Helly Hansen is one of those unique brands equally familiar to country club dwelling CEOs and street savvy urban hipsters. While originally designed to protect sailors from stormy seas, lashing winds, and brutal weather, this Norwegian brand has also conquered style-conscious devotes from Manhattan to Marylebone. In many ways, Helly Hansen has done for sailing gear…
Too often the tools we need to do a simple job are over-complicated or too fancy for the work at hand. Gym gear typically falls into this situation. Purpose built brand Ten Thousand is on a mission to bring your workout clothing back to its roots and help you focus on the job of working…
Men’s swimwear appears to be getting renewed attention this season, with more emphasis on resort wear quality and design. A great brand we have had a chance to review and test out is Boto. This Canadian company has cracked the code for pool-ready shorts that easily transition to poolside entertaining. Masculine nylon fabrics, clean lines,…
While familiarity may breed contempt, exclusivity can engender affinity, curiosity even. To wit, where Ralph Lauren may suffer the slings and arrows of ubiquity and accusations of wannabe-classism, clothing brands known to only a few often retain genuine affection and social pull. Such is the case with American clothing label, Boast. First, a botany lesson;…
Triple Aught Design is a brand dedicated to creating tactical inspired gear and clothing that works in the real world. Truth be told, for some of their customers that world may very well be a covert mission somewhere in the darker reaches of the planet. However, for the rest of us it typically hovers somewhere…
Looking for something new to add to the undershirt drawer? Sydney, Australia-based Equmen has ventured into the brave new world of men’s compression garments; a.k.a, “shape wear.” While more familiar at the gym, these products are designed for everyday wear. We like to refer tothis category as “fitwear.” Their core compression singlet style undershirt which…
Now that the endless winter weather that has gripped much of the Northern hemisphere appears finally to be receding, it’s time to head outside for some much needed sunlight and fresh air. One of the great pleasures of outdoor activities, apart from actually being active, is acquiring new equipment and gear designed for your back-to-nature…
Triple Aught Design, based in San Francisco, is a favorite of OTC because they make unique and functional gear that works in the real worlda nd with real wardrobes. A perfect example of this form-follows-function approach to TAD design is the Preatorian Hoodie. As with most of TAD’s apparel, there is a decidedly tactical and…
James Prosek first gained notoriety back in 1996, when, as 19 year-old student at Yale University, he published Trout: An Illustrated History. Prosek’s ability to bring vibrancy and life to his watercolors, and his obsession with contextual and anatomical accuracy, won him quick comparisons to famed naturalist John James Audubon. These accolades were no lighthearted atta-boys;…
Fall means cooler weather and shorter days. For the runners among us, it also means race season. Whether the local 5K or New York City Marathon, the fun, excitement, and competition of a well-organized road race is something looked forward to as autumn’s crispness settles in. OTC’s Chris Hogan hit the pavement the first weekend…
