Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Cotswold Outdoors Review



Cotswold Outdoor has a wide range of children and adult clothing and accessories for everyone to enjoy. .

Before I start I must mention that Cotswold Outdoors  have been used by us lots of time already, Paige  is working her way through the Duke of Edinburgh award scheme, she aways has her boots bought there, socks, equipment, the reason being the service. We use Cotswold Outdoors for any camping trips or for holiday essentials.

The staff make time to get the clothing and gear right for the person. Paige is very slender and had to get boots that were right for her narrow heel and high instep.

They ensured she left the shop with a good pair of boots that fit really well, in fact, she returned from her first Bronze practice and subsequent  actual trek, with an unopened pack of blister plasters.
We trust their advice now, so for me when I was asked to review them and some of their gear I was pretty confident already.

This single pole is a high quality three section 7075 alloy trekking pole with an on-off antishock system built in. The Eva Grip handle with neoprene strap is comfortable in use and the pole comes complete with a 50mm basket, a carbide tip and rubber tip protector.
 
Paige found this to be an essential, although only after she saw a few of her D of E companions use them while on the last trip. The pole is foldable so easy to store, so light it did not add to her weight. She said it was a lifesaver on her recent silver practice, maybe a little exaggerated but she did find it to be invaluable. It dug in and helped her balance. Gave her an extra arm she said as if somebody was helping her up a hill.
 
 
 

Restyled for this season, the Verden features the updated, BIOFIT back system, in a women's specific fit. The benefit to improved load carriage comfort, making this an ideal choice of backpack for all levels of experience.
 
 
When it comes to a Duke of Edinburgh approved rucksack for women, she found this to be ideal.  
 
This bag is amazing, for weight alone it was good, her back was much improved on previous treks, yes she was weary and achy but not at the start and her energy was there longer she felt.
 The silver award  is a longer expedition, you carry all your food, tent, everything you need so she had extra supplies. She said that it did not feel as heavy as her Bronze trips.
The straps she felt were great, easy to adjust at the front, it fit her height, and tiny frame.
 
I saw this when she wore it. The first trip she did she was too slight to carry this size bag, she nearly keeled over when packed on. So she had a smaller bag for those trips which meant all her stuff was too packed. This bag she did not look overladen.
 
The inbuilt water reservoir meant she did not have a choice of vital water in a bottle out of reach or near to hand but annoying if it moved about.
It was a tough bag that survived being sat on, it had a raincover that went straight over, again not having a separate cover made it fast to get on and keep moving. Walking pole neatly fit in the attachment, Berghaus seemed to have thought of all needs.
Paige's only moan was the carry handle she said was too small,even in her tiny hands she felt it needed to be bigger. That said it was still strong enough to hold the weight.
 

We were impressed by the Cotswold suggestions for Paige's practice trip and we both highly recommend you take a look online or instore at the vast range of gear for adults and teens including Waterproof Jackets, Baselayer Tops,Baselayer Bottoms, Lifestyle Clothing and Footwear from leading brands such as North Face, Berghaus, Salomon, Lowe Alpine and Merrell.

Cotswold Outdoors also have a huge selection of camping equipment including Tents, Sleeping Bags, Lanterns & Torches; Travel Equipment such as Rucksacks, GPS, Leki Walking Poles, Luggage and Climbing gear


Also don't forget the new Explore More card for great discounts, competitions and previews. See more details when you click here 

Take a look at the  range of Children's  accessories below.


Ladybird Little backpack RRP £19

Designed to inject a bit of fun into taking the kids outdoors, they should love this little pack, with a pullout hood, removeable child safety strap and a different animal pattern - you may have trouble taking this away from them at the end of the day! British Standard Certified.

Hi-Tec Altitude IV Waterproof boots - junior RRP £30

Dry feet are happy feet. For kids who like wild places these waterproof boots have a soft, padded leather collar to protect ankles and durable carbon rubber soles that will stand up to the most adventurous scrambling.
Columbia Edie Princess Set RRP £50

 

Bundle your sweet little princess in this super cozy set and let her roam throughout her kingdom in style. Fully lined with pillow-soft fleece, it's super warm and perfect against sensitive baby skin. Fully waterproof to protect against the spring showers, and the bibs feature convenient adjustable snaps to ensure the perfect fit. A zip all the way along the inseam makes both dressing and diaper changes a cinch.


Little Life Freedom Child Carrier RRP £150
The Freedom is a highly specified carrier, ideally suited to long rambles or days out. This carrier uses a fully adjustable Airflow backsystem which maintains an air gap between the carrier and your back


With a wide range of outdoor equipment and clothing Cotswold Outdoor stock top brands in waterproof jackets, walking/trekking pants, boots, travel accessories – everything you need for your family this spring




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