Blog

MSR's Lightweight Bikepacking Kit List

Posted by Lois Fife on Mar 01, 2024

Whether you are racing the length or breadth of the country or enjoying a scenic tour of coffee shops and stately homes, your basic needs for shelter, sleeping and making a brew won’t differ greatly so, here are a few items that are compact and lightweight enough to fit on the bike and not weigh you down, allowing you to enjoy your next adventure.

Rab Sleeping Bag Guide

Jan 29, 2024

Sleeping bags are where it all began for Rab, and they remain a core part of our range to this day. From ultralight sleeping bags designed for hut-to-hut trekking, to high fill power Down Bags for arctic sleeping with a limit rating of -40°C (-40°F), our collection strategically balances warmth, weight, and pack size for a range of activities.Choose from Synthetic Insulation, which offers dur …
read more

Ultralight Outdoor Gear Awards 2023

Posted by Andy Neil on Dec 22, 2023

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. …
read more

Rab Winter Sleep System

Posted by Andy Neil on Nov 30, 2023

Winter camping enthusiasts understand the importance of a good night's sleep in extreme conditions. When the temperatures drop and the elements become more challenging, having the right gear makes all the difference. This article explores the perfect winter camping sleep system that combines cutting-edge technology, lightweight design, and unparalleled warmth.

Exped Ultra -5° Down Sleeping Bag Review - “The meticulous design and construction of the sleeping bag demonstrated exceptional insulation capabilities”

Posted by Andy Neil on Nov 24, 2023

Incredibly eager to start this year's winter camping season, I headed to the Cairngorms for this year's first glimpses of snow. I wasn't planning to camp on the plateau itself, and the expected temperature was supposed to hover around 0° throughout the night. I arrived at the Corrour Bothy at about 3, pitched my tent, The Hillerberg Soulo, next to the river Dee, and settled in for …
read more

Exped Winter Kit List

Posted by Andy Neil on Sep 19, 2023

As the nights are drawing in and the temperature is starting to dip, we are excited about the prospect of the upcoming winter camping season. Winter camping can be more challenging, but it can also be incredibly rewarding. Cosy nights curled up in the tents, crisp frosty mornings, and dark star-filled skies are all only a few months away. So, we have teamed up with our friends at EXPED to de …
read more

The Ultimate Guide to Lightweight Sleeping Bags

Posted by Andy Neil on Jul 24, 2023

Choosing a sleeping bag can be a daunting task. Getting started with so many different options and variations can be difficult. This will be one of the biggest investments, along with your tent, for backpacking, so it's important that you make the right choice for what you need. We want you to pick the best sleeping bag for your adventures, so we've compiled this guide to help you narrow your …
read more

Nemo's Ultralight Range

Posted by Fran O'Donnell on Jun 30, 2023

Built with the backcountry in mind, NEMO’s ultralight gear sheds every gram possible while maintaining peak performance and liveability. NEMO’s ultralight tents trim weight by relying heavily on stakes for tension and structure support. Fewer poles and more mesh panels net out to a lighter load — and the ability to pack down smaller! …
read more

Nemo Sleep System Review - "Perfect for 3 and 4-season use in the UK''

Posted by Lois Fife on May 25, 2023

As a cold sleeper, I find the combination of the Nemo Women’s Riff 15 Sleeping bag and the Tensor Insulated sleeping mat perfect for 3 and 4-season use in the UK. The spoon shaped Riff 15 has 825g of down in the Women’s (and 540g in the men’s) and 800 fill power in both versions giving a comfort limit of -9C for both men and women. As a side sleeper, I find the Riff has the ben …
read more

Exped Summer Kit List

Posted by Andy Neil on Mar 20, 2023

We love working with, Exped, so we compiled a summer backpacking kit list, an all-encompassing kit list perfect for one-night adventures and week-long trips.Exped’s new Mira II HL Tent – is a robust and roomy two-person tent that isn’t just a place to bed down but is a nice place to hang out; the tent has a lot of headroom, so if you are confined to it for any length of time, you can still si …
read more

The Ultimate Ultralight Bikepacking Advice Page

Posted by Chris Futers, Lois Fife and Rob Farquhar on Mar 15, 2023

Bikepacking Travelling on two feet can require little more than a rucksack to carry your belongings and enable you to travel far. An ultralight journey on two wheels can require a bit more thought. Some of the main factors being the terrain and the duration of the ride. Gruelling miles off road can feel very different to those on the road, and take a lot longer, but the rewards when b …
read more