Blog

Making sure we have safe drinking water is a key consideration for us. Especially when looking at group activities over multiple days. Even a slight illness in the group can lead to the disappointment of an early finish. So having a device which you can trust to provide safe drinking water from most outdoor sources cannot be overlooked. Fortunately, there are now many water filtra …

The  Xenair from Rab is a synthetic jacket comprising Primaloft Gold Active+ insulation, in a low profile that can be used as a mid-layer for winter, or as a stand-alone jacket for use in autumn and spring. At 337 grams in a medium size, it’s a fairly lightweight jacket, and certainly feels so when worn. A relaxed, comfortable fit, with a nice amount of length in the arms, …

The  Perimeter 50 rucksack is a mid-weight pack with a ton of features including fine adjustments to back length, shoulder width, and hip sizing.  Granite Gear says, “Body Diversity, every person has a unique build, shape, and size. Your pack should fit accordingly.” Weighing in at 1500 grams may sound heavy compared to a lot of modern packs of a similar capacity. This …

Of all the usual gear chatter amongst the outdoor community, underwear is probably the least discussed, yet a crucial piece of kit to choose correctly.  Saxx has produced a range of high-wicking underwear with us receiving the  Volt. A highly breathable mid-length boxer, which Saxx say are, ‘Designed for the go-getters, workout or play sports in complete comfort with our …

The FreeLite series gets a makeover and is now lighter than its predecessors. Poles weigh 226g Flysheets weigh 416g Inner tent weighs 338g Total weight 980g The tent I was given to test has a dark flysheet but this didn’t seem gloomy in any way. We camped in high summer and the weather was good so the tent hasn’t had a long term test nor tested in stormy conditions. …

The  Black Diamond Distance tent is a good example of the kind of tent I look out for – it’s spacious for one person (although Black Diamond says it’s a two-person), has a good head height and is very lightweight. It achieves its lightweight tag by being single skin and utilising your trekking poles as its support structure. Also, there’s no porch for storing gear – so using the …

I’ve used both the  20Litre and the 28Litre versions of Montane’s Trailblazer LT ultralight rucksacks and I am very impressed, considering their overall weight they pack an amazing amount of features and functionality and are remarkably comfortable thanks to the vest-pack type harness and generous hip fins. One of the key features is the bladder pocket which sits betwe …

The ROC GTX Jacket from  Haglof’s is perfectly suited to Hikers and Backpackers a-like due to the simple design that will stand the test of time with a rucksack on your back. First of all, this is not a shell that you will pop in your rucksack for the off chance of rain, but a jacket for trips/days out where rain will definitely be a factor. The 3-layer Gore-Tex will take all th …

If like us you like to keep the weight down and calorie intake high, then you’ll most likely choose a dehydrated meal pouch as your evening food choice. New brands are popping onto the market, with a wide range of variety to suit mostly all dietary requirements and tastes. What hasn’t changed though is the time it takes for your meal to properly absorb the added water to give the meal …

As the name suggests this is a superlight foam mat weighing in at an impressive 74 grams with a sizing of 150 cm x 50cm and a thickness of 3mm. It has a low profile which means it can easily be rolled or folded to fit within our pack. Rather than replacing a sleeping mat, we found it much more suitable as a footprint for a solo tent or bivy bag. Protection from the ground is very impor …

I used this pack on a three-day winter backpacking trip to the Lake District and was mightily impressed, Gregory don’t seem to have compromised at all which makes me wonder why all backpacking rucksacks don’t weigh in at 1.2kg or thereabouts. How much does it weigh? The sample pack I used had a medium back length and with all the optional components removed it weighed 1100 grams, but you …

Extensively tested and reviewed by Cairngorm Treks from May to September in the Cairngorms, Glen Affric, and surrounding mountainous areas.Rest and recovery! An important factor for anyone who spends a great deal of time in the outdoors. Whether your adventure is on land, water, two wheels, or climbing a rock face - if you intend to spend multiple days in the wilderness it is essential to pac …