Gear reviews

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

Mountain hare book scoops Nature Photography award

Posted on February 27, 2019 by Helen Webster

A debut book exploring The Secret Life of the Mountain Hare has gained public appreciation in an online vote to find the Favourite Scottish Nature Photography Book of 2018. It is the work of photographer Andy Howard, a leading expert on mountain hares, and includes stunning photography and field notes from his time on the hills tracking these majestic creatures, as well as a charming narrative about the life of the mountain hare. The book was reviewed on Walkhighlands on launch in October. The vote is held every two years by the Scottish Nature Photography Awards, which celebrate nature, wildlife and…

Posted in Books, Gear reviews, Magazine, Nature, Photography

Gear review: Keen Karraig boots

Posted on February 16, 2019 by Paul Webster

Paul tries out the latest new boots from Keen. Even the name Karraig suggests something that might have been aimed specifically at the Scottish market…

Posted in Footwear, Gear reviews, Magazine

Gear review: MSR Revo Ascent snowshoes

Posted on January 24, 2019 by Paul Webster

Snowshoes for Scotland? Paul tests out a pair of MSR Revo Ascent snowshoes.

Posted in Accessories, Footwear, Gear reviews, Magazine

Review: Hostile Habitats – Scotland’s Mountain Environment

Posted on January 23, 2019 by Helen Webster

The original guide to Scotland’s mountain environment aimed at hillwalkers and climbers has just been updated with a new edition. When Hostile Habitats was first published in 2006 it brought together information on the full context of Scotland’s hills – geology, landscape, flora and fauna, and human history – into one accessibly-written guidebook aimed at hillwalkers. The book proved popular and this second edition keeps to the same arrangement of nine chapters, written by different experts, but has been expanded and updated to reflect changes in understanding. A hefty hardback, this is a book to dip in and out of…

Posted in Books, Gear reviews, Magazine

Gear review: Mammut Chamuera Jacket

Posted on January 5, 2019 by Paul Webster

Recommended Price: £99Weight: 600g (men’s large) Fleece jackets seem to have fallen in popularity a little in recent years, with more walkers opting instead for mid-layers filled with synthetic insulation which offer the best warmth-to-weight ratio. There’s still a lot to be said for a good fleece though; they wash well, dry quickly, and whilst cheaper ones are prone to pilling, the best are very durable. Few fleeces, though, look quite as smart as the Mammut Chamuera. Whilst the interior is conventionally fleecy and warm, the outer face of the jacket has a woven finish which avoids any pilling. It’s…

Posted in Gear reviews, Jackets, Midlayers, News

Gear Review: Winter Base Layers

Posted on December 27, 2018 by Helen Webster

Sprayway 1/2 Zip Roola RRP: £55 (widely available for less)Weight: 195g (men’s large) The lightweight Roola is 50% merino wool and 50% polyester, combined to give a very comfortable base layer with a moderate amount of stretch. It’s extremely soft to touch, quick to dry, wicks well and gives a reasonable amount of warmth – though it’s not as toasty as some of the other bases featured below and will require more layers in the coldest conditions. I do like having a half-zip on winter base layers to give a venting option when needed. It comes in two colours and sizes from S to…

Posted in Baselayers, Gear reviews, Magazine

Gear Review: Mammut Alnasca Knit Low GTX shoe

Posted on December 15, 2018 by Helen Webster

RRP: £149Weight: 330g (Women’s size 5.5) The first thing you notice about this approach shoe is the snug fit. The inner is made from an almost seamless 3D-knitted stretchy “sock” – luckily there are pull ties to help ease them on. I’ve been testing them both on easier day walks and tougher hill-walks for the last few months. So far the sock design seems to prevent any rubbing where the toe flexes – something that often causes a problem with walking shoes. Initially I felt the fit was on the narrow side but, having adjusted the low-profile laces to their maximum and…

Posted in Footwear, Gear reviews, Magazine

Gear review – Alpkit Phantac down jacket

Posted on December 7, 2018 by Paul Webster

I’ve been testing the revamped 2019 version of Alpkit’s Phantac down jacket, which is designed to keep you really toasty whilst keeping weight low.

Posted in Gear reviews, Jackets, Magazine