Have anyone of the members here dealt with Brooks?
I am thinking about buying a tuilik and I tried to contact them 3 times using the e-mail they have on their site, but there is no response at all. Is that typical of that company. Or did they go out of business?
Any advice from anyone with 1st hand experience?
Did you try their phone number: +1 778-727-1245 ?
My search for their website came back site not found.
I’ll try that number.
Thanks
Steve
Well the number went to an answering machine so I left a message. I hope that’s enough to t a call or e-mail back.
I don’t want to just buy a “Medium”, “large” or “X Large” because of my odd-ball measurements. It’s a lot to spend on a garment that doesn’t fit. So I want to speak to them before I order. According to the sizing charts I’d wear a Medium to have a correct sleeve length and torso height, but an XL to go around my chest. I think the XL will simply allow the trunk and sleeves to bunch up, but it may be way too much and there is no way I can find out (so far)
Anyone out there have experience with one of their Tuiliks?
I am short at 5’ 6" but have a 46" chest and I weigh 187 pounds. Yet as fat as that sounds I have only a 34" waist.
So at $400 I don’t want to just take a chance and buy something hoping it might work. The Brooks c business seems to be VERTY hard to find on line and a few links to their web site no longer work, so it makes me now want to take many chances on them because customer interaction and service seem to be nonexistent.
What are the thought of you all out there?
Check with Cheri or Turner at KayakWays.net. They are dealers for Brooks, will know their status, and will help you determine appropriate sizing.
Looks like a cool site but again there is no contact information on it.
Contact info is well buried. Will email you.
Thank you 
Personally, a supposed company that cannot maintain a simple web site or have a phone that is answered during business hours is a company that I would be very cautious in trusting my money to. It sound more like somebody’s hobby. Perhaps somebody acting as middleman between customers and off-shore manufacturers.
Well it’s now been about 2 weeks and nothing I have tried gets any response at all from Brooks. It does seem they are out of business at best or at worst they simply have contempt for their customer base.
Reed is still around, but from what I see on line they are high priced and their Tuiliks don’t last very long.
So maybe I should consider making my own.
Anyone out there have any information on such endeavors? I make a lot of my own things, but sewing and the making of any garment is something I have ZERO skills or knowledge about.
There is info on the QajaqUSA website regards making your own tuilik. Patterns and instructions.
I own Brooks and Reed tuiliks. The Reed is thinner and better for cool to warm temps, and the Brooks for cool to cold. Dress for immersion.
Also own Reed Akuilisaqs and spray decks. They are great. I have heard the Reeds will not well tolerate damage from having a kayak keel or chine dropped on the cockpit rim during a t-rescue. Not surprising to me, the material is thin, not heavy 3mm neoprene. I take extra care, have done surf rescues, never had a problem with damaging Reed material. I do have the benefit of ocean cockpits, however.
Three years now on the Reed gear I own. Others may have, but I’ve not had any issues.
Did you receive the email from with with the contact emails for KayakWays.net?
I did contact Kayak ways and asked them about getting a Brooks tuilik from them---- but they will not reply either.
I am starting to believe that getting the pattern from QajaqUSA to make my own may be a good (and perhaps only) option.
Has anyone here used their pattern? I am not at all skilled in sewing anything and have no sewing machine. If I tried it I think I’d be using a needle and thread by hand, so I am curious what kind of time is needed to do a good job making one. I work long weeks now so doing jobs for myself is always something I have to try to fit in. I do GL and Aleut paddles, but I have 60+ years of wood working experience so I was not intimidated by the idea of making paddles and when I get caught up on my back long I feel no hesitation is trying my hand at kayak making. But making a Tuilik is 100% in the “ignorance zone” for me and I have no idea where to start or how to proceed.
Anyone out there done this?
Brooks was bought out a few years ago and the new owners discontinued Greenland gear. At this point they seem to have discontinued business altogether or are operating under another name.
@ szihn I sent you a PM about someone who has an XL Brooks tuilik that he is willing to sell. Let me know if you didn’t get it.
Thanks so much Mr Stevens. I’ll call and see what he has.
I found out today that Brooks is out of business and they sold out several years ago.
So much for up-to-date info on line huh?
I got in touch but it’s a no-go. His Tuilik only fits the round Greenland type cockpit combings and my size 1.4 (Seals) combing is far too big.
OK, -------------- back to the idea of trying to make one I guess.
Disappointed to hear about Brooks. They were an important supplier of traditional gear, even in Greenland. There is additional info on the QajaqUSA website, you can search the forums there for info without joining, though do recommend joining QajaqUSA.
https://www.qajaqusa.org/docs.ashx?id=527572 links to an article discussing making yr own tuilik, with and without a sewing machine.
