Blog

THE GREAT OUTDOORS: MAGAZINEThis mat is astonishingly light and packs down astonishingly small. Inflated it's quite thick and very comfortable. I find that not blowing it up really hard is best. A little 'give' means I'm less likely to roll off. Whilst not insulated, the UberLite has an internal construction of stacked triangular baffles that reduce heat loss, which is why it has a high R-value fo …

THE GREAT OUTDOORS: MAGAZINE Blå Band is a stalwart Scandinavian brand that has been offering dehydrated backpacking meals for many years. One quirk - some might call it the brand's trademark - is that the packs are wider than they are tall, unlike the more typical vertical format used by almost every other brand. This doesn't make much difference when it comes to packing meals inside your rucksa …

THE GREAT OUTDOORS: MAGAZINE Firepot specialises in a small range of meals hand-made from high-quality ingredients, cooked and then dehydrated after cooking. The entire range is free from artificial additives, flavourings and preservatives, as well as palm oil, making them worth a look if you value quality. Like many of their meals, the spicy pork noodles I tasted are available in both standard a …

THE GREAT OUTDOORS: MAGAZINE This year Black Diamond has launched four new headlamps with rechargeable batteries, the R series. The Spot R 400 is the one of the more powerful models whilst being light and compact. You can't use standard batteries so on any long trip a battery pack is needed for recharging the headlamp. I carry one anyway for my phone and other items. Surprisingly the recharging p …

TRAIL MAGAZINE: Review At just 1145g, this minimalist tent is the lightest on test and delivers the best space-to-weight ratio. Despite the ultralight weigh-in, you get two good-sized porches, two side-entry doors, generous headroom, near-vertical walls, and a rectangular inner footprint with impressive width and lengthand no tapering at the foot end. It's all quite remarkable considering the wei …

TRAIL MAGAZINE: Review This tent is positively palatial, with first-rate headroom and liveability, despite weighing only 1591g. This is achieved via an all- in-one pole structure featuring the Tension Ridge' - a cross pole that widens the peak and creates near-perpendicular walls, angling upwards like a wingspan to maximise room. The 20-denier groundsheet is2500mm-rated and the silicone and PU-co …

THE GREAT OUTDOORS: MAGAZINE The Montebianco 2 (and women's Monterosa) sunglasses from Julbo are Category 3 sunglasses fitted with 'spectron 3' lenses and designed to be general-purpose, mountain sports sunglasses. As a rule, Cat. 3 eye protection cuts around two-thirds of the light, but the visible light transmission (VLT) measure here is about average for European sun protection at 12%, and for …

TRAIL MAGAZINE: ReviewThis perennially popular shell from US brand Outdoor Research is much-loved by backpackers and thru-hikers across the pond, and it's easy to see why: it's lightweight, packable and reliably waterproof. And this latest version is also tougher than ever. It's made from Pertex Shield, a 2.5-layer fabric with a 30-denier ripstop nylon face fabric. This also utilises Pertex's Diam …

TRAIL MAGAZINE: ReviewHaglofs' L.I.M or 'less is more' series is highly regarded amongst ultralighters for its ethos of 'functional minimalism' - that is, delivering all the essentials but nothing extraneous, all in a weight-conscious package. This jacket is no exception. For cut and construction, it takes a similar approach to Dynafit's Transalper GTX, as it also uses a mix of Gore-Tex Active an …

TRAIL MAGAZINE: Review Inov-8's trail shoes have always been renowned for low weight and reliable traction but aren't known for an accommodating fit or plush cushioning. However, the Rocfly G 350 is a different beast altogether. These trainer-style hikers fuse a superlight knitted upper with a seriously chunky, cushioned midsole. They offer great out-of-the-box comfort, with a generously padded t …

TRAIL MAGAZINE: Review Despite looking like a technical approach shoe, with a low- profile toe box, extended lacing and a wraparound rand, we'd describe the TX5 as a sort of hybrid 'approach-hiker'. Built for mixed terrain, they're ideal for those classic big days out that might involve double- figure mileage and long, undulating ridgelines, as well as the odd scramble. They are much more forgivi …

TRAIL MAGAZINE: Review Whether being used. to drink direct from the source, or to fill up a bottle or bladder, the hand-pumped TrailShot filters out almost all (99.9%) bacteria, protozoa, and particulates. It can treat 1 litre of water in 60 seconds and is compact enough to fit in the stash. pocket of a rucksack.