20 Years of Partnership | Plas y Brenin & Mountain Equipment

2024 marks 20 years of the partnership between Mountain Equipment and Plas y Brenin, the National Outdoor Centre in Capel Curig, North Wales.

Whilst Mountain Equipment’s head office may be in Hyde on the East side of Manchester it’s fair to say that Plas y Brenin is our second home, and often where we would like to be when the sun is pouring through the office windows! Far more than just a kit sponsorship, it’s a true partnership with strong bonds, both on and off the mountains and crags.

Each season we supply PYB’s staff with a set of kit that they use everyday, whether working on courses or out climbing for themselves on evenings and days off. This exceptionally heavy use is the perfect testing, cramming what would be years of use for many people into just a few months. Prototypes and samples are sent over with regular feedback having helped to shape many of our best known products. Himalayan first ascents and hard new routes, things many PYB staff have been involved with over the years, tell you a lot but day after day of UK mountain weather is often more informative than blue sky Alpine days!

"For the last 20 years I can happily say I have been using Mountain Equipment kit for all my climbing and mountaineering activities, everything from working here in Wales to Scottish Winter, Alpine climbing and expeditions. ME produce the best clothing by far for the massively diverse conditions presented by the British hills, both summer and winter. It has been my pleasure to work with the team to consult on design issues and represent the brand in general. It’s a partnership I value enormously." Dave Evans, Head of Climbing and Mountaineering, Plas y Brenin.

Each winter a portion of the Plas y Brenin team heads up to Ballachullish on Scotland’s West Coast, between Glen Coe to the South and Ben Nevis to the North. It’s an ideal base for some of the best climbing and mountaineering the UK has to offer, often in some of the worst and most testing conditions. It’s not unusual for the staff to work 5 days, climb for 2 on days off and repeat until the sometimes fickle conditions force a rest day. 20 plus days in a row are not uncommon by choice! We work with climbers all over the world but if you want to know if waterproof shells and insulation really work then daily use in Scottish winter is perhaps the ultimate test.

"Plas y Brenin has been a part of my life for 25 years. It’s where I learnt to climb as a teenager, where I subsequently started my instructing career as a Centre Assistant and the place where I went through many of my professional qualifications when I worked in the mountains. The place, and crucially it’s staff, were a huge influence on me and my climbing. As a regular visitor in my role at Mountain Equipment, it’s fantastic to be involved in the partnership day to day, working together on a range of projects on and off the hill. I hope to still be involved for a long time to come." Richard Bailey, Visual Content and Athlete Manager, Mountain Equipment.

Plas y Brenin has always been set apart by its people, at the heart of which is its slowly changing group of Guides and Instructors, some amongst the most experienced anywhere in the world and others earlier in their careers, all passionate about and committed to the activities they instruct. A rich history of climbing and mountaineering runs through the centre, some of it visible in the photos that line the maze of corridors that lead to the rooms.

With a new agreement in place we look forward to continuing the partnership into the future, with both Mountain Equipment and Plas y Brenin stronger for it.

• Learn more about our partnership with Plas y Brenin.
• Check out their recommended kit for the mountains.