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Seek new challenges this season. With cooler climates and challenging elements on the horizon, stay comfortable on the trails with Montane’s new autumn winter range.Stay well protected with our new season layers, whether it’s walking, running or ski touring. From warm, packable down jackets, to protective GORE-TEX waterproof jackets and technical fleeces, these outer layers and breathable layerin …

One of the more technical jackets we have used over the past 6 months, the Axis Alpha Down jacket on first appearance is similar in design to the Montane Quattro Fusion, a jacket we very much enjoyed testing and reviewing and have continued to use over the past few years. Montane has a great reputation for creating some very innovative clothing, with a wide mix of materials to produce …

Less frequent now are the evenings when you would enter a Scottish bothy and lined up above the fireplace hang a line of hand-knitted thick woollen socks drying out from a long day’s walk. Kit has certainly changed over the years, and we find a lot more attention has been made to the feet. Too many times have we seen a large amount of money spent on a superb pair of boots and then under …

TRAIL MAGAZINE: New for 2022The Helinox Chair Zero has been an iconic ultralight camping chair for several years, but what if you need more shoulder support? Cue front stage the High Back model. New for 2022, this version weighs only 690g and has a load capacity of 120kg. Combining DAC aluminium with a tough and lightweight poly-ripstop seat, it's extremely portable, packing into a carry-bag sized …

TRAIL MAGAZINE: ReviewBased on the same platform as Scarpa's Rush Trek boot, the low-cut Rush Trail is no flimsy trainer-style hiker. It has the same durable suede uppersand structured sole unit as the boot, and there's also some clever on-board tech aimed at alleviating foot fatigue. Foremost among these isa dual density midsole, which is firmer at the forefoot for added stability, and spongier i …

TRAIL MAGAZINE: Review With its quirky Back To The Future-inspired name, the Sierra Designs Flex Capacitor is a suitably quirky backpack, with an innovative design and eye-catching look. Its USP is the use of a double fold of material on the front of the pack which - when combined with a series of cinch cords - enables the pack's circumference to expand or contract between 40L and 60L. Other pack …

TRAIL MAGAZINE: ReviewWe tested the Gregory Focal 48 on a three-day, 107km hike from Saltburn-by-the-Sea to Flamborough Head on the Cleveland Way National Trail, and it performed admirably. It delivered a comfy carrying experience, providing top-notch suspension and load transfer. We'd credit this success to the huge amount of technology in the pack's FreeFloat harness: a ventilated mesh back pane …

TRAIL MAGAZINE: ReviewWhile other backpacks might polarise opinion, the Talon 55 feels like a really safe bet. Osprey's Talon range, which comes in a whopping nine sizes from 6L up to 55L, as well as several female-specific Tempest versions, is a long-standing and ever-popular product line, with a stellar reputation. The Talon 55 features an AirScape back system - a tight mesh web atop ridged EVA …

This long-sleeved base layer features a zip neck, making it easy to adjust the venting depending on the sleeves. The synthetic fabric is superbly wicking and has an antibacterial treatment for odor resistance.Material 100% polyester

TRAIL MAGAZINE: Review Haglöfs has taken a very different approach with the Duality. The core concept, which gives the boot its name, is the ability to swap between two insoles, which changes the performance. The insoles incorporate the midsole cushioning that's normally part of the shoe, and whilst the two sets are identical in shape and size they are different in density.  They're colour-c …

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 …