For years, I found myself dealing with the same frustration every time I headed outside in colder weather. I could dress warmly, but as soon as I started moving, I would get too hot. If I removed a layer, I’d get cold again the moment I slowed down. And more often than not, the clothing that kept me warm was also the clothing that added bulk and made it harder to move comfortably.
It seemed like such a simple problem, yet I couldn’t find a simple solution.
I have spent much of my life skiing and being active outdoors, and I’ve always believed that what you wear should make those experiences better, not more complicated. But the more time I spent trying different base layers and technical apparel, the more I noticed how often I was compromising. Something might provide enough warmth but feel bulky under a jacket. Another piece might fit beautifully but offer little protection from the cold. And even the most technical options didn’t always account for what happens when your activity level changes throughout the day.
I started asking myself why finding clothing that could do all of these things well was so difficult.
That question eventually became the foundation for Base 2 Peak.
The Problem Wasn’t a Lack of Options
The outdoor apparel industry has no shortage of products. Walk into almost any sporting goods store, and you’ll find racks of technical clothing promising warmth, breathability, flexibility, and comfort. But having more choices doesn’t necessarily mean having better solutions.
For women, particularly, I’ve found that performance apparel often falls into two categories. On one end, there is highly technical gear designed almost exclusively around function, sometimes at the expense of fit and comfort. On the other, there is a growing selection of fashionable activewear that looks great but isn’t necessarily equipped for demanding outdoor conditions.
I wanted something that could tickall of the boxes, of technical, function, comfort, fit and flattery and felt strongly I was not the only woman who felt the same way.
The issue became especially apparent to me when it came to layering. In theory, layering is straightforward: add clothing when you’re cold and remove it when you’re warm. In practice, it’s rarely that simple. Anyone who has spent a long day skiing, hiking, or moving between different environments knows how quickly conditions can change. Your body temperature changes, the weather changes, and suddenly the layers that felt comfortable an hour ago are working against you.
I wasn’t interested in carrying extra clothing everywhere I went or constantly adjusting what I was wearing. I wanted fewer, better pieces that could adapt to how I actually moved, without the bulk.
Why I Spent Years Getting It Right
My interest in solving this problem began in 2010. At the time, I certainly didn’t have every answer, but I knew what wasn’t working for me.
Over the years, I became increasingly interested in the relationship between fabric, warmth, fit, and freedom of movement (reducing bulk). I wanted to understand why certain materials felt comfortable at rest but became restrictive during activity, and why some layers could keep you warm without doing much to manage moisture or changes in temperature.
It became a long process of testing, learning, adjusting, and testing again.
One of the most important discoveries in developing Base 2 Peak was the potential of micro chenille fabric, which I discovered while living in Hong Kong for many years and skiing the frigid temperatures of the mountains on Hokkaido, Japan. Its construction offered the combination I had been looking for: lightweight warmth, a soft feel against the skin, and the ability to manage moisture and airflow during movement.
But fabric alone wasn’t the answer. Fit and design mattered just as much. A layer that bunches beneath outerwear, restricts movement, or adds unnecessary bulk defeats much of its purpose, regardless of how technically advanced the material may be.
I wanted every design decision to serve a practical need. The way a garment sits against the body, the placement of seams, the amount of stretch, and the way different pieces work together all have an impact on how someone feels while wearing them.
And those details take time to get right.
Looking back, I’m glad I didn’t rush the process. There’s an enormous amount of pressure on brands to constantly introduce something new, but I’ve never believed that new automaticallymeans better. Sometimes the most valuable thing you can do is spend more time improving what already exists.
Why I Took the Sleeves Off
The real breakthrough came when I stopped asking how to make a warmer layer and started asking where warmth was actually needed. 70% of the body’s heat is generated and held in the core, yet most base layers wrap the arms in the same fabric as the torso. That was where so much of the bulk came from: sleeves bunching at the elbows, twisting under a jacket, and trapping heat in exactly the places that overheat first.
So I designed the Base 2 Peak gilet to be sleeveless. It keeps warmth concentrated around the torso while leaving the arms and shoulders completely free. That freedom of movement is something you notice immediately, whether you’re planting a pole, reaching overhead, carrying gear, or simply swinging your arms on a brisk walk. With no sleeves to fight, the layers on top slide on easily and sit the way they were designed to.
Compression That Moves With You
Removing the sleeves solved one part of the problem. The other part was the fit.
I wanted a compression fit, close enough to the body to hold warmth in and sit smoothly beneath outerwear without bunching or adding bulk. But compression has a reputation for feeling restrictive, and I had no interest in clothing that felt like something to endure.
That’s where the four-way stretch made all the difference. Because the fabric stretches both lengthwise and crosswise, the gilet hugs your curves and moves with your body rather than against it. It holds its shape and supports you, but it never feels constraining. You can twist, bend, and reach without the fabric pulling or riding up.
Combined with the softness of micro chenille against the skin, the result is a layer that feels secure without feeling tight, and warm without feeling heavy. Pieces like the Ajax Gilet are the kind you put on in the morning and stop thinking about, which, to me, is the highest compliment a garment can earn.
Designing for the Way Women Actually Live
Although my own experience began with skiing and cold-weather activities, I never wanted Base 2 Peak to be limited to the mountains.
Women lead active, varied lives. We might start the morning with a walk, head to work, travel, run errands, or spend an afternoon outdoors. We move between different environments, temperatures, and levels of activity, often without the luxury of changing our entire outfit along the way.
Our clothing should be able to keep up. A sleeveless gilet slips just as easily under a shirt, blazer or a sweater as it does under a ski shell.
That’s why I’ve always approached Base 2 Peak as performance apparel first, with an emphasis on a clean, refined design that feels just as natural in everyday life. I love clothing that looks beautiful, but I believe its real value is in how it functions.
A flattering silhouette means very little if you can’t move comfortably. And technical features aren’t particularly helpful if a garment is so cumbersome that you don’t want to wear it.
The goal is to bring those qualities together in a way that feels effortless.
It’s also why I believe women need to play a greater role in shaping the products being created for them. There is an important difference between designing something for a particular customer and understanding, firsthand, what that customer experiences.
That doesn’t mean every woman has the same needs or preferences. Of course we don’t. But it does mean those experiences deserve to inform the design process from the very beginning rather than becoming considerations at the end.
Building Something I Believe In
Starting Base 2 Peak has reinforced something I think many entrepreneurs eventually discover: some of the best business ideas come from problems that simply won’t leave you alone.
For me, it was about recognizing an everyday frustration, realizing other women could benefit from a better solution, and deciding that the problem was worth pursuing.
There have been years of learning behind that decision. And while creating something from the ground up is rewarding, it also requires patience, particularly when you care deeply about the details.
I’ve learned to trust the value of firsthand experience, to ask questions when something isn’t working, and to resist the temptation to prioritize speed over quality.
More than anything, I’ve learned that a product doesn’t have to reinvent an entire industry to make a meaningful difference. Sometimes rethinking something people already rely on, even something as simple as a sleeve, can be just as valuable.
Because ultimately, the purpose of good performance apparel is to allow you to spend less time thinking about what you’re wearing and more time enjoying what you’re doing.
That’s what I wanted for myself all those years ago. And it’s what I hope Base 2 Peak can offer other women today.
