New Alpkit Bikepacking Gear

[Bearbonesnorm]

Anyone seen this yet?

http://www.phdesigns.co.uk/product_info ... cts_id=365

Sorry if it's been done before

Did you just throw a dart at your computer screen to see which thread you'd post this ^ in ?

[Ray Young]

Rudedog, liking the harness, very neatly done and hope your prepared for bikehikeothon bit of the WHW.

[rudedog]

Cheers Ray - We are going to skip the north east end of Loch Lomond and get the ferry across to Tarbet - we've read too many horror stories about this section

[ScotRoutes]

Cheers Ray - We are going to skip the north east end of Loch Lomond and get the ferry across to Tarbet - we've read too many horror stories about this section

Not actually doing the West Highland Way then?

[Zippy]

Anyone seen this yet?

http://www.phdesigns.co.uk/product_info ... cts_id=365

Sorry if it's been done before

Alpkit back in the day when they were a new company (and made their sleeping bags out of pertex), had a pipdream 200 which was pretty similar to that. I guess they didn't have much take up so discontinued it...

Cheers Ray - We are going to skip the north east end of Loch Lomond and get the ferry across to Tarbet - we've read too many horror stories about this section

I hadn't read about it, so when I did it not expecting it, I almost had a senso of humoir failure. Type 2 fun, bordering on type 3.

[rudedog]

Not actually doing the West Highland Way then?

Not that part of it no, the rest yes. :)

I hadn't read about it, so when I did it not expecting it, I almost had a senso of humoir failure. Type 2 fun, bordering on type 3.

Aye - trying to keep the trip as close to type 1 fun as possible

[Cheeky Monkey]

Anyone seen this yet?

http://www.phdesigns.co.uk/product_info ... cts_id=365

Sorry if it's been done before

Sorry, but that's £175 for half / three quarters of a sleeping bag with no zips or other fancy bits?

Isn't that just a teensy weensy bit steep?

[Zippy]

Anyone seen this yet?

http://www.phdesigns.co.uk/product_info ... cts_id=365

Sorry if it's been done before

Sorry, but that's £175 for half / three quarters of a sleeping bag with no zips or other fancy bits?

Isn't that just a teensy weensy bit steep?

Nah, I reckon it's a positive bargain compared to that £300 non breathable terra nova bivvy bag

[Adrian Brewster]

Seriously off topic still but phd down trousers make more sense, as used by Piano Tuner http://www.piano-tuning.co.uk/wp-conten ... 023-11.jpg but he's into urban bikepacking where I guess it's sometimes necessary to do a runner.
Not sure what this has to do with Alpkit/Revelate/Wildcat gear but I suppose the design criteria for bike packs are so limiting that there is bound to be some duplication, crossover, imitation, sincere flattery going on. Looking at the sheep shearer stuff there will doubtless be some Australian swag bag inspired gear in the future (probably not named Rolf).

[jameso]

Anyone seen this yet?

http://www.phdesigns.co.uk/product_info ... cts_id=365

Sorry if it's been done before

Sorry, but that's £175 for half / three quarters of a sleeping bag with no zips or other fancy bits?

Isn't that just a teensy weensy bit steep?

Yes, but they make good kit out of good materials. I got a minim ultra with the same 900 fill down this summer, a last minute gamble and I was very impressed, took it on a long trip and it performed brilliantly. 8 deg rated, ok with a thin gillet inside at freezing point, very good for the size + weight. Good fit / shape. No zip, £220 I think. Rated.

as used by Piano Tuner http://www.piano-tuning.co.uk/wp-conten ... 023-11.jpg but he's into urban bikepacking where I guess it's sometimes necessary to do a runner.

I like his style, a lot )

[Cheeky Monkey]

Yes, but they make good kit out of good materials. I got a minim ultra with the same 900 fill down this summer, a last minute gamble and I was very impressed, took it on a long trip and it performed brilliantly. 8 deg rated, ok with a thin gillet inside at freezing point, very good for the size + weight. Good fit / shape. No zip, £220 I think. Rated.

I don't doubt the qulaity of workmanship and materials. Just £175 for about half a sleeping bag in a pretty straightforward design means there aren't many materials and it isn't that tough to make, I imagine.

I'm not trying to put anyone off PHD, or the gear iteself, it just seems like a silly bloody amount of money to pay for something less than a whole bag :?

[Adrian Brewster]

I'm big fan of Peter Hutchinson stuff too, one of the earliest ethical gear manufacturers who (split with Mountain Equipment on principle?) and avoided the sweat shop, dodgy down syndrome which is why their stuff is a tad more expensive. There is an early minimus jacket in the house somewhere that is still going strong.
To drag the thread back to the subject of the topic, Alpkit are of course pretty damn ethical in their down sourcing, specifying living wages etc etc and I think they are sourcing more of their stuff in the UK which is kind of a relief because the house is stuffed full of Alpkit gear and I want to be able to buy their bikepacking kit with a clean conscience.

[restlessshawn]

koala now up for 45, production price expected 65-70

http://www.alpkit.com/shop/cart.php?tar ... ory_id=324

[restlessshawn]

I'm big fan of Peter Hutchinson stuff too, one of the earliest ethical gear manufacturers who (split with Mountain Equipment on principle?) and avoided the sweat shop, dodgy down syndrome which is why their stuff is a tad more expensive. There is an early minimus jacket in the house somewhere that is still going strong.
To drag the thread back to the subject of the topic, Alpkit are of course pretty damn ethical in their down sourcing, specifying living wages etc etc and I think they are sourcing more of their stuff in the UK which is kind of a relief because the house is stuffed full of Alpkit gear and I want to be able to buy their bikepacking kit with a clean conscience.

PHD's statement on down is quite clear which is nice

"We know exactly where our down comes from (we visit the producer) and none is plucked from live birds."

Alpkit's was rather less conclusive and hard to find on the website

[jameso]

a silly bloody amount of money to pay for something less than a whole bag

I wouldn't disagree )
Or with Adrian on Alpkit's standards as a company. They're a great company, really nice people there who live and breathe what they do. It's good to be able to buy gear from people in the UK like Alpkit, Wildcat and PHD (and Stuart, even though the pole-dancing bear is genius/awful.. :) I wonder what the bear bones trowel will be logo'd up with).

[rudedog]

Just those 2 little white bits of velcro taking the weight then?

Yeah I'll see how i get on - there's not much weight in the bag and they overlap a good bit - it feels solid. I've got another couple of straps which can go round the bars and under the bag for extra support if it proves to be an issue.

The little white bits of velcro held up just fine - bouncing down the other side of devils staircase was as good a test as any :D