Chris Hogan

Here at OTC, we are lamenting the loss of one of our favorite bags – the No. 43 Mailbag – made by American leather goods brand Colonel Littleton. The design for the No. 43 was based on the iconic U. S. Postal Service mail carrier bag, once a ubiquitous sight on America’s tree-lined streets. Colonel Littleton products have a distinctive, heritage-meets-steam-punk look that can speak to both Americana traditionalists and urban aesthetes; both key demographics in the high-end leather goods market. Typically, this style of bag is prone to becoming a bit unwieldy and floppy when worn, but the entire structure of the No. 43 Mailbag is suspended from a cleverly placed copper tube.

In partnership with British label Charles Tyrwhitt, we are thinking through some real-world issues faced by men and the clothing they wear. On top of this, many men – particularly in city environments – choose to wear a formal suit to the office to look smart; not particularly ideal attire for such a lengthy travel time! Modern fabric technology means that if we didn’t just tell you it’s in there, you would have never noticed anything different apart form the fact that the suit remained looking pretty great. Over time, you will likely find that spending time on public transport, out on the street, in airplanes or meeting rooms will results in dirt and dust dulling your suit’s fabric.

While technology may make irrelevant the traditional wallet’s function of carrying cash, its ability to also hold one’s scraps of meaningful ephemera, or that parking garage ticket that needs to be validated, makes it an unusually personal object. One of our favorite options when reconsidering the wallet comes to us by way of Los Angeles-based One Star Leather. With an interior sleeve into which fits a small notebook (each one comes pre-stocked with a trusty Field Notes notebook), two credit slots, and a fully enclosed pen sleeve, the Park Sloper Senior a self contained, well-designed, portable companion that takes the place of multiple items. One Star Leather – literally housed in a garage and family-and-friends run – produces a variety of models, from coin cases to wallets to notebook covers to belts.

Designed for trail running and non-stable surfaces (e.g., remote ranges, desert wastelands, knife-edge mountain ridges), this ever evolving collection is a great mix of lightweight materials and robust stability. The brand’s Boost technology provides excellent cushioning and comfort, while still letting your feet “feel” the surface. this is actually the second time we’ve tested Terrex trail shoes on pavement and found them to be (in our case) just fine for hard surface running. The enhanced stability, Continental tread, Boost system, and lightweight materials keep your feet comfortable and springy.