UKH

Hi folks

My Faithful Buffalo Active shirt is coming towards the end. It doesn't owe me anything having been part of my wardrobe for over half of my time on this planet. 

It has been to 3 continents, sailed, climbed, camped, witnessed furtive bifters and smuggled beers in its copious pockets. My Buffalo is the ultimate bivvy pillow. It has witnessed triumphant moments and even stemmed blood flow in an emergency. It has kept me warm at my lowest moments and after the most brutal winter surfs. Simply, it is my suit of armour. 

Sadly, the pile is starting to give up the ghost and, despite a zip transplant a few years ago, its become less effective at keeping me toasty. It will still do me atleast another decade of service for dog walks and the like.

Obviously, I sewed a hood on to it and will do the same again this time.

So, the question comes, bearing in mind the list of tasks above

Do I?

a) get another active shirt

B) get a Spec 6

Or

C) get a Mountain shirt?

D) something made by an alternative manufacturer.

(Good luck convincing me of D. No chance!)

In reply to bouldery bits:

Something else - a big face shirt of course!

In reply to Dr.S at work:

It takes a special guy to rock the crotch strap.

I am not that guy.

In reply to bouldery bits:

You do know that there are Velcro patches so you only need to go full nappy when it’s a full nappy moment?

In reply to bouldery bits:

Old Buffalo's never die, mine is still going strong since I bought it in 92, your're just getting soft.

In reply to Dr.S at work:

I will look into it!

Not too closely ofcourse. I have to think of my search history. 

In reply to Andrew Lodge:

A valid point of view. Perhaps I've been in the South too long?

Edit: Your buffalo is only 3 years younger than me. Very cool.

In reply to Andrew Lodge:

Not "die" maybe, just, sort of,... fall apart.

In reply to bouldery bits:

Importantly - have they sorted the chest pocket zip? My windshirt stages terribly here, much worse than the old Velcro version...

In reply to Andrew Lodge:

I think it depends very much on how much you use and wash them. I found the pertex became very soft and absorbent after a number of years of hard use and reasonably regular washing. This was true of a classic mountain shirt, a big face shirt and a pair of high altitude salopettes. It didn't happen with my belay jacket and the second pair of salopettes which I didn't use as much, so presumably didn't wash nearly as much. Once the pertex softens, they are still quite windproof but not very water-resistant. That doesn't matter so much if you're using them mainly for winter climbing. 

I still think the big face shirt is about the most functionally designed piece of mountain clothing I've ever used. The hoods are a bit rubbish though compared to modern hoods on shell jackets. 

In reply to bouldery bits: commiserations on the imminent passing of your dear friend; one's 95 vintage Mountain shirt has seen better days but still serviceable; hood still there, mask was caught by an unexpected gust; the salopettes and belay jacket seem to be bullet proof. Good luck with your replacement. 

In reply to bouldery bits:

As you are clearly a leader of mountain ware fashion, perhaps this would do?

https://www.prada.com/gb/en/men/ready_to_wear/outerwear/products.lr-mx002-m...

In reply to bouldery bits:

Special 6, Big Face and Mountain shirt would be too warm a replacement.  I have the Special 6 shirt and hood and a Mardale jacket with Montane hood for use in extreme winter. Sold the salopettes as too warm.

For spring or autumn I use one of the early Rab Vapour rise but that model is disconitinued.

A friend uses a Rab model with a light weight of Polartec Alpha. She really likes it. Typically it seems to have been discontinued but maybe have a look at Polartec Alpha in its various weights.

Keep us informed.

In reply to bouldery bits:

Slightly disappointed....thought this was a call to all the scruffy, smelly, anarchists hiding in UKC to assemble for the Revolution.

The answer of course is that you keep it, grow old gracefully with it cos as it gets thinner you get tougher and never ever covet those dapper, snug-fitting softshell things all the cool, good-looking climbers wear.....

In reply to bouldery bits:

I don't know what the differences are in the models listed, but if you've had 20 years service out of one, I'd definitely be getting another, as long as it fits and they haven't dicked about with the design or the materials etc

In reply to Graeme G:

I love how Prada have used their regular catwalk model dude in the photoshoot, he looks like he'd be completely out of place in an outdoor environment, why couldn't they have used a gnarly,  beardy, smelly looking  guy like the 'proper' outdoor brands? 

In reply to bouldery bits:

Get another.

I have a small herd: old, current and reserve (in case of future supply problems). Each has a different 🐃 logo too. 

In reply to Dell:

Yes, he does look somewhat ‘uncomfortable’

In reply to bouldery bits:

I have always been tempted by buffalo but their prices are just unjustifiable. If you turn a Rab pile jacket inside out it's basically a buffalo jacket but half the price. If they actually designed the pile jackets to be reversible it would make a lot of sense. They should hire me as a designer. 

In reply to purplemonkeyelephant:

Think of it as an investment, pay up, smile and then laugh as your mates buy a new shell jacket every few years whilst you just drag it out of the back of a cupboard, give it a sniff and decide it doesn't need washing.

In reply to bouldery bits:

My special six is also a 1992 model and has seen some hammer. 
He is currently hanging in the wardrobe but I’m sure he’s moved slightly towards the exit when I mentioned to the wife that the horse chestnuts were in bud.

Hes keen for the right weather in order to get out but the current 10 degrees here may bring him out of hibernation.

I refer to my special six as HIM( stands to attention and salutes) as he has been a massive piece of kit in my hill wanderings and other activities.

As you say, immense once out of the sea, for pulling on as a belay jacket at stops, and as a dog bed in the tent. Not forgetting his single layer use in proper weather.

I won’t  buy another, just continue to repair this one as it has too much history

In reply to purplemonkeyelephant:

They are quite pricey now, but a lot less than say a decent winter hardshell from anyone besides Alpkit.

When I was a lad... but actually, seriously, I used to sell Buffalo stuff by the van load to other student climbers when I worked in a shop in the mid-90s. You could get BF Shirt, HA Salopettes and Belay Jacket for about 200 quid, which was what a semi decent goretex jacket would cost alone. It was by the far the cheapest option for Scottish winter and worked pretty well for that.

They do still make them in Sheffield, which makes them close to unique, even if it isn't necessarily a recommendation!

In reply to Andrew Lodge:

Indeed! My existing one cost me around £70 If i recall correctly. It has cost me significantly less than £4 a year. Incredible value.

In reply to MG:

I think this is good advice. The Poll results are interesting! I will, ofcourse, ignore them completely.

In reply to Dave the Rave:

I admire your dedication! 

Make no mistake, the existing Buffalo will not be escaping me. It'll remain a valued and honoured member of the equipment family.

In reply to purplemonkeyelephant:

Rab used to make the Tech smock, super piece of kit but discontinued aeons ago. I'm not sure why they don't start up manufacture again. I doubt it would be nay cheaper than Buffalo though?

In reply to bouldery bits:

Mountain Shirt streaking away. Incredible scenes.

In reply to Siward:

Well their pile jackets are pile fleece with a windproof liner. If you turn it inside out it looks remarkably like a buffalo jacket (https://imgur.com/jy42yzC ), and you can buy a rab double pile for about £75, with a Mountain Shirt looking around £140. 

With that being said the Rab is made in China and the Buffalo in the UK (which I didn't know until this thread), so if you can afford to support a local business that probably is a better option. 

In reply to purplemonkeyelephant:

Owning both a Buffalo Active Short and Rab Double Pile jacket, I can assure the OP that the Rab turned inside out is *nothing* like a Buffalo! Windproof the Rab is not, and I wouldn't think they would be treatable (proofed).

In reply to Jon Read:

I'm not saying they're the same thing, I'm saying they could quite easily be designed to be reversible and windproof without any real cost increase. 

In reply to bouldery bits:

Which is a great bit of kit but will have you sweating buckets if you try and use as you do the Active Shirt. My Active Shirt is the thing I pick up without thinking, knowing I'll end up wearing it 9 times out of 10, maybe with something over or even (gasp) under it depending on how wet/cold it's going to be.

In reply to bouldery bits:

You forgot e) get a tekmax shirt.  Might be a bit warm though.

In reply to MonkeyPuzzle:

I think this is the right call.

Thanks!

In reply to Toerag:

I look d in to this as you mentioned it. I think too warm is absolutely right! Sounds hardcore.

In reply to bouldery bits:

Do you wear it with nothing else underneath, like a shirt?

In reply to Osiris:

On occasion - yes. Usually I have a light baselayer underneath. I know this is sacrilege but it works for me. 

In reply to Osiris:

Brynge 'string' vests are good under Buffalo if you don't like going commando.  I sometimes wear one in winter on extreme days, but mainly to help with managing sweat (or rain) by avoiding contact saturation.

This last month I've discovered the Mountain Shirt is surprisingly good for changeable weather on the bike. It really evens out the temperature fluctuations, is windproof, well cut, and doesn't flap about. 

In reply to TobyA:

https://www.jackson-sports.com/en/Montane-Extreme-Hood/m-9220.aspx

I got one of these (it says they are discontinued...which is a shame) and it fits perfectly on my big face shirt. I agree; it's an amazing bit of kit and my go-to for Scottish winter.