Thank you!

Wow. The Overland Expo was a huge success for ExpeditionApparel – thanks to everyone who stopped by the booth! We moved a lot of product and had a great time.

We need a couple weeks to decompress. Our inventory is dusty and depleted, so we are taking the store offline for two weeks while we clean and adjust our quantities. Checkout is currently closed until June 3. 2013 and we are not accepting new orders.

Again, checkout is closed until June 3, 2013 and we are not accepting new orders until then.

Thanks to everyone who helped make this Overland Expo really special for us!

New item – Tuareg scarves!

ExpeditionApparel is proud to offer a brand new, very limited item. We have received a selection of Tuareg scarves from Morocco. These handmade scarves have been used for centuries by the Tuareg people of North Africa to protect themselves from the grit and sun of the desert. The Tuareg scarf is an indispensable tool for desert travel.

A friend of ExpeditionApparel, Sinuhe Xavier, helped us obtain these scarves:

“I had all the proper desert gear, a light full sleeve shirt, full length pants with a baseball hat and bandana. As I stepped out of the car on the edge of the Sahara my driver asked where my turban was. I explained that neither me or my small crew that was there to shoot second unit on a feature film had a turban, but that it would be fine, we were used to shooting in the desert. Before long, any piece of exposed skin felt like it would singe in the sun I couldn’t pull my bandana high enough. At lunch my driver showed up with traditional Tuareg scarfs and showed us how to wear them, we were protected from the sun. I didn’t leave the hotel for the next three weeks without it.

The Tuareg scarf has become a staple in my kit ever since. It’s versatile in that it keeps you warm on the cool desert morning and nights when warn as a traditional scarf and keeps the sun and wind at bay when worn as a traditional turban. In an emergency it has the length and strength to be used as a shoulder sling or a bandage. Since I’ve been back in the States I use it regularly in place of my traditional wool scarf  I brought back a handpicked selection to share with you. ” – Sinuhe Xavier

The Tuareg scarf in action:

Check them out here.

Photos by Sinuhe Xavier.

Welcome to the new ExpeditionApparel!

As you can see, more then a few things have changed on the ExpeditionApparel site. We’ve totally revamped the front page and the store! Not only is it a big cosmetic improvement, it’s also much more functional then the old design.

Here are a couple of the major improvements:

  •  Continuity between the store and homepage – shopping with ExpeditionApparel is now a seamless experience. We’ve unified the theme across both parts of the site.
  • Shopping links on the homepage – we’ve added shopping links across the top and now have added a column that we can customize to display our featured/sale/new products. This should help you find what you are looking for much faster!
  • Improved item page – this is my personal favorite improvement. We’ve revamped the individual item pages to use less vertical screen space. Information like price, size, and color has been moved to the top of the page. No more scrolling or hunting for the order button.

There are loads of less visible changes. Mobile viewing has been improved and we’ve revamped how content is displayed on the front page. This has been in the works for a long time and we couldn’t be happier with how it turned out.

To commemorate the new design, we’re launching a storewide sale! All orders until November 1st receive 10% off! It’s automatic – there’s no coupon code or restrictions. Just add the item to your cart and the discount will appear. It’s a fantastic opportunity to get your holiday shopping done early!

We hope that all of you are as fond of the new look as we are!

- ExpeditionApparel

Plaid vs. Plain

Most of the synthetic tops available today fit into one of two categories: plain or plaid. In the past, synthetic “style” has been limited to baggy shirts that are sold in a variety of colors ranging from neutral to garish. In the last few years, things have changed. Outdoor companies are offering products with slimmer cuts and patterns. These patterns are (for the most part) plaid.

This opens up a nice range of new possibilities when it comes to packing. These new shirts allow you to enjoy the benefits of a synthetic shirt without looking like you just stepped off the river or trail. The same shirt can be worn on a hike while also looking nice enough to be worn out to dinner. It’s impossible to pack less while receiving more benefits.

Of course, this is all a matter of personal preference. Pack whatever you feel comfortable in. Maybe I’m a bit vain and overly concerned with personal appearance. To me, packing is an art and anything that lets you get a little bit more and pack less is something to be embraced. Which do you prefer?

This is an example of a new “Plaid” style shirt. This is ExOfficio’s Trip’r Check shirt. Full disclosure: I own this shirt in three different colors.

Here’s an example of “Plain”. This is ExOfficio’s Air Strip Lite shirt. It’s a classic.

 

Natural Vs. Synthetic

There are two main types of fabrics in the world: synthetic and natural. Natural fabrics have been around for thousands of years – these are typically harvested from plants or animals (such as cotton and wool). Synthetic fabrics are a 20th century invention (rayon was invented in 1924 and nylon in 1938). These fabrics are spun from synthetic fibers.

Each of these fabrics has positives and negatives – especially for travelers. It doesn’t matter how you’re traveling – space is always an issue. Selecting the right fabric for the right trip can be the difference between a good and great experience.

Let’s start with natural fabrics. Cotton is the heavy-hitter here (I’m not going to focus much on wool in this post – wool is fascinating and will be the focus of a subsequent post) and has two major advantages over synthetic fabric: comfort and looks. There’s nothing better then throwing on a pair of jeans and your favorite t-shirt. Going out to dinner? Throw on a nice button-down shirt and you are good to go.

Cotton has one huge weakness: water. When wet, it loses all insulating properties and actually leeches heat from your body. It takes forever to dry. It stains easily. Wearing a cotton shirt on rainy day is a miserable experience.

Synthetics have no issues with water. They dry quickly and can keep you warm even when wet. Cutting edge fabric treatments allow water to bead right off. They are stain-resistant (some are even stain-proof!) and can be made resistant to UV rays and insects.

Unfortunately, synthetic materials still have a couple of disadvantages. Feel is the biggest one. Things have improved but synthetic fabrics still aren’t as comfortable as cotton. Personally, I don’t notice this much but for others it may be a deal breaker. Synthetic fabric also lacks the variety of styles and designs that are available in natural fabric. Clothing made from synthetic fabric is mostly the domain of out door companies (who do not typically have a high demand for style) so this may change one day as the market grows. There are several companies that have introduced checked and striped patterns, making these shirts more viable as daily wear.

An understanding of the differences between synthetic and natural fabrics can really help you select gear for a trip. I tend to pack mostly synthetics, which I primarily wear during the day (when I’m most active). A pair of jeans and a cotton button-down or two also end up in my bag for use at night. Of course, each trip is different. Hanging in the city? You can probably get away with packing natural stuff. Travelling around the world with just a backpack? I would recommend mostly synthetics.

A few updates!

Greetings!

ExpeditionApparel has tons of brand new spring inventory available! We’ve got lots of new stuff from Mountain Khakis, ExOfficio, Outdoor Research, and Icebreaker. Icebreaker is a New Zealand-based clothing company specializing in high-quality merino wool. We’ve got Icebreaker socks, underwear and t-shirts in stock.

Be sure to check out our booth at the OverlandExpo on May 18-20 in Flagstaff, AZ. We’ll have tons of merchandise for sale and there will be lots of great discounts.

ExpeditionApparel is still offering FREE shipping on every order for the next week. Select “Free Shipping” at checkout and ExpeditionApparel will ship your order via FedEx Ground absolutely free. Head on over to the ExpeditionApparel store and take advantage of this offer!

- ExpeditionApparel

Product Feature: Mountain Khakis Stagecoach Jacket

One of the many products in the Expedition Apparel store is the Mountain Khakis Stagecoach Jacket. Mountain Khakis was founded in 2003 as a mountain-inspired lifestyle brand but don’t let the name fool you – everything they make functions as good as it looks.

Mountain Khakis is primarily known as a pant company but they now produce a variety of shirts and jackets (the Spring/Summer 2012 line is shaping up to be amazing). The Stagecoach Jacket
is a canvas cotton jacket – it’s rugged enough for an overland expedition while still retaining a healthy amount of style. It’s perfect for cold mornings and chilly evenings. It may not be something you wear on a winter expedition to the Arctic, but it’s a fantastic three-season jacket.

The Stagecoach Jacket may not have the history of something like ExOfficio’s AirStrip shirt but it’s a fantastic jacket which has been a hit at the ExpeditionApparel office.

Here are the specs:

  • 10.4oz proprietary cotton canvas
  • Triple-stitched seams
  • Iconic-MK angled handpockets.
  • Nylon-lined sleeves (easy on/off)
  • Hidden zip-pocket compartments.
  • Lined with a brushed tricot
  • Side panel gussets
  • Drop tail back hem
  • 3 zipper pockets
  • 2 handwarmer pockets
  • 2 snap chest pockets
  • Adjustable snap cuffs
  • Casual fit

FieldNotes Order Bonus!

Every order above $50.00 receives a complimentary ExpeditionApparel-branded FieldNotes notebook! We just got these last week and they look great. FieldNotes are a super useful product – I take one everywhere. They really shine when travelling – mine saw extensive use on the Mongol Rally. I’ve got pages of addresses, directions, crudely drawn maps, and abandoned itineraries in my old books.

Check out a couple photos (and shop here):