Patagonia’s High Alpine Kit is a tightly integrated layering system—from baselayer to belay parka— designed with acute attention to detail and minimalist design principles for moving efficiently through the Earth’s least forgiving environments. Patagonia asked its alpine climbing ambassadors to imagine, build and test pieces of clothing they could use individually or as components of a system for climbing in high alpine zones. Each piece in the kit is patterned to work seamlessly with the next, creating flawless integration while being simultaneously effective as individual pieces.
“The High Alpine Kit was conceived, built, tested and refined by a group of select Alpine climbing ambassadors, advanced innovation and alpine climbing designers,” stated Innovation Designer, Casey Shaw. “We worked in our advanced R and D center, ‘The Forge.’ The Forge keeps our hands dirty. By building things ourselves, we’re able to innovate on the things that exist—and invent the things that don’t.”
“Our team of designers and alpine ambassadors field tested the High Alpine Kit in just about every region with notoriously horrendous weather from Mont Blanc to Ben Nevis to Cordillera Huayhuash,” stated Eric Rice, lead alpine designer. “Illuminating every subtlety in materials, construction and design, and integrating this feedback to refine each style with an ethos of functionality, minimalism and efficiency.” “It took many rounds of testing and design changes, but the result is an efficient, elegant system – and there’s nothing more important at altitude than simplicity.”
The High Alpine Kit is a highlight reel of insulation and outerwear that functions together seamlessly. The nine-piece kit includes the men’s and women’s Merino Air Hoody and Bottoms and Nano Air Light Hoody and Pants, the men’s M10 Anorak and women’s M10 Jacket, the men’s and women’s Galvanized Pants, the Grade VII Down Parka, the Hybrid Sleeping Bag and the Ascensionist pack.
Product Details:
MERINO AIR® HOODY AND BOTTOMS (Men’s and Women’s):
Starting next to skin, the Merino Air Hoody and Bottoms are quick-drying, seamless baselayers that provide exceptional warmth and comfort and perform well in a variety of cold weather conditions.
NANO AIR® LIGHT HOODY AND PANTS (Men’s and Women’s):
The Nano Air Light Hoody and Pants midlayers are warm, stretchy and highly breathable for fast, high-output endeavors in cold climates. The pants have an invisible crotch zip that pairs with the Galvanized Pants for full alpine performance.
M10™ ANORAK (Men’s) and M10™ JACKET (Women’s):
The Men’s M10 Anorak is the lightest 3-layer waterproof/breathable shell Patagonia makes. The deep-venting, weight-shaving pullover stuffs into it’s single chest pocket and has a tapered, climbing-specific fit. Women’s is available in the full-zip M10 Jacket.
GALVANIZED PANT (Men’s and Women’s):
The Galvanized Pant for men and women has a minimalist, climbing specific feature set and fit. The pants use a new soft, stretchy and durable 3-layer waterproof/breathable H2No® polyester/spandex fabric, and have a high waist with suspenders (men’s only), two thigh pockets, a through-crotch zip and tapered cuffs.
GRADE VII DOWN PARKA:
The Grade VII Down Parka is Patagonia’s warmest ever down parka. The precise, fully baffled construction (laminated in critical areas for improved water repellency) and differentially cut shell and liner keeps the 800-fill Traceable Down lofted and in place while eliminating cold spots, regardless of severity of use.
HYBRID SLEEPING BAG:
The minimalist Hybrid Sleeping Bag is an “elephant’s foot” style bag that, when paired with the state-of-the-art Grade VII Down Parka, creates an innovative, lightweight, packable bivy/belay kit for Spartan alpine bivies. The weight-saving Hybrid Sleeping Bag uses 850-fill-power Traceable Down insulation in an ultralight Pertex Quantum® shell fabric with a DWR finish. Above the insulated lower portion, the bag continues with a single layer of our whisper-light, windproof Houdini fabric – creating a cocoon when paired with the Grade VII Parka. When paired together, the Grade VII Parka and the Hybrid sleeping bag are rated to a 10 degree Fahrenheit (-12.22 degrees Celsius) sleeping system that weighs only 41oz.
ASCENSIONIST PACK:
Rounding out the kit is a 35 or 45-liter Ascensionist pack, a super-clean climbing backpack with critical high-alpine features.