An Everyday Camo fit for the Mountains or Main Street
By the end of 1942, the Third Reich had made its largest expansion stretching through Europe. From the outside, it looked as though the forces of good were succumbing to those of evil.
As Hitler drove his troops, he knew the Allied Forces would strike back, but he was unsure of when or where. That uncertainty built up until the middle of 1944.
Operation Overlord began on June 6, 1944 (D-Day); it was the largest seaborne invasion in history.
“’This is D Day,’ the BBC announced at twelve. ‘This is the day.’ The invasion has begun. Is this really the beginning of the long-awaited liberation? The liberation we’ve all talked so much about, which still seems too good, too much of a fairy tale ever to come true? Will this year, 1944, bring us victory? We don’t know yet. But where there’s hope, there’s life. It fills us with fresh courage and makes us strong again.” - Anne Frank Diary Entry June 6, 1944.
As the bulk of the US forces were coming by sea, the Allies had a secret weapon few knew about. Easy Company, a division of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division was preparing to drop in behind enemy lines in Normandy, France, and link up with soldiers coming onto the beaches by sea.
From there, it was the liberation of France, and the first step in the destruction of the German war machine.
Mile by mile, city by city, and Nazi by Nazi, the Easy Company moved from Northern France, to Belgium, to the Netherlands, and eventually into Germany. Easy Company pushed all the way to Berchtesgaden where Hitler’s Eagles Nest was located, helping to turn the tides of the war.
Decades later, this group of decorated men became the subject of the HBO miniseries Band of Brothers – a must see for any lover of history.
How Easy Company inspired Easy Company Camo
These brave souls inspired Aspinwall Mountain Wear founder Derek Aspinwall to create a unique camo dedicated to honoring them. It had to be original, no stock camo patterns here, and it had to be functional, but stylish incorporating everything we know and love about Montana and the Aspinwall brand.
For nearly three years the camo pattern was meticulously designed using the popular camouflage concept of positive and negative space. This concept relies not only on recreating the image of things we see outdoors (positive space), but also the space around what we see (negative space).
After hours of pouring over countless photos, determining the best shapes, and which elements to use, the Easy company Camo finally came to fruition.
Suitable From the Hillside to Table Side
What was once saved for battle and hunting, camouflage has made its way into style trends in the recent years. But there are still those that only are worn when you’re out in the field.
Donning the right camo hoodie, or trendy camo hat, you don’t look like you just gutted out a moose or crawled out of a duck blind to hit up the local pub or restaurant. But when you opt for the trendy over the functional, you break away from the type of camo that actually works.
Easy Company Camo captures the best of both worlds.
This camouflage pattern is ideal for hunting or bar hopping. It works perfectly in both settings (although you might need to give it a wash after hunting in it). It’s versatile, unique, but most important is the story behind the pattern.
When you wear Aspinwall’s unique Easy Company Camo, you are celebrating one of the most necessary and successful military events in the history of the world. Good always triumphs over evil.
Wear it with pride.
‘from this day to the end of time, without our being remembered: we few, we happy few, we band of brothers—for whoever sheds his blood with me today shall be my brother.’ - Henry V Act 4 Scene 3