We are very proud to offer the following high quality outdoor brands to our customers, not only on the website but also in our stores.
Icebreaker
Icebreaker was founded by Jeremy Moon in 1994 after he was handed piece of Merino wool. His passion for the limitless potential of merino wool grew so strong that he became totally captivated by the challenge of building a company, based on nature and the outdoors. In an age of synthetics, the big opportunity was to create something natural and technical for the outdoor market. At the time, outdoor clothing was made of petroleum and was either polypropylene or polyester. He thought polyester was good for disco gear, and hedged his bets that we were all ready for a natural alternative when exploring and enjoying the great outdoors! Icebreaker remains one of the leading technical base layers in the market and is sold all over the world.
Arc’teryx
Named after ARCHAEOPTERYX LITHOGRAPHICA, the first reptile to develop the feather for flight, freeing itself from the constraints of the horizontal world. Arc`teryx’s central purpose is to build the finest products possible - allowing the user to reach the highest heights in total comfort, and survive whatever display of adverse weather Mother Nature decides to present!
The Arc`teryx advantage is achieved by merging unrivalled designs with the best quality, highest performing materials and assembling them in the most innovative and most durable manner for the intended use.
Five Ten
Five Ten is a family-owned company that is dedicated to making the best outdoor sports footwear available. Five Ten was founded by Charles Cole in 1985. Cole had finished up his MBA from University of Michigan, and was hanging out in Yosemite, putting up spectacular first ascent aid routes—many times solo. After a slip while descending El Cap, he decided that climbers not only needed high-friction rubber on their climbing shoes, but on their walking shoes as well. Five Ten was born, and in 1986, Cole, with the support of his parents, Mary and Charles Snr, began distributing a new line of approach and climbing shoes with Charles’s new Stealth rubber soles. Climbing suddenly got easier. Because the soles actually stuck better to the rock, climbers could ascent routes that had previously been unattainable. Charles Cole, Five Ten and Stealth rubber helped to open climbing to a new generation of athletes for whom friction meant everything.
Five Ten these days have a fantastic products range for not only climbers but cyclists and watersport enthusiasts also.
MSR
MSR is a brand of Cascade Designs, Inc. which began over 35 years ago with the simple idea of providing a more comfortable night outdoors. Since then, they have grown to become the parent company of some of the most respected brands in the outdoor industry. Though much has changed with this success, their recipe for achieving it has not. Believing that manufacturing the majority of the gear in the U.S. and European facilities is an essential element in maintaining quality, and that by striving to exceed their customers' expectations of service, they will be successful for many years to come.
MSR continue to product the best quality and range for mountain use in the market.
Scarpa
The story of the Parisotto family, the owners of Calzaturificio S.C.A.R.P.A. S.p.A., began in the 1940s, when at the age of eleven Luigi Parisotto - the fourth of seven brothers - started work as an apprentice shoemaker in several firms and for several artisans in the famed shoe-making area around Montebelluna in northeast Italy.
Scarpa still produce hand made boots for every style of outdoor activity.
Petzl
The family company originated with, Fernand Petzl, and his passion for caving. One of the leading experts of his generation, he spent his life experimenting with new vertical progression techniques and invented equipment that radically changed the status quo. The Petzl company quickly applied these underground tools and solutions to other vertical environments: to the mountains first - rock climbing and mountaineering - and then to the professional sector, with work and rescue at height. Petzl is now known as the leading innovator in the vertical world and has been associated with all major underground, alpine and Himalayan adventures since the 1970s. While closely involved with outdoor sports enthusiasts and professionals, they remain true to their core values and ways: listening to and valuing the customers, taking innovative and practical approaches and demanding the highest quality.
Black Diamond
Black Diamonds roots stem to 1957, the year an eighteen-year-old named Yvon Chouinard bought a hammer and anvil and started pounding out hand-forged pitons. To support his climbing habit, Yvon traveled to Yosemite and sold gear from the trunk of his car. His intelligent designs were quickly recognized by climbers as the best available.
Among the early products developed by Chouinard Equipment was the Chouinard carabiner. A vast improvement over existing biners, the Chouinard Standard was light, strong and uncomplicated. It rapidly became the industry standard, embodying the principles of simple, high-function design, durability and performance.
In 1972 an article in the Chouinard Equipment catalog changed the course of climbing forever. A concept that originated in Britain and became known as clean climbing carried a clear, powerful message: preserve the rock by using nuts and other "clean" protection. This revolution was supported by Chouinard Hexentrics and Stoppers. Since then they have been refining the exceptional geometries of Hexs and Stoppers to make these two designs as relevant today as they were in 1972.
Still Black Diamond are one of the worlds leading climbing gear producers.
Meindl
MEINDL is now one of the few footwear manufacturers actually producing boots in Germany. MEINDL employ over 200 people at their factory in Kirchanschöring, Bavaria making quality footwear. They continue a centuries old tradition of making handmade footwear and have been a shoemaker for more than 300 years in Kirchanschöring. The method of production has changed over the years and now people man the machines that carry out one of over 200 work stages that are required to make a high-quality trekking boot. They also have the feel and experience required to work with the main material., leather and the product quality that they require. Thet have not lost the skills of hand making boots at the expense of the need for mass production. With product innovation, manufacturing flexibility and a good understanding of the market requirements we make quality footwear. This is how we wish to succeed in a globally competitive market.
Thermarest
Thermarest is a brand of Cascade Designs, Inc. which began over 35 years ago with the simple idea of providing a more comfortable night outdoors. Since then, they have grown to become the parent company of some of the most respected brands in the outdoor industry. Though much has changed with this success, their recipe for achieving it has not. Believing that manufacturing the majority of the gear in the U.S. and European facilities is an essential element in maintaining quality, and that by striving to exceed their customers' expectations of service, they will be successful for many years to come.
Thermarest have for years been the industry standard for sleeping mats and forcing the generic term for a sleeping mat to become Thermarest. They continue year after year to grow and develop their range and our head and shoulder above most sleeping mat companies.