Jack Hemingway, the first born son of the famous writer, Ernest Hemingway, was assigned to the Office of Strategic Services (OSS). Because he spoke fluent French, Captain Jack Hemingway parachuted into France behind enemy lines on a mission to aid the Marquis or Marquisards (French Resistance). As he jumped from the airplane under the cover of darkness, Jack’s most important “survival gear” included a fly rod and reel, a small assortment of flies and his Papa Nui Long billed cap.
Jack promptly began fishing some of the streams and rivers behind enemy lines whenever he could slip away from his duties. On one occasion he had no sooner wet a line in a promising roadside stream when a German patrol happened by. With the Resistance insignia in plain sight on the shoulder of his jacket, Jack pulled the visor of his Papa cap down on his brow and calmly waved at the passing soldiers as he shielded his arm from their view. He resumed fishing after they had gone.
In homage to Jack and to Ernest, the Papa Nui ‘Pilar’ cap, salutes the war service of these father and son heroes. Modeled in tough GI drab herringbone twill, the Pilar Cap provides the ultimate visor protection for angling a fly on a French stream or drawing a bead on Hitler’s henchmen. At home on the bridge of a Q-Boat off the coast of Santiago or comfortable on a war strewn European river bank, this cap is the result of painstaking research into correct crown shape and visor construction. Forget the malarky and hokem, this isn’t a Ketchum Gas Station find nor a recreation lookalike, this is the real deal, no clever copy writing just the true ‘Gen’.
I have been buying kit from John since his first run of daisy mae’s in 2012 (or 2013?). There simply isn’t anything on the market that is as thoughtful and as unique as John’s products. What you are getting is a commitment to deliver the very best product without compromise. You also get the benefit of his ability to creatively blend various ideas into unique items. The products and the man are exceptional.