Introducing Project Terrain by WHOOP x SR_A

When WHOOP teams up with one of the most forward-thinking designers in performance wear, the result is something worth paying attention to. In episode 366 of the WHOOP Podcast, Designer Samuel Ross sat down with WHOOP Founder and CEO Will Ahmed to break down Project Terrain, a new collaboration that merges wearable technology with function-first apparel.

This isn't your typical product drop. Project Terrain is a seasonal training system designed to evolve over three chapters, with chapter one featuring six products built for daily training and lifestyle use. Ross brings his background in industrial design and architecture to create gear that respects the principle of function at the core of WHOOP. The conversation covers everything from breathable fabric engineering to why your wrist deserves its own design language.

What is Project Terrain and how does it differ from a typical apparel drop?

Most collaborations hit the market, make noise, and disappear. Project Terrain takes a different approach. It's built as a repeatable seasonal system rather than a one-time release.

"Project Terrain is this ethos, this vision we've been building, which is about seasonal training," Ross explains. "We're gonna tell this over three chapters, and chapter one will include six different products."

The collection pulls from Italian, Japanese, and South Korean technical fabrics, creating a system you can integrate into both training and daily life. Each season builds on consistent silhouettes, palettes, and design details tied to different terrains. Chapter One focuses on city performance with deep slate tones and titanium-inspired hues. Future chapters will explore outdoor environments through rusts and earth tones.

This continuity matters. Season after season, you'll recognize the design language developing across garments and accessories.

Hear Ross explain the full three-chapter vision in the podcast episode.

What design details went into the process?

Balancing protection from the elements with breathability is notoriously difficult. Ross spent years learning this balance through technical jacket development, and those lessons show up throughout Project Terrain.

The jackets feature lightweight construction with reinforced zips, functional perforation, and insulated pads placed where they matter. The fabric coating provides water and sweat resistance without the stuffy, heavy feeling that ruins most protective gear.

"No one wants to feel stuffy or heavy, or as though they're being burdened," Ross explains. "All of those decisions have gone into the grade of fabric, the level of coating that we've brought forward here."

One detail stands out for anyone who's tried running in a hooded jacket: the perforated hood design. Ross addressed a common frustration that most brands ignore.

"If we didn't perf the hood, we've all been in this scenario where you are running and it becomes this wind tunnel," he says. "All of that's being considered here."

The perforations aren't decorative. They're placed in zones where you actually need airflow, allowing the hood to form to your body rather than ballooning during movement. It's the kind of problem-solving that only comes from actually using the gear in real conditions.

The podcast dives deeper into the specific fabric grades and coating decisions behind each piece.

What's new about the WHOOP x SR_A band?

The hardware tells its own story. Ross developed completely new tooling for the clasp, featuring sharp architectural angles and a brushed steel patina that hasn't been brought to market before.

"It's ready to be used. It doesn't feel too precious, but it also feels so distinct," Ross describes. The design philosophy here centers on durability over perfection. This is a tool meant to be worn hard, not kept pristine.

The bands use the signature SuperKnit material with new color options and patinas that feel refined but distinct. A raised pigment print adds grip and texture while incorporating reflective elements for visibility.

"It's not about perfection, it's about durability," Ross emphasizes. "This idea of a tool comes to mind."

The multipurpose nature matters here. These bands work for sweating through a workout, wearing to the office, or heading out afterward. The color options support that optionality, designed to swap in and out based on your day.

Hear the full breakdown of the band engineering and color philosophy in the episode.

The bottom line

Project Terrain represents something new in the performance apparel space: a seasonal system built around wearable technology rather than treating it as an afterthought.

Ross's approach, rooted in industrial design and architecture, brings intentionality to every detail, from perforated hoods that actually solve the wind tunnel problem to reflective elements that keep you visible without compromising aesthetics.

For WHOOP members, this collection offers gear that respects both the technology on your wrist and the intelligence you bring to your training. Chapter One launches with six products designed to integrate into daily life, with future chapters building on the design language season after season.

Explore the full Project Terrain collection and listen to the full conversation to learn more.