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walz tartan winter cap

walz tartan winter cap

it's been a long cold lonely winter: well, maybe not lonely - you're never alone with twitter - but it has been a longer winter out here on the rock than it has been in previous years, a state of affairs that has had its pluses and minuses. minuses because there have been a number of days when it has been either impossible or certainly foolhardy to take the bicycle from its cosiness in the bikeshed; pluses in that some of the winter clothing available these days is not only less similar to pipe lagging, but also improving insulation year on year while approaching the lighweightedness (it's a word - ok?) of much of the spring/summer collections. this has meant less out and out sprinting just to keep warm of a winter's day, and more je ne sais quoi sailing past the few island landmarks not blighted by cold.

of course, as you will have gathered over a number of years and pixels, there is no point in being warm and comfortable if the style factor has been left at the rear gate, and while i am more than willing to allow for variations in style appreciation, there is still style and style. the argument used to be about how much of the latter you were willing to sacrifice in order to keep hypothermia at bay. it seems this may no longer be a continuing problem: i have been fortunate to test relatively low cost winter clothing that, while not, perhaps, emulating the fit of the pricier end of the market, it does have a remarkably similar insulation quotient.

and though the myth that the majority of heat is lost from the body through the head has been now unequivocably revoked, this is no reason to skimp on winter headgear; and it is here that variations in the degree of exhibitionism, and possibly even nationalism can be exhibited with impunity. take my word on this - would i lie to you? so it was with this degree of impunity firmly placed under the catlike whisper that my continued cosiness took on a tartan trait this weekend.

the post has featured the more regular version of the walz tartan woollen casquette in more seasonal times, but now, exclusive to the uk, is an ear cosy winter version of the tartan headgear, made by walz in california. this is the stealth version which resembles the aforesaid regular version but hides a flap that can be dropped about the ears while riding and flipped up when ordering that soya milk cappuccino. two days riding in temperatures that were colder than the forecast had forecast, one of which included two hours in the car park at port charlotte's port mor centre teaching kids to stop falling off their bikes, provided warm ears and perfect hearing (pardon?). i know not whether other uk nationalities have a desire to wear tartan about their person, but, yet again in the year of the 25th anniversary of robert millar's king of the mountains win in the tour de france (will he ever shut up about this?) it's the ideal excuse, if such be needed.

available in two sizes - small/medium & medium/large - from urban hunter at an agreeable winter price of £25.95 ($30), if your weather is following similar lines to that of the inner hebrides, there are plenty more kilometres left to wear the winter version before switching to the summer version around mid-september.

urban hunter | walz caps

twmp

posted on sunday 1 march 2009

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