The Ongoing Adventures of Webtogs.co.uk

The North Face Stratos Jacket

The North Face Stratos Jacket arrived with us a few weeks ago ready for our spring/summer stock launch and since then we’ve been wearing down jackets as the weather has been so poor, and so today has been the first chance to test drive the Stratos Jacket.

The North Face Stratos Jacket

We’ve taken the The North Face Stratos Jacket in the men’s and women’s versions and also the men’s trousers too. Right, so Mike and I have borrowed the Nautical Blue, and obviously that’s the first feature you clamp down on. It’s a really great colour as it’s not dull and nor is it garish which makes those of us who wish not to stand out or blend in very happy. It’s a warm(ish) day and so we’re wearing short sleeve shirts, and luckily instead of the HyVent 2.5 layer fabric The North Face have used the standard 2 layer with a mesh inner to allow for comfort and allow for the breathable fabric to work it’s magic. I prefer the 2 layer with next to skin products all be it a little heavier I find it more comfortable.

This jacket only weighs in at 430g so for a fully waterproof, seam sealed, hooded and feature rich coat, it’s already feeling pretty good! TNF have added pit zips, which in my opinion, is a must have for a general purpose waterproof. It just opens up the the usage a little more in our lovely, rainy climate. The pit zips are easy to use and you can’t feel them either as they’re pretty low profile, not like the ones you get in a true hardshell where you can feel them each time you move.

The North Face Stratos Jacket

The hood is plenty big enough to have a cap or hat below and has a volume adjuster so if it’s windy you can pull it in tight without obscuring your view and having it flapping in the wind. If you’re not in the hood camp then you can tidily roll it away into the collar for a an actual rainy day, or when you forget your waterproof cap, again adding to the versatility of this waterproof.

We’re impressed with the Stratos Jacket and love the way it’s so unassuming. For use in everyday conditions, on dog walks and commutes it’s a perfect coat to have as you can use the ample venting if you warm up and need to cool off, it’s waterproof and breathable so you’re not likely to poach if the sun makes an appearance and it’s sporting a generous, relaxed cut so you can use over fleece or skin without feeling trapped or like you’re wearing a tent.

If you fancy the Women’s Stratos then that comes in two striking colours, the Fuschia Pink and the Kodiak Blue so you can have his and hers Stratos Jackets!

The North Face Spring/Summer 2013 Clothing & Equipment

The North Face are undoubtedly one of the major players in the outdoor market and so having them as one of our brands is a great privilege. What it means is that we have the ability to choose the clothing, equipment and footwear which we feel suits our customer base, and their needs. Handy when The North Face have products across the spectrum, from trail running to expedition clothing.

The North Face Clothing & Equipment

This year we’ve taken on a larger range of North Face Backpacks backpacks and this includes the all new Matthes Crest and Conness which are technical rucksacks for trekking and technical ascents in the mountains. The North Face have developed a fit system called Opti-Fit which is a five point adjustment system which allows the user to fit the pack closer to the body while maintaining ventilation in order to boost stability and comfort over tough terrain. There are gender specific versions of the Opti-Fit so you can have comfortable his and hers trips. Further down the range in the technical daypacks there have been some advancements in that department with the arrival of the Alteo, Casimir and Angstrom which cover volumes from 30 litres to 50. These packs show off their lightweight yet comfortable colours and are sure to be popular packs in the fast and light enthusiasts.

We have also stocked the usual suspects like the Base Camp duffel’s, Borealis and Jester packs so you can find them all in our backpacks and bags collection.

We have also taken on The North Face Tents for the summer and this is an exciting new collection which has updated old favourites and some new additions too. We have taken a range that varies from the VE 25 which is a super technical mountain tent made expedition level use right down to the Mica FL 1 for super light assaults. The North Face have managed to squeeze a lot of space from clever pole construction and additional vestibule construction which is great for backpackers and cycle touring enthusiasts.

Along with our growing backpack collection we have also stocked a comprehensive North Face travel luggage selection. The TNF luggage features the likes of the Rolling Thunder, which comes in 3 capacities; large, medium & small. This travel bag is a wheeled monster made from the same tough fabric as the well known Base Camp Duffel bags, of which we also have a large offering. We also have the Doubletrack, another large capacity wheeled travel bag, which has a zip out daypack – very handy on long hauls and stop overs. Speaking of long haul flights we have the North Face Long Haul which is a 75 litre, wheeled travel bag, made for distance travelling. This one features organisation, compression straps and, like most of the other travel bags, an ambidextrous retractable handle for effortless navigating.

We have a great collection of North Face products, and all our staff have had extensive training on all the products, so if you’re not quite sure on what item to go for then give us a call on 01179 113 869, we’d be happy to help.

Montane Lightweight Waterproofs

Montane are a great British brand who specialise in designing and manufacturing fast and light gear and clothing for outdoor enthusiasts. This summer we’ve expanded our Montane collection to feature many lightweight waterproofs and technical backpacks.

The range of waterproofs are extremely popular and have been awarded many stars from gear testers, customer reviews and TGO awards. This year sees the birth of the Montane Minimus Mountain Jacket which, for me, is the most exciting addition as it offers an incredible amount of protection, features and technicality for a modest price and gossamer weight.

Montane have put a lot of effort into developing their products and maintaining their quality to ensure the highest standards, and this really does reflect in the build and functionality of their products (also the lack of faulty returns!) Their consistent performance and innovation in the technical outdoor clothing range has naturally brought into view their new backpack collection which ranges from the long distance Grand Tour 55 right down to the trail running inspired Ultra Tour 22. These packs feature tough but lightweight Raptor fabrics with comfortable and helpful features so you’re well covered on the trail, hill and mountain.

Take a look at the Montane Backpack collection here for some comfortable, technical load bearing packs.

The Mountain Equipment Himal & Supercell Jacket

If you’re not familiar with the brand Mountain Equipment then here’s a little bit about them to make sure that you’re clear about this great British brand.

Mountain Equipment was founded in the early 60′s when a couple of guys saw a gap in the market for the design and production of technical clothing and equipment, specifically climbing and high altitude gear. This was fuelled by the boom of air travel and accessibility of mountain ranges further and higher than the Alps. Today M.E. have a great collection of waterproof jackets, down clothing, gloves, hats and accessories. Here I’m going to talk about two products perfect for this time of year. The Himal Jacket and the Supercell Jacket.

The Mountain Equipment Himal Jacket comes from the down collection of jackets which stems from the expedition level down jackets to super-lightweight body warming gilets. The Himal weights in at 860g which is lightweight considering the warmth and features achieved. It’s insulated by 675+ fill power down meaning that it’s not quite up there with the 800+ jackets for warmth and weight but it means that it’s cheaper to buy and ME can stuff more down into the jacket to achieve great heat retention. The down is kept in check by a Drilite Loft II outer, this is totally windproof, highly water resistant and lightweight which is ideal to allow the down to loft up and trap heat, thus keeping you warm.

The construction of the Himal is a combination of box wall and stitched through so you get the best of both worlds with the ease of movement in the arms and superior heat retaining properties of box wall over the main body and hood. There are also lovely features like the EXL system which Mountain Equipment have integrated into the helmet compatible hood and the back of the Himal. This is a series of lightly hugging elastic cords that make the jacket hug your body so reducing cold spots and adding to the comfort. Other stand out features include and internal mesh pocket for a water bottle, exterior Napoleon chest pocket and 2 hand warming pockets.

The Himal Jacket ticks all the right boxes for a winter jacket to be used in British and Alpine adventures. Highly water resistant, windproof, supremely warm, helmet compatible hood and lightweight for the punch. If you like the sound of this then you’ll love the fact that we have the Black and Neptune colours in stock now with 40% off at £143.99. While stocks last so hurry.

Next on the list is the Mountain Equipment Supercell Jacket. This is a fully featured, Gore-Tex Active Shell, waterproof jacket perfect for mountain use, trekking and backpacking. The use of Gore-Tex Active Shell makes the Supercell incredibly breathable so for those who like to stomp around, working up a sweat, this jacket is for you. ME have given it a longer cut so it’s more like the walking jackets of old, the longer cut gives greater protection from wind, rain and snow.

The Supercell Jacket benefits from the quality of the Mountain Equipment design along with the legendary Gore-Tex warranty which combine to create an amazing waterproof which works beautifully well through wet and wild weather. The Active Shell means that while you’re working up a sweat your jacket is allowing all the moist air to escape to create a comfortable and dry environment. Dress the Supercell up or down depending on the weather, I’d recommend buying a micro baffle down vest, smock or jacket to go under the Supercell in the winter and in the summer you’ll be comfy just wearing a technical tee or baselayer while the Supercell keeps the rain off in the warmer months.

If you’re interested in the Supercell then to make the deal a little more appealing we’ve managed to find some stock of the black at 40% off making it and absolute bargain at £131.99.

British Brands for British Weather

The Brits love to moan about the weather and most mornings at work are met with a sarcastic ‘lovely weather today’. It’s true, the weather is horrible most of the time and it feels like it’s getting worse as each year passes. Constant storms, floods and a persistent lack of sunshine isn’t all bad news though as the philosophy ‘There’s no such thing as bad weather, just bad choice of clothing’ and as our boss here says ‘No such thing as a problem, only solution opportunity’ come into play.

The solution to solving inclement weather is to approach it with outdoor clothing and equipment which is designed by none other than the weather hating British. Who better to design and manufacture weather bashing gear?

So, what we have is a group of brands which have grown from our own waterlogged soil and who have listened to the perpetual moaning about the weather and who have decided to stop moaning and start the making solutions, lots of them.

The first of which is Rab. This fantastic British brand, inspired by the British climber and explorer Rab Carrington, is growing from strength to strength with cracking ranges of waterproof jackets, down items fit for expedition, legwear, sleeping bags, wind shells, gloves, gaiters and more. Founded in the early 80′s Rab have focused on the fast and light side of the market spilling out some of the finest lightweight outdoor clothing on the market. One of the recent triumphs, and a personal favourite of mine, would have to be the Rab Microlight Alpine Jacket. This Rab jacket delivers fabulous warmth, versatility and super-light performance at a competitive price which is hard to beat in the battle of the micro baffles.

The second Brit in the pile is Mountain Equipment. These guys have been running since the 60′s and have some epic accolades desired by all brands in the outdoor market. Kitting expeditions out for the first ascent of many 8000m peaks and delivering season after season of top quality outdoor clothing. Mountain Equipment today have an enviable range of clothing, equipment and accessories which are accessible by everyone no matter if you’re a weekend rambler or you’re planning to scale the north face of the Eiger. One of the most interesting and notable introductions of late is the Firefox Jacket. This Gore-Tex jacket is lightweight, waterproof, highly breathable and it’s slightly stretchy making it a great all round piece for walkers and climbers wanting something a little more than a waterproof. It’s use of Gore-Tex Active Shell is highly breathable and lightweight making it perfect for high output activities.

Third but by no means last is Montane. This brand is dedicated to designing and manufacturing lightweight, functional and breathable outdoor equipment and clothing. They’ve produced items such as the legendary Mohawk Jacket, Spektr Smock and the Air Jacket so they know their business for sure. Montane are a technical brand and were one of the first to recognise the benefits of eVent fabrics which now is widely used across waterproof clothing and equipment. Montane are one of the brands which you go to if you’re after some gear to help you in areas such as mountain marathons, ultra trail running and fast and light trips over British and Alpine terrain. Smart, technical and British engineering aiding people achieve their goals through innovation and design.

Lead up to the ‘Grizzly’

It’s been a while since anyone has posted on the Togblog and the reason is pure laziness…. No, that’s a lie. We’ve had an incredibly busy few months over the Summer and unfortunately it’s the blog and social media which has taken a bit of a battering. For this we are sorry.

I’m Charlie and have written a couple of posts before, mainly about mountain biking and the like. If you’re not familiar then I’ll try to summarise what I’m like and the recent changes in my life which have lead me to participate in a few unusual events. Unusual for me anyway.

I quit smoking 2 years ago in March, not that I’m counting the days ( the 1st at 5pm)….. and this, along with working for Webtogs, kicked me in the right direction to entering a few races over the summer including a couple of triathlons, road races and the Wiggle Mountain Mayhem, a 24hr MTB race. I now own a garage full of bikes and bike bits but this is not where this post is headed.

Now that the nights are drawing in and road cycling is becoming slightly dangerous I have been persuaded into trail running by Warehouse Mike our resident athlete and before you could say knife I’d entered a race called the ‘Grizzly‘. Now for those of you who are unaware of this race it’s a 21 miler from Seaton in Devon and it’s a multi terrain, extremely undulating race designed to knock you sideways with cliff paths, a million steps*, shingle beaches and styles to navigate – oh dear Charlie. I have no idea why this race sold out in 3 hours and I still have no idea why I entered. I maintain that my excuse is as it was when I was at school and in trouble “I was in the wrong place at the wrong time, sir”.

So, Mike and I are entered into this Grizzly race and training has commenced with a bang. I went out around the woods and Stour Head gardens last night straight after work, on my own, and was happily running away on a 10k course we’d mapped out previously when a couple of things dawned on me. Firstly, the light was fading pretty quick so I needed to buy a decent head torch, and secondly if anything was to happen to me it would take at least 12hrs before anyone noticed me missing.

Towards the 8k mark where the route navigates through a few fields and in front of the beautiful Stour Head House, where there are usually friendly cows, the farmer had obviously swapped these ones for ‘Grizzly’ ones. As I was thinking ‘are you going to move’ the cows were obviously thinking ‘whose this pipsqueak on our turf’. Well to say I’ve never spun and run as fast as that is an understatement. I’ve never experienced that life flashing experience until last night and it freaked me out somewhat – needless to say it added minutes onto my training time as I had to find my composure along with my pride and my heart which had leapt into the nearest tree.

Two things learned last night. I need to buy a decent head torch, which luckily the Silva rep arrived today and we’ve added some seriously epic head lamps to our range. The second lesson was to give cows a wide birth, no matter how rare you like them.

Thanks for reading and hope to post again soon with more adventures.

Charlie.

* I’m not sure how many steps there will be but there are likely to be a lot!