The Pendleton woollen mills were established in 1909, at first manufacturing blankets but quickly incorporating woollen shirts and jackets into their repertoire. Since then, Pendleton have moved into housewares, bed linens and selected leather items.

For this gear test I chose to try out three items from the Pendleton catelogue: The Glacier National Park series blanket, leather blanket strap and elbow patch trail shirt.

The Shirt.

I’m a real fan of the lumberjack shirt, and when you’re in the woods I think it’s a great option as a mid-layer. It’s tough against embers, branches and wind. It’s warm, dries quickly and wicks sweat from the body, decreasing your chances of catching a chill. The trail shirt model is a well-built and stylish choice: It’s tough, warm, and actually looks a lot better after a little bit of wear.

The Blanket.

Because the Glacier series has a medium weight to it, I’m not sure I’d trust it as my only bedding during spring or fall camping (and winter should go without saying), but it is well-made, tightly-woven and perfect for cooler nights on a summer trip, or for a picnic or to keep in the car as a stand-by.  Its light weight happens to perfectly compliment a scotch and soda on a Sunday afternoon in the fall.

The Strap.

The strap is designed to keep the blanket in order and provide a way to carry it over your shoulder. A great bargain for the price point, it did well on one of my trips away, but the leather feels a little flimsy, so I wouldn’t advise any serious trekking with this as the only means of support. Regardless, for a little light hiking or maybe a short canoe trip, this strap is the ideal accompaniment to the blanket and makes a picnic a whole lot easier, and more stylish to boot.