Another One
Putting some respect on Burton's name, plus some other things to read, watch, and listen to.
Yes, another one. Another newsletter from journalist/content folks who’ve read one too many articles penned by other journalist/content folks about how even more journalist/content folks have found more creative freedom and even more monetary compensation on Substack and its ilk. Welcome to Just a Thought. (Are we rich yet?)
In all seriousness—or at least in slightly more seriousness—we created Just a Thought to share lukewarm takes and stuff we’re into on the off chance that you might be into it, too. We’re going to try and do this on a weekly basis, but we’re not making any promises.
Why is Burton left out of the Gorpcore conversation?
By Justin Tejada
There was a blink-and-you-might-miss-it moment three weeks ago where a septuagenarian wearing a winter parka and mittens turned up to see a fellow septuagenarian start his new job.
We’re referring of course to the man who spawned a million memes, including maybe four that were chuckle-inducing, Bernie Sanders. And while much has been made of Vermont mitten-maker and teacher Jen Ellis basically saying, “I’m glad y’all FW me, but I got report cards to do, so dip,” less attention has been paid to the maker of Sanders’s jacket. The parka was made by another Vermont brand, albeit one with a few more employees, Burton.
In the context of the Bernie memes, the snub was understandable. The mittens were definitely the fit headliner. But it got me thinking about the trend du jour of gorpcore and how Burton definitely deserves to have a more prominent seat at that table for the Feast of Gorp. On the basis of apparel alone (set aside the fire hardgoods), Burton should be mentioned in the same breath as the The North Faces, Patagonias (calling it Patagucci doesn’t seem right anymore after TNF made it official with Alessandro Michele), and Arc’teryxes (I have no idea what the plural form of Arc’teryx is) of the world.
If the recipe for a gorpcore super brand is a ratatouille of hyperfunctional garments, sustainable design philosophy, actual use by athletes more hardcore than you or me, and streetwear co-signs with a garnish of iconoclast founder, then Burton checks all the boxes.
For my money, the Burton [ak] line is on the podium of outerwear that is just as home in the backcountry as it is in the streets. I’ve owned two editions of the [ak] down jacket, and the only reason I got the newer one is because my wife thought my older one was too, well, old, not because it had failed in any form. When I rock it, I always meet people who say, “I have that jacket,” and then we sing its praises. I’ve put it through its paces on backcountry snowcat days and splitboarding missions, plus all manner of inbound resort conditions, and I can only imagine what it endures on the backs of Burton pro riders.
When it comes to Burton co-signers, the list is basically the cool guy equivalent of “your favorite rapper’s favorite rapper.” Burton was collaborating with Hiroshi Fujiwara of Fragment Design more than a decade ago. The iDiom collection they worked on together is the stuff archival dreams are made of. Projects with esteemed artists such as Futura and Geoff McFetridge stretch back 10+ years, as do collaborations with Japanese brands like Neighborhood, Mastermind, and White Mountaineering. Visvim founder Hiroki Nakamura used to work for Burton. Even the collab king himself, Virgil Abloh, has partnered with Burton.
I think a big part of that is Burton’s East coast roots. While Burlington, Vermont, is not necessarily an urban metropolis, the brand has always maintained close ties to New York City, hosting media showrooms, premiering films (and throwing the requisite afterparties), which helped Burton consistently keep its finger on the pulse of street culture. If there’s a brand you see a lot of people collaborating with now, chances are Burton was there first.
Then there is Burton’s founder, the late Jake Burton Carpenter. (If you haven’t listened to his “How I Built This” pod ep do so as soon as you finish reading this.) Sy Sperling coined the phrase, “I’m not only the Hair Club president, I’m also a client.” In that same vein, Jake was more than the founder of a snowboard company, he was also an avid snowboarder, who tried to log 100 days of riding per year. In that way, Jake, much like Patagonia founder Yvon Chouinard, was able to make sure that the products he made were ones that were actually needed and, to use every DTC’s favorite word, “authentic.”
I bring this up not to get folks to stop stanning Arc’teryx because they saw Frank or Virgil rocking it, or to cease scouring eBay for vintage four-digit Patagonia fleece. Those things are dope, too. But if you want to go a little further down the rabbit hole, or just widen it a bit, Burton is worthy of consideration.
Why You Secretly Hate Cool Bars (2014)
Pre-pandemic, I was the least interested in crowded bars I had been since probably middle school. Mid-pandemic, when I thought there was nothing I wanted more than to be in a crowded bar, I read this very personal attack on me (and you!!) and felt… at ease. The pandemic, the quarantine, and Tim Urban have helped me refine my interests more than I ever could have imagined.
-Andrew
Broken Record – James Blake
Rick Rubin and James Blake have perhaps the two most calming speaking voices in the world. James’s IG live streams were a quarantine treat, but this podcast alone could put Headspace and Calm out of business.
-Andrew
San Francisco Knights – People Under the Stairs
SF is in a tough place right now. A two-year stint there, along with a minor in real estate, make it a rite of passage for me to share my thoughts on the matter in greater detail. But for now, it’s just RIP Double K.
-Andrew
*if you like this song, SF, or both, you might like my playlist, love letter to bay.
ENNY ft. Jorja Smith - Peng Black Girls Remix
I’m a sucker for this format and credit COLORS for a few of my favorite discoveries. The minimalist setting forces artists to carry the entire weight of the performance. And in this case, they do.
-Andrew