Backpacks are a sore point for many backpackers as it is both the defining and the most painful item if not used correctly. I have used my share of backpacks, starting from the worst kind (case style, no frame with about 90L of volume) to the lightest and simplest (28L running packs for a weekend […]
Gear Review – Mountain Hardwear Quasar Pullover
The controversy around rain jackets, waterproofs and rain protection in general is pretty extensive, especially in the lightweight circles or the UK walking community. Opinions and what the “right waterproof” might be are as many as there are users (and sometimes even more than that!), so it is not surprising that we are often so […]
Expedition Kit List – Cape Wrath Trail Gear List
Most regular hikers/backpackers/thru-hikers/hill-walkers have a pretty standard gear list that they have tried and tested, and use almost every time they go out (with some minor adjustments). Most of us don’t have tons of shelters and sleeping bags, but 2-3 at best; we also don’t have many stoves, or packs, or anything else. We tend […]
An unconventional approach to insulation in outdoors clothing
When it comes to what insulation clothing is needed in the outdoors, you can find so much information that it is just amazing, and most of it is pretty good. What I have noticed, though, about the information available, the questions I get asked and the people I meet outdoors is that there is an […]
Gear Review – Arc’teryx Atom LT Hooded Jacket
We all have a jacket which is our “go-to” jacket – the one you find yourself using most times, even when it may not be the most appropriate, right? Don’t have one? Impossible, but it is probably a good time to upgrade. Let me recommend my go-to jacket: the Arc’teryx Atom LT hooded jacket. I […]
Gear Review – Janus Merino Tops
About two years ago I put together a set of tops to wear when going outdoors, and I have been using pretty much the same outfit ever since: a short sleeve Merino tee and a long sleeve hooded (balaclava style) Merino shirt – both made by Janus. I have no idea exactly how this happened, […]
Gear Review – Thermarest Neoair
A good night’s sleep in the backcountry is one of those things that everyone talks about – it is not only a great moral booster but is also vital for your physical recovery. When hiking day after day, sleeping outdoors, it is easy to not sleep well: the unfamiliar environment, the excitement and general tiredness […]
Gear Review – Ribz Pack
Sometimes we get hooked on weird gear, really, just the weirdest things that there is a good chance you’ll never need – unless you do? I got the Ribz under with the idea that I think I’ll need it, not sure how, but I want it. It is a very odd pack, and I get […]
The search for the perfect hiking footwear
My feet are one of those weird things that are part anomaly, part something that too many people sympathize with while still being a quiet minority – my feet are wide, very wide. My feet are 2E wide; but they are also strong with high arches that don’t collapse. These funny-yet-strong “duck feet” are an […]
Why should you have a cozy and how to make one
Cooking outdoors is a source of great debates – the opinions are many, probably as many as there are backpackers, but there is a simple tool that most will agree upon: the use of a stove cozy. It is a small and light tool that does nothing but increase the efficiency of your pot and […]