Rainwear Central Rainwear Forum

Im much travelled. So being a bit of a rainwear kagoul nut, Im always on the lookout. However, El Calafate has without doubt the best rainwear shop in the world in my opinion anyway. El Cal, Catalonia, very southern Chile is not best known on the hikers trail. However, if you do make it there, check out the 'Tiende de ropa de lluvia' shop. It looks a bit ramshackle from the outside but inside is stacked to the rafters with everything rainwear to your hearts content! Pvc. Vinyl. Oilskins. Rubber. Nylon. Latex, and everything else, that I would not be interested in. Macks. Anoraks. Parkas. Puffas, suits, one piece and two, and of course kaggies. Long ones, short ones, fat ones and skinny ones. And every single one of them, made on site by them and appeared to have attached hoods. My dream shop. I spent almost an entire day there. Gaiudo, allowed me to try on everything. Two to three layers in some cases, even back to front and inside out. I was in heaven. Sadly, that evening I had a train to catch, so I bought a lovely kagoul, dark blue, quite thick glooopy shiny pu, both inside and out, big hooded. I lived in this for the next six weeks while travelling southern South America, and sent another dozen, macks, suits and jackets home to Essex, which eventually turned up nearly three months later! Details on request!
Over the last ten years I have regularly had consignments sent me. My spare bedroom looks like a mini version of their shop. Never a day goes by without putting on one of Gaiudos wonderful coats. Must go back again one day and thank him properly.

Wow, what a find. Well done Kaggyfan and pleased to hear you have bought lots of good stuff from them. If I ever get down there I will certainly check them out.

It would be interesting to hear from other fellow travellers of their rainwear travel discoveries. I always found Scandinavia, France and Germany a great source of rainwear. The shiny rainmac almost seems the norm.

Norway and Sweden definitely have lots of rainwear shops, mainly selling brands like Rains and Ilsa jacobson style pvc pu but that shops sounds like heaven!!! Must see some photos

Never done south america. This could encourage me to get my hiking boots back out!

Never done south america. This could encourage me to get my hiking boots back out!

I'm unlikely to get to Chile, but it would be great to know how to get in touch with these wonderful sounding people?!

hoodtight wrote: September 13th, 2021, 12:05 pm I'm unlikely to get to Chile, but it would be great to know how to get in touch with these wonderful sounding people?!

I have emailed him with my latest request for his stocklist. Apparently they are moving to larger premises in the next few weeks so hes going to get back when he has moved in. I also asked if its ok to pass his addresses on. Not yet said. Watch this space!

Shame its not a bit closer to home. I can imagine their postal system may be somewhat slow, even now, but I would be keen to see whats on offer.

I think I would prefer to explore this rainwear store, if I could get to it!