https://ericnoll.com ericrnoll Sun, 14 May 2023 20:26:54 +0000 https://ericnoll.com en https://ericnoll.com/HOME-PAGE-1 Sun, 14 May 2023 20:26:50 +0000 ericrnoll https://ericnoll.com/HOME-PAGE-1 designer of wearable objects https://ericnoll.com/Nike-Transform-JKT Sun, 14 May 2023 20:26:50 +0000 ericrnoll https://ericnoll.com/Nike-Transform-JKT ︎Nike Lab Transform Jacket https://ericnoll.com/Exploration-Pack-18 Sun, 14 May 2023 20:26:51 +0000 ericrnoll https://ericnoll.com/Exploration-Pack-18 ︎Exploration Pack 18L https://ericnoll.com/Hiromi-Tatsumi-Chairboarder Sun, 14 May 2023 20:26:51 +0000 ericrnoll https://ericnoll.com/Hiromi-Tatsumi-Chairboarder ︎ 3L Insulated Snow Pants ︎ Interview Snowsports https://ericnoll.com/High-Endurance-Kit-Interview Sun, 14 May 2023 20:26:52 +0000 ericrnoll https://ericnoll.com/High-Endurance-Kit-Interview Tell us your experience with collaborating with Athletes.As a designer, there is nothing better than diving deep into the product solves/needs from the athletes point of view. Luke and Clare’s insights were truly game changing as we fine-tuned and dialed the High Endurance Kit into the product you see today.What was the most rewarding, challenging or interesting part of the HEK kit?For me, the most challenging part of the HEK kit was definitely the men’s running shorts. I’ve always been a huge fan of tights, I’m not sure if it was just from living up in cold, rainy BC when I discovered trail running, or the pure simplicity of tights as a second skin. As I migrated south to CA, I found myself wishing I had the utilitarian aspect of tights, (no bounce pockets and added muscle support) but with the ease of a woven short. Hybridizing the two concepts was definitely a pattern making challenge, but the end results made it hard for me to run in anything else.Philosophy behind the kit– what was it designed for and why?The high endurance kit really when it comes down to it is human built product designed from the athletes point of view. There is nothing overtly technical about the kit, except for how it performs. That’s the beauty of the kit! Everything in it is stripped down to the essentials, lines are there to shape the body not just the eye - form truly follows function. We created new hybrids layers so you can do more with less. The simple knit bottom sleeve of the airshed pro allows the user to push up the sleeves when on the edge of too hot and then pull down over the hands when too cold. The sleeves in theory are the extension of the knit layer below, but with the added wind protection of a wind shell. No more need to carry a wind shell and a long sleeve shirt. We scrutinized every aspect of what you would need during a long day out in the high mountains running - now all that’s left is to get out and keep using it!The most interesting part of the HEK kit was definitely the dual zip jacket. It’s such a simple concept that just came from years of running in the rain. After moving to Portland, OR and continuing to trail run, I always found myself hunch over, running in forest park wishing I could get more air into the jacket. By Aligning the zips with the pack front pockets made for easy pack access as a bonus.  I didn’t know what this meant until Clare put the jacket on during our first concept review and looked at me, kind of shell shocked and said “this is a game changer.”  She was referring to staying hydrating while, cold, wet and tired.  She goes on to explain that during the long hauls, when you stop to put a shell jacket it, the conditions are simply miserable. Think rainy, snowy, windy, cold, you are exhausted, tired and now having push into the dark night.  Many of times you put the jacket on over your pack out of pure exhaustion, zip it up and forget about everything, most importably you forget to stay hydrate and eat. Hearing Clare mention how this jacket will impact the runners not only physical (keep them dry), but mentally (remind them to eat/drink) -  really was one of the most rewarding parts of the project.  Anytime you can build something that supports the user beyond just the physical space is truly rewarding. https://ericnoll.com/Notes-from-the-Field Sun, 14 May 2023 20:26:52 +0000 ericrnoll https://ericnoll.com/Notes-from-the-Field Notes from the Field Luke December 2019 Size seems good. I have yet to put the full kit in it of what i would use for multiday but it seems close. Front pocket layout seems very good. It is a little short for our current 500ml flask, they stick out the top and will likely flop over. It may work better with a shorter wider flask than I am currently using. The zipper pocket is good, it works well with a flask in the pocket, -Fit overall is good, the does pack ride high the shoulders and I think that will work very well with a full load. I am curious how it will perform without adjustments of the shoulder harness other than the sternum. When fully loaded, or overstuffed the top of the pack does hit mean the back of the head. This might not be an issue or it might get annoying. Use will tell. I need an explanation for the two straps tucked in on the back of the pack, ice axe? poles? Helmet carry is a good idea. I wonder about sewing it in on the bottom, but keep four attachment points (two on the sides and two on the top) so that it could double as a jacket stuff pocket? They may be overkill, but something worth considering. I love that the back panel comes out to use as a pad. So awesome. Luke January 2020 Initial thoughts for the updated pack. I have gotten a ton of usage out of the prior Proto including a climbing/run linkup in the city of rocks. The updates to this version seem to be positive for the most part. I have about 40 miles of running in the pack so far. I am not a fan of the looped bungees on the front for holding poles. I lost one on the first run and get quite annoyed with them constantly bouncing. They work fine when poles are in place, but the rest of the time I find them irritating. I think we need to find a better way to attach or store them. The shoulder load lifter bungees have a similar problem. If the pack is not completely full and I pull them a bit tighter there is a lot of bouncing. Again, I would like to find a solution to keep them from bouncing or to tuck them away. I like the addition of the zipper pockets on the back for additional snacks/food. They are a little tricky to open and close on the run but with a little practice it is manageable. The new longer stuff pockets work well with poles, but they way they are sewn on they kind of make the bonus pockets just beneath them (that @eric_noll explained was a result of the pattern) are not that useful. They stitching makes them quite shallow and I can’t get poles in them. I am not sure how I will use those at this point. I still like the upper zip pocket that is within those bonus pockets. I think the sternum straps need a little tweaking. The non adjustable side is pretty long, and I have the pack pretty close to bottomed out both on the sides and the sternum straps. The fit of the shoulder straps is really good, and the height of the pack is much improved over the previous version. The front pockets are good, but a little tight. I do struggle to get a 500 ml flask back in them with the pack on. I am very confident that this is going to be an extremely solid adventure pack, but still needs a few tweaks. The size is good, the fit is good and the tweaks seem minor at this point. I’ll follow up with more feedback in a few weeks.Felipe Cancino April 2021Cool, I'm really psyched about the development of this running pack and the different options that this will allow for future and longer adventure runs. I've spent a fair amount of time wearing it already. My longest run was a 2-day self-sufficient running mission in the alpine with temps right above freezing overnight, I think the pack was at its limit in terms of weight and space, with a total weight of 14,6 lbs. With that being said, I'm going to provide most of my comments based on that experience since I think is what is being built for; but also keeping in mind there's some contrast when the pack has less stuff in it, especially the pole carrying system in the front. Here are some comments and feedback... Comfort/Performance: The shape of the pack feels comfortable in my back. I'm small size and the pack fits really well. The pack seems pretty balance fully packed. I like there isn't much bouncing even going downhill with the full pack. I like the two higher lateral sleeves pocket in the back. They are great to get stuff in and out on the go, without having to unzip and open the pack. One thing I'd like about these pockets is having a more stretchy fabric to have a little more extra room for a bigger jacket for example. There's some room for improvement with the lateral back zipper pockets. It was hard to reach them without having to take it off. As noted above, this also changes when the pack is less stuffed. The pole carrying system in the front I think is the biggest room for improvement here. It works fine with the pack more empty, but as you increase the amount of weight and volume, it gets considerably less comfortable and annoying. I tried different placements and positions aiming for more comfort. One issue with the full pack is the poles being attached too far out, creating friction with the arms. There's a considerable amount of moisture transfer to the inside in the back. After a full 12hrs day with the full pack (14+ lbs) the adjustment piece of the shoulder strap created a hot spot on my shoulder, I think mostly because the weight was pulling the backpack down and back. One addition I'd make is to have an extra elastic cording in the back panel of the backpack with one or more attachments in between the top and lower ones. Potentially also a reservoir pocket for carrying a hydration pack if needed. *According to the tag, the pack I have is the 5th proto, but I'm pretty sure looking at Walker's previous post, this is the 6th prototype. I'm stoked about the overall performance of the pack, this could be a great step into the more technical and longer running traverses https://ericnoll.com/Notes-from-the-High-Alpine Sun, 14 May 2023 20:26:52 +0000 ericrnoll https://ericnoll.com/Notes-from-the-High-Alpine Notes from the Field Colin Haley Got the FedEx a couple days ago, and have had a couple initial days trying out the RAHP - Yesterday multipitch trad mixed climbing (including taking an exciting whipper and ripping gear!), and today some sport climbing (not that I needed Gore-tex at the sport crag). First off, these things are absolutely fucking awesome! Even this first round is, without any doubt, the best pair of shell pants I've ever worn, by a large margin. When doing my two tests (high-stepping, and side leg raise) they are far better than any Patagonia pant I've ever worn. Plus, they are full-on weather protection in a properly lightweight package. I feel more confident than ever that these pants (if they don't get ruined on the way to becoming a commercial product) are what I would wear on 90% of my days in the high mountains. There is no doubt that they are not very fashionable, but I definitely don't care, and I think that is key to the fact that they work well. First off, the details... FEATURE DETAILS 1) Fly The diagonal fly seems great. It's the right length, and the right height (relative to the waistband). Having no flap makes it way easier to access the zipper, and I think the zipper choice is perfect (not a waterproof zipper, but that hidden kind). Nothing to change. 2) Waist The max-stretched circumference seems perfect, and the amount of tension seems perfect. I think the grip elastic seems really nice as well. Nothing to change. 3) Bottom cuffs I can fit them over my Alien RS in ski mode and walk mode (when the boots are in walk mode, the cuff is bigger than when they are in ski mode), but it's definitely a bit of effort to get them over the boots, in walk mode especially. With a bigger boot, like my Maestrale, they aren't big enough. I'm a bit conflicted as to whether the cuff circumference should be made 15% larger (to accommodate more ski boots), or kept as it is. I might have to ponder that longer. The grip elastic seems really good. 4) Elastic cord attachment points The webbing used here seems pretty lightweight, and I suspect it might wear out when the rest of the pants still have life in them. I think that using a slighly more durable webbing would probably be worth the weight. They way that you sewed them so as to not need to tie a bowline is clever, but I think that just a simple piece of webbing that the consumer ties their own cord onto is better for two reasons: The system you have sewn requires elastic cord of a certain diameter, but if it's just to be tied on with a bowline, then people can use whatever diameter of cord that they like The system that you have sewn on puts the force on the stitches in a way that I think might make them eventually fail. So, in conclusion, I think the elastic cord attachment points would be better off just like the ones on other Patagonia pants. By the way, I haven't actually used this feature yet, as the cord you included is too short to get under my boots (combined with the pants being short - see later). 5) Fabric I don't remember exactly what you called this fabric (Gore-tex Active Shell?), but to me it seems great. It slides well (the most important part!), it seems to breath well, and it seems like great weather protection. Frankly, I don't think there is any need to sew any pairs from Houdini fabric or Stormracer fabric. These are already incredibly light for what they do (thanks to no superfluous features!), and I think they are perfect with the current fabric choice. And now to the important part... FIT The fit is definitely what makes these the best shell pants I've ever worn. I think the way you have designed the waist and crotch is super good. Not only is leg mobility for things like the splits super good, but I think they do indeed feel more comfortable when hanging in a harness than most pants do (less crushing of one's balls) They definitely are baggy on me, but I really see very little downside of that. I think the difference in weight between a baggy pant and a trim pant is nearly negligible. At least for now, I'd be very hesitant to trim them down, as I think there's significant risk of reducing mobility, and I see very little benefit to trimming them down. Also, I haven't yet used them with properly thick insulation underneath (so far I've used them one day with Piton Bottoms underneath, and one day with Cap 2 underneath). The only change to the fit that I think needs to be made is the length. When I am just standing the length is right, but when I am wearing a harness (which often pulls your pants up a bit), and with my knee deeply bent, then they are definitely too short. I think the length should be increased by a full 8cm. I'm not 100% sure of this last comment, but: I think the length of the lower-leg could simply be increased by 8cm without modifying the rest of the pattern at all (so, in other words, the length of the lower leg is increased, but the length of the femur is kept constant). Kelley Cordes These are the best. Hands down, easily, by a million miles the best alpine pants I've worn. I sound like a testimonial (I swear, Eric isn't paying me), but I'd become accustomed to a little bit of movement resistance with all pants. Layers, fabric, etc, part of the deal, I figured. Well, the Knifeblade Pants didn't resist, but they're 3x the weight of these (no exaggeration), and the fabric offers slightly less protection. I've recently been trying out all my existing shell pants for an upcoming trip, and was totally out of options. All of them gave me some resistance to movement, or were too heavy. Anyway, after Colin's raves above, Eric made me a pair of these, too, and there is absolutely zero restriction. I don't care if they look a little baggy and some poofy butt (extra fabric = no resistance high stepping), I'll take full movement over a fashion statement when I'm climbing any day. I never need another pair of shell pants. We really need to produce these. Mine have a thigh pocket, which I wanted, I think most people do (other than Colin), but they're still less than 6oz. The elastic is perfectly charged, the side fly is brilliant (having it in the middle of the harness, right under the belay loop, is always a slight battle). If any fabric could be taken out without compromising mobility, it might make them look cooler for marketing/sales. But I wouldn't risk it if it compromised mobility one bit. Besides, maybe the baggy look is cool -- I'm the wrong person to ask, and I really don't care (so long as we keep this pattern and make them upon request, ha!). Real climbers will take performance over fashion any day. The baggy look here could pose an interesting situation for us: Do we make something that is absolutely awesome, because we care about performance, or do we need to dumb it down and make it look fashionable? Uff. Don't add a bunch of shit to it (no bib waist, no reinforcements, no extra pockets, etc -- we have plenty already for the lift-served skier and such  ), just make a limited run and sell them direct only as part of the High Alpine Kit. Enough climbers will start using them and they will catch on. If not, at least we tried. I don't know, that's not my job, but these rule! Before leaving Vta with mine, I asked Eric for a pair for Wharton (I think he did the +8cm Colin pattern; mine are the original Colin pattern, maybe taken in a touch for my chicken legs). Colin and Josh are the pickiest testers ever, which is why they're awesome for high-end stuff. I told Eric, "If both Colin *and* Josh like them, then you've made the best pants ever." Ha. Anyway, Josh and I climbed a long mixed route in the Park the other day, and at one point Josh said, "These pants are absolutely sick. I don't even notice them." That last part is the best compliment ever. Nicely done. https://ericnoll.com/Hiromi-Tatsumi-Chairboarder-Interview Sun, 14 May 2023 20:26:53 +0000 ericrnoll https://ericnoll.com/Hiromi-Tatsumi-Chairboarder-Interview How did this project find you?This project was passed on to my via inline design - Maggie (the snow designer) and the forge made Hiromi a pair of custom bibs well before my time here. Turns out he shreds a lot in the winter and after repairing the bibs once last year (double taping the seams to ensure waterproofness). Timing was perfect, we just finished up a bi yearly innovation design review for the Board of Directors and I had a blank pallet for new projects. I dove right in.How do you approach building a piece like this?I approach all my R&D projects the same - start with what you are solving for, look and study the constraints then start. I began by asking Hiromi a few questions in regards to the current bibs, what he liked about them, areas he saw improvement IE fit, how it performs/interact with the chair, pockets, what is he putting in them, a few more photos of the mono ski, specifically the angle his legs sit at when he rides.  (I sent a quick photo I pulled from the internet for him to referecne) Also I asked what inspired him to gather his aesthetics and design ideas.  See below for his comments as well as he sent back a load of photos with I’ll send your way. I began with the angle of the knees on the mono ski, to me we had to rethink the shape of a pair of pants, designed not for walking, but rather sitting with high knees.  I copied that angle and taped it on my ruler to always keep that in mind. I found myself sitting with my knees up on my chair trying to mimic the position. When designing, I always put myself in the users mindset as much as possible. To me, the shape was where we had the biggest opportunity to impact the performance  and really tailor these pants to Hiromi end use.  I was stoked. Shaping a garment around a body or mannequin using basic cotton muslin is called draping. It is used to really sculpt the material by pinning, cutting and slashing areas to shift the volume accordingly. I began by draping. The process from draping then going back and updating the pattern, cutting sewing another sample only to remark, pin out, move seams and repeat. The process is tedious, and to me the most challenging.  A few constraints always bring into my designs, how can you do more with less (every seam has a function i.e. shaping, integrating pockets, allow for fabric change. Also, since these pants were to be water tight and seam taped, I wanted to make sure to reduce as much as possible and smooth them out make it easier to run on the machine.  I always build the first sample myself to see how everything comes together from an operators point of view.  One request from Hiromi was to remove the hip seams that would rub against the chair and leak. I ended up designing / shaping the pants around solely this request and the idea to match the angle of the knee articulation to that of the mono ski. Shaping a garment around a body or mannequin using basic cotton muslin is called draping. It is used to really sculpt the material by pinning, cutting and slashing areas to shift the volume accordingly. I began by draping. The process from draping then going back and updating the pattern, cutting sewing another sample only to remark, pin out, move seams and repeat. The process is tedious, and to me the most challenging.  A few constraints always bring into my designs, how can you do more with less (every seam has a function i.e. shaping, integrating pockets, allow for fabric change. Also, since these pants were to be water tight and seam taped, I wanted to make sure to reduce as much as possible and smooth them out make it easier to run on the machine.  I always build the first sample myself to see how everything comes together from an operators point of view.  One request from Hiromi was to remove the hip seams that would rub against the chair and leak. I ended up designing / shaping the pants around solely this request and the idea to match the angle of the knee articulation to that of the mono ski. Once I landed on the shape, seam lines follow shape and form, the last part was to dial in the details, i.e. pockets, zippers, belt loops cuffs and gaiters. I end up doing multiple mock ups the image with the maroon half pant and pieces pinned to the wall to work thru all the ideas, iterations and details. To me, my favorite detail that came out of this was the utility side pockets. I wanted to make a pocket that had volume that a could be seam taped easily and also double as a belt loop.  I noticed Hiromi carried a lot of extra tools to keep his mono ski tuned up during the ride so I wanted to give him plenty of places to store.  I also noticed from his photos he always wore a belt. This I had to dig deeper into.  I was able to connect with another paraplegic athlete (Kelly Bush) (https://kellybrushfoundation.org/) here in the US to dive deeper into some of the questions I had once I started building.  I learned very quickly that most paraplegic athlete size up in pants to make it easier to get on. She explained the process of putting on and taking off snow pants in the front seat of the van, into the wheel chair and then into the mono ski. She explained the areas of the body that gets the coldest first and reiterated that since there is very little blood flow to the lower extremities, they stay cold the longer. This got me thinking on how to fine tune the insulation we were going to line the pant with. I wanted to use a synthetic insulation that would still keep Hiromi warm even when wet. I endued up using the micro puff insulation sandwiched between 2 layers of fabric and quilted. This extra layer of fabric in theory would keep the insulation extra dry as moisture accumulated inside.  I also added a double later of insulation over the knees and upper thighs (seen in the photo I sent earlier). The fabric combination was already vetted in the field from the first pair of bibs Hiromi had. It utilized goretex pro fabric with a combination of the Wader 4L fabric on the points of contact with the chair.  I ran some seam testing studies in our lab and decided to double tape the seams that would come in contact with the chair to reduce any chances of leaking. The belt was the last detail and final detail. I took the webbing from our fishing waders that had engineered elastic in the back. What this did was allow for a bit more comfort when breathing without loosing the security of the belt. After building a full waterproof proto in the forge myself, I was able to pass on the sample to one of our legendary sewers Ming Kwan, an expert in the craft of making Patagonia product.  She fine tuned and added her knowledge from building 100’s of waterproof pants from her 30+ years of sewing at Patagonia.  The results of her work was amazing and the pair of pants we sent to Hiromi.Have you worked with Hirimi before?This is my first time working with Hiromi. I have been at Patagonia for almost 3 years now and have been able to work closely with our ambassadors on custom projects / requests. Its my favorite part of my role and I am stoked to keep on building them product. What were some of the design/construction challenges?I think I answered this above - but happy to jump deeper into this via phone if that helps.Have you worked with Hirimi before? This project really hit home to me. I grew up in the world of Special Olympics, volunteering and coaching with my dad -  I have an amazing brother (Matt) with down syndrome. I know a lot of there needs never gets addressed and they alway make work what they are given. We had the opportunity to really help / impact Hirmois experience thru the design of his new bibs. How could be make it easier to put on, fine tune it to his needs.  Not only was there a specific need / request from Hiromi, but the learnings and end product could really benefit other paraplegic  snow athletes. https://ericnoll.com/Matt-Helliker-Climber Sun, 14 May 2023 20:26:53 +0000 ericrnoll https://ericnoll.com/Matt-Helliker-Climber  ︎3L Alpine Suit︎Field Testing Notes ︎ISPO Award ︎Patagonia Stories  https://ericnoll.com/Colin-Haley-Alpinist Sun, 14 May 2023 20:26:54 +0000 ericrnoll https://ericnoll.com/Colin-Haley-Alpinist ︎ 3L Minimal Alpine Pants︎ Interview on Layering System︎ Notes from the Field ︎ ISPO Award 2023