UKC

For me, like many climbers and outdoor types in the 80's a POD rucksack was the item to have. I got a POD Teardrop, a purple one. It traveled everywhere with me; Malham, gritstone, Spain, Morocco, up alpine rock in California's Sierra Nevada, even to the top of Devil's Tower in Wyoming.

POD is Pete O'Donovan (49) of Sheffield, with his Catalan wife, Angels, and they have been designing, cutting and stitching outdoor equipment: rucksacks, chalkbags and recently bouldering mats since 1983

This UK technical mountain heritage brand has now been sold.

Read a full exclusive report at http://www.ukclimbing.com/news/

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com:

good for him...i hope he made loadsa money.

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com:

Got to say I'm glad he is still involved and happy with what he's seen so far. It will be interesting to see how the range is expanded. POD Black Ice is the best 'sac I've ever had and quite possibly the best I've ever seen.

Cheers,

Peter

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com:

Quite sad in a way. Will the be getting cheaper then as they are sourced from abroad?

how many Uk outdoor firms who make all their stuff in the uk are there left?

Aiguille Alpine - Rucksacks ect - Lakes
DMM - Hardwear - North Wales
Slioch - Paramo style stuff - Scottland
Cioch - Waterproofs - Skye
Quardra - Bothy bags ect - North Wales
PHD - Down gear - Peak

are their anymore?

5 years ago you could have added:

Rab
HB
Troll
Mountain Technology
Terra Nova - At least for Tents
Wild Country

In reply to Tom Ripley Mountain Guide:

Dp alpkit manufacture ?

In reply to John Rushby: yea in china

In reply to Tom Ripley Mountain Guide:

You mean Quara - who incidentally have changed their name to Cave and Crag.

…rth Wales
Slioch - Paramo style stuff - Scottland
Cioch - Waterproofs - Skye
Quar…

Surely it should be:
Cioch - Paramo style stuff - Skye
Slioch - Waterproofs - Scotland?

In reply to Tom Ripley Mountain Guide: ..and UK

In reply to Tom Ripley Mountain Guide: mountain technology still going? if so i want to have a bash at them about my draws, though looks like they not making them in the uk anymore so would probably be a hint as to why theyre crap!

In reply to Gaz lord:

I think they are a part of a group called ponit 5 or something who own the rights to them. the don't make anything in the uk anymore.

In reply to alpkid: i said all their stuff.

I'm not having ago at Alpkit, just poniting out that no one makes stuff here anymore.

In reply to Tom Ripley Mountain Guide: Maybe that's because they can do it abroad, to a higher quality, for less money. No point employing a hundred Englishmen to dig a hole with spoons if a Chinese-made digger can do it faster, cheaper and better is there? As long as quality doesn't drop, and it definitely isn't in Equip's best interest for this to happen, then I'l be happy to get decent stuff at hopefully a cheaper price.

In reply to Tom Ripley Mountain Guide:

Which way?

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com: Well, 5 years go both pod and rab made there gear in sheffeild, now its made in China. I'm sure the quality is just as good, however they are no longer a small iderpendant UK manufacturer.

In reply to Tom Ripley Mountain Guide:
Think they make some stuff here, I've a feeling it's their bouldering mats. On their development section they were asking if they should remain being UK made, or switch to manufacture abrod for a cheaper price, rather wonderfully most people wanted them still made in the uk!

In reply to Katie Weston:
That was in refreence to alpkit btw!

In reply to Tom Ripley Mountain Guide:

Is there a difference?

Between being made in iSheffield or China?

From what Pete at POD says, the Chinese factory is doing an even better job that he could.

You do realise we don't live locally anymore, but globally.

We stay and exist locally mind.

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com: oh well, i'll stop being sentimental... <sniff>

Are we going to sort that aigulle review out sometime?

I'd love a blue question mark.

In reply to Tom Ripley Mountain Guide:



Be objective, attempt your best at spelling and grammar, and it is yours.

Above all, have everyone elses interests above your own agenda, whilst being honest.


Be well Tom.

Mick

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com: can you email ti to me please? it isn't on this pc.

cheers

Tom

In reply to Tom Ripley Mountain Guide:


What is "ti?"

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com: it!

In reply to Tom Ripley Mountain Guide:

Yip...that's the correct spelling, now what are you referring to?

What is the subject of 'it?'

And don't do a Bill Clinton on me.

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com: Could you please send me it, it being the article in question.

As usual i was typing too quickly.

In reply to Tom Ripley Mountain Guide:

I agree, quite sad, not for any misplaced nationalism, but for the fact that in this world where climate change is seriously going to displace millions and result in the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people we're flying f**king rucsacs around the world! Great news for the planet and it's inhabitants.

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com:

Hi all,
Yes equip has entered into an agreement to purchase Podsacs in the autumn. Some of you might know that we bought Rab 4 years ago, and we make all the expedition range and fill the sleeping bags in Alfreton Derbys, (can you add us to the list please of Uk manufacturers)

Yes our plans are to make the range in China, there are several reasons for this:

a) Pete does not want to continue to sit behind a sewing machine, so we would need to recruit a work force, which will be very hard in the UK
b) Pete has always been limited on the volume he can make so has not been able to expand the range, by using China we have much bigger capacity and we are already increasing the range.
c) Yes the labour is cheaper in China, but the biggest cost is the materials, we are continuing to use the same materials as Pete used, many coming from USA and Europe.
d) The small saving we have will be invested in improving the spec of the product, extra stitching and investing in R&D and expanding the range.

To summarize, Equip did not buy Podsacs to turn it into a mass market brand, just as we have not done with Rab, we bought Podscas to develop into the leading Technical pack brand in the UK, and give Kiwis (Macpac) (also made in China) a run for their money
Thanks
Matt
Managing Director Equip

In reply to matt Gowar: I can't deny the hard business logic behind your reasoning but:-

a)
1. If the UK manufacturing indutry continues to decline as jobs are moved o/s, increasingly what will be left will be low-paid service jobs (think higher mortgages and utility bills); so who will have the money to buy the products?
2. The UK won't ever develop the production capacity nor the trained operatives if no-one invests, will they? If that translates into yet greater balance of payments deficits with China, think still-higher interest rates - so even less money to buy kit.

c)
1.What about the conditions of employment in China - are you ethical or using 'slave labour'?
2.What about the environmental impact of the factories in China? Are they less-polluting than UK-based production?

d)If the environmental and ethical backlash against buying product from China (with jobs moved outwith the UK) begins to gain fashion, who will buy your product?

In reply to Dee:
i have to agree. We seem to have forgotten the Chinese human rights record not to mention the massive increase in pollution that China is creating in producing all this kit. It wont be long before prices go up and by then we will make nothing in the UK. I dont blame Pete and his wife for selling out, good luck to them. Without doubt my POD black ice is the best sack i have owned in 30 years of climbing. Im sure it will continue to be a good product.
I wonder how many folks are aware that DMM have out sourcing Wild Country to China, much better profit margins hey boys,but has any one seen RRPs coming down? What future for the boys and girls working in the factory in Llanberis!!!!!

In reply to cirrus: dMMM and Wild Country are seperate companies.

And as far as i'm arawe DMM are not impressed with WC going to china.

In reply to cirrus:

That all of us unavoidably support; our computers, cutlery, cars, electrical components, sports fear, trainers, paper clips, books, furniture, toys, everyday clothes, cameras, camera bags, pens, pencils....

Virtually everything we buy is manufactured away from the UK.

The human rights record was pretty bad in the UK not so long ago. Maybe let's change the subject and look at the slave labour rates of pay in the UK and the USA. I've been there, done it.

It is getting better in China and other far East countries as long as we keep a watchful eye.

We now live in a global economy, the very survival of many outdoor companies depends on the outsourcing manufacturing.

AND of course, as many threads at UKClimbing.com testify...people want the cheapest stuff, or the best stuff at ridiculous discounts.

No wonder the outdoor trade is hurting.