Monday, February 27, 2012

Welcome to My Yard: Watch the video!

Welcome to My Yard aims to give the street children of Nepal a chance in life. These people struggle to survive, living purely day-to-day and earning around £2 per day either by scavenging wood and other items that have spilled into the river from bodies burned at funeral pyres, by collecting rubbish, or by looking after people's shoes whilst they are in the temple.

The saddest fact is that 75% of street children in Kathmandu suffer from sexual assault, which sickeningly is largely perpetrated by foreign visitors to Nepal.

Welcome to My Yard intends to give these people the skills they need to make more of life, and to give them a place where they can meet, feel safe, learn and socialise.

You can help their cause in a number of ways; by signing up for a climbing trip where you can experience outdoor sports climbing in Nepal and help out with volunteer work, by donating some of your hard-earned cash, or simply by promoting their cause in any way you see fit.

Watch the video here:

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Down Jackets Leaking Feathers: Problem Solved!

Their thick, plush and ever so cosy, but every so often your down jacket can throw up a bit of a quandary. We want our customers to have the confidence in the gear they buy as well as getting the very most out of them, both comfort and performance wise.

One of the main queries we get when it comes to down jackets is "My jacket seems to be leaking down, should this happen?" Due to the construction of the majority of Down jackets and the ridiculously lightweight fabrics they use, some feathers and down can sometimes find their way out of the baffles and into the outside world. This small amount of down leakage can occur every so often, so there's no need to worry! It's just a natural property of a down jacket and some may say it's a small price to pay for keeping you nice and toasty when there's a cold bite in the air! Of course if there happens to be an actual hole in the jacket that's a different matter, but usually there's a simply solution to get the down/feathers back in the baffles where they belong.

Check out the video below of our Customer Services manager, Craig, showing just how easy it is to pull the feathers back through! It's just a case of getting hold of the Down inside the jacket and pulling the outer fabric away, sorted!

Sunday, February 19, 2012

Sneak Preview #5: The North Face Alpine Project Jacket

It's been a little while since we sauntered into the world of sneak previewing, we've been busily updating our system ready to receive our Spring/Summer 2012 stock. But without further ado, here's Sneak Preview number 5...

The North Face Men's Alpine Project Jacket is completely new for the SS12 season. It forms part of The North Face's Summit Series range, which are athlete tested, expedition proven pieces of kit. It's been constructed using Gore-Tex Active Shell 3 Layer, a fabric built for extreme breathability, waterproof and windproof protection. It's ideal for athletes engaging in highly aerobic pursuits who are looking for all weather protection and excellent next to skin comfort.



The jacket itself features a fully adjustable hood with hidden drawcord locks and laminated hood brim, plus a chin guard lining for extra wearer comfort. Two alpine styled pockets ensure you can take those much needed accessories along with you as well as maps and other documents. There's pit zips for optimum ventilation and non abrasive molded cuff tabs to make sure you get a secure fit.

We've got the Alpine Project Jacket coming in three eclectic colours; Athens Blue, Lightning Yellow (as shown) and a classic TNF Black. The jacket weighs in at a lightweight 420g and will cost around £224.99.

Friday, February 17, 2012

Up to 65% off in our Winter sale!!!

We aren't shy of a bargain here and there at Outdoor Kit.. but this time we think we've really surpassed ourselves!



We have up to 65% off the RRP on products from brands such as The North Face, Berghaus, Jack Wolfskin and many more!

There are some unbelievable bargains in there, and we are sure they won't hang around for long. "It's too good to be true!" we hear you cry... well, some things just have to be seen to be believed!

Friday, February 3, 2012

The Great Walk - John O'Groats To Lands End

A big shout out to Aaron Howlett who's taking part in 'The Great Walk.' The aim is to walk from John O'Groats to Lands End AND then back again in 56 days! Just doing it one way is quite a feat in itself, never mind turning round and doing it all over again!



It's all for a fantastic cause, The Cystic Fibrosis Trust UK. Cystic Fibrosis affects around 9,000 people in the UK. It's caused by a defective gene that clogs up the internal organs, causing infections and inflammations in the lungs. Those dealing with CF have a tough daily routine, taking tablets and undergoing physiotherapy.

The trust is trying to fund ground-breaking gene therapy research which could stop the lung damage that claims so many young lives. So every penny really does count!

Aaron was the winner of televisions 'Britain's Biggest Loser' in 2005 so we're sure his perseverance and tenacity will see him through!

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Que Guevara's Amazonian Adventure

A massive shout goes out to Richard and Chris of team Que Guevara! At the start of January they set off on a pretty perilous adventure, spanning 3000km of Peruvian desert and jungle. Their mode of transport? A moto-taxi, which essentially consists of half motorbike and half sofa.



They set off on the 1st January and arrived back home safely in blighty on the 18th. The ride was in aid of two charities, Practical Action...

Practical Action Latin America provides practical and production solutions for low income rural and urban populations. Our work in Agroproccessing, Disaster Prevention, Energy and Irrigation provide infrastructure development, information, technical advice, training and capacity building.

And Shelterbox...

The ShelterBox solution in disaster response is as simple as it is effective. We deliver essentials a family needs to survive in the immediate aftermath of a disaster.

We supplied them with a Vango Sherpa 65 Rucksack and it sounds as though Richard was more than happy with it's performance over their journey! "It was just the job, providing invaluably useful on the trip (especially the waterproof cover - which was tested hard in the amazon rainy season). It kept my stuff together and dry and was very hard wearing.

Here's some photos capturing their progress through Peru!


(The rocky road...)


(Time for a breather)


(Outdoorkit in the mountains!)

(Heave...)



You can check out how they got on, where they got to and what they got up to on their blog!

We also ought to mention that a member of another team tragically lost his life on a stretch of road that Richard and Chris had only navigated through just two days earlier, illustrating just how perilous and unpredictable the route was.

Richard and Chris' trek has raised well over 3k for their nominated charities and there's still at least another 1k due to come in, so again, a huge well done to them both!

Sunday, January 29, 2012

All Systems Go!

It's all go again here at Outdoorkit! Our team of busy beavers in the marketing department are merrily working their way through all your favourite brands, updating existing products and adding all those shiny new bit's of gear to the system, ready to receive our first drops for the Spring/Summer season!

However, we realise it's not quite time to break out the shorts and sandals just yet, which is why we've got some fantastic deals to be had in our Winter ranges!

For instance we've currently got the Haglofs Barrier II range with 30% off the RRP! You might not be wanting a Down Jacket at this point in the year, so the Barrier II range provides a fantastic synthetic alternative. Both warm and water resistant the Barrier is sure to keep the cold at bay.


If you are someone who happens to feel the cold more than others mind, we've got some great deals on Down Jackets as well! Take a look at the Bergans Sauda Down, currently 30% off the RRP. It features a lightweight Pertex Shield outer to protect from the wet and damp and inside it's been adorned with 95/5 down fill to insure the January and February chills don't get the better of you.


Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Free Lifeventure Thermal Mug when spending £30 or more on Lifemarque products!

Get a free Lifeventure Thermal Mug when you spend £30 or more on Lifeventure, Lifesystems or LittleLife products!

Lifemarque are the kings of travel accessories, so take this opportunity to grab yourself a freebie whilst stocking up on all those essentials for an adventurous 2012!

Simply add £30 or more of product from Lifeventure, Lifesystems or LittleLife
to your basket and your free gift will be added automatically. One free gift per order, subject to availability and terms and conditions.

Friday, January 20, 2012

Get a free Lifeventure Thermal Mug when you spend £30 or more on Lifeventure, Lifesystems or LittleLife products!

Lifemarque are the kings of travel accessories, so take this opportunity to grab yourself a freebie whilst stocking up on all those essentials for an adventurous 2012!

Simply add £30 or more of product from Lifeventure, Lifesystems or LittleLife
to your basket and your free gift will be added automatically. One free gift per order, subject to availability and terms and conditions.

Thursday, January 12, 2012

Sneak Preview #4: The North Face Cipher Hybrid Hoodie

It's Sneak Preview time again! In our last foray into the world of TNF sneak previews we brought you the Men's Infiesto & Havoc Full Zips, that was Monday and we don't do resting on our laurels here at Outdoorkit, so without further ado, here's another sumptuous glimpse at what we've got coming in this Spring/Summer!

Introducing The North Face Cipher Hybrid Hoodie. It's officially new for the SS12 Season, although it's carrying on from where the Cipher Hybrid Jacket from last Summer left off. There's been a bit of a name change and a few updated specifications to bring it into the new season, giving it a new look and improved performance.



The Cipher Hoodie has been made with an innovative Gore Windstopper Softshell fabric, giving a wind permeability rating of 0 CFM, so you've got windproof assurance when you fancy venturing out on those blustery days. The hoodie has also been constructed with TNF Apex Aerobic stretch side panels, providing the jacket with ample 4-way stretch flexibility, always a bonus when participating in faster paced pursuits. The side panels have a wind permeability rating of 10 CFM, so although not completely windproof, it'll still have very good protection against less than favourable conditions.



The hoodie's alpine fit gives it a sleek look, ready for any activity and it's large alpine pockets provide an easy place to store your essentials, such as maps and other documents and accessories. The attached hood gives good all round protection from the elements and it's adjustable elastic bound edged hood allows for the best possible fit. Again, for a customizable fit the Cipher has non-abrasive molded cuff tabs.

The hoodie's main weapon in it's armory is it's ability to keep the wind at bay, but with an added Durable Water Repellent coating, light showers and snow drift won't be a problem either!

The North Face Cipher Hybrid Hoodie weighs in at a lightweight 640g and will retail at around £160. It comes in four different colours; Athens Blue, TNF Black, Asphalt Grey and Sublime Green.