Gear reviews

Gear review: Osprey Daylite 13l pack

Posted on August 23, 2020 by Helen Webster

Recommended price: £45 (£50 for print colour shown)Weight: 500g (as reviewed) A surprisingly spacious, comfortable, reliable pack for summer days when no winter kit is required. Osprey have updated their daylite pack with some added features, new colour options and a kids version. I’ve been using this one on a variety of day walks and found the single main compartment can easily hold a lighterweight set of waterproofs, first aid kit, insulated top, and food. There’s a sleeve at the back of this section that can take a tablet or small laptop and an externally accessed pouch for up to…

Posted in Gear reviews, Magazine, Rucksacks

Gear review: Vaude Alpstein 200 DWN quilt

Posted on July 28, 2020 by Paul Webster

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…

Posted in Camping, Gear reviews, Magazine

Gear Review: Hanwag Banks SF GTX boots

Posted on July 16, 2020 by Helen Webster

Recommended price: £210Weight: 1060g pair (women’s size 5.5) I have wide feet and often struggle finding suitable stiffer boots, ending up either with pinched toes or a larger size with a loose hill grip that let my feet slide forwards when walking downhill. German company Hanwag has a reputation for making boots in a range of fits so I’ve been trying out the Banks, which comes in 3 different fits for women. This is a traditional looking boot in navy nubuck leather with mesh fabric tongue and ankle cuff. There is a good amount of extra reinforcement around the heel…

Posted in Footwear, Gear reviews, Magazine

Gear Review: Black Diamond Mission LT Approach shoe

Posted on June 19, 2020 by Helen Webster

Recommended Price: £130Weight: 600g (Pair, UK size 6 womens) The Mission LT is one of series of new shoes by Black Diamond aimed firmly at climbers but as this model is also supposed to be suitable for a longer walk in, I was interested to test it for day walks and scrambles. I’d been wearing it for a couple of months on any dry day walks prior to lockdown and since then it’s been my shoe of choice for shorter local walks – so it has also seen a fair bit of pavement pounding. The all-in-one knitted sock structure of…

Posted in Footwear, Gear reviews, Magazine

Book review – Wild Light

Posted on April 26, 2020 by Paul Webster

I know from our social media pages – and my own experience – that looking at photographs of nature, and of wild landscapes and well-loved places that are currently out of reach are a comfort for many of us in trying to get through these testing times. So I was delighted when this stunning book of Scottish panoramas – taken by Craig Aitchison – dropped through the letterbox for review. Craig was the inaugural winner of the Scottish Landscape Photographer of the Year competition, and this is his second book – following on from the successful The Highlands: Land &…

Posted in Books, Gear reviews, Magazine

Lockdown reads for lovers of the outdoors

Posted on March 30, 2020 by Helen Webster

Isolation Shepherd – Iain R. Thomson Delve into the world of remote isolation in this moving and very readable account of a shepherd and young family’s life in Glen Strathfarrar. Set in the mid 1950’s it tells of a world before modern communications and comforts but with many aspects – the mountains around Loch Monar, the relationship between laird and tenant, the tough winter weather, and the working of sheepdogs, that remain to this day. Plenty of photographs help to bring the story to life and the loving descriptions of the landscape mentally teleport you to that remote cottage at…

Posted in Books, Features, Magazine, News, Walkhighlands news

Gear Review: Kathmandu Aikman fleece jacket

Posted on March 8, 2020 by Helen Webster

Recommended price: £64.99Weight: 430g (women’s size 8) Once ubiquitous, fleece jackets have fallen from favour somewhat in recent years, with many walkers switching to synthetic insulation that offers more warmth to weight. They are, however, usually more breathable which makes them still a great choice when it’s slightly less cold or when your sweating heading uphill. This fleece jacket from Kathmandu is made from Polartec Thermal Pro, a high performance fleece. In addition to the usual soft fleece inner, the outer surface is a knitted structure giving the garment a distinctive look. The surface has proved robust with no piling…

Posted in Gear reviews, Jackets, Magazine, Midlayers

Gear review: Walking trousers for winter

Posted on January 13, 2020 by Paul Webster

Rab Spire Pants Recommended Price: £110Weight: 495g (Men’s 34″ waist) Described by Rab as ‘mid-weight softshell’ trousers, the Rab Spire are made from a double-weave Matrix fabric – 92% polyamide and 8% elastane. There’s a very tough-feeling reinforced fabric on the knees and the inside of the lower leg, great for me as this is where I find my walking trousers usually get badly abraded. Despite feeling robust, the main fabric is also stretchy, with a very soft inner face, and the design includes a diamond gusset and articulated knees – I’ve found them very comfortable to wear. On the…

Posted in Gear reviews, Magazine, Trousers

Gear reivew: Hoka One One Sky Toa mid boots

Posted on December 21, 2019 by Helen Webster

Recommended price: £160Weight: 720g (pair, women’s size 5.5) French company Hoka One One (the name comes from Maori meaning “to fly over the earth”) is well known for it’s running shoes, often favoured by ultra distance competitors and characterised by the outsize midsole and deep layered cushioning. Hoka have now added 5 walking boots to their stock as a lightweight alternative to lower profile trail shoes. I’ve been testing out the women’s Sky Toa since late summer and through the autumn. First thing to mention is the bulky outline – the large midsole gives Hoka’s a distinctive bulbous look. The…

Posted in Footwear, Gear reviews, Magazine

Gear review: Hanwag Alta Bunion GTX boots

Posted on December 18, 2019 by Paul Webster

Recommended Price: £195Weight: 1510g (Pair, size 10.5) I’ve long been interested in trying out footwear from Hanwag, since hearing that they make some models on a special last suitable for people with bunions. Though less known in the UK, German company Hanwag have a long pedigree, having been founded in Bavaria in 1921. The Alta is a pretty sturdy but fairly lightweight traditional full height leather hiking boot. The uppers are nubuck leather with a waterproof gore-tex lining, and the sole is a Vibram unit with a decent tread, providing good grip. The ankle cuffs are lined with soft leather,…

Posted in Footwear, Gear reviews, Magazine