Life getting tough for Endura ?

Can’t see another post on here but they look to be another company finding life difficult at the moment with significant losses in the £millions . Somebody will know how to post a link !

I’m not surprised, at one time all I purchased was endura gear as it was decent quality, now I avoid it as it’s gone downhill.

I tried to buy a full team of custom kids, didn’t get a reply. Used Kalas instead

They were just bought out by Pentland a coupe of years back, how much of the losses are just down to the usual creative accounting that firms do to offload the debt when they buy a company?

Are they still supporting a road team? That is likely to cost a fair penny…are they still sponsoring the names in MTB as well – that’ll also cost a fair penny. Their kit isn’t as good as it used to be – doesn’t last and doesn’t fit (or it does, just not in the usual size)…so the quality has declined – or so all the chat on forums and websites seems to suggest.

They seem to have a huge line of kit so it can’t be cheap keeping that going. Suspect it isn’t entirely bad news as no doubt the losses can be written down somehow (paying less tax or something?).

However, hearing of a big company making huge losses is never good…

They sponsor/support the Athertons for sure.

Looking at PEntland’s other brands they look too big to let Endura fail hopefully. But having said that, the only thing i’ve bought from Endura in the last 10 years is a pair of long-finger MTB gloves 4 years ago. Looking at their other brands……not surprising that the quality has gone a bit south

I have quite a bit of Endura stuff and it’s been great. More and more of the manufacturing was being off-shored though and they’re not doing custom-print/team/club options now either. I assume the Livingston facility is for the chop.

In my experience Endura are like the Crank Brothers of MTB clothing. All very pretty and clever but not very well nailed together. I was always surprised by how fragile the stuff is given all the ‘designed in Scotland’ marketing stuff.

I haven’t bought anything from them for years and also with prices going the way they are I’m buying more from Decathlon, TK Maxx and dragging out the lifespan of old kit for much longer.

I’m sure that those trading losses will come in handy, carried back against earlier profits where tax was paid or used elsewhere in the wider corporate group.  And as we’re not privy to the in house accounting practices, we won’t know how the losses actually arose.  With the bike industry as a whole in quite a bit of turmoil, it shouldn’t be a massive surprise to anyone that they are currently in a loss situation.  Accountants are generally well paid with good reason, as they can save their clients a lot of money.

Meantime, I find that the vast majority of their kit is very good, certainly as good as or better than the more popular premium names.  I have a lot of Endura kit; their sizing has always worked for me, I’ve never had a problem with it, everything just fits for me.  When I buy the right size.  Same for the Mrs, she has loads of it too and she’s been consistently sized for the last 15 years.

It would be nice if they could manufacture things to fixed, known sizes rather than just using some sort of lucky dip system.

It would be nice if they could manufacture things to fixed, known sizes rather than just using some sort of lucky dip system.

This.

Also products that get redesigned and come back worse. Can’t imagine how Strike waterproof gloves were decently breathable and then the next generation comes along so sweaty mushrooms would grow inside.

My experience in recent years is that their quality has declined. And my experience was that their customer service was completely and utterly crap, to the point of being dismissive / they really couldn’t be arsed.  When I insisted they took a look at something with a bad manufacturing fault and sent it back (the retailer had closed) they must have had it in the place for a whole 10 seconds before posting back with a ‘naah can’t be arsed’.

(Then got one of Alpkit’s staff in Heathersage to repair what Endura said was impossible).

So I’m buying stuff from other companies now. They’ve won the race to the bottom.

they’re not doing custom-print/team/club options now either

Probably for the best. The last club I know that used them had a sizeable fall out with them. Sizing was all over the place, some garments weren’t even stitched together properly when they arrived.

I’ve not had any quality issues, but certainly have experienced the sizing lucky dip problem

It would be nice if they could manufacture things to fixed, known sizes rather than just using some sort of lucky dip system.

Also products that get redesigned and come back worse. Can’t imagine how Strike waterproof gloves were decently breathable and then the next generation comes along so sweaty mushrooms would grow inside.

Both of those.

Plus learn how to sew so that random seams don’t unravel a few Months into use.

Plus learn that on a pad I don’t need harsh nylon stitching and some extra insert right where my todger lies whilst pedalling.

Also products that get redesigned and come back worse.

So I thought. Had some rubbish shorts 2 years ago. Moaned on here…including  that they had failed to make right.

Someone from Endura read my post, got in touch and then sent me new shorts and Endura had improved the fabrics the design and fit.

I’ve just had a clear out of worn out clothes. I found my old humvee shorts, not worn in yonks. Size medium. I got some humvee 3/4s and they were an XL.

All the Endura kit I’ve had is well made. I suspect there is some accounting going on, creative or otherwise. IANAA

Meantime, I find that the vast majority of their kit is very good, certainly as good as or better than the more popular premium names.  I have a lot of Endura kit; their sizing has always worked for me, I’ve never had a problem with it, everything just fits for me.

+1

I’ve plenty of their gear along with other manufacturers products and just bought a pair of their waterproof flat boots – worn last night and do the job well.

My MTR II waterproof pants ripped underneath.

Always used to send clothing back to be replaced, so I sent it back.

Some genius at pentland decided the best approach was a approach was a sticky patch, like the old inner tube patches, rather than replace a panel.

That lasted 1 week in week gritty wales.

Last thing I bought of theirs was a Pro SL rain coat for the best part of £200, about 3-4 years ago. Zip broke, Endura didn’t want to know. It’s still hanging in the garage having been worn less than 5 times. Never again!

Remember the first winter bib tights with the rubberised splash pieces on the inside leg and the proper brace straps. Man, those were excellent.

Remember the first winter bib tights with the rubberised splash pieces on the inside leg and the proper brace straps. Man, those were excellent.

I bought a pair of those in 2001. I only replaced them last year.

“Also products that get redesigned and come back worse. Can’t imagine how Strike waterproof gloves were decently breathable and then the next generation comes along so sweaty mushrooms would grow inside.”

It could be that the original material is now considered too bad for the environment and production ceased.  Unfortunately for us cyclists the best waterproof materials use fluorinated polymers which are being legislated against.

Threads about Endura are interesting because there’s always some who really rate it and others who have had really bad experiences and looks like the negatives outweigh the positives about 2 to 1. And these issues have been spoken about for years, I first had problems with Endura kit almost 20 years ago.

I stopped buying their stuff when a pair of trousers fell apart at the stitching and they put too much friction into resolving the problem. And a pair of gloves that fell apart.

Can’t comment on their current quality, but it does seem like they had a bigger marketing presence and expanded product range in recent years – so may have got caught on the hop by the market slump and widespread discounting of the past year-plus?

I took a punt on their shoes – Burner spd – and as they fitted me really well – bought a second pair.

6 months later both pairs had separated from their soles.

Shame

Their repair service is great 2 pairs of shorts Ive had for yonks

Also bought a couple of pairs of trousers off them that have been great and seem to be very well lasting through crappy winter filth

6 months later both pairs had separated from their soles.

How did they handle your warranty claim?

They’ve been rubbish forever. Zips in particular were failing for me 20+ years ago along with weird sizing. I haven’t touched them in years and based on the comments, am unlikely to do so.

Unfortunately I’m going to be adding myself to the list of people let down by Endura’s slide in terms of quality.

Recently, two pairs of gloves – falling to bits after less than a month and the leather palms went a weird dark grey to black colour before becoming hard and brittle. I’ve been using 661s since – same treatment/washing etc and, apart from sewing up a few seams that started to pull after a whole summer, fine.

But, more annoyingly, two pairs of Burner shoes. The outer came away from the sole in less than 4 months. This time around I am still using them as I invested in a shoe repair kit thing (of surprising quality) from Amazon. A lot of stabbing holes, just missing impaling hands and fingers, and dragging waxed twine back and forth – has saved this second pair, I think. But it really shouldn’t come to DIY cobbling to have a pair of shoes last 6 months. I have other shoes (Shimano) that have lasted years.

As for ‘warranty’…

Who is going to clean, dry, package,  post and complete a load of paperwork for shoes?

Warranty should not be a substitute for quality. Perhaps it is warranty claims and repair costs that seem to be sending them down the gurgler?

It could be that the original material is now considered too bad for the environment and production ceased.  Unfortunately for us cyclists the best waterproof materials use fluorinated polymers which are being legislated against.

Not impossible, but the material change would have been quite a few years ago now, I’m thinking 2018, maybe earlier. I thought that legislation was fairly recent?

All this talk of jackets reminded me of my last Endura one. The seam sealing tape peeled off, all of it at the same time. Wasn’t quite so waterproof after that.

Ex endura customer too, some of the old tops are still going strong.  Sadly now decathlon for the win, fraction of the price and lasts surprisingly well.

I had 5 pairs of gloves fall apart in the space of about 6 months. A mix of Humvee Plus and Windstopper.

Apparently, wear and tear wasn’t covered by the Endura warranty which is fair enough. You could argue that a couple of months isnt an acceptable life span (30 odd miles per week) but they refused to acknowledge a fault, even on a pair that failed half way through the first ride. Despite many, many forum threads about the same issue. On the same gloves.

Had a few pairs of shorts and a jacket that were fairly low quality considering the cost.

Overall, everything they seem to make now is poor quality but still sold at premium prices so I pretty much lost interest in them as a brand.

My experience of their aftersales support put me off entirely.

Remember the first winter bib tights with the rubberised splash pieces on the inside leg and the proper brace straps

still have them (one must be 20 years old, one a bit newer) still wearing them on the road bike in winter. bought a set of braces to replace the strap elastic… I used to wear a lot of Endura but haven’t bought any new stuff in many years.

they did some truly excellent road kit a long time ago now – the Equipe windproof gloves remain my favourite cool weather road glove. The bib shorts were great as well.  I’ve a few pairs of MTR baggies i wear on the road bike all time time.  Used to jog in them as well and they’re still going strong.

Everyone is going to have had a few bad years – theres been so much oversupply (and so much heavy discounting) of clothing..

Also products that get redesigned and come back worse.

far from the only company to do that. I had pairs of Fox flex air shorts bought over a few years. The fabric changed annually. Then they got an inch shorter (I’m tall and the length was the reason for buying them). And the pocket size and position changed so it would no longer take a modern mobile.

most of my riding bottoms seem to be Endura

quality I’m totally happy with, my most recent shorts are my best riding shorts ever.

sizing/cut of the trousers are a mystery though. I’ve got 3 pairs, all nominally the same size.

Only 1 can I get my “big” kneepads (also endura so shouldnt be a surprise to them) under. This pair I had to modify the waist velcro to make it tighter to get them to fit me.

another pair are so slim that I have to sit down to peel them off after a ride, and I can just about get a caseless iphone 13 mini in one pocket, and keys in the other.

how Gee Atherton (famously quite strong in build) gets DH kneepads in his without looking like he’s a yummy mummy in leggings is a question.

they’re not doing custom-print/team/club options now either

Shame that – my son’s kit the Exeter Uni MTB club had made a couple of years ago is class. But, yeah, long time since I’ve bought anything from Endura. Though I still wear a very very old pair of Humvee trousers for dog walking. Seem to remember they had to be re-stitched by my then girlfirend’s mum when they came apart. She did a much better job than the factory!

I’m pretty sure I’m still using my pair of those @Merak – I’ve not bought Endura kit recently (think my last thing ws about 2006 – but all that kit is still going strong and being used regularly. I was given an original MT-500 jacket (afterburner or something) around 2012 – that worked at keeping the outside wetness out, but it was never breathable. I’ve recently got a jacket from them – I’m going to say Singletrack – but unsure. It fits well, but I tried it on with a big hoodie so the XL is actually too big for me whilst riding – but the arms are a brilliant length so my arms are completely covered even when my arms are fully outstretched – not got that with any other jacket, so I’m willing to accept the very baggy chest/stomach of the jacket. Keeps me dry and doesn’t seem to be as sweat-laden as the MT-500 of about 12 years ago.

So out of all my kit, the most recent one seems to be good, the really old stuff is brilliant, but I’m just not sure about the current stuff due to so many horror stories online and with my riding friends. I’m happy with what I’ve got but not keen on buying anything else in case it really doesn’t work.

I find Endura stuff inconsistent but generally more good than bad. Issue (for me) is the ‘bad’ experiences make me wary about buying anything else because I don’t know what to expect…

Hummvee shorts & 3/4s: superb, bombproof, ideal for commuting with all the pockets. Newer ones bigger than older ones meaning I’m stuck with some too-big ones that snag the saddle when gettiing gnarvel.

Hummvee gilet: brilliant. Lightweight, windproof front, mesh back. Packs down teeny.

Freezing Point gilet: bloody love this. Good fit, packs down small enough, feels solidly made. Very warm so rarely have conditions to use it though.

Older MTB tops I found good enough quality but sizing was inconsistent.

But newer jerseys… Bought LS MT500 jerseys for the family and material wasn’t fit for purpose. Gentle pootle along canal path and all jerseys ended up with snags/pulls in the material. Returned to retailer/Endura, full refund. And Endura gloves I had years ago were just crap.