Our Blog

5 Reasons Why Our School Outerwear Gets Top Marks

Highly Waterproof

As the outdoor clothing experts since 1987, we believe in only using high performing materials, expert craftsmanship and unique designs. Our fabrics are tested, so that they pass the waterproof standards that we expect.

When it rains and pours, you can rest assured that your little students will be protected against the elements.

Highly Breathable

Without sounding too technical, breathability pertains to the ability of a garment to regulate moisture. Basically, what this means is that your little ones school coat or jacket will be comfy and cosy and won’t leave them feeling clammy and overheated. This will come in handy for running to the school bus or for lunchtime play.

Fully Taped Seams

Stitching is normally the weak point of a garment, which can let in wind and rain. We prevent this by using fully taped seams, so school uniforms aren’t ruined by random damp patches.

Concealed Hood

Whether the sun is shining or the heavens have opened, we have designed outerwear to combat the unpredictable weather. Many of our coats and jackets have a concealed hood tucked under the collar, so it can be hidden away whilst the sun is shining and quickly revealed when there’s a heavy downpour.

2 Year Guarantee

We stand by our clothing because we know that each garment is expertly made. That’s why we promise that if our clothing doesn’t meet your expectations or standards, we will replace them within 2 years of purchase. 

Smart kids deserve smart clothes and we believe that our outerwear deserves a gold star for functionality, fit and design.

Shop Kids school outerwear now including school favourite the Vancouver. 

Packing Tips For Summer Holidays With The Kids

This year, we've decided not to holiday abroad but we're lucky enough to have the use of my sister in law's house in Donegal for a week so my mind has already turned to the packing dilemma that travelling with kids brings.

I'm a dab hand at capsule packing for myself but bringing the kids along adds another dimension to the holiday packing list. That and packing for every possible weather scenario.

But whether you're going away to the sunshine or staying closer to home, I want to share with you some great packing tips to make the whole process a bit easier.

1. Delegate

If your kids are older than 4 or 5, teach them how to pack themselves. I've done this with my son since he was that age and now he's a dab hand at packing - making my life a lot easier! With my girls (who are 6), I give each of them a re-usable shopping bag and tell them how many days we're going for and they first pack all of their basics for each day..socks, underwear, PJ's etc.

2. Outfit Pack

After we've packed our basics, we make up each day's outfit and roll it up like a sausage before packing in the shopping bag. For a week, I pack about 5 outfits per child as that gives us enough mix and match to make a few more. Getting your kids to do this means they're happy with each day's outfit (if you have fussy dressers) but you also know that you've packed complete outfits for each day so won't end up with unworn items.

3. Two Shoes

This is a rule our whole family packs by and it works SO well. Bring no more than two pairs of shoes. Shoes take up a ton of space and are heavy. Bring one open pair and one closed in pair. Sandals and Trainers - neutral colours. I promise you this works...and if it doesn't, sure you can always buy a pair to bring home #bonus

4. Mummy-Aid Kit (like First Aid but better) containing.....

• Baby wipes - the pack with the plastic click down lid so they keep their moisture and don't leak all over your handbag.
• Anti-histamine & paracetamol - for every eventuality from stings to headaches, hangovers to allergies.
• Plasters
• Some resealable plastic bags or a few supermarket plastic bags - in case of emergency clothes changes en-route...or worse :)
• Sweets - always have a few rolls of polo mints in your bag. A fab distraction at melt down moments and I don't just mean for kids!

5. Fully Charged

You'll obviously be packing a charger and adaptor for all your electronic items but I strongly recommend you bring an Anker charger in your carry-on luggage or in the car. They come in different sizes and powers - mine is roughly the size of a pack of cards and it's amazing as it fits in my handbag and gives 2.5 full charges to my phone (it's a 5,600 mAh). It obviously needs to be charged itself but I just make sure I do so the day before we travel and it's an utter godsend whenever you run out of juice. They work on iPads, tablets, laptops..as long as they have a charging wire with a USB connection.

6. Games

There are some amazing travel games that you can get that are easy to carry with you while travelling. Current favourites in this house are Tenzi and Uno - you'll find them both in most toy stores or on Amazon....the best bit is that they don't require batteries and everyone can join in.

7. Spending Power

Finally, when we go away, we give each child a holiday allowance. This means that every time you hear 'can I get one of those/go on that ride' and so on, all you have to say is 'do you have enough money in your account?' It's amazing how frugal kids are when the money's coming out of their allowance!

Oh and although you'll probably be ok if you travel to warmer climes, you can't holiday in Ireland without a Target Dry lightweight jacket! Check out my post from last month where I show you the ones we are using this summer...they've served us well so far!

Ax

Introducing Andrew Parkes; Cyclist, Fell Runner & Outdoors Enthusiast

The 5.30am alarm stirs me and my stomach sinks… In the haze of waking from my short sleep I remember what today is… It creates a kind of nervous sinking feeling a bit like the butterflies you get before a presentation. I love what is ahead of me, but I’m also nervous because as thrilling and adventurous as it to challenge yourself, it is almost always painful and uncertain… today my mate and I are running the Mourne Wall again!

I am a 32 year old Freelance Graphic Designer who is quite obsessed with the great outdoors! Before I go any further, let me make this clear - I am not the fastest, fittest or most talented of outdoors people, I simply love the challenge, adventure and freedom that the outdoors can bring and I seek it as often as life allows! In any given week I’ll be cycling over the Antrim Hills, sailing around the coast, running in the Mournes, surfing in Portrush or mountain biking in my local trails. Like any addiction it is about finding the next fix…

The Mourne Wall is a beautiful route that takes in the heart of the Mournes in 35km loop (22miles) covering a painful 3000 metres of ascent (9842 feet) while summiting over 14 peaks (the route also skirts along the edge of Rocky Mountain but not its summit). My mate Matt and I test ourselves on this route every summer. We think it will keep us young and fit with a challenge always on the horizon. It is hard, but it is wonderful.

Years ago, when we first challenged ourselves on the route we took massive rucksacks with loads of food and water, wearing big heavy hiking boots and it ended up taking us a whopping 13hours! Now, a few years on, fitter and with more experience we turn up in fell shoes and shorts with tiny bags filled with jelly babies and bacon sandwiches and bang it out in around 7 hours. It’s not amazing considering the top fell runners probably look for a sub 4 hour time, but every year we are getting faster, and thats what counts!

Northern Ireland is a wonderland for outdoor adventure. We have so many options for different activities within our reach. From the Mournes to the Sperrins, from our coast line to Lough Neagh, from our local forest trails to the tow paths there is somewhere close by to get out and enjoy the fresh air. We even have amazing trail running & hiking routes in the outskirts of Belfast in the form of Cave Hill!

As a Belfast based clothing company I think Target Dry have seen the possibilities for local ‘micro’ adventures for everyday people and produced a well thought out range of waterproof outdoor clothing that covers everyday adventures from family trips to the beach to long wet hiking days in the Mournes. With this thought process in mind I will be blogging with Target Dry every month now and as I do so I hope I can share a little bit of the passion I have for the adventures and challenges that are just waiting for us all to just give them a go!

Over the next few months I’ll be cycling around Donegal, running the Mourne Wall (again!), preparing for the Mourne Mountain Marathon, training for a fundraising ultra marathon and tipping my toe into some wild outdoor swimming! There will also be some last minute camping trips, sailing races and surf sessions mixed in there as well!

I look forward to sharing these with you.

Right, thats enough writing… I’m off out for a run!

Basic Outdoor Kit Essentials From Travel Bloggers; The Explorer's Home

Unless you are lucky enough to work in the great outdoors, did you know that on average we spend 90% of our time stuck indoors? That seems like a scarily high figure, considering how much we all love the outdoors, right? I am going to go out on a limb and guess that most people’s excuse is that they don’t have time to get out after work or on days off… Well look at it this way: the average person gets 112 days off every year. Add that to time off after work and that equals 6736 hours free every year. Now tell me that you really can't spare 12 hours to go camping…

With that excuse out of the way, lets have a look at what the next big hurdle usually is: Having the right kit. 

The discussion of what you need to take camping with you can be as simple or as complicated as you want to make it. The thing to bare in mind are: you are not tackling Everest. Unless you’re going to be heading right into the hills then you really only need a few basics. Lets have a look at those basics now. 

Shelter

We have two amazing options when it comes to shelters. We have the option of the traditional tent, easy to pitch, enclosed space, great for bad weather and they keep the bugs out (most of the time!). Tents are a super option for beginners, they give you the added sense of security when it comes to being in the great outdoors. I have never really managed to be comfortable in a tent though, I feel too trapped. This led me to my second great discovery: Bivi bags and tarps. A bivi bag is an enclosure for your sleeping bag; nothing more, nothing less. It is essentially a big, breathable, waterproof sack that you crawl into. The downside? Well, it’s not for the claustrophobic. It’s a lot smaller space than a tent, meaning that you don’t have the comfort of being able to get changed inside. In fact you don’t have the comfort of being able to do anything but lay down! The upside? You can fall asleep looking up at the stars. A tarp is a sheet of fabric that you suspend above your bivi bag to keep the worst of the weather off of you. It takes some practice to get right but it allows so much more freedom on where you can camp and makes it lighter to drag along on a trek with you!

Sleeping Bag

Sleeping bags come in many shapes and sizes. The two primary types are synthetically lined bags and down lined bags. Synthetic doesn’t pack as small, isn’t quite as light but is just as warm and still retains it’s heating capacity when wet. Down filled bags pack much smaller, are lighter, but usually more expensive; the other, major, downside to down bags is that when the down gets wet, it loses it’s warming capability and so it is important to keep your bag dry when you are out and about or you will have a chilly night! Fact is though, if you’re simply heading out on a one night camping trip then you don’t need to spend hundreds of pounds on a sleeping bag! £20 from your local supermarket will usually get you a great synthetic lined mummy style bag. The trick is to just take a jumper with you if you think it won’t hold up to the weather and you have just increased the capability of your sleeping bag no end! Result! 

Cooking Gear & Food

Open fires are very pretty and all but they’re not ideal for making sure that the beautiful countryside that you’re visiting is left undisturbed after your visit. You generally have three options with camping stoves: Gas canister cookers, liquid fuel cookers and solid fuel cookers. Gas canister cookers are super simple: screw your stove head into the top of a camping stove and away you go - pop your cooking pot on, throw in some water and pasta and Bob’s your uncle! Liquid fuel stoves are almost the same but they require a bit more prep - you have to pressurise the fuel canister and heat the fuel before you can really get cooking. The benefit of liquid fuel over canisters? Liquid fuel is more efficient at higher altitude. Not really something we need to worry too much about in our part of the world… The last option is solid fuel. Solid fuel comes in the form of small pellet type capsules that sit in an enclosure and you simply set fire to them, pop your stove on and you’re done. The downside to this final option is that there is no cooking heat adjustment - you’re either cooking or you’re not! 

Food wise, keep it simple when you’re heading out. The best, easiest option is to simply have a great meal before you leave and take some milk and cereal for breakfast! No cooking involved - result! For the more adventurous, it’s not a huge jump to being able to fry up a few sausages in a pot, put them to one side and then cook some beans in the same pot over a stove. You will be surprised at how simple it is to cook in the outdoors. The main thing to remember is to avoid high sugar foods such as chocolate and sweets - they’re great for a pick-me-up but will leave you crashing afterwards which is never fun. Keep it simple on the cooking front and it will be easier in the long run.

Clothing

Summer in the England, Wales, Ireland and Scotland. It’s the best time of year when it comes to getting outdoors and enjoying the beauty of this part of the world that we live in. The downside to this part of the world is that summer usually means just as much rain (just slightly less snow) than the winter months. For this reason always pack waterproofs. Something simple for your top and bottoms such as this waterproof jacket and these waterproof overtrousers will pack away into a side pocket on your backpack and you can forget about them until you need them. For the super prepared and creative, you can probably use a poncho like this (which will also cover your backpack) and then use it as a tarp at night… Nothing will make you quite as miserable as being soaked through, so be prepared! 

The next layer down is usually a thermal layer. Again, you never can really trust the Summer here and so making sure that you at least have a jumper or fleece with you will keep you happy. Worst case, you can use it as a pillow when you bed down for the night! You will get cold when you least expect it, even if it has been a super warm day, by the time the sun sets you are usually left with quite a chill so make sure you have something to keep you warm. 

The final layer is your base layer. The base layer is what you wear directly next to your skin - it helps to wick moisture away from your skin and to keep you dry and warm when you need it. Layers are the key when it comes to keeping warm and to flexibility. It is better to wear three thin layers than one very thick layer. When you are trekking for miles you will sweat regardless of the weather, it is always good to be able to strip back a layer or two when you need to and add them back on when you really need them. 

That is a lot of information for a beginner to take in! Lets look at the basics again though:

Shelter: Tent or Bivi - keep it simple and fun. 

Sleeping bag: Synthetic or Down - keep it cheap and cheerful and wear an extra jumper if you think it might be a bit chilly.

Cooking: Gas, Liquid or Solid fuel - make life easier by eating before you leave and taking food that doesn’t require cooking.

Clothing: Layers, Layers, Layers! - Base layer, warming layer, waterproof layer. In that order. 

Finally… keep it simple, keep it fun! We all love the outdoors and there is little point in hiking and camping if it’s not fun. Enjoy the world! Keep exploring… 

Host Your Own DIY Garden Party/Festival

If you’re not fortunate enough to attend one of the numerous festivals being held across the UK & Ireland this summer, never fear. You can easily create your own festival themed summer by hosting a party in your back garden complete with music, food & camping.

Here are our top tips and ideas on how to make the most out of your DIY garden party; 

Electric signs

These signs are a big trend now, featuring at weddings, parties, special occasions or as an eclectic feature for your home décor. They are a brilliant way of adding a quirky vibe to night-time festivities and they are certainly suitable for any DIY festival party. If you’ve got the budget, go all out and spell out your festival theme like ‘boho’, ‘fiesta’ or ‘carnival’. Pretty expensive, but also pretty impressive.

DIY mason jars

Another heavily used party trend, mason jars are great for serving any kind of alcoholic or non-alcoholic beverage. Serve a concoction of spirits or offer a refreshing water based drink with infusions of berries, lemon, mint and lime. Simply save up plenty of old jam jars, drill a hole in the lids, place a rubber grommet on each to hide the rough edge and place a straw inside.

Bunting

A garden party must-have, bunting provides a little creative decoration and brings the whole look together. A favourite with alternative, boho style festivals, bunting is cheap but effective at adding colour, fun prints and patterns. Check out Etsy, Ebay and Amazon for short and long length bunting that comes in a variety of different prints.

BBQ Bucket

If you want to add more colour as well as having somewhere to cook for your guests, then a BBQ bucket provides a very affordable way of doing so. Cook the BBQ staples; sausages, burgers, chicken and onions and set up a table with all the condiments, baps, bread rolls, cutlery and crockery they will need.

If you want to go the extra mile, you can make your own salsa dips, create a centerpiece and of course don’t forget to add a few home-prepared salads.

Pitch a tent or build a teepee

Pitching a tent can be hard enough without the challenge of building a teepee! However, teepees are the new tents with beautiful décor inspiration to be found all over Pinterest.

If you want to take the time and build your own then check out Julie Blanner’s blog post on how to create a teepee using poles, rope and a canvas sheet. If you’re feeling a little nervous about taking that on, then search for teepee kits to find an easy DIY method of creating the same North Americana look for your back garden.

Night lanterns

Along with the bunting, lanterns can brighten up your back garden, adding an ethereal magical touch as the sun starts to set. Again, it’s a cheap way of making your garden look every bit the festival setting. Notonthehighstreet.com have lots of different options from Moorish to French antique lanterns and from paper fairy lights to rechargeable bottle lights or if you're feeling adventurous you can recycle some old vintage lampshades.

Musical Accompaniment 

Of course, no festival is complete without a little bit of musical entertainment! Even if it’s just a friend who’s great with the acoustic guitar, a local DJ or your phone, spotify playlist and Bluetooth speakers, you can create a great atmosphere with some musical accompaniment. Ask your guests for their requests beforehand, so you can cater for each individual taste without spending the night searching for a track on your phone.