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The Rab Torque is said to be designed for summer alpine climbing and active mountain use, offering complete freedom of movement and breathability. We are big fans of the Torque Pants which are our ‘go-to’ choice for long days in the mountains where unrestricted movement, breathability, and comfort is of much importance, so we excited to try the jacket. As with the Torque pants it’s great …

The Chockstone Hoody is a lightweight softshell with a focus on unrestricted movement with the use of its 4-way stretch Chockstone fabric; a mix of 91% Nylon and 9% Elastane. To the touch, the double weave construction is certainly the most noticeable feature and it is obvious that Mountain Hardware’s concept for the Chockstone is for active adventures rather than for insulation. …

Used extensively by Cairngorm Treks throughout the Cairngorms, and surrounding areas, and also a recent multi-day expedition throughout Skye in Autumn and Winter 2017/18.The Marmot Preon is said to be an ideal first layer to ward off cool temps while keeping you comfortable and dry on a full-output day. It is made up as a modern fleece alternative with a smooth outer with the inner fabric a soft g …

It's hard to think of a piece of headwear that could divide opinions quite as much as the OR Seattle Sombrero. From first impressions, the actual shape and functionality of the hat is very different from what the name might suggest. Sombrero would propose this to be suited to warmer climates with a very wide brim to keep you cool and protected on very hot sunny days. Although the Sombrer …

Used throughout Autumn in the Cairngorms and surrounding areasBefore even handling these gloves, you can tell they are designed for comfort and to maximise dexterity. They lack the bulk that comes with many cold-weather gloves, and the cut of the Polartec Power Stretch Pro fabric alludes to a good fit with a focus on non-restrictive movement. At this point you may be sceptical that these non-cumbe …

Montane Alpine Trek Pants Review Given the changeable conditions in the Highlands in March I wanted to take a lightweight softshell trouser that would shed light precipitation, offer wind protection, and have plenty of stretch for climbing. Montane had just launched the Alpine Trek pant which seemed to tick all these boxes. I liked that it features a slimmer fit in the lower leg so they wo …

Picking the right socks for trekking can be tricky and once you find a certain brand you trust, you tend to stick with them. So when we were sent a very innovative product from X-socks we were very interested to see if they matched up or bettered our usual chosen brands. On arrival it was evident these are not just your average pair of socks but are the Swiss Army knife of the sock world …

If there was a chance of sustained rain day after day I'd hesitate to take one backpacking because I'd worry about getting it dry overnight - and they do tend to be heavier than hardshells - but I'm already looking forward to wearing this combo again, such is the level of excitement in my life.Epiphanys are in short supply these days - but I found one - only yesterday. I've flirted with softshell …

When Multi-day Trekking the choice of trouser we take out into the Cairngorms, and its varied weather conditions, is crucial so we were very keen to see what the Haglöfs' Clay Pant offered for our guides. As with most Haglöfs gear the first thing we noticed was the build quality, bombproof stitching and apparent robustness of the materials used.

The Rab Alpha Flash jacket is an extremely lightweight and simple mid-layer fleece made entirely from Polartec® Alpha™ Direct 120 insulation. This fabric was originally developed for the U.S. Special Forces in order to provide them with an ‘advanced’ insulation piece in their uniforms, which all sounds very impressive. The aim behind the fabric is to provide a highly breathable material that will …

Montane Primino 140 Zip Neck Baselayer ReviewI was mightily impressed with this baselayer. I tend to avoid all manmade fabrics on long trips because in my experience regardless of antibacterial treatments etc they always start to get whiffy way quicker than Merino fabrics.The downside of 100% merino is that it gets wet with sweat and doesn’t dry very quickly or wick well so you end up smelling ok …

Primino 140 T-ShirtThe new Primino baselayers come in a range of styles that include short and long sleeves, zip and crew neck, basic colour options and different weights.On a recent test trip to the Lake District I wore the Primino 140 SS T-Shirt. It’s not the lightest of baselayers but I was more than impressed with its performance. It combines the benefits of merino and synthetic to give great …