UKC

I ordered a pipedream 600 yesterday morning, it just arrived, I live up in Moray so that's pretty quick. Can't wait to get out now and give it a test run, infact as I'm on leave that's what I'm going to do, see ya.

In reply to errrrm?: n'other satisfied customer here.. ordered a woomf monday, it was delivered yest. which is good as i need it friday!

In reply to errrrm?:

hearing nothing but good things from this company. They certainly seem to be doing things right.

In reply to Silum:

It's all good advertising though, isn't it? If you're a small company with a limited budget for advertising, why not invest in top-class service instead and let word of mouth do the job for you? I only wish more companies would follow Alpkit's example.

The best move they ever made was giving their staff a biro to write thank you notes on the orders as they were picked. It's a tiny little touch, but really sells the company as a friendly bunch. Needlesports did a lot to earn my custom when a handwritten note with my first rack said that they'd picked slings of different colours to make things easier for me, and if I ordered more in future I might like to let them know which colours I already had so that they could try to avoid them.

In reply to psd:

Agreed. After citilink messed up delivery of my bouldering mat, they couldn't have been more helpful in getting a replacement mat to me asap. Quality mat as well.

In reply to errrrm?: yup...top class company..used them a few times and always exceptional service, they just sent me some glue free of charge to patch a wee airic that's been thru the wars, emailed them one day and had the glue next...All Hail Alpkit!

In reply to errrrm?: Another positive from me too. ordered a phud and a woomf arrived quickly. They did forgot to put the t-shirt i ordered in with the mats but one phone call and it arrived the day after. Excellent value and good service, and so far good quality kit.

In reply to gingerdave13:

OOO, perfect! Whats it like? I wasnt sure whether to get one, maybe a little low quality? whats your verdict on it?

In reply to psd:

Needlesports have been good to me in the past but their returns policy is utter gobsh1te to the point where I probably won't buy anything from them again.

In reply to Mckenzie: give me till after the weekend (font) and i'll give you the full lowdown. But from a size persepctive it's good to fit in my car boot (pug 206) with plenty of space, but it might look a bit small from x meters up!

In reply to gingerdave13:

yer that would be brilliant!

could you maybe post here or on another discussion and PM me just so i know you've posted. I really just don't want to buy one and find i should have spent the extra £30...

In reply to Eric the Red:

Seems fair enough to me, have you actually called them?

http://www.needlesports.com/overseas/uk.htm#returns

In reply to eric the red: what did needle sports do? I have always found them spot on (posted my mate a clipstick out to gorges du tarn!)

In reply to sutty:

Lets say, you want a new waterproof, so you look on needlesports and they have what you want. Ah, but what size? You phone them and say, I have a medium in this brand and a small in this brand, using your size charts what size should I get, considering your supposed expertise in this area?

OK, send me one of those. Thanks very much.

You get it, and it's much too small. Not just a bit too small, but way too small. So, you ask them to send another to find out that not only do you have to pay for the postage to receive the useless item, but you have to pay special delivery to send it back and then pay postage to have the correct item sent to you.

Totally unreasonable IMO.

I've also had problems with their "priority" postage before not getting to me in time despite leaving 4 days.

I happen to think their mail order service is pretty awful for a company with such a good reputation. Certainly compared to other small businesses they have come out pretty shocking for service.

Compared to say Alpkit (see above gushing praise) and Peglers who not only repaired my kit free of charge but then delivered it to my door on their way home from work for nothing.

In reply to Mckenzie: Reet.

verdict: The alpkit woomf.

price 50 quid
Ordering on a monday before a trip that weekend, arrival on tuesday. Wrapped up and ready to go it's popped into the boot. Does it fit? yes.. ample room in my pug 206. Which was the minor concern.

Wasn't able to get the red/chilli as they'd run out of stock so was mustard/yellow one. Not unwrapped until in font on friday. First impressions are good, lovely double shoulder strap (backpack style) 2 simple velcro straps to fold and keep it closed and a hinge system rather than a flat sheet of foam. Colour isn't that bright so no need for the sunnies! Seems a tough fabric on bottom and the sewing all seems good. First walk in (all of 50m) nice and comfy, light and easily chuckable. Good job it's a low boulder area as on first fold out it's not that big.. However, manages very well with that. It's good to have the fold as it can be flipped for those arkward landings which can mean it stays in place better.

Longer walk in (rocher fin), still seems fine, copes with larger ish boulders,, but does need careful placing and/or attentive spotters. Hopefully we should have those anyway..

If i was off to damme jouanne or l'elephant i think i'd want a bigger mat.. or bigger balls as it would be a tiny landing zone from that high! Tis a very simple mat, no frills (sewn in door mat - no, sewn in pocket pha!) that you may have on fancier mats.. But for 50quid it's a nice mat that's well worth the money. Pehaps a review after a years heavy use might find a flaw at that price, but for occasional weekends away, fontage on top of trad work i think it does the trick.

Would i buy it again? Yes
Would i recommend it? Yes if a small mat is what you need.

At the same weekend there was a heavier lad there and his mat is a) slightly bigger and b) thicker which suits him. But for me this ones perfect

In reply to gingerdave13:

Might I suggest landing on ass or feet rather than your balls - it doesn't matter what size mat you have, it will still hurt.

Thanks for review. Will keep it in mind.

In reply to grumpybearpantsclimbinggoat: well there is that..

but at least with a bigger mat you'd have more chance of hitting it! Anyhoo.. i know from those heights you just don't fall.. (or hope you don't!)

nae prob.