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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.

TRAIL MAGAZINE: Review Innovative zipperless design, clever features, comfy, affordable. A tad heavy, style won't suit everyone, risk of draughts, requires a good mat This is the synthetic version of Sierra Designs' Cloud 20° down bag. It's £130 cheaper but 490g heavier and not as warm. Like the Cloud 20°, the Night Cap 20° adopts an innovative design. There's not zip, but the bag still opens wid …

TRAIL MAGAZINE: Review Incredibly light, 850 fill power, excellent for long-distance treks Disappointing comfort rating, risk of down separating, low fill weight This sleeping bag is designed for the gram- counting, ultralight camper who still needs. 3-season protection. Top quality 850 fill power goose down (the highest grade down on test) fills both horizontal and vertical baffles, delivering a …