1085.00
Ten C
While we're talking C.P. Company, we've gotta talk Ten C. Founded by former C.P. Company designer Alessandro Pungetti, Ten C makes even more elevated takes on old-school Italian military surplus outdoor clothing. We're talking artisanal Japanese fabrics, hand-stamped garments, and the biggest fucking parkas you've ever seen. You might not want to wear a $2,000 jacket camping, but trust us: It's the only way to pay respect to the craftsmanship.
Ten C
farfetch.com
$309.00
Goldwin
A lot of outdoor gear is bright and garish, because if search and rescue is chasing after you, it's safer to have something they can see from a mile away. But that doesn't work for putting a fit together. So for hiking apparel in understated colors, we always go Goldwin.
Goldwin
mrporter.com
$385.00
Arc'teryx System_A
And while Veilance gets a lot of the hype from techwear minimalist dudes, I think System_A—the more streetwear-focused Arc'teryx line—has a better look. The baggy pants, bright colors, and weird cuts are a lot more trail-ready than Veilance's slim, minimalist look.
Arc'teryx System_A
arcteryx.com
$250.00
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