Anybody got an opinion on the K-way Chronicle rain jacket? It's on special at Cape Union Mart, knocked down from R1799 to R999.
Yay or nay? So far I've been told 1x don't waste your money and 1x dunno.

Buy a First Ascent, K-way is dodge for serious stuff.

I've seen the "K-Way sucks" adage many times. I want to know why.

Is it because the build quality is crap?

Or the materials used are sub-par?

Or that its made in a sweatshop?

Or that people hate Cape Union cause it targets the masses and messes with specialist stores at the same time?

I have a feeling that many of the above may be true. I have some K-Way gear that sucks - and is now consigned to be used for day trips and carting stuff to work, but I have some gear (like my light dry layer) that works well.

In general I have gear from loads of manufacturers and from two specialist stores here in CT - sometimes, however, the quality/price trade-off sees me enter a Cape Union (or Cape Onion as my friends and I call it).

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I don't think, therefore I'm Not

I bought a rain jacket at Cape Union. The whole inner lining perished. K-way=dodgy

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Since I started climbing I developed a big crack addiction.

I stand to be corrected, but dont First ascent still make alot of the Kway clothing.
not exactly the same, but some of the garments are very similiar, with the kway brand not having as much bell and whistles.
Is there any brand in this country that is made in its entirety, on SA soil and not in sweatshops?

I've been waiting for yonks for the new First Ascent Summit to come out but it's continually delayed for some reason.
So anyhoo I know what a good jacket is. I just thought that maybe the K-way might be an OK bargain jobbie to tide me over for a while then later be used as a general jacket that I can stuff up without concerning myself about how much I spent on it

In the interim I went and got one anyway. Time will tell if it's a grand well spent or not. I've seen crapper stuff sold for a grand

I'm also of the opinion that K-Way is "made for the masses" (i.e. most clientelle will either wear their clothing - though they do supply some other technical equipment under the K-Way brand - at home or an occasional outdoor activity); and therefore probably lacks the quality that the more regular outdoors person would like to have.

That said, I own a lightweight and very compact sleeping bag of theirs which has held me in good stead for a good few years. Although it is starting to get a few tears on the inside, I still feel fairly comfortable enough to lug it with me on the Otter Trail in a few weeks time, and to leave my First Ascent down bag at home. Whether I freeze my whats-its off is to be seen, though . I've also had a fleece top of theirs for 3 or 4 years now, and gets regular wear - and it's still in excellent condition and does the job.

I think it's kind of a "luck of the draw" thing - and on who the actual producer of the product is.

Bought a Kway jacket about 12 years ago and the inner rain linning eventually preished after about 8 - 10 years, took it back last year and got a voucher for about the same as what I originally paid. bought one of the new ones and used it for the whole of last year and seems to be fine. Keeps the rain off and the wind out.

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Fat men are harder to kidnap