Black Rucksack – The Gear, The Lifestyle and The Pastimes of Men

A rugged jacket for adventuring...

You know that spring or summer rainstorm/monsoon/torrent that we all inevitably end up in at the most unexpected and inopportune time?   Say, when you need to fill the gas tank or just as you arrive at the campsite but haven’t yet setup?  ”Infrequent” may describe how often these scenarios occur, still, they happen. Good news… there is a jacket that you can rough up and will still keep your top half dry. The Craghoppers Bandero Jacket…

There is something you should know about the Craghoppers company before getting to the details of the Bandero Jacket.  Simply, they have a passion for gear.  For 45 years they’ve been producing quality outdoor gear in the United Kingdom, all started by a dream to summit Mt. Everest.  Craghoppers is a company based on a quintessential adventure and because of that, they succeed perfectly in creating worthy gear.

Craghoppers also works with Bear Grylls to create clothing specifically for the extreme conditions Bear will encounter.  While we don’t know for sure whether or not the Craghoppers Bandero Jacket was influenced by Bear, we are pretty sure it would qualify for one of his adventures.

The jacket itself is a thing of beauty… stylish, et al.  Even if Craghoppers didn’t already have a great reputation for creating quality gear, I would recommend this jacket solely on its reliability.  It’s comfortable and the fit is perfect. I am 5′ 10″ with broad shoulders and the large jacket fits like a glove.  All the pockets, flaps, zippers, seams and buttons are NOT flimsy like they can be on many other jackets.  This jacket keeps the bulk down but truly feels rugged.   A side benefit of the Craghoppers Bandero Jacket is that it could be worn in a variety of conditions: hiking, fishing, hunting, a night on the town, urban, rural, treasure hunting, fall, winter, spring and possibly even in the summer.

Specifications:
-23oz. (660g)
-Roll-away hood
-2 zipped hand pockets and inner pocket plus concealed map pocket
-Chin guard and waterproof storm flap
-AquaDry polyester fabric with water-repellent finish
-Lifetime Guarantee!

Bottom Line:
One of the best multi-use jackets at an absolutely great price.

Stay dry... stay warm...

I’ve been in two violent thunderstorms while driving across Nebraska on Interstate 80 (I-80) between California and Michigan, the first was in February of 2007. Days earlier I installed new windshield wipers on my Escape, and of that I was thankful. During that storm, even though many cars and trucks pulled off the road, my Dad and I were able to keep heading toward California.

The second storm was in April of 2007 and of course, mid-storm one of those wipers decided to partially detach, leaving me looking through an opaque windshield. I immediately pulled over on the right side of the road and started to think, “do I have a poncho in here?”

The answer was no, I did not have a poncho. Thankfully, I had the next best thing, a Marmot jacket. And during the time it took to fix the wiper, I was kept remarkably dry. For spring 2009, Marmot has another weatherproof jacket… the Marmot Aegis Jacket.

This jacket is well-designed from top to bottom, from collar to zipper. The Marmot material known as MemBrain Strata serves as the main material for the jacket and is incredibly lightweight, breathable and of course, waterproof. Zippers on the jacket are water resistant and the seams are taped. In addition to that, there are useful pockets including hand warmer pockets and a sleeve pocket. The jacket also as a hood that rolls into the collar.

All in all, this is one good jacket. Buy one now and you’ll have it for the next decade.

Ducati is a prominent brand of high performance motorcycles and likewise, they hock quality apparel and gear. As an Italian manufacturer typically associated with racing bikes, they’ve also achieved notoriety for their sport/street bikes.

The Ducati Meccanica Hooded Sweatshirt is one of the many faultless ways to show your affinity for the brand. It’s one of the nine items in the Meccanica apparel line and is embroidered with the Ducati logo and  Ducati Meccanica in writing.

The sweatshirt is stylish and the perfect weight for an outside layer in cool and warm weather or an insider layer in cold weather.

You can find this hooded sweatshirt and the rest of the Ducati offered gear at the Ducati website.  And if you have time, be sure to check out the bikes too… not just the apparel.

Ducati Meccanica Hooded Sweatshirt
$114

Photo by: oakley.com

If you need a hooded jacket for heading downtown (or your next intelligence op) then reach for the Oakley Disestablishment Jacket.  Oakley gear is tough as nails and stylish; good for any high impact night you might have in mind.  Whether you’re walking into the club wearing this jacket or running out of it to meet a contact, you’ll be comfortable.

The hood is removable if need be and this jacket comes in three colors: New Olive, Black and New Khaki.  We here at the Black Rucksack would opt for the black Disestablishment Jacket over the new olive or new khaki.  After all, black is the only color in which one can stand out or blend in.  This jacket runs for $125.00 and is found online and at brick and mortar stores that carry Oakley apparel.

Oakley Disestablishment Jacket
$125