My current “PTC” (Perfect -for me- Travel Coat) is a hybrid mix of a Lands End 3-in-1 Commuter Coat (sadly, Lands End only offered it for about 2 seasons) and an LL Bean 850 Downtek coat purchased off of eBay. First, let’s take a look at the Lands End 3-in-1 Communter Coat and then I’ll discuss how I added the LL Bean 850 Downtek coat into the mix for exceptionally cold weather. Here is a photo of the Lands End 3-in-1 all put together. Notice that I have a “vintage” mink collar attached to the inside collar area of the coat. (Many people are opposed to using real animal fur…

Like the Knights Templar and the Holy Grail, the hunt for the “Perfect (for me) Travel Coat” has been one of my long-standing quests. Over years of travel and many variations of travel coats, I now recognize a few themes that directly tie into my sense of coat contentment. 1. The number, type & placement of pockets. 2. The overall appearance of the coat. 3. The specific construction of the coat. Pockets are critical to ease of movement and convenience for the traveler. Too many pockets and I forget where I put things. Too few and I have overloaded, bulging pockets. Quick note here: I am a “hands-free” traveler. What…