Last year, Nike relaunched its hiking-inspired sub-label ACG (which stands for "All Conditions Gear") as a brand built for a different kind of explorer. As in, these aren't clothes designed for tackling mother nature on her own turf. Designer Errolson Hugh (who made a name for himself with the stealthy high-end label Acronym) has built the new ACG for guys dealing with mother nature in the big city. Gone are the neon colors and earth tones that were once hallmarks of the line, replaced instead by a lot of black and reflective 3M details. And thanks to Hugh's penchant for extra pockets and dark colors, it's probably the coolest looking athletic gear around. The label's new holiday collection, which was released earlier today, continues the label's upward trajectory.
So what separates ACG from your average tech-y gear? It's the obsessive amount of time that's been paid to every detail (these are hardly fleece pants and sweatshirts with a stitched-on Swoosh). If you find yourself riding a bike through the city (as I did, twice this week), you'll notice the ACG sweatpants don't just move well, they move without pulling on other parts of the pants. That's because they're designed with bowed legs, and once you've worn them once you may become curious as to why more pants aren't made this way (considering human legs aren't perfectly straight). Also, thanks to Nike's sturdy-yet-cozy Tech Fleece fabric, they feel durable enough to handle plenty of future bike rides. But our favorite feature is the specially-designed pockets that ensure your phone stays put. There's even a secret pocket tucked behind the front right pocket for keeping valuables or concealing other, um, stuff.
.jpg)
ACG's holiday lineup also has sweatshirts, cargo pants, and bomber jackets, but for our money the 2-in-1 jacket, which comes in black, navy, and white, is the real star of the collection. It boasts a Gore-Tex shell and removable nylon bomber liner, loads of secret pockets, and Hugh's signature backpack straps (a design feature you'll find on almost every Acronym jacket), should you find yourself overheating with no coat-rack in sight. As far as fit, the 2-in-1 jacket is cut slim with high arm holes, but is so without being constricting. Like the pants, the sleeves on the jackets are designed with articulated, bowed arms for optimal movement.
On a couple of different Nike-sanctioned excursions this week, one of which involved getting in a rubber boat and riding around lower Manhattan in the freezing cold, the other an underground tour of the Woolworth building, we got to put ACG to the test. (No, cold-weather boat rides and underground explorations aren't a part of the average city-dweller's average Wednesday.) Yet, what's most impressive is how ACG handles the average challenges of every day life. When running down the stairs to catch an approaching subway, or just walking outside on a rainy day to grab coffee, you can feel the difference of wearing pants, jackets, and even balaclavas designed to move not just with you, but as you do. And when that gear features pockets, zippers, and packable hoods you'll actually-use, the truth is wearing anything else can start to feel impractical, or outdated. The point is, if you can have clothes that can do all that, and look like some sort of badass urban ninja in the process, why wouldn't you?
Nike ACG is available now at nike.com
