Fjällräven: Nolita Goes Outdoor by John Pasmore

I’m a bit of a gear junkie so finding a new outdoor store in NYC was a Sunday highlight. The Fjällräven store was a little tricky to find. It’s downstairs and doesn’t yet have a sign. This Swedish classic is located 262 Mott Street between Prince and Houston, but again the important part is that it’s downstairs.

The brand isn’t big on modern fabrics like Gore-tex, though they have a breathable textile they use. Most of their garments can be waxed to get a waterproof or water-resistant finish and they’ve been rocking some of the designs for decades. Hipster outlets like Steven Alan (which I like) have pieces from the collection, in the same way you’d find pieces of throwback brands like Filson at hipster shops across the City.

I’m always looking for gear that can achieve some sort of multi-sport utility. I really don’t understand why the waterproof “foul weather” gear for sailing doesn’t really work for hiking or cross-country skiing. Or boots for boats can’t be boots for fly-fishing. They can actually. I use Chota boots for both sailing (knee high) and for scuba (ankle-high), though they’re built for fly-fishing. In any case, Fjällräven has some great stuff (though not inexpensive). Love the pants that are trail ready but won’t get you tossed from some bar on the LES. Much of the line can be used cross-sport as it was created at a time when a coat was a coat. That’s good enough for me and they’re built to last a lifetime.