SHOES AND CLOTHING (updated 15 Jan 26)

Let's be honest - Online shopping has ousted us from the shoe business. We can't get shoes as cheaply as YOU can! Its called the invisible foot of the market!

And Grassy Knoll and Trailblaze have ousted us from orienteering clothing. Good on them, we've been hoping that another good orienteering shop would push us into retirement.

But you know how you can't find a replacement for that well-loved item when it finally wears out, we've slimmed down to a few lines which have endured over the years. Prices (for what we do have) were adjusted Dec 2019 to reflect the merging of our c/card avoidance discount into prices, along with exchange rate changes.

BODY COVERING - LOOK GOOD AND FEEL RIGHT

• Technical tops. From Vavrys in Czechia we've got some VRC short-sleeved shirts in red and white Coolmax/PAD/mesh material with special flat seams. This is a premium garment and the strength of the dollar when we bought lets us sell for only $82. We also have some very nice tops in the smaller sizes from Sportvogl in Germany. Comfy feel on the skin and the price is only $72. (There are also a few "retro" shirts from the old days in the bargain bin at only $29. $10 off when you buy shirt and pants together.)
• Pants. Three-quarter pants and tights are the go. Wear them with long socks, see below. Our Vavrys 3/4 pants are nicely tailored with a contrasting colour slash down the leg. Reviewed price is $75. We also have a full-length version for traditionalists at $80. The Vavrys Supplex black tights are great when conditions are cold or wet, they avoid that clammy feeling. We bought when the Euro was low, same price as the pants $75. Remember that discount if you buy shirt and pants together.

LEG PROTECTION - STOP THE OUCH

• Long socks. Once upon a time orienteers liked quite strong leg protection. Now we use intelligence instead - just avoid running through the prickly stuff! And reap the benefits of much lighter weight. A long sock goes well with knee-length pants that reduce drag on the knee when soaking wet. We get socks from Vavrys in Czech. They have a generous foot so you'll need to buy smaller than you would think. (This makes them stay up well.) Match-anything black colour. Specify your NZ or Euro shoe size, try them on, you can always swap. Price just half that of gaiters, $40.

• Gaiters. We still do have gaiters, some situations like rogaines demand them. Vavrys gaiters have a tough front panel with a lycra back for comfort and fit; and a full-length zip. The most important dimension is length from foot to just-under-knee-cap, most people are round 35cm which is M. We also have XS, S, L and XL. Any colour so long as it's black. Price goes up and down with the exchange rate, its currently $80.
• Premium Ankle Sox by Bridgedale of Ireland. An ordinary sock is fine for orienteering but mountain running and rogaining call for something special to prevent discomfort after hours on the go. These guys are always refining their formulation of coolmax, lycra and merino wool, we have a small (tiny actually) stock which we have reduced to $35 but the NZ agent is just down the road. We also have thin coolmax inner sox which can reduce blistering in endurance events, these are $24, or $20 in conjunction with a pair of outer socks. How much is foot comfort worth?

THAT'S IT FOR SHOES!

Last decade Jalas announced it would no longer make orienteering shoes. After 1000 pairs we couldn't help but shed a tear, their quality has been remarkable. We've sold the lot, including the smaller sizes. (We did cater for kids too.) When originally selecting Jalas the other worthy contender was another Finnish company, "VJ". See the range at the Australia/NZ distributor, and we are pleased to see that Trailblaze is stocking some models. Alternatively for lighter weight and price, look for Inov8. There's a NZ distributor. The following section will diminish in relevance as our stock moves through.

• We also used to sell Vasque trail shoes. These fill the need many of us have for endurance events - the orienteering shoe is made for events of 1-2 hours. The trail shoe has comfort features at the expense of a little extra weight. But they may appeal to those whose feet don't suit the Jalas models - not everyone's foot has the same shape. There's a womens model too. We have a few sizes of the superceded Velocity (pictured). We'll start negotiating at $150.
• While its obviously ideal to be able to try on shoes by visiting us at an event, we became adept at estimating size from your (NZ) street shoe size and your foot length, to help ordering by mail. We compiled the MAPsport Shoesize Table to help with this, and we'll leave it online.

For mail order phone 027 232 4310, or write to at 23 St James Ave, Lower Hutt 5011. We'll invoice with the goods, and you can pay by bank transfer. Prices shown include GST.