What are you going to wear? Sometimes it’s good to look at a few suggestions then add your own tweaks and ideas. That’s what these are for. Now before all the armchair Bear Gryllses (Gryllsi?) lose their minds over the inadequacy of this stuff, no one is looking to recreate the Amundsen Expedition here. These are options for getting up/out to a cabin, and relaxing. Just a few functional, flexible pieces for a weekend winter getaway, even if the most physical activity you’ll end up doing is half an hour of snow shoeing. Unplug. Relax. Hibernate a bit.
The Sweater: JCP Striped Merino Wool Crewneck Sweater – $12.74 w/ FEBSAVE3. Boy, they ain’t kidding about getting rid of all the Wooster/Ron Johnson stuff. The JCP brand does not appear to be long for this world, but the silver lining is that basics like this micro-stripe merino crew are now marked down to almost nothing. Lots of sizes left online. If you’ve got a wool button-mock neck, these were great here, for that extra neck protection.
The Watch: Orient Aviator – $203 w/ dappered30 ($290). A very solid investment to make in a sport watch that can take a pounding. 100 meter water resistance, extra luminescent dial (perfect for seeing what time it is in the middle of the night when you can’t find the light switch in the cabin), and one of Orient’s in-house automatic movements. Rotating bezel too. Full review here. UPDATE: Looks like this is now available through Orient’s USA website, so the 30 off (+ freebie package) code dappered30 should work and net you a lower price than Amazon.
The Pants: L.E.C. Slim Moleskin Cargo Pants – $29.99 w/ BESTINCLASS & 6320 ($78). The slim cargo “thing” came and went pretty quickly (is it over yet? It is over, right?). And even if you were never even close to jumping on board, these still might appeal to you. Thick, warm cotton moleskin with a couple of non-billowing cargo pockets on the sides. Pretty perfect for the outdoors or just getting a never ending chorey done on the weekend around your place. Many thanks to wc123 for digging up that 25% off F&F Code. Free shipping kicks in at $50. (Belt shown above, also by LEC, but it looks like those are long gone.)
The Jacket: Boden Quilted Jacket – $125.80 w/ U229 ($148) Continues to be one of the better fitting, better looking, and solidly constructed mid to lightweight winter jackets out there. Quilted exterior, lined in cotton, with corduroy at the collar and cuffs. Dual snap vents in the rear allow for good mobility. Nylon quilting gives it a bit of a technical look, but the shell isn’t shiny. Almost has a vintage look to it, while still looking quite contemporary. Hat tip to Rorran18 in the comments for diggin up the 15% off + free shipping Boden code U229.
The Socks: Kirkland Signature Merino Wool Blend Socks – $24.72 / 4 pairs. Can’t recall what these go for at Costco, but they’re worth it. Some thickness but not bulky. Merino wool blend. Handles sweat extremely well. If you’re a year-round runner (in an area that gets all four seasons) you could run in these from September to March. Made in the USA.
The Boots: Danner Mountain Lite – $247.96 w/ SHOEPRES ($330). Plenty of hiking boots look like basketball shoes on Stanozolol headed to a Ted Nugent concert. The Mountain Lite from Danner isn’t one of them. Still plenty functional though. Lined in Gore Tex, one piece full-grain leather uppers, and re-craftable. Made in Portland. They do make em’ wide to accommodate hiking socks, but still consider sizing down a half size.
Something to sip: Flor de Cana 12 year rum – $38.99. Yep, not a Whiskey, Whisky, or a single malt Scotch, but a rum. A fantastic, slightly sweet (but not the tooth-aching stuff), complex, herbal warmer. Extremely tasty. Savor it.
The Reading Material: Solo: A James Bond Novel – $12.99. Written by William Boyd and it’s stunningly true to Ian Flemming’s original works. It also has a bit of a 21st century tone. The level of detail and description that our information saturated age has made many expect from entertainment is there, but it doesn’t get in the way. Bond is 45 and sent to a civil war torn African nation on a pretty direct mission, that of course, ends up anything but.
The Bag: Frost River Flight Bag – $140 – $170. As good as it gets at this price. Waxed canvas helps keep winter out, and with a few different sizes to choose from, you should have plenty of room for a weekend’s worth of gear.