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.
You may remember when we set ourself a challenge a few years ago to kit someone out with wild camping kit for under £100, so we decided to see not just what that same budget would buy you four? years on but seeing as according to the UK’s ‘elite’ it seems that we’re all in it […]
Wild Camping on a Budget 2015 Part 1 – The Kit Read More »
Over the past few months we’ve been out testing the True Mountain stretch windshell jacket. A stretchy, breathable windproof suitable for active outdoor sports. Sticking to their usual mantra of British made, this windproof is made in Lancashire. The windproof is a staple piece of kit these days, and if you’re asking yourself “what’s a
True Mountain Stretch Windshell Jacket Review Read More »
Montane are well known as manufacturers of some of the best lightweight high activity kit available, being among the first choice for anyone from mountain marathoners to the ‘gram weenie’ backpackers. While their wind-proofs are an essential bit of our ultralight backpacking kit, as well as trail running, the Montane Allez Micro Hoodie was eagerly anticipated.
Montane Allez Micro Hoodie Review Read More »
Sticking with their mantra of UK made products, the Cool Runner socks, along with all the socks in the True Mountain range are produced by a family run company in Nottinghamshire. The Cool Runner socks from True Mountain Made from 36% Tactel / 31% Coolmax Polyester / 31% Nylon / 2% Elastane the Cool Runner socks
Cool Runner and Coolmax Light socks from True Mountain Read More »
When we saw these for sale we thought – “ooh, a new map!” So we bought it on line, expecting some new sort of mapping that we aught to get accustomed to, perhaps something similar to the Harvey Map Superwalkers. So imagine our surprise (and disappointment) when we received the map and realised it’s no
Snowdon and the Conwy Valley AA Walker’s Maps Review Read More »
The PHD Minim Combi sleeping bag isn’t your usual sleeping bag. It’s designed as an outer bag to add warmth to your summer bags, but also works as a slightly larger three season bag in it’s own right. We tested the bag out, mainly on it’s own, but also in conjunction with a PHD Minimus which is
PHD Minim Combi Sleeping Bag Review Read More »
Nilaqua the makers of Pits and Bits were kind enough to send us over a 65ml squeezy bottle of Towel off Body Wash – Antibacterial and Unfragranced, and a 9 pack of Expandable Wipes. Though as always, the following review is our own independent assessment of the product following a thorough gear test period in
Pits and Bits Body Wash Review Read More »
Some of you might remember our article on the Joby Gorilla Pod and how impressed we were with a tripod option without the hassle of heavy weight in the pack. Well we think we’ve found an equally ingenious option! The Trail Pix is the brainchild of Andy Stough a professional engineer from Cary, NC, USA
TrailPix Tripod Review Read More »
If you’re into your sports these days then chances are you’re using some kind of supplement. A good chance it would be powder based, and added to water/milk/or juice of some kind. Traditionally you would drop your powder into water/milk/juice in a shaker and, well, shake! Giving you a lumpy grainy substance to struggle to
We all love a bargain, and after the wife kept nicking my Kahtoola Microspikes during any spell of icy weather I decided to buy her a pair of these budget micro-crampons. For only £12.98 including postage, these Vtech Anti Slip Ice Cleats Shoe Boot Grips Crampon Chain Spike Sharp Snow Walker – hereby known as Vtech microcrampons – will
Vktech Micro Crampon Review – As good as Kahtoolas? Read More »
You’ve spent a small fortune on your camera lenses, it would be daft not to protect them as much as possible. That’s especially so for the more adventurous photographer where a standard camera bag just doesn’t cut it and your pack is likely to be involved in numerous scrapes during the day. Lens pouches provide
XCSOURCE Neoprene Lens Pouch Review Read More »
Before going lightweight on my camping trips, a penknife with the usual tools and attachments would be regarded as essential kit despite weighing a hefty 200g or more. These days, I’ve barely got more than a titanium spork to fight off those Welsh mountain bears. However there’s always a time when you find yourself needing
True Utility KeyTool Review Read More »
For the last few weeks I’ve been sporting a rubber band on my left wrist, this isn’t my attempt to return to my teenage years, nor a show of support for the latest fashionable charity. No, this is the SafeSport ID, and as the name suggest it’s a bracelet that offers you safety by storing
What is Safesport ID? Read More »
The advertising blurb says that the Peperami is a bit of an animal. Question is, what bits exactly? Well according to the label it’s 100% pork salami with 13.8g of pork to make each 10g of sausage. That packs in somewhere between 44 and 49% fat, or 11g for a typical 25g stick and a
Super Hill Foods – Peperami Read More »
If you read our article on Alternatives to Tripods in the Wilds – then here’s a follow up review on the Joby Gorillapod SLR-Zoom for DSLR and video cameras that’s good for kit up to 3 kilos. For those of you who haven’t heard of the Gorillapod and probably been in a cave for the last few
Joby GorillaPod SLR-Zoom review Read More »
The Montane Spektr Smock is an ultra-lightweight hard shell that’s designed for fast and light outdoor activities. In reality – that’s running, backpacking and just about any other time you don’t want to be carrying any more than you have to. The smock is constructed from eVent Super Lightweight 3 Layer and weighs in at a
Montane Spektr Smock Long Term Review Read More »
What counts as a decent brand of compass? We’ve used Silva, Suunto and Recta which tend to be quality compasses. I’ve a Suunto that’s now over 25 years old, it’s getting a bit dodgy, with something growing in the fluid, but still serves as an emergency compass. We’ll compare a standard Silva Explorer compass, which
Navigational Skills Cheap vs Expensive Compasses Read More »
The North Face Banchee 35 litre pack is an all-round pack – that’s suitable for summer wild camps as much as it is for winter walking. With a capacity of 35 litres, it’s also useful if you need to carry extra kit on a day walks such as camera kit or if you’re the nominated
The North Face Banchee 35 Review Read More »
Personally, I like to take some cash with me on a run. Often, I may be running a linear route with an arranged pickup at the end, or I may just need a bail out option for those longer runs when you just don’t feel 100% before setting off. I’ve stashed cash into my mobile
TrueUtility CoinStash and CashStash Review Read More »
Carrying a small compact camera in the hills is a doddle, whack it in a drybag and then your pocket. Sorted. Not so with a DSLR, especially once you couple it with a serious wide angle lens such as the Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8 DX Lens – or any serious telephoto lens. Offerings from the likes
AmazonBasics Holster DSLR Camera Case Read More »
Water can get a bit boring on long trips, and while hydration tablets are useful for adding flavour to water on a long trip, they’re both expensive and the flavour isn’t as great as it could be. So when we saw Squash’d from Robinsons, we had to give them a go. Squash’d is a small container containing concentrated
Robinsons Squash’d Review Read More »
I’d bought this on a whim to take with me on a recent trip to the Rhinogydd, and I didn’t really expect much from it as I’d had a bad experience with a Wayfarers sponge a few years back and avoided the brand ever since. These were on special, and normally cost around a fiver
Wayfarers All Day Breakfast Meal Kit Review Read More »
If you’ve read our article here –Keeping Clean Without a Shower – then here’s a review of the Muc Off Dry Shower. Muc Off may well be known to you those of you who get your bikes muddy on trails as one of the best bike cleaning kit around. Now, they’ve also got something that’ll
Muc Off Dry Shower Review Read More »
It’s said that to become an expert at anything, you’ll need to practice for 10,000 hours, hence the name – 10k Hours. However, about the only thing that stuck in my head from teacher training was the quote from my tutor that some people have 20 years’ experience, while other have one year’s experience 20
Fuel Your 10 k Hours – Liquid Breakfast Review Read More »
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