This year I’ve written three pieces for Rohantime about Rohan and the clothing I used on long distance walks in the late 1970s and the 1980s – Land’s End to John O’Groats, the Pacific Crest Trail and the Continental Divide Trail. These pieces have now been gathered together on Rohantime and I’ve written a short Introduction about Rohan and how the innovations they introduced back then – stretch “soft shell” fabrics, thin lightweight windproof fast drying clothing, thin synthetic insulation – and for which they were mocked by some in the outdoor industry are now mainstream. Paul and Sarah Howcroft really did revolutionise outdoor clothing. The pieces can be found in the Rohan Flashback section of Rohantime under the heading Rohan – Back to the Future.Photo info: On the Continental Divide Trail below the Chinese Wall in Glacier National Park, Montana. 1985. Pentax MX, Tamron 35-70 lens, Kodachrome 64 film. No exposure details. Scanned slide tweaked in Lightroom 2.5.
I well remember getting Rohan Super Striders for a birthday present - pretty slinky I thought!! As you say, Rohan were way ahead of the rest. I must have a look at their current range.
ReplyDeleteClean shaven!!
ReplyDeleteIt didn't last!
ReplyDeleteIn those days I only had a beard during long walks. I can't even remember what it's like to shave now.
when I was a student, you sold me my first polycotton windshirt from the shop in Long Preston - can't remember the name but it was blue and lurid green!
ReplyDeleteIt is a shame that Rohan has changed so much from making cutting edge products... i can't find anything on their site now i would class as modern
Hello Julian, what a long time ago that was! The windshirt was probably the Moving On.
ReplyDeleteExactly! Good memory. I used to be a Rohan addict, I worked in Mylton Keynes for a while with easy access to their 'outlet'.
ReplyDelete