Benjamin ClymerAuthor’s Note: It’s no secret we’re all about surfacing the latest and greatest, newest and shiniest gear. But that doesn’t mean we don’t have a healthy respect for careworn, well-made gear from the past. Because in the end, good quality stuff should last a while, perform for years, and become careworn itself. In this era of disposable and cheap, those things that are built to last stand out like stars on a dark night.
We’re kicking off a new series called, Patina that celebrates the visible evidence of gear that’s been well-used. Whether it’s a well-placed dent on a ’73 Land Rover, scuffed and faded roper boots or a baseball glove that’s seen a thousand line drives, the right patina is indescribable but you know it when you see it. It is warm, it tells stories, and it is imbued with the people who used it. Patina shows good, honest use, not abuse, and the value of maintenance absent of coddling.
Watch photos courtesy of Eric Wind of Hodinkee