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Rugby shirts made like they used to make 'em, inside and out When rugby was first invented the players wore trousers and a bow tie during the matches. As you can imagine, that didn't work well with the physicality of the game. They needed something that would be tough enough to take a beating but still honor the gentlemanly origins of the sport, and so the rugby shirt was born. But it didn't stay inside the arena—over the years this look has enjoyed popularity among hardcore climbers, surfers, and anyone else who loved it's robust feel and bold style. Each...

READ ON FIELD MAG It was nearly 50 years ago that Patagonia founder Yvon Chouinard was in Scotland on a climbing trip when he purchased a rugby shirt to wear while rock climbing. He was attracted by the garment's intrinsic properties—namely, fabric and construction tough enough for the rough and tumble game of rugby—and hypothesized that it would translate remarkably well to climbing. He was right. The fabric made to handle scrum and tackle held up against constant scraping against rock walls, and the shirt's sturdy collar kept a heavy sling loaded with various hardware off the neck. Soon after the trip,...