[Backpacking Shelter] CLASS EXPOSITIONS and Takeshi Kitamura [Garage Brand Visit]

Last time, we brought you a two-day, one-night trip to the garage brand CLASS EXPOSITIONS, which we reported on in two parts

Contents of the first part

And the sequel

The third installment will be a continuation of the previous one, where we will return to the atelier as promised and take an in-depth look at CLASS EXPOSITIONS, Backpacking Shelter, and Kitamura-san

After returning to the studio, Kitamura checks the shelter

In writing this article, I received a long interview about what CLASS EXPOSITIONS is thinking, so I would like to start by unraveling what CLASS EXPOSITIONS is, what Backpacking Shelter is, and what Kitamura-san is thinking

What we want to express as CLASS EXPOSITIONS

"The products that we have released so far are a shelter called the Backpacking Shelter and carbon poles, so-called mountaineering gear. However, I want to go beyond the framework of simply being an outdoor equipment manufacturer and engage in a variety of creative endeavors. The core of my activities will be design and manufacturing."

First of all, it's important to understand that CLASS EXPOSITIONS is not just a brand that produces outdoor gear. It is a platform for design expression. And the product they have produced so far is a shelter called the Backpacking Shelter

CLASS EXPOSITIONS is design-driven

"The method we use at CLASS EXPOSITIONS is one project, one product. I realized that it would be difficult to bring together everything that came into my head under one brand.
So, we decided to have each project exist independently, so that we could take on new challenges without any restrictions."

"And when I create something, nature is always on my mind. The things that exist in nature are wonderful. One of the great things about climbing a mountain is that you can come into contact with the beauty of nature and experience becoming one with it. As an artist, I want to emulate that nature. I think that natural, random results are beautiful. Even if you've been thinking about a lot of things, through that process it becomes refined and the unnecessary things are removed. Or the things you choose unconsciously have similarities to the beauty of form that exists in nature, and I want to be able to find that in the things I create."

"I think of design as a kind of spiritual activity. So, rather than simply coming up with a concept and creating something, which is a physical task, I feel that it is more about the movement of thought. I am not a Zen monk, but I feel that I am experiencing Zen through design. I think that if I were to
practice this kind of thing in my entire life, I would be able to master Zen, but I feel that this is difficult, that it is no easy task. However, if it is in a specific area of ​​my life, I think it is a little easier to tackle.

For me, that means crafting and hiking."

Despite his young age, Kitamura has some very in-depth thoughts and seems to have a certain insight into something

Backpacking Shelter product

"Amidst all this, the first product we created was a shelter. A shelter is able to express 'beauty as a sculpted object' and can also be 'used' by people. In other words, it is a sculptural work that can be used. The word we initially chose as the theme was 'habitable installation'

The concept is that users can express themselves and engage in creative activities by using it.
One of my favorite words is:

"What ever
you do can be art, not always putting paint on canvas."

My interpretation is that when you have a creative mind in what you do, it reaches the realm of art. It doesn't necessarily have to be painting, but doing something with individuality and assertion can be called art."

"I would also like to emphasize that Backpacking Shelter has value beyond being just a tool. As I have already mentioned, this is about the meaning of having artistry and a purpose. If it is simply used for a specific purpose, it is just a tool. However, there is something else that is brought about by the added value of having artistry.
That is, it becomes a means for the user to express themselves. I think it is wonderful when people have creativity and individuality in what they do. The things you do should send out a message or power of some kind. In order to achieve this, I believe it is extremely important that the product expresses what is inside a person.
I apply this concept to mountain climbing, hiking, backpacking - you can call it anything you like
, but the activity of packing food, clothing, and shelter into a backpack and roaming the earth. This is the concept I want to express through the Backpacking Shelter product. In other words, wandering around the mountains or traveling while thinking for yourself and feeling something is also a form of self-expression, and I created Backpacking Shelter to symbolize that activity."

Backpacking Shelter is not just a tool, but it is packed with Kitamura's thoughts

Kitamura answers points to note about Backpacking Shelter and the author adds

"After giving a general explanation of the Backpacking Shelter at events, I will explain the design by answering questions from people who have questions. The product description is also written on our website, so I hope you will take a look at that as well."

How do you deal with flooding? Is there no inner tent?

"When it rains, you need to take measures such as making sure the shelter is firmly planted on the ground and lining the area with stones to prevent rainwater from splashing back. Also, the main feature of floorless shelters is their light weight, which increases movement speed. In other words, if you're using them for a mountain camp, you can get to the tent site as quickly as possible and get to a spot where water is less likely to accumulate. In other words, you need to plan and act with the characteristics of the equipment you're using in mind."

I actually used it in some muddy conditions and in heavy rain in the middle of the night, and just by putting it up normally, water didn't seep in from underneath without me having to think about anything special about rain protection, so it was comfortable for me to use

Is condensation less likely to occur because it's a three-layer fabric?

"So far, I have made shelters using a variety of materials and measured the amount of condensation in a variety of situations. My conclusion is that no matter how breathable the fabric is, condensation will occur at some point. The reason is that condensation occurs due to temperature differences. The breathability data for waterproof and breathable materials is measured after an environment has been set up so that moisture can move. The amount of moisture that air can hold is determined by the temperature, and in mountainous areas in particular, the surrounding gas and low temperatures create an environment with high relative humidity

Under these conditions, even a temperature difference of just 1-2°C between the inside and outside of the shelter will reach the dew point (the temperature at which condensation occurs). Also, even if the tent is made of breathable material, if you pitch it in the fog, where can the moisture inside the tent escape? There shouldn't be anywhere, but 3-layer fabrics seem to be less prone to condensation

We believe there are two reasons for this. First, breathability allows moisture to escape to some extent. Second, by preventing air from becoming trapped, it reduces the temperature difference between inside and outside

The second important thing is the lining, the third inner layer of the three-layer jacket. This absorbs some moisture, preventing condensation from forming droplets. As a result, condensation drips less and feels less likely to form

As I mentioned in my previous article, condensation is definitely less likely to occur, which is a characteristic of single-wall shelters. However, the current top section is intentionally not seam sealed, so if it is exposed to rain for a long time, water will seep in, but as I mentioned, it will flow cleanly downwards. How you view this is up to the user. And there is a possibility that the specifications will change in the future

Water dripping from the ceiling. It's not condensation. However, just like condensation, it's best to wipe it off frequently if you notice it

Do you have problems with insects getting into floorless shelters?

"Insects are bound to get in. The first thing to do is to minimize the amount of time the light is on inside the shelter. In Japan, there are relatively few insects above 1,500 meters or above the tree line, so it's a good idea to use a mosquito net in those places.
I've always prioritized light weight over comfort, so I thought a mosquito net wasn't necessary. But even I have had the experience of being bothered by insects. This is the solution I came up with when I was hiking in New Zealand for about a week. There are insects you need to be wary of when camping in New Zealand. These are tiny flies called "sand flies," and they are extremely numerous and extremely itchy when they bite. Having learned this information in advance, I found a pharmacy upon arriving and decided to bring a powerful insect repellent spray called "Bushman" (insect repellent: about 30% DEET).
In fact, I was plagued by a horde of sand flies inside my tent. One day, out of curiosity, I sprayed Bushman directly on some sand flies that had clung to the inside of my shelter. Then... the sand flies died as if they had been sprayed with insecticide and began to drop one by one. Seeing this, I decided to apply Bushman evenly to the ventilation of the shelter and the walls near the gaps between the shelter and the ground, and the sand flies that had been clinging there in large numbers decreased dramatically to almost none.

I think this is a weak point when using a floorless shelter alone. If you use it in the summer in low mountains or at a low-lying campsite, depending on the location, it can be quite a struggle (lol)

In such cases, insect repellent measures are essential, and there may be changes to specifications and options in this area in the future

If you are using it in high mountains, there are many cases where you don't need to worry about it in the first place

And Kitamura's final answer to the above questions was

"The questions above are also the flip side of the ease of setting up and taking down a floorless shelter. You need to ask yourself what your priorities are for these things

It's thin and compact, so you can pack it away just like folding clothes. Perhaps the true value of this shelter is that it can be taken down even faster than it can be set up

Most shortcomings can often be resolved with some ingenuity, and I think the fun comes from thinking for yourself and mastering how to use something. If you attach a variety of parts and try to do everything for
yourself, you may not be able to come up with a good solution or may panic when something unexpected happens, such as breakage. Playing in nature involves danger and risk, so I think it's very important to be objective and accurately grasp the situation around you. Not only the contents of your backpack, but also your own experience, knowledge, and ideas are very important and lightweight tools. With this in mind, Backpacking Shelter leaves room for users to use their imagination.

This is where Kitamura's aesthetic of subtraction lies

Next, I would like to take a deeper look at Kitamura from CLASS EXPOSITIONS

The origin of the name CLASS EXPOSITIONS

"This story goes back to my high school cultural festival. Class matches and class-wide choir festivals were held during these times, and even the teachers would join in, putting their studies and club activities aside. One cultural festival
I was particularly fascinated by the class exhibition . Each class would use their own classroom to create a space, showcasing things like haunted houses and research on school trip destinations. My classmates and I had long talked about wanting to do a space-themed exhibition when we reached our third year. As
preparations began, we started to toying around with the idea of ​​making a booth where people could experience zero gravity. At the time, I frantically searched the internet for information and found something called a "space tube." It was made by sewing stretchy fabric into a tube large enough for a person to fit inside, and then using ropes to set it up using a structure like a gymnasium. Because it was stretchy, it lifted the body when you stepped inside, creating a unique experience of floating.

One of our classmates emailed the organizer asking for their cooperation. Since Space Tube is a copyrighted work, we couldn't make it ourselves, and at first they were about to refuse our cooperation, but as it was an essential part, our classmates persisted and finally agreed to come and volunteer to set up Space Tube

I scattered fluorescent pieces of paper on a black agricultural vinyl sheet and illuminated them under black light to create a space that looked like it was filled with countless shining stars. The story was something like a space journey

I feel like I can see the origins of the star installation (※) displayed in the studio and the story of the school festival

On the first day of the school festival, we were a little disappointed, but when our homeroom teacher suggested reversing the entrance and exit, the flow of people's movements improved and we received a great response. Ultimately, our class exhibition won the grand prize.
Even now, what motivates me is to create exciting spaces with my friends, just like in high school. What should I create next? What would move me the most? What work should I devote my life to? I spent about four months writing down and organizing my thoughts. No matter how much I thought about it, I ultimately came to the conclusion that what excites me most is creating spaces and things that move people. This is how I decided to name our activity CLASS EXPOSITIONS.

CLASS EXPOSITIONS is not just a brand name, but also the name of Kitamura's activities, and his creative thinking is not limited to just making outdoor gear

The start of shelter construction and the journey to Backpacking Shelter

"I lived in Nagano until I graduated from high school, so I often went mountain climbing as part of school events or with my parents, and you could say that having mountains in my life was a normal part of my daily life. It wasn't until I left my hometown to attend university in the Kansai region that I started to become more interested in mountains

Having lived surrounded by mountains since I was a child, I couldn't help but feel that there weren't many mountains in the Kansai region. This was a bit of a culture shock, and I think it made me want to explore mountains and nature more. It was around this time that I discovered UL and became fascinated with long-distance hiking, UL gear, and Zen philosophy

Around March 2018, when I was in my fourth year of university, I started collecting mountaineering gear myself, and around that time I started making carbon poles for floorless shelters. That summer I hiked the Northern Alps alone, and by the time I hiked the Ushiro-Tateyama mountains with my father in August, I had bought some Dyneema fabric, and at the end of September I brought the tent I made to Goshikigahara as a sub

Kitamura's first work is a DCF tent

I retreated early due to an approaching typhoon, so I never got to camp in that tent, but after graduating from university in 2019, I obtained a Dyneema + breathable membrane fabric and made a Whymper-type tent, which became the prototype for my products. Since then, I have sometimes used ready-made shelters, but I have also taken tents I made myself and modified to use in the mountains

"In 2020, I spent the season in a mountain hut and didn't go out to the mountains myself, but from 2021 I started living alone in Osaka and bought some new Dyneema fabric in my own original color. I made a tent with it and hiked in the Southern Alps. At the time, I had a design where the opening was fastened with a Fidlock magnet, but I wasn't able to get the look I had in mind, so I ended up making improvements to a Dyneema Vent tent I had made previously by adding curves and replacing the zipper

One of the prototypes from among the many patterns

In August, I headed from Oritate to Tateyama with a friend who had been transferred to Toyama, and took the improved tent with me. The final form was then achieved, and before heading to the Shinetsu Trail just after it had been extended, I added catenary curves to all sides except those that touch the ground, making the distance between the zeniths shorter than the floor length. This was the tent's final form, and after that I tried to buy the same fabric, but I couldn't find it anywhere. When I contacted other manufacturers and fabric sites that use the fabric, I was told that production had been discontinued... so I had to start over from scratch, choosing the fabric. Later, I arrived at a domestically produced 3-layer hard shell material, and the Backpacking Shelter was truly completed

The road to completing Backpacking Shelter was not an easy one, and it was the result of many twists and turns

The beginning of CLASS EXPOSITIONS with Kitamura-san

"I moved to my parents' hometown of Kansai when I went to university, and after graduating I got a job at a regular company. However, after about six months I started to feel like something was not right. The department I joined was newly established and I simply didn't know what to do. From there I started to think deeply about work and around that time I started to get in touch with a friend I was close to in high school. We talked about mountain climbing and he said he wanted to go, so we went to Mt. Tanzawa in Kanagawa together

We met for the first time in a while and were talking about work when he introduced me to a certain book. It changed my life. When I read it, it put into words what I had been feeling deep inside, and it completely shifted my way of thinking. I decided to change the way I lived, and quit my job. ...However, I didn't really know what to do next, so I took a temporary part-time job at a mountain hut, then a part-time job at a mountaineering equipment store, while repeatedly building and testing shelters

"At that time, someone I worked with at the shop where I had a part-time job said he wanted to move to Nagano and open a mountain equipment shop, and that he wanted to carry my tents. From then on, I started preparing to exhibit at events and started to get more serious about getting my work out in the public eye.
Up until then, I had felt a bit depressed and it had been a bit painful. I hated the gap between my ideals and reality, the feeling that I couldn't accept myself. But I didn't have the courage to just go for it, and I still wasn't satisfied with what I was making. As I said earlier, I would make tents, use them in the mountains, and collect data, and so on.

Again from a prototype. The material challenge was diverse, including DCF-event, DCF, water-repellent ripstop, and water-repellent taffeta

After that, I spent my days searching for materials and making arrangements with various sources.
Around that time, my father, who had been in the hospital for about a year, passed away. It was strange, but I felt like my father's presence had become even greater since he was gone, and I thought of him as a great man. Looking at his old photo albums, travel journals, and paintings from his youth, and recalling stories about when he started the pension and my own vague memories of that time... I felt like I was given the push I needed.

I think he put me in a situation where he told me to "live my own life." After that, I gradually became more determined to focus on my own things, and I started releasing tents and fully engaging with CLASS EXPOSITIONS. In July 2024, I moved to Nagano Prefecture, my hometown, closer to my field, and have been working hard on creating things while setting up a creative environment."

And so the story of CLASS EXPOSITIONS, which is still evolving, continues

And the latest information on Kitamura-san and CLASS EXPOSITIONS is..

"On our website we have posted an image of a prototype of a shelter called 'vertebrae' that is still in the concept stage. We are also considering two other types. In addition to shelters, we are also working on product designs for clothing and wearable accessories

I also want to hold a solo exhibition of star installations (*) this year, and I am currently looking for a venue."

There are only interesting words!

The CLASS EXPOSITIONS Backpacking Shelter can currently only be purchased through a retailer or their website. The main unit and storage bag start at 54,000 yen (excluding tax). A set of two dedicated carbon poles costs 14,000 yen (excluding tax)

Currently, there are only four stores in Nagano Prefecture that stock this product, and the name of the shop that helped us out in our Gearjin exploration diary is also included!

The Backpacking Shelter permanent display is currently only available at itomizu (it may not be set up during events, etc.), but other stores are lending out samples, so you can actually pick them up and check them out at the physical stores.

All stores in Nagano Prefecture

・Nissin Geppo (Chino City) https://www.instagram.com/nissin_geppo2023/

・HIKE (Hara Village) https://hikeyatsugatake.com/

・itomizu (Matsukawa Village) https://www.instagram.com/itomizu_official/

・Eightdoor (Chino City) https://eightdoor-chino.com/

You can also order from the official website https://www.class-expositions.com/

The standard color available is "white lacquer," but they also plan to produce special colors in collaboration with each physical store

The next CLASS EXPOSITIONS will be the final one, and will be a full-scale record of a two-day, one-night trip and an exploration of Backpacking Shelter itself, so we hope you will continue to support us!

*What is an installation? And Kitamura's interpretation

Generally, an installation is defined as "a work conceived by organically relating it to the environment in which it is exhibited, rather than as a single piece of artwork, and presenting the whole as a single artistic space. Also, that space." (Kotobank) Kitamura himself interprets it as follows:

"I understand the term 'installation' to mean 'a work of art large enough to encompass the viewer.' I also argue that from the perspective of 'including people,' shelters can also be considered installations. For this reason, I create shelters that pay attention to the beauty of their form and detail. This is because I want to create shelters that are not just mountaineering equipment or tools, but that have an appeal that resonates with the senses."

yans

My love for gears has led me to write for Gearzine. I'm a hardcore gear enthusiast who loves modifying and building things, and I also love outdoor events. I'd like to focus on brand exploration and shop reviews

Personal blog here

   

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