On My Mind: Extreme Cashmere Bandanas and Big Chef’s Knives
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A late October nor’easter stripped what foliage remained on the trees in my corner of the Green Mountains. Shortly thereafter, the clocks turned back, marking the beginning of “stick season,” as lifelong Vermonters call it, or “not yet ski season,” as I call it. Too cold to enjoy the outdoors, yet too warm for snow, it’s a transitional period best spent indoors, preparing for the frigidity to come. Over the past couple of weeks, I’ve been swapping out summer tees for winter sweaters,air conditionersforspace heaters, and fans forhumidifiers. But the most monumental task, which I’d been putting off for far too long, was getting the basement in order.
The blessing and the curse of the unfinished basement is that it never needs to look presentable. I don’t have a garage, so in addition to housing our boiler, breaker panel, andkit sauna, it’s our primary storage space for things I need but don’t want to see — like the pallet of wooden pellets we use to heat our living room during the winter — as well as the things that I no longer need but am not yet ready to confront — like all the bike tools I’ve barely touched in the past two years. But when your job involves reviewing products, the most common things to get kicked down the road — or the stairs, as it were — are cardboard boxes.
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My wife and I recently spent an entire Saturday morning breaking down and bundling half a year of cardboard debt to take to the dump, filling two truck beds before lunchtime. Whether cutting tape or twine, a sharp pocket knife is much quicker in these situations than a pair of scissors. I first bought a version of this knife with the money I’d earned working at a Boy Scout summer camp back in high school. I used it for many years and mourned when I eventually lost it at a bouldering gym. I’ve tried several cheaper ones in the years since, but none could match the Benchmade’s elegant proportions and superlative build quality, which I was reminded of when I finally caved and got another one. I don’t think I could’ve faced this mountain of cardboard without it.
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Speaking of blades, after years of preferring shortchef’s knivesfor their maneuverability, I recently decided to give a ten-inch knife a try. The carbon-steel Shun I selected is not as unwieldy as some of the German designs I’ve used in the past, and its additional length has already proved useful for processing larger amounts of kale for fall soups and salads. However, the real test will come on Thanksgiving, when my wife and I will once again be cooking for her entire family and a few of their neighbors.
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This week, I came back to New York to attend a few events and conduct some interviews, only to discover that the heat is broken in my apartment building. The silver lining is that I’ve had plenty of time to test this new space heater from Dreo, and it is truly exceptional. It’s quieter, quicker to heat, and more capable than any fan-based heater I’ve ever tested. There are fascinating reasons for how this came to be, but that’s a longer story for another time.
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Another thing that has been helping me stay warm is the redesigned Patagonia Micro Puff, which I am now trying for the first time after owning the venerable Nano Puff for over a decade. Not only is the Micro lighter than the Nano, it’s softer and warmer — albeit with some trade-offs. The ultralight shell fabric feels like silk but is just as fragile as it feels. I’ve already poked a hole in the cuff and another on the sleeve. I’ve patched them withTenacious Tapefor now, but will get them permanently repaired through Patagonia’sWorn Wearprogram when winter is over.
Everything else I’ve seen recently
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Winter hasn’t even begun, yet all the camping gear I’m digging up in gift-guide research has me dreaming of summer already. I’ve long been a fan of Helinox’s camping chairs, but only recently learned about their similarly impressive tables. Despite its soft, cloth-covered appearance and compact size, the Table One feels solid enough to chop on, and I look forward to taking it camping as soon as I can.
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I was trying out the latest blazers and sport coats at Buck Mason’s new Soho flagship for an upcoming piece on suiting, but this unlined felted chore jacket was the best thing I came across. It looked a bit staid in the online product shots, but the store had it styled on a bust with the collar popped, layered over a chunky knit sweater, with the sleeves rolled up, and it looked so effortlessly cool. I can only hope that I’m pulling it off as well as that headless upholstered torso.
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Another nugget I uncovered while researching suits is that Ralph Lauren’s New York City flagship store on the Upper East Side will tailor any full-priced suiting item you purchase from it, which includes dress shirts. Though $200 isn’t a fantastic deal for a dress shirt on its own, the value is there if you factor in the free alterations.
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If I had to put money on which outdoorsy shoe trend will supplant Salomon trail runners, I’d bet on approach shoes. These climbing-hiking hybrids are meant to protect climbers’ feet as they scramble to the crags they hope to climb, providing technical performance in a sleek and durable body. My hunt is ongoing, but I’ve been really enjoying these LaSportivas so far. They breathe exceptionally well and have an edge to them that’s missing from some of the more retro-inspired competition.
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It’s not that I don’t have scarves that I like, but none of them are triangular. There are cheaper cashmere bandanna scarves available, but the fact that this one claims to be machine washable is very intriguing. Saving three trips to the dry cleaner would cover the up-front cost difference, which is how I’m considering justifying it.
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In other woolen news, did you know the Scottish government maintains an onlinedatabase of tartans? (An excellent resource for color-palette inspiration.) I recently learned of it when Scottish menswear brand Kestinregistered its own plaid, in honor of itstenth anniversary.
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