FAQs

UK orders with the standard shipping service selected are sent via Royal Mail Tracked 48. Royal Mail on their website state "We aim to deliver Tracked 48 mail within 2 days". However, this is not a tracked, timed service so delivery can sometimes take a little longer. If you are in a rush for an order we suggest selecting a faster service at the checkout.

International shipping can vary a lot depending on delivery country. If the standard service is selected at the checkout, your order will be sent via the Royal Mail International Standard which has no tracking but is generally very reliable (although a bit unpredictable as to timescale). DPD fly the parcels to the delivery country and then hand them over to the local postal service to deliver.

We have found, in general, EU orders can take around 2 weeks to arrive. Rest of the world shipping is around 2-4 weeks. Although, we do hear of international orders arriving within a few days!

Faster Tracked Services

Faster tracked shipping options can be purchased at the checkout - see the drop down menu on the checkout page for options. If you require a faster delivery than we are offering please contact us at customer.service@ultralightoutdoorgear.co.uk as we may be able to help.

Tracking numbers

We only provide tracking numbers for orders placed with a tracked service. If you select the standard-non tracked service, we will not provide tracking numbers for these orders.

Royal Mail Tracked 24

UK orders via Royal Mail Tracked 24 generally arrive next day with almost all order arriving within 2 days. Royal Mail state 'Although we aim to deliver 93% of Royal Mail 24 mail the next working day after posting, we are unable to provide a guaranteed service'. We have found some Royal Mail Tracked 24 deliveries can take a few days more. If you are in a rush for an order we suggest selecting DPD Local Next Working Day service at the checkout.

UK Next Working Day courier service

If your order was placed before 3pm, it will be dispatched that day for delivery the following working day. The courier should contact you the day of delivery to provide you with a delivery time slot. Generally they will leave a calling card if they are unable to deliver, detailing next steps. If you haven't received your parcel & no calling card has been left on this day, please contact us & we can enquire with the courier.

View all of our shipping methods and prices here.

We stock many items from a range of suppliers, but if we don't have the item you are looking for please contact us; customer.service@ultralightoutdoorgear.co.uk or call +441740 644024. We can check with the supplier to see if the item is in stock and also the price. If it is an item we do not stock, we can order the item in for you but it would be non-returnable unless faulty.

The item I want is out of stock

We have the facility to set-up email reminders for products that are out of stock, where you can be alerted as soon as stock arrives with us. Once you enter your email address next to the out of stock product, it can also generate an automatic email which will inform you of a timescale of when we expect this particular item. If you are in a rush for an item please contact us for further information; customer.service@ultralightoutdoorgear.co.uk or call +441740 644024

Do you price match or offer any discounts?

We understand that price is important to our customers and try to offer our goods at competitive prices. I'm afraid we don't do discounts beyond those that are already shown on the website - we prefer to be completely open with our pricing and deals thus ensuring everyone pays the same price regardless.

Can I have a Discount Code?

Unfortunately we don't have a standard discount code we can offer. Any current discounts will be shown on our website or email newsletter.

My discount code isn't working

If a code found on our website or newsletter isn't working, the offer may have expired or if it is 'While Stocks Last', we may have ran out of stock. If this isn't the case, please contact us so we can look into this further. If you have found a discount code from a third party discount code site, we are unable to honour the code.

Can you Sponsor my event, group, fundraising trip etc.?

We are asked for sponsorship on an almost daily basis and it is impossible to support everyone or select one "good cause" over another. Yet we do want to contribute something to the wider community. Accordingly, we support these charities on a regular basis - Unicef, Save the Children, Help for Heroes, 'Against Malaria', Rainforest Trust UK & World Wildlife Fund. These are very worthwhile charities doing important work at home and abroad. We're also a member of the European Outdoor Conservation Association.

I trust you will agree that these are worthwhile charities doing important work at home and abroad, in the main we have focussed on improving the lives of children across the globe.

Can you send me some products to test or review?

We are a small independent retailer, sadly we are unable to sponsor or donate products to anyone.

We are asked for sponsorship in exchange for social media coverage / reviews /advertising on an almost daily basis and it is impossible to support everyone or select one "good cause" over another. We have set up a facility on our website for customers to write reviews on the products they buy from us and we have comments on the 'Our Verdict' tab which gives our opinion too.

No. We cannot ship gas canisters through the post. The gas stoves shown on our website may include photos of the stove when fully set up and include the gas canister, this is for illustration purposes only and the gas canister will not be provided.

Yes. All of our trekking poles come as a pair, unless stated otherwise. We may quote the weight of one pole but they are sold as a pair.

The majority of sleeping bags we stock will have the zip on the left side of the sleeping bag. We do stock a few that have the zip on the right side though. You can filter these by selecting 'Sleeping bag zip type' on the product page for sleeping bags. If you have also seen a sleeping bag that has the zip on the right side, please contact us and we can enquire to see if we can special order the item in for you.

We only stock ethically sourced down. The down used in outdoor gear is a natural by product of the food industry; the waterfowl which provide the warm insulation have been farmed or raised for food, not their feathers, and involves no live plucking. By using the plumage for natural insulation, it helps to reduce the amount of agricultural waste The manufacturer with the highest standard of traceability of those that we stock is Mountain Equipment. Every bag comes with a code which you can enter into their website and read the independent audit of the farms and supply chain which supplied the down. Other manufacturers that we use source down from are RDS suppliers - Responsible Down Standard.

My jacket is leaking down

A small amount of down escaping through the fabric or through any stitched seam is expected in any down garment. We do find it more common for this to happen when down is worn in certain activities; travelling in a car for example, as the seat belt is compressing and flattening the down, making them easier to fit through the weave on parts of the fabric, causing the down to find its way out.

Down is exceptionally fine, and the quill of a feather is often quite sharp, so it is common for feathers to penetrate the fabric of these items. If you do see a feather poking through the fabric try not to pull it out. Instead, try to push it back in & gently rub the area between your fingers. Pulling the cluster through the jacket may cause an even bigger hole to develop. Gently rubbing the area where the down or feather was poking through will move the fabric strands back together, helping to seal up the opening.

How should I store my down Sleeping bag?

Down should be stored uncompressed and out of direct sunlight in a dry, cool place. Many down sleeping bags come with a cotton or mesh storage bag. Once you arrive home from a trip air it thoroughly and make sure it is completely dry before putting it back into storage. If the product is still damp after airing, a very short cycle in a tumble dryer on a cool setting should help to complete the drying and restore the loft.

How should I wash my down Sleeping bag/Jacket?

Please give it careful consideration before starting and note if you choose to wash and dry your bag yourself, keep in mind that drying alone will take at least two to three hours (down takes a little longer than synthetic). Allow at least 3-4 hours for a jacket and 6-8 hours for a sleeping bag.

First, look to see if the manufacturer’s washing instructions are printed somewhere on the jacket or bag, either on a tag, draft tube or elsewhere. Follow those instructions.

Before washing, make sure you remove any loose mud or dirt and do up any zips and close any flaps.

It is best to wash your down jacket with a cleaner specifically designed for down or technical outerwear; like Nikwax Down Wash, never use detergent, fabric softeners or conditioners.

My waterproof is leaking

If you discover that your waterproof is leaking, then we would first suggest cleaning and reproofing your jacket.

Jackets that have not been regularly cleaned will often appear to be leaking. Dirt and oils from your skin can clog the pores in your jacket’s membrane; this prevents the transfer of moisture vapour out of the jacket meaning that it will feel damp inside without actually leaking.

Alternatively, your DWR (Durable Water Repellency) may have worn off. If water is not beading and running off the outside of the jacket anymore then it's time to reproof your jacket. Without its DWR the jacket will wet out, causing water to soak into the outer fabric and prevent the membrane from breathing properly. If you are using your waterproof regularly, then we recommend cleaning and reproofing roughly every six months.

If you still feel that your waterproof jacket is faulty, please contact us on; customer.service@ultralightoutdoorgear.co.uk or call +441740 644024.

Washing and reproofing waterproofs

Washing - The instructions below are a guide to cleaning many waterproofs, however more specific instructions for your waterproof can be found on the garment label, so please make sure you check this before washing. Hand or machine wash using a technical cleaner such as Nikwax Tech Wash on a gentle 30ºC cycle. Avoid detergents, fabric softeners or conditioners (you may want to run your machine without these for one cycle before washing your waterproof garment to ensure the machine is completely free of them), dry cleaning and ironing. You can hang-dry your garment. However, unless stated on the product label, you can also use a tumble-dryer on a low temperature to help maintain the garment's DWR treatment.

Reproofing - Most waterproof garments contain a durable water repellent finish (DWR) on the exterior of the fabric that serves as a first barrier to penetration of the fabric by external water.

This DWR finish degrades over time and will occasionally need to be replenished. Even though the waterproof membrane is still keeping the water from passing through the fabric, performance will be increased if you maintain the DWR finish with regular treatments.

Once the garment has been washed we recommend using a re-proofing agent such as Nikwak TX Direct to completely restore surface water-repellency.

My mat is leaking

This can be caused by a puncture on the material. Slow leaks can be tough to find. First, inflate the pad as firmly as you can, and submerge in water (if possible). If you're on a trip this may not be possible, so mix together some soap & water to be poured on the mat. You’re looking for a bubbles escaping - they can be hard to spot. Mark with a pen or pencil where the holes are.

Once this is located you can use a repair kit (sometimes supplied with the mat).

How do I repair a punctured Sleeping mat?

• Small leaks not requiring a patch: A urethane-based glue should be used. We sell McNett products for such repairs. Apply a small dab, large enough to completely seal the hole, and allow 24 hours for drying. If your mattress fabric is relatively smooth, peel-and-stick bicycle tube patch kits are an option offering instant repair.
• Larger holes and tears: All mattresses can be repaired with a self-adhesive fabric patch—like those used to repair jackets and tents. Such as Tenacious Tape. Cut the patch in a circle to generously cover the hole. Apply a small amount of urethane-based glue to the back of the patch and the area to be covered on the mattress. Apply patch and press firmly. Wipe away excess glue from edges and allow 24 hours to dry.

What do I do if water gets inside my mattress?

 

Roll the mattress up to force the water out of the open valve. If there is a lot of water, you may have to do this several times. Hang the mattress upside down with the valve open in a warm, dry place. It will take about three days for the mattress to dry out.

 

What's the best way to clean my tent?

Cleaning your tent is not necessary unless it has an offensive odour or becomes heavily soiled. If heavily soiled, the pressure from a regular garden hose will remove most loose dirt. For more severe cleaning, set up your tent and hand wash it with warm water, a sponge and mild, non-detergent soap. Do not use dish washing liquid, detergent, bleach, pre-soaking solutions, or spot removers. Rinse well. Dry your tent by pitching it or line-drying it. Never dry clean, machine- wash or machine-dry your tent. Any of these methods can remove all the waterproof coatings from the tent.

Why should I get a footprint?

We recommend that you use a footprint underneath your tent. A footprint will be customized to fit each specific model, it will not only keep your tent floor clean and dry, but it will also protect it from excessive abrasion, prolonging the life of the tent. In addition, some tents we stock can be set up with just the footprint and fly, creating an incredibly light, minimalist alternative to a full tent. For more information on this you can read our page: 'Are tent footprints worth it?'

How do I repair tears?

You can do minor repairs in the field using one of several alternatives. You can purchase waterproof, self-adhesive patches for all of the fabrics and mesh on your tent. Seam sealants are also a good alternative for small holes, or use duct tape for minor, temporary field repairs. If you use duct tape, be sure to remove it as soon as you are through with your trip. The adhesive will eventually eat away at the fabric and you will end up needing a larger patch. We recommend carrying at least one of these as a precaution. If you have a large tear, you can contact us as the supplier may be able to repair the tear for you.

What happens if one of my poles breaks?

If a tent pole breaks, you can make a temporary splint with the pole repair sleeve. Slide the repair sleeve over the broken section and tape or wedge in place with a stick to hold it secure. If the pole cannot be fixed with the splint, then please get in contact with us and we can contact the supplier for you.

What causes condensation and how do I reduce it in my tent?

Condensation is the build-up of moisture inside your tent due to differences between the inside and outside temperatures.

There are three main sources:

• Weather Conditions: High humidity, low temperatures, and rainy conditions create the most condensation.
• People: We produce about 1 - 2 pints of moisture per night through breathing and skin evaporation.
• Wet Environment: Wet ground or wet gear stored inside the tent.

While no tent design can eliminate condensation, the key to reducing it is ventilation. Cooler, drier air has to flow into your tent and warm, moist air must escape. Most of the tents we stock will have breathable and mesh fabric to help moisture escape the tent. It can also be helped by opening all vents and doors where possible.