Looks like Backcountry.com is stepping it up with their new Stoic brand. I’ve been very impressed with the variety of Backcountry-branded gear I’ve reviewed in the past and envision the new Stoic pieces to be even better.
Here’s the news release on the official launch of Stoic.
Sheets of light-density snow blanket the mountains before an epic powder day. Solid ice has finally formed on a classic mixed line that rarely exists. The suffocating deluge that has kept a climbing team holed up in their tent for five days at 20,478 feet has abated, giving way to a welcoming ridge of high pressure for the first ascent summit push.
It’s game on. It’s time to thrive in your element. You need Stoic.
Stoic is a new line of premium technical gear that has captured, cultured and distilled mountain adventure into everlasting bomber apparel.
Every Stoic piece works as part of a whole. Whether you seek an ascetically spare shell system or a fully featured alpine expedition suit, an ethereal second-skin base layer or a bulletproof backcountry bib, Stoic delivers. Every feature, fabric and construction method is tried and thoroughly tested not only by human hands, but by the terrain and conditions that surround us, and the community of alpinists who share and stoke our drive.
“Stoic is made for people whose gear and skills are tested by alpine terrain and conditions,” says Bill Hartlieb, Stoic Brand Manager. “We built this line with the innovation of welded construction and weather-protecting materials, and an ideal synergy of weight, function and durability to provide maximum comfort and performance when you’re charging in the mountains.”
Stoic has a fresh fall ’09 line-up, featuring a number of super technical pinnacle pieces:
Stoic Bombshell Insulated Jacket
Weighing in at less than two pounds, the fully weld-seamed Bombshell Insulated Jacket is your new backcountry friend that quietly keeps you warm and dry thanks to Cirrus microfiber synthetic insulation and a proprietary Bombshell waterproof breathable material that allows a bit of stretch. The burly Bombshell Bib flows unobstructed with your every move, from precise front-pointing to dynamic knee-dropping while farming turns.
Welder Collection: Softshell & Gloves
The softshell jacket Welder Collection – Lo, Hi and Insulated – will out-breathe the best Lamaze gurus and fend off precip like a Cockatiel’s oily feathers. And for your digits, the softshell Welder Glove features fused dynamism with superior dexterity, welded technology and a wool liner that means warmth and comfort for your hands.
Ladies Bombshell Pant
For the ladies, both in- and out-of-bounds, the Bombshell Insulated Ski Pant uses the same comfy flat welded seams and just the right amount of Cirrus insulation on the legs. The adjustable waist pants combine inbounds fashion and side- or backcountry function.
Stoic is the more focused newcomer, born from its predecessor, Backcountry.com brand gear. Over the past three years, what is now Stoic has been formed and refined with the help of feedback from hundreds of members of Backcountry.com’s Gear Guru community. It’s the honed and tested result of the people that push their gear to the limits and tell us about it. Core gear users helping build gear for other core users, that’s Stoic.
More Info: www.stoicgear.com
11.04.2009 at 1:28 pm - by Brig
Sick — I love backcountry’s stuff. Good to see them putting out some more custom brands.
11.04.2009 at 2:10 pm - by Jim McIntosh
What people might not know is this line couldn’t be more in Bill Hartlieb’s wheelhouse! This guy know’s what he is building for Backcountry.com and all the fanzzz.
Nice Work Bill!
02.01.2010 at 6:47 pm - by Brock
I’m actually disappointed that BC decided to launch a new line of gear and completely get rid of the old line. Who’s idea was it to take a slew of products that were so well received by the BC community, many getting higher user-rated marks than the MUCH more expensive/snobbish Arcteryx gear, and completely discontinue them. Was BC forced to do this for some reason? I can’t think of any other reason that makes sense for their business model. It just seems like a mistake that a freshman marketing major would make. Why not phase in the new gear gradually?
The styling of the new gear from Stoic is in my opinion ridiculously gaudy; from the colors to the stitching patterns. Personally, I have browsed their entire website and have found nothing I would want to buy, even at the low prices on SAC. I had however wanted to purchase several BC.com items, including the shift jacket, and now it looks like I’ll just have to resign myself to the fact that they are already in the graveyard.
Just curious if anyone else feels the same way or knows the reason for the radical change in branding when it seemed that BC was doing so well with their in-house brand.
02.01.2010 at 8:29 pm - by Brig Graff
I have to admit that I didn’t realize they killed the bc.com goat brand. Is that really the case?
02.02.2010 at 9:20 am - by Adam Buchanan
Honestly Brock, I worked in the same office as Bill and the Stoic/private label BC willy wonka factory team. I agree with you. They took their logo and made it cool. My favorite jacket that is about two years old, which is ancient according to the tram riders at Snowbird, is the wool jacket they came out with RIGHT when they first started. I wear it ALL the time and get alot of comments.
Why?
Because their isn’t a FATTY logo plastered all over the thing. You can still get BC logo’d stuff but from the looks of it, its all last years line and they are probably trying to phase it out.
Sorry but does the Stoic Logo look like the Cobra symbol from GI-JOE? Kinda has that Big 5 feel. Anyway, to me its just another brand with another jacket using eVent. So honestly if its using top name materials who cares who makes it? If Starter starts making Denver Broncos eVent jackets, hell, I’d wear em to keep me dry. I think there is a huge shift in materials push rather than brand push. But what would i know, I’m just some New Mexican who wears a Carhartt every once and a while.
02.02.2010 at 11:07 am - by Jason Mitchell
I can see Brock’s point and understand the frustration and questioning at losing the BC.com brand. In the end, I think the boys at BC wanted to produce a clothing line that could be carried in other stores besides BC’s. Will it work? Who knows… But, it’s worth a try, I suppose.
Yeah, they made some poor choices in color schemes, but the quality is still there. It’s not like they went from making great house-brand BC stuff to crappy pseudo-house-branded Stoic stuff overnight. It’s the same materials from the same factories to the same exacting standards.
Yes, the Stoic logo is kind of lame, but people can debate lame logos all day long. In the end, it’s the fabrics and construction (as Adam pointed out).
02.05.2010 at 1:43 pm - by Brock
Just to weigh back in on this, I definitely agree that it is quality workmanship and materials that makes the high pricetags on outdoor gear justifiable. This gear is meant for situations when your survival could potentially be at stake and staying dry/warm/comfortable isn’t a luxury, it’s a necessity.
I don’t doubt that the new Stoic stuff does this about as well as the old BC branded gear. In fact, for every popular item in the old BC outerwear line there seems to be one in the Stoic line that directly corresponds. There’s still a welder hoody, event shell, etc. I guess I was just put off by the colors and the styling more than anything. It’s fine if they want to plaster a logo on everything; it seems to be no bigger than a quarter anyway, and they had the BC goat on stuff before anyway, but neon greens and oranges for the luft sweaters? I get it if you’re trying to make a statement with your jacket, but how about some more conservative options for those who don’t want to be mistaken for a construction worker. It just seems that the BC brand was trying to compete with the Arcteryxs and Marmots and North Faces out there, and the styling/materials/workmanship of BC gear was on par with these and in many cases even better. Now I’m just confused who they’re going after.
Lastly, as much as anyone wants to say “I use my gear for it’s intended purpose so I don’t care what it looks like as long as it keeps me warm/dry/whatever,” I would challenge that that statement is almost never truly the case. I know that at least personally, I want gear that both meets the highest performance standards and doesn’t look half bad either. If I buy a warm jacket, I want to be able to wear it up in RMNP and also on Pearl Street…I simply don’t have the cash to buy a separate jacket for each purpose.
02.05.2010 at 2:16 pm - by Jason Mitchell
Totally agree… they should tone down their color palates to appeal more to the masses.