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Montane Women’s Alpine 850 Nano Hoodie – with added GOLD!! Jacket tested in a UK12, (Eclipse Blue) weight: 196g The Montane Women’s Alpine 850 Nano Hoodie is a highly thermally efficient, technical down jacket. My first impression of this jacket is the weight - it is extremely light - weighing less than 200g. I have tested this jacket for six months, from late spring, throughout s …

This has been my go-to jacket for the last 5 months (May to September) and has performed well when needed, either as protection from a sudden summer shower or worn for a full day on the Lakeland fells in low cloud and constant drizzle. This Cetus ‘Lite’ jacket in Deep Forest, size UK12 weighs 290g and packs down pretty small for stashing in a backpack. The Montane 3-layer Pet …

May means one thing in the Ultralight office: The Great Outdoors Challenge, or the TGO, for short. We are incredibly proud to sponsor this communal coast-to-coast crossing of Scotland. This year, Lois, Danny, and I are taking part in this years crossing. Lois is embarking on her first, and Danny and I are attempting our third TGO challenge.The TGO Challenge is a unique coast-to-coast trek across S …

Whether you are racing the length or breadth of the country or enjoying a scenic tour of coffee shops and stately homes, your basic needs for shelter, sleeping and making a brew won’t differ greatly so, here are a few items that are compact and lightweight enough to fit on the bike and not weigh you down, allowing you to enjoy your next adventure. The main characteristics of a bikepacking …

It was an exciting day when the new MSR Hubba Hubba 1P Bikepacking tent arrived at the Ultralight Outdoor Gear HQ prior to its 2024 launch. Yes, it is a single occupancy Hubba Hubba, moving away from MSR’s historic names where the Hubba Hubba was a 2-person, Mutha Hubba, 3-person etc. This bikepacking tent will also be available in a 2-person version, which has 2 entrances, but it …

Bikepacking to the Four Corners of the North York Moors National Park with Apidura’s Expedition Range. Sometimes you get an idea that’s like an annoying itch that won’t go away until you give it a good old scratch. I am blessed to be living about 100m outside of the boundary of the North York Moors National Park. It’s very presence, beauty and characteristics are a huge part of my li …

The Women’s Dart XT Zip neck long sleeve base layer is the thickest of the Dart range and has a lovely thermal, brushed pile on the inside that is comfortable against the skin and a smooth tight-knit outer fabric. The 4-way stretch Polyester/Elastine blended fabric makes for a close-fitting technical garment that not only moves easily with the body but also takes moisture away leaving y …

The Women’s Montane Dart Lite long sleeve base layer is the lightest weight item in the Dart range and is perfect for warm weather activities, high exertion sports or as part of a layering system. The 100% recycled APEX PK Eco fabric doesn’t have much stretch and fits where it touches, so isn’t highly compliant with the movement of the body during activity. The plus side is that fabric …

I have used this 750 litre bottle as my main hydration system for 2 multi-day trips. It is perfect if there is a regular water source to collect from as it eliminates the need to carry excess fluid. Setting the bottle up for the first time requires the filter to be sat in water for a couple of minutes to activate it, then put it into the bottle. Using the  Active Water Filte …

When given the opportunity to join a trek in the Scottish Highlands, I jumped at the chance. Being a regular hill walker on the North York Moors and with a few multi-day hikes in the Lakes under my belt, I had done very little, on foot that far north. My kit choices for the weekend were selected based on a damp but calm weather forecast and potential overnight low temperatures into mi …

As a cold sleeper, I find the combination of the Nemo Women’s Riff 15 Sleeping bag and the Tensor Insulated sleeping mat perfect for 3 and 4-season use in the UK. The spoon shaped Riff 15 has 825g of down in the Women’s (and 540g in the men’s) and 800 fill power in both versions giving a comfort limit of -9C for both men and women. As a side sleeper, I find the Riff has the ben …

Bikepacking Travelling on two feet can require little more than a rucksack to carry your belongings and enable you to travel far. An ultralight journey on two wheels can require a bit more thought. Some of the main factors being the terrain and the duration of the ride. Gruelling miles off road can feel very different to those on the road, and take a lot longer, but the rewards when b …