Durham Mountaineering

I've shared many posts featuring Durham Mountaineering Ltd kit, but today, I wanted to show it in action! Here's a snapshot of three Durham Mountaineering customers geared up and ready at the beginning of Castle Ridge, Ben Nevis

Check out these vintage Durham Mountaineering Ltd gaiters! These beauties are nearly 25 years old and come from a private collection. Made with GORE-TEX, they’re perfect for keeping your legs and boots dry while trekking through long grass and bracken.

Check out this awesome Durham Mountaineering kit, purchased by a friend and loyal customer of the founder. He owns a ton of gear that's still in use for walking, cycling, skiing, snowboarding, kayaking, and more. Even his son, who’s in the Army, borrows it from time to time!

The item pictured is his trusty buffalo top, bought around 1997. It features side zips to let out heat, a tough outer shell to block wind, and a cozy inner liner. He’s taken it to the Alps with just a T-shirt and a thermal top underneath. It's fantastic for keeping his core warm!

Check out these rare Durham mountaineering products! These items were likely produced in small runs or custom-made for individuals who requested them

Recently, I had the pleasure of dealing with Stephen Venables, who graciously provided these incredible photographs of his esteemed friend, mountaineer Dick Renshaw.

These images showcase Dick Renshaw outfitted in Durham Mountaineering gear during the 1992 Panch Chuli expedition.

The first picture shows Dick on the summit of Rairamba after a four-day ascent of the previously unclimbed southeast ridge, with Dunagiri - a peak he conquered with Joe Tasker in 1975 - majestically in the background.

The second image depicts Dick alongside Victor Saunders, with Dick’s route sketch in hand before their adventure commenced.

Introducing our iconic Durham Mountaineering GORE-TEX Brand salopettes, a product of passion and adventure! Designed in '92 for The Haute Route, spanning 90 miles, crossing 23 glaciers, with a total ascent of 33,000 ft! Made with GORE-TEX Brand material, featuring full-length zips to the hip for easy fitting on the go. Plus, detachable shoulder straps & a chest zip for added convenience. Check out these vintage snapshots from the route's epic journey in March '92!

Despite Durham Mountaineering's products travelling around the globe, our products were always proudly manufactured right here in Durham. It all began in founder Joe Davison's home on Redhills Lane, Nevills Cross, where he resided at the time

Here’s another picture of some Durham Mountaineering garments still in use today, these Durham Mountaineering overmitts are been used at Glen Einich, Cairngorm National Park. It’s a testament to their durability and reliability and that they are still been used over 20years after they were manufactured.

I thought I would share a picture of one of the original garments, this is a GORE-TEX jacket that would have been manufactured in Durham. The jacket is in excellent condition which is a testament to the quality of material and craftsmanship. It is not uncommon for items manufactured by Durham Mountaineering Ltd to be still in use today.

Meet the incredible story behind our brand! Did you know that our founder, Joe Davison, started out as a physics teacher at Fyndoune Comprehensive School in Sacriston, County Durham? Not only that, but our eye-catching logo was crafted by none other than his colleague, the talented art teacher, My McNeil! It's amazing how creativity and education came together to shape our journey.

The name Durham Mountaineering was decided in the late 70s when the founder Joe Davison phoned up GORE-TEX in livingston to purchase his first 10m roll of material.
GORE-TEX were just establishing themselves at the time so they wanted new customers, They asked Joe the name of the firm for the invoice which joe hadn’t even thought about a name at this point but on the spur of the moment said Durham Mountaineering.