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Here at Ultralight Outdoor Gear we've been selling granite Gear Packs almost as long as we've been in business. The company made its name with the groundbreaking Vapor Trail packs that delivered comfort at an unheard of weight, in its day the Vapor Trail was THE pack for the 3 long distance trails in the US (the PCT, CDT and AT).Since then Granite Gear have built on the key elements of the Vapor T …

The Fairtrade FoundationFairtrade is a movement for change that works directly with businesses, consumers and campaigners to make trade deliver for farmers and workers. It is represented by the Fairtrade Foundation.The international Fairtrade system (which the Fairtrade Foundation is a part of) represents the world’s largest and most recognised fair trade system. They are a global organisation wor …

In this post we look at solution dyed fabrics and explain why they are more environmentally friendly.

What is a bivy bag?The bivy bag (also known as a bivouac, bivi, bivvy or bivvi bag) was first developed as a basic but effective solo shelter for mountaineering and climbing where lightweight and small pack size were vital. The original bivies were little more than waterproof sleeping bag covers that protected users from the elements or could be used as temporary emergency shelters. Comfort has al …

The Rab Forge is a fairly ordinary looking tee with the long sleeved, crew neck version makes it look like a simple, casual top. However, I’m a big fan of the synthetic/merino blends for baselayers so I was eager to test this out. I’d not worn this tee before putting it on for the 53rd OMM in Largs, Scotland, so I knew it was going to get a baptism of fire across two hard days in the …

After a few months of using this anorak from Haglofs, I’ve been seriously impressed. It was my shell layer of choice on the TGO this year because it seemed to offer the perfect package for this event. It’s been stripped of unnecessary features and just retains those you really need to minimise weight and pack size. To keep weight low Haglofs opted for an anorak with a half zip rathe …