Weird stuff from Merrell
By
LFTO Gear Team
Gear news
10 March 2008 08:00
Imagine stuffing a tough, white bin bag with anything you can find and then wearing it as a jacket.
This is the revolutionary concept behind the limited edition Gatherer, Merrell’s most innovative new lightweight shell jacket, which is out in August 2008.
The £100 jacket has sewn-though baffles, just like a down jacket, but without any insulation. Instead of coming filled with a predetermined amount of down or synthetic fill, the Gatherer has strategically placed zips so you can stuff the jacket with whatever insulating material you like: dried leaves, moss, scraps of yarn, toilet roll (unused of course) or any recycled materials.
Self-expression
The Gatherer doesn’t just provide personalised warmth, it’s also “a vehicle for self-expression,” say Merrell (so perhaps forget the toilet roll?). Merrell hopes the Gatherer will push designers, consumers and other outdoor companies to think up new, more creative approaches to technical outerwear design.
For more on this off-beat creation, check out www.merrellboot.com