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Bike bits, clothing, whatever...
Mine is a North Cape Coolmax t-shirt. I've had it for at least 20 years and it cost me £18 or so. It has been used for biking, climbing, skiing, walking, squash and tennis and has had more of my sweat absorbed in it than I dare to think about. It is still in one piece, fits well, is comfy, still looks far from tatty and still smells clean! So much kit has come and gone in the meantime, simply not doing the job as well as this does.
I can't recommend it highly enough.
My North Face walking shoes, very comfortable, robust just a great product.
An OS map.
[url= http://www.klattermusen.com/men/liv-20-sweater-unisex-blue_-sapphire ]Klattermusen down smock[/url]
Packs into a pint pot, fluffs up great. Brilliant thermal layer for chill evenings. 10yrs old now and going strong.
They dont make these anymore, but Endura cotton coolmax undercrackers. I have two pairs left that havent died just yet. Again 10yrs old and still the comfiest bike-borne-bollock-carriers I've ever owned.
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my thermarest neo air.
prior to that i used to sleep directly on the grass in my bivvy rather than put up with the bulk of SIM or foam mat - which meant of course i never got a decent nights sleep most of the time. Now i sleep like baby isolated from the ground 😀
Montane Prism jacket
My AKU boots would be high up there, best boots I've ever had and I'm hard on footware.
Ive had some Berghaus coolmax T-Shirts for many years that have been excellent also.
Montane Active Smock.
Boring but relevant - My Exped dry bags, not just for keeping things dry but for actually instilling some sort of order into my packing which resulted in smaller, lighter packs.
Not quite as boring or relevant - My little Sony MP3 player (the iPod lookalike Walkman they did). It's been everywhere with me, tough as nails (this was before they changed the casings from metal to plastic) and has seen me through about 7 years of solo road riding, nights in the tent and long wet marches with the hood up.
Most relevant - Probably my Terra Nova laser comp tent, opened the door to long distance route planning on the bike or on foot. Obviously other alternatives exist and bivvy/tarp systems are arguably more versatile, but it was the Laser Comp that started it for me and it's still going strong.
Montane pertex trousers
Alpkit Gourdon.
Simple, light, tough, cheap and comfy.
When I think of all the cash I wasted on expensive bags that don't last...
Full suit of army surplus MVP (army goretx) waterproofs. No good for lightweight bike-packing as they take up a fair bit of space and the material isn't the lightest.
But if you need something to keep out every last drop of rain whilst putting your tent up, and you don't want to drown in your own sweat, it's just ideal.
Cheap as chips too but you have to put up with the camo look...
North Face Long sleeved light baselayer. Brilliant autumn/spring under a waterproof for temperature regulation and excellent for scottish summer mornings under a short sleeve jersey. lightweight enough to let air flow, but close enough to the skin to stop the full chill.
mine is ancient, holey, bit burnt from accidental tumble dryering but still havent found an alternative which does the same job. They're either too warm or too cold.
Given that footwear is pretty important in outdoor pursuits, I'm going for any of my many pairs of Scarpa boots/shoes I've had over the years. I particularly like my current Mantas though.
Stoner - Member ......[i]"They dont make these anymore, but Endura cotton coolmax undercrackers. I have two pairs left that havent died just yet. Again 10yrs old and still the comfiest bike-borne-bollock-carriers I've ever owned"[/i]....
2 pairs! lucky man
think i got my pair from a bargain bin in Halfords - knocked off 40k in them on a lunch time errand today - excellent under 3/4 trousers on cooler days - class kit
I got an Exped Synmat last year as I knew I was going to be spending lots of time in tents. It's so comfortable it's like cheating.
Meindl Burma Pro boots. Heavy but bombproof.
Paramo Altira jacket and Cascada trousers.
A waterproof, windproof jacket I bought in the French Alps a few years back because we happened to find the factory outlet, and it was an excellent price.
[url= http://www.verticalmountain.com/fr/vestes-impermeable-coupe-vent/3895-veste-over-active.html#/taille-s/couleur-blue ]This one.[/url]
It's been absolutely brilliant!
My Buffalo smock. I'd rather have that than down in the UK anyday.
(I didn't buy it though, someone gave it to me)
Salomon Quest 4D GTX hiking boots: they were absolutely flawless on the Isle of Skye where we spent 5-7 hours a day wandering through bogs, over rocks, hiking etc, in all weather conditions.
Dunno about 'best' but I've got lots of clothes I've had for 15+ years:
-North cape Coolmax T-shirt like the OP's, although mine has a tear in the back
-Mountain Hardwear Pack pants, done everything outdoors that doesn't involve a bike in them and still going strong, only got a small crampon nick in them. Getting a bit tight now though 🙁
-Patagonia R2 fleece, not very trendy now but small, light and warm, been everywhere and still looks as new.
-Lowe Alpine Mountain Cap, don't get it out very often but when it's wanted it's the absolute nuts. Ditto some Mountain Hardwear thinsulate waterproof gloves, rarely used but always put a smile on my face when they go on.
Oakley m frames, heater lens usually fitted and outlasted almost all my other gear.
smelly helly hanson. Still going.
endure 3/4 lengths - for the UK summer -cough- but also autmn/winter as it arrives.
Patagonia Snap T bought when I was 18 I am now 47 its bit worn but still does its job. Much value for money me thinks.
Mountain Equipment Windstopper Fleece jacket. So comfortable in a wide range of conditions and long lasting that I bought another second-hand off ebay as they no longer make them.
A single skin pertex cycling jacket that Mountain Warehouse had on sale about six years ago. It is totally windproof and highly breathable yet weighs next to nothing. It has survived a number of unintentional body dabs and even a trip into a gorse bush without damage. All for £16. I use it on the bike, out walking etc. etc. if they still made it I'd buy another like a shot.
Another fan of Scarpa Footwear. All of the various boots and shoes I have had from them fit my foot shape brilliantly and last really well-I have a pair of Manta's that are coming up for 20 years old that I still use for rough work outside.
Edit:
Almost forgot my MacPac Eclipse tent. I bought it in NZ 20 years ago, used it for the next six months almost every night whilst backpacking round NZ, USA and Canada and then another month in Scotland when I returned to the UK. It only comes out occasionally now, but it is still waterproof and I have never had to repair it.
Rab down jacket, purchased 20 years ago, send it off to that place in sheffield to be properly cleaned now and again and just wipe down with a damp cloth to keep it fresh. no rips and the down seems to have kept it’s loft.
worth every penny.
Years ago I had a Mountain Equipment waterproof smock that was lightweight, fit me perfectly and lived with me through a few adventures.
Got stolen out of my rucksack in a hostel in New Zealand (along with my favourite hoodie). I could have cried
Mine is a North Cape Coolmax t-shirt.
Wow, I thought I was the only one. I've still got 3 which get worn constantly for everything. I think they've all got the odd little hole in them, but not so's anyone would notice. Love them, especially the light blue. I have a constant search on eBay, cool max t shirts only seem to be available in army green these days
Helly Hansen baselayers.
Haglofs Barrier insulated jacket.
M&S Merino / silk blend jumpers; lightweight, warm, look good anywhere and cost less than stuff from the likes of Icebreaker.
"Rab down jacket, purchased 20 years ago, send it off to that place in sheffield to be properly cleaned now and again and just wipe down with a damp cloth to keep it fresh. no rips and the down seems to have kept it’s loft.
worth every penny."
Uncanny; mine is also 20 years old this year! Had a zip replaced by Rab, but I clean it myself (the trick is to use the right kind of soap and dry it properly; big industrial launderette dryer with two tennis balls). It's kept me warm in -30º. It's a bit tatty now, but is sound, and I can't yet justify buying a new down jacket. I doubt many would be anywhere near as good now anyway.
Other than that; a very basic Blacks tent I bought as a teenager, which is seemingly indestructable. Only gets use a couple of times a year these days, if that, but still going strong.
Paramo jackets, of which I have a few...
Another fan of Scarpa Footwear. All of the various boots and shoes I have had from them fit my foot shape brilliantly and last really well-I have a pair of Manta's that are coming up for 20 years old that I still use for rough work outside.
Same here, I've gone thru an original scarpa manta and 2 pr of scarpa dru, wouldn't buy any other mountain boot.[IMG]
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Yes I've got a pair of original Mantas resoled with Vibram which I use for short walks, bimbling around, etc.
Oh I'll just mention I have a pair of Haglofs Vertigo shoes which are superb. Expensive yes, but I just had a pair resoled at the huge expense of £35. The uppers are perfect and I reckon will outlast several resoles. I've never had a pair of trail shoes before I thought I would be able to do that with.
MrSmith - Member
Rab down jacket, purchased 20 years ago, send it off to that place in sheffield to be properly cleaned now and again
got a link MrSmith? My Alpkit filet is looking a bit grubby.
EDIT: sorry MrSmith I can be bone idle some times. Google has got me as far as these guys: http://www.elitecleaningandaftercare.co.uk/duck.html
correct? Seems good VFM
Either my Rab Vapourise - love it
Or my North Face Vladistok jacket which was so bloody warm, I could only ever wear a t-shirt under it in -30. Forgetting to take jumpers with me and sitting in draughty restaurants wasnt cool though.
Love them, especially the light blue
In recent action 🙂
[url= https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7689/26805090522_77fccd80bb.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7689/26805090522_77fccd80bb.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/GQF6x9 ]Lakeland hike-a-bike May 2016[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/stilltortoise/ ]stilltortoise[/url], on Flickr
Jet boil. Has allowed to me to just chill out and have a brew wherever I am. A real morale booster. It's quite old mine now, but works as good as the day I bought it.
My Alpkit Filet and Gilet I reckon. Been through a couple of repairs, for which Alpkit have been brilliant for!
Light blue north cape coolmax at lake Garda a couple of years ago, like yours, mine's about 20 years old
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I've got to ask....I've got a few coolmax t-shirts and they honk. I mean "5 minutes of wearing them and looking around for the dead dog", honk.
How are you guys cleaning yours??
Washing machine @ 30, I use deodorant 😉
Trangia has been halfway round the world with me, averaged out at about a quid a year so far 8)
For me it is a black North Face fleece. It's been with me for 5 years now. I used it for everything: from muddy MTB rides to casual-office-duties. The only thing is, that I didn't buy it. I simply found it in the middle of Dartmoor.
How are you guys cleaning yours??
Like B.A.Nana, washing machine and deodorant. The thing I LOVE about the North Cape top is that it's the least stinky top I've ever owned (either that or I'm immune to the smell now!)
How are you guys cleaning yours??
Nothing special really? It's quicker to get a good honk on than it used to be and if I'm honest it wouldn't be my first choice for multi-day trips now but it's still here when other have been retired as too smelly!
A pair of Kona 3/4 length cycling trousers.
Best part of 10 years old and I still regularly wear them for commuting
Outdoor kit, includes camping kit, right? In that case, it has to be my porta-potti 😀 Obviously not when cycle touring though 🙁
Without any doubt it's my Paramo zip off waterproof trousers. From warm, wet days to Scottish winter and skiing. They stopped making them about 8 years ago and I will be gutted when they die.
Argos 1 man tent. Used for approx 170 nights camping over the last 8 yrs or so. £20, 2kg, and tall enough and long enough for me at 6ft3. With three extra peg points has stood up to some high winds without leaking. Fast and easy to pitch. Other than being heavier than ideal I can't fault it.
Country Innovation Rover jacket, a two layer Ventile field jacket. Brilliant bit of kit for yomping around the British countryside. Obviously not for high energy pursuits but brilliantly comfy and robust, gives me satisfaction every time I put it on which is pretty much everyday from October to April.
OS maps
Nike pac-lite goretex jacket reduced in a sale somewhere years ago..
Still my go to jacket if it's chucking it down
Alpkit Gourdon has been great, used pretty much daily for four years no. It's just about had it but at £25 it's a bargain. Cheap, light, comfortable, simple and pretty much waterproof.
Any map. Harveys or OS.
Patagonia capeline base layers. I still have one from a trip to Canada in 1998 - and seem to have worn it most weeks since. So comfy and wicking, bombproof.
Patagonia Goretex XCR trouses, with braces and in-built gaiters. Bombproof and sooo comfy and practical. Much missed.
Sombrio riding shorts. A decade of use, and finally showing the wear, but still comfy.
Montane Dyno - my 80% of the time jacket...
Lowe Alpine packs - single compartment, no zips, climbing model. I have had two since 1991, both were totally comfy and reliable, and have seen me on hundreds of hill days/rivers/weekends away etc.
Macpac Minaret - by todays standard, heavy. But utterly bombproof, comfy shelter in awesome purple colour, that lasted hundreds of nights and a couple of storms that flattened 'better' tents, two ML assessments, once round the world and a few nights on iffy beach pitches on Scottish Lochs.
[b]Honourable mentions[/b]
Silva compasses, Petzl headtorches, Shimano Brakes, Hope Hubs, Mountain Equipment sleeping bags.
Paramo Velez smock. Pricey, but unbelievable performance.
Another fan of Scarpa boots here. Love my Terra's.
Karrimor Carbon Lite trekking poles....less than £30.
Love my Osprey Talon 33 rucksack too actually. Best Xmas present for a few years that one!
Two Lowe Alpine fleeces. One is a turtle necked, almost corduroy like thing in about a 200 weight, the other a half zip 325 weight.
Both are over twenty years old now, and I live in one or other through most of the winter. Bombproof.
I bought a Di Marchi White Baselayer with a windproof chest for £10 in a sale at least 15 years ago, when it arrived I was so impressed I bought a couple more. They are used all the time, commuting, skiing, biking, hockey training and even early season cricket matches.
Scarpa Mantas - yes, good. My oldest pair are 30yrs old...!
Nothing is quite as satisfying as waking up a campsite with the roar of an MSR Dragonfly (and the smell of fresh espresso)
And the current "missing link" in fleece apparel - Mountain Equipment Ultrafleece. I still have three tops and a shirt, with youngest dating from about 1993.
Subsequent fleeces are either soft and stretchy mid layers or bulky outers. The thin, but tightly woven (?) Ultrafleece was an excellent outer. Relatively windproof, light, really good in drizzle and quick drying. Ideal on its own over a base layer.
(Oh, and I really miss fleece joggy bottoms)
Easy, Buffalo Mountain Shirt. Not just the best bit of outdoor kit, but the best anything I've ever bought. 100 quid about 15 years ago and it still gets worn regularly 6 months of the year. Saved me god knows how much in heating bills too 🙂
Perhaps a left field answer, but my Tesco down sleeping bag. Bought it about 6 years ago for around £40. Packs down to about 10cm sphere and kept me warm and comfortable on many (around 50!) nights where the air temp has been around and below freezing. Used it on Sat night on the lakeland 100 where the bivi bag had frost on it in the morning but I was still toasty warm.
A close second would be my Vango Viper 2 man tent, bought for me as a teenager 16 years ago and still going strong - ground sheet is getting a bit porous now, but nothing a footprint doesn't solve. Fits into a 13l pannier or drybag, weighs 3kg and can comfortably sleep two folk.
Assume sailing can be included?
Slam Winter Sailing Jacket. Not only bombproof, stinkproof but warm and fits like a glove.. I've gone through so many of these things over the years (through sponsorship), tried a few other Brands too.. [(Murphy & Nye came close) But this jacket is the best ever.
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I've got some older SLAM stuff as well. Very good kit back in the day. As was the excellent Danfoss fleece MrsCFH bought years ago. Brand has since disappeared, I think.
Buffalo mountain shirt. Have they actually changed the design in the 20 years I've had mine? Ok, technically mine isn't the smock version, rather zipped front which looks like I've stepped out of the 80's with shoulder pads.
A bicycle with knobbly tyres
(Oh, and I really miss fleece joggy bottoms)
Still got some, but the wife hides them.
Slam alive and kicking in Italy and you can get the stuff from Aladdin's Cave in Swanwick 😀
paramo velez and garmin gps i love maps but am hopeless using them
+1 for North Face shoes. I tried some Lightwave GTX and now wear nothing else on the old plates.
Also:
- Carinthia Defence 400 sleeping bag. Toasty (slept in freezing tent with just a 6cm breathing aperture in the (generous) mummy hood. Hardwearing and reliable if heavy. A car-camping favourite.
- Tick-twizzler. Smallest item. Weighs nothing. Indispensable. I always carry because ticks are best not getting messy with. Quick, easy, safer than other methods.
- SAK Swiss Champ. Needs no explanation.
- Freeplay Companion windup radio/torch/charger. Keeps you company when solo. Even keeps you warm as you periodically wind it up!
- Freeload racks. I use both the touring and sport versions. Fits on every bike I've tried them on. Genius:
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For me its a Buffalo active light shirt. Fantastic kit. Then also a crux rk37, a roll top Kevlar bag that does for many things from canoeing to ice climbing to packed lunches. Can't wear it out, buy right buy once being a good motto for kit.
Love my Ground Effect Submerino long sleeve baselayers,excellent piece of kit.
A thermal rash vest made by Alder. It makes even the leakiest wetsuits toasty
I've had a Trangia stove since I was 19. It remains my 'go to' stove even today, over 30 year later despite a whole cupboard full of alternatives. Even when I do decide to use e.g. the Whisperlite I generally use the Trangia pot(s) with it.
Likewise my Salewa down bag. It's pushing 30 years too and beginning to fail but is still used on winter bothy trips.
Buy cheap, buy twice.
My (NATO green) Buffalo Special 6.
It was the first bit of 'Gucci' kit I brought when I was in the military, got it from a place near Euston railway station back in 1996. It has quite literally been all over the world with me, from hill top surveillance sites in South Armagh through to outposts in Northern Helmand. My goto comfy top for a variety purposes, it's now enjoying a rather more sedate life as my pre/post-ride top.
VW Camper. One with heating and a toilet.
Obviously I am missing something but... Aren't Buffaloes just horrendously sweaty as soon as you start to move?
only if you wear them at the wrong time of year.
for about 4 months of the year in scotland they are ace for the commute
Swandri bush shirt, Mum bought it when I was 16, I'm now 44. It's still going strong even though it's never been washed.
Another + 1 for the Trangia.
Mine must be getting on for 30 years old. Great bit of kit.
only if you wear them at the wrong time of year
Or if you wear them in the wrong way. They're a shirt, they're not supposed to be worn over multiple layers, but that is usually how those complaining of being sweaty are wearing them.
DrJ - I wouldn't still have one after 20 years if it just made one "horrendously sweaty" especially not given the physical nature of the work I've done whilst wearing it.
DrJ - I wouldn't still have one after 20 years if it just made one "horrendously sweaty" especially not given the physical nature of the work I've done whilst wearing it.
No - I get that - which is why I said that I'm missing something 🙂 Obviously it was the "naked under Buffalo" thing 🙂
oh yeah that too .....
nothing quite like opening the side zips and the frozen winter air hitting the skin.