You Can't Put Taste In A Cargo Pocket!
Binoculars, eyes is out, son they watchin' us
The history of cargo pants from military service pant to Certified Staple for Stunting Soldiers.
Cozy upper layers from PunkandYo and New Balance Numeric.
Dick Rizzo.
Fuct Up Old Heads.
The VP Footwear Archive.
This week in The War Report.
💥TUESDAY MEANS WAR💥
GARM OF THE WEEK
Cargo Pants
They say less is more, but this does not apply when it comes to Pants Pockets. More pockets is always better. And the original mega-pocketed pant is the British military-designed Cargo Pant.
The cargo pant as we know it today started its life as the “Battle Dress” uniform introduced by the British military in the late 1930s to give Soldiers more spots to carry all the Important Shit when out on the battlefield. The original version was unfussy and had a simple pocket above the knee and at the side to carry a few things. It was soon co-opted by the US military, where the Americanized version Super Sized the pockets in the spirit of Great American Maximalism. US Paratroopers could now stuff everything they own in their cargo pockets as they parachute into enemy territory in the heat of WW2.
Militaries the world over continued iterating on fits and pocket styles. Eventually the M-51 uniform, synonymous with the iconic military jacket, came along and damn near perfected the garm. This is mostly the version that has endured, sporting 6 pockets, generous fit, and drawstrings at waist and hem for personalized fit.
Cargos remained niche for decades until eventually being adopted by the most stylish motherfuckers of the 1990s - skaters, rappers, and various other Cool MFs. It’s a staple of every Soldier’s closet for the utility as well as the endless possibilities of materials, patterns, silhouettes, and pocket placements. Here are a few of our favorites.
Rothco Tactical BDU Pants
The standard issue cargo. No frills, made for action (on battlefields near and far). They suit all Soldiers thanks to drawstrings at hems and cinch at waist. Rothco offers them in all kinds of colors and patterns, just don’t go full Stephen Lawyer. Their cargos are built to withstand harsh missions in the streets, they’re Cheap compared to Fashion Brand offerings, and they’re a lovely blank to add your own logos and branding (shout out Kinetic Skate Shop).
Nike ACG Smith Summit Zip Cargo Pants
It doesn’t get more versatile than two different garms in one package, and Nike ACG’s Smith Summit cargos feature removable bottoms to convert into shorts when Shit really Heats Up! They’re made from heavy duty nylon and have a tiny bit of spandex for some stretch to allow for more maneuvering. That’s also why they’re cut nice and loose, with added articulation at the knees and an on-seam gusset to allow for even greater range of natural movement. We’ve been running the previous model for years, which has a more standard pocket placement at the side of the leg, while the updated version has moved them to the front of the thighs. In any case, these pants are built to carry all your Shit and look Damn Good doing it, plus you can turn them into shorts and wear them year-round. Banging.
Sexhippies Air Man Pant
Tan. Ripstop. Hella pockets. That’s a pretty good formula for some Slapping cargo pants, and of course the Sexhippies version is freaked and tweaked in their own special way. This one is the Air Man Pant, lifting design cues from heavily-pocketed trousers worn by military air forces over the years. It’s got 8 pockets total, including a couple little ones on each shin, so you can stash Shit all over your legs to balance loads or hide treasures. Just be careful because it’s easy to find yourself checking all 8 pockets for your lighter.
OTHER GOOD GARMS
Tiger Polar Fleece by PUNKANDYO
Talk about a Fuckin’ statement piece! They call the colorway “Tiger” but it’s kinda like a tiger that fell into that radioactive ooze from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and started doing petty crimes. It stands out as even wilder than the jawns we’ve come to expect from Etienne Gagne’s PunkAndYo, a brand pushing out garms that mix high-quality construction with a little Y2K aesthetic and design cues from the tall tee and gangster cartoon era of hip hop. ET runs P&Y with partner Anthony Asfour, a bonafide Fashion MF who studied graphic design worked in a fabric warehouse, and did time at Dime prior to founding their brand in 2020. There must be something in the water up there in Montreal that produces so many galaxy-brained creative maniacs, from the Dime crew to ET and other legacy Alltimers to the goated Celine Dion. We gotta make a trip up there and get a sip from the Fountain of Dope.
Waffle Knit Long Sleeve Henley by New Balance Numeric
We’re Henley Haters. Henleys are Ass. They’re usually seen being worn way too tight by real douchebag types. That being said, there are exceptions to every rule and the good homies at New Balance Numeric made a Cracking henley. We were dubious when we first pulled it out of our box (thank you Nick <3), but after trying it on it fell right into the garm rotation. This thing is burly thanks to a Thick Ass waffle knit and a critical layer for the chilly sessions. We love a versatile garm, and this one can be worn on it’s own, atop a t-shirt, or under a jacket depending on the weather or your desired look. The tonal branding at the chest and sleeve are lowkey and take nothing away from the great design. The fit is roomy and it holds shape unbelievably well through plenty of washes and dryer cycles. Cop up if you want to look like the dashing Tom Knox (UK).
SOLDIER OF THE WEEK
Dick Rizzo
There’s nothing more important in life than Taste. The AI robots can’t account for it. The deficient can’t learn it. The rich can’t buy it. You’re either Blessed or you’re Not. And Dick Rizzo is Fuckin’ Blessed. Whether going by Richie or Dick, that name is Hard as Hell. He’s the modern successor to Bobby Puleo’s unique approach to skating creative and Shitty spots. His outfits are always expertly proportioned. He’s become synonymous with Half Cabs (give him the damn shoe, Vans!) and is running more Yankee hats than prime Hova. BDK might think this is wack, but his skating always makes us want to Get Off Our Ass and grind something! Rizzo was robbed of SOTY during a mindblowing 2024, so we’re hoping the ender in HARD RESET is the first of many parts in 2026. When it comes to SOTY, We Pick Dick!
ENEMY OF THE WEEK
Fuct
Nobody wins awards for longevity, and especially if that longevity is a result of just lurking around. Fuct was founded in 1990 by Erik Brunetti and Natas Kaupas and, save for their initial success thanks to the Natas name, they’ve more or less been a complete unknown for 36 years now! In case the name didn’t give them away, Fuct emerged from the Edgy and Controversial 90’s skate scene notorious for swastikas and slurs.
Brunetti has dipped in and out through the years and most recently tried to re-introduce the brand in 2019 with the backing of Ian Michna and Jenkem. That didn’t seem to move the needle with the culture, and perhaps it was the final blow Brunetti needed to fully convert to hard-right victim baby. We didn’t even know Fuct was still around until he fell into the old Social Media Trap that’s gotten so many Fools since the dawn of Twitter. Like many of his contemporaries, Brunetti rode the subversive-to-conservative pipeline and couldn’t help but shout it from the rooftops following Trump’s 2024 election and the resulting monumental and immediate culture shift hard to the right. Fuct’s most recent innovation is MMA fighting clothes, a surefire grift to tap into the lucrative Ignorant Prick market that’s booming thanks to Trump’s deep partnership with purveyor of homoerotic entertainment Dana White. Brunetti’s been very vocal (in comment sections) lately, including calling out Palace for copying his designs (LOL) and tripping about the origins of streetwear (LMAO). But dig even further back and you’ll find him backing Trump’s BullShit about Obama’s citizenship and bashing libs as early as 2011! The Fuct Twitter is chock full of Brunetti opining against liberals! And here’s a really interesting observation!
From all of us here at TWR, we humbly ask Erik Brunetti to Get Fuct. The future is now and you’re not part of it, old man!
ADDITIONAL INTELLIGENCE
Village Psychic Footwear Archive
Village Psychic just revamped their site and the highlight is the new Footwear Archive with insane gems from skate shoe designers long gone and some that most people don’t even know about (2 Fish Shoe Works?!?!). Skateboarding’s best footwear repository from the legends who bring you the monthly footwear recaps!
You’re now up to speed on the latest from the battlefield. Use this intel wisely and pass it on to others who may need our guidance. We can’t win the war unless we’re in it together. $5 TWR sticker packs available here.
Shout out to Rizzo, but Vans needs to get their shit together. Just heard the Crockett shoe is no longer in production. Also as a person who trains Jiu Jitsu, I think its mad corny how all these brands are trying to take advantage of all of us who are on the spectrum... Just train in an old shirt and board shorts, or better yet a Gi. Like a real soldier!