Maybe it’s because modern urbanites are taking a stab at camping and climbing, maybe it’s because gardening and the requisite Birkenstocks are hip again, but lately men’s fashion is increasingly looking outdoors. Prada’s Spring-Summer 2017 collection, shown last June in Milan, featured models in full high fashion hiking regalia, complete with water bottles dangling from their backpacks. And one of the most iconic pieces of crunchy clothing, the quick-dry Patagonia Baggies short—specifically the 5” inseam version—has become the go-to short of the summer for guys who buy the rest of their clothes on Grailed. There are a million ways to embrace the outdoor trend. We say this summer you should look to rock climbing for inspiration.

Prada Spring-Summer 2017 Prada, Spring 2017. Victor VIRGILE

Rock climbing style has its roots in the 1970s, when a psychedelic climbing crew called The Stonemasters turned climbing into a cultural phenomenon. They also made it one of the coolest sports in the world. As the gang of young guys and girls made first ascents of the impossible walls in Yosemite and Joshua Tree, they developed a considered nonchalance that included plenty of drug use (who said you couldn’t trip balls halfway up a rock?) and, of course, an effortless sense of style. As some of them told GQ Style in an oral history of the Stonemasters phenomenon, their uniform was white painter pants, tie-dye headbands, and the craziest shirt you could find—basically a woodsier version of surf style, as good for adventuring as for partying at the campsite. These days, a bunch of labels in both America and Japan fully hone in on the climbing lifestyle’s vintage appeal, not to mention the booming popularity of the sport itself, to spread a Stonemaster-like style gospel. A lot of this throwback gear won’t look out of place in the city, but most of it is made to properly handle hikes and climbs and camping trips—like in the national parks, say. There’s never been a better time to go outside, so why not dress for it?

Stonemasters Dale Bard, Bachar, and Kauk in Yosemite. Photograph by Werner Braun

The American Interpretation

Pilgrim climbing shorts, $190 Battenwear camp shirt, $185 Pilgrim climbing pants, $215

A number of American brands update climbing and camping staples for the urban crowd. One of climbing’s most widespread design features is the nylon self-belted pant, which can actually be traced back to a Stonemaster, Mike Graham, who founded gear brand Gramicci in 1982. While the loose and unfussy classic versions are still undeniable, almost every urban-adventure label does an updated version in a range of washed-out shades. NYC Garment District-based Battenwear makes their tapered and slightly cropped, with roomy corduroy shorts to match. Pilgrim, known for its surf apparel and well-curated Brooklyn and Amagansett shops, does a dad-approved wide-leg pant and short. The most multifunctional brand of the bunch, Topo Design, makes theirs with hard-wearing ripstop cotton.

Epperson Mountaineering Climb Tote, $80

These labels also sell tops and outerwear that look don’t look so far removed from a national park parking lot: large-pocketed nylon anoraks, slouchy fleece jackets, and chilled-out camp shirts—wardrobe basics for guys inclined to long weekends in spotty cell service. A few American brands take the vintage cues all the way, reimagining technical outdoor gear as tripped-out accessories. Epperson Mountaineering uses bright nylon webbing and cordura to make wild color-blocked bags, complete with carabiners. Topo Designs makes bag zippers and camera straps out of kaleidoscopic climbing rope—they also sold out a pair of custom-patterned Chaco’s. (If you can get on board with Birks or even Tevas, Chaco’s are the next step.) While there’s certainly something appealing about sliding into third-wave normcore, these crossover climbing goods are also just super dynamic and durable—values heritage outdoor brands like Patagonia, which was actually founded as a climbing apparel business, have been preaching for decades.

The Japanese Spin

And Wander shirt, $250 And Wander shorts, $288 And Wander jacket, $490

Japanese designers do climbing and camping gear with more of a design twist, mashing together active fabrics with relaxed silhouettes and the occasional hippie reference. Check out Soho boutique Blue in Green, which stocks outdoorsy Japanese brands And Wander, Snow Peak, and Manastash. You’ll find plenty of nylon-belted pants, of course—Manastash’s are exceedingly faithful to the original Gramicci version, but cropped to shin length. And Wander—founded in 2011 by former Issey Miyake Men designers and recently available stateside—is easily the most hardcore of the bunch. There are tiny carabiners on the wind resistant shirts and utility-pocket pullovers, (and, naturally, the requisite nylon belted bottoms). But those details don’t feel overdone, and don’t make And Wander feel derivative of vintage Americana—it’s more rare urban rain-wear than anything else. (A shroom-print camp shirt fits right in.) Snow Peak simply makes the coolest camping gear in the world, like short-sleeve down base layers, organic tees and sweaters, and elegant camping bottles, bowls, and even chairs. It’s purely functional gear that you’ll want to wear and use every day.

The North Face Purple Label Spring-Summer 2017

Likewise, The North Face Purple Label and Nanamica, which are directed by the same Tokyo-based creative team, are rooted in an affinity for the outdoors. With subtle design touches and expert styling, Purple Label is basically the fashion interpretation of The North Face’s heritage designs and outdoor innovations. Nanamica uses fabrics common in camping, climbing and hiking—like waterproof Gore-Tex and heavy-duty cordura—to make fashion worth flying to Tokyo for. It’s telling that even though both brands have only recently been available outside of Japan, their look books have been obsessed over by the menswear crowd for years. (Nanamica has recently picked up a bunch of western stockists, and while Purple Label remains Japan exclusive, The North Face released a similar “Japan Unlimited” collection stateside last year.)

Whether you’re into the Birkenstocked Brooklyn dad side of the climbing trend, or more about tracking down rarefied Japanese fashions, the outdoors are pretty much what menswear is all about right now—versatile design, lasting durability, and positive vibrations. The Stonemasters had fun with it, and so should you. If it helps you get outside this summer, that’s even better. Don’t forget your nylon-belt pants.