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I was using a Platypus 2.0L Hoser as my daily hydration system so I decided to leave the clean side bladder at home and use the hoser in its place, this brought the weight of the system down to 221g, which is reasonable for piece of mind and ease of use. There are certainly pump action filters that are lighter than this but they take quite a bit of effort to get the same filtered res …

With two glacier crossings on the Tour of the Matterhorn crampons came highly recommended, but they would only be used for a few hours on two of the days and both glaciers were at relatively shallow gradients, there was very little steep terrain to cover. Bearing all this in mind we decided on the Petzl Irvis Hybrid crampons which at 536grams for the pair weren’t too onerous beari …

I was lucky enough to get a chance to review a pre-production pair of the new Gram-counter Gear Ultra-Carbon Trekking poles, amazingly light at just 125grams per pole, actually the lightest true trekking pole we have available, and of all the products I tested on the Tour of the Matterhorn these were the most remarkable. Note the pre-production poles I had are identical to the actual …

The Kebab Stew from Real Turmat is another unique freeze dried meal option with a high calorie count of 705kcal and a low carry weight of 180 grams. This is part of their field meal range which has a good nutritional balance of fats (28 grams), carbs (85 grams), and protein (24 grams). It is also gluten free! Our Verdict First of all we have to mention how much we admire the large va …

This breakfast option from Real Turmat has a high calorie count of 706kcal, in a low carry weight of 204 grams. The Blueberry and Vanilla Muesli is focused mostly towards carbs (121 grams), with also high protein (32grams) and fibre (10.4) intake per pouch. It is vegetarian friendly and has a quick re-hydration time of 3 mins. Our Verdict Real Turmat have produced some great tasting …

The Jetboil Stash is the lightest option in their range of well-established stove systems. This all-in-one system containing a FluxRing cook pot, titanium burner, lid and stand, fits neatly together weighing only 232 grams. With an added 100-gram gas canister and a lighter, the total carried weight comes in at 456 grams. This can certainly be regarded as a compact option for lightw …

The Ridge Raider Bivi was one of our earliest pieces of kit we tested and reviewed for UOG. This was also our first venture into a hooped bivy bag having before very much adopted a very basic bivy tactic. We viewed the Ridge Raider to strike a mark between a tent and a bivy bag. The overall weight and pack size baffled us as to its use, but there was no denying it was simply a joy to us …

“Meet the Helium Gaiters, our best-selling and award-winning Helium fabric recreated into a gaiter design to keep out pesky rocks, dirt, rain, snow, and any other debris you kick up on the move.” Outdoor Research have really kept the weight down for the Helium gaiters which come in at a mere 144 grams in a size large, with a pack size comparable to a lighter weight pair of gloves, …

‘Reindeer with potato, mushroom, and lingonberries. Hunter’s favourite. Reindeer meat, mushrooms and berries all contributes to the unmistakable gamy flavour.’ 578kcal / 390ml hot water / 8 min wait time Our Verdict Reindeer stew is another meal idea from Real Turmat which sets itself aside from the norm regarding dehydrated choices typically found in the UK. Packed full of meat, …

‘Arctic cod with potato and carrot in a tasty curry sauce. Good spicy dish with great taste of Norwegian fish. Makes it easy and enjoyable to eat more fish.’ 532kcal / 400ml hot water / 8 min wait time Our Verdict The Cod in Curry Sauce from Real Turmat turned out to be a surprisingly tasty meal. Packed full of flavour with juicy chunks of fish which was a real change from the …

A snow shovel is an essential piece of kit to have with you when travel out to not only avalanche prone environments but also any area in which snow may be present. A shovel comes into use for many situations including digging a snow shelter, creating a quick seating area for a group, analysing snowpack, and in the unfortunate situation if an avalanche was to occur and a rescue situat …

Bikepacking is a new concept for us with the Ortlieb packs being the first we have used. We have used this set up for over a year now and always for back country forest and high mountain trails, throughout Scotland. This review is probably best suited for anyone with a similar approach in mind