I've written with the zeal of the convert about my love for MemoryMap https://bearbonesbikepacking.co.uk/phpB ... er#p329710. They have their (annual, as far as I can see) offer on at the moment: https://memory-map.com/maps/uk-os-topo-maps/
This makes the Platinum package (a year of OS 50 and 25k plus syncing of tracks/routes between devices) £24.49, bringing it into line with similar services (but much better IMHO).

Yes, it's more expensive than the OS Maps app, but it actually works

Disclaimer: this RWGPS offer is available through various links (e.g. bikepacking.com and other websites and events linked with RWGPS)

If you have a RWGPS premium membership or are curious to try it, you can redeem 3months of free premium at the price of 12 using this link


https://ridewithgps.com/giveback/tor_divide


If you use the link, RWGPS gives 10% back to Tor Divide

I've been using RWGPS for all my routes, rides, events planning and it's been incredibly good.
I still carry a paper note with resupply points as a backup but never needed it, and RWGPS gives me access to a ton more info in a pinch.
I highly recommend it.

(You can get the 3 months for free even if you ALREADY have a premium account)

Discontinued Scribe 25mm internal width 'gravel' wheelsets. I can't personally vouch for them, but perhaps worth a punt at £230. 650b and 700c available: https://www.scribecycling.com/collectio ... ued-models

Not a huge bargain as such but just found some well priced Pogies that are step above the ubiquitous Hot pogs with some nice additional features:
https://rockbrossport.co.uk/products/ro ... ZoEALw_wcB

I've got Revelate ones now as they were an ebay bargain buy but would buy these as an alternative in a minute - removable liners being a good feature.

I always like this time of year, when the temps plummet and I stick my hands in me pogies

Fizik-X2-Terra-Ergolace in various colours/sizes - £49.99

https://www.tredz.co.uk/.Fizik-X2-Terra ... 262728.htm

Hunt are having a sale
https://www.huntbikewheels.com/collecti ... JwIWn_OskU

Outdry Extreme jackets £110 at SP https://www.sportpursuit.com/catalog/pr ... id/4132166

Alltrails discount code EXPLORE40


Get 1 Years worth of AllTrails+ just under £5 using a VPN set to Indonesia.

Step 1.
Set VPN to Indonesia (I used TunnelBear)

Step 2.
Follow link to AllTrails+ subscription webpage make sure you are logged in.
It will show at idr160,000

Step 3.
Add code “explore40” to get a 40% bringing down to idr96,000 which is currently converts to £4.85 (I used Revolut)

Step 4.
Pay using the usual Revolut, Starling,.. etc.

Step 5.
Disconnect VPN and go back to the AllTrails app.
You may have to sign out and back in on the app for this to activate.

Merlin Cycles have Schwalbe G-One Allround's for £19.99
https://www.merlincycles.com/schwalbe-g ... ieshopping

More gravel tyres:-

https://www.edinburghbicycle.com/terava ... lding-tyre

I really rate these.

Thanks for the reminder about Edinburgh Coop Phil, I got some Ardents I was after at a decent price and happy to support them. Must remember to look there first for stuff.

Not bike related. Sorry

My new packraft (now 6 in total) n+1



White water specific packraft currently on it's way over from China

It's a direct copy of this one from Alpacka
https://alpackaraft.com/products/valkyr ... 5CTXQgYr1F
Who's total UK of of this approx £3020 packraft when you add shipping, import duty and VAT

Mine is costing me around £650 once it lands and clears customs.
Plus it comes with several extras and the panel's colour choices were mine.



Sorry mainstream brands, thanks for the R&D but at around 4 times more expensive is a no brainer, especially after I have had 4 high quality packrafts already out of this very same Chines factory over the last several years

45NRTH winter stuff on Sport Pursuit in limited sizes

White water specific packraft currently on it's way over from China

It's a direct copy of this one from Alpacka
https://alpackaraft.com/products/valkyr ... 5CTXQgYr1F
Who's total UK of of this approx £3020 packraft when you add shipping, import duty and VAT

Mine is costing me around £650 once it lands and clears customs.

Whitewater, bike tied to it.. cheap from China.. Can you swim well?

jameso wrote: ↑Wed Jan 22, 2025 7:19 pm Whitewater, bike tied to it.. cheap from China.. Can you swim well?

You don't use these for bike packrafting.
If you want a bike packing packraft I'm your man as I know the perfect one.

JohnClimber wrote: ↑Tue Jan 21, 2025 4:24 pm Not bike related. Sorry

My new packraft (now 6 in total) n+1



White water specific packraft currently on it's way over from China

It's a direct copy of this one from Alpacka
https://alpackaraft.com/products/valkyr ... 5CTXQgYr1F
Who's total UK of of this approx £3020 packraft when you add shipping, import duty and VAT

Mine is costing me around £650 once it lands and clears customs.
Plus it comes with several extras and the panel's colour choices were mine.



Sorry mainstream brands, thanks for the R&D but at around 4 times more expensive is a no brainer, especially after I have had 4 high quality packrafts already out of this very same Chines factory over the last several years

I wonder what will happen when Chinese manufacturing practices forces the companies that have invested in the R&D out of business? (Not just specific to packrafting obviously.)

Who and what will they copy then?

I wonder what will happen when Chinese manufacturing practices forces the companies that have invested in the R&D out of business? (Not just specific to packrafting obviously.)

Who and what will they copy then?

Spot on. Where's the applause emoji?

(not a dig at you directly John, just a general point I'm struggling with these days and one that is part of my buying decisions)

It's pretty much bully boy tactics.

I remember the boss of one small US based design/manufacturing (might have been SMD) saying something along the lines of: "You've the choice of making it in-house, the Chinese buying one and copying it or getting the Chinese to make it and they'll just copy it and set up a parallel production line". Damned if you do, damned if you don't.

Really big companies (like Apple) get round this by saying "we'll pay for the factory but if you copy the product within five (or whatever) years then you won't get any business from us again" - in effect being an even bigger bully.

There's a piece on bikepacking.com https://bikepacking.com/plog/tariff-tro ... e-cycling/ exploring a similar issue.

Really big companies (like Apple) get round this by saying "we'll pay for the factory but if you copy the product within five (or whatever) years then you won't get any business from us again" - in effect being an even bigger bully.

Is that Apple being a bully or Apple using their scale to deal with the lack of IP protection over there? I've read that certain agreements with the govt there can help too, but that's getting into how the CCP get things like facial recognition tech and it's all a bit too dark and murky for me to want to read into it.

For what it's worth I try to understand China's take on IP and it goes back a long way, when they saw copying something well as a skill not as 'faking it'. I don't think it was malicious though it's certainly hard to deal with now if you're a small innovative brand. Best thing to do is consider it well when you decide where and how you'll get something made and even then, as you noted, they can buy it and copy it anyway. The real power is with the consumer but as JC's example .. that's a hell of a % increase cost to stick to some principles. Truth is, you can be innovative in ways that can't be (or shouldn't be) protected and relying on that too much makes a shaky foundation for a business. A company need to have more than just an innovative product now, value has to come from other areas too.

they saw copying something well as a skill not as 'faking it

Safe crackers like their skill as well as no doubt to fake art drawers and money printers. Their attitude to the crime is not really that relevant is it ? .
I dont know enough about their culture to comment but they know and dont care , at an industrial.and governmentsl level, about IP theft and if not tacitly encouraging it they are certainly turning a blind eye to it.

jameso wrote: ↑Thu Jan 23, 2025 4:05 pm The real power is with the consumer but as JC's example .. that's a hell of a % increase cost to stick to some principles. Truth is, you can be innovative in ways that can't be (or shouldn't be) protected and relying on that too much makes a shaky foundation for a business. A company need to have more than just an innovative product now, value has to come from other areas too.

I love my American Six Moons Design Luna Solo and know that there are Chinese copies of these, but my original is still going strong.
The above example is from Alpacka Packrafts who are 4 times more expensive that the copies.
My first packraft was from Alpacka so they have had some money off me, but I've had 4 packrafts from this same Chinese packraft factory and they are just as well built as the American ones

But now with Trump in charge, who knows what any extra taxes will be added to American products, because if he puts tariffs on his imports, other governments including ours could retaliat e with more tariffs on American products, no matter how much R&D they have put in.

It is a dilemma repeated across nearly all sports/activities that I am interested in. I am thinking tents, sea kayaks (the price differential for a carbon Kevlar boat made in the UK or Sri Lanka is stark), handlebars (I can’t bring myself to buy some Geoff bars even if Jones bars are bonkers expensive). Maybe I’m a sucker as I have an Alpacka, a P&H kayak, two pairs of Jones bars and four Hillebergs.

I guess Alpacka will survive but they will have to adapt and fight to do so. Their more basic rafts are cheaper so the differential is not so big and they are more affordable in the first place. I suspect that they are also still better than the copies. I would say that I suppose… but the two I have been superbly durable and I have been paddling them for nearly 10 years and they are still in great nick!

The price of that Chinese copy is incredible though and I reckon that for some the choice isn’t between a copy and an Alpcka Valkyrie… it’s between a copy or nothing.

45NRTH on sportspursuit

https://www.sportpursuit.com/sales/45nr ... 1.ev-29067.

Hamish wrote: ↑Thu Jan 23, 2025 10:47 pm It is a dilemma repeated across nearly all sports/activities that I am interested in. I am thinking tents, sea kayaks (the price differential for a carbon Kevlar boat made in the UK or Sri Lanka is stark), handlebars (I can’t bring myself to buy some Geoff bars even if Jones bars are bonkers expensive). Maybe I’m a sucker as I have an Alpacka, a P&H kayak, two pairs of Jones bars and four Hillebergs.

I guess Alpacka will survive but they will have to adapt and fight to do so. Their more basic rafts are cheaper so the differential is not so big and they are more affordable in the first place. I suspect that they are also still better than the copies. I would say that I suppose… but the two I have been superbly durable and I have been paddling them for nearly 10 years and they are still in great nick!

The price of that Chinese copy is incredible though and I reckon that for some the choice isn’t between a copy and an Alpcka Valkyrie… it’s between a copy or nothing.

"it’s between a copy or nothing." - yep, nail on the head.

I hear Alpacka are only wanting to supply Backcountry Scotland in quantities of 10 or more, preferring to deal direct I guess.
Jones fan here with 2 of them and I needed a 3rd one and bought a Geoff bar and they are just as good at Jeff's bars.

As for Alpacka quality being better, the only packraft which I have punctured was my Alpacka Caribou, I've never had a problem with the 7 or 8 Chinese made packrafts. I can't fault any of them

JohnClimber wrote: ↑Thu Jan 23, 2025 11:09 pm
As for Alpacka quality being better, the only packraft which I have punctured was my Alpacka Caribou, I've never had a problem with the 7 or 8 Chinese made packrafts. I can't fault any of them

But it's still going strong John