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A few months ago, some of the FITTED team took a journey to the Garden Isle, Kaua'i, to celebrate the birth of our brethren Cuzzo, by hiking the Kalalau Trail. This 11 mile trek consists of an all terrain trail of plunging-jagged cliffs, switch backs, and lush green valleys. It is also considered to be among the top 10 most dangerous hikes in the world. Thousands flock to the Na‘ Pali Coast State Park each year; however, only a fraction attempt to hike to Kalalau Valley. A permit is required to hike the whole trail and one must be in a certain level of shape to be able to hike in and out of the trail.
In the Kalalau valley, stonewalls and ceremonial platforms built by ancient Hawaiians still stand. The sense of mana is said to be powerful, according to those that venture into the valley, but the abandonment of the valley is still unclear. The current trail was built around 1860 by the Hawaiian government to foster transportation and commerce for the residents in remote valleys. Stone paving and retaining walls from that era still exist along the trail.
This Saturday's pack was inspired by various landmarks along the trail. The snapback (made of ripstop nylon material) was inspired by the view of the pure, unspoiled Pacific Ocean from atop Space Rock, which is a massive rock formation that sits along one of many plunging cliffs along the trail. The men's tank and women's v-neck and the underbrim of the hat were inspired by the isolated beach of Kalalau, which feature a natural pattern in the sand created by the wind over many years, untouched by man. One feels an unearthly aura when walking the beaches because of the incredible isolation and the scarcity of human interaction.
Wanna see more photos of the Kalalau hike? Then make sure to follow this link as well as this one.
