Gear

I recently saw an ad for gear company kathmandu which I've not heard of before. Does anyone have experience of their kit? Not the easiest brand to search for on this forum...

http://www.kathmandu.co.uk/

Bought some of their stuff while in Oz a year or so ago. The logo is the same so I'm assuming that they are now expanding into UK market (they have large retail outlets in Australia & New Zealand).

The gear I bought (thermals, socks and goretex jacket) has worked fine when walking in Scotland.

My opinion is that its nothing fantastic but not crap either - I'd put it on par with some of Uk shops own brands (Tiso;s Blacks etc).

Hope this helps

I think they are originally a New Zealand company. When I was there 5 years ago it was sale time and they had some really good bargains - I'd say similar to Blacks but more outdoors than fashion, maybe more like Cotswold. They have a small shop in Covent Garden area, last time I was in London I visited it but was slightly disappointed at limited range compared to N Z and Oz.

I bought an inflatable sleeping mat and a cheap headtorch from their big store just off Oxford st and they both let me down badly.

First time I used the sleeping mat it bubbled up and I couldn't get any sleep for 2 nights! Took it back and the assistant told me that they had a faulty batch of those as a few had been returned. When the manager arrived however, he tried to say that I couldn't have a refund but only an exchange. I told him what the assistant had told me and he looked really annoyed with her before agreeing to give me a refund.

The headtorch failed on a later trip overseas and I couldn't fix it.

I've got a few bits of kathmandu gear. They have sales four times a year where they take 50% off most of their stock - if you buy then it's very good value. I've got a primaloft sleeping bag from there and a few other bits and bobs, and all have been good - but then I've never bought anything full price.

I picked up a first aid pack (fill your own type) in New Zealand, 5 years ago. It's still going stong. Spot on though, it's relatively cheap basic OD gear. Try some you might be pleasantly suprised!

I have quite a few fleeces, base layers etc but all 5-10 years old (sent to me from OZ by my emmigrated sister). In OZ, I don't think it is a budget brand as Derek G suggests, well it certainly wasn't 5-10 yrs ago. Their kit is fairly expensive in OZ and certainly on a par with other antipodean brands like Mountain Design and Macpac.

All my Kat. stuff has lasted me very well. One fleece (my favourite) must be 7-8 years old and is and has always been worn regularly (at work, down the pub and out in the hills with a rucksack). It's wearing a bit thin now, but stitching, zips etc are all still solid.

I'm a bit sad to hear that my Kat. Label gear will not now be unique. As I was when all my Macpac clothing started appearing in the big outdoors retailers a few years ago.

Hi everyone

thanks for feedback

Harry