I’m Kyon, and lately I’ve been enjoying daydreaming about all the things I want to do once the pandemic ends by reading magazines and looking at maps of overseas trails.
I’ve long admired the idea of hiking trails abroad, and I’m hoping to someday complete a long-distance thru-hike lasting about six months. In particular, I’m very interested in the Triple Crown of long-distance hiking in the United States.
The person who has achieved the status of Triple Crown Hiker by traveling through those dream locations while capturing them in his drawings is Ryosuke Kawato, a.k.a. IWASHI. He completed the 4,200km Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) along the West Coast in 2015, the 5,000km Continental Divide Trail (CDT)—said to be the most difficult, stretching from the Mexican border to the Canadian border—in 2017, and last year, the 3,500km Appalachian Trail (AT), which spans 14 states from Georgia to Maine.
(The coloring page below is provided by him as free content as part of his #stayhome project; why not download it via the link on his name and enjoy some #stayathome time?)
HIKER TRASH, born from Kawato-san’s experience and RoToTo’s expertise
When he challenged himself to the CDT in 2017, he wore prototype socks until they wore through. After analyzing those worn-out socks and spending about a year and a half of R&D, the result is the HIKER TRASH socks we are introducing today.
“RoToTo” creates new functionality and comfort by utilizing specialized knitting machines and combining different materials together. These HIKER TRASH socks improve fit and durability by knitting anti-shrink merino wool with a special stretch yarn typically used for sports socks. By knitting the heel section larger, they are designed not to slip. Their superior fit makes them perfect for a wide range of sports, not just running and trail running. They are also a perfect match for my personal favorites, the ALTRA Lone Peak 4.5!
There is a hole at the opening to thread a carabiner through, allowing you to hang them from your tent or backpack. The carabiner even features the logo.
Furthermore, these “HIKER TRASH” socks have been released in three types with different lengths, thicknesses, and material compositions so that hikers of all styles can use them.
【RoToTo HIKER TRASH】
Hiker Trash
Color : Blue / Charcoal, Charcoal / Purple, Ivory / Yellow, Olive / Charcoal, Red / Oilve
Price : ¥2,100 (excl. tax)
SIZE：S (23-24.5 cm), M (25-27 cm)
Material : Merino Wool 70%, Nylon 14%, Polyester 12%, Polyurethane 4%
【RoToTo HIKER TRASH】
Trail Magic
Color : Charcoal / Olive / Blue, Olive / Charcoal / Red, Red / Charcoal / Pink, Yellow / Charcoal / Purple
Price : ¥2,500 (excl. tax)
SIZE：S (23-24.5 cm), M (25-27 cm)
Material : Merino Wool 78%, Polyester 11%, Nylon 8%, Polyurethane 3%
【RoToTo HIKER TRASH】
Zero Day
Color : Charcoal / Red / Pink, Olive / Charcoal / Blue, Red / Olive / Charcaol, Yellow / Charcoal / Purple
Price : ¥2,800 (excl. tax)
SIZE：S (23-24.5 cm), M (25-27 cm)
Material : Merino Wool 78%, Polyester 11%, Nylon 8%, Polyurethane 3%
I bought some for myself right away!
I bought two colors of the Trail Magic. I’ve been wearing them daily recently, and there’s this wrapping, comfortable feeling the moment you put them on; plus, when you start walking, your soles feel absolutely great. The fit is superb, the logo is cute, and the color schemes are adorable, so now I find myself wanting the Zero Day too.
Ah, I can’t wait to get out on the actual trails and wear these down!
While they definitely excel in outdoor and sports settings, they are so comfortable you’ll want to wear them every day, even in daily life. I really want everyone to experience the thrill of that moment when you first put them on! I imagine many of you are spending a lot of time at home now, and they are the perfect item for relaxing there as well. Please give them a try!
Kawato-san, who recently got a bicycle
He was recently caught up in the current global situation while hiking in the U.S. and barely managed to make it back to Japan. On his way walking back to his family home in Kansai, he stopped by here in Nagoya and picked up an all-terrain bike perfect for cycle touring, with the goal of putting a new method of travel into practice. He wasted no time pedaling from Nagoya back to his home in Kobe. I’m looking forward to seeing where he goes next, what kind of trips he takes, and what kind of art he creates.
