You know, bricks and mortar are back.

Yeah, it's...

Yes and no, Dom.

Historically, many manufacturers have got their own factory outlet shop.

Yes.

And Northware had one for years in front of the factory at Northwood.

However, when there was some restructuring that went on back in 2007, Northware lost control of that store, which is now just a retail store for Northware and a number of other brands.

So there's a few things in the range there for people to rummage through.

You know, bricks and mortar are back.

Yeah, it's...

Yes and no, Dom.

Historically, many manufacturers have got their own factory outlet shop.

Yes.

And Northware had one for years in front of the factory at Northwood.

However, when there was some restructuring that went on back in 2007, Northware lost control of that store, which is now just a retail store for Northware and a number of other brands.

So there's a few things in the range there for people to rummage through.

Why did you commission the Great Kiwi Sock Survey, Tim?

Well, we do market research, uh, every year and we, you know, as every good marketer would, you, you do need to understand your, your consumer and understand what's going on.

So this year we decided to add a few extra questions into the survey, and, uh, came up with the Great Kiwi Sock Survey.

There were some things that, uh, I was surprised about.

Uh, m- many people are not as OCD as you, because 37% of solo socks go straight back into the drawer.

Um, and this, I mean, you guys play into that because you, you're in that, uh, game of, you know, the, you kind of buy one for [laughs] for life almost, like if it's a jumper or something like that, you know?

Yeah.

Yeah.

Why did you commission the Great Kiwi Sock Survey, Tim?

Well, we do market research, uh, every year, and we, you know, as every good marketer would, you, you do need to understand your, your consumer and understand what's going on.

So this year we decided to add a few extra questions into the survey, and, uh, came up with the Great Kiwi Sock Survey.

There were some things that, uh, I was surprised about.

Uh, m- many people are not as OCD as you, because 37% of solo socks go straight back into the drawer.

Um, and this, y- I mean, you guys play into that because you, you're in that, uh, game of, you know, the, you kinda buy one for, [laughs] for life almost, like if it's a jumper or something like that, you know.

Yeah.

Yeah, well, I, that's, you know, i- in our view, uh, people say, "Well, you're mad, you, you should have them wear out so people buy another set." But i- if you think that, you know, Kiwis are buying 50 million pairs, I, I don't think we need to worry about, uh, you know, convincing people to keep buying from us.

Yep

... exactly the same style.

If one goes missing, I just sub in one from another pair, and then the original one that's gone missing turns up again.

So my answer to you would be just buy three pairs of the same, the same sock.

[laughs]

... 38% of quality sock buyers in this country admit that they regularly wear odd socks, and half of them don't care.

They just think-

And so, so firstly, what, what brought you back? And then how your preparation was different, and any, any thoughts on how things have changed in the last eight years from how you remember it?

Yeah.

Interesting, uh, interesting question on the changes.

Um, I, I've been dying to get back to the trail, I mean, almost on a yearly basis since first riding it in 2016 and then being able to do the, uh, ride in 2018 with, with Dadi as a, as a honeymoon.

That was a special trip.

Uh, my father-in-law, Simon, also joined us for the first six days to ride.

So that was a, yeah, that was a, a really cool family shared experience.

And so what was the vibe there? And let us know about sort of where you took the decision to, to go for it from that batch.

And here is Mike Roy catching up with him on the other side at Rhodes.

I was, yeah, I had a reasonably good third day out of Mullock into Tanana, especially coming down the, not quite Bundabash, but the rock bands and the descending.

And at that stage, feeling quite good.

And we got into Wuville and...

Yeah, I wanted to do the hunters at night.

I ran out of time and steam.

I think legs were just smashed from the previous day's efforts.

And then Tim rode to Slapcrunts that day after going through the night on Lohanes, getting into Slapcrunts at 11 p.m.

But what's the exciting developments that you're bringing forward? Let's...

Well, I guess from a storytelling point of view, the Hillary family lent us the North Square climbing socks that Ed wore on his last expedition up Aereke Mount Cook.

We've got them here at Field Days on display.

We've got the photograph of Ed in them, and then we've got the real ones right there.

He had very big feet, I've got to tell you.

So that's a fun part of our history.

Believe it or not, I think we must be the only outdoor apparel supplier in the Southern Hemisphere that's been continuously manufacturing here in New Zealand for over 60 years.

Do you think we'll get to a point where urban New Zealand start to shame each other for wearing synthetic as well? Do you think it's going to start to flow into the

But what's the exciting developments that you're bringing forward, Lex?

Well, I guess from a storytelling point of view, the Hillary family lent us the North Square climbing socks that Ed wore on his last expedition up Aereke Mount Cook.

We've got them here at Field Days on display.

We've got the photograph of Ed in them, and then we've got the real ones right there.

He had very big feet, I've got to tell you.

So that's a fun part of our history.

Believe it or not, I think we must be the only outdoor apparel supplier in the southern hemisphere that's been continuously manufacturing here in New Zealand for over 60 years.

Do you think we'll get to a point where urban New Zealand start to shame each other for wearing synthetic as well? Do you think it's going to start to flow into the

What adventures have these socks been on?

Well, these particular socks were worn by Sir Ed when he did the Grand Traverse of Aaraki Mark Cook with Graham Dingle back in the early 70s.

So we're very, very excited to have them on display.

They were called the Norsewear Climbing Sock, so they were designed similar to a farm fleck, but they came up almost to the knee.

And Sir Ed's socks are enormous.

So he was obviously a tall man and he had big feet.

But they got him to the top of Everest, so, you know, there's an upside there.

So tell us more about where they have been to date.