We asked our customers which were their favourite brands in 2013 
2013 was a year of testing weather, who can forget the snow which seemed to stick around until April/May time, a wait for the sun and then being blasted with record heat for what felt like a pretty reasonable British summer time. As we stroll back through what has so far been quite a mild winter, we took to Facebook and Twitter to ask our customers – Which were your favourite brands of 2013?
We were looking for the best performing brands, brands that showed great innovation, quality, value for money and you answered in your hundreds – thank you!
We’ve collated the results and can reveal the top 10 outdoor brands for 2013, as voted by the GO Outdoors social community.
10. Merrell
Merrell didn’t make our top 10 last year, but only just missed out. This year they creep in, offering fantastic footwear on regular basis. Customers who buy Merrell will often sing their praises as fantastically comfortable, rugged items of footwear. We’re big fans of Merrell too, and 2013 saw us bring in some more from the Merrell running range including the popular Merrell Barefoot shoes.
9. Scarpa
Scarpa remain a firm favourite with hikers, and with the quality of their boots it’s not difficult to see why. Our Scarpa range covers from trail shoes, to approach shoes to stiff mountain boots.
8. Paramo
Paramo fans will tell you that they should place much higher on this list, they’d probably be right. Paramo clothing may be a little heavier, but the moisture management of a Paramo jacket is second to none. Paramo products are produced in Colombia by women who are part of the Miquelina Foundation, which helps to turn the lives around of women some of which coming from lives of prostitution. Working with Paramo they are given qualifications and the chance to learn a trade. So when you purchase Paramo, you’re also helping a great cause.
7. Hi Gear
2013 was a big year for Hi Gear, as a brand that offers value for money, sometimes the quality of the products can go unnoticed. This year saw vast improvements in Hi Gear footwear and clothing, and the launch of a great looking children’s range for this winter. Next year will see a brand new Hi Gear tent range, with new colours and styles coming to our tent fields. With the vast popularity of the Hi Gear camping range, we’re looking forward to seeing the new range coming early 2014.
6. Vango
Vango are another brand to climb into our top 10 this year. 2013 saw GO Outdoors stocking the industry changing Airbeam tents for the first time, and our customers loved them. That coupled with Vango producing great quality Rucksacks that are recommended for Duke of Edinburgh expeditions, we’re always being asked for Vango products. If you haven’t seen an Airbeam tent set up, and if you’re not sure about the idea – do make sure you check one out, they are fantastic.
5. Outwell
Last year Outwell were the only camping brand to break into our top 10 brands. This year they’re joined by others, but have still managed to get more of your votes. Climbing from 10 to 5 in our rankings. The popularity of the Danish camping brand knows no bounds. Outwell are always seen as one of the best brands in camping for their quality, spacious tents. With a great look and great value for money, Outwell customers always sing their praises.
4. Berghaus
We’re back to clothing with Berghaus, who are a brand that always manage to create quality outdoor gear, while still being popular with non-outdoor customers as well as our hardened walkers. 2013 saw us introduce a larger Berghaus range including their new Hydrodown jackets. With a range that stretches from clothing, to packs and footwear, you can in effect get a full adventure ready outfit, all from one brand.
3. Mammut
No other brand has played a bigger part in our stores in 2013 than Mammut. Their team are passionate about their products and often do talks in our stores to help customers understand what they are capable of as part of our ‘Mammut Mega Mammoth days’ (did we mention they sometimes bring a huge inflatable Mammoth as well?). This year marked our largest Mammut range to date, and the customers have given us great feedback, as proven by their climb from number 8 last year, to number 3 this year in our rankings.
We’d also like to thank Mammut for donating mini cuddly Mammoths that we sold in our stores, with all proceeds going to Mountain Rescue charities. We raised over £10,000.
2. Montane
Alongside Mammut, Montane are our highest climbers in these rankings, climbing from 7 to 2 this year. Montane clothing is lightweight, reliable and becoming more and more popular with our mountaineering and climbing customers. Along with insulated jackets and waterproof shells, our Montane ranges also stretches to packs and lightweight running jackets which prove popular year after year. Montane, along with the brand that ranked number 1 were runaway winners with the voters this year.
View our full Montane range here
1. RAB
For the second year running, you have voted Rab as your favourite brand and it would be hard to disagree. Comments from the voters made claims of Rab’s reliability, the quality of product and just how fit for purpose everything they make really is. 2013 also saw us introduce Rab’s new Hydrophobic Down into our range, which really is a step forward in down technology.
Rab offer clothing for the most extreme conditions making use of top technologies like eVent, Neoshell and Hydrophobic Down. If you’re serious about the outdoors, there’s a good chance you own at least one piece of Rab kit, and if you don’t? It’s about time you took a trip to one of our stores to check out what all the fuss is about.
Congratulations Rab – can they make it three years in a row next year?
Thanks to all our Facebook/Twitter followers for their votes, and their reasoning. It seems like a rather fair top 10, I look around here at GO Outdoors HQ and it’s awash with the top 3 brands in this list. Every brand offers something different, for different activities.
Did your favourite brand make the list?
Why not leave us a comment with your favourite brand and why you like them better than the rest.
