Adirondack Squarespace Template Analysis

Helpful notes on the distinctive features of the Adirondack template

Updated March 2018

Template Name: Adirondack

Adirondack was first released on the Squarespace 6 platform (we're now on version 7), back in 2013. As such, it's one of the older templates, but it's an interesting case study of template evolution. You see, back on Squarespace 6 and the early days of Squarespace 7, every template was totally unique... and in fact, many were developed by completely different people, meaning there was often no continuity between naming of elements from one template to another. Thankfully, there's more consistency now, and another change is that Squarespace have decided to focus on developing template frameworks (called "families") rather than the one-off, completely unique templates of yesteryear. However, a few of these unique templates still survive, and Adirondack is one of them, possibly because it was one of the most advanced design-wise of its time. Instead of retiring this template, Squarespace have chosen to keep it and continue to develop it, positioning it as a Commerce-focused template.

Why choose Adirondack?

Websites have changed a lot since 2013, especially when it comes to designing with mobiles and tablets in mind. Although the Adirondack template is fully responsive (meaning it flexes to work on all sizes of device), certain things have moved on, and the newer templates have been created with everything from huge HD screens and mobiles in mind from Day 1. In some ways, this means Adirondack feels a little behind the times - especially regarding its design approach of squishing everything into a vertical column, with empty space in the canvas on either side (this empty space is HUGE on my large monitor). And while the level of control you have over the design was pretty hefty at the time of release, the newer families such as Brine offer even greater control.

However, there are some cool features like the collapsible navigation, animated header image, and ability to have certain icons in the header area that make Adirondack still feel contemporary. Many people also like the secondary built-in "folder" navigation that appears below the header image - which to me feels much nicer than the Bedford approach to folder navigation. This makes Adirondack a good choice for content-heavy sites with lots of sub-pages that need the added secondary nav for usability. And of course, it's oriented towards e-Commerce, so it's a good choice for online stores, especially if you like the idea of featuring a large texture or other type of product image as the banner on the individual product pages. It's the only template that does this, and it's a nice touch, in my opinion.

Lastly and most importantly, before you choose your template, be sure to read my Squarespace Template Bible for further detail on what templates do and don't control - and how to avoid the single biggest mistake people make when choosing a Squarespace template.

Strong Point / Best For…	Slick navigation with lots of design features, including subtle animation.
Design Notes	Wide column canvas floating above background, with optional drop-shadow on canvas. Medium style controls.
Homepage	Standard.
Index Page	NO
Sidebars	NONE
Header	Animated scaling logo and collapsible menu. Customisable icon on right can hold mini contact form, map or search that drops down from icon.
Header Images (Banners)	YES - can set per page. Adjustable header image height. Header image animation: collapses and fades when scrolling pages.
Site Tag Line	NO
Main Navigation	Horizontal navbar at top, above header, can be collapsed into mini menu icon.
Fixed Navbar?	YES, always. Shrinking animation as you scroll.
Other Navigation	TWO: Horizontal folder navbar below header image, or in same space as normal nav if no header image (confusing!). Horizontal footer navbar above regular footer. All secondary nav inherits main nav styling.
Social Icons	No
Footer	2 footers: one with secondary nav, then normal footer with social icons & content in split layout. No customization options.
Page Titles & Descriptions	YES - optional. Can only show both, or none. They appear below header image & above body.
Gallery Design	Grid or slideshow, with adjustable style settings for each.
Gallery Display	Gallery appears where header would be, above page title & description. No header image shows, even if you set a custom image. Image descriptions can show as overlay.
Gallery image title display	Yes, bottom overlay on Lightbox or slideshow
Gallery image description display	Yes, bottom overlay on Lightbox or slideshow
Thumbnail image shown in blog Excerpt?	NO
Location shown in blog post?	NO
Blog Notes	Full text of blog posts show in blog home. Blog column can be narrower than full width of normal pages.
Promoted Blocks?	NO
Products Notes	Large closeup of first product image (or custom thumbnail image, if set) appears full-width in header image space.
Other Features / Notes	Can set decoration options on page titles.
Similar to…	Five, Brine family

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