What Makes This 100-Year-Old Hunting Jacket an American Icon?

When I moved from the Northeast to the Midwest for college several years back, I really didn’t update my wardrobe much. Flannel shirts, Levi’s jeans and Sambas seemed to transition just fine. 

Then a harsh winter hit, and I made two key purchases: a pair of Timberland Yellow Boots and an L.L. Bean Field Coat.  

Both items served me well on brutal treks to an 8 a.m. geology class, among other things. Little did I know how quintessential each item is. 

The boot turned 50 last year — and is still celebrating. Rolled out late last week, the brand’s “Iconic” campaign features Naomi Campbell and other notable figures in nothing but their boots.

The coat, meanwhile, hits the century mark this year, a fact I was made aware of at a recent L.L. Bean showcase. That’s where I saw up close what has enabled this garment, created for a very specific purpose, to stand the test of time.

Brian Davis/Wooden Sleepers

Hunting roots

“The Field Coat began as a hunting jacket but was adopted for daily use. Details like the oversized flap pockets, corduroy collar and cotton canvas fabric make it easy to wear, functional and a timeless style icon.”

So says Brian Davis, founder of Wooden Sleepers, a boutique New York menswear brand specializing in vintage American workwear, outdoors, military and prep clothing. He should know. After all, he’s teamed up with L.L. Bean to release a dozen limited-edition vintage Field Coats later this week. 

Brian Davis/Wooden Sleepers

To be clear, these are not vintage-style garments; they are legit old coats, dating back as far as the 1950s, that Davis has diligently sourced and lovingly cleaned up for re-sale. 

That fact points to one reason the Field Coat has stuck around for so long: durability. Such a quality was critical way back in the fall of 1924, when, 12 years after founding his eponymous brand, Leon Leonwood Bean introduced the garment with its original name — the Maine Duck Hunting Coat. 

L.L. Bean

Made of army duck — a tough, water-resistant fabric — the garment boasted a feature that might surprise modern consumers: extending across the lower back was a rubber-lined, “blood-proof” game compartment for stashing felled pintails and mallards.

Mainstream appeal

Years later, the product underwent a bit of re-branding, emerging as the Sportsman Coat in 1940. It retained many of the qualities that made it such a hit, but picked up some new ones too, including larger front pockets to hold shells and other hunting essentials.

Of course, just as military gear often gets adapted for civilian use, so do many other initially technical products. So it was that in 1947, the Sportsman Coat became … the Field Coat.  

L.L. Bean

Fundamentally it had not changed much, however, retaining the brush brown color and long-lasting army duck fabric that could serve farmers, factory workers, businesspeople and even students just as well as it once benefitted hunters. 

One feature these new customers likely appreciated? The extant game pocket could be unbuttoned and unfolded to become a moisture-proof seat in wet weather.

Timeless style

These post-WWII jackets are well represented among the jackets you see on this page, all of which are part of the upcoming release. 

As is quite clear, the Field Coat has expanded its color pallet since the 1940s. Not only did the coats become available in additional shades, they also diversified the hues of their collars and cuffs, and multiple camo patterns appeared, too. 

Brian Davis/Wooden Sleepers

Checking them out at the event, I was reminded of an early climate-control feature some of these coats, including my college one, boasted: a wool/nylon liner, attached via a series of buttons, could be removed to make the coat lighter and cooler in warmer weather.

Even so, I was generally impressed by how much the various coats on display resembled each other and the original, which clearly had not left much room for improvement.  

Brian Davis/Wooden Sleepers

“Good design doesn’t need reinvention,” says Davis. “Give me the piece that has not changed in 100 years. Well-made, well-designed things are the ultimate ‘sustainable clothing.’ Buy it once and wear it to death.”

Availability and pricing

The 12 vintage Field Coats will be available at Wooden Sleepers beginning Wednesday, September 18th at 9 a.m. EST while supplies last. If you aren’t lucky enough to score one, you can always snag a new Field Coat for $169. That’s just a bit more than the original Maine Duck Hunting Coat’s price of $7.75.

L.L. Bean

L.L. Bean Original Field Winter Coat, Cotton-Lined

• $169.00 at L.L.Bean

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