Blog

Cairngorm Treks Review - Outdoor Research Foray Jacket

Posted by Cairngorm Treks on Oct 14, 2019

The Foray Jacket comes in at 390 grams for the size medium, which puts it into a bracket of being a midrange waterproof. To the touch it certainly isn't as rugged as it is with a heavier 3L mountain jacket but it also isn't as flimsy as a super light active sports waterproofs. The Foray hits the 'go anywhere' category and it is instantly clear that OR have created a waterproof jacket tha …
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UOG Review - Rab Kinetic Plus & Arc Jacket

Posted by Danny Pearson on Oct 14, 2019

Rab kindly supplied a couple of their new jackets for me to test on my recent Knoydart trip. They sent an Arc jacket, which is a slimmed down version of their Firewall waterproof jacket, and the widely acclaimed Rab Kinetic Plus waterproof softshell. Continue reading to find out how I got on with both of the jackets. Rab Kinetic Plus Jacket Review When Rab announced the release of the Ki …
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UOG Review - Hoka One One Sky Toa

Posted by Danny Pearson on Oct 14, 2019

After walking Hadrian’s wall in 2019, I found that by day 4 my feet were crying out for something with more cushioning. My boots were soft and light but you could feel every lump and bump through the sole. We didn’t stock Hoka but the Hoka One One range seemed to offer the cushioning I wanted. I decided to buy a pair of Sky Toa Mid boots to wear on the 2019 TGO Challenge. I now wear Hok …
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UOG Review - Marmot Hydrogen Sleeping Bag

Oct 14, 2019

Marmot Hydrogen Sleeping Bag ReviewPart of Marmot's ultralight range of sleeping bags, the Hydrogen offers a superb balance of quality, low weight, packability, and performance versus cost. It's comparable to many more expensive products, as it is lighter and more compressible than almost all of its competitors. The Marmot Hydrogen uses 800+ fill power down protected with Marmot's Down Defender to …
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An Introduction to Mountain Running

Oct 14, 2019

This article aims to provide some simple advice for anyone who wants to start running doing more mountain and remote trail running. It is not a comprehensive guide and is just built on our experiences of running mountain marathon events, ultra-distance races and general trail, fell and mountain running.We've broken our guide down into 4 key areas you need to look at before you start running in mor …
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Knowledge Base - Inov8's Graphene Infused Shoes

Sep 23, 2019

History in the MakingGround-breaking technologyOne atom thick carbon sheet200 x stronger than steelThin, light, flexible, with limitless potentialA revolutionary range of sports shoes featuring graphene-infused rubber outsoles that deliver the world’s toughest grip, with the strength and durability of graphene.Just one atom thick and 200 times stronger than steel, wonder-material graphene has been …
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Knowledgebase Page - Backpackers Survival Kit

Posted by Mark Richardson on Sep 16, 2019

12 items that ALWAYS make the gear list I've done a lot of backpacking routes over the years and there are some items that always make the gear list. No matter where, no matter when, I don't even need to think about them. Here they are: Gram Counter Gear Mini Firesteel - 12g Most people use gas stoves, a firesteel is more reliable than either matches or a Piezo Igniter (which can br …
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UOG Review - Mountain Equipment Kinesis Jacket

Sep 16, 2019

The Kinesis uses a unique ‘Octoyarn Warp-Knit’ lining to provide active insulation, essentially working in the same way as Polartec Alpha. Without another brand label, Polartec, being included in the jacket the cost is lower than expected which is obviously a pretty significant bonus. As a fan of the Alpha material I was interested (and somewhat sceptical in all honesty) as to how it would perform …
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Trek Scotland Review - Darn Tough Light Hiker Micro Crew Sock

Posted by Trek Scotland on Sep 16, 2019

If you give a sock the name ‘Darn Tough’ then expectations are automatically high so our Lead Guide gave the Light Hiker socks a real beasting over nearly 500 miles of trekking, wearing them up to 5 days at a time. Ultimately, the material for any sock is key and the Light Hiker is a combination of Merino, Polymide and Spandex. The Merino element allows for non-itch comfort and provides …
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Trek Scotland Review - SOTO Stormbreaker Stove

Posted by Trek Scotland on Sep 16, 2019

The Soto Stormbreaker is a multi-fuel stove that works from both gas and liquid fuel sources. Weighing in at 454 grams excluding the fuel bottle, it’s a weight and size we would look to use for group cooking rather than solo expeditions.Soto have certainly made a name for themselves offering high quality stoves without the added price tag attached. A personal favourite for lightweight so …
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