Karrimor gear in Sport Direct

[ingenuitylee]

Anyone else tried some of the new Karrimor gear out in Chav World (Sport Direct)?

I was in getting my lad some shin pads and spotted shorts/tights/tops on the rack. I have a yellow Karrimor running jacket and it has been great for cycling so thought I'd give these a go. The shorts aren't particularly great and seem a wierd fit and the large size tights I could barely get over my legs (and my legs aren't big) and were too short for me at 6 ft. They have long and short sleeved tops in too with nothing much over a tenner.

 

[siadwell]

The shorts aren't particularly great and seem a wierd fit and the large size tights I could barely get over my legs (and my legs aren't big) and were too short for me at 6 ft.

On their website, the only tights are for women. Are you sure you weren't inadvertently cross-dressing?

 

[Piemaster]

I've got one of the 25L backpacks from there, about £15 at the time. Has a camelbak type water bladder pocket inside with the fastenings to get it around to your mouth (no bladder with it, but they had some for about £5 extra). Has an airflow thing to hold the backpack away from your back. Good for the £20 I reckon.

 

[eldudino]

I've got one of the 25L backpacks from there, about £15 at the time. Has a camelbak type water bladder pocket inside with the fastenings to get it around to your mouth (no bladder with it, but they had some for about £5 extra). Has an airflow thing to hold the backpack away from your back. Good for the £20 I reckon.

I've got one of these too, great bit of kit. Used every day and avoids me getting a sweaty back. I also have some shoes which are great too.

 

[Alan Whicker]

I have to say there's good and bad Karrimor. It looks like its a going concern again, but the company's had mixed fortunes, and at one point went bust (about 6 years back). When that happened the name seems to have been bought by a much cheaper manufacturer who sewed the once-famous name onto any old tat, some of which seems to have found its way into Sports Direct (the Leyton branch anyway). A colleague of mine bought a Karrimor-branded daypack, and it was frankly, cr@p - like a toy. Having said that, Karrimor flogged off their old stock for peanuts when they collapsed and quite a lot of the good stuff seems to be in Sports Direct too. I got some Karrimor KSB approach shoes which are very good (my second pair in fact) - but identical pairs are sold in Mountain Warehouse under their own name.

 

[Kestevan]

I wear the Karrimor trainer things nearly every day. Sort of 1/2 way between a trainer and a shoe. £15 a pair and they are comfy and last reasonably well.

I've also got a pair of the hiking boots. Comfortable, water resistant summer weight boots. They've done several of the Munroes this spring summer and have held up very well.

 

[ingenuitylee]

I have some hiking boots and they are excellent. My 18L backpack is used everyday on the bike and I think it was only a tenner. The quality of the cycling gear seems to be quite good, the shorts are fairly thick and look durable they just seem to fit a little strange and I always feel they are riding down in an attempt to expose the crack of my arse.

The tights in the store were men and womens with ladies sized 10/12/14 etc. I shall try a pair of XL's on in the store as you can't get your money back off them.

There is definitely some shite in their though, I bought some camping chairs with the Karrimor brand on early this year and it just tore as I sat on it. (insert your own weight joke here). I've been wary since of taking the brand as a mark of quality. On looking in the label it looks like it's owned by Lonsdale which do all the jogging bottoms and muscle tops.

 

[PpPete]

Mike Parsons - whose father started the Karrimor brand, is still around.
Owns the OMM brand now. Some of the better stuff (but only the items aimed at lightweight endureance running market) are sold under that name now.... and very good it is too.

"New" Karrimor stuff is pretty patchy.
Found this shoe in TK Max (of all places) recently for £15. Seem reasonably good so far.

 

[panpipe]

I bought a pair of the Karrimor cycle shorts from there earlier this week - agree that they do feel like they sit quite low on the hips. I'll probably take them back rather than spend the whole time worrying about flashing a builder's bum to the world!

 

[jethro10]

I got some grey trainers, not for cycling, they are gorgeous, best looking pair I've ever had.

 

[john2755]

Karrimor built it's reputation on quality rucksacks made in Accrington. I still use a Jaguar sac of theirs. As happened with most companies they tried to expand by making products they knew nothing about and the products they were good at were then manufactured in China by people who knew nothing about them. Did we "really" send a man to the moon in '69.

 

[Cubist]

The tops looked quite good for a tenner.
The 25 Airflow rucksack mentioned above is great value for money, and I have a pair of their walking trainers which has lasted me five years now.

 

[Jonathan M]

I have to say there's good and bad Karrimor. It looks like its a going concern again, but the company's had mixed fortunes, and at one point went bust (about 6 years back). When that happened the name seems to have been bought by a much cheaper manufacturer who sewed the once-famous name onto any old tat, some of which seems to have found its way into Sports Direct (the Leyton branch anyway). A colleague of mine bought a Karrimor-branded daypack, and it was frankly, cr@p - like a toy. Having said that, Karrimor flogged off their old stock for peanuts when they collapsed and quite a lot of the good stuff seems to be in Sports Direct too. I got some Karrimor KSB approach shoes which are very good (my second pair in fact) - but identical pairs are sold in Mountain Warehouse under their own name.

Agree. Bought some Karrimor KSD eVent shoes from Mountain Warehouse about 5 years ago - some of the best walking shoes I've ever bought.Wore them until they fell apart on my feet! Bought some newer equivalent ones from Sports Direct and they are pants. The only reason that they will fall apart is not through use, just because the quality is so poor.

Plus the service in Sports Direct can be pants - bunch of disineterested staff selling sports kit to the least sporty people in the world. I only go now to buy heavily discounted Airwalk & No Fear kit for my son!

 

[ufkacbln]

TK Maxx often have some quality gear at daft prices.

I always have a look.

 

[BalkanExpress]

TK Maxx often have some quality gear at daft prices.

I always have a look.

+1 got my montane stormrider from TK this summer for 80 quid