Every once in a while, you come across something that out of the box feels old. Not old in a rickety way, but old in a familiar, comfortable way. The Mountain Khakis, Old Faithful Sweater and Men’s Peaks Flannel Shirt, both fall into this category.
Starting with the Old Faithful: Upon opening the box, my first thought was “Wow, that is a lot of red.” And it is a lot of red. But it’s a red from another time, a red worn in old, white bordered, family photos, with something indecipherable written in pencil on the back. A red from before seat belts* and 8 track tapes, before business casual and unleaded gasoline. A red your great uncle wore in that picture while standing proudly in front of a huge car (with bench seats, three on the tree, made entirely out steel, and painted a color that you’ll only find on a fancy stand mixer today). It was the red your grandfather wore when he went hunting or fishing or down to the tavern to drink beer and talk about hunting or fishing. It is a red that pushes through the fade and sepia and time of those old pictures, a red that came before “fashion” and “classic.” It was a red of utility… But I digress, the fit is terrific. Even for a tall guy like myself, the sleeves were just the right length and the body had just enough room. The two zipped, hand warmer pockets were a welcome touch, making it feel more like a jacket at times, and the snaps on the chest pockets kept my phone flying out. It is comfortable, warm and perfect cool weather wear. And finally; though it comes in many colors, get the red, man! You know you want the red!
The Old Faithful Sweater, available from Mountain Khakis for $120
The Peaks Flannel Shirt feels like a modern take on the idea of flannel. It’s smoother and stretchier (thanks to 2% Lycra) than the cotton flannels I’m used to. In fact, it doesn’t contain any cotton at all (88% Polyester, 10% wool), but I like it. It has a weight that makes it feel substantial without being heavy. It is also easy to move in. It doesn’t pull at the shoulders or across the back the way some stiffer flannel shirts do. The detailing is nice, with very clean stitching, buttons rimmed in metal and one buffalo snap at the bottom. While the sleeves are the perfect length, the body is a little boxy (common issue with XL and XXL, they don’t make them taller, just wider). And even though something about the color scheme I chose (Vapor Multi) borders on easter-eggy to my eye, I still really like it (wearing it right now actually).
The Men’s Peaks Flannel Shirt, available on Amazon for $90
Good
- Old sweater/shirt comfort right out of the box
- Quality buttons snaps and zippers (YKK)
- Fit in the sleeves
- That red!
Bad
- Peaks could loose a couple of inches in the body width
*The More You Know – While the invention of the seat belt dates back to the early 18oo’s they didn’t become standard equipment in cars until 1959.
boring stuff: Mountain Khakis provided me with review samples, which in no way effected my opinions or review. All images via mountainkhakis.com