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TRAIL MAGAZINE: New for 2022I've always loved the Ridge Raider, if onlyfor the name alone. But this updated version from Rab takes what was already a great compromise between a body-bag style bivvy and an actual tent and makes it better.The Pertex Shield Air (replacing eVent in the old Raider) waterproof fabric offers impressive condensation control, while the addition of a pole at the foot end pr …

This single-pole, hooped tent has been around land loved by wild campers) for ages, but it has received an upgrade for 2022. The updated version now has a factory silicone-sealed main seam you no longer need to use the waterproof cover over the main pole), a new guy line system, anda new style of peg. The flysheet has a 3000mm hydrostatic head, the groundsheet is 7000mm and the all-in weight is 97 …

TRAIL MAGAZINE: Best in test.A cleverly-designed skeletal pole creates near-vertical walls and maximum headroom in this palatial tent for one (1.29kg). A good-sized side porch and a non-tapered floor add to the sense of spaciousness. The inner, which is pitched first, is freestanding with a bathtub-style floor and mesh upper for good ventilation, while the Durashield-coated flysheet provides 3-sea …

TRAIL MAGAZINE: Gear of the year 2022With wild camping and backpacking going mainstream, cutting through the noise to pick out the best tents is getting trickier. But the Alto TR1 Plus (1228g) is amazingly roomy - with what must be best-in-class headroom, liveability and all-around spaciousness. This is achieved via a rather ingenious skeletal, all-in-one pole structure featuring the 'Tension Ridg …

Picking a sleeping bag for a 2-week trip is a difficult one; the time of year, where you are hiking, how changeable the weather is, and what altitude you are camping at, should all be taken into account when choosing what bag to take on a trip. May in Scotland is arguably the most unpredictable month, in the most unpredictable of places, it could snow, and it could also be a heat wave, …

The L.I.M (Less Is More) range from  Haglofs, it is all about saving weight without compromising performance. So when it came to choosing a mid-layer for my 2 week trip across Scotland I was set from the start on the new  L.I.M Mid Comp Hood. Wanting something close fitting to work with a layering system, and thinking I would be in my wet weather gear for long spells of t …

Intro and route history The West Highland Way, or simply The Way, is a 96-mile-long distance walk that is usually tackled from south to north. It is arguably the most popular long-distance trail in the UK, completed by approximately 36,000 walkers a year. In contrast to the Coast to Coast, another popular trail, which is only completed by about 10,000. By no means is the trail busy, it …

Montane’s Terra Alpine Shorts form part of the  Terra Pants range that cover a variety of activities in a range of weathers. In this case, these softshell shorts were designed for milder conditions. To test this out a few days hiking in, what happened to be, changeable weather was certainly the ideal start for someone that hasn’t tried this range of gear before. To give you a brief int …

The Blaze and the Crown have long been the key backpacking rucksacks in Granite Gear's range, their features are very similar so we explain the differences here so that you can make an informed choice.

I've never really got on with any of the stove systems I’ve used in the past, I am constantly looking for something else to suit my style. Recently I've been using the  MSR WindBurner 1.0L, which is brilliant, however, for an upcoming two-week trip I had planned, I felt the WindBurner was overkill, bulky and a tad on the heavy side, at over 650g (if you include the 100g gas canis …

Cnoc water bottle, water container, and versa flow water filtration set up Cnoc water containers and collapsible water bottles have been a mini-revolution in the outdoor world, since they were first brought to the market. Strong, durable, lightweight, and innovative, it’s easy to see why they have been adopted by so many hikers. The Vesica 1L Collapsible Bottle comes in 2 main o …

I spent 2 whole weeks, day in, day out in  Haglofs rugged flex Pant, a soft shell, durable hiking trouser. I walked a coast-to-coast crossing of Scotland and, wanting to save weight, brought one pair of trousers to hike in, and a Marino woollen base layer to sleep in, so this pair of trousers and I became well acquainted, they come with one caveat, as I will get on to, but overall …