Most of you know by now that I like to visit lesser-known places, away from crowds and marked routes. While they’re rewarding, these adventures inevitably involve some suffering: scratching through scrub, boulders, and bedrock, being exposed to strong wind, rain, and snow, and having to deal with plenty of river crossings, UV damage, and often very cold conditions.
In other words, these trips are tough on gear. After a few years you begin to understand what works and what doesn’t. In my opinion, the best clothing you can get for these rugged transalpine trips is made by Earth Sea Sky. Their garments not only do the job, they also last many seasons of abuse.
Why does Earth Sea Sky clothing work so well?
It’s not difficult to make something that ‘works’, but it’s hard to find the right blend of performance, weight, and durability. The Ellis family, who own and operate Earth Sea Sky from their base in Christchurch, undertake meticulous research before deciding which fabrics and manufacturing methods to use for their clothing. I have not seen any other manufacturer, from New Zealand or overseas, who manages to strike this balance in design so well.
In other words, you might find a lighter weight item (or even a similar-weight item) from another brand that will look amazing in the store, and perform well on its first trip, but it will probably degrade much faster. Or, you’ll find an item that’s super burly and will never die, but it probably won’t be as light or as comfortable as an Earth Sea Sky item that does the same job.
Their gear looks good, but with garments intended for tough use, performance usually comes before fashion. You may be tempted by something that looks better at the cafe, but just keep in mind how important that will feel when you’re out in a storm.
“There is no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing choices.”
What else matters?
In 2019, I was approached by a large, well-known manufacturer of outdoor clothing. They asked me to be a brand ambassador, but I knew their values didn’t align with mine. I thought “If I could be associated with any brand, who would I want it to be?” I already knew the Ellises and loved what Earth Sea Sky was all about, so I called them up and spoke with Jane. I came in and had a coffee with her and Mike, and we discovered we were on exactly the same wavelength. We agreed to collaborate and we parted ways with lots of ideas for the future (and me with an armload of clothing to try out). But what is it about their values that appeals to me?
All of their manufacturing takes place in New Zealand, and they have committed to making sure this doesn’t change. You’ll see a few other brands who claim to be authentically kiwi, yet their manufacturing, and often owners, are based overseas. The Ellises work day-to-day with the people actually making the garments. This not only provides the best possible quality control and oversight, it also connects them directly to their staff and allows them to develop meaningful, caring relationships with them.
A big issue that’s come to light recently is micro-plastics being ‘shed’ by synthetic garments. This is something the Ellises are actively addressing rather than ignoring, as synthetics make up so much of their product range. By using high-quality fleeces and thermal materials that last a long time (i.e. 10-20 years of hard use), hardly any micro-plastics will be shed, particularly when compared with poor quality fleeces. Got a fleece that seems a lot ‘thinner’ than it did when you bought it? Where do you think that material went?… A couple of other cool points to note about ESS’s approach: all of their fleece and synthetic thermal fabrics are made from recycled plastics, and hardly any fabric is wasted: there is almost always a use for offcuts.
Their after-sales service is incredible and they take great care of customers. Their small size allows direct engagement with the owners. They only strive to be really good at what they do – they’re not trying to be the biggest. I guess in summary I love working with the Ellises because they value quality, consistency, care for community, and sustainability. I’m stoked to be selling their products and I look forward to chatting with you if you’d like to learn more.
