Shona’s – your one stop outdoor shop in Thamel

Thamel is the tourist hub of Kathmandu. Calling Thamel ‘bustling’ would be a gross understatement … like calling global warming, “Slightly worrying”. In Thamel you will find rip-off North Face bags, Yak-wool socks, Indian embroiders, touts saying, “Hello, hash for you?”, fresh tourists pretending not to be intimidated, brightly coloured cotton everything, confused hippies that forgot to leave the famed 1970‘s hippy pilgrimage (Thamel-> Thailand) and food from all parts of the world. Due to Nepal’s proximity to India, the Indian food is easily the best.

From the outside, Shona’s Alpine seems to be just another Thamel shop. The dusty shelves are packed to overflowing with sleeping bags, socks, shirts, down jackets and everything you need to survive the Himalayas as a trekker, mountaineer or cliche’-nirvana-seeker. However, Shona’s has a huge point of difference, one which attracts people in the know in droves.

Andrew and Shona from ‘Shonas Alpine” are like Willy Wonka and Pacha-mamma respectively to outdoor shoppers. Andrew is a skinny, pony-tailed chap from England who is extremely passionate and knowledgable about outdoor equipment. With every item sold, Andrew offers advice and, invariably, anecdotes about when he used the same gear, “One winter I was climbing in the Khumbu, no one was about, and I was solo-ing these lovely lines around Pangboche…anyway, what was I saying? Yeah, I only took one change of clothes!” Shona is a short, serious looking Nepalese lady who efficiently matches explorers with the gear they need with a big smile.

Shonas Alpine is a climbing institution. For a retailer to flourish in such a competitive, and flooded, market as Thamel they must have a noticeable point of difference. While watching Shona systematically deck out a nervous American lady for her first ever trek, it dawned on me what their big point of difference is: trust.

They do not mess about with pricing, goods are worth what they’re worth. They will not bullshit you to sell an extra sock. I saw Shona question American-lady if she really needed more than one shirt, “They dry in ten minutes, wash it at night…” They intimately know the products they are selling. From her perch behind the counter, Shona had this first-timer totally kitted out, and had explained the benefits of Merino over poly-propylene, in less time than it takes for Abbott to lube up, and anally rape Australia’s Environmental policy… sorry, sorry, I don’t know where that came from. I’ll leave it alone, Promise! Anyway, Shona’s, trust. A valuable commodity in this tout-ridden suburb.

The reason that Andrew and Shona know their products so well is because they manufacture most of their inventory. It is easy to picture Andrew dancing around a factory upstairs with a bunch of smiling Sherpas labouring at sewing machines, all of them singing, “Ooompa, Loompa, Doooboodee Dooo, I’ve got a lovely Down suit for you”

I still distinctly remember in 2011 when I nervously went to buy a down suit. Andrew took one look at me, pulled a suit seemingly out of his sleeve and had me try it on. He explained why they designed the crap flap the way it was (the zip around your bum for number 2’s), why the hood was made to close how it did (being able to breathe) and why they only come in fluorescent orange (snow is white!) Sweating in the suit like a fat McDonalds employee I asked about sleeping bags, again seemingly out of his sleeve, came two bags, a three and a four season. Their brand is Alpine design, even though not a ‘big’ name quality is assured. Their assurance of quality comes from the fact that most commercial expeditions, and almost every sherpa, use them. If it is good enough for experts, it is certainly good enough for me.

My fellow expeditioner, Bish is a tall chap. At 6 foot 4, he has trouble finding gear to fit his frame. When Bish asked Andrew about a sleeping bag, Andrew said, “Yeah, no worries, we have one,” turning to a staff member, “can you run upstairs and grab that XXL bag?” A few minutes later Bish was the proud owner of a massive and warm sleeping bag, which cost him $80aus. You can pay upwards of $400 for it’s equivalent in Australia. I was a bit disappointed that all I needed were a few more pairs of socks. When I asked Shona for some trekking socks her eyes flitted to my boots, “Size 43, Khumbu Valley right?” Not surprisingly my socks are perfect, not too hot, merino to avoid smelly feet, and the perfect size. They might be last year’s design but I’m pretty sure that Merino wool has not evolved too much since 2012. Trust.

So, if you ever come to Nepal to trek, climb or do anything outdoorsy, and assuming you are not aroused by brand name gear, I strongly suggest you arrive a day earlier with an empty rucksack and a few dollars in your pocket. Throw yourself at the mercy of Andrew and Shona. They will see you right.

*Disclaimer* Due to my evangelical gushing this may seem like a sponsored post. It was in no way sponsored, they are just that good.

*Note* To find Shonas go to the Mountain Hardware store, walking back towards the thick of Thamel take the first left, it is about 150 meters down on the right, next to the famous RUmdoodle restaurant. If you get lost, and you will, just ask a local.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

UPDATE: I found their phone number and email. If you try them, let us all know if it’s still valid!):  +977 1 4265120

[email protected]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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