Following the 'best wicking base layer' thread, I started looking for the remnants of North Cape on the Internet Archive Wayback Machine, trying to find their Perlite Pertex/microfleece offerings.
And then I discovered that they have resumed trading, and have a place-holding website North Cape. Don't expect to find any product details or electronic contact yet - that's coming apparently. They did send me a product guide, though.
They have four different fabric offerings in base layers, including my winter favourite, Rhovyl Therm. They have the usual range of fleeces, including windproof and reversible, and a Thermolite insulated jacket and vest. They also have a Pertex shell and a selection of gloves.
It looks like they're also branching out into a different market, launching a range of small daysacks for 2005.
I'm glad to see them back in action, if only for the Rhovyl Therm. I'm not sure where they're manufacturing, but it would be nice to see if they're still producing in Scotland, like they used to.
I know this is digging up an old thread, but can anyone tell me the North Cape story. I'm just ordering several of their fleeces from Daleswear for a club but some of the guys want to know a little more about the brand.
Where are they from? What do they do? They went bust a while ago didnt they? What's the current deal? How do they rate?
They used to be based and indeed manufactured in Stirling. Now it's just a brand stamped on far eastern kit. Some of the designs have been kept and the cut of the underwear is great, long and slim. Worth a look.
How would you rate it quality wise? Bearing in mind we're only paying £20 for these fleeces I dont expect too much, but my colleagues might be a little annoyed if i've just sourced them 12 rubbish tops.
I've bought base layers from Daleswear recently, and the manufacturing quality seemed fine (in terms of stitching, etc).
However, there were clearly some problems with quality control, as I got one pair labelled 'XL' in a bag labelled 'S', and the replacement pair (no quibbles) was significantly smaller than the first, properly sized 'S' I received. A mate had similar problems. I suspect that's why they were being sold very cheaply.
Buy one to see what they're like? And go for a named fabric, like the £20 Garside jkt in Polartec 100.
I'd expect to get good service if I were buying 12, such as being able to 'buy' a couple of representative styles on sale-or-return to check the quality of fabric and manufacture.
Well that is perhaps an option CP, however we're getting them embroidered (by Daleswear) so it will probably work out more expensive to split the order.
They sent me a sample of the Obsidian fleece with my base layer order. I wasn't particularly impressed. One sided, and very open construction, as I recall. I'm not sure about the 'new generation fleece'; single sided fleece has been around for a long time...
I was suggesting you get them to send one of each candidate fleece from stock for you to evaluate, to decide which you prefer (and then order 12 of the one you've chosen, rather than buying a mixture). Postage costs for a couple of fleeces won't be that expensive, especially when compared with the cost of custom embroidery (I'd guess, anyway).
They should be able to embroider any of the items.
North Cape is not a brand name stamped on Far East kit, well at least not like say Karrimor. The vast majority of the Daleswear stuff is the rather large stock they purchased when North Cape disappeared. But out-of-stock colours and sizes never reappear because they aren't being made anymore.
The exception is the Obsidian fleece that Daleswear choose to produce under the North Cape name rather than their own Daleswear or Parrot brandnames. So it a "Karrimorised" model.
I'd recommend looking at the Activity microfleece zip top and jackets which although they don't say on the website are made from yummy Italian Pontetorto Tecnopile fleece. ME and Berghaus also use this fleece, but charge £50 or £60 a go.
> The vast majority of the Daleswear stuff is the rather large stock they purchased when North Cape disappeared.
That's what I thought.
> I'd recommend looking at the Activity microfleece zip top and jackets
Yes, I was going to suggest the Active Top. The only thing that concerned me was the fabric, but if, as you say, it's Pontetorto Technopile, I'd have no reservations whatsoever.
