It seems to me that Paramo operate, primarily, through independent dealers - isn't that the big problem with finding a dealer in central London?

of course, paramo at wadhurst could offer you a "discount" equal to the train fare if you spend over so much in their shop. otherwise, no way am i coughing up a tenner (or plus) just to go and look at the stuff, and if happen to be walking in that area i don't want to carry it around with me.

Availability in London -- all I can say is that we are working on it. I agree that it's crazy, but then when we have been to the largest retailers they have stated quite categorically what sells and what doesn't. Their view is that all waterproofs are the same and the only distinguishing features are style, and this year's colours (heard that before?. It is fairly obvious from posts above that we are not competing on the basis of the latest fashion. I am not sure of these buyers have ever been anywhere near a hill.

We actually have the names and addresses (10'? of?)thousands of London Paramo enthusiasts who continue to buy Paramo in other places ... I agree, crazy, but we will get there sooner or later just from pressure of demand.

Reference walking in our area -- I can recommend it!

Don't you just hate those retailers who say "I'm sick and tired of telling people there's no demand" or "I I had £1 for everyone who came in here asking for that, I'd be a rich man"

I was in town for 15 minutes today, and five people wearing Paramo gear passed me in the street. It's great on the hill - we all know that - but it obviously has a life on the street too.

meanwhile, i have money burning a hole in my pocket, and much drool down my front, which will have to stay there until i can get to view/try on a variety of paramo clothes.........let's hope i don't find something else in the interim (e.g. event jacket just bought with which i am rather impressed, knocking goretex into a cocked hat, so far...may just be the trade off for all year wear)

Nick, I agree that it's impossible to please everyone, as we all have different body shapes. I'm just unlucky that my body shape doesn't seem to match your target market; everything seems very baggy on me, in the same way that Berghaus fleeces are no good for me. And, for functional reasons, I don't like baggy.

ps: zombie threads are old threads that have gone dormant, only to be revived months or even years later by another post. Like this one with a new post 2yrs 2 months after the last...

Hi Gwen Buchan

You have taken me a bit too seriously!

I was being a bit tongue in cheek on the urban street cred thing - I thought I could get away with it as I was born in London - obviously not!

Also I was not saying that I was laughing at the people who wear adidas etc in the hills - what I said was that their reaction to my tatty battered hill gear amused me.

Sorry if it all got a bit lost in translation.

Back to the G&T here - have a good evening.

Nick

Row

Now you're going to upset Gwen!

Nick

Nick B

I have to say that sometimes you have to pinch yourself to see if reality is er "real"! Part of what originally induced me to start this thread (way back when) was that at the time, I had just been into every single outdoors/climbing shop in Kensington High Street (there was a cluster of about 5 or 6 there as I recall) and I had asked to speak to their "best jacket expert" and had asked in depth questions about all their jackets...

...And not a single shop assistant had ever even HEARD of Paramo! I had held long an apparently sincere conversations about different technologies... About how the stiff gortex russles too loudly, an how the thin gortex wears out it a trice... About how bad a gorse bush is for any GBP 200 membrane jacket and about how there was this brand that doesnt have a membrane, isnt technically "waterproof" as such but is used by the moutain rescue boys... "Nope - never head of anything like that."

* * *

On reflection, as a trained scientist I suppose I should have gone back a few days later and seen if they STILL had never heard of Paramo!

* * *

On further reflection, I have a feeling a lot of the guys serving me may have been Aussie & Kiwis. (And with - what is it? 300,000 Aussies in the UK according to my Aussie flatmate, it seems that this is a problem that is unlikely to go away - my turn to stir the pot!).

So could part of the problem be that Paramo hasn't conquered the Southern Hemisphere yet?!


Either way, every time I go into a climbing shop I now habitually ask whether they stock or in fact have ever heard of Paramo. Yes in Fort William they do seem to know of the stuff, but in London I got my first "Oh yes I know the stuff you mean" (and also "apparently it's quite good but not we dont stock it.")

Conclusion:
Keep asking for the stuff folks?!


Ship

So pleased

If this can make the main man think that London would like Paramo - half the battle is won.

The best outdoors shop in Central London is Field & Trek - particularly in Maiden Lane. A splendid shop.

Have a word, Nick Brown.

Some Londoners, as Mr Laurie (all forgiven) rightly says, like to have the best. And care little for this season's colours.

I would like to buy some of the nice shirts and jackets that Paramo make - oh! and we are used to paying extra in London , so don't fret too much about the price. It would cost me #25 in petrol to get to the nearest Paramo stockist and back from my wee house in London.

Go on. Don't be afraid.

Like Paddy, I regularly see people in London walking around in Paramo gear. I even saw somebody, sleeping rough, who was wearing one!

I was in the Birmingham branch of Snow and Rock this week. Some young sales person was selling a pair of Gore Tex trousers to a women who was going walking in warm climates. I almost choaked after listening to the crap that he was coming out with. Could you imagine wearing Gore Tex trousers in warm climes?

Back in the UK and just got another stunning testimonial letter for Páramo ... and yes, I mean, no (yes but no but yes but no but) we still are not represented in central London ... I know that there are a lot of enthusiasts out there - perhaps they could help by writing to the buyers of their favourite outdoor shops and doing some campaigning for us ... I assure you that we are working on it, but not getting much success so far ... the good news is that we will soon be better represented in the Scottish cities thanks to a forward thinking buyer from Graham Tiso ...

tiso? don't they have an outlet in selfridges or somewhere like that? nag him nick, nag him!

As I said, short of really peeing people off, our professional naggers (they call themselves sales people amd they are very effective) have been doing a great job --- a bit of amateur nagging might be really helpful here .... (volunteers? -- or perhaps you could volunteer someone you know who almost approaches professionalism in the nagging field to take on the challenge ..)

There must be some sensible way of doing this electronically. Hmm...

Hows about we somehow produce a *list* of users/fans who would like to see a shop somewhere (anywhere!) in Central London.

Say:
name + postcode + email address ?

And then say that they would have permission to spam all of us (on an out-out basis) once the shop/showroom was set up, inviting us all to come & have a look.
[Postcodes makes marketing boys drool..]

There ya go, I'll start if you like:

Alec Stewart - SW11 5NW - shiphen@yahoo.com

* * *

P.S.This raises the interesting concept of "showroom" as opposed to straight shop. I remember Gate computers used to have a "showroom" (somewhere in Covent Garden as I recall) from which you coulndn't actually buy directly, but which had the full range of stock on display.

But to me the ideal would be a shoproom/shop *hybrid*. It would be a shop that you could buy from but it always kept at least *one* of everything in stock (i.e. they never sold the last one). Folks visiting the showroom would be given a "promotion code" which they would be encouraged to use if they want to keep the showroom going - people are more ethical than you might think so long as it's EASY...
Maybe the code it might even give the user a couple of quid off... and then the showroom management company would get a cut of all stock sold using that promotion code - be it on-line or direct mail.

Trying to help.


Ship

Tiso? Nice one! Will go and nag them tomorrow.

How much choice is there really when buying outdoor kit? I am fairly neew to trawling the internet for news and best deals on kit and whats out there is a lot of very well hyped up products.

I cant recall who made a point about it but I have generally only seen paramo in independent stores.Is that a marketing decision made on ethical grounds?

Just curious if anyone knows or has thoughts on that. And yes I have a paramo jacket which has now been round the world. I also use Nickwax products to keep my2nd hand 22year old "goretex" jacket alive

We have chosen to use independent stores because we found that generally the individuals running these outlets are very enthusiastic, often outdoor enthusiasts themselves, willing to try new concepts, keep staff longer, are more interested in staff training and customer service etc etc. A very broad generalisation but it fits with our company's ethos. However, it is increasingly difficult to service all areas of the country as the multiples increasingly encroach, buying up small groups and independents.....that's my rant for the day!!!

I discovered Paramo just about the time the stockist in Bournemouth sold out to Blacks and stopped selling Paramo. So far I've been to Arundel, Cheddar and Exeter to buy Paramo. We need another stockist down here as well!