Regatta-Are they really the worst brand?

[Coop]

I'll be digging out my regatta waterproof/ windproof shortly for the spring/ summer and putting the heavier jackets away. It's light, waterproof and packs away compactly.
Bought an osprey 33 bergan about 6 months ago and in the past week I've went back to using my vango. The vango is more comfortable and the pole/axe stowage is a lot better than the osprey.
Don't be put off by someone looking down their nose at you. Enjoy your days out and achievements

[Mojocat]

I agree with just about everyone here, when it comes to gear it's what works for you, what you want to spend, what you want it to do and most importantly, what you've got. I had to replace all my gear last year after a fire. I tried lots of trousers, ended up with a pair of twenty quid Regatta stretchy, windproof and water resistant trousers because they were the best fit for my portly frame. They have been great. As and when you do want or need to buy new gear try and get it out of season and look around a few places. There are plenty of bargains out there, we saved hundreds of pounds off the list prices by shopping at the end of the winter for our replacement gear. If you need to buy stuff at full price ask for a discount. They can only say no, and usually they give at least ten percent if you ask.

[Mini Mac]

As an outdoors newbie I find this a very interesting topic with lots of encouraging responses; the most important being to find what works best for you regardless of brand or price.

As someone who has spent money on other things because they are deemed to be the best, only to find that I could get the same (if not better) quality for a fraction of the price, I'm keen to not make the same mistake with my walking gear.

Thanks for the tips, folks!

[NanashiNoProfile]

I've tried a lot of the cheaper end of equipment, mainly because I really want to get outside but I'm not very wealthy. That said, I've deliberated over items for hours, especially when prices are low. For hot weather, Mountain Warehouse's wicking layers have been great for walking through woodlands and up any size of Scottish hill. Their fleeces are also fairly decent and cheap, providing a much needed layer of warmth when the wind picks up on a summit. For the raincoats, I've had to spend a minimum of £80 before I felt I got what I needed (any cheaper and I was wetter inside the coat than the outside was). I've not really been a huge fan of their bags, and have nothing but bad experiences with their shoes (after a pair of Peter Storm boots lasted me for five years, I picked up a pair from Mountain Warehouse and the soles were wrecked after one climb of Scafell Pike).

Trespass has been a bit of a mixed bag also. I had a winter coat from them, but when I was caught out in a snowstorm on Ben Vrackie the velcro flaps over the zip of the coat just disintegrated and in came the wet.

Overall, spend some time choosing and I think you'll find the cheaper end of the market is good for the more clement times of year (and if you're starting out that might be when you want to be outside anyway), but if you're going to start delving into the more dangerous months then a step up might be in order, particularly with regards to waterproofs.

[Old Bill]

Totally agree with all of this thread.

The bloke is a total tool, and if hadn't been judging you on your clothes he would've picked up something else. He'll be that sort of boorish buffoon. Even if you did have rubbish clothing on, it's none of his business - unless if could be life threatening. But you didn't, and it wasn't!

If you see him again, tell him about my Regatta jacket that was £35, including separate fleece inner, and hasn't let me down in nearly 10 years.
Ah - actually it did seep through once last year in very heavy rain when I only had a couple of miles to do. No idea why, it's been fine since. Must've been the wrong kind of rain - just like he's the wrong type of person!

[Jobax]

I got a pair of trespass dlx boots as upgrade to my brothers old hi-tech ones I was wearing which the guy in shop which were the most waterproof ones they done, they were comfortable enough but failed miserably in rain in the cairngorms in July which wasn't that heavy, and i was on oaths and rocky ground. So I'd doubt I'd buy cheap bad weather boots or jacket, but for base layers, trousers etc i dont think you need to break the bank.
if the kit works for you and keeps you dry etc then keep it.