sillybigfella wrote:Hope Vision 1's for just over fifty quid on Merlin Cycles.

ordered!

been looking at these for a while and that price reduction proved too much to resist.

Singular Kite's reduced to £400 for frame and forks :
http://www.singularcycles.com/shop/inde ... -kite.html

Spot mk2 on ebay. Might be able to snaffle a bargain.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Spot-GPS-Pers ... 4abd2d48ff

Or my mk1 is going on the classifieds in a moment.

Missed the boat on a pair of Glacier gloves?

http://www.ewetsuits.com/acatalog/wetsu ... ne-uk.html

Glacier gloves still available at; http://cleaningspot.co.uk/acatalog/Gloves.html#aGLOV

Merlin are doing an extra 20% off Altura stuff at the moment. They were already the cheapest on a Pocket Rocket I wanted to order this morning, and the 20% off was on top of that. Nice. :D

http://www.merlincycles.com/search/?t=a ... %2CcmsLite

Karrimor lightweight down jackets £40, see kinky
Although they don't say how lightweight

http://store.karrimor.com/sale

Oops that should say linky

Karrimor lightweight down jackets £40, see kinky
Although they don't say how lightweight

I had a look at one of these the other day, certainly lightweight but something I'd keep for 'summer' duties rather than winter, unless it was going to be layered under something else.

Terra Nova are having a sale at the moment, some stuff may be of interest.

http://www.terra-nova.co.uk/sale/?utm_m ... Day%20Sale

Some discounted Smartwool stuff on Sportpursuits. Merino beanies for a tenner, half price base layers etc.

Cheeky Monkey wrote:Some discounted Smartwool stuff on Sportpursuits. Merino beanies for a tenner, half price base layers etc.

was about to post the same - just ordered a couple of base layers for winter

Merino's great gear for keeping toasty warm (or not overheating in some situations) and I really like it as an insulator.

Being a sweaty beast though I've never rated it as a baselayer when doing anything energetic - just gets sodden and cold IME. Worst experience was skiing in the Alps in a howie's NBL and their (brief) ventile jacket. Never been wetter or colder :evil:

Still searching for a perfect weight beanie though, hopefully this'll be it

Cheeky Monkey wrote:Being a sweaty beast though I've never rated it as a baselayer when doing anything energetic - just gets sodden and cold IME.

I'm one sweat mother f***er and love merino as a base-layer - weird!

Maybe it's something to do with how much heat a person generates (or some other unknown factor) which decides if that moisture dissipates or lingers???

Having said that I never got on with Howies merino stuff as it just didn't seem to work (as with most/all of their 'technical' gear). However, I do love their t-shirts, jumpers and jeans!

Half price Outdoor Research & Patagonia clothing and Marmot packs and sleeping bags at

http://www.upandunder.co.uk/S---outdoor ... h-(sample)


http://www.upandunder.co.uk/Blog/archiv ... mple-sale/

The much slated superstar components have cheap wheels

Their own hubs, crest rims and sapim race spokes for £200

http://superstar.tibolts.co.uk/product_ ... cts_id=496

Even if I have to re-tension everything the rims and spokes alone would retail at nearly that price.

Update. Hubs do look cheap and they don't come with tubeless kit. Seem a bit under tensioned but not bad

Have a set of their 29 wheels on the Gryphon. No issues, no complaints. A little weighty perhaps but they were <£200 which at the time was a very good price.

Ditto comments about superstar wheels on crests above. I got mine in the summer as a backup/winter pair for about £220 as no one else could get close to that price with 29er Crest rims. About 1775g the pair, so not that heavy. Have managed a good few miles without issue, probably more than I expected without truing or a bearing change (if you believe the forums).

Definitely a bargain.

Can echo sentiments above about superstar wheels
Have had no trouble from mine - Flows on superstar hubs. Rear one is the single speed one
Still running true and smooth after 2 years use
When the bearings give up I will pop them out and put in new ones
Pretty hard to beat for the money

BTW just seen some SPOT trackers on Fleabay
Mk 1 jobbies, no bids, not yet even at £10!
There are a few of them too like that. 3 days left

Lightweight Karrimor down jackets for £25. I've seen them in the flesh and they're pretty good, not really warm enough for full on winter use but great as a layer or for spring/summer. 90/10 in them but I've no idea about fill power ... although they feel similar to a RAB Microlight.

http://www.fieldandtrek.com/weekly-offe ... mail121120

there's a brand new On-one 'Inbred' 29er full build (19.5" only) going for £599 (which is a bargain!) on their website:

http://www.planet-x-bikes.co.uk/i/q/YBS ... __195_inch

s8tannorm wrote:Lightweight Karrimor down jackets for £25. I've seen them in the flesh and they're pretty good, not really warm enough for full on winter use but great as a layer or for spring/summer. 90/10 in them but I've no idea about fill power ... although they feel similar to a RAB Microlight.

http://www.fieldandtrek.com/weekly-offe ... mail121120

The only trouble with this offer is the poor delivery service :evil:

I'm wondering whether one of the karrimor jackets twinned with my montane fireball will be enough for winter and come in lighter than my alpkit filo (2011)?

Dan, I'm not sure the karrimor will have the fill power to loft well enough under another garment.