Patagonia and Jay Nelson's "Worn Wear" Mobile Shop Breathes New Life Into Classic Dodge

Back in 1973, a new clothing line popped up on California's radar. Years later, Patagonia would become a sportswear brand sought after worldwide, not just in the United States. As for Jay Nelson, this California native also seems to be a huge lover of the outdoors. Life also endowed him with the ability to manipulate wood to his or his customer's liking.

Considering both parties – Patagonia and Jay Nelson – spent considerable time out and about, exploring the greater outdoors, it was only a matter of time until the two beasts finally crossed paths in some woods, and voila, the Worn Wear mobile shop was born.

For us to understand a bit more about what Worn Wear may be and why a mobile shop is one way to do business, we need to take a closer look at the sort of brand that Patagonia is. If you've ever owned or worn a Patagonia-branded article of clothing, then you also know that their gear is built to last, sometimes much longer than your fashion tastes or needs may require, or the shelf life of a zipper. So, this manufacturer felt it may be a good idea to create a way to help lovers of the brand to extend the life of their clothes; "Let's create a mobile repair shop that goes to our customers." They didn't say this, but that feels like the spirit behind it all.

Another aspect of the Worn Wear brand is to be a shop. Patagonia will take back your worn yet, pristine gear, inspect it with the same standards of new clothing, fix it up if needed, and throw it back out into the world for someone else to enjoy. The result? Clothing can sometimes be found at nearly half the price of a new piece. For example, you can grab an Ultralight Down Jacket for around $180 instead of $300.

As for the mobile dwelling/business we have before us, Nelson's website doesn't reveal much about this creation; I've had to do some digging elsewhere. Now, we're looking at nothing more than a mobile repair shop designed to come to you and not the other way around.

According to DoItYourselfRV, one of the aspects of this "biodiesel fueled" Dodge truck was that it's a sort of environmental marker for what it means to renew, reuse, and recycle all kinds of aspects of our lives, including, you guessed it, clothing. Even the workshop on the back of this bugger is built using recycled materials, in this case, old wine barrels, because California is full of those.

The result is a cab-over shell with a bulbous look and feel, not to mention those groovy porthole windows. The rear of the space also features two beautiful barn-style doors with large steel hinges and an overall rustic feel; I love it. If you've seen other works from Jay, for example, the Honda CRX Camper, you can tell that much more time, energy, and financial resources were pumped into this project. Considering this truck is designed to travel around the U.S., fixing your "busted zippers" in the process, you want to show off your best work.

While this truck is technically built for nothing more than a mobile shop, a tad is meant for living. I want you to imagine converting it into a true mobile home. Judging by the images in the gallery, the rounded walls create a larger living space than any vertical wall ever could, revealing a perfect place for two single beds. Heck, keep the cab-over sleeping space, and the rest of the camper can be reserved for a galley, entertainment center, or adventure gear like e-bikes and possibly some foldable kayaks.

Nowadays, I'm unsure where this truck may be found, but according to the Worn Wear Instagram account, this crew is still out there going strong. Considering the project started in 2013, this camper is built like a beast, and apparently, so is the dang business model. Way to go, Jay Nelson, and keep on keeping on Worn Wear.

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