Classic Water Containers

Right out of the pages of history, Sportsman's 
Guide ( www.sportsmansguide.com )
 is again offering French linen water buckets. They're most likely WW II surplus, but look just like the old ones you would have seen in any Abercrombie and Fitch catalog from the day. The way they work is based on the swelling thread of the fabric weave sealing the bag and holding water. 

The Desert Water Bag (www.can-spec.com) made by Canvas Specialty from Scottish flax duck works the same way, except that the closed bag sweats and cools the water just like an old gourd canteen would have done. Water is always cooler when stored this way than in some plastic tank.

 

The Desert Water Bag can still be found in old out buildings and antique shops for a pretty decent price. Many no longer hold water, but they look cool. If you want a new one, Canvas Specialty still sells them, but at a price. They require a minimum order of 2 and cost $52 each- if you buy 50, the price goes down to $45. That's a bit different from the the ones listed in A&F at $2 each in 1924.

From the Canvas Specialty site - Canvas Specialty offers a full line of accessories including Water Bags. These bags have been used by the military for years. Especially designed for extreme weather conditions, Canvas Specialty Water Bags are the perfect solution for very hot environments (Desert Camping).

Classic Design Is Always In Fashion

"If you make great clothes in the classic style, they will never go out of fashion."

Ralph Lauren

Filson's commitment to classic style has always been at the forefront of their design ideals. They have pulled off a great ad campaign, bringing classic style into our modern camping market, with the release of their latest catalogs.  Good job Filson.

 Woolrich has maintained classic styles in its clothing line, keeping the Hunting Coat and Stag Shirt - both in their line since the early 1800s - without any noticeable modern intrusions. Cheers to Woolrich for providing us with true field-tested outdoor gear.

Classic style has also made its way into the camp and home hearth. 

Pendleton Woolen Mills - established 1883 - 

From the Pendleton History - In 1863, traveling down the Atlantic seaboard, crossing the Isthmus of Panama on a burro, and sailing up the Pacific coast was a grueling four-month passage. Yet for Thomas Kay, a young English weaver, it was a dream come true. An old hand at sea voyages, he had already crossed the Atlantic years earlier to work at east coast textile mills. With skills honed, he was now headed to an area with ideal conditions for raising sheep and producing wool. A place with moderate weather and plentiful water - America's newest state, Oregon. 
     Kay helped organize Oregon's second woolen mill in Brownsville, where he oversaw the weaving operation. Soon he was made a superintendent of the company. In 1889, Thomas Kay opened his own mill in Salem, Oregon. From these humble beginnings rose a dyed-in-the-wool American success story. 

Sundance is a contemporary company, but its eye for classic style and rustic elegance 

have always been a part of Robert Redford's flagship company.

Montana is a "Khaki State of Mind."  With classic styling and recognition of their traditional outdoor history and heritage, Montana companies maintain a look that is truly a part of the classic camping movement.

Keep up the good work. Please post any companies you know who have 

maintained a long tradition of classic outdoor wear, 

or others who may be reproducing clothing based on classic styles. 

Classic Camo

Here's a link to a great little blog about vintage clothing and manufacturers who have been around since the Golden Age of Camping, including Duxback.  Pay them a visit and learn a thing or two about the way we dress -   

http://segui-riveted.blogspot.com