outerwear Archives - VANISH TODAY

Wild Ingenuity™: Robert ‘Bernie’ Bernthal of Beringia

Team Vanish — Sat, 20 Dec 2025 22:33:58 +0000

The latest feature in Vanish’s Wild Ingenuity™ Interview series is here! This week we shine the spotlight on our exclusive conversation with Robert ‘Bernie’ Bernthal, the founder of the Bozeman, Montana x Tokyo, Japan-based technical outerwear company, Beringia.

Launched in the Fall of 2019, Beringia is a ‘development-driven brand that draws equally from design ideation, technical innovation, and advanced fiber and fabric engineering’. Prior to successfully launching Beringia, Bernie co-founded Duckworth, the only 100% Made-in-USA Merino wool clothing company, and has also played major roles in providing Brand and Marketing direction for outdoor powerhouses K2 and the SWATCH group, to name a few.

While Bernthal’s work experience is certainly commendable, he’ll be the first to tell you his story and Beringia’s span WELL beyond the confines of any office. As you’ll find out in this interview, Bernie is a true pioneer of the outdoor industry whose passion for nature and outdoor recreation has taken him on a multitude of worldly adventures over many decades. Through these experiences and shared passions of skiing, surfing, mountain climbing, and mother nature, Bernie’s formed friendships with like-minded folk – from across Europe to Japan – that have helped him propel Beringia into a reality.

We’ll leave it there and let Bernie takeover in sharing his perspective on Nature-Culture-Future…Strap in and get ready to enjoy the latest Wild Ingenuity™ adventure!

1979 – Bernie with his ’79 Verbier on an early visit to ski/mountain bum world // Photo provided by Robert ‘Bernie’ Bernthal

NATURE
Tell us a bit about yourself, your company/scope of work, and how nature is woven into your product strategy…

Bernie: I left NY at 18 (1978) to move to France to play soccer in the French Professional league, I came back to the US and played 3 more years before realizing that we spent our time in the grimmest, darkest places. When I saw the Alps, it was over, I had to be up in those mountains and live the outdoor (nature) life of doing rad shit in the outdoors. This was the early 80’s so I guess we kinda turned the outdoor/nature calling into the “outdoor industry”. We did it at a time when you could ski powder and live cheap. We imported and sold and marketed the best US-made Outdoor gear in the Alps – Switzerland, it was a way to pay the bills and get free gear for our adventures…

1978 – Limoges FC – first American pro in the French Pro League // Photo provided by Robert ‘Bernie’ Bernthal

1984 – Chamonix – fist Telemark decent of Couloir Barbey // Photo: Bob Mazarei

NATURE (continued)

Bernie: As Americans, we grow up surrounded by incredible “brands”, and growing up in the 70’s – 80’s we had amazing music and art to flank our sports…it became a culture. Chasing powder, climbing, surf, and music was what we did and it has become an industry. It’s fucken incredible and we are insanely lucky to live a life and make a living doing it. The sports/ activities that are done in connection with nature take you to a deeper place, “archaic techniques of ecstasy” / in the zone. It’s no wonder that people in these crazy times are desperately trying to get to something real. Every brand we have created and work with has to be real, no posers, they have to credible and back their shit up. Once the companies/brands lose their soul and their reason to exist, other than making money, it’s over.

We founded Beringia with our Japanese partners because they make incredibly good gear, functional beauty and we share a common passion for design connected to the mountains and oceans where we live and play. Over the years we grew our expertise in textile function and particularly wool. Our recent projects with the ancient wool/textile region of Bihsu, Japan is leading to some breakthroughs that make us really happy and proud. Sustainable – Regenerated fine wool textiles made by hand, very perfect, and without the use of many harmful chemicals the commodity brands use.

2011 – Backcountry ski touring in Nelson BC. Skier: Robert ‘Bernie’ Bernthal // Photo provided by Robert ‘Bernie’ Bernthal

2004 – Surfing clean winter swell in SoCal // Photo provided by Robert ‘Bernie’ Bernthal

1997 – Swatch times – Paying off the Police in Florence Italy // Photo provided by Robert ‘Bernie’ Bernthal

CULTURE
Where do you go for inspiration and what out there in current culture is creating the best or most interesting vibes to motivate you?

Bernie: Really good design. Anything made with wool, the process to the final product. Kinda obvious and vanilla. The Japanese outdoor/street/fashion/textile scene is a pretty cool collision of styles that is producing an interesting aesthetic.

A Bishu Craftsman at work

Beringia’s Master of Bishu Regenerated Wool Fabric

The Ultimate Wool Shirt – Beringia’s Fallaron Shirt // Master of Bishu Collection

FUTURE
What does the future look like for your work and what’s on your mind as you look forward?

Bernie: Great timing to ask this question. I will never stop working and will always be looking to bring newness and change. I want to disrupt the commodity brands, find new, international, interesting like-minded people and brands to do cool stuff with to keep us young and active. It’s also inspiring to see the trending collision of sorts on the way between outdoor, technical, and fashion industries.

Follow Beringia on Instagram // learn more about Beringia’s Master of Bishu Collection here

Our many thanks to Bernie for offering his time, wisdom, and experience towards this piece!

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Danner x Roark Collaboration || Right in Time for Winter

Team Vanish — Tue, 24 Nov 2020 05:07:50 +0000

Finally, some welcoming news in the year 2020…

Call it fate. Call it destiny. Perhaps just call it a bit of GOOD news amidst an unrelenting year that we call 2020. Whatever you want to call it, you’ll be psyched with this piece of news… two all-American powerhouses, Danner and Roark have just dropped their insane collaboration and we here at Vanish are in AWE with it all…

The collaboration, which just dropped on November 12th, includes a sleek, Gore-Tex infused boot and a rugged, winter-ready jacket. Both impeccably crafted pieces are reasonably priced, versatile, and must-haves for the long winter ahead!

Find them both available HERE and read more from Danner x Roark on this special collaboration below!

Danner x Roark Axeman Jacket

Danner Ridge Roark

Danner Ridge Roark Features:

– Suede Upper with Full-Grain Leather Panels from Horween

– Vibram® Sierra Outsole

– Two Lace Options

– Roark x Danner Logos on Tongue

– Roark’s Signature Orange Stitch Accents on Tongue

– 100% Waterproof and Breathable GORE-TEX Liners

– Stitchdown Construction

– Recraftable

– Made in USA

– $380

Danner x Roark Axeman Jacket Features:

– Heavy Cotton Duck Canvas

– Waxed Outer

– Horween Leather Elbow Patches

– Sherpa-Lined Body

– Sherpa-Lined Handwarmer Pockets

– Metal Clasp Closure with Heavy-Duty YKK® Zipper

– Made in USA

– $375

DANNER AND ROARK RELEASE MADE-IN-USA COLLABORATION BOOT AND JACKET: Versatility for the City and Way Off the Beaten Path

Inspired by travels to remote destinations…The Danner x Roark collaboration includes a limited-edition boot and jacket meant to protect against rugged conditions — in the city or on the road less traveled. Featuring a classic Danner silhouette and one of Roark’s long-standing, best-selling designs, the pairing provides warm, durable comfort in winter weather. The Danner Ridge Roark is built with a durable suede upper and full-grain leather panels, stitch down construction and breathable, waterproof GORE-TEX liners to keep your feet warm and dry. The Axeman Jacket fends off the elements with heavy-duty waxed canvas on the outside, and soft sherpa lining on the inside. The Danner X Roark collaboration can be found at https://roark.com/collections/roark-x-danner and danner.com/roark.

Backstory:

In the fall of 2019, designers from California-based Roark — makers of adventure-ready apparel, luggage and globally inspired trinkets — met with Danner at their factory in Portland, Oregon. The aim was to collaborate on a collection that the Roark team would wear to Dutch Harbor in the Aleutian Islands of Alaska. Documented by filmmakers Chris Burkard and Ben Weiland in the short, Arc of Aleutia, the trip focused on tracking down the legend of a lone surfer who trekked to the remote bay many years ago. The film captures the spirit of exploration in one of most isolated and untamed surf destinations on the planet.

“Danner boots are built for adventures – both big and small,” says Will Pennartz, Brand Marketing Director, Danner. “When the Roark team approached us about collaborating on a premium, USA-made collection that would stand up to the rigors of the Alaskan wilderness yet still feel at home in the city, we were up for the challenge.”

“Danner has outfitted Roark trips all over the world since our journey to Nepal in 2014. The boots are always up to the task and are one of the most dependable pieces of gear we bring along,” says Ryan Hitzel, Founder & CEO of Roark. “All of those miles gave way to a collaboration that brings us a durable yet stylish pair of boots and the most bulletproof incarnation of our “Axeman” Jacket to date – built of boot-grade waxed canvas and leather. Even better, they were built in Portland and Los Angeles. We’re very proud of that.”

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SUPREME X GORE-TEX

Aaron Bible — Tue, 10 Dec 2019 04:58:33 +0000

Supreme once again has teamed up with GORE-TEX on their latest heavyweight down Parka. It comes in three color ways and won’t last long on the racks. The Parka is waterproof, breathable GORE_TEX nylon 3-layer shell. With a full zip closure and 700 fill down, this will keep you warm for the NYC winter and looking fresh. Good luck on hunting one down.

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Black Squid Jacket

Aaron Bible — Wed, 27 Mar 2019 03:27:43 +0000

Vollebak Introduces the Black Squid jacket, another innovative design from one of our favorite Indy brands. They replicated elements from the adaptive camouflage of a squid. Science meets fashion. They opened up the waiting list for this highly capable ski and snowboarding outerwear piece recently.

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Prometheus Design Werx Iliad Field Jacket – SMG

Jon Gaffney — Wed, 05 Dec 2018 03:57:08 +0000

Prometheus Design Werx releases some of the most interesting and well thought out gear on the market. Drawing on both tactical and outdoor influence, their team has built an impressive and far ranging line. Their Iliad Field Jacket is designed for outdoor activities where a laminate jacket is too hot and a mid layer will get drenched. Cut from wind blocking Durastretch Tweave soft shell fabric and made water resistant with a DWR coating it’s more than ready to keep the elements at bay.

Available for $249

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