UKH

Just heard that Hamish Hamilton has died. The inventor of Pertex, Buffalo clothing and the Vango Force Ten tent - that's some record! I suspect most people here will have used at least one of those (at least if you're over a certain age🙂). I gather he was quite a character too. RIP Hamish

Sad news.

Hopefully a UKC/H obituary coming soon?

It sounds like he packed a lot of adventure into his life.

Certainly deserves one. The outdoor world owes him a lot.

That's sad news. 'Hamish' & his wife Trudi were frequent visitors when we ran the coffee van at Stanage, & were truly lovely people 

IIRC there's some stuff about it in Mike Parsons and Mary Rose's book "Invisible on Everest". There's certainly a mention of it in an article they wrote for Lancaster Uni (on core.ac?). In the latter they describe Hamilton as being the first person to use pertex rather than the inventor of the actual technology, and he was certainly the first person to pair it with fibre pile.

I used to deal with Buffalo for work too. As you said, always great to deal with.

I had a couple of spells in outdoor retail many moons ago. The shop received a consignment of Buffalo tops but all the hoods were missing so I rang them up and a jovial voice said, "Ah, sorry about that. It was our packing technicians birthday and he was pissed. We'll send them now."

Made my day.

But they didn't come with hoods! You had to buy them separately! And you'd always lose the flappy detachable bit that would cover your mouth (and make you look a bit like a gimp). I vaguely remember Buffalo's advice was baasically: 'if you used the face cover bit and didn't want to lose it, sew it on one side. It only needed a few stitches and, come on, sewing is hardly hard is it?'

My recollection is it came from the fabric used for typewriter ribbons.

The hoods were part of the order.

Talking of gimp wear, did you ever see the underpants? Pertex with a pile lining at the front to keep your bits from freezing. They must have been seriously anti social after a long day on the hill. 

Think it was 32 years ago that my auntie and uncle got me this Pertex top and over trousers. They ran an outdoor shop in Grasmere (and Ambleside before that) so I was always spoilt when it came to outdoorsey presents. It’s still going strong, weighs close to nothing so I often pack it just to stick on when it’s windy. Used to take it on multi pitch routes as well, just to take the edge off the chill when belaying. 

Edit: I meant 42 years ago !

Close. 

"production manager Steve Laycock began applying computer ribbon technology to fabrics for the outdoor trade and Pertex was the result. To improve the light, windproof and breathable fabric, he worked in close contact with his outdoor customers, first Hamish Hamilton and later Rab Carrington."

From Mike Parsons and Mary Rose's article (on www.core.ac.uk)

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Not only have I seen them, I did at one point own a pair of Hamish's famous "strangest men's underwear ever"!   I do remember actually trying them on in the privacy of my own room, and thinking they were super un-comfy as the pertex at the back would "g-string" itself up your... well I'm sure you can guess! I never wore them 'in anger' and have no idea what happened to them. Must of got thrown away before some move perhaps. 

Shortly after he sold his business to his accountant I helped him sort out some computer problems. He insisted on giving me a complete Bufallo outfit. This was made to measure! I still have it and use the pullover regularly on cold wet days.

I think the word 'printer' may be missing... Early lineprinters were essentially typewriters, and the ribbon identical.

Yes, I'm old enough to remember using them🙂. The article does distinguish between the ribbons though, so maybe there was some minor difference. Obviously one use evolved from the other.

I do recall (and this may be apocryphal nonsense) that when it was suggested that he must have chosen orange for the Force Ten with safety and rescue in mind he replied, "No. That orange glow inside is quite a seductive light if you are camping with a woman".

Yes, I read that somewhere too🙂

It did tend to give you the idea that the weather outside wasn't as crap as it often turned out to be

"The weather outside wasn't as crap...."

It always was!