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Walking poles are must have items for our days out in the hills and we are always keen to try out something that promises versatility, lightness, low pack volume, robustness and ease of use in a variety of condition.The first impression of the poles was in their collapsed state, allowing them to be stashed on the side of a pack easily or inside if needs be,as well as into hold luggage if flying. T …

Vargo are a company we didn’t know much about up until recently. Building up a reputation as a specialist in lightweight minimalist gear we have been very impressed with the items we received up to now. The Bot 700, it has to be said, was top of our list in terms of interest. Essentially, it’s a titanium cooking pot with a few extra features added on. Reading reviews from hikers abroad i …

A table isn’t the first piece of kit on our mind for lightweight wild-camping. In fact we’ve never even considered a table outside of family camping so we were confused, although slightly curious, to find out we were receiving one to test and review. Our usual approach would be to lay out a dry bag to keep items away from wet ground, whilst a rock or part of a fallen tree makes for a nat …

The Soto Stormbreaker is a multi-fuel stove that works from both gas and liquid fuel sources. Weighing in at 454 grams excluding the fuel bottle, it’s a weight and size we would look to use for group cooking rather than solo expeditions.Soto have certainly made a name for themselves offering high quality stoves without the added price tag attached. A personal favourite for lightweight so …

Meths stoves are one of the simplest ways to boil water or heat a meal. No working parts to worry about, compact and lightweight, and they work with a wide range of liquid fuels. There is a reason this style of stove has been used globally for many years. With the modern advancements of gas stoves offering a dependable, safe and versatile option, the good old meths stove has taken a back …

It’s fair to say I’m a big fan of Leki poles and have mostly been using Leki Thermolite XL poles for the last couple of years. For the TGO Challenge I wanted lighter poles but still wanted them to be adjustable to pitch my tent and have a shorter pack size to stow them inside my pack for the train journey to and from Scotland. The Leki Black Series MVC poles ticked all of these boxes and L …

Having a cutting blade out in the hills or on the trail is generally a must for most people visiting the outdoors. The Minimalmist Pocket Tool by TrueUtility not only has as its main feature a UK legal small knife which is very strong and sharp, but also a wealth of other useful features.The non locking knife is easily opened by accessing a finger groove, although this would not be possi …

You would assume it could be rather difficult to talk in depth about what is essentially two bits of plastic that fit together. Fortunately, the Gram Counter Grip Clips offer much more than they would appear with a multitude of uses.Made of molded plastic and weighing a mere 5 grams the Grip Clips, as the name might suggest, simply join (or grip to) either side of a piece of fabric to pr …

As the title suggests the Fire Box is a compact, fold-away grill, whilst still being light enough for long expeditions in wilderness areas. Growing up, any movie featuring a bunch of people in the outdoors had them sitting around a campfire enjoying a freshly cooked meal, not huddled under a tarp eating from a foil pouch. The idea of a hot and smokey piece of food whilst out in the wilde …

A step away from plastic items is certainly a priority for most outdoors people preferring a more sustainable alternative that will stand the test of time. The Eagle Spork from Vargo offers a tough but lightweight (18 grams) option that is built to last. To help prolong the life of your spork Vargo have included an integrated locking system that makes sure your spork won’t accidently go …

We are always keen to try out new walking poles as they are a must for our guides and clients alike when multi day trekking. Key elements for us are poles that function on all types of mountain terrain, are robust, have low weight, easy to pack down with a low volume, and have some adjustability, including use with tarps.Our initial impression of the poles in their storage mode reinforced …

Any knife, no matter the size, is one of those items that can be used to solve a multitude of issues. It might sit in your pack for months but can be relied upon when needed the most. With a short blade length of 4cm and a total weight of 16 grams, True Utility describe it as “a knife that’s been stripped down to the bare essentials, to provide a strong yet lightweight design.” It’s …