Blog

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 …

Late in 2021, I decided that with travel opening up I wanted to walk a GR route and having looked at the Cicerone book by Paddy Dillon it seemed to be perfect. Originally, I was planning to go in late March or Early April 2022 but due to the launch of our new website and a few issues with that (apologies if you experienced any problems when it launched in April 2022) this had to b …

2023 was an excellent year for new ultralight equipment and clothing, and we wanted to highlight some of our favourite gear that hit the market this year. Some pieces, like the Montbell Plasma 1000, pushed the limits of what it means to be ultralight even further. Others, like the Nemo Tensor Extreme Conditions sleeping pad, showed real innovation by raising their R-value to an industry-leading 8. …

Picking a waterproof shell jacket can make your head spin. The lightest jackets will be ideal to keep pack weight at a minimum, but how will they hold up when used under a backpacking rucksack with several days of food? This was the conundrum when deciding on a jacket to use for the TGO Challenge. It needed to offer dependable protection for a crossing of the mountains of Scotland in M …

Mont-bell's Plasma series are highly advanced ultra-lightweight garments, on this page we explain the three key technologies used to achieve their amazing warmth to weight ratios. —  In simple terms, the benefits of our patented quilting pattern are straightforward construction, reduced seam weight, and improved thermal efficiency. By not forming traditional rectangular boxes or “skippin …

Mont-bell Seamless Down Hugger sleeping bags are cutting edge, eliminating relatively inefficient baffles from sleeping bag construction and incorporating stretch fabric to improve warmth without constricting the sleeper are two key technologies; on this page we explain those technologies. We asked ourselves, “Is there anything we can do to improve down's ability to insulate?” As ideas were b …

This is the third stove from Soto we have now had the pleasure of using, the Windmaster being a firm favourite of ours for lightweight solo adventures throughout the warmer months, whilst also spending much of last winter using the  Stormbreaker; a truly versatile multifuel option making for a reliable stove for group activities in remote and harsh conditions. The Fus …

Montbell has developed a reputation for high-quality, lightweight outdoor kit. The range covers clothing, sleeping bags, tents, backpacks and an array of accessories. Montbell is now a world leader in producing some of the most innovative, lightweight and functional kit across a number of categories.