Patagonia Clothing System - The Island of Hokkaido, Japan
Some powder days trigger spontaneous shouts of joy. Others inspire stories you’ll tell your kids. But the backside runs off Mount Annapuri’s summit in the Niseko Region of Hokkaido, Japan, change lives.
There’s bottomless snowfall here and hourly track refills. Open slopes and glades roll like waves into the Sea of Japan. Saturated air from Siberia swirls overhead, combining equal parts wet and cold – you’ll be a spewing smokestack on the ascent and an icicle once you stop. Best to stay mobile with a warm clothing system that emphasizes moisture control.
Your baselayers form the foundation. They manage perspiration when you’re wallowing, regulate temperature as your pace varies, and stretch naturally. Our Merino 3 Crew and Bottoms provide exceptional warmth for their weight; an extrafine gauge feels soft against skin.
A pair of soft, stretchy shells pulls double-duty by blocking wet weather and releasing your excess heat. The Skinnard Jacket has a limber double-weave fabric for 2-way stretch, excellent breathability and storm protection. Backcountry Guide Pants emphasize mobility: their stretch-woven fabric provides give; articulated seat and knees flex where you do; and a moisture-shedding finish sloughs weather.
For heat, the lightweight Fitz Roy Down Jacket surrounds your core with warmth and weather protection. It has 700-fill goose-down insulation and a windproof shell to stop cold and snow. Stuff it away for sweating uphill; toss it on when you’re taking a break or putting away your skins.
Our Lightweight Ski Hat completes the system. It’s the perfect complement to the daily dose of overhead, or a handy cover back in town for the aftereffects of late-night sake and sashimi.
