{"id":15790,"date":"2017-01-23T17:49:09","date_gmt":"2017-01-23T17:49:09","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.walkhighlands.co.uk\/news\/?p=15790"},"modified":"2021-01-19T13:45:56","modified_gmt":"2021-01-19T13:45:56","slug":"gear-of-the-year-2016-part-two","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.walkhighlands.co.uk\/news\/gear-of-the-year-2016-part-two\/","title":{"rendered":"Gear of the Year 2016 – Part Two"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"DavidDavid Lintern continues his round up of his favourites from an outdoors year in gear. You can see his pick from 2016s trailshoes and layers – including jackets, trousers and gloves – in the first part here<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

Pack<\/h2>\n

Millet Prolighter MXP 60+20 \u00a3160.00<\/h4>\n

\"\"<\/a>
\nThis is my other cheat on the timing front – I\u2019ve actually used the Prolighter for about 20 months now and it\u2019s become my go-to winter heavy lifter. I think it\u2019s a good general purpose hauler, but comes into its own for winter backpacking and mountaineering, with a removable hip belt, zoned 1000d Cordura for extra durability at the wear points, a zipped snow\/storm collar and a floating top lid. There are pole and ski friendly compression straps, expandable side pockets as well as useful lid pockets. The ice tool attachments are slimline, secure and efficient. Otherwise things are kept fairly sparse. The hip belt eschews pockets for rack space \u2013 I\u2019d prefer the former at least on one side, but hey you can\u2019t have everything. The back system is one size fits all and consists of fixed moulded foam that \u2018flows\u2019 into the shoulder harness and shrugs off snow easily. There\u2019s an internal sleeve carrying a removable sleeping pad and some tubing to give the pack structure. <\/p>\n

I\u2019ve seen this attract less than favourable reviews, but the carry for me is fairly typical of a lean pack. Admittedly there is less padding in the hipbelt to soften the blow of heavy loads, but the weight transfer to the hips is still good and the balance is great. The taller, thinner shape does means you need to pay attention to how you pack, but the Prolighter is tough, lightweight and built for the mountains. I\u2019ve also seen it in Tiso for a lot cheaper than the list price. Weight 1490g<\/p>\n

Crampons<\/h2>\n

Petzl Charlet Irvis crampons \u00a3115.00<\/h4>\n

\"\"<\/a>
\nThese crampons were a standout favourite last winter season and for the few days we\u2019ve enjoyed this season too. You need to be careful where you stand wearing the Irvis – the points are ridiculously sharp, cling like limpets to ice and while they have rusted a little they show little sign of blunting after some rough use. The points are a fair bit shorter than others I\u2019ve used, but that works well for Scottish mixed ground, where longer points can feel unstable and stress the ankles over a few hours. I own the semi auto variety (leverlock), which will account for at least some of my confidence in these, but there\u2019s more: They pack down tiny \u2013 the smallest of my sets of sharps. The linking bar can be adjusted for boot stiffness, the binding lock is an exceptionally secure design, and the balling plates are simple, stiff and faultless. Overall, I just feel really safe in these, which is the desired effect. Just watch out for your trousers when stepping up! <\/p>\n

They are also available in universal bindings, but if your needs are less technical and you don\u2019t own a pair of B2 boots, then I\u2019d highly recommend the Grivel G10 new classic in Universal bindings. Any more than 10 points on a bendy hill-walking boot is unstable in my opinion (I\u2019ve tried, and had the scars to prove it)\u2026 and the G10\u2019s are tried, true and built to last. Petzl have revised their crampon range for 2016, but the Irvis remains. Mine weigh 876g per pair<\/p>\n

Shelter<\/h2>\n

MLD Duomid XL $365 (plus shipping from US)<\/h4>\n

\"\"<\/a>
\nI\u2019ll confess I\u2019m a fan of this American company\u2019s products, and this \u2018pyramid\u2019 style tarp style shelter is no exception. The design is simple \u2013 a pole front of centre (or use 2 walking poles with a section of joiner between them), with roughly 70% of the internal space behind the pole. This allows for 2 people behind, with plenty of space for another person, all your gear and\/or a dog in front. There\u2019s lots of headroom too \u2013 much more than in a conventional tent. If you prefer an inner (and most will) it can be purchased as an extra. This gives you the option to leave it at home outwith the bug season. <\/p>\n

With all the guylines in place these shelters shed wind, snow and rain exceptionally well. I understand Ron Bell (MLD\u2019s owner and designer in chief) has added corner guylines on the 2016 model, so it\u2019s even more stable. Cooking and changing out of wet clothes and boots is easy due to both the headroom and huge \u2018porch\u2019 in front of the pole. A top vent, plus clever catenary curves between the pegging points mean an airy shelter with no condensation issues. I\u2019ve not used the regular sized Duomid – this XL version is 30% bigger, and even on my own I enjoy the space. It\u2019s super roomy but still lightweight, and versatile enough to use as a solo shelter, plus enjoy with a friend – significant, furry or otherwise \u2013 as the need arises. You\u2019ll need to sort out the pole, pegs, inner and seam sealing yourself, but for the weight and price, the sturdiness and simplicity of these shelters is second to none. MLD are total fabric tech and design geeks, and it shows. Weight 625g (fly only)<\/p>\n

Wild Cat Gear \u2018The Cat\u2019s Whisker\u2019s\u2019 \u00a3250 (bike not included)<\/h4>\n

\"\"<\/a>
\nAging hipster that I am, I\u2019ve been bitten by the bikepacking bug over the last 18months, both as a way to access more remote mountains and just to enjoy some longer glen routes in limited time sans family. Wildcat Gear are the other small, independent producer in this lineup, and \u2018The Cat\u2019s Whisker\u2019s\u2019 is a complete set of luggage you need to get bikepacking straight away from stratch. Included is a half-frame bag (Ocelot), plus a seat pack (Tiger) and a handlebar harness (Lion) that both act as holders for drybags into which you stuff your gear. In addition there\u2019s a very useful front pouch (Lioness). There are options to size up all individual parts of the bundle for longer trips \u2013 the wider \u2018Fat lion\u2019 would suit carrying a small tent or sleeping mat on the front better. All items are made from tough ballistic nylon but are still lightweight, mainly because there\u2019s nothing extra here \u2013 just the bare bones required to keep your kit securely fastened to your stead. <\/p>\n

How does it all fare on the bike? The Lion has ingenious strapping (under the fork crown) that has survived a 5km run of fast, rough downhill and a good deal more up n down without flinching. It\u2019s a bit of a faff to attach but once on, does not budge. There\u2019s a \u2018tongue\u2019 underneath (optional) that protects your drybag from wheelspray. The Lioness also sits perfectly on top without slipping \u2013 it\u2019s great to have the extra (approx. 3 litres) capacity for bars, torch, keys and so on. The Ocelot is ingeniously designed with both map pocket and tarp pole slip pocket, although I still prefer a full framebag for extra days without resupply (which is an option). The seatpack is the best of the bunch \u2013 others I\u2019ve used have a tendency to flap around and unbalance the ride, but armed with a huge Velcro seatpost buckle and clever compression straps, the Tiger was super stable and kept the drybag suspended high above the rear wheel. It\u2019s all nicely finished and built to withstand lots of abuse \u2013 kit does get knocked around a fair bit on biketrips, so it\u2019s good to have burly luggage to protect it. <\/p>\n

I\u2019ve used competitor\u2019s kit before and since owning the Wildcat Gear, and in comparison you get what you pay for – the build quality, attention to detail and design of Wild Cat Gear is exceptional. <\/p>\n

Kids<\/h2>\n

Spotty Otter Patrol 2 Suit \u00a379<\/h4>\n

\"\"<\/a>
\nOutdoor gear for kids is definitely a growth market, but the Patrol Suit rises above the competition as beautifully designed and made by a UK company. The outer is as waterproof and breathable as the best of the rest, but also soft and has a decent amount of 4 way stretch. There\u2019s a particularly deep and cosy pile fleece liner, and elasticated Velcro ankles and cuffs. Reinforced knees and reflectors are present and correct too. So far, so good, but where it really stands out is the hood, which is detachable, adjustable, deep but not flappy, and has a wide peak to protect the face. Access was the best we tried, with full-length zips down both legs. This makes a massive difference especially when the little terror wants out in a rush, or there\u2019s a nappy to change.
\nThe company say their gear is generously sized but compared to the other full suits on offer it\u2019s shorter in the body, which I think maybe more suited for a UK fit. It\u2019s also Bluesign\u00ae approved, so manufacture is about as environmentally friendly as is possible \u2013 I think it\u2019s very interesting to see the kid\u2019s gear companies leading the way in this alongside Patagonia, Paramo and now Vaude. It could maybe use an external pocket, but that\u2019s a quibble. We\u2019ve purchased other Spotty Otter gear and it\u2019s always brilliantly comfortable and functional. <\/p>\n

Jack Wolfskin grow up sleeping bag \u00a340<\/h4>\n

\"\"<\/a>
\nI think this sleeping bag strikes a pretty perfect balance between value and quality. It\u2019s a summer weight, synthetic sleeping bag for kids, designed with their first few years of adventures in mind. Those first trips are likely to be limited to the warmer months, and the microguard insulation here is more than up to that job. The bag extends from 140-170cm, so although it\u2019s way too big for our little\u2019un right now it\u2019ll keep her warm at night for a fair few years to come. The extra length is concealed in a zippered enclosure in the foot, and provides additional insulation to keep younger legs comfortable. There\u2019s an internal pocket (torch and bunny friendly) and a fully adjustable hood. The outer fabric is easily wiped down and whole thing is machine washable. We\u2019ve discovered that part of successful camping with our daughter is showing her she has equivalent gear to us \u2013 this is a fully-fledged summer bag she really enjoys. It\u2019s not very lightweight at about 700g, but it is very good value at this price and will take a long time to outgrow. As to the ant design on the outer \u2013 I\u2019m not sure if it\u2019s \u2018funky\u2019 or \u2018creepy\u2019 but the wean doesn\u2019t seem to mind either way.<\/p>\n

Yepp \u2018Maxi\u2019 Childseat approx. \u00a380<\/h4>\n

\"\"<\/a>This bikeseat pretty much revolutionised our child friendly outdoor adventures this year. I might scribble some more for Walk Highlands about that come the spring, but for now suffice to say it\u2019s been the answer to staying relatively mobile with a sometimes intractable toddler in tow. There are several sizes, and two fittings available \u2013 the one shown fixes to the seat post. We\u2019ve actually used both now; my partner was finding a growing, wriggling youngster a bit too unwieldy for her small wheelbase MTB, so I\u2019m now on taxi duty with a rear rack based seat. I\u2019d say both are very solid, but the rack mount is more so \u2013 it depends on what your bike (and the rider) can manage. Having read ALL the safety blurb I wouldn\u2019t have chosen any other brand. Reassuringly, the Yepp seats have won loads of awards in Europe for both safety and design, and the seat itself is easily sponged and seems very comfortable. Shoulder and feet straps are both soft and secure. And once again, the nipper really enjoys it\u2026 which makes all the difference to whether we can get out as a family or not. The Dutch company don\u2019t sell direct, but we\u2019ve seen these online through a small number of UK distributors.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

David Lintern continues his round up of his favourites from an outdoors year in gear. You can see his pick from 2016s trailshoes and layers – including jackets, trousers and gloves – in the first part here. Pack Millet Prolighter MXP 60+20 \u00a3160.00 This is my other cheat on the timing front – I\u2019ve actually used the Prolighter for about 20 months now and it\u2019s become my go-to winter heavy lifter. I think it\u2019s a good general purpose hauler, but comes into its own for winter backpacking and mountaineering, with a removable hip belt, zoned 1000d Cordura for extra durability…<\/span> <\/p>\n

Read more ›<\/div>\n

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