Overview
Outdoor gear brands have thankfully become a blend of fashion and function, allowing nature lovers to still look hot while battling the cold. One such brand, Sierra Designs, has been around since 1965 and still remains an innovator in the outdoor apparel game. In addition to their cool color palettes and hi-tech fabrics, Sierra Designs goes where no other outerwear label goes with its product designs--where else can a girl get a bright pink, down-filled quilted miniskirt?
History
Sierra Designs co-founders George Marks and Bob Swanson met in 1963 while they worked together at Trailwise, a backpacking gear manufacturing shop in Berkeley, California. Two years later they set up Sierra Designs in Port Richmond, California, where they worked day and night designing their own product range that was geared towards outdoor enthusiasts. Their first big client was The North Face, for whom they created a signature line of down-filled products. But it wasn't until 1968 that Sierra Designs really put itself on the map with its iconic 60/40 parka. Oregon photographer Bruce B. Johnson, who interviewed the duo for his OregonPhotos.com website, explains why the parka was such a hit. "One must place 60/40 cloth into the context of its times--Goretex was still eight to 10 years in the future when the 60/40 parka began to establish its almost cult following. The other shell parkas of the time used materials which had no clear superiority over this newcomer called 60/40 cloth."
Product Range
Sierra Designs caters to men, women and children who love the great outdoors. Their product range consists of insulated parkas, shells, windbreakers, mid and under layers, footwear, casual wear, footwear and accessories. In addition to their use of innovative and environmentally-friendly materials and on-trend color palettes, their award-winning backpacks, tents and sleeping bags have contributed to Sierra Designs' reputation as a must-have brand for outdoor enthusiasts everywhere.
Features
Sierra Designs has a long list of special product features that will appeal to your inner green girl. The Tropozone Green fabric, used to make select outerwear pieces, is made from recycled polyester while being PVC-free and solvent-free. Other ecofriendly materials by Sierra Designs include the recycled polyester Elevation Eco material, PrimaLoft Eco thermal fabric (also from recycled materials), and the odor-repelling Spectra Ecolite fabric, used mainly in under layers. In addition to high-tech fabrics, the small but oh-so-useful design features of the company's garments and gear are not to be missed. Things like backpack compatible pockets, interior chin guards and stuff sacks that double as travel pillows will make any outdoor adventure a lot more enjoyable. Sierra Designs is even responsible for creating the first woman-sized sleeping bag, so us ladies don't have to waste our precious energy heating up man-sized sleeping bags anymore.
Buy It
You can find Sierra Designs in outdoor retailers and sports shops across the USA and Canada, and online through the company website. Or, try your luck at your local flea market or secondhand shop. The original 60/40 parkas have become collector's items and have been known to sell for hundreds of dollars on eBay. Price-wise, Sierra Designs provides good value for money. Top of the line outerwear and gear can cost around the $300 mark, as of 2011, but the majority of the product range is cheaper than the competition.
