I was through seeing the guys at Big Agnes and came away with this for Joycee. It’s the Roxy Ann, ladies specific down top bag. All the usual features, but wummin shaped. It’s also got a wider foot that most mummy bags. Needless to say she’s all excited and keen to get out and try it. It’s been a while since we had a camping trip together, so that’ll be magic. If lofts very well, looks like it’s a foot thick, rated to -9C.
A report will be forthcoming once we’ve had it in the field.
Also they guys are bringing in another US brand, Loki. There’s some snowsports kit in there, some technical/alpine mountain gear and some casual stuff as well. As it turns out the cotton hoody was the only thing that fitted me or hadn’t been claimed already (curses, that eVent shell looked nice…). However the hoody does have the same features that the technical pieces have, and it looks nice so it here it is. On the surface, a plain hoody as seen at shopping centres and street corners nationwide. But with the help of Mrs Sunflower below we can see the wacky additions that Loki put on their hooded garments. One is the face mask, a lycra bound fleece band that sits flat at the back of the hood and pulls easily over your face to combat that icy air apres ski or on the hill. The other feature is a pair of mitts hidden in the sleeves. It works well, really. It’s more of a novelty on the hoody, but on a technical shell jacket they’re there for a reason. On a cold belay for example you just flip them out, no faffing in your pack.
I’ll be wearing this next week to do the banking and we shall see what the tellers reaction is.
When they lock you up can I have all the kit you haven’t tested yet?! ;O)
Aye good point, what size of feet are you?
Checked out the Loki website,amazing stuff,will be looking a little closer at their products for this winter methinks.The microfleece with the built in mitts and face mask is particularly nice,reasonably priced too it seems.
The company name appeals to me too…I’ve got an unhealthy interest in pagan mythology and Loki is one of the mischevious gods according to the norse folklore…”the god of fireside humour and the wizard of lies and deceit”…so one of my books says!…We had a black cat called Loki a few years back,definately lived up to his name.Cool stuff!
Btw,got some serious mileage in on the salomon xt wings over the last week or so,really lovin’ em,totally different to the xa 3d xcr’s…I will be Goretex free this summer.Got some of those dirtygirl gaiters on the way too,went for the “dead f’in last” skull pattern…free shipping!
I remember Loki as Thor’s enemy in the comics :o)
It’s interesting kit for sure, very different. I do like that hoody. Am I too old for hoodies, do I care?!
That’s good news on the shoes. It’ll be interesting to see what the durability is like. And if those gaiters fit on them!
Hehe,remember those comics too!
You’re never too old for hoodies,especially ones with huuuge mittens attatched to them,kinda like a second childhood,remember those mitts with the string that joined them together through the arms of you coat when you were a kid?…reminds me of the Billy connolly sketch where he talks about em! The prices look pretty good on the Loki stuff too,although looks like some of the products are unnavailable on the site that the link takes you to.Nice hats and gloves on there too.
The durability of the XT wings does worry me a little,the only fault I can find with ’em is that they dont seem as robust as the XA’s…only time will tell.
As far as the gaiters are concerned,I’ll make them fit,or modify them in some way,cos they look like nothing else! I do believe I will need to glue bits of velcro to the back of my shoes though!
Aye, it does look like a DIY job. I’ve got the purple flames on the way. Dead cheap at £7, worth a shot.
True about the mitts on strings :o) I’ve been walking around the house with the hoody on and the mitts on just being amused at myself. I really need to get out, I’m going stir crazy I think.
It was mission aborted for me today,the weather was just shite,big rain,big wind and zero visibility,so will be out in the hills tomorrow.
Showed my mrs. the dirtygirl gaiter site,and after the usual “what the hell do you need them for” and “you’ve really ordered them in that pattern?” she informs me that they look like they would be easy to make from scratch(she runs her own clothes making business) so am gonna try and source some of the material the osprey pack is made from so she can knock me up a nice bright orange pair too.
Try these guys http://www.profabrics.co.uk/ I’ve had stuff off them before.
We’ll look like the Outdoor Kids From Fame in these things.
The weather is clear and bright here, just too much admin to catch up on. Rubbish.
Cheers for that link…Dont really care what I look like,but will be sure to get some odd looks and dissapproving sounds of disgruntlement from the red socks brigade,its always good to keep them guessing.
Aye rain has abated down here,but the wind is still howling with all its fury,setting the alarm for stupid o’clock so I can be on the hill nice and early,first test for the salomons on very wet ground,so we’ll see how they go.
Your braking distance will be increased!