Patagonia to make lighter and simpler gear?

[Chris S]

I was just looking at Ryan Jordan's website and noticed this quote. I wonder what they'll come up with.

"Ryan's Traveling Light seminar presented at our corporate headquarters was a hit with everyone, from the backpacker to the conservationist. We were very happy to hear about the most important part of wilderness travel and light living – "take less stuff". His work with our design and development teams especially motivated them to start working on lighter and simpler gear."

– Yvon Chouinard, Patagonia, Inc.

[James holden]

ahhh but will patagucci lower their prices to reflect lighter and simpler ;)

[Chris S]

Based on the price of their Ultralight Down Shirt, I'm not too optimistic about that.

[Mary D]

No, it will be more expensive!

However, if they continue to use those garish colors, we'll be able to find discontinued colors on sale after a couple of years!

[Nick Brown]

Wasn't Patagonia a cottage brand being made in a garage at it's inception? How dare Ryan work with a former Cottage brand! Wink.

[Mary D]

Yes, Patagucci, Cascade Designs, GoLite, all started as "cottage" industries. REI started out in a climber's basement. The internet networking firm my son #3 works for had about a dozen employees when he started and it's now in the S&P 500. Who knows what "cottage" firm will be the next corporate success story?

Things can and do change, though, when a firm becomes really big, enmeshed in its own corporate bureaucracy and having to cater to the mass market. The whole atmosphere is different!

[Eugene Smith]

If 'lighter and simpler' goes hand in hand with Patagonia quality and function with a no hassle lifetime warranty…..I'll happily pay what they ask within reason. Buy once and use it.

[David Lutz]

+1 Eugene.

I still have a pair of gloves I bought in 1982 and I've worn them a bunch. I've always been very happy with the quality and almost always happy with the styling.. I don't care about the pricing, if it's too expensive for me, I don't buy it and vice versa. I look forward to seeing what influence Jordan might have on their product line.

[Stephan Doyle]

I know Patagonia rubs people the wrong way, but I love the attention they garner for this sort of thing. It gives me hope such a corporate success story can trickle down to the rest of the industry to the whole economy.

With that said, I don't own many Patagonia items. If I had to be outfitted by one clothier though, they'd be the first brand that would pop into my head. They design and manufacture many lines of clothing at a very high level.

Great opportunity, too, for Ryan. Kudos!

[Don Morris]

Patagonia started from the bed of a pickup truck, forging pitons. They didn't even have a cottage. I have several items that are more than twenty years old – sometimes pricey to purchase, but they serve well for a very long time. My oldest fleece jacket is pretty well worn, but I retain it for sentimental value. It has saved my butt many times…

[Ken Thompson]

Hope they can make some stuff in tall sizes.

[Tipi Walter]

They already make some pretty light stuff. What's the need?

[Eugene Smith]

'Lighter' being achieved as a byproduct of smarter design is worth pursuing, which may be the case here. I think backto the Cocoon synthetic parka and pants which combined simplicity and premium materials in a smart way, using smartdesign not gimmicks, the result was a lighter product than was commercially available at a greater warmth to weight ratio. I have some slight interest in seeing how Patagonia can make their gear lighter and simpler, like Walter mentioned above, it already is pretty light so perhaps we'll see more pieces like the Nano Puff.

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