Iconic in the real world can be anything. The iconic view of Paris with the Eiffel tower in view. That picture of Twiggy aged about 17 with those huge spidery eyelashes, or Marilyn holding onto her billowing white skirt. Defining moments that create a cultural knowledge. In products, these are the ones like Vaseline, Nivea, Oxo and Campbell’s soup- usually products that have wormed their way into everyone’s subconscious through art, childhood, or simply having a brand that deviates very little over time and has rave reviews simply from doing it’s job, or sticking around long enough. These are iconic, cult items.
The outdoor world has iconic products that become iconic because they work well. Some people complain that their items are ‘too popular’ – the hills are covered in people wearing their brand new Brasher boots. Of course, you can’t please everyone 100% of the time, but this sort of gear is the kind of stuff that plenty of people own and get along with well, so it becomes iconic -it’s popular for good reason.
Luckily for us we sell some of it too, and some of the gear we sell has been around about two decades longer than some of the younger members of staff!
So here’s the list – Iconic products- Part one! Don’t forget to add what you think is iconic too!
- Proper rambler’s boots!
The Brasher Hillmaster GTX Walking Boots are the ultimate rambler’s boot! Made with classic leather and a rain-repelling combo of GORE-TEX® and shiny full grain leather, these are the ultimate hardwearing, lightweight and comfortable three-season hill-walking boots .
The Hillmaster haven’t changed in their design, but techy features like the GORE-TEX® membrane and the EVAlution anti-clogging outsole means that mud won’t clump to your boot and get heavy, pretty useful if you’re out walking day after day.
Wild Country Technical Friends
- A handy cam for the rock face
The Wild Country Technical Friends are truly iconic if you’re a climber. These cams are some of the best, and are great even for beginners or seasoned climbers. Colourful and available in every size for every rock type, they have a flexible cable stem and a nylon sheath that balances well to allow easier placement without giving up your control. The cams have changed a bit, and in recent years have been hollowed to reduce their weight, but this doesn’t affect their strength. Made from an incredibly strong metal compound, the Technical Friend resists corrosion and lasts for years. A great must have for any climber.
- A 40 year old brand – Ronhill make the BEST running gear
If you love running, you’ve got to love Ronhill. The man behind the brand runs every single day- so you know the products he makes are going to be built to run. The Trackster Classic have an enduring design, made with a smooth synthetic that feels great in Summer and Winter. The classic stirrup design and one-stripe side means when you slide these on, you feel like a runner before you’ve even warmed up.
- The hat that just doesn’t stop!
The above shows the LTM5 Hat from Tilley a classic look Tilley hat. It might just look like a sun hat, but really Tilleys are so much more.
Tilleys are replaced free if they ever wear out, shrink or fall apart. They`re so carefully handcrafted by Tilley in Canada, and made of such strong materials, that many outlive their owners! A grizzly but comforting thought!
They are made with Tilley Airflo® which is a mesh into the crown, and are made from Tilley Nylamtium®, a strong water-and-mildew resistant form of nylon. They repel rain, block 98% of all UV rays (with an SPF of 50+) they stay put in a breeze, keep you cool and comfortable – in fact, they are so good, we are sure one day they intend to leave their owners behind and go off adventuring solo.
- 40 years on – it’s still selling!
The Force Ten is a genuine classic that has been proved on countless expeditions all over the world for the last 40 years, As tough as old boots and reliable as ever, this is built on a simple A-frame with a super 15,000 hydrostatic head. Produced by the same company that owns Vango, and they do use the Vango name, but it’s a Force 10 tent. UV resistant Protex® DWR cotton means this is more breathable than man-made material tents, and the poles are some of the strongest we’ve ever seen. A brilliant iconic tent.
What else do you think is iconic in the outdoors world?
Elaine
