The Outdoors Gear That Changed Fashion Forever

The story here is personal: The real Eddie Bauer, the Seattle sportsman who founded the brand we know today, nearly died chasing winter steelhead on the Skokomish River. As he lugged 100 pounds of fish up a snowbound Olympic Peninsula trail, watching his shirt freeze over and worrying about hypothermia, he conceived the world’s first patented down jacket. Today, the “1936” models wed the innovation to sharp bomber-jacket styling.
—ZD 

The embodiment of the Northwest or, perhaps, an idea of the Northwest, the age-old Seattle brand’s tightly woven and paraffin-saturated canvas speaks of strong gales, rugged work in misty climes, early mornings in duck blinds. The cruiser is a jacket made for a region where “storm watching” is a thing, the fabric’s toughness married to a sharp cut straight out of vintage motorcycle club’s spring-opener photo. —ZD

The original L.L. himself crafted the first version of this icon of New England back in 1912, channeling the region’s deep heritage of sturdy footwear and the demands of the Mainer outdoorsfolk who formed LLB’s original constituency. Affectionately, they’re known as “duck boots,” though the company seems to prefer just to call them “the Original.” We’ll take both, and see you for a tromp through the woods. —ZD

In 1935, Paul Sperry slipped and fell from his boat. That near-death experience gave birth to a shoe that would instantly become ubiquitous among generations of preppies—and was officially  by the U.S. Navy as a casual uniform shoe by 1939. The Topsider’s siped sole, inspired by the grip of Sperry’s cocker spaniel’s paws, was engineered for traction on slick decks. But its easy wearing and clean profile took it from the sea to campus, from yacht clubs to town squares. There’s no limit to what a man and his dog can achieve. - DB

Levi’s 501 Jeans

The 501 was built for tough manual labor. Jacob Davis, a tailor from Reno, Nevada, came up with the idea—copper rivets to keep pants from tearing at stress points. He hit up his friend and fabric supplier, Levi Strauss, to help fund a patent. When the two sealed the deal in the 1870s, the result was pure utility: thick denim, those metal rivets, button fly. A pant for miners, cattlemen, and rail workers—men who got their hands dirty. But durability has a way of drawing attention. Over time, not just the 501, or Levi’s, but the jean itself became a wardrobe staple for punks, presidents, skaters, models, and everybody in between. Davis and Strauss set out to build something that wouldn’t fall apart—and stumbled upon creating the most iconic garment in American history. - DB

When Greg Lemond arrived at the Tour de France in 1985 sporting a pair of Oakley Sunglasses, the look was polarizing to say the least. The wrap-around design and flashy colors were unlike anything anyone had ever seen before. But in 1989, a more streamlined and sleeker model arrived in the peloton, quickly becoming the most sought-after eyewear on and off the bike. Originally called the “Mumbo,” a legal dispute forced a name change to the cooler, more mysterious M Frame. A lightweight, minimalist frame was paired with a set of durable polycarbonate lenses to provide maximum protection in a face-hugging form. Oakley’s patented Unobtainium material was strategically used on the arms and nose bridge to prevent slipping. The result was a sporty set of eyewear that seamlessly merged performance and fashion, instantly generating hundreds of knockoffs and charting the course for athletic sunglasses for decades to come. -KB

I don't know if we can call them beautiful. But functional, comfortable, classic? Absolutely. The tough durability of the Birkenstock sandal made them a favorite of the outdoor community with a cork lip that manages to keep out some of the squishier natural elements. The bed of the shoe molds to the foot in a personalized sort of way that keeps it comfortable for longer distances or even just for slipping on during chill, apres-hike time around the campsite. Here in America, we can thank dressmaker Margot Fraser for bringing the German-made shoe back to her home in Santa Cruz, California in 1966. She had a foot ailment and appreciated their comfort. But shoe stores weren't interested in stocking them in those days due to their utilitarian appearance. Fraser had them stocked in health food stores instead, and they took off in popularity first with the crunchier, granola-loving crowd before going more mainstream. The Arizona, which is still considered the company's most popular model, was introduced in 1973. -JJ

Born in Tasmania, the Blundstone 500 was made to take a beating in the mud, rain, and whatever else the Australian outback could throw your way—when it comes to the elements, though, you're on your own with the animals. Blundstone has been making boots since the 1870s, but it wasn’t until 1969 when they introduced the now-iconic 500 series, inspired by the elastic-sided Chelsea boot shape. By then, Chelsea boots had stamped their cultural capital—beloved by cool kids and rock stars like the Beatles, whose Cuban-heeled variation earned the nickname “Beatle boot.” Blundstone’s take was grittier, more comfortable, and one of the few shoes that can move easily between date night, trail excursions, the office, and the warehouse—without ever looking out of place. - DB

An Oregon-based company needs to know its way around water, and any boot made with the rugged Coast Range or Cascades on the near horizon better earn its keep. The Portland-rooted Danner already had a long history of innovation around work and trail boots before its “Mountain Trail” models evolved to incorporate Gore-Tex. This 1979 move, orchestrated in a partnership with REI in the thick of a hiking and camping boom, changed the hiking boot game permanently. —ZD

Hamilton Carhartt likely didn’t imagine the iconic stamp of his name on the clothing of city dwellers—but nearly 170 years after he first set up shop with four sewing machines [the very first wearables he made were overalls stitched in duck and denim], the neon orange beanie bearing that brand seal bobs like a beacon through a crowd. The Acrylic Watch Hat—crafted in a warm acrylic fabric with a stretchy rib knit—is a Carhartt Work in Progress staple piece, a revival of an original Carhartt archetype designed with present culture in mind. This fits-everyone essential can be spotted on anyone from babies to bowmen, from New York streets to far-flung backwoods. -SA

In 1981, Casio engineer Kikuo Ibe set out to build a watch that could pass his “triple 10” test by withstanding a 10-meter fall, 10-bar water pressure, and a 10-year lifespan in terms of battery life. After more than 200 failed prototypes, his team found success. The first G-Shock launched in 1983; the DW5600, a leaner and tougher version, followed soon after. Like the Rolex Submariner before it, it was built as outdoor gear—just far less precious (and faaaarrrrr less expensive). First responders wore it for durability. Soldiers relied on it in combat zones. NASA approved it for spaceflight. Because of its mechanical prowess and reliability, it’s one of the few quartz watches a snob won’t turn their nose up at—they might even brag about the special one they grabbed from Hodinkee. - DB