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 […]
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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
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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,
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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
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The classic down jacket is one of the best bits of kit you can get for keeping warm. Gram for gram, there’s nothing warmer than the combination of pertex and down of one form or the other. In that respect, synthetic insulation doesn’t come close. That said, there’s no need to write off synthetic insulation
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The Garmin Forerunner 110 is a basic gps watch, with an RRP of £150 alone, or £180 with a heart rate monitor. I was fortunate enough to pick one up on Amazon at just over £100 without the HRM, but seem to be around the £125 mark now with the HRM bundle being cheaper than
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If you own one item that you’ll put off washing, in all likelihood it’s some sort of down item. Sleepingbags and down jackets are notoriously difficult to clean and as a result often put off. Down Wash by Nikwax doesn’t really make it any easier, but it does have some reassuring instructions on the side
If you’ve seen our how to fry an egg article, then you may be interested in one of these. They’re available in a wide range of colours that make very little difference unless you want one to match the shade of your inner tent. More relevantly, this is a decent pan for frying a single
Chefmate 12cm Mini Frypan Read More »
I’ve owned a pair of Keen trail shoes for many years now, and while they got minimal hill use, they’ve been so comfortable that they’re my casual footwear of choice. These suit those with wider feet, or those with a typically Northern European foot shape as opposed to the almost winkle-picker narrow Italians (think Scarpas). In fact,
Keen Targhee II Boots Read More »
Do you want a bargain? While we’ve found Karrimor gear to be pretty hit and miss, here’s another one of the hits. Look at the images and you can see how they compare to a pair of Bridgedale liner socks. It is rather too spooky for our liking, but looking at the seams on the
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Most of my life I’ve worn cheap wellies bought for under a tenner. Little did I know what I was missing until I was given a pair of five year old hand-me-down Aigles. Until then I wasn’t even aware you could get wellies so warm, comfortable and sturdy. The Aigles lasted me a good five
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Who’d have thought that you’d need anything more than a spork when out camping? Well here’s something that you should find useful if you intend to do anything more than boil water. The MSR Alpine Cookset comprises three items: a large spoon, a spatula and a strainer. If you want a fried egg (see this
MSR Alpine Utensils Review – Spoon, Spatula and Strainer Read More »
Map cases are never glamorous. The vision of a red socked rambler proudly walking with a map case hanging from his neck and flapping about in the wind seems to be one of those old clichés. I even went as far as using waterproof maps to avoid ever owning a map case. That’s all well and
Classic Gear Review 8 Ortileb Map Case Read More »
If there’s one item that I own that’s elicited any curiosity in people over the last few years then it has to be these Kahtoola MICROspikes. From work colleagues, to neigbours, they’ve seen these in use over the recent harsh winters and politely enquired about them before quickly ordering their own pair. Even if you
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We love anything that’s multi-purpose, or uses another item to provide part of its functionality. The Grivel Snow Shovel does just that. It’s just a plastic ‘bucket’ part of the shovel, lacking a handle. Instead, you can use a Grivel Munro ice axe or similar in order to create a handle. You’re unlikely to need one
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Winter’s here soon, and if it’s anything like the last two then you’ll be needing one of these. There are many different shapes and sizes when it comes to ice axes. It’s quite bewildering when you first set out to buy one. Invariably, unless you’ve more money than sense you’ll end up buying the cheapest
Classic Gear Review 7 – Grivel Munro Ice Axe Read More »
Cheap and cheerful running windproof. While it may have an RRP of £45, it’s available for a very reasonable £14 from the Sport Direct website. For that price, you can’t go far wrong. For the full price, you could easily get a better windproof from the likes of Montane. It’s durable, being used for a
Men’s Karrimor Hi Viz Run Jacket Read More »
When you buy any running baselayer for under a tenner (rrp is £27, but you can get it for under a tenner on Sports Direct), you’ve got to be ready for anything. This top looks good on the images, and it pleased on arrival as well. Sporting a useful quarter zip and a highly visible
Men’s Karrimor Quarter Zip Long Sleeve Top Read More »
If you think it just looks like a drybag with a strap, then you’re spot on. Designed to be minimal in its design, there are no pockets just one cavernous, waterproof main compartment. The smaller Gourdon 20 or Stealthy Gourdon both come with external bungees if you really need them. There’s a clear panel (to
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I bought this about a month ago when the zip went on my North Face soft shell. The North Face had served me well for the last couple of years, but I decided to go for the Rab on the recommendation of a friend. This Vapour-rise jacket claims to be warm and wind resistant, but
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Following on from last week’s review of the Icebreaker Mondo Zip, you’ll know how impressed we are with both merino wool and the ethical approach of Icebreaker, so we won’t bore you further on that one. The Aspiring hood is a heavier grade of Realfleece merino at 320 that’s roughly the equivalent of a heavy duty
Icebreaker Aspiring Hood Review Read More »
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