RRP: £229Weight: 1kg (our own measurement came in at just under 1kg including bag, pegs and repair kit) Lifesystems recently launched its first 1 person tent – the Solo Peak. I’ve been testing it, first on a multi-day wild camping trip around Perthshire’s Cateran Trail in wet, autumnal conditions and later on a breezier, cool night out in the Cairngorms. Here’s what I found. Firstly, weight – this tent really does tip the scales at just under 1kg, including a generous ten pegs (it can easily pitch with 8 in calm conditions), waterproof bag, and repair kit including tent splint…

When you’re out in the hills with everything you need strapped to your back, every gram counts, and in this review we’ve put a selection of lightweight stoves through their paces to see which ones deserve a place in your pack. We’ve tested them all out in real Scottish conditions, but also done a comparative boil time and simmer control test at home; we looked at efficiency, packability, ease of use, durability and value for money. Weights given include accessories included with each stove including pot support, canister stabiliser, and stuff sacks – not all of which need to be…

Recommended Price: £330 (but check prices online)Weight: 595g including stuffsack An ultralight sleeping bag or quilt has been on my gear test wish list for longer than I can remember. Lifting of lockdown restrictions mean I’ve finally a proper chance to get out and try the Alpstein 200, a summer sleeping bag / quilt from Vaude. The Alpstein design is interesting, quite different from any sleeping kit I’ve used previously. The foot end is fully enclosed, like a sleeping bag, up as far as the backs of my knees. The rest of the design is then open, though there’s a…

RRP: £525 (currently on offer at various retailers)Weight: 1.5kg When heading out on overnight or multi-day adventures, an ultralight tent can offer one of the biggest savings in weight. We’ve been testing this 2 to 3 person tent from Vaude to see how it measures up. First thing to say is that at 1.5kg including the stuff sack this is really lightweight and packable for a mainstream two-skin tent. Secondly it’s huge – luxuriously big for 2, with an inner base size of 3.2m2, you could fit a third small adult in, but would be perfect for 2 adults and…

Recommended Price: £5.50 Main Meals and Scrambled Egg Breakfast, £4.50 Desserts and Oat Breakfast Weight: (Dry Pouch) Main meals 112g-136g, Breakfasts 80g-91g, Desserts 86g-97g Calories: Main Meals 499-603, Breakfasts 449-469, Desserts 300-447 Tasty and nutritious meals are such an important part of any multi-day backpack: fuel to keep your body functiong well; something to look forward to at the start and ends of the day; as well as a much needed morale boost particularly if the weather is poor. Having used a variety of brands over the years we took a selection of main meals and hot breakfasts from relative…

Most of my reviews on Walkhighlands have been a grouptest – a selection of similar or related items that I use and compare over time. This month is a little different with reviews of either a pair of test samples or just single items. I wanted to do backpacking test, but half a dozen tents, half a dozen sleeping bags and so on would take me months to cover so I looked at the press releases as they came in last year, looked at what was new and thought about what I would chose for myself if I was going…