In a world full of technical athleisure, Duck Head is a breath of fresh, organic air. While they may include a little stretch here and there, the majority of their catalog is constructed of organic fibers, good cuts, attractive color palettes, and an updated, classic feel.
Their Spring ’24 goods are another step forward. For guys in my demo who remember the big yellow patch, we’ll enjoy the offerings. For folks who are just getting down with the Duck, they’ll find a healthy alternative to competing brands offering mostly tech and prints. The value that Duck Head presents is very digestible, and seeing them evolve into an everyday brand has been a lot of fun.
Here are some of my picks from the Spring line:
From top left:
1. 7″ Inseam Gold School Chinos with the BIG GOLD LABEL: Your new everyday shorts. Nothing cooler than that big gold patch.
2. Paddles Logo T-Shirt: Vintage feel that is primed for getting beat up all spring/summer long.
3. Gibbs Linen/Cotton SS Shirt: Don’t sleep on the 55% linen/45% cotton fabric. VERY breathable, yet still has some structure. I wash these shirts on cold, dry them for 5 minutes on low, and then hang them to dry. MAYBE I hit it with a steam iron, but maybe not. Depends if I’m going out to dinner or a concert.
4. On the Fly Fishing Shorts: A great addition – the 7″ inseam is perfect for the bass boat or wet wading the creek.
5. Dunmore Quarter Zip: Mostly tech, but still has some cotton so it looks very professional. No shine.
6. Bracket Linen/Cotton Oxford Sport Shirt: Again with the linen/cotton blend, but with long sleeves. Primed for rolling up.
7. Summerford Striped Performance Pique Polo: Performance (read: tech), but pique (read: doesn’t look like tech). A great addition for after Memorial Day when that humidity starts to show up.
8. Slim Fit Gold School Chinos: Probably the best OTR pants on the market. The fit is perfect, the colors are just right, and the price is 100% justified.
9. (DRUM ROLL…) 5″ INSEAM Gold School Chino Shorts: Where are my 5″ Stand Up guys??? I want two of every color. These make me extremely happy…
Enjoy, folks.
I really wanted to love Duck Head pants and shorts, but the rise is just too short. I’ve tried on several pair since the brand refresh over the years and have returned them all. For a pair of 34″, the rise is less than 10″, which is just a little too modern for the guy who likes to wear boxers. For those of us looking for the nostalgia of the DH from our youth, you won’t find them here. As they say, “you can’t go home again”.
Why not use the big logo on the 5″ shorts? Why not use the big logo on ALL of them?
Love the big, gold logo.
Duck Head isn’t fully back until they are making overalls with the big logo right on the chest.
Oh man that unlocked a memory I forgot I had!
I want to thank you for all the work you do in presenting your favorite products. No exggeration when I say that the last 15 to 20 gifts I’ve purchased have come from your website. I just place what I’m looking for in your search bar and BAM! I just got a huge “thank you” for a Wren & Ivey shooting bag and the Rivay chambray shirt continues to be a hit over and over. If anyone doesn’t know what to give as a gift – you can not go wrong searching through your pocket knife entries.
Overall, I’ve been happy with the rebranded Duck Head brand. Although not everything has been great. I have pairs of their 5 pocket canvas and Harbor Performance chinos and those are good along with some of their shirts. However, I have a pair of their Gold School Chinos and the quality has not been good at all. I’ve worn them around 25-30 times and they are already fraying and looking very worn and beat up, despite just wearing them to work. The material is soft but doesn’t seem like very high quality and it shows based on the wear. Between my RL, Brooks Brothers, Orvis and J. Crew khakis these haven’t held up as well. Hopefully they get better because I love the old school logo.
The idea is great – the execution was not. The fit and cut on almost all the clothing is awful in my opinion. I don’t even know what kind of body type they used to model the sizing and just everything, but its either too small or too large. A medium t-shirt fits a slender 38 inch chest and the large fits a fat 46 inch chest.