UKC

Wow! Any millionaire climbers used one of these yet?

https://www.outside.co.uk/brands/p-s/silly-goat/silly-goat-davey-boy-brush....

What an apt company name.

Yeah, I found one on the ground in Northumberland.

It's a bit useless for brushing pockets as the head is so bulky, but it's great for the alloy rims on my Porsche.

As a friend who actually sells these things says "If you've got £37 to spend on a toothbrush, buy a shoe brush from Tesco (does the same job) for a fiver and put £30 in the charity box"

They have them on poles at Red Goat Centre in York.  I thought they looked stupidly poor value, then tried theirs, liked them so bought one.  A mate thought they were stupid and expensive.  Then he tried mine and then he bought one too.

I bought another one and mounted it on my beta brush.

I used both today on the grit.  I really like mine but appreciate they’re not cheap!

Also used one for the first time yesterday. They're nice, but not nearly £40 nice. For contrast, you could by 8(!) lapis brushes for the same money...

I'm all up for compostable and biodegradable products, but my 90p plastic toothbrush still works well after 10 years years.

A very good boulderer once said to me "If your brush isn't wearing out every few months, you're not doing it right"

?! Because you're not brushing your grit project enough to make the holds big enough to hang?

The great news is that when this happens you can send it back to Steve (the man behind Silly Goat) and he’ll pop on a replacement head for you.

The brushes are nice to use and yes, they’re more expensive than other brushes, but you’re supporting a UK business where everything is hand-made. The story behind Steve visiting brush-head manufacturers and working with them to develop something meeting his requirements is cool too. Must have been interesting for the makers involved.

And let’s face it, people spend more money on things which will get used much less. They’re a really nice product and I was happy to buy one. 

I have no problem with people using whatever they like but having tried a lot of different brushes over the years I found most were so crap they were in the bin almost straight away OR within a short time when they wore out.  Many were plastic and as we all know we don't want or need plastic in the world. 

Silly goat offer bristle replacement and the brushes work.  Simples. 

So once your onto your 4th or 6th plastic disposable brush add up the cost cos chances are I'm still using my first silly goat brush.  

.. o and wherever I am people always ask to borrow the silly goat brushes from me, they do the job very well.  IMHO these are some of the best brushes, sustainably sourced wood handles and should last your lifetime of climbing, nuff said.

I wear through my brushes over a few months: 30% cleaning what I'm working on as I go; 70% brushing the disgusting amount of chalk left by weekenders off the boulders I'm working on.

p.s. What's the bristle replacement cost?

My problem is that I tend to lose my brushes, which would be very depressing if it cost that much!

As with all "premium" products, the danger is that these increase the price point for the more realistically priced stuff. 

Remember a few years ago when the first few pairs of rock shoes started costing in excess of £100,and the avalanche that followed. 

I think you could pay over £100 10 years ago when I started. 

Yeah, I am old, a few can easily tend towards 10 or 15. Anyway the time isn't the issue.

Stuff like this leaves me split down the middle, half in despair, the other half thinking "if folks are so gullible, perhaps I should jump on the bandwagon and make my share" 

Homeopathic chalk anyone? 

The time is definitely the issue due to inflation. This comes up time and again on here, in real terms boots have not got more expensive. 

I fail to see what the bandwagon is. It's a product that's more expensive which will probably last longer than some cheaper versions.

You'd do the same with boots, with jackets, with cars. Why not something that's perhaps less important button the grand scheme of thing but something that most people own. 

And surely you need 3 Silly Goats' brushes?

If you want to compare the price in real terms it is.

Thought this was a post about hipsters....

Which proves absolutely nothing.

I spent about twice as much on a Camalot 6 which I use only a couple of times a year (whereas I use my Sainsburys washing up brush several times a week to brush holds). If I could have got something which did the same job as the Camalot 6 for a couple of pounds I would have.

You cannot be expected to be taken seriously if you use words like simples and nuff said. 

Out of interest does he replace the head for free? I mean the cost is still ridiculous but if he does replace the head for free then fair enough. That is quite a service. 

Massive facepalm.

This is up there in terms of value and diminishing returns alongside premium 'gold dust' chalk. 

I would assume not - the core cost of brush head won’t be immaterial to the overall cost. However I’ve not got to the point of having to replace mine after quite a while of use. 

Therein lies the difference in people’s thoughts/priorities. I (and it may seem like others do too) would prefer to buy a product that’s hand made by a small business in the UK which will likely last longer than a cheaper alternative which is shipped in bulk from China. 

Your comment suggests you would rather go for cheaper alternatives, which is fine. 

I don’t see why people get fancy cameras, cars, crockery sets, etc etc, when cheaper alternatives are available and they all do a similar job. But if you were to say to me that the better model will last longer, is more sustainable and you can refurbish it when it’s nearing the end of it’s life then that makes the argument for spending more on those things. 

It’s exactly the same here. It’s a product priced higher than others in the market which does the same job but is a different product in terms of it’s manufacturing etc. I assume it isn’t intended for those who are happy using a toothbrush because it’s cheap. Though I’d recommend trying one (cheaper ones are about £20) - they’re nice to use and likely work better than a tooth brush

If I really thought it would last 20 times as long I agree it would be worth buying if it were not for the fact that I generally lose a brush after a relatively short time, it being an item you repeatedly use and chuck on the ground.

serious?  this a climbing chat forum not life and death.  simples and nuff said. 

postage.

I bought a Silly Goat brush last year from Steve when I met him in a campsite near Font. We'd chatted quite a lot over the week we were there, he'd shown me his brushes but it was only on the last day I decided to buy one.

I do a bit of woodwork myself and there's no doubt that I'm a bit of a sucker for a well-made, nicely carved wooden thing anyway. It looks good and feels really nice in the hand. I'd also had a really good and enjoyable Font trip so was certainly in a feel-good mood when I bought it and the brush is something of a Font souvenir, a place that, while I'm not principally a boulder, I do have a lot of affection for.

So the reasons I bought the brush are no doubt mostly emotional. But it is a good brush with dense, stiff bristles. Steve says that they are long lasting and he worked a lot with various brush manufacturers to make a design specifically for the purpose. I haven't really had mine long enough to judge its durability but it does a good job of cleaning holds. 

There are three sizes - the one in the OP's link is large and probably more suited to walls than outside bouldering. I have the middle size - Jack the Lad - named after Steve's son (or was Steve's son named after the brush?). I got it from Steve for 25 euros.

Steve will replace the head and at least the first time is free - maybe more. I guess you'd pay for P&P. 

To be honest, I wouldn't have bought it from a shop - I've just used tooth brushes before. But I have no regrets buying the brush, I like it very much. I can think of plenty of times I've got much worse value for money out of 25 euros.

I don't own one but have used them and they are REALLY good brushes!

My other half will get the hint one of these days for Xmas

Well no I'm not serious, it was a joke. How do I know if people take you seriously. You could work as an armed police officer for all I know - I would always take them seriously even if they start talking to me like a cartoon meerkat. 

I saw one of these today, they are huge and the number of bristles is immense, I'd say there are easily 35 times the number of a £1 toothbrush.