Hi people. I'm writing this one from my home study. It's early doors and I've just got back from a six-mile easy run. It's that time of year when most runs are done in the dark, the roads are icy and the temperature read on my Garmin is in the low single digits. Right now, I'm camped beside an old 1250-watt electric heater, which jumps unpredictably from tepid to burning hot.
In Dispatch 9, we talk about the inspiration for the Chute Cap ahead of its release this Friday. We catch up with Brad Martinez after his 50km race through rural Morocco, share a must-read book recommendation for anyone into technical apparel, and shine a spotlight on a handful of British brands that we support and think you should too. We've also added a 'SHARE SOMETHING' button, which will be signposted in all future Dispatches. Whatever's floating your boat, we want to know about it.
THE CHUTE CAP (1 MIN READ)
Earlier this year, I met with the team from our Italian mill at a hotel in Marylebone. We were meeting to review the mill's new season of performance fabrics. It's not always easy to imagine how a fabric sample the size of your palm will look and feel as a finished garment, but as I flicked through the mill's latest nylons, there was one ripstop that stood out. It felt technical, but refined. It was lightweight and water-repellent with a soft, dry hand-feel. Constructed from recycled fibers, it ticked all the boxes for a new accessory that we'd designed but hadn't yet found a fabric for.
There and then, I asked the mill to arrange for a small quantity of the fabric to be sent to our headwear factory in Poland, so that they could get started on a prototype. The product development process can be tedious. Sometimes you get the first sample from the factory and it's nothing like what you had in mind. This wasn't one of those times. The sample arrived on a Monday, I trained in it in everyday that week and by Friday, I'd approved it for production. No changes.
As with the Cicada pieces, the name of the product needed to celebrate the Italian fabric that it's made from. The Chute Cap draws its name from the earliest application of ripstops: parachutes for the military. The Yellow Ochre colourway is inspired by early-winter days in the Lake District fells, when for a brief period, the landscape glows gold. In dim-light conditions, the colour cuts through, yet its muted tone keeps it understated and versatile.
The Chute Cap, our latest edition to the CLOBBER headwear line-up, launches this Friday.
LETTERS FROM MOROCCO WITH BRAD MARTINEZ (2 MIN READ)
"The idea of ending the year with a race that would push my mental limits in a new dimension was exciting and nerve-racking. I'd set a sub-6 hour target at the start of the 8-week build, but the block went terribly. I wasn't as fit as I wanted after a long break post 86-miler earlier in the year, so I went into the race with no expectation beyond finishing injury-free.
The day before the race, the crew and I landed in Marrakesh and drove through the Atlas Mountains to Ouarzazate, the edge of the desert. It was hot, dry and unlike anything I'd ever seen. Mountains and vast planes of wasteland. I did my kit checks and took myself to bed early. We'd be up at 4:45am to make our way to the start line.
Race morning was cold and dark. The forecast said 6 degrees celcius, but by midday the temperature would rise to 24, making it the hottest day of the weekend. We arrived at the start line with two goals in mind: one, beat the heat, two, enjoy it. We set off at 7:45am. I held a steady, sustainable pace. 10k, 20k, 30k, calm and controlled. Then the heat settled in, along with the elevation. My stomach cramped and the fuelling plan went out the window, but by then we were already 40k deep.
My body adapted, the head felt manageable, my pace stayed consistent, and I only slowed to ease the cramps or hike the hills where there was nothing to gain by running them. Approaching the finish line (set on the actual filming location of The Mummy), I felt incredible. No pain, no injury, just the thought of how wild this year has been. Huge milestones, unexpected achievements, and now running through the friggin' desert as a "fitness check". I crossed the line in 5:46:55, injury-free and under target.
Nearly 6 hours of constant exposure to the heat left me cooked. I was dehydrated and delirious, but in letting go of rigid expectations and trusting what I know, I'd hit my goal. 2026 is going to be full of new obstacles. A 100k in the Lakes, a backyard ultra, a 100-miler, and hopefully the first steps toward earning Running Stones for a UTMB race in 2027. We'll see. One race at a time, one foot in front of the other. The goal is consistency at the end of the day, and sharing moments with my crew. Without them, none of this happens."
Bradley Martinez on the Morocco 50km.
SHARING IS CARING (1 MIN READ)
Alongside the stories, ideas and inspirations we send your way, we want to hear about what's moving you. Maybe you're deep into a training block ahead of your next race. Maybe you're building something on the side and want to put it out into the world. Maybe you've found a hidden trail, coffee spot or gym that's worth a detour. Whatever you're exploring, discovering or creating, we want to know about it. We'll feature select submissions in future Dispatches.
BUY BRITISH (2 MIN READ)
CLOBBER was started out of a love for two things: training and well-made clothes. Here's a list of British brands that we support, committed to doing things well.
Purple Mountain Observatory - Founded in 2023 and based in East London, PMO designs apparel for use on the trail and in town, and has earned a following for its unique designs - like thermo-sensitive fabrics - and by fostering community through group hikes in the UK. The PMO Terrain Shorts are a personal favourite.
Universal Works - Started in 2009 by David Keyte from his kitchen table, Universal Works is about creating clean, everyday wear that respects heritage and contemporary lifestyles. UW is inspired by David’s formative years growing up in a provincial Midlands' town in the 70s, part of a working-class family that loved to dress well. A go-to for shirting and knitwear.
Gander - Manchester-born Gander was founded by Calum Gregory in search of a specific jacket. Calum couldn't find what he was looking for so he designed his own. Inspired by Calum's own taste, garments of the past and his home city, Gander champions a respect for craftsmanship and a quality over quantity ethos.
Paynter - Founders, Becky and Huw, re-make iconic jackets and release them in limited Batches, 4 times a year. Each jacket is designed by them in East London before it gets made by a small family-run factory in Northern Portugal. Each one is hand numbered in the order it's sold and illustrated labels on the inside of the jacket tell the story behind the batch.
Service Works - Born in 2020 out of a love for elasticated waists and good food. Their "Designed for chefs, adapted for all" motto reflects the upbringing of founder, Tom Chudley, who grew up in a family-run hospitality business, cleaning, prepping and eventually cooking. Tom found himself wearing his chef trousers outside of the kitchen and skating in them, which led to the creation of Service Works. A personal go-to for easy-fit, everyday trousers.
Portal - After being brought together on Rapha's 'ROADWEAR' lifestyle collection a couple of years back, the co-founders of Portal recognised an opportunity to create clothes centred around the multi-sport lives they all lived. From Oslo, Vancouver and London, Portal's founding team of functional sportswear experts offer a unique take on gear for running, hiking and cycling.
THE GORE-TEX STORY (1 MIN READ)
Warm, Dry, and Comfortable: The Story of Developing the GORE-TEX Brand by John Unland tells the story of how GORE-TEX went from a lab accident to the fabric that changed outdoor culture. In 1969, Bob Gore, frustrated after countless failed experiments, yanked apart a piece of heated PTFE and accidentally created the microporous structure that became the first truly waterproof-breathable membrane. Nine billion pores per square inch, each pore too small for water droplets to enter, yet large enough to let your body's perspiration vapour escape. Where most fabric manufacturers stay invisible to the end-consumer, GORE-TEX became a household name, their diamond swing tag carrying as much weight as the logos it hung beside.
With perhaps the strongest warranty claim in the outdoor gear game (If you get wet, we'll fix it), it's no surprise that you can't just buy GORE-TEX fabric and sew it into a product. Manufacturers must pass waterproofing tests, breathability tests, seam-taping inspections and environmental simulations before they're allowed to stitch in the GORE-TEX. badge. This book sits somewhere between business biography, personal memoir and visual time capsule. Unland retells stories from the GORE-TEX archives, from the first Trans-Antarctic Expedition to a one-of-one golf suit gifted to the White House to a plaque in the Inventor's Hall of Fame.
Warm, Dry, and Comfortable: The Story of Developing the GORE-TEX Brand feels and looks like a school text-book (maybe less surprising once you learn about the brand's scientific roots and commitment to educating their customers), but like gear made with GORE-TEX fabric, what's inside will stand the test of time. One of the best books I've read this year.