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High Fashion Mountaineering Boots...


RAISED BY WOLVES

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From what I've heard from fashion types and hunter/stalkers alike, they are well worth the money and time. That said, I gotta keep my eye on the bay, cause 2 or 3 months is a long-ass wait in my book.

I'm papered up at the moment though, and with tax return checks on the way, who knows.

I been looking at alot of japanese outerwear along the lines of Waste(twice), White mountaineering, and Unused, but as always, it's difficult to find my size. I've all but given up on the footwear by those brands, which is unfortuate, cause it's pretty uniformly dope.

Those Paul SmithxSierra Designs look suprisingly nice though, I'll look into that.

Have you tried any Mountain Research stuff Wolves? I've got a few bits which I'm really happy with and the sizing's not too much of a problem (I take a medium and I'm 5' 10", 70kgs)

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Have you tried any Mountain Research stuff Wolves? I've got a few bits which I'm really happy with and the sizing's not too much of a problem (I take a medium and I'm 5' 10", 70kgs)

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When I google, I only find MSR (mountain Safety Research) who make great stoves/filters/cookwear which I use and are great, but not clothes, or OR (outdoor research) whose stuff is a little to granola crunch for me.

Where are they out of? UK, JP?

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Naval research is okay. Mountain research and general research were the best.

It's the store by Meguro-river in nakameguro. It's right next to cow books.

I like their down vests and mountain parkas but their pricing is out of control...

I think the hightech parkas are close to 100,000 yen. Down vests are 50,000 to 70,000 yen ish.

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They are no longer doing MSR but once in a while, they do remakes of a few pieces from their old collections (ala cdg evergreen)

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Naval research is okay. Mountain research and general research were the best.

It's the store by Meguro-river in nakameguro. It's right next to cow books.

I like their down vests and mountain parkas but their pricing is out of control...

I think the hightech parkas are close to 100,000 yen. Down vests are 50,000 to 70,000 yen ish.

It goes to show how fucked the British market is for JP product but compared to other imported bits I thought the stuff I've seen at Garbstore was well priced...

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yeah prices on mountain/naval research in uk is to be honest only very slight on jp rrp and from what i understand in jp product mark up is different and not as high as in the west,garbstore are putting the gear out at a very good price in my opinion

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Hobo is part of the Nonnative brand group. Mostly leather goods and accessories, although Nonnative does some footwear and accessories, and Hobo does some apparel.

Not really sure about Vendor, but I think that is the brand retail space in Japan, though some goods are branded as Vendor as well, and they carry other brands.

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Hobo is part of the Nonnative brand group. Mostly leather goods and accessories, although Nonnative does some footwear and accessories, and Hobo does some apparel.

Not really sure about Vendor, but I think that is the brand retail space in Japan, though some goods are branded as Vendor as well, and they carry other brands.

thanks for that

looks like hobo has some nice boots and bags

that sherpa bag in the grey or blue looks real nice...

a>

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Not really sure about Vendor, but I think that is the brand retail space in Japan, though some goods are branded as Vendor as well, and they carry other brands.

You are correct, Vendor is a small shop in Daikanyama that sells stuff like Nonnative, Hobo etc (located near Porter-store).

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not sure if this should be another thread...but anyone have info on Mt. Rainier Design?

http://www.hrm.co.jp/mtrainier/index.html

stuff looks kinda like Engineered Garment+Visvim a little. I'm guessing its a japanese brand? seems strange with the american name, though.

nice stuff all around though.

Seen some of there stuff trolling around.

Looks sick.

More of an oldschool Yosemite vibe ala the shit my dad used to rock climbing in the 70's. OG North Face, Sierra Designs et all.

I love how all these brands have their own particularly specific reffrents and styles.

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exactly what I was thinking. kinda absurd that a market (people like us) exists for this kinda stuff.

I didn't bother translating what Mt. Rainier Designs' "60/40 works" was about, but it makes me wonder if all this stuff is up to specs, or does it just look pretty?

that also applies to the other brands mentioned here, "research", nonnative, etc.

anyone with more experience with these brands know what's up? most of this stuff I've only seen on the japanese interweb.

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My assessment is basically this: There are brands like Nonnative that began as mid-high end American inspired, refined cut-n-sew streetwear that grew up and became less street, more wear. If you look through past Nonnative season's they've come a long way. Their garments maintain some street-inspired details, but they now seem to be more tailored and sophisticated with inspirations that extend beyond the typical military/outdoors/skate mash you'd expect. I don't know - maybe Visvim or Phenom or Sophnet would be other brands in this vein, but I don't think they compare to Nonnative/HOBO.

Then there are the American outdoors brands - Lowe Alpine (who are known for making packs, not apparel), TNF, Gregory, Helly Hansen, Woolrich, OR and even others like Mount Rainer and White Mountaineering that I don't think were ever actually even American, they just sound like they are. Most of these brands have nothing to do with their American/International counterparts - they just own a license to use the name and make more high-end, progressive, retro-alpine inspired goods. The name lends them some credibility, but for the most part, they aren't nearly as technical as what you'd find at EMS, for instance, but they look and fit much better. This stuff is probably more for the consumer who buys vintage Patagonia shag fleeces for nearly the same amount as new, far more technical, high-performance versions.

Then again, it isn't news to anyone that people--especially the savvy Japanese shopper--buy based on fashion over function, but this is sort of a backwards example of that taken to an extreme.

I actually don't have much experience with these Japanese brands first hand, but I do have a considerable amount of experience with the American outdoors brands - not just as a consumer.

In my opinion, most technical outerwear is way overdesigned. Consumers are convinced they need all kinds of features and materials that they don't even understand, so year after year vendors step up their tech stories to try and top the last big thing, and end up missing the boat. This is partly what attracts me so much to these Japanese brands embracing the utility (or lack of) and simplicity in outdoors heritage.

There. That's what you get when you want to talk shop with doctorgnar on a slow and rainy Friday afternoon.

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And, uh, same goes for High Fashion Mountaineering Boots.

I'm really happy with all the digression in this thread actually.

I'm a horrible thread starter, but this one actually has some life to it.

Your assessment of the Japanese brands on the previous page is bang on from what I can tell as well, but then again, I've never handled any of this stuff in the flesh either.

When I do finally get some of this, you know its not coming to AK with me though...

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I think gnar hit it on the head in his post too. But for me without knowing much about these actual brands I just can't help but wonder if they have any backbone to them...

I mean, I'm not gonna lay siege to everest in any of these japanese brands or anything, but I want to know that if I'm gonna be out for a week or two, am I gonna have two jackets in my pack next to my flask of whiskey or will one of these "mountain research" joints actually keep me sufficiently dry, warm, etc. ( not to mention styling)

"When I do finally get some of this, you know its not coming to AK with me though..."

thats pretty much what I'm talking about...

plus for me, if i'm not gonna take it with me, its kinda like what's the purpose?

are these brands just trying to look like they can hang, or can people actually take them out with them.

hope that made sense, my heads still a little banged up from last night.

oh yeah, and I agree about most american products being overengineered. thats kinda what draws me to alot of these japanese products in the first place, I mean if they got it where it counts and look sick too, then thats pretty much what i'm looking for.

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The information I've been given about Mountain Research suggests that has a practical use. Apparently (this is second hand info) the Research designers have a cabin in the Mountains where they test out the product. I see a lot of Fjall Raven in the U.K. and the Mountain Research product is at least as practical as that.

I spent a month walking and camping in Patagonia last year and completely support doctorgnars point about a lot of outdoor stuff being overdesigned. A ten year old Karrimor jacket, some polycotton trousers and a pair of Zamberlan walking boots suited me fine. It was that trip that got me looking for product which referenced walking/mountaineering gear in its design.

Wolves I think that www.garbstore.com still has some Mountain Research stuff in stock, they'll ship everywhere except for Japan.

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yeah Garbstore has plenty in stock,its lovelly gear,naval research has some great bits also navy utility shirt in person is excellent,love the mountain research ash container such a nice little object.construction is really nice and from what i have been told it will perform.

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^^ Being that I was a teen through the early-mid 90's in NYC...I can honestly say that A-Solos were the move, unless you had Vasque Skywalks (those joints I was trying to get the name of a few pages back). Back when cats rocked Dolemites...we shitted on 'em with the two aforementioned (don't even mention Mountain Gears...that was all of the above just shitting and shitting on your pair of "M-Gears"...that subsequently looked like some fucked up Vasques).

Sorry...those A-Solos have brought back memories. For some tech'ier foot armor, those shits are cop'able...but I kinda have my eyes on some Russel's or Quoddy Trail's.

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I don't like those at all. ^^^

Trying to hook up with a proxy to scoop some general research on Y!jp, but having little luck at the moment. Got emails to Jake, 2000db's rec "proxMe", and Juno. Hopefully someone comes through..

Also thinking seriously about the Mountain Research Anorak from Garbstore

http://garbstore.com/product/?productID=1053&imgVarID=1089

I love that it's cotton, and that it has leather detailing. I appreciate the functionality of newer tech fabric innovations, but sometimes I get bored of the whole "Goretex 4.0" thing ya know?

Just gotta get some sizing from them. Then again, the Naval research stuff is supposed to come in any day now, so I might hold off for a week or so.

Thanks to Seenmy and Gem art (I think?) for the link on this.

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naval stuff is real nice the m65 is a lovely piece,Im gonna pick up the utility shirt very soon.sizing is good aswell,I found a large fitted me well in every piece i tried on,so its pretty generous for jp product.Love the mountain research ash holder aswell.

couple pics on my blog.

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