Goldwin's Alice Series: Backcountry Wear | Athletes Discuss Its Appeal

The location was the Tokachidake area of ​​Hokkaido in mid-March 2021. Goldwin athletes Kazushige Sekiya and Katsuyuki Kono came to spend three days holed up in the snowy mountains, hiking up and drawing their own lines

The purpose was to test the latest Alice jacket and bib and explore further improvements. Now in its fifth season, the Alice series has continued to evolve

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■Each person's encounter with Goldwin

Kono: Sekiya-san, how long have you been wearing Goldwin?

Sekiya: This is my seventh season, starting the year before Goldwin's rebranding in the 2015/16 season. At first, I was wearing a two-layer Gore-Tex jacket with cotton filling. It was warm enough for just riding on the slopes, but when I hiked uphill with a backpack, I would overheat. That's why I asked them to make a three-layer Gore-Tex jacket for backcountry use. That's how the Alice jacket and bibs came about

Kono: That kind of quick response is one of Goldwin's strengths and strengths, as we have our development and factories located in Japan, allowing us to be close to athletes

Sekiya: Katsu joined the Goldwin team after the rebranding and becoming a three-layer team, right?

Kono: Yes, I started with the Alice jacket and bibs. Until then, I had been wearing overseas brands that used their own waterproof and breathable material instead of Gore-Tex. Goldwin not only uses the reliable waterproof and breathable membrane of Gore-Tex, but also carefully crafts the stitching and details. This has made it possible for me to go into the snowy mountains with greater peace of mind

Sekiya: I was happy that Katsu joined the Goldwin team. Our activity areas are close, so we can meet and talk often, and we can ski together. It's become easier to work as a team, saying, "Let's shoot." We also have similar skiing styles, moving from alpine to freestyle for fun. There are a lot of basic and competitive skiers around Goldwin, so I was simply happy to have a freeride friend join us. It also makes it easier to get feedback into development

Kono: Feedback from two people is more persuasive than one. And adding Yusuke Fukasawa from Otari Village and attacking as a trio is even better (laughs). Starting this season, Yuki Shibata from Hakuba Cortina will join us, so the momentum is even better. Goldwin is in a transitional period, expanding the world of skiing from alpine to backcountry

Sekiya: Because of my job, I often observe clothing from overseas brands in the field, but the domestically produced Goldwin clothing is by far the best. You can really feel the Japanese delicacy in the careful attention to detail, from the careful cutting that doesn't restrict movement and the attention to comfort with features like chin guards, to the careful stitching. When skating in the humid environment of Japan, an island nation, you can especially feel the high level of performance

Kono: Mr. Sekiya, you've been involved in the development of the Alice Jacket & Bib for a long time. What do you think is its appeal?

Sekiya: I like the design and the look. It's simple. The basic concept hasn't changed at all, so much so that you can't tell the difference between this season's model and the Alice jacket from three or four seasons ago. You never get tired of it. And I like how casual it can be worn not only for skiing, but also in town or camping. Clothing from hardcore outdoor brands is often too heavy-duty and hard to wear anywhere other than on snowy mountains

Kono: It's simple, but it has all the essential features. The joints are cut three-dimensionally to allow for a wide range of motion, so there's absolutely no stress. The shape of the hood and the position and length of the ventilation are also great. It's a truly excellent product. Were there many improvements made to achieve this high level of perfection?

Sekiya: The first Alice was a little tight in size and short in length. We felt that a looser silhouette would be better for freeriders, as they move around a lot, lifting their arms, bending, twisting their bodies, and so on. We also received feedback that the length should be longer so that the waist harness and hem don't interfere with each other, since people carry backpacks. The early bibs were also tight. But little by little, they became more relaxed and loose-fitting

Kono: It's true that when I first wore it, it was quite tight when I layered it heavily. The silhouette has become looser to accommodate various layers. Also, the color is great. Has this calm earth color been around since the first generation?

Sekiya: Yes, that hasn't changed since the first generation. Even though it's red, it's not a bright red, but rather a nice, subdued color. It doesn't stand out, but it stands out when you go into the snowy mountains. The coloring has been well-received by people around me, both in Japan and overseas

■ The Alice series goes well with layering items

Kono: Recently, Goldwin has launched an outdoor division, and the range of base layers and mid-layers to layer over outerwear has increased

Sekiya: Last year I tried out the lightweight fleece "Wool Grid Zip Hoodie" and it worked great

Kono: Oh, I've been wearing it all the time. It's worn out so much that it's starting to tear (laughs)

Sekiya: It's thin, but warm and wicks away sweat well. It also has a wide temperature range where you can feel comfortable. You can wear it in the warm spring, and it's also warm when it's cold, so it's easy to layer

Kono: That balaclava, the Wool Grid Balaclava, is also really good

After all, all of these products are born from the know-how cultivated by Goldwin's outdoor brands, such as The North Face, so they're reliable and easy to layer. They're designed to protect you from head to toe

Sekiya: The Wool Grid Balaclava is definitely the best balaclava I've ever come across

What kind of layers did you wear during this backcountry adventure in Hokkaido's Tokachi Mountains in March?

Sekiya: The "Wool Grid Zip Hoodie" is great, so it's simple and easy to choose. I also wore the "Side Open 3/5 Down Pants" insulated bottom pants when I was stationary. This is a model I'd been asking them to make for a long time. The sides open fully with buttons, making them easy to put on and take off. What's more, I could put the down pants on over the shell without taking off my boots. There were long wait times during shoots, so they were extremely useful

Kono: Just like the Alice Jacket, the designs of the other clothing are casual and can be worn comfortably in everyday life, making them highly versatile. Although they have nothing to do with skiing, I also really like the trekking pants and shorts, and wear them every day. If I like a particular model, I'll buy it in a different color online (laughs)

Sekiya: Goldwin is a brand that has grown through alpine skiing, but in Japan they have also begun to focus on outdoor and lifestyle branding. Their know-how and technology are reassuring

Kono: Haven't the demands on us been getting more serious recently? Just like this time in Hokkaido, there were a lot of scenes where we were like, "We need crampons," and the work we were doing was getting harder (laughs)

Sekiya: I thought the same thing. But we're lucky to be surrounded by trustworthy items from head to toe. And I think Goldwin's development capabilities and creativity, which allow them to create new products every year, are incredible. As athletes, we have to be prepared both physically and mentally to meet those expectations

[Goldwin Athlete Arris Series Setup]

Goldwin Inc.: https://www.goldwin.co.jp/goldwin/

Photo / Takanori Ota, Takeshi Wakabayashi (YUKIMI STUDIO)
Text / Shinya Moriyama
Recorded in November 2021