Outdoor Walking and Camping Gear Reviews
Read all the latest Mud and Routes outdoor gear reviews, both walking and camping, split into handy sub categories for your convenience.
Our outdoor gear reviews include almost anything that has an outdoor slant, from waterproof jacket reviews and boot reviews, to outdoor tech and walking pack reviews, we’ve got you covered.
We always review outdoor gear honestly and we strongly believe in testing in proper conditions, on the hill, usually in Snowdonia, not on the side of some grassy car park. We prefer to review fewer items, in more detail, with the exception of anything edible.
A bit like a typical reality TV star; Cheap, Thick and loopy inside. Unlike the reality TV ‘star’, they’re both functional and comfortable. At least they were on the first easy walk out, but suffering the hangover from hell I wouldn’t have noticed if they were made from wire wool. As they are meant to […]
Karrimor Merino Trekking Socks Read More »
Pegs are hardly the most glamorous piece of kit, yet you know you’ll be totally stuffed without them. However, with the Candy Canes, Alpkit manage to produce the good looking supermodel of pegs. I know that they also do stick thin titanium pegs that having not a gram of anything else above and beyond the
Alpkit Candy Canes Tent Pegs Review Read More »
It’s always easy enough to throw money at a problem, providing you’ve got the money, rather than really getting to the root of the problem. This is partially why I think we strive to cut the weight of our kit, either spending hours producing kit that’s 5g lighter than what we’ve already got or £600
Get Hill Fit with the Hill Fit eBook Read More »
There are few items that can provide such functionality in such a small package. The Páramo Waterproof Cap is a very lightweight waterproof mountain cap that provides you with just enough protection without unnecessary insulation. I personally hate hoods – I’m usually walking with it down when all others have withdrawn turtle-like into their waterproofs.
Paramo Waterproof Cap Read More »
These spring mornings tend to be cold and frosty, so you need some decent insulation to counter this. It’s just not cold enough to justify a full on duvet jacket and a simple fleece might not be warm enough. You need something in between. The Microlite Jacket from RAB is more of a down cardigan
RAB Microlight Down Jacket Read More »
If you suffer from cold hands then it can make winter walking a miserable experience. So when we received a pair of super warm Women’s Mountain Mitts by Extremeties, I just had to ask one of the Mud and Routes walking buddies to give these a spin. Eleri finds that her hands are always cold,
Extremeties Women’s Mountain Mitt Read More »
Compared to a few other 20l packs I’ve used, the Gourdon is cavernous. There’s just no way that this pack and the 20l sea to summit sil pack for instance are the same internal volume. It is also very basic in design, which means that Alpkit have eschewed all the unnecessary toggles, cordage and what-nots that nobody
Alpkit Gourdon 20 Review Read More »
While I drink a lot of water during the day usually, for some reason I find it difficult to drink sufficient amounts while out walking. Either the water has warmed up or needed sterilizing and so tastes rather chemically. On day walks, I can get around this with a bottle of pure juice diluted with
Science In Sport – PSP22 Fuel Review Read More »
The Extremeties brand is a sister brand to Terra Nova who are best known for their tents. The Extremeties brand sells gloves, socks and hats; items for the extremeties of the body, hence the name. I had the pleasure of reviewing a couple of different pairs of gloves (see the our Super Windy Gloves review)
Extremeties Corbett Gloves Read More »
Terra Nova are best known for their tents, with those in the know starting to appreciate their new range of packs and sleeping bags. You don’t usually associate them with gloves and socks, which is probably as they’re branded as ‘Extremeties’. Being asked to review a couple of these gloves, I had high expectations from
Extremeties Super Windy Gloves Read More »
While looking for a pair of cheap and cheerful walking trews, I found these Craghopper Basecamp trousers that are an entry level version of the classic Kiwi trouser. Officially known as Basecamp Pants, I’m still wondering when this Americanism managed to slip in under the radar and replace the fine British usage of pants as a derogatory term Entry
Craghoppers Basecamp Men’s Trousers Read More »
The Paramo Mountain Top is designed specifically to be worn with their waterproofs. The cut is snug, and fits well beneath something like an Aspira Jacket for winter use. The more expensive Mountian Vent top even has zipped vents corresponding with the ones on the outside jacket for cooling down to the skin. You can wear this
Paramo Mountain Pull On top Read More »
The Montane Bionic base-layer is constructed from 23% merino and 77% polyester, aka Sportwool™. This makes it dearer than your usual synthetic top, and cheaper than your quality merino base-layers, so does it bring together the best of both worlds? While you can’t expect it to feel as soft as pure merino, it is still as comfortable next to
Montane Bionic Long Sleeve Crew Neck Baselayer Review Read More »
The Laser 20 is Terra Nova’s most fully featured yet still fast and light adventure racing packs. It is designed for those who want to travel fast and light, or just slow and light if you so choose. It can bee seen as a runner’s pack, or one for the lightweight enthusiast who still wants the pack to have
Terra Nova Laser 20 Pack Review Read More »
Who needs a pillow when a rolled up jumper will suffice? Well, if you’re going really light weight and you’ve no spare clothing, then this may be a necessity as opposed to a luxury if you want a night’s sleep. The Ajungilak Air Pillow is lightweight (145g or so) takes up barely no space in
Ajungilak Air Pillow Read More »
What can you get for £15 these days? In my local, you can just about get a round of beer for four with enough change for a bag of crisps. As far as outdoor kit is in the question, £15 doesn’t get you much. The best quality bit of kit you can get is either
Campri Snowdon Boots Review Read More »
If you’re running, you don’t usually need much for those safe urban runs, but when you’re heading further afield you probably need to carry some odds and ends, especially if your route takes you over any high ground. You can go for a small pack or a waist pack such as the OMM Ultra Waist Pouch.
OMM Ultra Waist Pouch Read More »
Following on from the other Paramo reviews, you may have noticed a trend in colour. Even my summer smock is a fetching black. Not so my winter coat. My Aspira Jacket – circa 2007 and a honeymoon present, so I better hope that I don’t get THAT year wrong. This is red and proud to be
Paramo Aspira Jacket Review Read More »
A small pack is all well and good for a day or two in the summer, but if you want to avoid the inevitable squeezing, pushing and forcing when trying to fit four or five days’ kit and supplies into a 35litre pack you’ll probably need to go larger. The Golite Pinnacle pack seeks to
Golite Pinnacle Pack Review Read More »
Winter conditions call for suitable kit, and these Paramo Aspira Trousers are designed for any winter conditions you’re likely to encounter. With padded knees and backside, you can comfortably sit or kneel in the snow; useful if you’re doing serious climbing or just sitting down on the summit enjoying a cuppa. This does mean that
Paramo Aspira Trousers Long Term Review Read More »
There’s nothing like finding a bit of kit that feels as if it was tailor made for you. Kit so good that when it eventually falls apart, you’ll need someone else to actually dispose of them as you just haven’t the heart to do so. Or to even go to the effort of finally burying
Classic Gear Review Meindl Burma Pro GTX (2008) Read More »
While Google has become synonymous with web search and Facebook with erosion of privacy, so have Platypus become a generic name it seems for all collapsible water bottles. I used platys for years and still have more than a few in regular use, but when my main 2l platy gave up the ghost after five
Source Liquitainer 2 litre Review Read More »
I’ve struggled in the past with a cheap and nasty pair of goggles that had to be padded around the nose as they made it bleed and were just foul all around. They were only half effective, and even then only if you didn’t breathe. Following on from the last two decent winters we’ve had,
Nevica Glacier Goggles Read More »
While we had a bit of a winter this week up in Snowdonia, it’s likely to be mostly gone after this weekend. It did however give us a chance to test out one of the bargains of the year so far, a collapsable snow shovel from B&Q for just a shade over ten quid. The
Garant Collapsable Shovel Read More »
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