Sgùrr: Why we started our online climbing shop

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 Robert_H 12 Oct 2022
Summiting the In Pinn on Sgùrr Dearg
Summiting the In Pinn on Sgùrr Dearg

Hello and welcome to Sgùrr. We are a new online climbing shop run by trad climbing enthusiasts Rob and Lucy. We are based in the UK and dedicated to the climbing folk of Britain, but first off, here’s a little about us and how we started…

We have climbed in every corner of the UK, from Scottish mountain crags to Welsh slate, Cornish sea cliffs, and beyond to the alpine regions of Chamonix, the Dolomites, and the Canadian Rockies. Through the creation of Sgùrr, we hope that climbers, mountaineers, and alpinists alike can share our eagerness for adventure and dedication to the outdoors.

We didn’t always have such grand adventures and it took us many years to go from scrambling in North Wales to leading trad. The very first rack we owned was cobbled together from hand-me-downs, including several original MOAC’s, cams purchased from before we were born, and many pieces of rusted and dented crag swag desperately prised from wherever it could be found.

When it was time to upgrade our rack we struggled to find affordable trad gear. This is when we discovered Kouba, one of several European brands offering more affordable climbing equipment (that we now stock on Sgùrr). It was due to this discovery that our idea of creating an online climbing shop began.

The next challenge (aside from the website creation, funding, and Brexit import paperwork!) was choosing a name. ‘Sgùrr’ originated during a climbing trip to Scotland in 2021, where we completed the full traverse of the Cuillin Ridge on the Isle of Skye; an infamous route of epic proportions. The route encompassed everything we love about climbing and mountaineering - the challenge, the freedom, and the accomplishment. To top it all off, we even got engaged standing atop the In Pinn on Sgùrr Dearg. Inspired by these wild and rugged Scottish peaks, we founded Sgùrr in 2021 as a way of facilitating our passion for climbing, mountaineering, and exploration. 

If you found our story and mission interesting, check us out at www.sgurr.shop. Some of our products include:

  • Nuts and cams
  • Climbing-specific apparel
  • Ropes (single, halves, and triples)
  • Climbing shoes
  • As well as a whole host of other climbing-related stuff!

We are still a very small business and run Sgùrr from our home whilst also working full-time jobs. This means we are usually very busy but we always find time to squeeze in weekend climbing trips in our van. You can read more about our climbing trips on our blog page. Sgùrr is still growing as a shop and we are constantly on the lookout for new products to add to our collections, so keep an eye out over the next few months. 

If you’re interested in what we do (and what we have to offer!) head over to Sgùrr Shop or feel free to email us at hello@sgurr.shop if you have any questions. 

Thank you and we hope to see you soon!
Rob and Lucy

Visit Sgùrr Shop


 TheGeneralist 14 Oct 2022
In reply to Robert_H:

Best of luck.

Can I ask what's with the tautological prices?

 Rob Parsons 14 Oct 2022
In reply to TheGeneralist:

'Tautological' prices? What are you referring to?

 Sgùrr 14 Oct 2022
In reply to TheGeneralist:

Thanks! If you can define what you mean by tautological, I will do my best to explain?

 TheGeneralist 15 Oct 2022
In reply to Rob Parsons:

£1.50GBP

£23.00 GBP

Etc

OP Robert_H 15 Oct 2022
In reply to TheGeneralist:

Hadn't noticed this until you pointed it out!

Interesting observation though, it's because we have are hosting our shop on-top of a global platform. It makes more sense when you consider that $1.00 USA == $1.00 CAD.

I suppose that technically £1.00 GBP isn't therefore a tautology, as we could be listing our prices in £ SYP! 

 J72 18 Oct 2022
In reply to Robert_H:

All the best with this I like to support smaller businesses.  I was looking at the trekking trousers but sizing was S, M or L - are there waist sizes given and lengths? 

 BRILLBRUM 20 Oct 2022
In reply to J72:

Same here, looking at the Milo Gala jacket - there's a 'model wears . . .' interpretation but it would be good to have a size chart.

 planetmarshall 20 Oct 2022
In reply to Sgùrr:

> Thanks! If you can define what you mean by tautological, I will do my best to explain?

By tautological, he means tautological.

 planetmarshall 20 Oct 2022
In reply to TheGeneralist:

> £1.50GBP

> £23.00 GBP

> Etc

That would be redundancy, rather than tautology.

 TheGeneralist 20 Oct 2022
In reply to planetmarshall:

> That would be redundancy, rather than tautology.

Sorry, I apologise

OP Robert_H 21 Oct 2022
In reply to J72:

> All the best with this I like to support smaller businesses.  I was looking at the trekking trousers but sizing was S, M or L - are there waist sizes given and lengths? 

Thank you for the feedback, we will look into adding a size guide for our clothing this weekend

 BRILLBRUM 27 Oct 2022
In reply to Robert_H:

Just for the benefit of this post - I bought the Milo (Polish manufacturer) Gaja men's jacket last weekend and it's been used here in Brum and in Ireland in some pretty grotty weather and it's worked brilliantly. The Gelanots fabric is made by Toyota Tsusho and is akin to three layer Goretex I'm assuming, it hasn't wetted-out, no leaks, and no damp patches at pressure points on shoulders or hips where straps and harnesses touch and believe me that whist there has been a lot of sunshine in Wicklow this week there has also been A LOT of rain and wind.

From a usability point of view it works. Pockets are high and away from interfering with the harness, pit zips are split so you can open in either direction and have half a pit open too, zips run smoothly and have garages, hood fits over helmet brilliantly and can be cinched in tight when not wearing a helmet. Fit is good, long-ish in the tail, Large fit my middle-aged 5ft 11 spread well with room to spare for layering, sleeve length is excellent in that they are slightly too long meaning zero lift out of harness/sleeve shortening when reaching-up and will not create a gap between gloves/mitts and sleeve. Also wide enough to easily go over gloves.

Do I have niggles, yes but they are very small considering that for this price I've a jacket that I think rivals some of the far bigger and far more spendy brands out there. Zip pulls/tags are teeny tiny and will not work with mitts (my son's no name waterproof is better equipped) and I'll upgrade with the ones I got from Rob as spares for my ageing Rat Summit duvet. I'd have liked a map pocket and I would have liked a second internal mesh pocket and for them to be bigger, an iPhone 11+ fits but that is about it. The hood stiffener is I think a piece of laminated in floppy plastic which works but isn't brilliant and I much prefer a wired hood.

Longevity/toughness, no idea but the jacket has stood-up to a week of Ireland and its  granite with no scuffs or tears.

There is lots to like about this no nonsense and well priced jacket and I can see me adding bits and bobs from Sgurr's clothing range over time.

NB - not a paid review, I coughed up


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