Barbour nylon International jacket: A rip-off of a rip-off

I suppose if someone rips off your age-old design and then releases a lightweight version in a rainbow of colours, you have every right to do the same yourself.

It's just a shame that it took the success of Visvim's Alta jacket for Barbour to realise there is more to life than stinky wax (even though Visvim themselves released a wax version last year).

This new line of International jackets in lightweight Nylon for summer, owes more than a little to Visvim's Altas of last spring in terms of colouring.

All the same, Visvim's release (below) was crafted from Paclite Goretex. Barbour's is in nylon.

So they've got a bit to learn from those Japanese counterfeiters.

Carhartt sleeping bag: Pointless but nice

I bet that Raoul Moat wishes he has one of these as he evades capture in those hills. He might be on the run, but at least he'd get an half decent night's kip.

This Carhartt sleeping bag is so nice that I'm trying to think of a reason I need one myself. I can't see myself doing a Raoul any time soon, but you never know, I might miss the train home or something on night.

I might even take to bedding down in the garden, under the stars, just another massive slug between the banana plants.

Via slamxhype

Visvim Keifer high Mayan suede: Coming round again

A quick addition to that last Visvim Keifer post, here is one of this year's versions.

The Mayan detail first seen in 2008 makes a return, this time paired with a caramel suede upper.

I'll let you decide which out of these and the Nez you prefer. I know what my money's on.

New arrivals part 3: The Yoox batch

Yoox is a great place to go for your Visvim if a: you think the stuff they were making a few years ago is actually better than that of today and b: you actually prefer to pay something verging on a sensible amount for it.

Take these items. In my book the Nez Perce Keifers with the pony skin detail along the sidewalls will go down as an absolute classic, and seeing as these are essentially the Visvim version of Chucks, look just as good today as they did on release in 2007. I have them on my feet as I write and I actually think the quality was at a peak then too.

They're already softening up nicely, especially around the toe cap. I fully intend to be wearing these when I retire.

Then there's this lillac long sleeved top. A fairly basic affair with a fairly nonsensical print on the front, but with the quality of Visvim and a fit to match.

It'll be around for years.

New arrivals part 2: Fragment Design iPhone case

I'll admit from the off that I really have no idea if this is the real deal, or some snide bit of black plastic from Hong Kong. Because that is where it was shipped from, even though the seller was registered in Sunderland. Not that Sunderland is an outpost of authentic Fragment gear either.

But snide or not, this would appear to be a very decent quality iPhone case, especially compated to that ALKR piece of crap I managed to snap just trying to fit on my iPhone.

It's been protecting my little piece of Apple wonder for a good couple of weeks now and there is remarkably little in the way of scratching and the like.

So either they're knocking out some remarkably resilient fakes these days or I managed to get the real deal at a very reasonable price.

New arrivals Part 1: Visvim Record jacket

I reckon this has to be one of the most under-rated jackets in the Visvim arsenal.

Light as paper, and so thin that you can stuff it into a little apple-sized drawstring bag attached to the inside of one of the pockets, it offers pretty decent showerproofing and a longer back to stop all that spray getting your bum wet while you're on the bike.

As well as that, you get the usual Riri zip affair, a cool little white elk zip pull and a couple of reflective bands on the left arm.

To top it all, it looks just as good on and off the bike, and if you're lucky, you might be able to pick one up for half the price of its Rapha contemporary, the Stowaway Jacket.

Although that would still make it a tough decision.
PS: It only looks like you're wearing a bin liner until the creases fall out, which on a good day with a fair wind will be something like ten minutes.

Unkle feat the Heritage Orchestra free downloads: Still on form

I got the new Unkle album, Where Did The Night Fall, twice. Amazon took so long that I ended up buying a copy on Ebay and then the Amazon one arrived too.

No less than I should have expected really, and I could say the same about the album, but in a good way.

It's a bit of a grower alright. I can't stop playing it.

It's a good job I'm going to the gig.

But don't take my word for it, have a listen. Here are a few downloads from the live shows featuring the Heritage Orchestra, courtesy of Mr Lavelle himself.

Heaven

Lonely soul

Caged bird

Natural selection