Regular readers will know that my boy loves to be out and about in the great outdoors. For years he was a Beaver, then Cub and then Scout. He then joined the Police cadets last year and more recently an Adventure in Creation programme at the large conference centre where we live. These clubs mean that he gets involved with all sorts of amazing and exciting activities such as kayaking, hiking, orienteering, bouldering, wood carving, paint balling and camping out.
He's also waiting to find out when the next Duke of Edinburgh course will start and if he's been accepted on to it. We're hoping he will be, due to his varied experience, both outdoors, and through paid and voluntary work. Of course when you're spending a lot of time outdoors, especially in the Autumn and Winter months you need to have very good clothing and footwear to ensure you stay warm and dry.
JJ was super lucky that Simply Hike wanted to send him a couple of items to help him get kitted out for this year. As that's the problem with teens, they just keep on growing, but I'm now hoping at a size eleven feet and XL jacket that he may just stop there and he can enjoy these items for some years to come.
Simply Hike is a name I know as I've bought from their sister company, Simply Swim before. They established in 2006 online and are based in Kent and I have to say that I do love to buy from a British company. Simply Hike sell hiking, skiing and outdoors clothes and equipment for men, women and children.
I love the variety on the Simply Hike website, it was seriously easy to find things that JJ wanted to buy. JJ opted for a pair of walking shoes as he had been wearing his dads Berghaus ones just recently, and seeing as they sometimes go out walking together, they need a pair each. He chose The North Face mens black Hedgehog Fastpack GTX trail shoe in black and he absolutely loves them. If he could wear them to school, he would. The shoes retail for £90 on Simply Hike but they have an RRP of £120, so this is great value.
This lightweight shoe features a Gore-Tex® membrane to ensure you stay dry and the Ortholite® footbed provides a layer of cushioned softness. Cradle™ technology reduces foot fatigue by stabilising your foot and the Vibram® outsole provides outstanding grip. JJ can certainly confirm that from the first wear they were super comfortable and he didn't get any blisters, like you do with some shoes. The North Face and Gore-Tex® are both names that we know and trust.
We were then looking at lightweight jackets that are suitable for when he is doing outdoor activities and also just to wear over his blazer on the walk to school when it is raining. He fell in love with a Montane Featherlight Down Jacket but we thought this might be a bit snug over his blazer, so he went for a more traditional lightweight raincoat. His choice was a Berghaus Stormcloud Hydroshell jacket in carbon colour. Again this was a great price, at £68, when the RRP is £100.
This jacket is lightweight but also features Hydroshell® technology, which makes it 100% waterproof but also breathable, so you stay dry and odour free, without your coat clinging to your skin. With two front pockets for your hiking essentials, plus an adjustable hood, adjustable cuffs, and a drawcord hem it is perfect for any outdoor activity thrown at it.
I ordered the goods on a Thursday and they arrived with me on the Monday, so I was very happy with that and they were packaged well, with instructions about returns if I needed to do so. Thankfully everything was fine and JJ and I went straight out for an Autumnal walk to try his new gear out. This weekend has been atrocious weather and JJ wore his coat up to work and stayed bone dry, just as you'd expect with Berghaus.
Thanks so much Simply Hike, it has been a pleasure shopping with you and we will certainly be back!
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Disclosure: We received a pair of walking boots and a jacket free of charge for the purpose of this review. I have not been instructed what to write and I remain honest.
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