BOOTS, SHOES, HATS, GLOVES & BAGS and OSPREY

Here is a quick précis of some of the gear chosen.

Boots: Scarpa Nepal (a pretty combination of grey & black)
Camp & Hotel shoes: Innov-8 Mudrocs (a dashing combination of black & grey)
Hat: Lowe Alpine Mountain Cap (in exquisite mid black)
Gloves: Polartec (black)

To go with this ensemble I have a black Paramo Velez jacket, black Polartec Haglof tights, black & grey Icebreaker tops. My PDA is dark grey, My portable keyboard is black, my phone is black. My chargers are black. I like black.

And then the hunt for the rucsac started. I have narrowed it down to an Osprey Atmos (Large). It has a capacity of a tiny 53 litres. This means that I have to take the minimum of gear and have a more comfy 16 weeks.

Now girls, what colour shall I choose? The choice is between a nice grey & red one, and an even more fabulous grey and dark grey one!

So, all I have to do is track down the grey and dark grey one.

There were none in Cambridge. None in the whole of Keswick and I heard from Fisher’s in Keswick today that there were none in England, but I could have a blue one if I waited a bit…

Nothing for it but the internet.

I tracked down Osprey’s website and plucked out an American dealer, who had one in stock, and so I placed an order with them for the exact thing I wanted, only to get an email back saying that I ‘should deal with Snow & Rock’ in England as they were not allowed by Osprey to sell in to the UK.

I reckon this is restraint of trade.

I then tried EVERY website of dealers in the UK shown on Osprey’s website, looking for a grey/ dark grey one. There were none. I have written to Osprey in the UK to ask them what they can do.

I actually want a black one as I am having the pack embroidered with Sue Ryder Care’s Logo (see it at the top of this blog) and I don’t want it being messed up with a red fabric.

I have emailed Osprey asking if they will consider selling me what they make.

So far, I am singularly unimpressed with the whole affair.