The famous “Calvin and Hobbes” comic was published in August 1987, in which Calvin’s dad goes on a family to the park. At first, Calvin is excited. Canoeing, fishing, and residing in the tent? It sounds amazing! Then the sky opens, and it rains. Everyone gets soaked. “If we live to get home, I’m never going to set foot outside again as long as I live,” Calvin complains.
This past weekend in Callisto Farm in High Falls, New York, The scene was like this. (Seventeen events will take place this year, with a total of 300 people each, selected through a lottery system and three exclusive to long-time customers.) In 2018, Snow Peak brought the event to the West Coast; the brand’s US headquarters is in Portland, Oregon. Then, the summer, it was the first time it held its East Coast equivalent, just right in time for a hot season.
Kana Motojima
Established in 1958 by the enthusiastic climber Yukio Yamai of the Niigata prefecture of Niigata, Snow Peak is adored by serious campers and menswear lovers alike. My friends who are fans of the brand go foraging in the woods, climbing, and hiking in Salomon shells and Arc’teryx sneakers, putting whatever mushrooms they come across inside compact Snow Peak baskets and sipping from Snow Peak water bottles. The brand offers gear and clothing that are a must for those who appreciate the great outdoors, fashion, and the finest things in life. They believe you don’t need to sacrifice these things to enjoy the former.
On a Saturday afternoon, Noah Reis, Snow Peak America’s vice-president and Chief Operating Officer, thought of his childhood memories of the “Calvin and Hobbes” comic as the threatening clouds emerged. For Reis, it wasn’t so much an expression of what was happening at the moment–although the back of his Snow Peak chair sank slightly into the mud when he spoke–but rather an expression of the American attitudes towards camping generally. In this case, as Calvin himself reminisces, having to endure outdoor activities can be a way to (allegedly) develop character. If you’re taking it easy, you need to do it correctly. (Or in any way, based on whom you inquire.) “But at Snow Peak, our style is very much about making it elevated and comfortable,” Reis said. Reis. “How do you bring the comforts of home to the campsite, so you can actually enjoy your time outside together?”
The weekend put this issue to the most challenging test. Even though it was a very uncomfortable day, I was delighted not to find any bug or drop of water in my rented Snow Peak Amenity Dome, and I was able to sleep comfortably on a Snow Peak sleep pad and half in the sleeping bag I used to sleep on Friday night. (If you’re a fan of me, this is a shock. My mother dropped me off at the sleepaway camp for a week- a whole week! — I was so emotional that I nearly threw up. When I first received my Snow Peak invite, I’d decided against joining a group of friends.) The weather didn’t deter campers from playing tie dye, exploring the area, grilling yakitori, smoking wet logs, and using stylish Flame blowers branded as Snow Peak.
The majority of campers were prepared. “The scale of people’s setups here is really on point, compared to what we would typically see on the West Coast,” said Mike Andersen, Snow Peak America’s brand manager, ass well as Rei,s is located in Portland.
“If you go to a normal campground, everyone just throws stuff on the picnic table; with Snow Peak, everything is hyper-intentional,” Andersen explained. A Snow Peak signature is to have your tent and then a small, well-organized living-room-slash-kitchen outside your tent, which you might extend with the help of a tarp.
Kana Motojima
The company plans to open its first four in the next year. The company intends to establish its own permanently-located Campfield at Long Beach, Washington, including showers, toilets, and an ofuro or Japanese bathtub that is its first outside the US. Snow Peak owns and operates eight equally lavish Campfields throughout Japan in locations such as Niigata, Hokkaido, and Osaka. They open all year round, not only for Snow Peak Way experiences, and charge a minimal cost to access. (Reservations are required for Snow Peak Way at High Falls were priced at $100.) One of the most important benefits? Toilets that are Toto.
Some would try to minimize the Snow Peak method by referring to it as “glamping.” It’s undoubtedly a comfortable experience, and the price (and Toilets from Toto) suggest this. However, the seriousness of these structures–their thoughtful design and the amount of money they demand raises the question: it’s still camping. Also, who would prefer to avoid camping this way should they have the chance? The main thing is to get outside. If Snow Peak can help you get there, that’s great.
“There are a ton of reasons not to go camping,” Reis said. Reis. “We just want to make sure we’re providing a reason as to why you should.”