Climbing Jackets Features

Hi all,

I'm part of a start-up company that makes insulating liners for outerwear jackets. We've recently started the development of a jacket for climbers with a larger focus on alpine climbers! The only problem is finding out exactly what climbers like yourself like! If you have strong opinions, please feel free to share them or address some of the following questions below:

What is your favorite brand of jacket and why (i.e. durability, style, fit, warmth)?

What specific features do you look for in a jacket (i.e permanent hood, detachable hood, or no hood, hooks, pockets...) and why?

What color schemes do you like and esthetics do you look for?

Also, if you feel comfortable giving some basic demographic information such as age, sex, and level of snowboarding experience (beginner, moderate, advanced, pro) that would be great!

Much appreciated!

Rithvik

We've recently started the development of a jacket for climbers... level of snowboarding experience
???

+1 on the zipper thing, and most of the rest of it (personally not a fan of pit zips). In addition if it's an outer layer that may go on and off having a two way zipper is a hugely helpful on belay type layers so you don't have to tuck in layers on a loaded harness to get at your gear/ belay.

With all respect I think you should evaluate if there is room in this saturated market for another jacket.

Marmot ROM softshells, Arcteryx hard shells and belay jackets, Sierra Designs gnar lite micro puffys. they all are long enough for tall people. These brands also breath really well and have zippers that don't get hung up. All have hoods that stay put on my head and don't end up blinding me.

I think the most important part of an alpine jacket is breathability. Just as important, the length needs to be right. a slim fit while still having enough mobility to swing an axe without the jacket getting pulled above your harness. Jackets that end up covering your gear loops and ice clippers after one pitch make placing gear exciting! Pockets (Every alpine route I've done I've carried a backpack) aren't important to me as I always seem to be going into my pack for stuff. How bout making a jacket that teleports you above tree line right to the bottom of the route? I'ld buy that for a dollar.

A belay jacket needs to compress small as possible but still be warm. I like to clip my belay jacket to my harness if I'm not carrying a pack up the route. I like a belay jacket to be roomy enough for a bunch of layers too. Pockets aren't too important here either. I always stuff my gloves inside my climbing jacket.

I don't care what the jacket looks like as long as SAR can spot me wearing it. I try and buy colors that will stand out. I once thought it be cool to get a Wild Things camo jacket. Right up until I had thought about what camouflage is used for.

37, about 2-3 times/week, expert... or do you mean climbing experience not snowboarding? I'm not an expert climber! Haha.

Only a few ideas two add: inline Velcro tab wrist closures to tighten and loosen the wrist fit, (I find them almost as effective as pit zips for temp regulation.) Also, an integrated stuff pocket with burly sewn in loop for hanging it off a harness could be nice. A hood that fits over a helmet of course.

If its got more than 3 pockets I'm not buying it.

My apologies everybody, I meant to say climbing not snowboarding, I didn't catch that in my initial post. Thank you for correcting me.

If you have to ask a forum what features your awesome new jacket needs you should probably keep your day job.

Patagonia Knifeblade Pullover.

Best cold weather climbing jacket ever.

If it's not cold, I don't wear a jacket unless I have to because the weather has turned ugly, so the jacket stays in my pack. So, for non-cold weather, the lightest possible jacket. (I.E. Patagonia Alpine Houdini.)

If you really want to stand out, you will need to do something different.

At this stage, the only thing different I can think of would be making your clothing out of the new Cuben fiber/eVent laminate fabric.

It's expensive stuff, but light and high performance.

Hi ray. You are truly an asshole. Please take your attitude and shove it straight up yor ass.

Lots of good comments here. I look forward to hearing back form the op and learning more about your business.

NC Rock Climber wrote:Hi ray. You are truly an asshole. Please take your attitude and shove it straight up yor ass. Lots of good comments here. I look forward to hearing back form the op and learning more about your business.

+1 but MP would be a snooze fest without him and others. I enjoy reading his posts. I say carry on Ray!!

It would be cool to see something materialize from all this.

NC Rock Climber wrote:Hi ray. You are truly an asshole. Please take your attitude and shove it straight up yor ass. Lots of good comments here. I look forward to hearing back form the op and learning more about your business.

Didn't we already do this with the Colorado company that was going to revolutionize the outwear industry? I must be a total asshole because I don't think design innovation comes from crowd sourcing. This just strikes me as lazy.

Ray. Almost all your posts provide minimal value and a huge dose attitude. You are intentionally rude and insulting. In short, you are an asshole.

NC Rock Climber wrote:Ray. Almost all your posts provide minimal value and a huge dose attitude. You are intentionally rude and insulting. In short, you are an asshole.

You said that already. Let me ask you a question, do you want to buy products from a company that does not understand what they are making or the market? Further, do you think internet forums constitute market research in the design process? This thread is like going to a trade show and watching a group of Chinese nationals take pictures of products while holding a ruler next to them.

I'm with Ray on this one.

The jacket market is over saturated with jackets of all qualities. I don't know what niche you're looking to fill unless you have something new to offer.

I would focus on looking at reviews online

Ray Pinpillage wrote: You said that already. Let me ask you a question, do you want to buy products from a company that does not understand what they are making or the market? Further, do you think internet forums constitute market research in the design process? This thread is like going to a trade show and watching a group of Chinese nationals take pictures of products while holding a ruler next to them.

I'm not going to play your game, Ray, and I'm sorry I responded to you. Carry on.

Thank you everybody for your constructive input. To be honest, I'm personally much more familiar with the skiing/ snowboarding market and we already have designs and a product mostly ready! (might be a cause for my typo above). I was interested to see what the climbing community looked for in a jacket to see if we could create another jacket to fit the bill.

Josh K.- Great question, the niche we are trying to fill is for climbers who are more inclined to the most extreme arctic conditions. The reason for that is because our major innovation is a new thinner and warmer insulation liner than any of the current market leaders. From my understanding this may not be as desired a feature for the climbing community as I had previously thought.

Ray P.- You bring up some valid points, which I acknowledge and appreciate. However, I as well as everyone else understood and was receptive to your first comment. Perpetuating your argument further, makes you seem petty, childish and rude. I suggest you return to your day job.

Rithvik, I would love to see a burly belay jacket that compresses smaller than any other belay jacket. It sounds like you might have the materials to sew one together. As I said before I like to clip my jacket to my harness if I don't carry a pack. It was cold as sh*t last winter so I bought my Arcteryx Dually most days. I would replace the Dually with your jacket if you made a jacket that's as warm but is half the size in a stuff sack.

You said you do backcountry snowboarding jackets? I never need a warm jacket split boarding. I'm sweating my ass off skinning up! I get back to 98.6F by the end of the run. Haha..

Good luck!

Climbers are generally built different than snow boarders for example. I generally wear an XL but the back and armpits are almost always too small on most clothing. Fit is king - and very hard to find that isn't baggy when it fits the shoulders.

I think the coolest feature you could have would be customizable fit. In my experience pretty much all the fabrics out there work well. What differentiates the jacket I use from the jacket that just sits in the gear room is the fit. I'd love to see customizable shoulder girth, waist size, hem length and sleeve length. Yes, a pain to execute but if you can come up with a business model that can provide this in a profitable manner - all the while making a solid products - you'll have a winner on your hands.

As far as other features in a climbing shell: two large chest pockets, a helmet-friendly hood, long under-harness hem and long sleeves.

To address some points:

"What is your favorite brand of jacket and why (i.e. durability, style, fit, warmth)?"
I think you need to clarify what sort of jacket you're trying to make: outer shell, mid-layer, belay parka, wind shell, etc.

"What color schemes do you like and esthetics do you look for?"
Colours schemes change on a seasonal basis according to industry norms, so this is a moot point.

Demographic: 32, male, advanced (depending on type of climbing...)

RafalA wrote:I think the coolest feature you could have would be customizable fit.

Beyond does that, their quality control is poor and prices do not reflect the value. I used to think the same thing until I bought a custom jacket and realized what I traded for the sake of custom fit.