A Tale of Two Palettes

The first thing you’re likely to notice about gorpcore is that the clothes tend to be rather colorful—unless they’re not. Traditional camping gear and outerwear tends to feature bright colors. Think purple, orange, green, red, blue and pink; often in shades that you’d have been hard-pressed to find outside of sporting supply stores. It harkens back to the colors we find in the things that mesmerize us in nature—greenish-blue water, verdant forests, pink-purple sunsets, and a rainbow florals. Nike’s revamped ACG line has embodied this focus toward both earth tones and retro-inspired brights since the departure of techwear titan Errolson Hugh.

Which might explain why it should come as no surprise that earth tones also feature prominently within gorpcore. Beige is particularly popular, but so, too, are slate grey, dark brown and olive; these are the colors of practicality and utility—something paramount to gorpcore.

That said, fashion, for the most part, has tended to co-opt the brighter, more vibrant pieces. Regardless of how colorful you’re trying to be, it’s clothes, made for being outside—inspired by what you see outside. It’s common sense.

Volume

Unlike its cousin, techwear, which favors more form-fitting pieces, gorpcore’s silhouettes are decidedly voluminous. Gorpcore’s essentials are cut in a boxy way—the pants are wide, but straight, not flared; the fleece is often wide as it is tall, or, at the very least, close to it; and the jackets are, well, big enough to fit myriad layers of voluminous undergarments beneath. It’s simple: Things are roomy to the extent that they provide enough range of movement to comfortably hike, climb or do whatever needs doing outside.

Which brings us, rather quickly, to another another aesthetic quirk of gorpcore—but one that goes hand in hand with volume.

Layering

While layering is definitely not unique to gorpcore—in fact, it plays a crucial role in every sub-genre, with the exception of, perhaps, minimalism—there is definitely a breed of layering unique to the aesthetic. Many of the pieces that make up the canon of gorpcore are designed around the idea of being worn as systems; The North Face’s Summit Series line is a perfect example, designed to work best when worn together from the line, from the base layer T-shirt to the one-piece parka.

Seeing a puffer jacket or parka worn unzipped with a fleece underneath and another piece peeking out from under that is the norm when it comes to gorpcore.

Cinching

Yes, that’s right, gorpcore is also defined by cinching—something which seems diametrically opposed to billowing silhouettes. Consider that the boxy silhouettes are born, first and foremost, from utilitarian concerns—a sort of one-size-fits-most-layers-underneath. It makes sense, then, that a lot of the outerwear features some form of cinching—added in case you eschew layers or need on-the-fly customization and fit. And, that’s to say nothing of the cinched look achieved from wearing a climbing harness or a hiking backpack.

In casual settings (read: when not camping or hiking), cinching the bottom of a sweater or the drawstrings of your hoodie have become common practice.

Logos

Like streetwear, logos play a crucial role in gorpcore. The logos of the biggest outdoors brands are worn like badges of honor, often on the sleeve or on the left chest. In many instances, the branding has a secondary use—like using an oversized, reflective logo to increase visibility in adverse conditions. Tonal logos are harder to find—lest they be used for a brand’s city line, like Arc’teryx’s 24 Series.

Breathable Base Layers

Let’s work our way out from the base. While every outfit needs a base layer, gorpcore’s T-shirts and longsleeves are distinguished by their breathability and comfort. Designed to be worn under fleeces or in humid heat, they’re often made from lightweight, moisture-wicking and antimicrobial fabrics—whether that be merino wool or a synthetic textile. While they may take cues from the humble white T-shirt, these items extend far beyond simple cotton layer.

Wide-Legged Pants

Skinny jeans are essentially the antithesis of the pants that embody gorpcore aesthetic. Wide-legged and straight, utilitarian pants are the garment of choice—often featuring lightweight fabrics and multiple pockets. Snow Peak’s fire-retardant trousers are a great example of the type of pant that makes the gorpcore world go ‘round. Ultimately, it’s about pairing the functional necessities (pockets; multi-environment durability) with a fit that flows for multiple activities

Fleece Mid-Layer

There’s arguably no single piece that defines gorpcore better than a fleece mid-layer. Patagonia’s Synchilla Snap-T pullovers, vests Retro-X zip jackets are particularly ubiquitous, but they’re not alone. The fleece mid-layers often feature full-length or quarter-length zippers; though snap-buttons are also common. As gorpcore infiltrated the mainstream, it was often the fleece vest or sweater that high-fashion brands riffed on first—a testament to just how important the piece is within the aesthetic.

Ripstop Rain Jackets

Like almost everything else, ripstop’s popularity within gorpcore is rooted in utilitarian concern. Designed to stop tears thanks to reinforced crosshatching, ripstop is a fabric of choice for those thinking ahead to loose-fitting outerwear getting snagged on a tree branch or a jagged rock. Often lightweight, ripstop rain jackets are extremely versatile and can be worn in warmer weather, or layered over the aforementioned fleece or down mid-layers.

Down-filled Puffer Jackets

Possibly second to only fleece mid-layers in terms of ubiquity, down-filled puffer jackets are an essential element of gorpcore. Designed to be the outer-most layer worn by those braving cold weather, these jackets are often warmer than necessary for urban living. That said, those jackets—like The North Face’s iconic Nuptse—are now as likely to be seen on the streets as in the mountains.

Of course, while down outerwear is certainly commonplace (both true and synthetic down have incredible insulation capabilities), it’s not uncommon to find down vests or lightweight down jackets paired with outerwear—either built into the heavier outer shell as a detachable inner layer, or paired separately. While down is generally going to provide the most insulation and warmth, it doesn’t always have to isolated to outer-outerwear

Socks

It might seem strange that socks could be considered an integral part of gorpcore, but they are in the sense that they get a little more love than in any other aesthetic movement. On the trails and campsites that are the natural habitat for these clothes, socks are wont to peek out from boots—stuffed, occasionally with the bottoms of pants to keep bugs, or dirt at bay. Chunky, colorful socks, almost always styled in a way that shows, are a key tenet of gorpcore.

Bags

Would you ever take on a six-hour hike or a six-day camping trip without a backpack? If the answer is yes, you probably wouldn’t make it to the end. From entry-level offerings to Visvim’s thousand-dollar 20L, the backpack is the default accessory in gorpcore circles—used to carry groceries on the weekends or a laptop and other work essentials during the week.

Gorpcore’s combination of accessibility and functionality make the brands that compose the aesthetic largely available to the wider public—generally speaking. Of course, that's not to say that runway brands haven't tapped into gorpcore aesthetics (Prada's Spring/Summer 2017 serves as an excellent example of that) they're usually doing it thematically or to inform a single collection. Junya Watanabe, Hyke, White Mountaineering and even Ralph Lauren are other good examples of this.

While some brands featured here focus specifically on outdoor gear (and, as such, provide apparel and accessories that optimize those pursuits), several of the brands here can be found at your local mall. Below are just a few of our favorite gorpcore-adjacent labels.

Patagonia

From Snap-Ts to Retro-Xs to five-inch baggies, Patagonia is, arguably, the foremost purveyor of gorpcore goods—the movement’s foundational brand. Originally founded by Yvon Chouinard as a rock climbing hard goods brand, Patagonia now makes everything from tents to parkas.

Affordable and durable, Patagonia’s clothes have long been popular with outdoor aficionados and really started crossing into the mainstream as part of the normcore trend—albeit in the form of logo T-shirts. The gorpcore movement has seen a wider range of Patagonia goods become fashionable, namely colorful fleece and shorts. The truest testament to Patagonia’s influence on the aesthetic is the extent to which the brand’s iconic pieces have been referenced by fashion-first brands, from logo rips to pile fleece imitations.

Arc’teryx

While there are a number of Arc’teryx pieces that are more in-line with the techwear aesthetic, some of the brand’s lighter pieces—the ones designed for fall, summer and spring hiking—and footwear are more in-line with gorpcore than techwear. And while we tend to think of black, grey and olive green when thinking about the Canadian outerwear brand, there are always a number of colorful options on offer.

So while Arc’teryx may be more tech-savvy than some of the other brands listed, we’d be remiss to not include it (or its myriad other sublines and offshoot labels)

The North Face

The similarities between The North Face and Patagonia are well-documented—they both started as hardware brands before moving onto clothing; they’re both headquartered in California; they both have rabid fanbases; and they’ve both been widely co-opted outside of outdoors circles.

While The North Face is best known for its down-filled Nuptse jacket, the brand also has a bevy of other classic pieces, including the Steep Tech line—which was famously reworked by Supreme. That said, in gorpcore circles, it’s lesser-known but more technologically-advanced categories that are popular—like Thermoball shackets and the Summit Series line. But, the most ubiquitous of all? The brand’s logo.

Teva

Remember the bit about socks being an integral piece of gorpcore? Well, socks and sandals go hand in hand—no matter what antiquated style rules tell you. Lightweight, cheap, versatile and available in an array of colors and funky patterns, Teva is as authentic as they come in the world of sandals.

Snow Peak

Snow Peak is, to a certain extent, the Japanese equivalent of Patagonia and The North Face. Founded in 1958, Snow Peak is focused on making high-quality, performance gear for camping and climbing. In 2014, the brand launched Snow Peak apparel, which was popularized by Japanese publications like Go Out. The apparel is still rooted in utilitarianism and functionality—like the aforementioned fire-retardant pants, insulated mid-layers or pocketed vests—but the brand has also integrated funny, irreverent graphic T-shirts that reference the outdoor lifestyle that inspires gorpcore.

And Wander

Another Japanese brand popularized by the country’s hugely influential magazines, And Wander was launched by Keita Ikeuchi and Mihoko Mori. The brand’s aesthetic is best described as “mountaineering garments that won’t look out of place in the city,” as Mr Porter put it, and almost all of the hallmarks of gorpcore are present in the pieces.

And Wander’s lightweight outerwear has proven to be particularly popular over the years and the brand’s simple triangular logo—often treated with a reflective finish—has become an increasingly common sight outside of Japan’s trails and campgrounds.

Montbell

Yet another Japanese brand; the importance and influence of Japanese outdoors brands cannot be overstated, especially when it comes to outerwear. Founded in the 1970s, Montbell is focused, first and foremost, on producing high-performance climbing and rain gear. Aesthetically similar to Arc’teryx, Montbell is, today, famous for its waterproof shells, down jackets and bags.

Battenwear

Shinya Hasegawa cut his teeth under Daiki Suzuki at Woolrich Woollen Mills before launching Battenwear in 2011 out of New York City. Battenwear is considerably different than the brands listed above. While the garments may be similar, aesthetically, Battenwear is not in the business of making the most advanced mountaineering gear. Instead, Battenwear is inspired by activewear from the ’60s and ’80s—it’s one of the few gorpcore brands that is inspired by the lifestyle, rather than by performance

Salomon

We’ve already chronicled how Salomon went from being worn on trails to on runways, but it would be impossible to talk about gorpcore without mentioning the French brand. Salomon makes what are, arguably, the world’s best hiking shoes and boots — designed to withstand the toughest environments.