The public perception of Brasher boots - traditonal British design just like your parents grew up with. 

Since the Brasher announcement there's been a stream of comments on social media describing it as a "sad" day, often from respected names in the industry, and even calls for a boycott of Berghaus products unless they keep the Brasher name. While the latter is an easy idea to dismiss there's no doubt that to a large number of people it is sad. The decision to effectively ditch one of the most iconically British brand names, however, was not a decision made at Berghaus but one made in the boardroom of both Berghaus and Brasher's owners' Pentland. In fact if it weren't for Berghaus there's a strong possibility that the Brasher brand would have suffered a far more ignominious fate than a strategic withdrawl. Put simply if Brasher hadn't been integrated into Berghaus the brand's financial position was unsustainable and the losses would equally unsustainable. Yes the amalagamation of the UK's leading leather boot maker with the UK's leading fabric boot maker makes sense, as does the argument that by combining they could fight their real competition for market share rather than each other, but it's hard not to feel that despite all the PR it was a case of either take the good bits and the best performing models and fade the brand out gracefully or pull the plug on the name and let it crash. While it's sad to see the loss of the Brasher name, at least for now, it would have been sadder to see it go under.

Iconic brands come and go and often the name is swallowed up by bigger fish and there's no doubt that we get attached to a name and see it through rose tinted glasses. We remember the reasons it became iconic and put it in a mental time bubble. Ask anyone what the Brasher brand name means to them and, if they're outdoors people, the chances are the answer will be "leather walking boots" - but over the last few years Brasher's produced far more new fabric boot designs than new leather designs. The perception is out of touch with the reality. In many ways what's sad is that a name associated with amazingly innovative ideas, including founding the London Marathon, is best remembered for designs well over a decade old - the Hillmaster first appeared in 1993 and the Supalite in 2000. They're the boots we grew up with and that's what attaches us to the brand.

Don't get me wrong I look on the Brasher brand with those same rose tinted glasses, I will never forget finally being able to afford my first pair of Hillmasters in the same way as I remember my first pair of almost equally iconic Karrimor KSBs. Looking at what happened with the Karrimor brand makes me feel that while it's sad that the Brasher name will disappear it could have been a lot worse. For the first few days I was as shocked as anyone to think Pentland would ditch the brand but as I thought about how the Brasher name should be remembered the alternatives of going under or fading into a shadow of their former selves were less attractive than a graceful exit. If anything it protects the Brasher name - and sources close to Berghaus have said "It's not the last you hear of Brasher". Chris Brasher will be remembered, irrespective of what happens with the boots that (for now) bear his name, for his amazing achievements in the world of athletics - and I for one would rather remember the Brasher name in the same way in terms of the outdoors. Personally I'd like to see Pentland keep the name alive, perhaps with an annual innovation award or an annual scholarship at an appropriate university, but after a few days reflection I'm glad they're letting the name take a graceful exit.