1971. I’m in the back of a Morris Minor on a day trip to Crinan, Dave Edmonds is on the radio with I hear you Knockin’ and the Auld Yin comes back to the motor with this wee guy from the garage shop. I remember it like it was yesterday.
The wee Esso oil man seems to represent an era of more innocent advertising and somehow lighter product representation. More sophisticated methods seem somehow souless and more intrusive. An entirely illusory notion I know, but forty years’ll do that to you.
Found the keyring in my folk’s loft tonight, it definitely pays not throw anything away.
Remember the wee song well. Think I had an ESSO badge with that written on it!!
“Put a tiger in your tank” I remember it well; I lived for a while with my Auntie Helen in a wee caravan on the forecourt of the garage just outside Rothes. She worked there btw. It’s no’ that we just parked up there :o)
I remember both songs.
Green Shield Stamps anyone?
I just found th old advert on YouTube :o)
Talking of Green Shield stamps, I still have some Tiger Tokens.
Oooh, I wonder if they’re still valid….
I’m hunting for the catalogue just in case.
LOL!
Wonder if they’d do some nice mountain gear. Or maybe some nice glass tumblers ;o)
Tumblers I remember, I must go and google this and see what other delights there were.
Oh dear, there’s a campaign on here to bring them back. Easier going to Ikea for tumblers. Mind you with the price of fuel, 10 tokens would get you a 71″ HD TV.
I’ve got a set of English Football league sticker badges somewhere from around that era. Everytime my Dad went to get petrol there was the excitement of seeing what he’d return with.
There was also the FA cup coin collection which I never completed which was probably from the centenary year (1972)
There was a lot of stuff like that, I’ve got a regimental badge collection in a nice book that Texaco did in the 70’s.
Never been much for army stuff, but the badges were cracking!
Nowadays walking to the counter to pay for your fuel it’s an assualt course of ways to spend more money rather than giving you a little something to soften thye blow like they did in the old days.
In fact… http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/REGIMENTAL-BADGE-COLLECTION-1970-TEXACO-PROMO-SET-/310300490927?pt=UK_Collectables_Badges_Patches_MJ&hash=item483f59bcaf
Not mine, Weymouth’s nowhere near the Arrochar Alps.
Bloody hell, just looked for the Esso man on ebay as well, one’s at £16 with a day to go?!
The garage at Broadford on Skye used to have a “put a tiger in your tank” sign in Gaelic.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/davidwilson1949/5454829324/
That reminds me, I haven’t been onto Skye for ages, must get there again soon…
“Put a tiger in your tank” since been adopted by chinese pharmacists
Hi Pete,
A bit random but just thought I’d let you know that I’d seen a Rab Boreas and Montane Volt and tried them on.
Boreas: I wasn’t sure before checking what the Boreas was for and ‘assumed’ that it was a form of summer-weight windshirt. It now seems it is seen more as a mid layer by Rab, which is certainly different. Very stretchy, super light and well put together. I tried the orange and grey in small and medium as i wasn’t sure if it was some kind of super base layer, windshirt or what. The hood is a bit baggy without a helmet and would probably flap about in wind. It felt comfortable on and if I knew exactly what it was for and what its forte might be (and if i didn’t have enough gear already and more dosh) I might be tempted. I’m no climber so maybe it isn’t intended for me, but I liked it ;) Maybe I’ll end up trying it on as often as the as yet not purchased Rab Alpine Pull-on (they do a jacket now!).
Volt: I only just noticed this because I tend not to think much about regular fleeces now having bought into the soft shell/vapour-rise/baltoro-lite/scarab/krypton concept. Even so, I thought, it is a Montane, it looks comfy and it’s there on the hanger at how much??? Not cheap (though Chain Reaction have it for £80) but a real surprise. A really, really comfortable and pleasant jacket that looked good (I thought) and was well made and fitted well. i don’t need one, it is too dear and I have loads of soft shells, but it is really, really nice.
Oh, and I bought a Montane Scarab for occasional work use because it was cheap. And… I really like it. Whether I need that and the very similar Rab VR Lite is a moot point, so I won’t answer.
Be interested to hear/see/read what you think when you get your hands on a Boreas and Volt and use them. Shame the Rab merino layers seem to have not made the cut?
Regards
Bar.
Grinning at both tiger references there :o)
Bar., agree about the Rab hood. It’s a bit like a cross between my Lawe Alpine Stealth Hood and Haglofs Lizard Top which is a great combo, but that hood does let it down.
Montane is a killer, they make samples in a medium which is often too tight a squeeze for me, so I can’t help there.
But, I’ll have some cracking exclusive Montane stuff in a couple of weeks.
Hi Pete,
It is an odd thing all round that boreas but a tighter hood might have made it worth a punt for many.
The Volt is a lovely jacket that i can imagine trying on again (and again) but will ultimately leave on the hanger unless i surprise myself or prices plummet! the small was a close but comfortable fit and i will say this for Montane, it elevates the humble fleece in my mind now – well done to Montane for putting the effort in.
you intrigue me with the Montane hint – i’m thinking Minimus and something else that has escaped my notice?
I think their dyno might now suffer competition from rab’s alpine jacket as it looks like it retains the smock’s excellent hood. but i must resist having bought the simple but effective scarab.
Bar.
With prices they way they are, things have to perfect before you get the wallet out!
I’m working on a feature for next winter, and I’m getting some 2012 kit for an exclusive test for it… If it fits me!
too tight Pete!
i’ll look out for your test of the 2012 kit. always good to see what i really shouldn’t be buying but might ahead of time ;)
Bar.
By the time it hits the shops the notion will have worn off anyway :o)
Hi Pete,
I think i need counselling. a birthday had just passed without a purchase of outdoor gear and i breathed a sigh of relief. then, while killing time in Go Outdoors while my girlfriend had her dance class i tried on a Montane Volt again. when you see Montane next ask them to run a competition for a black one (size small) and to fix it for me to win. it’s a fleece! i only wear fleece because work provide it or i wear my own grid one but pull-on tops not a jacket. And yet… the Volt’s a killer so comfortable and fitted. Hat’s off the the boys.
With a Jetsream, a Krypton, Litespeed, Prism, Scarab and featherlite pants… i have to stop!!! And that’s excluding the Rab stuff. I’m even finding myself thinking how practical a Dyno or Rab Alpine jacket would be and for some reason prefer the look/idea of the understated Dyno (even in grey with red zips!). My aforementioned g/f will go spare if i give in but if you find a Volt on large to try on then go for it. Pub jacket plus par excellence.
Damn these clever designers. :0
Bar.
Seeing their product manager next week!
I’ve got a Montane fleece hoody on test from this coming winter, kinda giving the game away a bit, but it’s brilliant. Been wearing thir new eVent Air jacket as well. Montane are really stepping up :o)
Hi Pete,
Cool, say hello and thanks from me. Are they interested in sponsoring a Public Rights of Way Officer ? ;)
Funny how fleece, if done right, still has a place. I’m old enough to remember thinking how great an old moss-coloured berghaus fleece was or seemed back in the (very old) day. And, an odd-coloured Duofold windproof fleece in the old – cardboard in the jacket – style. What ever happened to Duofold? they did some great t-shirts that seemed to work well in summer and winter.
Appearances may deceive of course, but i am sensing a little more differentiation between Montane and Rab again. I am putting the Volt to the back of my mind (the sunshine helps) but i wondered if you continued to use the Dyno and if you could roll the sleeves up properly with those knitted-look cuffs?
Bar.
You could always ask :o)
Aye, summer’s ear, so no more gear worries until October I think!
Talking to Rab’s designers today, young folks, enthusiastic too. Good to know.