- Time of past OR future Camino
- CF 2013, CF from Lourdes 2015, CP Porto 2022
For 2024 Pilgrims: €50,- donation = 1 year with no ads on the forum + 90% off any 2024 Guide. More here. (Discount code sent to you by Private Message after your donation) |
---|
I looked at the website. They look amazing! It seems that they don't sell directly online, you go to other stores' websites and order them. Is that correct?Not an outoor store, but still useful for long distance walking: Veith, a small german company, makes absolutely amazing merino socks! https://www.veith-socks.de/ You wear them "inside out" and they're not marked left/right, but they will adjust to the shape of your feet after wearing them for some time (mark one sock with a few stitches of coloured string so that you know which one is left / right). Instead of getting holes, they change into some sort of felt after a while and get even stronger. I'm not associated to the manufacturer, just a happy customer!
I am a member also and, when I'm in town, I always shop in the store, also online. They have clever equipment. I've also gotten some nice used equipment from a brick & mortar store many years ago, served my needs well. Thanks for the reminder!Following.
I don't know of much nationally other than brands you've mentioned, Kathy. If you live in a place with an outdoor store, may I suggest checking out their consignment/used gear sections? I've gotten some great gear for pennies. I'm an REI member and they'll get some of my cash for sure, but I love giving a share to the little guys.
Those socks do look great, but it doesn't look like they are sold outside of Germany.I looked at the website. They look amazing! It seems that they don't sell directly online, you go to other stores' websites and order them. Is that correct?
When I lived in Hawaii years ago, I was shocked at this. Sorry to hear it is still the case. OTOH, if you want a custom built surf board, you have plenty of options for that.For the record, I currently live in a state (Hawaii) that has NO outdoor /sporting goods stores.
None. Nada. Zilch.
I looked at the website. They look amazing! It seems that they don't sell directly online, you go to other stores' websites and order them. Is that correct?
It so depends where we all live! My telling you of a little local shop in South East England will soooo not help anyoneMany pilgrims are making up for lost time and heading out on their long postponed Camino journey.
My question is, what are some of the new companies that sell equipment for our use? Besides REI, Decathlon, etc., there are some lesser known places that sell great equipment. If you have a favorite you would recommend a friend look into, what would it be? Why?
Links to websites welcome.
It so depends where we all live! My telling you of a little local shop in South East England will soooo not help anyone
I looked at the website. They look amazing! It seems that they don't sell directly online, you go to other stores' websites and order them. Is that correct?
Well, it was the only shop in the UK where I could buy Hoka one one shoes - and I still had to order them.Maybe we can't buy from there but I always find it interesting to see which kind of amazing gear is available elsewhere
I was going to be sympathetic to your plight, but I thought I would consult Dr Google first. Interesting!For the record, I currently live in a state (Hawaii) that has NO outdoor /sporting goods stores.
None. Nada. Zilch.
Everything we get is either from Walmart or ordered online and shipped in. This conversation is very useful for me, hopefully for others.
Shipping to points west over the pond might be a wee bit expensive.Those socks do look great, but it doesn't look like they are sold outside of Germany.
Yep. No sporting goods stores on any of the islands. If there was a store on another island, flying there would be doable but somewhat costly and inconvenient.I was going to be sympathetic to your plight, but I thought I would consult Dr Google first. Interesting!
And I know that there is more to Hawaii than just this one island.
I get their email notifications.If you want a great selection of small producers making great gear check out Garage Grown Gear. I’m very jealous of that site. Nothing like that here
Yes, fishing, hunting, scuba diving, wind surfing, and of course surfing, got that covered. Also super high end designer brands for wealthy tourists. Actual backpacking and wilderness camping gear looks scant.I was going to be sympathetic to your plight, but I thought I would consult Dr Google first. Interesting!
And I know that there is more to Hawaii than just this one island.
Those were pretty much just fish and guns
I accept both of these observations, but that is not the point. Both of you were able to identify that there were outdoor/sporting goods stores, unlike the claim that there were none.Actual backpacking and wilderness camping gear looks scant.
And this would not be the only place where forum members might face the tyranny of distance. Even the issue of travelling between islands won't necessarily be unique, albeit it does create additional challenges for those where that is necessary.Although there are eight islands, Oahu is where the vast majority of the population lives. Outer island folks come to Honolulu to shop, not the other way around. In terms of retail selection, there really is just the one island.
Really! I suppose there might be a nuance that I am missing here, but https://uloha.com/ doesn't mention surfing, scuba diving or swimming at all on the front page and seems to be full of what might be called backpacking and wilderness gear.Yep. No sporting goods stores on any of the islands.
I will check it out. It appears to be a relatively new store and the area (Ward Warehouse) where the store is located is newly rebuilt.
For the record, I currently live in a state (Hawaii) that has NO outdoor /sporting goods stores.
None. Nada. Zilch.
Thank you for this suggested store, which @Kathy F. has now helpfully visited and posted about.I suppose there might be a nuance that I am missing here, but https://uloha.com/ doesn't mention surfing, scuba diving or swimming at all on the front page and seems to be full of what might be called backpacking and wilderness gear.
Nothing like having gear ‘vetted’ in some way. There is sooo much out there that it feels like a minefield of potentially expensive mistakesTravel Accessories | Travel Equipment | Travel Clothing | SafariQuip
Safariquip The Foremost Travel Equipment Online Shop for Holiday, Safari and Adventure Gear. Buy Travel Equipment, Travel Accessories, Travel Clothing, Luggage, Insect Repellents, Mosquito Nets and Much More. Travel Advice and All the Kit You Need for Travelling, Together on One Helpful Websitesafariquip.co.uk
This used to be a mail order business and went online.
The owner only stocked items he considered functional, good value for money, durable, lightweight etc and he had no room/time for ‘fads’ and brands which were overpriced and sought after by the fashionista.
Anything he stocked had to be useful and reliable.
I haven’t been in the market for ‘gear’ for the last few years - I really do have enough of the stuff- but he was always my first choice, especially for anything for a niche, or specialist, purpose.
I called him when I wanted a pack for the camino 13 years ago. He knew exactly which one would do me and it was perfect.
***
And although it’s no longer the small company it was when I discovered it, I reckon Alpkit is still a great supplier of well designed, well made and well priced outdoor gear. It’s growing now and following the same ethos that made it successful in the beginning. It takes its environmental impact very seriously and also uses a proportion of its profits to enable access to the outdoors for many who wouldn’t otherwise be able to afford it.
Its merino base layers beat Icebreaker hands down, imho … they’re 100% merino, hardwearing and the fit is perfect, especially the women’s … they’re really well shaped.
(They’ll ship to Oz … I asked them for someone on here.)
Nothing like having gear ‘vetted’ in some way. There is sooo much out there that it feels like a minefield of potentially expensive mistakes
I’ve just been trawling through the site and see that Julian McIntosh has retired (2018) and the site now looks rather sad.
Nothing like the range they used to have and most of what’s listed seems to be “Out-of-Stock“.
It’s a shame.
I suppose it’s possible that it took a specific individual to build and run a company like that. He started by kitting out expeditions.
Whatever the reason, it’s a shadow of its former ‘self’.
Ah well … nothing lasts forever …
They used to be physically in Moreland near Penrith, just up the road from me. Coincidentally near the original ‘Survival Aids’ shop.
I think they’re online (if anywhere) but in different ownership. . The shop at Moreland closed ages ago and they operated two small outlets at Aldershot and Catterick train stations catering for their target market in the army.I was going to ask you if they were …
I thought I remembered him as a denizen of the Lake District.
I only ever used to contact him by ‘phone (in the 80s & 90s).
Ah … Survival Aids!!!
Are they still extant?
I can also vouch for Alpkit. To date I have bought bivvy bags, a storm shelter and a ripstop nylon tarp. All good quality and I waited for them to be on the Christmas sale so especially good value.Travel Accessories | Travel Equipment | Travel Clothing | SafariQuip
Safariquip The Foremost Travel Equipment Online Shop for Holiday, Safari and Adventure Gear. Buy Travel Equipment, Travel Accessories, Travel Clothing, Luggage, Insect Repellents, Mosquito Nets and Much More. Travel Advice and All the Kit You Need for Travelling, Together on One Helpful Websitesafariquip.co.uk
This used to be a mail order business and went online.
The owner only stocked items he considered functional, good value for money, durable, lightweight etc and he had no room/time for ‘fads’ and brands which were overpriced and sought after by the fashionista.
Anything he stocked had to be useful and reliable.
I haven’t been in the market for ‘gear’ for the last few years - I really do have enough of the stuff- but he was always my first choice, especially for anything for a niche, or specialist, purpose.
I called him when I wanted a pack for the camino 13 years ago. He knew exactly which one would do me and it was perfect.
***
And although it’s no longer the small company it was when I discovered it, I reckon Alpkit is still a great supplier of well designed, well made and well priced outdoor gear. It’s growing now and following the same ethos that made it successful in the beginning. It takes its environmental impact very seriously and also uses a proportion of its profits to enable access to the outdoors for many who wouldn’t otherwise be able to afford it.
Its merino base layers beat Icebreaker hands down, imho … they’re 100% merino, hardwearing and the fit is perfect, especially the women’s … they’re really well shaped.
(They’ll ship to Oz … I asked them for someone on here.)
Alpkit have a good community-support programme also with (if I remember correctly) a % of their profit going back into outdoor-related social action. They’re also very helpful people. They sourced some spares for one of their ‘brew kit’ stoves (budget jet-boil) for me and wouldn’t take payment; so I dropped a tenner in their charity box. They can occasionally run low on stock - their products are made for them in bulk to keep the cost down so sometimes you’re (literally) waiting for the ship to come in.I can also vouch for Alpkit. To date I have bought bivvy bags, a storm shelter and a ripstop nylon tarp. All good quality and I waited for them to be on the Christmas sale so especially good value.
We were hiking in the Lake District last week and visited their Ambleside store. They also have their own bike range and two of the types are respectively "Camino" and "Santiago". I asked but no one could enlighten me as to their choice of names.
Their merino tops seemed pretty good though I'm all stocked up so can't give a user's feedback.
Mind you, I don't rate Icebreaker as much since they were bought by VF i.e. North Face and Smart Wool amongst other brands they own.
Atom packs are very good, I took my Mo out today , very comfortableI’m pretty much of the view that a fleece is a fleece is a fleece; although I’m a sucker for designer brands. Socks and footware are another matter entirely and there are many recommendations on here.
But rucksacks: well, pull up a chair:
I default back to my Osprey range; but locally to me there are two artisanal manufacturers worth checking out.
Aiguille Alpine Equipment make sacks for pretty much all of the U.K. mountain rescue teams. Made largely of cordura they take a bit of strength to pick up empty; but they are bombproof and much sought-after.
Aiguille Ltd - UK made, high quality, outdoor kit that will last.
At Aiguille we design and manufacture climbing and mountaineering rucksacks in the UK, as well as equipment for various other outdoor activities.www.aiguillealpine.co.uk
Totally at the other end of the scale are Atom packs; the makers of which trained at Aiguille; but have gone very lightweight.
Atom Packs | Ultralight Backpacks Made to Order
Custom built ultralight backpacks for hikers, climbers and mountaineers, all made to order in the Lake District National Parkatompacks.co.uk
Whether you’re in the market or not, both websites are well worth exploring.
I also live just a couple of miles from the designers and sole suppliers of ‘pacer poles’.
Finally; for high quality down equipment - when you call them you speak to the man or woman who’s making your gear:
They have a couple of sales every year which can bring the price down to just ‘very expensive’ from the usual ‘How much ???’ - but the quality’s exceptional.
The English Lake District probably has the highest concentration of outdoor equipment shops in Europe. Trying to find a shop selling milk can be a challenge, but every second retailer will outfit you for anything from a dog walk to an expedition to the Himalaya.
Oh! Campmor! I bought a tent from them in 1986. Good times! I remember those catalogs quite fondly.Something just popped into what is left of my mind. Campmor used to send me yearly catalogs. They must have stopped doing that when they went online. I never did order anything but I sure enjoyed looking at what they had.
We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:
Do you accept cookies and these technologies?
We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:
Do you accept cookies and these technologies?