Preparedness for when

nuatha

GreyQueen wrote: »

Felt like writing to the YHA and saying that if I wanted to stay in a bail hostel, there was one in my own neighbourhood, I didn't have to travel and pay for the privelege...............:rotfl:

Thank gawd Wales has great scenery and great people or the trip would have been a dead loss.:D

I have a preference for independent youth hostels or bunkhouses for those reasons, generally far cleaner and better managed and without the people I'd rather not spend my time around.

ETA nuatha, I was 30 miles away, they'll be sacked if they don't do better than that. It was all for a neighbour who was running amok with a knife threatening to kill another neighbour. I mean, the other guy irritates me as well, but the response was disproportionate, imo.

SO14 have a reputation for doing a decent job, in this case they may have just been doing preventative policing, protecting you if you unexpectedly returned early.

I've always thought running amok was an excessive waste of energy. If they just did the job they'd be less annoyed people around (and a better use of police resources - having made the arrest, they could sit in the canteen drinking tea and filling in paperwork).

I'm even shorter on sympathy than usual for people running amok, I've had 4 and half of last night's early hours taken up with a neighbour threatening to leave their partner in full volume screams that would have earned them a permanent job with Hammer House. I was already running on a serious lack of sleep, the police hammering on my door at 6:30 this morning for my statement didn't improve matters at all - it might have helped if they'd responded last night.

moneyistooshorttomention wrote: »

What can anyone recommend for really good waterproof raincoats - with at least some sort of "style" to them please? I did have a passed on Barbour from my mother once - but it didn't seem to keep out the rain as well as I thought they were supposed to...

My guess is that the Barbour needed rewaxing. Having known Barbour jackets that on on the third and fourth generation of wearers they certainly can endure serious use. I prefer the cut and fit of Drizabone for wax cotton, though these days I'm tending to use kit designed for mountaineering use as everyday weather wear. Style worries me a lot less than comfort and effectiveness, and now that I can get good kit in subdued colours (for some reason most decent mountaineering kit seemed to be in stupidly bright colours in the 80s and 90s) that's the way I'm going.

fuddle

The crafty amongst us never have to sit indoors wondering what to do.

COOLTRIKERCHICK

The sound of dogs barking does travel. We don't all keep dogs outside, but you do find in rural/ farming communities the likelihood is they are working sheep dogs kept outside, or yard dogs .. To alert the farmer is anyone is snooping around.. There is a high theft rate of stock and machinery

Its all part of rural living..

moneyistooshorttomention

ivyleaf wrote: »

MITSTM I see these people at a craft show we visit every year and I love their jackets and coats - not cheap though!

http://www.carryonclothing.co.uk/

but gorgeous. They have wonderful colours.

Thanks.

I wouldn't mind trying on that navy longer raincoat they have there and seeing how it looks. Think I'll email them and ask if they have any stockists anywhere near either location (ie here or home county) - so that I could "try before I buy".

I bought a raincoat fairly recently via Amazon that was supposed to be a reasonable make and originally cost £150 or so price range - and it turned out to be rubbish basically (awful cut and I can see I'm going to chuck it). These look reasonable quality from the photos - so worth a try if I get a chance to.

fuddle

Even gear from brands with reasonable and decent reputations can change with the drop of a hat... or rather touted about by a cut price sports chain. :cool:

I remember years back a relative of mine was a sewing machinist in a Jacques Vert warehouse... I wouldn't even touch her TV remote :eek: Anyway, the brand was created by two fellas from London's east end and have a few other brands nestled in the department store with price tags that suggests they are something a little bit special. Little do people know they used to made made by low paid, not brilliantly skilled northern women (this was late 80's/early 90's) and to this day, wherever they are made, those clothes sit in warehouses in County Durham until John Lew or House of F are ready for them.

Reputation or touting by large groups means nothing really, I definately agree with going with feel and fit too.

ivyleaf

Yes, that's a nice coat. I like their hats too, might try one on next time we're at the show. Their fabrics are gorgeous.

nuatha I'd always thought that mountaineering kit was brightly coloured to make you easier to find if you ever needed to be rescued.

nuatha

ivyleaf wrote: »

nuatha I'd always thought that mountaineering kit was brightly coloured to make you easier to find if you ever needed to be rescued.

We used to complain it was to make it easier for numpties to follow you. We used to plan routes that would have some interesting challenges, like long vertical bits. The sort of things that paths avoid but we'd regularly find people following us because we looked like we knew where we were going. People who didn't have decent gear or things like maps but fancied a wander in the Lake District.

I always carried kit that was highly visible, alongside rocket flares, left route maps and arranged check in times and points. I just objected to having little choice in non hi vis clothing. When it became trendy to wear kit on the high street, we started to see an increase in the range of colours available - funnily enough I noticed a lot more subdued colours in the hills and the brightly coloured stuff seemed to be just used as town wear. These days my health isn't up to days in the mountains, but I do spend a chunk of time stalking and photographing wildlife, it helps to have subdued clothing that is fit for all weathers.

calicocat

MITSTM


Go Outdoors have some good coats, may be worth a look, and often have deals on. Don't know if you have this shop over that side of the country though.

Or Army stores would probably have some too.....not in bright colours..

My Rab is clearly meant to be seen....lol. Bright blue with lime zips. I'll be easly found in a storm.

[Deleted User]

I'm not worried what the outside of the clothing looks like as much as it's ability to do the job I need it to do. I have resurrected from the rack in the storeroom a still serviceable but quite ancient waxed jacket that I've had for almost 30 years. It's been re-waxed once and is nicely padded so is as warm as toast in this colder weather, is completely windproof, waterproof and comes down almost to my knees too so keeps most of me cosy. It's just too warm for any but these very cold and windy days in January so it will go back on its hanger once we warm up again and I have a serviceable short and a long waterproof too for wet and warmer days. Fashion is OK if you only want to look nice but practicality wins every time for me.

pineapple

I was doing a search for waterproofs myself. The most effective products seem to be from outdoors shops. That said you don't always want to look as if you are about to tackle Annapurna. Anyhow I found this site which seems to offer both style and functionality. Great colours in the shorter jackets!
https://www.seasaltcornwall.co.uk/waterproof-outdoor-technical-jackets/rain_coats?link=LandingRainMiddle