"Oh, you shouldn't have!"
 

I really didn't expect this level of absurdity.
You need to up your game Assos!

All that packing for two water bottles ? What a waste.

+1 Gets me bit sad tbh.

Apparently you've never received packages from Japan... and these examples aren't even that bad...

so THATs why I can't afford Rapha gear.... they have to pay for all that brand marketing... ;)

at least the material can be recycled.

The best printed and packaging paper i've ever seen is done in japan.

For example the pokemon cards made in japan are just out of this world and worth every penny, the best pokemon card sold in the US is not even close to those japanese ones.

Honestly? for what you pay for any of those rapha items, the least they can do is to pack it like if it worth a million bucks, beautiful packing.

With other companies is just a box with all the stuff lose inside, but you arent paying for the brand and what it it :)

:)

yeah everything in these images is 100% recyclable, including the bottles.

it's excessive, but I've seen worse. I once got a 24x12x10" box from Amazon to ship me a 3' USB cable. seriously.

also if you think this is bad you should order a pair of shoes from them. it's basically double all of that.

I just nip into the shop in Spitalfields, and take them off the shelves.

Keeps the carbon footprint down;)

Doesn't seem too egregious to me. A few pieces of paper that are recyclable and from a (generally) renewable resource.

It may be highly visible, but it is hardly the worst offender in the whole situation when you compare it to the carbon footprint of the actual water bottles and the related shipping from the point of manufacture.

If you've seen the latest Dell commercials.... This kind of packaging ensures that you're paying for both shipping and HANDLING.

It's all part of the experience. Fizik's packaging for shoes, saddles and handlebars is pretty fancy too, but not up to the Rapha standard.

Ha - My wife just told me about Spitalfields - she's sending our daughter that attend universities in Scotland. I may have to find my passport if it's that good.

What's the big deal?

At Rapha prices, assuming you'll be bringing the stuff back to the US, find out fi the shop participates in the VAT refund program where you drop off a form at the airport and the VAT gets refunded to you.