This series is a fictional podcast where writer Hagiwara (who we met at #WednesdayBudozakaTraining) interviews three people (Nishioka, Yoshida, and Haruka) to delve into various topics about milestone.

With the rainy season upon us, we're all wondering about the weekend weather. What's new this month?

 

・New Fast Trail Shorts



Nishioka (hereafter, Nishi): This month, the long-awaited new shorts are here.

Omori (hereafter, Haruka): Ta-da! These are the Fast Trail Shorts!

Hagiwara (hereafter, Hagi): What kind of situations are these designed for?

Yoshida (hereafter, Yoshi): They're an all-rounder. (laughs)

Hagi: Meaning?

Haruka: As the name suggests, they're versatile pants that seamlessly connect different activities, from trail running to fast hiking and even bikepacking.

Nishi: We've had similar pants before, the ones with the patch.

Yoshi: You mean the Daybreak Shorts. When it comes to our shorts, we have two mainstays: the hiking-oriented Daybreak Shorts and the runner-focused Natty Shorts. These new shorts combine the best features of both. The name "Fast Trail" was previously used for our gloves.

Haruka: The Fast Trail Gloves were well-received for both running and hiking, weren't they?

Yoshi: So, we named these shorts to be lightweight and easy to move in, suitable for both activities.

Nishi: How did we even decide to make these in the first place? Do you remember?

Yoshi: Many of our customers are trail runners. So, initially, we were thinking of a new version of the Natty Shorts, which are for running. Yamane-san (ROCK STEPPERS owner) said that if we were going to make new shorts, the length should be shorter. He even said "like bloomers" (laughs).

Hagi: That's one idea, considering ease of movement during serious racing and the heat of midsummer.

Yoshi: But then we thought, "No one would wear that" (laughs). Ultimately, we decided that for trail running shorts, the Natty Shorts are already a complete product.

So, we went in the opposite direction and thought about making them longer.

Hagi: Then they'd overlap with the Daybreak Shorts, wouldn't they?

Yoshi: But it's tough to wear Daybreak Shorts for races or long distances. So, we thought, "Let's try to make pants that are as versatile as Daybreak Shorts but can also be worn for trail running races." The only weakness of the Natty Shorts is that they're a bit awkward to wear to a department store (laughs) because they're so short.

Nishi: When people who are new to trail running try on Natty Shorts, they sometimes react by saying, "They're too short and I feel embarrassed." That's true for both men and women if they're not used to wearing them.

Yoshi: I think it's natural for people who are used to hiking in long pants or wearing relaxed-fit short shorts to be hesitant about suddenly wearing 5-inch shorts. So, the Fast Trail Shorts have the same 8-inch length as the Daybreak Shorts, and the hem flares out a bit, like Gurkha shorts (military-style short pants).

Hagi: So that's how you achieve ease of movement. The pockets look similar to the Daybreak Shorts, but the pattern is different, right?

Yoshi: Yes, we completely changed the pattern and started from scratch. It reminded me of the struggles we had developing the Natty Shorts. We went through so many samples back then, didn't we?

Nishi: Yoshi, you weren't even working here yet back then.

Yoshi: I had countless meetings with pattern maker Zunko-san at a shopping mall food court, debating this and that. The milestone TERADACHO location didn't even exist yet. We have the pattern makers at the factory we outsource to create the patterns for woven fabrics. Then, we actually try on the samples and Zunko-san takes our feedback, translates it onto paper, and makes revisions. That's how we do it.

Hagi: It's about how much you need to adjust when translating a three-dimensional object into a two-dimensional pattern.

Nishi: Wait a minute. I'd like you to explain what woven fabric is.

Yoshi: Right. It's the difference between woven and knit fabrics. Woven fabric, also called Woven, is made by interweaving warp and weft threads. Knit fabric is knitted. Knit fabric, like T-shirts and sweaters, is made from a single thread, so if it snags somewhere, it unravels. Woven fabric has a grid-like structure, so even if it frays, pulling the thread just tightens it and stops it.

Nishi: So, for example, a tenugui (Japanese hand towel) is a woven fabric.

Yoshi: That's right. To get back to the point, pant patterns are really difficult.

Haruka: Depending on the size, when you wore them, you'd get extra wrinkles around the crotch area, like a loincloth, didn't you?

Hagi: A loincloth? (laughs)

Haruka: We had to adjust by increasing the amount of gusset in the crotch area.

Nishi: Even though they're longer, the bold slits on the sides allow for good leg movement. They're lighter, thinner, and less clingy than the Daybreak. They're shorts you can run in. I really hope they become a staple.

Haruka: How fast can you run in them?

Yoshi: I haven't run a sub-3 minute kilometer in them, but you can definitely run a 4-minute kilometer without any problems.

Nishi: I even wore them for speed training during full marathons.

Haruka: For trail races, Yoshi-san wore them for the 50km at Okushinano 100 the other day, didn't he?

photo by Sho Fujimaki

Hagi: What about non-running situations?

Yoshi: The other day, when we all from moonlightgear Osaka did a fast hike on the Okubei Road, the three of us all wore these Fast Trail Shorts. I thought the 8-inch length might be a bit restrictive for leg raises, but because the fabric is thin and,

the inner surface of the fabric is uneven, it didn't cling to my legs at all, and I was able to move very comfortably.

Haruka: Yoshi-san often wears them as everyday clothes when commuting to milestone, right?

Yoshi: In addition to the large pockets on the front, back, and sides, they have a zippered rear pocket and a smartphone pocket, so they're surprisingly convenient for everyday life.

Haruka: A total of six pockets. The smartphone pocket has a snap button to prevent it from falling out.

The rear pocket is the same size as the Natty Shorts and can fit a wind shell.

Yoshi: The length is just right too. The Daybreak Shorts were also convenient for everyday use, but these are even applicable to running, so this ease of use might be phenomenal.

Haruka: It's very smooth to commute in the Fast Trail Shorts and then go for a run without changing clothes after work.

Nishi: They're available in two colors: Jet Black and Glacier Silver.

Hagi: These come with a belt this time, right?

Yoshi: Nishioka-san doesn't usually wear pants with webbing belts. But Haruka and I wear them often, and most of all, they're convenient. With the Daybreak Shorts, there's the fun of choosing a belt, but also the hassle. With a built-in belt, you can just slip them on quickly.

Hagi: There's no front zipper either.

Yoshi: There was a suggestion to use a drawstring, but we overwhelmingly chose the easier option.

Hagi: There's also one belt loop.

Haruka: Initially, there wasn't one, but we added it later because it looked uncool to have the webbing belt dangling in front. Also, to prevent the belt from twisting, we made a small gap at the center back where the belt emerges slightly.

Yoshi: It prevents twisting, and if it does twist, it's easy to fix.

Hagi: So that's why that gap is there.

Nishi: They go on sale tomorrow, Friday, June 26th, at 8 AM.

Haruka: They were featured early in the spring gear special of "PEAKS" magazine's May issue, but they're finally being released.

Haruka: We've also created a product description video to coincide with the launch, so please check that out too.

Yoshi: Their selling point is how easy and comfortable they are to wear, regardless of the activity.

Haruka: I want to wear these and climb many high mountains this summer. I also want to use them for OMM BIKE.

Nishi: Well, that's all for today. Goodbye.

Yoshi: Goodbye.

Haruka and Hagi: Goodbye.

This time, they told us about the new Fast Trail Shorts. These shorts can be worn for everything from urban activities to mountain adventures and running. The subdued colors make them easy to coordinate for everyday wear without feeling out of place.

With the spring races over, it's time to get some serious running in for the summer. Compared to last year when we barely had a rainy season, it's nice that it's not too hot even in late June. Still, please remember to hydrate and replenish electrolytes frequently and early, and be very careful about heatstroke. When you optimistically think "I'll be fine," that's when you're often "not fine." It's normal to be calmly questioning "Will I be alright?"

Well, the milestone TERADACHO 3rd Anniversary Festival is coming soon.

Let's dance.


Text and composition by Ken Hagiwara