Regatta-Are they really the worst brand?

[Moray Mountaineer]

My friends and I have recently started Hill Walking, so to get started we all went into our local Hiking shops to get kitted out. Our local shops are Trespass, Regatta and Mountain Warehouse. Most of my friends prefered the equipment and clothing from Trespass and a few others prefered Mountain Warehouse. I was the only one who decided to buy Regatta equipment and clothing. I bought everything Regatta,[i][i] Jacket, Boots, Fleece, Hat, Gloves, Trousers, Gaiters, Socks and Rucksack.[/i][/i] I found Regattas clothing/equipment to be more comfortable and fitted me better and some items were cheaper but only as there was a sale on. So we all got kitted up and done a few local Corbetts and broke our gear in. I found mine most comfortable and I was very pleased with my choices where as a few of my friends moaned and groaned about their Trespass and Mountain Warehouse equipment not quite fitting right or having performance issues. We decided to tackle our first Munro. Bynack More was selected to take our Munro virginity. On our way up the mountain we bumped into a group of what seemed to be older and quite experienced Hill Walkers coming down from the top. As we chatted I asked them what the conditions were like up at the top. They replied the conditions were worse up at the top and that the wind and snow were howling in. Then one "older gentleman" piped up, "You won't survive at the top in that sh*t gear. Regatta are the nastiest worst brand you can buy mate." Then they all laughed, my pals joining in. I know banter when I see it but he meant what he said. In my opinion, that's a pretty shockingly snobby attitude to have, so I'm glad I told him to F*#k himself haha. So is Regatta the nastiest, worst brand you can buy? Cheers.

[malky_c]

Just the usual hill-snobbery really. I mean all of the brands you mentioned are at the cheap end of the market, and you will probably find out that some of the gear won't stand up to repeated heavy use. But that's fine - you mentioned that you are quite new to this and you have to buy some kit to get started. You will probably find yourself gradually replacing items as you decide what works and what doesn't.

My last hillwalking jacket was a Regatta one. I got 9 years of pretty heavy use out of it, so they obviously make some things that last. You might find that the boots wear out fairly quickly though.

[Robinho08]

I always thought Regatta was one of the better brands, I had a Regatta wind-stopper that lasted years. Sounds like a total gear snob.

That said I got waterproof trousers out of Mountain Warehouse and they were shockingly bad. Waterproofing washing out in the rain, leaving soap like suds behind me. Other things I've bought out of MW haven't lasted either, gloves, hats etc.

[Mal Grey]

Just gear snobs, don't worry about it.

I would put MW at the bottom of the pile of what you and your mates bought, but even that is way better than cheap gear was 20 years ago. You did what was absolutely the most important thing; checked it fit and was comfortable for you. Trespass stuff is quite well thought through, but like MW, its bought to hit specific "discounted" price points.

Regatta stuff is aimed at the lower to middle end of the market, yes, but I've always found it to be well made and long lasting. The fabrics might not be quite as high performing as some, in terms of breathability etc, but they always seem durable. Nowt wrong with it.

If those chaps genuinely thought your gear inadequate, it shows they don't actually know what they're talking about. Unless, of course, you'd chosen some of the "fashion" items from Regatta's range rather than the walking stuff Did the gear protect you from the elements? Sounds like it did, and that's what matters.

[Ben Nachie]

I'm guessing you got up and down safely and in relative comfort, and you spent a fraction of what those other guys spent on gear. So who's the smart one and who's the fool?

Yes, those brands mentioned are at the budget end of things, but if they perform well and last a reasonable amount of time, then so what? Job done.

I've bought lots of gear over the years, some of it expensive, some of it not, and what I've found is that although there is some correlation between price, performance and endurance, it's a lot less than you might think. Personally, I reckon the biggest difference between brands is the level of snob value attached.

If it works, keep it. If it doesn't, try something else. Eventually you'll settle on a range of gear items that work for you.

[LeithySuburbs]

I told him to F*#k himself

The correct response.

And "no" is the answer to the original question.

[Essan]

The real laugh is on those who spent £1,000s on top name stuff and then don't even tackle K2 in winter let alone a solo traverse of Antarctica ......

[Scottk]

The guy was a knob and got the response he deserved. You can always buy better, lighter, more expensive gear once your current stuff wears out. By that time you will have a better idea of what you want from the gear, you might have lost weight, you might be doing more adventurous climbing. As long as you are comfortable and enjoying yourself, it doesn't matter what anyone else thinks.

[madprof]

Then one "older gentleman" piped up, "You won't survive at the top in that sh*t gear. Regatta are the nastiest worst brand you can buy mate."

Wow what a...well...

If it works, then it works. The very best thing is you've found a system that is good for you, and cheaply too. By all means replace gear as it wears out with more expensive versions but you got into the hills without paying a lot.

My main fleece is Mountain Warehouse and never been cold in it with my current jacket. Started with a Peter Storm waterproof in winter. Then I got cold in it one day and invested in a better one.

[Moray Mountaineer]

Cheers guys. I had no problems with my gear. My whole body was kept dry and warm so the clothing and equipment definitely worked. I'm quite happy with my gear and will probably stick with it until it deteriorates.

[rabthecairnterrier]

Gear snobs will always be with us.There are bike snobs, car snobs, phone snobs - all sorts. Who cares?
When I was young(er) and more impecunious I was glad of any gear I could get my hands on. I remember having a Regatta "Mountain Coat" in PVC coated nylon back in the 1980's. Not as good as what I use now, but it did the job well enough to enjoy being out in the hills which was (and is) the whole point. Regatta have raised their game quite a bit in the past few years, and even cheap Mountain Warehouse stuff is one hell of a lot better than what most folk were wearing 30 - 40 years ago while still enjoying being on the hill.

[simon-b]

Regatta clothes can definitely do the job for you. As others have said, you can move onto the higher quality brands if the amount of hillwalking you do in the future justifies it. But one area of equipment I would be wary of among the brands you have mentioned is rucksacks. Friends and I have used cheaper rucksacks in the past, and things on them like buckles and drawstrings can break very easily, sometimes during the first use. I still find my old Regatta rucksacks useful as travel sacks, but they have various bits broken or missing, and I wouldn't take them on a hill in demanding conditions.

But as all the others have said, there's no place for gear snobbery. And I wonder what that older gentleman was wearing when and if he went on the hills as a younger gentleman, anyway.

[Poocini]

To be honest, I think you just need to be selective in what you buy at the cheaper end of the market - although I suspect that even with the items that I would be hesitant about, it's more about whether they're a 'made at ten to five on a friday' effort or not.

I've always found base layers, fleeces and gloves to be more than adequate, and I say that as someone who owns several Regatta, Hi Gear and Freedom Trail items! My go to base layer is one that I got in a sale from Mountain Warehouse a few years back, and it's been great.

Where I would possibly be more wary is when waterproofing is involved. There's nothing worse if you're on the hills, it's pouring down, and you can feel the water coming in. Jackets, trousers and gaitors. I wouldn't put much trust in the cheaper boot option either. However.... having said that, I introduced a couple of my workmates to hillwalking fairly recently (Inn Pinn, it was a bit of a baptism of fire!) and one of them bought a cheap pair of black hill boots from sports direct for £25. Not only were they fine for that, and a return trip there later that year, but also stood up to what felt like a monsoon in the early part of a day on the CMD Arete. He was pleased with them, but that's in contrast to the reviews of them, which were mixed to say the least!

But as others have said, if it works for you, then use it and let your experience of it guide you on subsequent purchases.

Oh, and don't scrimp on a flask. The ones at the lower end of the market are utter crap. Your coffee will be lukewarm by the time you leave the house, and it's *very* annoying to be sat top of a mountain on a cold day with your coffee the same temperature as the air roundabout.

Must admit that a lot of the gear I use is hand-me-downs from my late father, and is probably between 20 - 30 years old!

[walkingpoles]

People have been climbing munros in jeans and a primark hoodie. Probably wasn't extremely comfy after getting soaked, but as long as it is a daytrip there is not much that can go awfully wrong.

Shoes are a different story, though. I've lost the soles twice. And I've seen it happening to other people some more times. Probably it's my bad aura.

If anything I'd classify brands according to how close they are to child labor and using environment unfriendly chemicals. I don't know how Regatta is doing in this respect.

The worst cheapo deal I did was buying a 5 pound compass from Argos. I threw it in the bin after one hike. It seemed to change direction with the wind.

The expensive gear has its place, too. You'll figure out what works for you. It's part of the fun.

[Pastychomper]

Must admit that a lot of the gear I use is hand-me-downs from my late father, and is probably between 20 - 30 years old!

I can't quite match that but a lot of mine is hand-me-downs from the armed forces. I've had my mismatched boots for 18 years now so at least one of them might be over 20.