Fast Hiking: the QUECHUA concept lab

Fast hiking |
driving force of innovation

Explore and innovate to offer new solutions that are more and more technical, lightweight and innovative, which will allow us to develop even further our future products.

At Quechua, we never stop inventing, innovating and reinventing hiking.
We integrate new technologies and we rely on new tech materials, to be constantly on the go.
With our textiles.
With our equipment.
To make our products ever more ingenious… but also more responsible.

Fast Hiking: the QUECHUA concept lab

Fast hiking |
the quechua concept lab

Our product offer dedicated to Fast Hiking is distinguished by its ultra lightness, its technicality and its sporting codes which blend together for the benefit of a refined aesthetic for the most demanding hikers.
A new expression of performance which now classifies Fast Hiking as our CONCEPT LAB.
Explore and innovate to offer new solutions that are more and more technical, lightweight and innovative, which will allow us to develop even further our future products.

Fast Hiking: the QUECHUA concept lab

What is fast hiking?

Faster than the classic family hike, but less intense than trail running, this new leisure activity offers a more sporty approach to your mountain outings.
To keep up a fast and precise pace, two words: ULTRA-LIGHT hiking!
Unlike classic hiking equipment, the equipment dedicated to fast hiking (or speed hiking) is distinguished by its incredible lightness.
Products that feel forgotten, but don't forget to protect you.
Because we know, protection in the mountains is essential.

Fast Hiking: the QUECHUA concept lab

How do we design our products?

To meet the needs of our mountain purists, we wanted sporty and athletic products that were functional, clever, innovative and sustainable.
That's all?
No, always lighter too!
So that you can practice without any constraints.
We went directly to the essentials.
No gimmicky or superfluous functions.
An elegant, clean, contemporary design while remaining sporty and dynamic.
Finishings worked to the smallest detail.
And product tests that are always more demanding and precise with passionate"fast" hikers.

Fast Hiking: the QUECHUA concept lab

Innovations laboratory

Listen to the slightest criticism, to improve, test after test.
Co-create and be closer to your needs.
And test again, and again.

These steps are done in field, but also through our SPORTSLAB laboratories.
This is our laboratory dedicated to research and development on athletes bodies.
In fact, it is not one but 4 laboratories: a thermal comfort laboratory, a science of movements laboratory, a morphology laboratory and a sensory and behavioural sciences laboratory.
All are equipped with measurement and analysis tools to explore the functioning and needs of the body in each environment.
On a daily basis, around fifty engineers carry out studies on the moving body to understand how it works, and identify better the needs based on the sport.

And since we are the first users of the products we create, we ensure that they are flawless in comfort, performance and ergonomics.
And for this, we keep our creativity constantly on alert.
Always with the same quest for ingenuity.
The same quest for high standards.
And because we always want to go further in this quest for high standards, we have chosen to dedicate a team to this ultra-specialized sport of Fast Hiking.
To push our research always further and to express even more strongly the technicality of our products.
All this in order to further develop our entire product offer in the future.
Pure, essentialized, ultra-light and sporty, you can easily understand that the world of Fast Hiking advances that of QUECHUA.

A brief overview of equipment that sublimates your hikes with three essentials

Fast Hiking: the QUECHUA concept lab

Footwear

When you talk hiking, you talk footwear!
If our hiker appreciates signposted trails, he/she also knows how to avoid them. 
Trace your route (while respecting your environment).
You cannot venture onto the ridge of a mountain without suitable footwear. 
Essential for safety.
The FH900 shoe, for example, combines ultra-lightness to facilitate movements 
(740 g for a pair of men's shoes in size 42), a quick and precise tightening system, good support, an anti-intrusion gaiter but also robust for "grip" to the ground, and flexibility to offer a natural foot movement.
Are you a fan of fast descents in the stones? 
Footwear with stone guards are there to protect your toes!

Fast Hiking: the QUECHUA concept lab

Backpack

Think essential and light, do not burden yourself with the superfluous. This is what will allow you to limit unnecessary fatigue and make the most of your mountain trip.
So leave backpacks with a capacity of more than 25 L in the cloakroom:: much too big for fast hiking!

Always in the spirit of lightness x robustness, we opted for a waistcoat format when designing the FH900 backpack.
Why? It guarantees optimum support.

And since we like precision, the water bag makes it easy to see how much water is left at a glance. We thoughtfully placed the pockets to give quick access to essentials without having to stop, an inside pocket with key ring and even a small bag for waste.
Modular, this backpack allows an evolving capacity from 14 to 19L, adjustable by a rolled closure which allows additional volume compression. And, because it's always convenient to access your entire backpack, a large zipper is positioned on the side: ideal for grabbing your equipment without removing the backpack.
Finally, to guarantee you optimal protection, we have integrated a safety whistle: always better to use it only when needed, obviously!

Fast Hiking: the QUECHUA concept lab

Jackets

What does the ideal hiking jacket look like? It must be able to protect you from a small surprise downpour, compress easily into the bottom of your backpack so that you can easily take it out when needed, and leave you free to move around.

We designed our FH500 and FH900 rain jackets to meet all of these criteria.
An adjusted, comfortable fit that keeps you comfortable without sacrificing its style.
New tech components, with 2.5 layer membrane, to remain ultra light and guarantee protection up to 10,000 Schmerber.
Sleeves and bottom of the jacket with tightening system, a hood that encompasses the face well to limit wind resistance. We also thought about adding a visor, to protect you perfectly from rain, and a small pocket for easy access to essentials.
The finishings are always taken care of, because each detail counts.

We almost want it to rain, no?

Discover our range
fast hiking

Fast hiking: the quechua concept lab

Fast Hiking: the QUECHUA concept lab
Fast Hiking: the QUECHUA concept lab
Fast hiking: the quechua concept lab
Fast hiking: the quechua concept lab
Fast hiking: the quechua concept lab
Fast Hiking: the QUECHUA concept lab
Fast hiking: the quechua concept lab
Fast hiking: the quechua concept lab

More advice for fast hiking

Speed up your hikes with Fast Hiking - teaser

Change of pace with the fast hike ? We'll explain!

Are you looking for a change of pace? Then it's time to give speed hiking a try! Faster than the classic hike, but less intense than trail running, this new leisure activity offers a more sporty approach to your mountain outings.

Truly amazing patented technologies

FRESH & BLACK : Truly amazing patented technologies

Three technologies developed in our laboratories and in the field to experience tent life even more comfortably.

Quechua - Our concept of innovation

Quechua - Our concept of innovation

Innovation, research and development is Quechua's DNA, where most of our investments are concentrated.