Assynt Mountain Rescue Team delighted after major clothing manufacturer Helly Hansen offers to kit out members in £40,000 worth of equipment
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MOUNTAIN rescuers in Sutherland have become key guinea pigs for the next generation of outdoor clothing in a deal worth around £40,000.
It certainly is a "phenomenal" windfall for the 30 members of Assynt Mountain Rescue Team (MRT) who not only cover what is believed to be the largest area of any such team in Scotland - but who face some of the harshest conditions.
Norwegian-based clothing manufacturer Helly Hansen is traditionally associated with yachting and other water sports.
But it is keen to develop a high end outdoor hiking range to cash in on the booming walking market, which has increased in the pandemic as more people seek wellbeing in the countryside. So it approached mountain rescue teams to trial the new gear and Assynt was one of two chosen in Scotland.
Tim Hamlet, leader of Assynt MRT, said the three-year deal will begin in September.
"It is a phenomenal deal for us. We have 30 members who normally would have to kit themselves out and we would have to raise the money. This deal is worth about £40,000. It is amazing," said Mr Hamlet, 34, who lives at Achiltibuie. "We will be kitted out with everything - full mountain waterproof and shell jackets, gilets, hiking and other trousers - all high end gear. We will will then give feedback to Helly Hansen on its performance any any adjustments we think are necessary."
"This is a very important deal because so much of clothing sold for the Scottish outdoors does not cut it or does not perform well enough, because it is tested in places like the Alps which have a drier climate.
"So the gear does not stand up to the extremes of Scottish weather and has no real longevity."
So far this year the team - which has bases at Inchnadamph and Thurso - has responded to eight call outs. A normal year will see between 12 and 18, mainly in the summer shoulder months where the weather catches out a number of hill walkers.
The team also regularly trains in all weathers.
"They could not have picked a better place to test their new equipment - we have to deal with all extremes of weather and cover such a huge area. We probably have the biggest patch of any MRT in Scotland," said Mr Hamlet.
In February 2011, Helly Hansen signed a three-year partnership with guiding company Mountain Madness. The agreement between the companies meant that Helly Hansen would be outfitting all of Mountain Madness operations guides "with technical apparel from head to toe" beginning the 2011 season and extending through 2013.
In November 2012, Helly Hansen partnered with the US Ski and Snowboard Association to be their official baselayer provider.
The US Alpine Ski Team wore Helly Hansen baselayer while competing in Sochi.
And in July 2015, Helly Hansen became the apparel partner for Canada’s alpine and para-alpine ski teams.
But it is now trying to expand into the lucrative high end outdoor market.
