Why would anyone call this a "Uniform Sweater?"
Well, because that’s precisely how it came to be…commissioned in 1995 by The Trustees of Reservations, Ipswich, Ma., the oldest conservation land trust in America, founded by Charles Eliot, in 1891. Their requirements were exacting. For it to be adopted as part of the Ranger’s Uniform, it had to be practical and serve double duty…as a layering piece but sturdy and warm enough to go it alone in the winters of the Massachusetts coastline. Simple enough? Not exactly. It took us well over a dozen prototypes to get The Ranger’s Uniform Sweater approved by then Ranger, Dave Rimmer.
It all starts with a hardy and naturally water resistant, 7ga yarn spun from 100% Extafine Merino wool. The entire sweater is “fully fashioned” (odd term as it has nothing to do with fashion) which means that every panel of the sweater is engineered to fit and conform to the curves and measurements of its adjoining components. This is most noticeable where the body meets the armhole, the neck, the shoulder and of course as it tapers to the waist. What’s the alternative and how are most sweaters made? Cut-and-Sew…which is akin to using a cookie cutter to form a loaf of bread.
The most distinctive and perhaps the most functional part of the Ranger’s Uniform Sweater is inset bi-swing shoulder gusset hidden between the shoulder blade and sleeve. It’s made of lighter gage yarn that expands naturally with the movement of the arm and shoulder. We’ve yet to come across a sweater that has this feature!
The collar is asymmetrical, so it lays perfectly flat at the shoulder-neck point and widens slightly as it comes to the front. The cuff and waist are doubled and 4 needle flat-lock stitched…they’ll never stretch out. And the elbow patches are, of course, made from our proprietary DryHandle®, 100% cotton weatherproof fabric.
Said and done, this sweater is built for endurance…a 1x1 Jersey knit with dense, tightly spun yarns, it has a smooth, non-scratchy hand feel that will wear like chainmail. It will not pill or stretch out. And because of merino wool’s exceptional and complex fiber make up, this sweater is naturally water repellent, moving all moisture to the surface where it naturally evaporates, keeping you warm and dry.
We are reintroducing this legendary piece of gear to commemorate our 25th Anniversary.
Each piece will carry this commemorative label, each marked with its unique serial number identifier.
Details:
• 25th Anniversary Edition, each sweater marked with its unique serial number identifier
• 7ga, 100% Extrafine Merino wool yarn
• Half cardigan stitch
• Fully fashioned throughout
• Inset, bi-swing shoulder gussets with contrast yarn
• Asymmetrical collar
• Doubled sleeve cuffs and waist hem
• Quilted elbow patches made of DryHanle® zig-zag stitched for durability
