Gear reviews

Gear review: Mammut hiking pants

Posted on July 10, 2019 by Paul Webster

Recommended Price: £79Weight: 230g (32″) Allegedly we’re now in the middle of summer, the ideal time of year for this pair of lightweight walking trousers from Mammut. The fit is athletic, but the stretchy material (94% Polyamide, 6% Elastane) and shaped knees ensures that these are extremely comfortable to wear. They are very quick drying, and have been treated with a durable water repellent coating that helps to repel light showers. The coating is PFC-free, and the trousers are bluesign certified, so you can be confident that their manufacture minimizes environmental impact. There are two front pockets, both zipped, and…

Posted in Gear reviews, Trousers

Gear Review: Women’s Summer Baselayers

Posted on June 29, 2019 by Helen Webster

Patagonia Capilene Cool Lightweight Shirt RRP: £40Weight: 60g 4 colour options in sizes XS-XL, long sleeve version also availableMen’s version available in 6 colours sizes XS – XL, long sleeve version Beautifully soft and very light-feeling, this short sleeve T is 100% recycled polyester and certified Fair Trade sewn, which means the people who make it get a fair wage. For the last 3 years I’ve worn a similar long sleeved shirt from Patagonia which has worn incredibly well despite the thinness of the fabric, so I was keen to see what improvements had been made on this version. The…

Posted in Baselayers, Gear reviews, Magazine

Gear Review: Vaude Power Lizard 2-3 person tent

Posted on June 13, 2019 by Helen Webster

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…

Posted in Camping, Gear reviews, Magazine

Gear review – Tilley Hiker’s hat

Posted on May 29, 2019 by Paul Webster

Recommended Price: £85Weight: 108g Canadian brand Tilley are famed for their hats – whether you think that’s famously well-made and durable or famously expensive. For many years I baulked at the price being so much higher than alternatives, but I was bought one as a present around a decade ago – and have been a convert ever since. There are three factors which really lift Tilleys above sunhats I’d worn previously. One is that renowned construction. These are robust hats, covered by a lifetime guarantee. That’s not your usual guarantee covering faults in manufacture, but a guarantee that covers normal…

Posted in Accessories, Gear reviews, Magazine

Gear review – Keen Venture mid hiking boots

Posted on May 12, 2019 by Paul Webster

Recommended Price: £129.99Weight: 550g per boot (mens’ size 10) I’ve usually found boots and shoes from Keen to be a good match for my relatively wide feet, with a roomy toe-box. So I was interested to try out the new Venture model – available as both a low hiking shoe and as a mid boot, as seen here. They represent a move into lighter weight footwear for Keen. The Venture mids were comfy from the first outing, requiring next to no breaking in, which is as I’ve come to expect from the brand; the lighter weight of these is a…

Posted in Footwear, Gear reviews, Magazine

Gear Review: Osprey Lumina 45 women’s backpack

Posted on May 2, 2019 by Helen Webster

RRP: £220Weight: 0.77g (M) The last thing you need when backpacking is pack that’s heavy before you even start loading up all your equipment, food and water. The Lumina is a women’s specific backpack from Osprey that is ultralight – so light that it is hard to believe it has a full frame or will stand up to the rigours of multi-day camping trips. I like to backpack as light as possible and usually use a frameless pack that requires careful packing to give it some structure; it still has a tendency to take the weight on the shoulders and…

Posted in Gear reviews, Magazine, Rucksacks

Gear Review: Vaude Trail Spacer 18 rucksack

Posted on April 16, 2019 by Helen Webster

Recommended Retail Price: £130Weight: 550g This running vest/rucksack hybrid from Vaude hasn’t so much grown on me as clung to me. Incredibly form-fitting and stretchy in places where packs are usually rigid, once secured by the narrow chest and waist straps and with shoulder straps adjusted it really moves with your body, making it good for running, scrambling and mountain biking as well as general hiking. It’s also very, very comfortable. With a capacity of 18 litres, including the stretchy pockets at the sides and front, the actual body of the pack is just big enough for Scottish summer walking…

Posted in Gear reviews, Magazine, Rucksacks

Gear Review: Bridgedale Mid Weight Stormsock waterproof sock

Posted on April 5, 2019 by Helen Webster

RRP: £32 Available in 2 colours (black and khaki) and 4 unisex UK shoes sizes (3 – 5.5, 6 – 8.5, 9 – 11.5, 12+) I’ve worn waterproof socks regularly for winter running for the last few years, for comfort with unlined footwear and to stop chilblains from being in cold and wet footwear. More recently I’ve also started using them for walking in lightweight boots and trail shoes when I know I’ll end up with wet feet but don’t want the added weight of my waterproof boots. Despite keeping toenails short and taking care to rinse and dry the…

Posted in Accessories, Gear reviews, Magazine

Gear review: Rab Cirrus Flex hoody

Posted on April 3, 2019 by Paul Webster

Recommended Price: £125Weight: 404g (large) This reasonably lightweight synthetic insulated jacket is filled with Cirrus 3M Featherless insulation – which Rab reckon is equivalent to 600 fill power down. That’s a little way short of the the warmth and loft properties of the very best quality down – but then synthetics are also easier to wash, perform better when wet, and are cheaper. There are thinner fleece panels down the sides of the jacket, along the bottom of the arms and the sides of the hood. When working hard in an insulated jacket I often find the surface fabric ends…

Posted in Gear reviews, Jackets, Magazine, Midlayers

Gear review: Alpkit Woodsmoke mountain shirt

Posted on March 7, 2019 by Paul Webster

Recommended Price: £59Weight: 375g (men’s large) Here’s something a little different for your base or even mid-layer. The Woodsmoke shirt has the looks of a classic lumberjack-style shirt – but re-imagined to make it much more practical for active use out on the trails and hills. The shirt feels as comfortable as cotton to touch, but it’s actually made from a type of polyester with hollow fibres. These trap air to give more warmth than standard polyester. In use, I’ve found the Woodsmoke to be surprisingly warm worn as a baselayer – I wouldn’t want to wear it on the…

Posted in Baselayers, Gear reviews, Magazine