At last month’s Outdoor Retailer Winter Market I met with the team from Cockpit USA. They’ve been making authentic replicas of classic flight and military clothing for decades. Their latest project is to resurrect several garments used by the US Army’s 10th Mountain Division during World War Two.
In the years leading up to World War II, the United States Army recognized the need for specially trained, highly adaptable mountain and cold-climate units. The challenges of mountain warfare were extreme, higher altitudes; rapidly changing weather conditions, and the demand for technical skills such as climbing, and skiing all had to be addressed. These mountain troopers had to be highly conditioned, resilient individuals with a specialized skill set, and equipped to survive the harshest of environments. With this in mind the US Army developed its Military Layering Principles. This concept of layering functional compatibly designed garments in an effort to preserve warmth and ensure protection from the elements.
The Cockpit USA Fall 2016 collection features the original officially sanctioned layered all season clothing styles. Fall 2016 line, features pieces with removable liners, as well as detachable fur collars, and hoods, along with full cold weather parka¹s and lighter weight reversible layering pieces.
The collection focuses on being able to face nature’s elements. From the warmest fur hooded arctic parka, down to lightweight waxed cotton shell, snow, wind, rain, and comfort was considered during every step of the development of this capsule.
