Blog

Merino is a natural material I am very keen on wearing as it is warm, yet regulates temperature, moves moisture well during exercise and doesn’t smell! The downside with merino has always been finding a product that is not itchy against the skin and that will not pull into holes after a short period of time. I have been wearing Montane’s Malli Long Sleeve Zip T-shirt and Leggings for …

Frankly, I chose this tent because of its low weight and because having used single skin shelters of this type in the past, I know they provide significantly more space for a given weight. I don’t mind a bit of condensation, which is a fact of life when single skin camping. I soon realised however that the Mid 1 isn’t just a regurgitation of the single skin pyramid design of other bra …

I’ve had an up and down relationship with this stove – here’s how it went. I bought the version with the Piezo Igniter, thinking that it was integrated with the stove in some way – not unreasonable given other stoves in this category. However, I was disappointed to find it's actually a separate item altogether. As I always take a Firesteel as backup, I left the igniter at …

Leki are still the market leaders in trekking poles, there are lighter alternatives but there always seem to be compromises, which Leki doesn’t do. So, the SkySolo FX.One Carbon are definitely in the ultralight class just not the lightest, but what you get is a superb pair of poles with no compromises that I could find compared to much heavier brethren. The bit that impressed me most was th …

I chose Hokas for my Chamonix to Zermatt trek because of their comfort, and I wasn’t disappointed, they feel solid yet forgiving out of the box. On reflection though these were the wrong choice for this trek, high altitude trekking is tough on shoes and the Hoka Challenger ATR 7 GTX weren’t up to the task. They immediately showed signs of wear and throughout the trek suffered from bei …

I decided to try a solar power option because I expected it to be sunny quite a lot of the time. That sounds obvious, but I know from experience that to get the best out of a solar panel, you need full sun directly onto it. Attaching it to the back of a rucksack can be its nemesis. I was also conscious I’d be hiking West to East. This is not ideal since most of the walking should be done by …

The Suunto Vertical Titanium Solar (72g) is a rugged, GPS-enabled multi-sport watch built for outdoor adventure. It offers offline maps, dual-band GNSS tracking, an altimeter, barometer, compass, and solar-assisted battery life. While it’s capable of tracking just about every sport under the sun, I’ve used it exclusively for hiking and camping. I first started using the Suunto Vertical …

The Exped Skyline backpack is a rugged backpack that leans more towards comfort and durability over being truly lightweight. Coming in at 1534 grams this is certainly on the heavier side, although it is obvious where those extra grams have been distributed. The outer fabric is made using 450D polyester, which has a 1500mm water column, making it practically waterproof except for maybe around the …

The Times Roam Sunglasses were put to the test on a very sunny holiday. I was immediately impressed with how lightweight and packable they are. Thanks to the clever folding strap that stays securely in place when worn, you can also fold them flat when not in use. They’re ideal for wearing loosely around your neck or for storing in your pack or pocket. The adjustable, flexible strap allows f …

Having been given the opportunity to attempt the TGO challenge, a two week coast-to-coast backpacking hike across Scotland, it seemed a great opportunity to give the Hyperlite Mountain Gear Unbound 55 litre rucksack a good workout. This being my first foray into the larger ultralight rucksacks, I was a little apprehensive about committing to a new bag for such a long trek. Would it be comfortable …

Being a convert to the Jetboil world, having owned a previous incarnation of the Flash for the past 10 years, it was good to give the latest version a go to see what has changed. Jetboil first introduced their innovative cooking systems over 20 years ago and revolutionised backpacking cooking. They developed the flux ring that combined with the interlocking sections and neat packing created a sup …

I was looking for a replacement for my 3-layer waterproof. I needed a lightweight, packable jacket, that is still durable enough to withstand severe winter conditions. Although not essential, I do like to have many features on a jacket, and this jacket has them all; a fully adjustable hood with a stiffened peak, pit zips, Velcro closures on the cuffs and a cinchable hem. The first thing I noticed …