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The Duke Of Edinburgh's Award's Society

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Yep, perfect shoes. :biggrin:
Timberland is another good company. But those shoes are nice, I think they would suit fine. They aren't too dear either, nice buy I would say :biggrin:
but aren't there any other shops that i could go to besides Blacks in london?
I don't live in London mate, I have no idea. If you were to ask the same question in Bangkok, I would be able to give a more than adequate response :wink:
Kagutsuchi
but aren't there any other shops that i could go to besides Blacks in london?

Any good outdoor shop, Millets, blacks, probably a few other single shops but they are the major chains and if you want you could look on the internet for outdoor shops in your area
There's a lovely set of shops on Kensington High Street, has most of the main chains.
For boots, the Blacks own brand ones you've pointed out (TechnicALS is the Blacks brand) should be okay although you'd need to get the right ones for your feet, but Berghaus or Karrimor with a eVent or GoreTex lining can be better for similar money. If you can, try Meindl, Scarpa (NICE boots), Zamberlan, Brasher or Raichle. All of the manufacturers have different fittings, the ones from the US tend to be shorter and wider, the european ones longer and thinner.
You don't need steel toe-caps, almost no hiking boots will have steel in the toe- some reinforcing in the toe box but just to stabalise the boot and offer a bit of protection and a reinforcing shank underneath the instep.
Basically you're looking for either a full grain leather upper or a fabric outer with a waterproof liner (eVent/Goretex), a good tread pattern (big chunky tred) often from Vibram (will have a yellow octagon on the underneath). To treat the boots (if needed) get some Nikwax cleaner and a tub of fabric and leather proofer. But with any boots, even the fabric outer ones, you'll need to break them in by wearing them indoors first (most shops will let you try them indoors at home and you can generally return them if they haven't been worn outside) then wear them on shorter walk to get them and your feet happy with each other.
Retail therapy, you gotta love it.
mountainmetman
There's a lovely set of shops on Kensington High Street, has most of the main chains.
For boots, the Blacks own brand ones you've pointed out (TechnicALS is the Blacks brand) should be okay although you'd need to get the right ones for your feet, but Berghaus or Karrimor with a eVent or GoreTex lining can be better for similar money. If you can, try Meindl, Scarpa (NICE boots), Zamberlan, Brasher or Raichle. All of the manufacturers have different fittings, the ones from the US tend to be shorter and wider, the european ones longer and thinner.
You don't need steel toe-caps, almost no hiking boots will have steel in the toe- some reinforcing in the toe box but just to stabalise the boot and offer a bit of protection and a reinforcing shank underneath the instep.
Basically you're looking for either a full grain leather upper or a fabric outer with a waterproof liner (eVent/Goretex), a good tread pattern (big chunky tred) often from Vibram (will have a yellow octagon on the underneath). To treat the boots (if needed) get some Nikwax cleaner and a tub of fabric and leather proofer. But with any boots, even the fabric outer ones, you'll need to break them in by wearing them indoors first (most shops will let you try them indoors at home and you can generally return them if they haven't been worn outside) then wear them on shorter walk to get them and your feet happy with each other.
Retail therapy, you gotta love it.


You are absolutely amazing! :biggrin:

In regards to the shops on Kensington High Street - any idea if they accept student discount? Also, are you talking about South Kensington High Street or the main one with all the coffee shops and book shops? :smile:
Karrimor, thats the company I was thinking of and couldn't remember the name of :p: They are brill as well.
And GoreTex rocks, you defo have to get stuff made of that.
Kagutsuchi
You are absolutely amazing! :biggrin:

In regards to the shops on Kensington High Street - any idea if they accept student discount? Also, are you talking about South Kensington High Street or the main one with all the coffee shops and book shops? :smile:

Cheers :biggrin:
Been a while since I was down in London so I'm not sure (it's about 420 miles south of me) but there's a map for the snow and rock store, and the others are near by if memory serves. There's also a big Ellis Brigham there as well (no 178) which is worth looking in. Bit further down the road is a Field and Trek (in Lillywhites) and a Cotswolds (23-26) in Piccadilly and most of them have a store in Covent Garden as well.
Most of the websites have a "find-a-store" bit somewhere on the website, or if you fancy more adventurous shopping, get up to Aviemore, Betws-y-coed, Inverness or Ambleside - outdoor shopping heaven! (Except there aren't any Field and Trek, Snow and Rock or Cotswold stores in the north, which sucks, although we do have Nevisport, Tiso and Craigdon, so it kind of balances out, Tiso's Inverness Outdoor Experience rocks!)
Discount wise, Blacks certainly do, Field and Trek and Snow and Rock used to (not sure if they still do) and Cotswold officially do, provide D of E discounts, and most will do a discount for students/armed forces/members of the BMC/MCofS/YHA or just a case of "give me a good reason and you'll get a discount". Usually the id card or log book is enough for a discount and most independant stores will do at least 10%, more if they it's a big sale of there's a chance of more custom as a result. Actually, the BMC list is pretty good for some of the other shops as well.
Hey!
Is anyone going to the gold D of E presentation at Holyrood in July?

...oh and the Inverness Tiso is amazing! haha
sophie_c
Hey!
Is anyone going to the gold D of E presentation at Holyrood in July?

...oh and the Inverness Tiso is amazing! haha

Welcome to the board!
Who's presenting the golds this time?
I remember at mine (St James' in London) they stopped people bringing cameras into the building so the only pictures you could get were the official ones. If you can, make sure someone gets some pictures of yours, not having them leads to regrets.

And congrats on completing!
mountainmetman
Welcome to the board!
Who's presenting the golds this time?
I remember at mine (St James' in London) they stopped people bringing cameras into the building so the only pictures you could get were the official ones. If you can, make sure someone gets some pictures of yours, not having them leads to regrets.

And congrats on completing!


Hi! Thanks!
Erm...I actually don't know who's presenting it.... :s-smilie:
Haha, yeah we've been told we're not allowed cameras I think, and been sent the form about the official ones!
Has anyone done a cycle tour for their Duke of Edinburgh
mountainmetman

Who's presenting the golds this time?


Well we were all split into groups for area and we (the Highlands group) had Cameron Stout who won Big brother a few years back....lol... don't know who the others got tho!
wizard710
Has anyone done a cycle tour for their Duke of Edinburgh


I did part of my Gold Final expedition as a cycle ride, it was about 44 KM. It can be quite painful if you haven't cycled for say 4 years, lol. I advise that you get some practice in, and make sure you have a small backpack with you which has water and some snacks. Cycle rides are great fun though!
How much sweets/energy stuff should i bring?

In other words, (excluding dinner) what should i eat throughout the day? A specified quantity would be appreciated. :smile:
Oh! Btw - I'm going tomorrow to dartmoor for D of E!!!!!!!!!!! :biggrin:
Bump
how am i meant to secure the sleeping bag on the rucksack!?
Oh god, sorry I should have replied earlier! :s-smilie:
Hope you did this stuff:

Energy stuff as much as possible, energy bars and chocolates are what I survived from, I couldn't eat lunch and dinner, I just didn't get hungry.

Sleeping Bag should go right at the bottom of your bag, because you don't need it during the day.

Hope that would have been useful.
Hello peeps, I'm currently doing Duke of Edinburgh myself. It's a shame my school organiser is pretty lazy - we were meant to have an expedition around the easter holidays but the speculation never amounted to anything. It looks like I'll have to pester her to do one around September =).

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