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Montane for many years now have been one of the ‘go to’ brands we look for when purchasing a pair of technical walking trousers.The Terra pant being a common sight on many an outdoor adventurer throughout the UK. The Terra Mission is Montane’s answer for when the temperatures start to drop, with them describing the Terra Mission as “Technical winter mountaineering pants. The fabric co …

Gaiters are an item of outdoor kit that easily divide opinion. Personally, we don’t tend to use gaiters in the warmer months apart from if travelling along particularly deep boggy routes in which we know many hours will be spent in this environment. Winter on the other hand is where a pair of gaiters becomes invaluable, keeping snow and ice from entering your boots and importantly acting as an ext …

Having been big fans of Rab’s Torque pants and jacket we were very keen to see if the shorts lived up to the same dependable reputation that has made this range so successful. What makes them instantly noticeable as part of the Torque range is the use of the Matrix double weave stretch material. Rab say that “although primarily designed for summer ascents in warm climates, their value as a general …

The addition of a cap in the outdoors often becomes a handy piece of clothing. They provide protection from the sun, deflect light rainfall, whilst also adding a bit of rigidity when pairing with a lightweight jacket with a basic hood. We are big fans of this type of headwear so were eager to try out Montane’s GR Sun Cap.

Fjallraven are well renowned for producing quality-built clothing which may weigh in slightly heavier than other brands, but always delivers when it comes to long lasting performance. On receiving the Bergtagen Thinwool SS it’s plain to see that this is a t-shirt with functionality in mind.

Rab’s Guide Gloves are popular among winter mountaineers throughout the UK. When receiving the Guide 2 GTX we were obviously eager to see how this new model matched up against our trusted older pairs. Rab’s new partnership with Gore-Tex is the obvious stand out change, plus the use of their warm waterproof technology which claims to be highly insulated, waterproof, windproof, breathable, and guara …

Weighing in at a mere 58 grams the Ninjaclava packs some serious protection when the temps are low and stops any ice and snow penetrating the face and neck. The outer is a smooth-faced fabric whilst the inside is made up of a micro fleece which is warming, soft and comfortable against the face. The overlapping design covers everything but the eyes and although the overall design can be worn in a v …

For the team at Cairngorm Treks there are certain items we always carry, with gloves being a huge part of our kit and used on a daily basis, so we are always keen to test new items when they come to market.The Shiftup Sensor Gloves are made from lightweight synthetic materials, mainly a mix of polyester and nylon, with an average weight of 44g for a large pair. 

The Rab Pulse Long Sleeve Tee is designed for active use and we certainly tested it over 7 months of use. We found it highly breathable and, with its Motiv fabric, extremely comfortable against the skin whilst also wicking away moisture on the sweatiest of days. Moreover, when worn as a single layer it had a cooling effect on the hottest summer days and the deep venting YKK chest zip all …

If you give a sock the name ‘Darn Tough’ then expectations are automatically high so our Lead Guide gave the Light Hiker socks a real beasting over nearly 500 miles of trekking, wearing them up to 5 days at a time. Ultimately, the material for any sock is key and the Light Hiker is a combination of Merino, Polymide and Spandex. The Merino element allows for non-itch comfort and provides …

Montane VIA Groove Gloves ReviewThe Montane VIA series are focused on fast and light with designs centred around trail running features. The VIA Groove Gloves fit this brief perfectly. Weighing in at just 40g for a large pair they certainly tick the lightweight box. The design seems simple enough with a thin layer providing the protection and the design across the palms in silicone for providing a …

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 …