The new Duluth Pack X Stormy Kromer Collaboration gives you just that: a set of useful, American-made accessories sewn in appealing plaid wool to give you a contemporary look with rugged flair.
If you aren’t from the upper Midwest, you might not know that Duluth Pack has been making bags for over 130 years, making it the oldest canvas and leather bag manufacturer in the country. That level of longevity comes from producing a basically-bombproof product (which Duluth backs up with a lifetime guarantee.)
Stormy Kromer, another staple of upper Midwest style, has been making woolen accessories for almost as long. The company started with just one product, their signature six-panel cap, in 1903. You’ve almost certainly seen the imitators around town, but the original Stormy Kromer cap is unmistakable.
For this special collaboration, Stormy Kromer’s signature cap is stitched up in “Sirius” wool, a handsome grey and black plaid that was inspired by the brightest star in the Northern skies, Sirius. Originally, the cap’s wool ear band was designed to help keep it in place on the heads of the train workers who wore it. But your paychecks don’t have to be signed by the railroad for you to appreciate the added ear warmth during the frigid fall and winter months.
The centerpiece of the collaboration is the #51 Deluxe Pack, a staple of Duluth’s line of packs, made with the line’s signature plaid wool and an extended leather bottom to make it even more rugged the original. Big enough to be an overnight bag, and small enough to use for your daily needs, this pack is as stylish as it is useful.
For those times when a full backpack would be too bulky, the Lakewalk Tote comes with adjustable leather handles and a zippered top to keep the contents secure. A hanging interior pocket helps keeps your gear organized, which gives this bag an added versatility. Load it up for a picnic out by the lake, or use it as your daily laptop tote.
The final piece in the line is a set of Stormy Kromer mittens sewn up in that same fantastic wool. The mittens are sized for women’s hands, so you may want to pass them along to your wife or mom. Just don’t make that her only birthday gift, for chrissake.
