New Swanndri Gear

I recently got in on Swanndri's Summer Sale where they paid for shipping and I picked up a few items on Clearance including this Rapiki Technical Fleece which is a windproof, water resistant fleece version of the Ranger bush shirt.

While I was generally pleased with the sale prices and the communications with the folks at Swanndri were up to the usual excellence, I was less than happy to see that every article I ordered was made in China. Sure it's made of New Zealand wool and to Swanndri's specifications but a Kiwi bush shirt isn't really a Kiwi bush shirt any more if it's not made by Kiwis.

It's like getting Chicago style deep dish pizza in Sao Paulo. Sure, it kind of tastes like the real thing but it's still NOT the real thing.

I can tell NO difference between my old Kiwi-made Swanndri gear and the new stuff but time will tell if it's put together as well as the old stuff. I had a seam bust on a Ranger Extreme (also made in China) which was a $2 repair but that's the biggest problem I've had to date with my Swannie stuff and I've used it pretty hard over the last couple of years.

I'm happy to have some new clothing to keep me warm but the fact that they're seemingly now making everything in China takes a bit of the luster off the new gear...

Thanks for reading,


B