Happy Friday Amigos,

Welcome to the fourth edition of JM’s Weekly Roundup. A quick hit of what’s new at La Matera and a few things I’ve been stoked about lately.

TL;DR:

• La Matera Tailgate Collection – Rugged, fall-ready belts for gamedays and weekend hangs.

• A Recent Re-watch - “180° South” – A slow-burn adventure to Patagonia that might ignite your inner explorer.

• Gear I’m Eyeing: the Sterling Pacific 35L Cabin Case — It’s certainly an investment, but built like an heirloom and made to last decades.

• Substack/Blog I’ve been into: A Continuous Lean – Michael Williams’ curated take on classic menswear, design, and well-made stuff.

• Weekend Wisdom – “Mind Like Water”. When a rock hits water, the water doesn’t over react. It reacts exactly as it should then returns to its calm state.

La Matera Tailgate Collection – Built for gameday, crafted for life

Shameless plug, but I’m excited about our new Tailgate Collection. These are belts handwoven in bold team colors and finished with genuine Horween football leather – yep, the same legendary Chicago tannery leather used to make the actual NFL footballs for 70+ years. They’re rugged, fall-ready, and designed for fans and long tailgate weekends. Basically, the perfect accessory whether you’re cheering from the stands or watching from your grill in the backyard. (Plus, they look just as good on a regular night out unlike that 20 year old football jersey in your closet – versatility for the win.)

“180° South” – Adventure at a slower pace

Oldie but a goodie, 180° South is a must watch if you haven’t seen it yet. The documentary that follows a Jeff Johnson (who’s a great follow in and of himself) retracing Yvon Chouinard’s (Founder of Patagonia) and Doug Tompkins’ (founder of The North Face) 1968 road trip to Patagonia. It’s a thinking person’s adventure film, more about introspection and connection with nature than adrenaline-fueled stunts. (Yvon even makes an appearance, dropping wisdom in a rainy Patagonian hut.) The scenery is unreal, and the vibe is pure wanderlust. Warning: it might just stoke your urge to drop everything and go vagabond to the point of no return. Perfect viewing when you’re craving a little inspiration for your own next escape.

Sterling Pacific 35L Cabin Case – The heirloom carry-on I’ve been eyeing

I flew out to Tahoe yesterday for a guys’ weekend and, while sitting and waiting for my turn to board, I caught a good look at my 9-year-old Away suitcase. Let’s just say… it’s seen better days. That little moment sent me down a rabbit hole looking for my next go-to carry-on, something I can beat up for another few decades.

Enter the Sterling Pacific 35L Cabin Case. It’s a tank of a suitcase, crafted from aluminum with Italian leather handles and the kind of build that makes you want to hand it down someday. Yeah, it’s pricey, but I travel a lot and I’m a big believer in investing once in something that’ll last. If you’re into gear that ages well and can take a beating, this thing’s worth a look.

A Continuous Lean – Timeless style, well-made things

For solid visual and style inspiration, I always find myself scrolling A Continuous Lean (ACL). Michael Williams started ACL as a blog in 2007, and he’s now running a Substack that’s basically a weekly masterclass in classic menswear and heritage gear. The content ranges from practical style tips to spotlighting cool brands, watches, travel notes – all with an “appreciation for well-made things” and a keen eye for quality. The writing is straightforward and personal, almost like getting advice from that one friend who just gets good design. If you geek out about things with lasting style (and love discovering niche American-made products), ACL is a fun rabbit hole to dive into. I’ve gotten more than a few great recs from it over the years.

Weekend Wisdom – Mind like Water

There’s a quote I’ve been trying to come back to lately: “Mind like water.” The idea is simple — when a rock hits water, the water doesn’t overreact. It reacts exactly as it should, then returns to its calm state.

Candidly, I’m not great at it. Between running a family business, keeping my wife happy and raising a 3-year-old and a 5-month-old, our world tends to hover somewhere between mild chaos and full-blown circus. But anytime something unexpected pops up whether it’s a warehouse hiccup, a toddler meltdown, or both at the same time — I try to stop and say: “Mind like water.”

It’s a reminder to stay steady, react just enough, then get back to calm. Easier said than done, but something I’m getting better at.

That’s it for this week. Appreciate you being here and following along. On to the weekend.

Cheers,
JM

Jon-Mark Craddock
CEO

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Originally sent through JM's Substack on 2025-10-10.