Few places on Earth can make you feel as connected to nature as Canada’s Vancouver Island. It’s where mossy, ancient rainforest and the untamed Pacific Ocean meet. It’s also the place photographer, creative director and surfer Angel Rodriguez calls home. Out of necessity, Rodriguez is a stickler for quality gear. “When I buy something it needs to be technical, and it needs to last for a long time,” he said.
Goldwin, the iconic Japanese outerwear brand, shares a similar philosophy. For over 70 years, Goldwin has been inspired by the “unity between human and nature,” crafting pieces that are technical enough to handle the elements, fashionable enough to wear around town. We caught up with Rodriguez on Vancouver Island to follow along as he hits his favorite outdoor spots to test Goldwin’s PERTEX QUANTUM Down Parka.
Angel Rodriguez, Photographer & Creative Professional
Gear Patrol StudiosHome for Rodriguez is in the town of Victoria, on British Columbia’s Vancouver Island, but he grew up in Lima, Peru. The main connection with nature he had growing up was the ocean, and he went often with his family. Later, he moved to Canada to study marketing and event planning, which took him from Ontario to Banff and eventually to Canada’s West Coast. “I just felt like I was home,” he said of Vancouver Island. “It was nice to come back to living by the ocean and get back into surfing.”
Gear Patrol Studios
Gear Patrol Studios
Gear Patrol StudiosBack then, Rodriguez would sometimes surf 25 days per month. He loved the way surfing, and being outdoors, helped him stay present. Along the way he realized that he was also passionate about creating things. Rodriguez was drawn to how creative work — from photography to videography — allowed him to meet new people, present their ideas and showcase the world the way he sees it.
Similar to how surfing captures his attention, Rodriguez appreciates the way his work does the same thing. “It’s a way I can constantly be creative and try to be in the moment,” he said. When he’s working, or playing, he favors gear that supports him and doesn’t get in his way.
Gear Patrol Studios
Gear Patrol Studios
Gear Patrol Studios
Gear Patrol StudiosRodriguez appreciates the versatility of Goldwin’s PERTEX QUANTUM Down Parka — he can wear it outdoors, but it’s also stylish enough to rock it in the city. “It’s so compact and really light, but at the same time it feels warm and cozy,” he said. It’s the ideal layer to fend off the cold during a photoshoot or to warm up in after a surf in the north Pacific’s frigid waters. Rodriguez loves that it feels like he’s wearing a comfy pillow.
Goldwin PERTEX QUANTUM Down Parka
Gear Patrol StudiosWhen choosing gear, Rodriguez looks first for technicality, sustainable practices, and versatility — all of which the Goldwin Down Parka exhibits in spades. It’s insulated with Green Down, which is derived from recycled material. It’s lightweight — just 696 grams — but packs a high warmth-to-weight ratio due to a technology that removes dirt and dust from the recycled down to create high heat retention.
A tubular neck, also insulated with down, keeps the neck and face cozy and minimizes heat loss while baffles trap heat around the core. The jacket’s PERTEX QUANTUM skin is windproof and water-resistant to keep the elements out
Gear Patrol Studios
Gear Patrol Studios
Gear Patrol StudiosFinally, Goldwin’s Down Parka is fashionable as it is functional, making the transition from a cold day outside to dinner in the city a seamless one. It has a slightly shiny texture for style points, and comes in black, brown and beige. This year, Rodriguez plans to travel internationally to work on projects, meet new people and look for new opportunities. As he does, the Down Parka will be along for the ride.
Price: $690