Tag: utilitarian fashion

• Your next hiking boot should maybe be your first one; the Vasque Sundowner GTX a classic proven

  

  The average hiker needs a good reliable boot with some good ankle support and a sole that will hold up to rough wear. Most hikers aren’t doing the the Pacific Crest Trail or Appalachian Trail, or even the Sheltowee Trace Trail. They don’t need a backpacker boot, what they need is a good time-tested hiking boot. The Vasque Sundowner GTX, a time-tested and reliable hiking boot that has stood the test of time. With its rich history of excellence and proven performance, the Sundowner is the ideal choice for hikers who crave durability, comfort, and versatility on the trails.

  As a weekend warrior hiker, you seek a boot that can handle diverse landscapes and weather conditions with ease. The Vasque Sundowner rises to the challenge, offering exceptional versatility. Whether you’re embarking on a day hike in your favorite local park or planning a multi-day trek in the wilderness, these boots will hold up to it

  

  One of the Sundowner’s greatest strengths lies in its Vibram rubber outsole. Vibram, a trailblazer in the outdoor footwear industry, is synonymous with unparalleled traction, stability, and durability. Renowned for their exceptional grip on various surfaces, Vibram soles ensure you stay firmly planted on the trail, no matter the terrain. With the Vasque Sundowner, you can confidently conquer rocky paths, muddy trails, and everything in between.

  Unpredictable weather can’t hold you back when you’re wearing the Vasque Sundowner. Many versions of this remarkable boot come equipped with waterproofing technology, such as a Gore-Tex membrane. No more worrying about soggy socks or damp feet as you traverse through streams or brave the rain. Stay dry, comfortable, and ready for whatever Mother Nature throws your way.

  Vasque boots is owned by Red Wing boots, easily the most famous of the “Pacific Northwest Boots”. Frankly, it’s usually not a good thing when a company is owned by another, it’s not uncommon for there to be a lot of budgeting. Let’s remember though, this is Red Wing, they proved themselves and keep doing it every day. So their budget hiking boot, is for true hikers. I can honestly say this is probably the boot for you if you’re an avid weekend hiker. It’s not up to the 300 mile trails, It’s not intended to be. But it will keep going no matter what that rough multi-day hike throws down.

  July 25, 2023

  boots, footwear, outdoors, utilitarian fashion

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• Scout boot: the American minimalist’s dream boot

  

    The Scout boot by Thursday Boots; the two birds with one stone boot. The boot does double duty as both office/formal footwear and as an informal man-about-town boot. A minimalist’s prayer in manifestation; the boot is versatile and exceptionally well made. Quality is becoming a bit of a reputation for Thursday. They’ve set up production in Mexico, Portugal, Spain, and the United States of America; basically a little over half of the places of the world known for having great boot making. 

   The Scout, as is true for all of the currently offered Thursday men’s boots, is resoleable. Meaning that the Scout boot can last you years; unheard of at this price point. The boots are, at the time of writing, offered at the regular price of $160 USD. The Scout boot comes in five leather options, and two sole options. Leather midsoles that are actually leather, studded rubber outsoles that give durability and traction from slip, and antimicrobial insoles for foot care; everything about the boots points to long lasting utilitarian minimalism at a price the common man can afford. 

  The scout is intended to be a fusion of both American and British styles. Mixing British styling with Americana influences and the durability of the American leather cobbling tradition. Classic chukka poured in to a tradition of rugged elegance.

  Ultimately this is a boot for the man that wants a good versatile boot for almost every setting. For the man that doesn’t want to drop an arm and leg on good boots. For the man that wants to live well but also minimalistically. This might be the everyman’s dress boot in purest form. Highly recommend by us. 

  July 10, 2023

  Americana, Americana fashion, boots, footwear, men’s fashion, minimalism, street fashion, utilitarian fashion

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• Amboseli Safari Jacket: The safari jacket that could have changed the game but didn’t, because the color was wrong.

  

  Last year The Territory Ahead released the Amboseli Safari Jacket. We can tell you first hand it was built to a really good quality, a hell of a quality. It blended utilitarianism and tradition in every aspect. It borrowed heavily from the American field jackets, which was its right as an American brand; ancestral learning that granted credibility. The jacket poured an American field into African safari and stirred it all together with amazing quality, only to leave it in an unappetizing color. Unfortunately that color wasn’t necessarily true on most screens, because of a weird quirk between screen settings and the actual color. Making the color of the jacket richer and better looking on screen.

  The jacket came in the worst and blandest of light khaki tans, much to the disappointment of a number of people such as myself who frequently have their devices set to “pop” colors. Many people expected it to be this deep earthy autumn golden bronze; the color of wet autumn wheat fields. A color any deeper that would be orange, and any lighter would be straw. There is the problem, it was lighter. It was all a lie, maybe a lie we told you ourselves, for setting our screens the way we did. The color didn’t match the images because of phone settings.

  I personally bought the jacket, the incredible quality, not bad fit. The belt was a little long I thought, but from the beginning I planned on replacing it, or cenching it back behind. It really offered what so many men needed, a jacket they could take into the city and out into the country. A pocket for everything, and not too many pockets; a balancing act in any safari or field jacket. The lining was comfortable, and I have no doubt very warm. I fully expected to be able to wear the jacket from September to November, and then again in late February to early April; a true two season jacket. They’re so few two season jackets nowadays. I just couldn’t shake that pale straw color, the company calls Dijon.

   To make matters worse, there was the matter of the button holds. Rather than traditional thread stitching, the company went for a type of ribbon for lack of a better word. This material held the buttons on, and I have zero doubt that it did so extremely well. It was absolutely that extra touch the jacket needed to show off its field readiness. The only problem was it was this orangish red which would have been fine had the color been true to expectations. I think they would have blended well together. They did it right, they built it exactly the way it needed to be, and nobody else has done that in an age it seems like. Except they got the color wrong. Now I know that in reality I am the one, along with others, who are at fault for assuming the wrong color. However, I don’t think that changes the fact that The Territory Ahead should have made it in a richer earthier color.

   They went to bat, they swung, they made contact, They knocked it out of the park; then took off the uniform, and went home without walking the bases. I really hope that someone from The Territory Ahead reads this, fixes this problem, because if they do; people will be talking about this safari jacket 20 years from now as 40 and 50-year-old men walk down the street still wearing them 20 years later.  I really hope The Territory Ahead does this again, but in a better color.

  July 3, 2023

  Americana fashion, Autumn fashion, coats, field jacket, jackets, men’s fashion, outerwear, Safari, Safari jacket, spring fashion., street fashion, territory ahead, utilitarian fashion

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