Patagonia

Yvon Chouinard, Patagonia's founder, started climbing in 1953 and began making pitons in 1957 after going to a junkyard and buying a used coal-fired forge, an anvil, some tongs and hammers, and teaching himself the art of blacksmithing. By 1970, Chouinard Equipment had become the largest supplier of climbing hardware in the USA. It had also become an environmental villain because its pegs were damaging the rock. After an ascent of the degraded Nose route on El Capitan, which had been pristine a few summers earlier, it was decided to phase out of the piton business. Fortunately, there was an alternative: aluminium chocks that could be wedged by hand rather than hammered in and out of cracks. They were introduced in the first Chouinard Equipment catalogue in 1972. Chouinard Equipment later became Black Diamond.

The clothing business started small with a few rugby shirts imported from the UK. The name Patagonia was chosen as it was decided the range should not be exclusively for climbers and Patagonia was pretty much unknown territory for everyone in those days. Fleece clothing (then used by fishermen) soon followed and then new materials such as polyester for base layers began to be used. During the '80s bright colours were introduced into a world previously dominated by greens, browns and blues.

In the late '80s Patagonia started using recycled material to make some of its clothing, a process that has accelerated in recent years, and also decided to donate 1% of its sales to ecological good causes, which has done ever since, most notably by buying up vast swathes of wild land in South America and then donating them back to the country concerned as national parks.

Patagonia make brilliant outdoor clothing and equipment but there are some other very good reasons to support them as a company which are partly why Needle Sports has such a major stockist of their range for so long.

Patagonia Men's Nano-Air Light Hybrid Jacket
Patagonia Men's Nano-Air Light Hybrid Jacket
Patagonia Men's Nano-Air Light Hybrid Jacket
£198.00
£220.00
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1 In Stock
Patagonia Men's P-6 Logo Responsibili-Tee
Patagonia Men's P-6 Logo Responsibili-Tee Patagonia Men's P-6 Logo Responsibili-Tee Patagonia Men's P-6 Logo Responsibili-Tee
Patagonia Men's P-6 Logo Responsibili-Tee
£40.50
£45.00
Save 10%
2 In Stock
Patagonia Men's P-6 Logo Responsibili-Tee
Patagonia Men's P-6 Logo Responsibili-Tee Patagonia Men's P-6 Logo Responsibili-Tee Patagonia Men's P-6 Logo Responsibili-Tee Patagonia Men's P-6 Logo Responsibili-Tee
Patagonia Men's P-6 Logo Responsibili-Tee (2023 colours)
£40.50
£45.00
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3 In Stock
Patagonia Men's R1 Air Crew
Patagonia Men's R1 Air Crew Patagonia Men's R1 Air Crew
Patagonia Men's R1 Air Crew
£81.00
£90.00
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1 In Stock
Patagonia Men's R1 Air Full-Zip Hoody
Patagonia Men's R1 Air Full-Zip Hoody
Patagonia Men's R1 Air Full-Zip Hoody
£126.00
£140.00
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1 In Stock
Patagonia Men's R2 TechFace Hoody
Patagonia Men's R2 TechFace Hoody Patagonia Men's R2 TechFace Hoody Patagonia Men's R2 TechFace Hoody
Patagonia Men's R2 TechFace Hoody
£126.00
£210.00
Save 40%
1 In Stock
Patagonia Men's Terravia Alpine Pants
Patagonia Men's Terravia Alpine Pants
Patagonia Men's Terravia Alpine Pants
£126.00
£140.00
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1 In Stock
Patagonia Men's Torrentshell 3L Jacket
Patagonia Men's Torrentshell 3L Jacket Patagonia Men's Torrentshell 3L Jacket
Patagonia Men's Torrentshell 3L Jacket
£162.00
£180.00
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1 In Stock
Patagonia Men's Triolet Jacket
Patagonia Men's Triolet Jacket Patagonia Men's Triolet Jacket
Patagonia Men's Triolet Jacket
£351.00
£390.00
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2 In Stock
Patagonia Men's Venga Rock Pants
Patagonia Men's Venga Rock Pants Patagonia Men's Venga Rock Pants
Patagonia Men's Venga Rock Pants
£99.00
£110.00
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1 In Stock
Patagonia P-6 Label Trad Cap
Patagonia P-6 Label Trad Cap Patagonia P-6 Label Trad Cap Patagonia P-6 Label Trad Cap Patagonia P-6 Label Trad Cap
Patagonia P-6 Label Trad Cap
£36.00
£40.00
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2 In Stock
Patagonia Powder Town Beanie
Patagonia Powder Town Beanie Patagonia Powder Town Beanie Patagonia Powder Town Beanie
Patagonia Powder Town Beanie
£40.50
£45.00
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4 In Stock
Patagonia Range Cap
Patagonia Range Cap
Patagonia Range Cap
£40.50
£45.00
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Out of Stock
Patagonia Snowbelle Beanie
Patagonia Snowbelle Beanie Patagonia Snowbelle Beanie Patagonia Snowbelle Beanie
Patagonia Snowbelle Beanie
£40.50
£45.00
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2 In Stock
Patagonia Ultralight Black Hole Mini Hip Pack 1L
Patagonia Ultralight Black Hole Mini Hip Pack 1L Patagonia Ultralight Black Hole Mini Hip Pack 1L Patagonia Ultralight Black Hole Mini Hip Pack 1L Patagonia Ultralight Black Hole Mini Hip Pack 1L Patagonia Ultralight Black Hole Mini Hip Pack 1L Patagonia Ultralight Black Hole Mini Hip Pack 1L
Patagonia Ultralight Black Hole Mini Hip Pack 1L
£32.00
3 In Stock

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