MSR – Surelock TR-3 Trekking Poles
We were won over by these poles and my wife especially is looking forward to using them in her upcoming climbing attempt of Mt Snowdon where they will undoubtedly be an invaluable aid, particularly knowing her dislikes of ‘ups’.
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Paramo – Halcon Traveller Jacket
I went out on a short(ish) walk and loaded myself up with a local OS Map, Food For Free guide book, Photography guide book, Camera accessory pack, torch, pen, sunglasses, phone, knife, binoculars and small drink bottle but after that I ran out of things to put in all of the pockets. I did also carry a small pack with the rest of my camera gear and other bulkier items. Read more…
Cicerone – Moveable Feasts
It takes some going over and will sit on your bedside table for ages and keep you thinking – but it’s well worth it, even if you get a few golden nuggets which will make your camping trip more comfy and tastier. A great gift for difficult ‘i do outdoors’ family members, as it will keep them happy for hours.
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Ohyo – Collapsible Drinking Bottle
The Wife is a particularly bad user of bottled water. We must have 10 perfectly good reusable bottles in our cupboard, but she still feels the need to purchase a litre of some posh french water whenever she drives anywhere. It drives me potty, so I am trying to stash the handy compressed Ohyo bottles shown above in her car as an aide-memoir to save the planet. Read more…
MSR – Trail Lite Duo System
A Russian Dolls affair comprising a hard-anodised Aluminium 2-litre pan which has been coated in a non-stick ceramic and works a treat for cooking up everything from water for your tea to beans for your belly. I’m a particular fan of the MSR pans, with their visually appealing looks and clever clear lids which feature an in-built drainer and silicone rubber handle which doesn’t get hot. Read more…
Merrell – Chameleon 5 Mid Ventilator GTX Carbon
Merrell categorise these as a ‘high-speed backpacking shoe’. Inside they boast a Gore-Tex membrane and a support insole described as ‘suitable for carrying a light pack’. Outside they’ve got tough laces, a sturdy outer construction with breathable mesh and a tough heel to withstand kicking them off at the pub every day. On the bottom a thick and chunky Vibram sole does the business well. Read more…
Brasher – Supalite Active GTX Walking Boots
This boot isn’t for the type of person who questions why you’d need a boot for mooching around the campsite. This boot is for the type of person who hates wet socks, cold feet and discomfort on holiday. Read more…
Asolo – Creek GV Walking Boots
News just in from Asolo that they’ve teamed up with those rubber fetishists at Vibram to design a boot which fits like a latex bodysuit and moves like it’s dirty-dancing with your toes. Natural Shape – they call the new sole design – sounds like a probiotic, feels like a hug, and has been used on a small range of their new lightweight walking boots. Read more…
Platypus – Sprinter XT 25L Backpack
Being 5’9” the 20” M/L backpack was a perfect fit, resting snuggly on my hips, and the combination of back padding and internal frame was enough to cushion the pack against my back without over insulating it. The Sprinter is available in two torso lengths so can be fitted to a variety of body shapes – and whilst it’s not a specific women’s pack I had no trouble with its fit. Read more…
Berghaus – Expeditor Waterproof Hiking Boots
At £100 for the leather boot, Berghaus seems to be targetting the novice to intermediate outdoorsman really aggressively. Their choice to eschew expensive membranes from GORE or EVENT has resulted in a really functional and stylish boot at a pretty competitive price. So far, so good for this boot test with no problems to report on general mooching, dog-walking and short-sharp lowland hikes Read more…
Smartwool – PhD Smartloft Divide Top
I’ve been testing one in a less garish all-black, but the yellow shows up better in photos. The idea is that you get a full-zip long-sleeved midlayer which has the benefit of keeping your chest (and therefore your core) warm when you’re running in to the wind. The nylon panelling is fairly windproof, and also coated in a durable water repellent so it sheds drizzle well, and it’s insulated with a layer of warm wool which continues to insulate you when the nylon eventually lets water through, or your sweat saturates everything. Read more…
Teva – Crank Mid shoes
Now, there’s something to be said for a shoe which doesn’t provide a huge amount of support. Teva say that they’ve integrated a Mush insole (moulded for comfort) but the feel of the Crank is minimalist in terms of snugging your foot and the result is a natural feeling walk. They’re all-day comfortable and to my mind would be as good at being a travel shoe as they would be a biking shoe… if you don’t mind the looks. Read more…
Cicerone – Indoor Climbing (book)
Understanding those things which are a bit alien to other walks of life is made easier by this book’s thorough work-through of the how’s and why’s of each of the essential items in a climber’s kit. Knowing which kit I will, and more importantly won’t need before I venture out to purchase them is a great feeling. Read more…
SOLE – Exhale shoes
I must admit that I wasn’t one of those who immediately saw a need for them when I first got the information through, but since they’ve arrived I’ve worn them almost every evening. Exhale. A strange name for some shoes. Until, that is, you come back from a day’s hiking with sore feet and tired knees, and you slip these bad-boys on. You do a little sigh of comfort and the name makes perfect sense all of a sudden. Read more…
Grilliput – Portable grill / barbeque
The Grilliput has the advantage over those throw-away barbeques in that it will last forever, and it’s a great talking point too. At £30 it’s a bit of a bargain for those of you who love to barbeque, and it would fit in to any situation from festivals to glamping.
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KitTags – Bag Identification Straps
KitTags (aka GearTags in the US) are new to the UK market and have come in via demand through military channels. If you think we have problems identifying our bags on an airport carousel, imagine what it must be like… Read more…
Nikwax – Polar Proof
What’s noticeable about running a garment treated with Polar Proof under a tap is the lack of small drops which grab on to the pile, and of course the way that the stream of water flows off like it is being repelled somehow. I compared this to an older fleece garment which I own and the main difference is those small dots of water which stay on the fabric and in some places cause a wetting-out (where they sink in) Read more…
