Today, down jackets built for K2 are worn on the school run and premium waterproofs pop up in pubs. In their photo book, Max Leonard and Henry Iddon track down hard-as-nails but unheralded mountaineers and the fabric innovators who put them safely – and sometimes even stylishly – on summits to ask how we got here

The best optics and outdoor products tried & tested for you

I T WILL NEVER cease to be a ...

Free-range history

More stuff to spend your hard-earned cash on

Sturdy but oh-so-stylish, a new crop of gardenwear can take you from plot to shop and school pick-up. Put these brands on your Christmas wishlist