roytheboy wrote:... But when it comes to boots and shells etc., I do lots of research and usually find that lightness and effectiveness has to be paid for...let's say that I'm in the market for X, Y or Z product that has requirements beyond the basics of base- or mid-layers, and that I'm faced with a selection of sale or reduced items, all claiming to have different 'tech' to solve the same problems ... without doing loads of research (and many punters don't), which brands are more likely - on the face of it - to offer a better bang for my bucks than others?
If one is planning a trip to the Alps or Andes or Himalayas then I agree that the number of relevant brands for critical items is going to be narrowed down to a few top ones. For down jackets and sleeping bags my first choice would be Mountain Equipment, second choice Rab. Boots are more difficult. Scarpa, La Sportiva and Salomon are in the running for top performance but it's more important that you get the right boot for the right purpose, and the right fit for your feet. A boot that's suitable for Alpine ice climbing in Winter won't be suitable for summer hill walking in the UK, so for the latter purpose you'd probably be better off with a different brand altogether. As for 'waterproof' shells, a friend of mine used to go for the most expensive, triple layer Goretex available, until he found to his disgust that he still got wet in really heavy rain. So from then on he only bought cheap shells. Whatever the brand, however expensive, waterproofs are always a compromise between waterproofness and breathability. The more breathable, the less waterproof, and vice versa. If it's value for money you're after, you'll almost certainly do better with, say, Regatta, than with a top brand like Mountain Equipment.
