With the development of modern technology, it is now possible to purchase goods from anywhere in the world. However, sometimes there are certain products that are more suited to their own country of origin than to others and some people may argue that this is the case with outdoor clothing. Take for example, the Bergaus brand of outdoor wear, which was initially designed by Peter Lockey and Gordon Davison, two people with a passion for climbing from the North East of England. As keen and knowledgeable climbers they decided to develop and manufacture outdoor clothing, the type of clothing that would be suitable for people just like themselves – climbers from Britain. They were pioneers in the area as back in 1966 when they first decided to go into business, it could be argued that they became the first suppliers of specifically tailored ‘performance wear’. The added bonus of founding a business upon their hobby meant that they were experts in their field and were able to tailor their outer-wear to their specific needs. This meant that when developing their products, they primarily considered the British climate with all its unpredictable extremes.

Basing their products on their own experience of British weather meant that one of Berghaus’ primary focuses became on layering. With the ever-changing British weather it became essential that outdoor clothing could keep the wearer warm and dry, but could also be removed to help keep the wearer cool. Although many international outdoor clothing producers also utilise layering in their products, they are likely to focus primarily upon their own climate when designing their product specification. Therefore, a piece of outer-wear that is produced in America is likely to have been developed to resist different extremes of cold, warmth and humidity and as a result may not be as effective when worn in a different country. Alternatively, it may be as effective, if not more so due to America’s vast number of extreme climates, but the added features for coping with these climates may mean that it is much more expensive to purchase.

The same can be said for outdoor footwear, Bergahaus have developed their footwear specifically with the British terrain in mind. Generally, the British terrain has a handful of conditions ranging from rocky, grassy, hilly, flat or even boggy, this contrasts the American landscape where all of these terrains are present in addition to desert conditions and areas of extreme cold. Therefore, it is likely that footwear purchased from America has been developed to a different specification and will not be as suitable for someone who hikes solely in Britain as a piece of footwear developed for use on the British landscape.

Despite the fact that many brands of outdoor wear are now manufactured to extremely high standards and contain many modern technologies that not only provide the wearer with optimum comfort, but also help them to achieve optimum performance, it seems that if you intend to trek in the UK then purchasing outdoor wear from a UK based company, such as Berghaus clothing, is the right choice to make. The first reason being that because the company is aware of the climate it is likely that they have tailored their product to meet the demands of that particular climate. The second reason for opting for UK made outer-wear is that their local knowledge means that their footwear will have been specifically designed to meet the needs of the British wearer. And as a final thought, although it could be argued that outdoor clothing from other countries may have a broader range of climates that it can help the wearer accustom to, it is worth bearing in mind that this extra technology is like to cost more, therefore if you only intend to wear your outdoor clothing in the UK, then purchasing an item made within the UK is surely the best choice.

Keep The Bad Stuff Out and The Good Stuff In – In a nutshell, that’s what Gloves In A Bottle can do for you.

I have dry skin condition and as a result, also have mild eczema on my elbows from time to time. Thus, when I was offered to review Gloves In A Bottle, I was happy to try it out. I must admit, I did not really expect anything positive out of it as I have tried numerous products without much success.

For those who are not aware, regular hand and skin lotions only replace natural oils with artificial ones and offer temporary relief that does little to heal the skin. Therefore, constant use of these lotions can actually cause the skin to produce less natural oils.

Gloves In A Bottle is a shielding lotion and unlike regular moisturizers, it bonds with the outer layer of our skin and helps lock in the natural oils and moisture. Because Gloves In A Bottle becomes part of the outer layer of skin itself, it doesn’t wash off like conventional lotions. This is important for people like me who washes my hand constantly due to house chores. I do not need to deal with the hassle of reapplying moisturizers as this shileding lotion provides continued protection of up to 12 hours.

Verdict : I’ve applied Gloves In A Bottle to my troubled dry elbows for two weeks now and the eczema has somewhat subside. I am hoping to see more positive result on prolonged use of up to one month.

Meantime, for those who would like to try Gloves In A Bottle, you can request for samples or purchase it online here.

Call me paranoid but I am not a big fan of the last minute Christmas rush. So, to ease the stress of preparing for this year’s Xmas, I’m shopping for my Christmas Cards now!

I was really amazed that I could shop at my own pace and slowly browse through the variety of Holiday Greeting Cards available at sites like Cards Direct. Last year, all I could do was just grab whatever were readily available at Wal-Mart. For this year, I’m even considering having those personalized Holiday Cards done. Imagine being able to have your own choice of design, custom verse and even my signature crafted into the card! It’ll definitely save me plenty of time signing off those cards! LOL. Seriously though, personalized signature would be great for businesses but I still prefer the good old fashion way of signing. It’s the little personal touch that matters most.

Now, check out my favourite design below. Is it cool or what? Wait till you receive the personalized version in the mail from me and I bet you, you’ll go green with envy! By the way, did I mention Cards Direct is currently having a Sale with 10%-40% off? Oh yes, they are!