If you’re sad enought to have been reading my blog for a few years you’ll know how highly i regard @phd_uk_made clothing.
The synthetic Zeta Belay is hands down the best hideous conditions belay jacket. The original version of it was a religion for some users.
An article @andy_k_climbing Andy Kirkpatrick wrote about it – here
After a call-out on Mam Tor on Saturday a few or we Edale MRT aspirants headed to the @outside.co.uk cafe for refuelling.
There is a used gear rail there in conjunction with @re_action_collective and @sheffieldclothingrepair are there doing their thing too.
As i walked past the end of the rail there was a jacket. The jacket was PHD. I thought it was the synthetic Zeta, and momentarily thought ‘i’ve got one of them’. It wasn’t. It was the down variant – perhaps most akin to the Delta K in their current range. But it had extra pockets and reflectives. And it was a large. And apparently most of the shop staff had been trying it on.
The inner geek in me dated it at a guess to about 2009/10.
The price tag of the current one is just shy of £900. The fill and the quality of construction (still handmade in Manchester) justifies that price. This one had a swing tag on it for £100. I realised as i carried it to the checkout that my geek level on the history and design of outdoor gear is embarassingly high.
A bloke stands next to me at the counter. He donated the jacket to the shop. He ‘had bought it in 2009 and had work it a few times at his desk when it got a bit cold in his house’.
It’s immaculate. It’s mine.
I had a sneak peak at some of the stuff that will appear on the rail over the coming weeks – some great gear raising funds for two really important local causes – @archerproject and @moorsforthefuture.
Praying for a long cold winter now !!!