survival aids

[treadlightly]

This afternoon I picked up what I think may be a ventile smock from a charity shop. It is lightweight, pocketless with a half-zipped front in OG. The label says "A quality product from Survival Aids Ltd, Morland, Penrith".

There is no ventile label but by shining light through, it appears as densely woven as my existing ventile jacket.

Any info on Survival Aids and their products (and particularly if anyone recognises this description) would be much appreciated.

Would post a pic but I'm technologically challenged.

 

[John Fenna]

Describe the cuffs and drawcird details - I may be able to help....

 

[Shewie]

They're now called Penrith Survival

Might be worth giving them a call but I expect if it doesn't have the label in it's probably just a normal Oxford weave cotton.

Good find though either way

 

[treadlightly]

Describe the cuffs and drawcird details - I may be able to help....

The cuffs are adjustable via two poppers and the drawcord is string, knotted at each end and held in place by two small circular pieces of leather which slide along the cord to adjust the fit. The cord is at the bottom of the smock rather than the waist.

 

[treadlightly]

They're now called Penrith Survival

Might be worth giving them a call but I expect if it doesn't have the label in it's probably just a normal Oxford weave cotton.

Good find though either way

Yes, I found them but they seem to be a retailer selling branded goods whereas this seems actually made by Survival Aids. I was thinking that once upon a time they made their own stuff then changed tack??

 

[woof]

You lucky so & so !, they were a big name in the 80's, and their stuff had a good reputation.

A good find.

Rob

 

[Shewie]

I had a nice old goretex bivvy made by them which had a clever diagonal opening, not sure what happened to it actually ??

 

[John Fenna]

I have read the discripo and guess - without seeing a picture - that it is their Ventile Windshirt...from what you have mentioned.
Big, chunky press studs, stiff leather washers as cord grips and a big scratchy Ventile label, that I for one removed.....
Good catch!

 

[treadlightly]

I have read the discripo and guess - without seeing a picture - that it is their Ventile Windshirt...from what you have mentioned.
Big, chunky press studs, stiff leather washers as cord grips and a big scratchy Ventile label, that I for one removed.....
Good catch!

All correct except there is no ventile label and the zip has no baffle so it will probably leak.. but I'm not complaining!

 

[John Fenna]

The label was inside the neck and annoying - could be the previous owbner of yours removed theirs as well...
No baffle in mine either.
I found the shirt a little mean in the cut of the shoulders - compared to the body...does that ring a bell.
I think it has Raglan cut shoulders as oposed to inset sleves (as in a normal shirt) is that like yours?
Mine is up in the loft as it was part of my Sea Scout Leaders uniform (local undress and activities wear) and has all my unit badges on it. One day I may return to the unit....

 

[wildrover]

Loved the Survival Aids Shop in Glasgow.

Bought load of kit from there ...
Swandri Ranger ( that I still wear), GTX Bivi bag,softey 6 sleeping bag. etc, etc...., honestly I spent a fortune.

I was gutted when it shut.
The two bits of kit (to his day)I regret not buying ?

The Ranger Ventile Jacket and Danner Boots.

I remember the windshirt from the catalogues of the time, fantastic find.

 

[treadlightly]

The label was inside the neck and annoying - could be the previous owbner of yours removed theirs as well...
No baffle in mine either.
I found the shirt a little mean in the cut of the shoulders - compared to the body...does that ring a bell.
I think it has Raglan cut shoulders as oposed to inset sleves (as in a normal shirt) is that like yours?
Mine is up in the loft as it was part of my Sea Scout Leaders uniform (local undress and activities wear) and has all my unit badges on it. One day I may return to the unit....

Its a size large and I find the fit OK for me. Yes, raglan sleeves, minimalist design with no hood or even pockets. On the side is a little logo of an orange man doing a star jump!

I'm off for a long walk with the dog and its drizzling with the promise of more rain to come. Ideal conditions to test it out.

 

[Graham_S]

They were a great shop.
I used to get the catalogues, an was even invited to the opening of the Glasgow shop.
I spent a fortune in there over the years.
The one in Euston Station was good for killing time in too, I picked up quite a bit of kit in there between trains

 

[helixpteron]

I used to love going in the Survival Aids shop at Euston Station in London, I still have and use the Swallow (Japan) pocket telescope I bought from them.

 

[GoatBoy666]

I to used to go to their Euston Shop, bought and still use the gortex cobra bivi with the built in mosi net, great kit. Oh and their buffulo style sleeping bag outer.

They are still about on the net, at www.survivalaids.com and I think still connected to penrith survival, but they tend to stock other suppliers instead of their own lines.

Goat

 

[demographic]

Me and a mate crashed into a Renault 5 on the way back from the Morland Survival Aids shop, years ago.

It was a 50/50 thing and the driver of the Renault didn't seem to keen on contacting the insurance either...

That was fine by my mate cos the front wing on his Austin Aggro just cost £15 from the local scrappy and the excess would have been more than that.