fossyant
Ride It Like You Stole It!
- Location
- South Manchester
Very little available, just managed to snaffle a couple of 10 speed chains
Wiggle Sold
- Thread starter Sterlo
- Start date
Page may contain affiliate links. Please see terms for details.
Very little available, just managed to snaffle a couple of 10 speed chains
presta
Guru
I always regarded Wiggle as a last resort because their website was so painfully slow, and the search listings were full of obsolete products that were no longer made.
It was Ashley's Sports Direct that took over Field & Trek, which were a good outdoor gear company until he closed them down. I used them going back to when they were just a single shop in Brentwood.
It was Ashley's Sports Direct that took over Field & Trek, which were a good outdoor gear company until he closed them down. I used them going back to when they were just a single shop in Brentwood.
My experience of this "enterprising individual" dates back to when I needed a pair of shoes as a student. Not knowing any better I bought a pair from Sh*te Direct of Karrimor "walking shoes" which I unknowingly assumed at the time was a decent British brand. Little did I know that they'd recently been bought out, and they were just re-badged cheap crap.
Tbh the side of a cornflakes box would have given more padding and comfort that the soles on those sorry excuses for shoes - which were unpleasant to wear on pavement tbh, let alone in their implied application.
I'll never knowingly buy anything this bloke has been near.
Last edited:
bonzobanana
Guru
I bought some trainers from M&M Direct which were unbelievable bad and just fell apart, their customer service was shocking too. I will never ever use that shop again so I guess a similar experience to yours at Sports Direct. However in contrast I saw some nice trainers in Sports Direct which were really good quality for £19.99 and I checked online and not only were they only £12.99 but they actually had my size of 12 so I ordered 2 pairs although there was £5 postage on top but have to admit some of the trainers in Sports Direct were inferior quality despite a much higher price than I paid. I think you really need to see the quality of the item when it comes to Sports Direct. They use different factories in Asia I'm sure and some are good and some are bad. I also had some budget Nike trainers which were poor quality. My brand of choice for trainers is actually Hitec which seem to offer a good quality vs price ratio.
That's fair enough - tbh I tend to avoid places that indulge in this sort of behaviour full-stop as I neither trust, nor want to reward them. Add to that brands that are owned by "investment groups" / holding companies / private equity as usually quality goes downhill once these vultures get their beaks in..
Last edited:
presta
Guru
When was that?
I had a Karrimor rucksack from my aunt's Kayes catalogue when I was in the scouts and that fell apart in short order, so my father bought some Relum rucksacks off the local market, and they lasted for years. I lost mine when the car was stolen, but I used his old one for years, and the spare one is still in the loft unused.
I used to buy these for 20 odd years until they stopped selling them. I still would if you know where I can still get them.
The closest I can pin it down is the early 2000s... the Wikipedia page paints a sorry, but oh-so familiar picture - essentially independent and well regarded until 1993 when vulture capitalists got involved. In the sh*t by 1996, bought out in 1999 and stripped down to distribution-only with production offshored, into receivership in 2003 and bought in name only by Ashkey subequently... so it seems that in terms of quality the rot probably set in during the late-90s, and probaly fell off a cliff in 1999
When do you think your rucksack was bought?
presta
Guru
The early 1970s. I've just noticed my sandals are Karrimor, they're OK - I bought another pair when the first wore out, although the cushioning in the sole quickly loses its springiness.
Round here the only outdoor shops are Mountain Warehouse and Regatta, which are mainly own-brand, and of the two, Regatta are far better. For a budgetish line it's pretty good quality, and very good value. MW stuff seems pretty mediocre by comparison.
I mentioned Field & Trek above, I'm still using one of their own-brand jackets from 1994. It was a Pertex-fleece reversible originally, but I took the Pertex off and use it one-sided since it got ripped by a bramble overhanging the road. (I actually bought two within about a fortnight, the first went when the car got stolen on the same day that I wore it for the first time.)
Smokin Joe
Legendary Member
- Location
- Bare headed cyclist, Smoker
Stuff I've bought from Mountain Warehouse and Trespass does what it says on the tin, the waterproofs are waterproof and comfortable to wear - BUT, the finishing quality is awful. Stitching falls apart in no time and the pocket liners last a few months before turning to holes. I bought a pair of boots from Trespass for £70 eighteen months ago and I am now on my third pair as the left one of first two split in exactly the same place and they were replaced without quibble. Trespass give a fresh receipt every time which does not specify they are replacements and as they go well within a year they offer a refund or replacement. I take the replacements as they are the most comfortable boots I've ever worn. Shame about the quality.
The present pair are two months old now and the left boot again looks to be developing a serious crease exactly where the split occurs.
presta
Guru
I have a pair of breathable waterproof walking shoes I bought from MW. They aren't waterproof, they blistered my feet, and the soles are made from rubber that's so lossy they're hard work to walk in. Ordinary training shoes are better.
bonzobanana
Guru
Hi Tec are still everywhere; Sports Direct, Amazon, ebay and Express Trainers etc however pricing is not as competitive as it used to be. The £20 trainers of a few years ago seem to be now £40 trainers and even allowing for inflation that is a big jump. I think they are pushing their margins up or maybe improving quality. The trainers they sell today look no better than the ones I have though.
youngoldbloke
The older I get, the faster I used to be ...
Karrimor used to be a very well respected brand. I remember often visiting their outlet store in Caldicot with my son many years ago (early 90s?). He (I) bought an expensive high end rucksack, which had a lifetime guarantee - which was honoured with a brand new replacement after a particularly arduous climbing expedition. Top quality and impressive service - even from their outlet store. I expect he still has it too!
That's a shame - perhaps some of their historic products weren't deserving of their rep.
IIRC from their wikipedia entry, Mountain Warehouse were what old Karrimor outlets were re-branded to after one of the takeovers.
Funnily enough I'm currently wearing some lightweight MW trousers (£35 from MW) and a Regatta fleece (£15 from TK Maxx). The trousers have done me reasonably well for maybe 60-70 commutes; velcro on the thigh pockets (which makes them feel a bit cheap) has died on one side, while the tied-on zip-danglers on the other pockets have a habit of falling off.
The fleece has done pretty well too - only really bought it as a stop-gap for the cycling rucksack but has served me well throughout winter commutes.. although ideally I'd prefer something a little more presentable.
presta
Guru
I hadn't noticed that.
I have an MW fleece jacket which has been ok, but a pack away rucksack quickly fell apart. My MW combination lock is too easy to accidentally re-program when you close it, their thermal long Johns aren't as comfortable as Helly ones, and their waterproofing fluid didn't seem to do anything.
Just thinking, after the Relum rucksack got stolen in 1994 I replaced it with a Karrimor Trail 45 which I still have. It took a bit to get used to the new fashion for no external frame at first, but I still have it as my main full size rucksack, and was using up until I quit walking.
