As backpackers, we need a collection of clothing that functions as tools to allow us to remain active in the backcountry as long as we want, in any season. By utilizing an Adaptive Performance Clothing System, we will have the right collection of clothing that will keep our bodies performing optimally in inevitably changing conditions like weather, terrain, and strenuousness of the journey.     

There are many options out there when it comes to clothing for the backcountry. Some of them are good options, but many are inadequate, and we need to be careful about what we buy and use. With such a multitude of clothing choices available, people can sometimes feel overwhelmed to the point where they either don’t know what to buy, or they acquire more than they actually need, including clothing that is not appropriate at all.

Our deliberately curated 10 piece clothing system has the versatility to meet needs for all but the most extreme conditions in the backcountry- year round.  

MOST cold weather (winter) backpacking needs are met with this system, however in some extreme conditions, small modifications or supplemental pieces may be needed to meet additional demands on the body. Furthermore, this 10 piece system doesn’t contain conditional accessories like headwear, footwear, or handwear. This is not to dismiss their importance, but to primarily focus on the application of core pieces in a technical clothing system.  

To implement this system, we consider the details for a specific trip, like weather conditions, environmental factors, intensity of the terrain, and intensity of travel, then deliberately select from our 10 pieces the most appropriate and helpful items. Versatility is a key component of this clothing system, so there are pieces within the system that can serve more than one purpose.       

Hundreds of thousands of years ago, prehistoric man learned to improvise and manipulate resources to make tools and other implements that made life easier. Some of these tools helped man in the harvesting of animals to sustain life. He subsequently learned to make use of the hides from these animals to protect and preserve his body, which was the advent of mans’ use of clothing.  

From the very beginning, the core purpose of clothing has been to preserve and protect the body as a means to sustain life.  

Prehistoric man had no luxuries or conveniences. He used his body to provide all the things that sustain life. In short, life itself was a very physical and active existence. Though it didn’t take long for human nature to decide that clothing could function as a symbol of wealth, status, or expression (fashion); the real, core purpose of clothing has not changed much for the backcountry traveler.  

In the current age there are a multitude of purposes for clothing, although image and fashion seem to be at the forefront. However, the impetus and purpose of the adaptive clothing system described here gives no consideration to image, fashion, or aesthetic because those considerations do not add to the performance of any given piece in the system.  

This system exploits modern materials and designs applied to performance clothing for the core purpose of protecting and preserving life in an active, backcountry setting. 

The focus of this system is in the context of backpacking, or highly active backcountry foot travel, where the person is an active participant in the function and performance of the clothing system. This means that the majority of the user’s time awake is spent on the move. This is an important distinction, because the physical exertion of hiking or running generates heat while simultaneously creating conditions close to the body that need to be accounted for, exploited, and managed. Although the context of this essay is backpacking, many of the concepts and principles apply to other active outdoor pursuits and activities.  

The purpose of the clothing in this system is to efficiently accomplish 3 main goals:

Each piece in this system performs at least 1 of these purposes, sometimes more. Hence the use of the word ‘performance’ in this system.  

But what about the word ‘adaptive’? It’s an adaptive system in that the user selects from the collection to adapt to the variability of conditions that may occur on each specific trip.  

Essentially it's a mix and match system.  

The whole collection is not meant to be worn all at once. There are some pieces in the system that will frequently, if not always, be worn. However, the adaptive element is also exercised by the user adapting to changing conditions within a single trip by selecting from the clothing she has packed. The simple example of this is putting on a rain jacket when it’s raining, and taking it off when it stops raining.  

We are ultralight backpackers, so we believe in efficient yet effective minimalism when it comes to packing our gear, and that includes clothing. However, goal #3 says that we do want to be comfortable and perform optimally, so it’s imperative to find the balance of accounting for those needs and minimizing weight.