Before there was Patagonia or The North Face, Eddie Bauer reigned supreme. The outdoor brand started back in 1920, in Seattle, Washington, by the titular Mr. Bauer himself with a specific wrinkle. See, about half the year was spent running the actual shop, and the other half was spent outdoors developing, testing, and refining the very same gear and clothes he’d sell in his shop, which is how the Skyliner Jacket was born.
Legend has it Bauer was out in the Washington woods and developed a nasty case of hypothermia on a fishing trip. Understandably, after the trip, he looked to find a clothing solution that would let him fish in peace (no matter the weather) without also actively putting himself in danger. Out of this whole (terrifying!) ordeal came the first US-patented down jacket, the aforementioned Skyliner. Now, 100 years after that fateful fishing trip, the Skyliner is back and better than ever.