Alaska Sleeping Bag Company is a name rooted in the golden age of American outdoor equipment. Originally operating out of Portland, Oregon, from the 1930s through to the 1970s, the company built a reputation for producing exceptionally rugged, hard-wearing sleeping bags and down-filled gear designed to withstand the demands of life outdoors. Made for campers, mountaineers, hunters and frontiersmen, its equipment prioritised warmth, durability and practical construction over unnecessary frills. This was outdoor clothing and equipment built for genuine use, intended to provide reliable protection in some of the harshest conditions.
Over time, Alaska Sleeping Bag became a sought-after name among vintage collectors, particularly those drawn to the crossover between traditional outdoor equipment, American workwear and what is now known as Gorpcore. Original pieces are increasingly prized for their distinctive construction and utilitarian character, representing an era when specialist outdoor gear was built with an emphasis on function and longevity.
The company’s success grew through a mail-order catalogue business, which helped bring its equipment to a wider audience. By the 1960s, Alaska Sleeping Bag had grown to compete with established outdoor names such as L.L.Bean and Eddie Bauer. However, increasing competition during the 1970s eventually brought the original brand to an end towards the close of the decade.
Today, this piece of American outdoor history has been brought back to life by Toyo Enterprise, the Japanese specialists behind Sugar Cane and Buzz Rickson’s. Drawing on original designs from the 1950s and ’60s, the revival stays true to the brand’s practical roots, with robust shell fabrics, premium down insulation and considered period details. These pieces honour the original spirit of Alaska Sleeping Bag: dependable, hard-wearing gear made to keep you warm when the temperature drops.
This Autumn/Winter, we have two models from Alaska Sleeping Bag Company available at Clutch Cafe: a down jacket and a down vest. To introduce the collection, we headed to Asakusa, one of Tokyo’s most characterful neighbourhoods, for a little taste of old Japan - and, as it turns out, some rather extreme cold-weather testing.
Centred around the famous Senso-ji Temple, its enormous red Thunder Gate and the bustling Nakamise shopping street, Asakusa offers a glimpse of Tokyo’s traditional downtown, with old-fashioned shopfronts, street food, temples and a wonderfully lived-in atmosphere. It’s a part of the city where the spirit of old Edo still feels close at hand.
Just around the corner is Kappabashi, better known as Kitchen Street. A favourite haunt for chefs, cooks and anyone with an appreciation for well-made tools, this stretch of Tokyo is packed with specialist shops selling everything from Japanese kitchen knives and traditional ceramics to professional cookware and wonderfully convincing plastic food displays. It seemed like as good a place as any to put these jackets to the test.
Naturally, we decided to take things a little further than a stroll around the neighbourhood. With a visit to a commercial freezer thrown into the mix, we thought we’d see how the Alaska Sleeping Bag Company’s down jackets and vests would fare in properly chilly conditions. After all, if you’re going to wear a jacket inspired by the golden age of American outdoor equipment, you might as well give it a decent workout.
Whether you’re wandering the streets of Tokyo or facing a proper British winter, these are pieces built around warmth, practicality and no-nonsense outdoor heritage. Just perhaps don’t expect your local supermarket to let you test them in the freezer.
Available now at Clutch Cafe, in-store and online.
