Tripcraft Then & Now: Outdoor Wear for Women
Before Patagonia, Columbia, Bean Boots, and Chacos, the girls of Merrie-Woode had Duxbaks. That’s right – Duxbaks were the latest thing in outdoor wear in the 1920s. Prior to 1904, outdoor wear did not really exist. Men wore wool clothes for sports such as hunting and fishing, but this clothing did not have any distinguishing features particularly suited to outdoor activities. By the 1920s, women were wearing riding breeches for horseback riding and lightweight cotton dresses for lawn sports, such as tennis and croquet. When it came to sturdy water-repellant outdoor gear, however, the market was wide-open.
Enter the Utica-Duxbak Corporation. Formed in January 1904 in Utica, NY, gateway to the Adirondacks, the founders of the company observed the growing tide of vacationers traveling to the mountains for camping, fishing, and hiking. They quickly realized that the outdoorsmen and women needed strong durable clothing that could stand up to the demands of wilderness pursuits. The duck cloth, water-repellant clothing they developed quickly became a success. They trademarked the name “Duxbaks” – since water rolled off of it just like a duck’s back – and started to advertise in magazines with adventure-oriented readers. The company soon expanded their line to include both men’s and women’s clothing, as well as lighter garments under the name “Kamp-It”. The garments were extremely popular (President Roosevelt’s Duxbaks are housed in the Smithsonian Museum), and several mentions of them can be found in early editions of the Merrie-Woode Ripple.
By the 1940s, Duxbaks were included on Merrie-Woode’s Camper packing list. When you read this story of a rainy campout in 1937, you will see why:
THE YEOMAN’S HIKE
We were told at breakfast on Friday to meet Jean on the back porch. We all knew that we were going to Whitesides. The squires were going to Primeval Forest. After all our excitement we found out that we couldn’t go because the squires were using our tarpaulin. It was set for us to go Saturday after rest hour. Saturday came. After we got started, we rode in the truck stopping in Cashiers at West’s to get something to drink. After we had driven for sometime we got out of the truck at our camping spot. The first thing to catch our sight was a patch of blackberries. We made a rush for them. After eating a grand supper, we made our packs and washed the dishes. We roasted marshmallows around the fire. Tate explained what to do if we were bitten by a snake. After singing Taps we crawled into our beds, but not for long. It began to pour and we were flooded away. We rushed for the tarpaulin but that wasn’t much better than being out in the open. “Who’s got a duxbak, there’s another leak over here. I’m sitting in a river.” Such were the cries. Then Betty Hill’s toothbrush came floating by. Tate said we had to go home. Everyone picked up her things and started for the truck which was ¼ mi. away. Tate decided that he would like to lie down in the middle of the road and he did. Mildred wanted to sit in a puddle and she did. We got settled in the truck only to find that it was stuck in the mud. After much pushing and pulling we got out and started for home. We all sang until we got to the gate then we remained quiet so as not to awaken the camp. We slept on the mats in the castle and ate breakfast in our p.j.’s in the Cabin [old name for the Dining Hall]. All of our clothes were hung in the Lodge to dry. It certainly was one of the best trips of the year.
-B. Read, K. Lindsay, M.G Bond, Sugar Michelson, 1937 Ripple
UNTITLED
If you’ve got a Duxbak
Um – hang on to it
And your poncho too
For if you leave them around
They’ll get in the pound
And you won’t know what to do.
For you’ll never get wet
With your poncho at your call
And things in the pound
Won’t help you at all
So if you’ve got a Duxback
Um – hang on to it
You’ll need it more and more.
-Hodges, 1926 Ripple
Just like the campers in the 1930s, we know that our wilderness experiences are more enjoyable when we have the right gear. Check out the photo gallery of historical outdoorwear below, and tell us in the comments – What is your must-have item of outdoor clothing?