A Field Test: Woolrich Declination.

Many good things from yesteryear still perform flawlessly in to our modern 2012's lifestyle. Canvas, leather and wool still fill the main part of my tripping kit and are only becoming more and more popular. Yes, we know there is lighter more waterproof fabrics available, but with the lighter is better mentality they are paper thin and are way less durable as the three I mention above. I was excited when asked to give Woolrich's new Declination Hoodie a shot at the outdoor experience.  Part of there newer "vintage inspired" collection, Woolrich has reaching back to the 70's and has brought back poly cotton as a outdoors fabric and some fantastic styling.

Fit
The Declination is an anorak shell, but they chose to use the term hoodie for some reason to describe it. The fit is great, not to baggy, not to tight. When wearing it for my test and during the pictures I have underneath a thick wool button up shirt and a base layer and there is still a bit of room to spare. My major concern with the hoodie is the lack of side access zipper. This would have been such a great add on to the jacket. The fact that fabric has no stretch, and due to the friction between the wool and cotton, getting it on and off that day was a bit of a struggle. Manageable, but if i was wearing this out somewhere "nice" I wouldn't want to be pulling shirt up over my head looking like I was just "jersied". The actual hood was big and roomy but could be snugged down if winds really picked up, as well the nice sized pockets when filled did not make the jacket seem tighter. I might also add that being at tall (6'5"), the declination sleeves were 100% acceptable, I was pleasantly surprised I could put my arms over my head and not have the cuffs at my elbows. and same goes with the overall length, the drop back made for reassurance that the small of my back staid covered while bending over.

 

Materials

As mentioned above that the Declination shell is poly cotton,  65% cotton, and 35% nylon to be exact. The shell is a light weight tight weave that really does block all the wind. While trying it out I was faced with 90km/h winds and snow, and the Declination broke all the wind and also kept the snow off my wool shirt. The lining of the hood is a nice Woolrich plaid cotton, which is super comfortable and soft. The plaid cotton does not just cover the hood but also extends over the bust and around the shoulders. The Talon brand zippers are a heavy duty metal, brass would have been nice as one would not have to worry about rust or any corrosion, alas they are not plastic which would throw the whole heritage vibe. A lot of the tabs on the Declination are made with oiled leather. When I saw pictures of the jacket before I received it, the leather looked raw. This concerned me as treating such small pieces of leather can be difficult as you might get waxy dressing onto canvas where it can stain. When I got the declination the first thing I noticed was that all the leather was in fact oiled. Nice touch Woolrich!  The anoraks front main pocket is lined with a nylon type satin and closes with a double velcro closure, snaps would be better and longer lasting for a area that will frequent open and closing. Behind the front pocket is a left and right hand pockets with zippers, which is perfect for the more valuable items you want to keep at hand and not worry about dropping. All in all the materials are good for its job, the poly cotton is a tough breathable fabric, the zippers are a known heavy duty brand, and the leather won't get brittle and crack prematurely.

Performance

When I gave thought as to the use for the Declination, I thought it would make a great campfire jacket, something to throw on after I set up camp and was just lazing around a fire at the end of the day. However, testing in such extreme winter conditions my feelings about the Declination has really changed tune. This jacket is an excellent windbreaker, and general use shell. Being out in the snow, back country skiing for 4 hours one could really appreciate the ease of breath-ability of the cotton, plus the front zipper is long enough to open up for even more ventilation if needed. If I was to be wearing a gortex shell or even a soft shell I know my back would be pretty gross with sweat, but because of the poly-cotton it was completely manageable.  All this "behind-the-scenes" ventilation happens while blocking out the cold gusts wind and blowing snow with ease. The huge front pouch and is big enough carry your favorite GORP,  a extra hat and gloves with some room to spare and have them all at the ready. One of the other pluses I notice and was quite thought out was the cuffs. They are snap closures, but they have a gusset, so when they are unsnapped, they are huge, perfect for pulling down your sweater that was pulled up while putting it on. Some of my other coats don't have wide cuffs and it can be very frustrating. Also I should note that while its does not really provide any water resistance, it could definitely fend off a small shower and in my case wicked snow, as it would dry fairly quick.

Skiing in snow storm 90 km/h winds.

The aftermath, but I was warm.

Conclusion
Retailing at $134 CAD at Woolrich.com, the Declination is a solidly built "hoodie", although it is not made in the US, you can tell that Woolrich has strict standards about the quality of their garments and they want to remain true to their long history of durable outdoor goods. While skiing, I snagged it a couple times on some trees and nothing ripped, not even so much as a pulled thread. While it will be tagging along with me in the coming canoe season, I can't lie and say that I have not been enjoying the comfort and classic styling of the Declination while running around town in this transition period from Winter to Spring. Thanks Woolrich and to Michael at PME for the letting me give the Declination a run while out adventuring in the bush.

Avon "Clint" Coleman Lantern Cologne.

If you know Avon, you know that back through the 70's - 80's they put their Cologne in every conceivable bottle shape known to man. Jeeps, pipes, trains, just Ebay it, its incredible the shapes! They are cheap collectibles now ranging between $5 and $20 I would say for the high end ones. I have been collecting Coleman stoves and lanterns for over a decade, and when I was at a seniors center garage sale I stumbled on my first bottle of "Clint" in a Coleman Decanter. It set me back $0.50.  The Cologne was/is horrible, almost like you are wearing naphtha mixed with splash of Brut, with a swish of sewer water. Well needless to say it became the true "Man" smell among friends. On one occasion of three dudes in a parking lot applying some "Clint", one of my buds refused as it smells so bad. So what did Friend #2 do? He poured it in his hand and slapped Friend #1 in the face when he wasn't looking. Years later I found a unopened bottle with the box at another sale. Thank God, I would hate to run out of my favorite man smell. And look at that graphic, those men are so happy. Happy to be burning their kness standing so close to the fire? The one guy on the left kind of looks like Clint Eastwood, though I think even his coolness couldn't pull this off.  Any other dreaded "man" smells you know aside from the obvious.

Damn Yak Dry Goods At Klaxon Howl.

 For those who are in the Toronto downtown core, take some time and stop by this tucked away shop down a small lane way north of Manning and Queen.  Klaxon howl, a staple of Toronto Men's wear, is now carrying Damn Yak Dry Goods Co. Leather products.  Owner Matt Robinson has been operating Klaxon Howl since 2005.  Along with fantastic vintage Military and other historical work wear, there is also the Klaxon Howl's private label.  With their great fitting detailed Japanese selvage denim, to their "Uncle Sam" plaid pull over, Klaxon does not cease to provide the city of Toronto with high quality wears.   Damn Yak Dry Goods will have both styles of wallets avalible, along with new Key fobs, and some great 6 oz tooling leather double wrap bracelets.  This is the store every man needs to experience, to awaken his masculine roots.  Whether looking for some heavy leather boots that your grandpa would have built his home in, or a unique twist on the staple chambray shirt, Klaxon Howl can deliver timeless, effortless and functional style with that lost feeling of nostalgia.

Klaxon Howl

694B Queen St. West

Toronto, Ont
647.436.6628

Spruce Chewing Gum.

During a resent visit with Canadian Outdoors Equipment Co., co-owner Tim handed me a piece of all natural Spruce chewing gum to give a try and see how I liked it. From Maine, these little nuggets of fragrant crystals come nestled in nice small wooden boxes instead of wrappers or paper. Chewing Spruce gum dates back to the early 1800’s. American Indians would chew it, as well as make syrup for sore throats and other medicines from it. In 1848 John B. Curtis developed and sold the first commercial chewing gum called "The State of Maine Pure Spruce Gum". Slowly moving out of fad with paraffin wax gums and the chicle type gums of the late 17th century. The technique to chew is something just as unique as the gum.

“Put the lump of gum in your mouth (it doesn't look very appealing at this stage--don't worry, it's antiseptic and 100% safe) and break it up into a granular and strong-tasting substance. At this stage it is somewhat distasteful but resist the temptation to spit it out. In this granular form it will merge with saliva and be warmed by your mouth. Keep chewing for about four minutes without spitting. You will notice that it becomes less granular as you chew. When you have a sizable lump which holds together, then spit out the juice and the impurities, which separated out, and keep chewing. You will spit out another 4 times before it is purified and great! After this period, take it out and look at it. It will have a beautiful colour and taste great. It will now be good for about 30 minutes of terrific chewing”

It was quite refreshing, giving your mouth that forest fresh feeling. The clarified resin actually takes on the consistency of the commercial gum we are so used to.  After chewing it for a while you can feel the antiseptic tingling on your tongue!!  I can see why at one time was all the rage. A lot of people still prefer this type of gum, though harder to find its well worth it. One Old Timer said “Spruce gum is the distillation of rainbows and sunsets, of hurricanes and sunshine, of hard winter and puissant spring...”. I couldn’t have put it better myself. If your looking to get your hands on a piece or two contact Canadian Outdoor Equipment Co., or swing by there store in Port Credit, Ont.

Als Ik Kan.

Three simple words. Three simple words that would be nice to see more people hold true. Basically translating to "If I can, all I can". Adapted in the middle ages, when craftsman would use a device or legend that would he would display on every piece of his work to identify that the piece was genuinely his. Kind of like a modern trademark. the "Als ich kanne" motto was originally used by a 14th century Flemish painter Ian Eyck to identify his work. Several hundred years later William Morris used the term but in french, "Si je puis", to identify his products. Morris as you may or may not know was a very important figure in English arts and crafts movement. The Morris Chair of American arts and crafts fame gets its name from his company, that was the original producer of such chairs in the 1860's. Gustav Stickley is the founder of the American arts and crafts movement. He took many key pieces from the english movement and made them his own. As such he adopted the motto, in modern Flemish (dutch) "als ik kan" along with the joiners compass and his signature to identify his work. The American arts and crafts style and its school of though was to incorporated your own handmade or locally handcrafted wood, glass, and metal work creating objects that are/were both simple and elegant for the home. These Items were to be carefully made to uphold the highest quality avalible. Quite an idea to press for in today's worlds of Ikea and Wally's world.

Enjoying The Outdoors - Part Four.

Here are some photographs of America enjoying the outdoors. These are from my personal collection.

Canvas Cup - damn yak dry goods Co.

I am please to present the first product under the "damn yak dry goods Co." brand. This small run of canvas cups is made with preshrunk unbleached canvas, raw leather, and copper rivets. Limited to 10 cups, each one measures approx 4" x 5.5". Each cup is made one at a time by me. The seams are not absolutely straight, but guaranteed tough and long lasting, each side is sewn twice. On each cup is a leather loop riveted with copper for hanging off your bag. And yes, they are meant to be used and function quite beautifully. The cups are stenciled with "D.Y." in black acrylic, then heated to set. 100% of the proceeds of this project will be going into the next "damn yak dry goods Co." item. I will stand by these product fully, if you ever need repair on your cup just give it back, and it will be repaired or a new one will be made. I am asking for $10 (shipping included) a cup, and I assure you that it is money well spent as it will never let you down in the field. Thanks for looking and please email me at damnyak@gmail.com if interested.






*as a side note, these cups are meant for water only, and there will be some moisture felt when using the cup, but it will hold water and you will be able to drink from it.

GWG: Canada's oldest denim Co.

Alfred E. Jackson, and Charles A. Graham established the Great Western Garment Company (GWG) on January 30, 1911, with a strong belief in the future of the young city. They also recognized the need for a supply of functional, hard-wearing clothing for the province's growing workforce.

GWG made great denim of highest quality, the Royal Albert Museum's web site has a great web page devoted to GWG and the history from start to Levi's taking over to eventually Levi's deciding to close all plants in Canada.

Here is the link to the web page (Royal Albert Museum) that has pdf's of back catalogs and some great pictures, as well as a great collectors guide.