Cappuccino Newsletter October

This summer has been manic with events but behind the scenes Nick and Jim have been beavering away on new and updated products lines. The new products which will include sleeping bags, rucksacks, and a much requested Airic hybrid have already started to trickle through..

Product News

PipeDream Sleeping Bags

The Pipedream sleeping bags are back in stock. They are designed with alpinists, adventure racers and long distance trekkers in mind. People who don't mind sacrificing a little bit for big savings in weight and volume. The body and hood construction use the minimum amount of fabric to help keep the weight down. This is then packed with high quality 750+ fill power Chinese White Goose Down. PipeDream comes in 400 and 600 gram fill weights.
More details..

SkyeHigh Sleeping Bags

Coming in November, a new lower cost entry point to the Alpkit goosedown sleeping bag range. A serious sleeping bag choice for those with big ideas but.. bummer you are limited by a budget. 650+ fill power, ripstop nylon outer and 4 fill weights to cover most situations. Technically it is the most advanced bag we have made, we can't wait to get it on our shelves!
More details..

Airlok Dry Bags

Airlok dry bags are made from siliconised cordura, the same fabric we use for our Apollo bags, however Airlok bags are fully taped and have rolltop lids. Airlok bags are waterproof and ideal for keeping your stuff dry when crossing rivers, creeping around in Amazonia or kayaking off Newfoundland.
More details..

Funky Dabbers

Five new chalk bags to collect from Alpkit. Each bag comes with its own unique pattern based upon our functional Dabber design. Autumn is the seasonal design, take advantage of high friction days and evenings around the fire roasting chestnuts. If you have a less melanchonic disposition you may prefer Spring, the flight of the humble bumble bee signifies spring and the long easy days of summer. For animal fans there is the yin yang inspired Dove or the playfull Cat and Mouse, keep turning the bag to see if the cat will eventually catch the mouse. For purists there is our classic Alpine Dreamin, nothing new here we have been doing it since way back when.
More details..

Other Alpkit News

Alpkit National Innovation Award - coLAB 08

An exciting new award for people interested in the design of outdoor gear. It is open to everyone and will culminate in a showcase event at Europe's biggest consumer show, the 2008 Outdoors Show in Birmingham. We are looking for the 'redbull stove' kind of people, people who can identify a problem and solve it. It doesn't matter how small the potential market because for us it's all about the passion. It will give like minded people a chance to show their inventiveness and to have a proactive voice within the Outdoors Show.
Entry details and Award website..

Plastic Fantastic Alpkit Kayak Series - PFAKS

The final leg of our playboating series took place at Holme Pierrepont. Our own freestylin' AlpJam format was complicated slightly by running the British Championships at the same time, however all went well and competitors were treated to tasty pies. A great way to end our first series, more events to come next year.
Photos, reports and results..

Stock Take

The shop will be offline from 9pm 31 October - 2pm 1 November as we count all of our stock. Operations will be headed up by Count Von Count.

ICE 08

An early heads up for the International Ice Climbing festival in L’Argentière la Bessée. Once again we will be there enjoying the French hospitality and showing off our latest goodies. The events attracts quite a few passing Brits each year and Jerry Gore's AlpBase makes a convenient place to stay.

Competition Climbing

Both Beth and Ashleigh competed at Tout a Blocs during the summer. 37 degrees, 57 problems in 6 hours over two days amongst an International field made it a memorable experience. The weekend was topped off by a days coaching with Liv Sansoz, no stranger to competition climbing herself! Congratulations to Beth who narrowly missed out on making the final at The European Youth Series in Linz (Aut) last weekend. Beth and Ashleigh are part of the British Team, if you would like to get in to competition climbing get in touch with the BCC, or get involved with a local series such as the Nottingham Alpkit Bouldering League.

What's Going on with?

AlpineDream, A lot of our customers are taking our kit to some very cold climates and we want to offer them something better. Once the last of the current AD900s have been sold the AD series will disappear, but don't panic, they will be back next year as a serious top end mountain bag.

Twin Airics, We have searched the 4 corners of the Earth to find someone with a machine big enough, and we are made up that we found it! Double Airics should be with us in plenty of time to make enormous Christmas crackers.

MytiMug, If it ain't broke don't fix it.. well we ignored that sound advice and started fooling around with the lid. Trying to be clever has caused a few production issues, and they are taking much longer than we could have ever imagined. As ever we are trying our best.

If you'd like to be kept up to date when products are back on the shelf contact us at support@alpkit.com indicating which product you are interested in and we'll let you know when we have them.