Kith and Columbia Sportswear are well-acquainted collaborators. The American outdoor wear company has had its function-focused designs upgraded many times by Kith, the Ronnie Fieg-owned imprint that releases a dizzying number of collaborations.
So, the announcement that the two are releasing a new collection for 2024 doesn’t come as a huge surprise. The extent of the collaboration and the technology it utilizes, however, did catch me off guard.
The new collection’s vast assortment of apparel, accessories, and footwear is designed for outdoor camping and it has all the gear you could need for a trip sleeping out in the wild — and I mean all the gear.
Split into two parts, one half of the collection includes co-branded tents, hammocks, and even high-performance knives made in partnership with Benchmade.
Meanwhile, the other half of the collection is dedicated to all things wearable.
This portion of the collaboration is where Kith's streetwear-oriented design language really comes into play, however, don't be tricked into thinking it's just another streetwear collection, there's some serious technology at play here.
For example, it deploys a fabric called Omni-Freeze ZERO Ice. This is the most advanced active cooling technology available, with touch-activated cooling and a sweat-activated pattern, utilized in the Kith x Columbia drop for camping trips in hot weather.
And it doesn’t end there, Columbia’s hi-tech creations are used at every opportunity possible in the collection.
Elsewhere in the extensive collection, it includes the likes of Omni-Shade, a UV-protective material that blocks harmful ultraviolet radiation, and Omni-Wick to keep moisture away from the body when things get hot and sweaty in the great outdoors.
Plus, Kith and Columbia have enlisted the services of high-performance eyewear specialist Oakley to create two exclusive co-branded sunglasses to round off the selection.
Across all of the clothing, camping accessories, and three-part collaborations, this is a seriously expansive line-up of products.
Following up on their fishing-focused collaboration last year, the huge collection is set to launch on April 12 via Kith's website and physical stores.
However, if you can make it to the Kith Aspen shop, then it will be available early from April 5 thanks to a pop-up that the two brands are hosting.
One month after the release of its collaborative New Balance 1906, and two months after the release of arguably the greatest three-part collaborative sneaker ever, Kith continues to treat fans with another collaborative release — and this one is bigger than anyone could have expected.
