Spring, Summer, Autumn, but most of all Winter, Massachusetts-based Penfield can always be relied upon to deliver the goods – the goods in question being classic North American outerwear.
The 60/40 jacket is somewhat of a legend in outerwear circles, and Penfield’s take, the Kasson, been around in subtly-changing guises for a number of years now. This season’s version is the best yet. The tartan lining is bang-on, it has more pockets than you can shake a stick at (I know, an unimaginative turn of phrase, but sticks fit with the ‘outdoorsy’ vibe, right guys??) and is made from ridiculously hard-wearing fabric that can weather just about any storm.
Penfield claim to be about three things – utility, strength, and durability, and on paper, the Kasson wins should win on all three fronts. And it does. I’ve had one for four years now, and it’s held up incredibly, only missing a beat when I ripped it climbing over (ok, fine, falling from) a rather sharp fence around a railway line. That incident aside, it has kept me dry through the worst rain that Glasgow can throw at it, which, if you’ve ever been there, you’ll know is quite an achievement.
However, despite creating what I’m going to say is a near-perfect jacket, Penfield are decidedly not simply resting on their laurels; one new addition for this year is a fleece-lined incarnation of the Kasson for keeping you warmer and drier than you ever thought possible.
Despite all this gushing praise for the Kasson, I’d still be doing Penfield a disservice if I were to paint them as a one-trick pony; they do make a full range of jackets. From the Paxton, which has a real Scandanavian special forces feel going on…
…to the smarter down-filled Summit, they’re all delivering the utility, strength, and durability Penfield strives for. And, though we should credit the brand for their modesty, I think its fair to say there’s a healthy dose of style in there as well.
For the above jackets, head to Oi Polloi, or Liberty, both of whom also stock the full Penfield range including knits, hats, and shirts.
1 Comment
Waiting for the train, this morning I’ve started to feel the cold. I think reinvesting in a classic Penfield will do the job this Winter (why are you reinvesting you ask, it nothing to do with quality of the product – it more to do with a girl, lots of alcohol and naked old man covered in spicy sauce, and a prostitute, which is a long story) Anyway looking good, with the weather protection needed for the UK.