UKC

Hi all,

I am looking to kit my self out with a full alpine layering system. I am trying to do it as cheap as possible without compromising to much on the quality. I have come across the French company "simond". Does anybody know if they are any good. Visually the products seem fairly good but I couldn't find anything else about them.

Thanks.

In reply to arnyrogers: Now owned by Decathlon, used to be good & probably too soon to say if the quality has changed That said the rucksac I bought recently seems OK

In reply to arnyrogers: Bought a pair of the soft shell trousers - excellent value.
jon

In reply to arnyrogers: Yes the soft shell trousers are excellent value for money.

In reply to arnyrogers: Simond have made ice axes, crampons and the like for a century I think. They were a reasonably small specialist climbing equipment maker that didn't do clothing and the like until a couple of years ago when Decathlon bought them. They still seem to be making the hard goods but Decathlon are just rebadging their more technical mountain clothing as "Simond", not that this is a good or bad thing.

I've got the softshell troos too, and have been very impressed with them. For the money they are very very good. See: http://lightfromthenorth.blogspot.fi/2013/03/simond-alpinism-pants-review.h...

In reply to arnyrogers:

What Toby said. I have some thin leather and softshell gloves of theirs that have been oustanding

In reply to arnyrogers:
Can only speak for the solid gate qdraws rather than any clothing, but they are good.

In reply to TobyA: Are the zips on Simond gear better than on Decathlon? I got a Quechua waterproof for £40 which was reduced from £70, and after approx a year of pretty heavy use, the main zip doesn't work anymore and the side pocket zips don't either.

It's put me right off Decathlon/Quechua gear, as the zips on some £40 waterproof trousers didn't stay fully functional for long either, about a month or 2.

They're not a patch on Rab or Mountain Equipment I think , in my experience at least.

In reply to arnyrogers:

they seem to make the Ascent helmet for DMM but the clothing is a bit of leverage. some of it is very good though.

In reply to TobyA:

The Barracuda was the technical axe to have once upon a time with a Chacal Hammer IIRC