Backpacking Light’s New Thorofare Collection

[Ryan Jordan]

Just a headsup that BPL will release its new "Thorofare" Collection of trekking apparel to Members only on 8/22 and to the public on 9/3. Members will receive an early-bird additional discount of 5% in addition to the normal member discount for these products (note: pricing not finalized quite yet).

The Thorofare Collection is designed to offer the lightest stretchwoven apparel available in a traditional "trekking shirt and pant" design. They have been exceptional pieces for hot weather, desert hiking, buggy hiking, and as wind wear.

A long-sleeve collared shirt with a snap-up front and roll-up sleeve tabs, chest zippered pocket = 4.6 oz Size M.

A long pant with drawstring closure, front pockets, and zippered gusset side pocket = 4.0 oz Size M.

Stay tuned for the product release on 8/22 — we'll be submitting a special newsletter to members then and release the product for sale to members.

About the Thorofare Collection:

Named after the remotest region in the Continental U.S., the Thorofare Collection reflects the absolute need to trim as much weight as possible in order to trek to the remotest regions on the planet. Traditional styling (collared, snap-up shirt and long pants) reflects the style of the first 19th century explorers to the Thorofare region, but modern fabrics reflect high-tech performance.

The Thorofare region, SE of Yellowstone Lake, is perhaps most famous for its extreme heat for a mountain region (daytime temperatures commonly exceed 90 degrees at 8,000 feet) and its ability to produce more mosquitoes than any temperate climate in the world. Consequently, the Thorofare Collection has been optimized for hiking in hot weather, and in buggy conditions, without the need for chemical, pesticide-based fiber treatments. Notable features: a tight weave, superb breathability, classic styling, and ultralight fabrics.

True to their roots, the pre-production samples of the Thorofare Collection went through their final stages of field testing during an expedition led by Ryan Jordan from Yellowstone Lake to Jackson Hole via the Thorofare Region in July, 2008.

[Michael Davis]

Hey Ryan, that's good news! Especially the pants. Even in hot, humid summer weather I like to wear long pants. So, I'm always looking for a lighter, cooler pair. I think these are it!

[Christopher Plesko]

How tough are the pants and what kind of pricing ballpark are we looking at?

[John S.]

I'dda thought the pants would have had belt loops. Other colors than shades of brown hopefully in future.

[Brian UL]

Sure, wait for the day after I leave for the JMT to sell that shirt!

[Ryan Jordan]

Durability is very good considering the fabric weight. For example, on my last hike, bushwhacking through very thick willows for a few hours was no problem. I ripped a small hole (1") in the pants on my last hike in a fall on the trail, caught it on deadfall. I repaired it with Tenacious Tape.

[Christopher Plesko]

Hmmm. I'll be interested to see the cost when they come out. I can now blame DaveC for needing pants appropriate for our upcoming 3 day yellowstone trip :)

[Bill B]

Ryan,

Any update on the merino hoody?

[Stumphges]

The fabric description mentions wind-resistance of this lightweight stretch-woven.

What's the measured CFM?

[Bill Fornshell]

Hi Ryan,

I have a question about shirt sleeve length.

I have long arms, will the shirts come in more than one sleeve length per size?

I would need something like a size large with extra length in the sleeves.

Thanks

[Nathan Moody]

Freakin' awesome, Ryan and BPL team. Very interesting…I wore Columbia clothing similar to this while trekking in Thailand and they SUCKED. Lightweight and breathable, my *$$. If these have the airy weave and lightweight as promised, color me impressed.

One practical question to add to the growing list on this thread: with a more light weave, what's your impressions of getting sunburned through the shirt if hiking in the open desert? Any initial thoughts on estimated SPF or anecdotal findings? I've become a convert to long-sleeve shirts for sun protection and if this regulates temperature nicely as well as being light and giving good air flow, it sounds like a great development.

Looking forward to it!

[Brett Tucker]

Actually, the press release mentions a tight weave, rather than a "light weave" per Nathan. If the thread count is truly high enough to keep out mosquito proboscises, then SPF should be really good, I'd think.

A bug-proof tight weave and superb breathability would certainly make for an uncommon pairing of features, in a next-to-skin layer no less. If such is the case, then a mere button-down windshell the shirt is not. (Or does it fill that niche TOO?)

[Michael Davis]

Ryan,

Please be sure to add a "women's conversion" to the size table. My wife will be very jealous if I don't get her a pair of pants, too! :-)

What will be the inseam of the pants, are there options to order. How is the bottom made, is it a simple hem that can be re-hemmed for petite (read short women)?

[Don Wilson]

Bill –

These will come in one sleeve length per size. But we'll be happy to provide info to give you the best fit we can. I have a similar issue with most shirts, being tall and thin. I'm always hovering between L and XL, mostly driven by sleeve and torso length.

Don

[Bill Fornshell]

Hi Don,
Do you have the sleeve length now for the size large and size extra large? If yes, they are?

Size large is what I would need if the sleeve length was long enough.

I have a few ExOffico 85% Nylon / 15% Polyester shirts in size large that the sleeve length is just right for what ever that is worth. One shirt weighs 10.1 ounces in size large.

Thanks
Bill

[Ryan Jordan]

Bill: The final pre-production prototype ships to me tomorrow for approval. Once I approve it, it goes to production immediately and I expect them to be here by Thanksgiving.

[Ryan Jordan]

This info is in a binder in my office, I'll try to get that and post to everyone tomorrow. The fabric is not calendered, so it will be less, than say, Quantum or Momentum. Breathability is also higher than either of those fabrics.

[Ryan Jordan]

Nathan et al., re: SPF

I wore the pre-production samples for a few weeks in Yellowstone with high sun every day, and had no issues with sun passing through the fabric at all. The weave is plenty tight enough for that, as it's nothing at all resembling the mesh-woven polyesters that are a UV risk.

[Ryan Jordan]

Brett et al.,

A button down wind shirt this is not.
Or perhaps, an alternative view may read: a button down wind shirt this is.

In other words, the fabric will add a perceptible degree of wind resistance when worn over, say, base layer apparel.

But it's less wind resistant (and more breathable) than conventional wind shirt fabrics like Quantum.

On my July trek in Yellowstone, I was in awe at the versatility of the Thorofare Shirt and Pant and the Merino UL Shirt and Long John Bottoms. The ability to mix and match those four pieces covered an incredible range of conditions for me. I then tossed a light rain jacket on top when things got really ugly, but I did leave rain pants at home.

[Donna C]

This is great but any chance of making a women's version? Men's pants really don't fit right on us lady-folks.
Or are they like a sweatpant style where it doesn't matter?

[Michael Davis]

> "Just a headsup that BPL will release its new "Thorofare" Collection of trekking apparel to Members only on 8/22 …."

I can't say that I have ants in my pants about this, especially since I can't buy the pants yet :-)

Just wondering if this roll-out is on schedule or not?

[CW]

Hi Michael,

They're posted for sale now. Got the email a little while ago and ordered a set already.

[Elizabeth Rothman]

In the short time I have been a member, there have been two big announcements of clothing marketed by BPL, and in both cases there were only men's sizes available. How far have we come here, gents? I remember having to go to the mat with REI to get them to carry technical mountaineering boots in women's sizes, but that was about twenty years ago. If you look around out there, you will notice that a)there are lots of women out there on the trail, and right here in BPL and b)we are shaped differently. Any interest in marketing to us, too? Just an idea…

[CW]

I'm not on the staff so I can't answer for them but I can see a couple of reasons things are generally designed for men. One is money. The ROI on clothing for men is going to be higher than the ROI on clothing for women, at least in perception due to the numbers thing. The other reason is I only know of 3 females on staff and I only know for sure that one is a backpacker which makes it much harder to have a test pool. On the up side, there is at least 1 female on the newly formed design team so there could be female-specific clothing in the future.

[Nia Schmald]

Is there any reason you haven't said what fabric is used? Or is this info a trade secret? :)

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