Trakke - video introducing the Scottish manufacturer of outstanding adventure bags

TRAKKE makes truly outstanding adventure bags in Scotland. I'll be writing about them soon, but wanted to introduce them to you with this video. I am a great believer in the power of a story to make a product interesting and here Alec Farmer, Trakke's founder, tells something of his brand's story.

Trakke. Adventure Everywhere. Handmade in Scotland

For more information, see Trakke's website.

Scott of the Antarctic - 100 years ago today

One hundred years ago today Captain Robert Falcon Scott and his party of explorers reached the South Pole to find that they had been beaten by the Norwegian, Roald Amunsden's expedition.

I am always struck by the expressions of sheer exhaustion and disappointment tinged with determination on the faces of Scott's men as they are photographed shortly after their arrival at the Pole, where they found the Norwegian flag already in place. We know, of course, that all these men died on the return journey, adding such poignancy to the picture.

And here are photographs of Scott taken in happier times. Long may the spirit of courageous exploration live on!

Ventile - a classic waterproof revived

Ventile is a pure cotton material used since the thirties when it was developed for use by pilots operating from aircraft carriers. It was designed to keep them warm and dry for long enough to enable them to be rescued before they were overcome by exposure.

Photo Ventile

It was widely used as a breathable and waterproof fabric before materials like Gore-Tex were developed. Since more modern fabrics have become available its use has gradually declined among outdoor types, although Ventile claims that it is still used by fighter pilots in their flight suits. Others still prefer Ventile, claiming that it is quieter, more breathable and robust.

Ben Fogle wearing Cabourn Ventile parka

The recent resurgence of interest in vintage work clothes has seen its revival by modern designers. Private White V.C. is one of several companies that markets garments made from Ventile. Ben Fogle used a Nigel Cabourn recreation of Edmund Hillary's Ventile Arctic parka when he went to the South Pole a few years ago. My Nigel Cabourn Tenzing jacket has Ventile shoulder and arm patches which enhance its shower-proof capabilities to the extent that I only leave it at home in persistent rain. 

Nigel Cabourn Tenzing jacket

I bought an old Survival Aids Ventile jacket last Autumn to see how it compares to my modern breathable mountaineering jacket. It is very wind-proof and keeps out all but very heavy and persistent rain. The cotton fibres that make up the Ventile expand when wet, which means that the jacker becomes slightly heavier and stiffer and takes a while to dry out.

Vintage Survival Aids Ventile jacket

Overall my modern jacket is slightly more waterproof, but it does get damp inside from condensation, something that I haven't experienced with the Ventile garment, which is also quieter and more comfortable to wear as the cotton is softer and warmer to touch.

Ventile jacket

To sum up, I would take the modern technical waterproof into very wet conditions, but would use the Ventile for shorther or more sheltered use or where quietness is needed (bird watching, wildlife photography, field sports). An added advantage of Ventile is that it does not readily take up dye during manufacture, so it develops a lovely distressed patina of age with use!

Influences - real life adventure, putting fashion in perspective

What influences a man's approach to life?  Many things, of course, from childhood to more recent experiences.  I have always been fascinated by the stories of early Polar explorers.  Their efforts put our self-absorbed interest in style and fashion in perspective.

Scott's tragic and unsuccessful expedition to be first to the South Pole, only to find that he had been beaten to it by the Norwegian, Amundsen, 100 years ago.  The heroic efforts of Shackleton to rescue his team from the ice pack a few years later, making his way to South Georgia on a small boat and arranging the rescue of the remainder of his men from Elephant Island.  These were among the last heroic adventures before Europe was plunged into the senselessness of the Great War.

Scott's flag from the South Pole
Photo exceedpossibility.com

These stories are graphically and movingly told at The Heart of the Great Alone exhibition at the Royal Collection, Buckingham Palace, where I went yesterday with my son.  Although these events put the more mundane aspects of our lives in perspective, we are influenced by such memories and maybe we can aim to  live more honest and useful lives as a result.