Well all in all, the stove is good, it can make a brew, or cook a meal without the need for flames or leaving your tent. Great. Also great idea for group leaders who want have concerns over their groups behaviour around stoves (special needs groups perhaps?). It’s small, light, and does make a good brew with minimal fuss, and whilst it doesn’t seem to be able to make 2 brews, it can keep 1 brew warm for longer. Which brings me on to the negative aspect of the stove, 5 heat packs for £10 = £2 per brew, not ideal. But look at it this way, as an item you don’t use every single trip, or as a convenience item it’s a great piece of kit to have, and there’s not much that can go wrong with it.

I am looking forward to my first morning brew in the tent with the rain tipping down outside, something tells me that when I’m sitting in my sleeping bag, warm and dry, that I will appreciate this item much more.

Begrudingly I conceded it’s time to replace my helmet having had it for 5 years now, it’s certainly served me well. I headed over to Go Outdoors to buy a Petzl Meteor 3+ (fancied one for a while, and combination of deals in GoOutdoors meant that they were available for £51 – jackpot). While browsing round the store I came across the Trekmates Flameless Cook System section. When I first saw the FCS it peaked my interest, a means of heating food and drink that doesn’t need gas....sounds good. I was faced with 2 options; £18 bought me the Flameless Cook Flask (360ml) http://www.trekmates.co.uk/online-shop/flameless-cook-system/flameless-cook-flask, which came with 3 heat packs, alternatively £27 bought the Flameless Cook Box, which came with 4 heat packs (2 of each size). I opted for the flask, reasoning with myself that if the FCS proved to be a good addition I would return for the box.

The system works by using water activated heat packs, which are available in 2 sizes (high power and super power), these are available for £10 (pack of 7 high power packs) or £10 (pack of 5 super power packs). The super power packs are only useable in the Flameless box and not in the flask. Each stove comes with a measuring bottle to ensure you add the right amount of water to activate the heat pack (depending on the size). Each stove or heat pack comes with “loyalty points” you can use on www.flamelesscook.com to buy more heat packs, and other goodies. This is great because it reduces the overall cost of the fuel for the stove as you get freebies every so often.



Good so far…..

So time to test one; the concept is fairly simple:

Stage 1: Separate the plastic outer stove from the metal inner container. Put food/water into the inner metal section

Stage 2: Fill the plastic measuring bottle to the indicated level for high or super (depending on the size of pack you are using.

Stage 3: Add the heat pack into the bottom of the plastic outer stove, add the water from the measuring bottle, and then put the metal inner and plastic outer back together, secure the lid with the clips and wait.


Measure bottle, plastic outer, metal inner, and lid.

I followed the instructions and after a bit of a funny smell initially, coupled with a bit of audible fizzing, and 7 minutes of time, I had 1 piping hot brew. The water was very hot indeed. I immediately emptied the water out into a mug and refilled the stove. Worth noting at this point that I displaced the metal inner section when pouring the water out, took a bit of fiddling to get it back in given how hot it was, but I did it no problem and resealed the stove. After 7 minutes the water was still cold….not good in my opinion, would hope that given the cost of the packs that there should be more than 1 brew per pack. I resealed the container for an additional 5 minutes (13 minutes in total) See part 2

Jetboil have had a lot of success with their Jetboil stoves, and now with several on the market and selling well they are looking for ways to improve designs, and lower the weight. The jetboil flash does 50% of that!

First off in terms of weight it's no different to the original Jetboil PCS (now called Jetboil Classic). It's exactly the same weight, with exactly the same power output, and boil time. For those of you who aren't familiar with Jetboil, the concept of the system is a small, lightweight, efficient stove unit. It can boil water very efficiently and quickly (under 2 minutes). The stove unit attaches to the cup (called the companion mug), and makes a very stable unit. A number of accessories are available for the system including a hanging kit (which isn't brilliant), a coffee press, and a stabiliser set (included with the Jetboil Flash). The stabiliser consists of a small tripod type affair that attaches to the bottom of the gas canister to stop the stove from over balancing, the set also includes a metal attachment for the top of the stove that turns the Jetboil into a more traditional stove that can have a pan or mess tin on instead of the companion mug.

After you finish cooking you can pack everything away inside the companion mug which saves space, and means you aren't scrambling around for everything when you want to make a brew!

So whats new with the Flash? The Flash has a couple of new features which I feel are a real improvement on the original PCS. The first change is the gas regulator valve on the side. On the PCS this was a small knob that could be really fiddly, especially in gloves. This has been changed to larger wire frame, glove friendly adjuster - a significant improvement on the original. The second (albiet minor) change is the lid and bottom cover - these have been adjusted to an opaque plastic, this is a useful change as you can look into the stove and see how you cooking is progressing. The third change is a good one - the igniter on the previous unit was quite far away from the burner, this meant that in wind you often had to result to the backup lighter to get it working, on the Flash the piezo igniter is closer to the burner which seems to provide a much more consistent ignition! The final change is the sleeve of the unit. The sleeve now features a heat indicator that turns yellow when the contents of the stove are hot, in practice this means you can keep the lid on the stove until the sleeve turns yellow, removing the lid then will reveal the boiling water, and because you had the lid on the whole time the efficiency is maximised.

Overall I'm happy with the Flash and glad I got one when my PCS needed replacing, don't go out and buy one if you have a working PCS, as the new features are that significant, but if you want a jetboil, definitely get this one over the Jetboil Classic!

The karabiner isn't out until July 2012, however they were shown and demo'd at the Outdoor show this year so I thought I post up my first impressions about the karabiner based on holding it and playing around with it for a little while just to give people an idea of what it's all about! The Rocklock is one of 2 karabiners to feature this technology (the gridlock being the other).

Walking into the show on the first day a giant poster informed me that Black Diamond were showing their new Magnetron karabiners; definitely worth a look! The Magnetron system is currently in 2 different karabiners; the grid lock and the rock lock. The concept is simple; 2 small magnets hold the gate closes in the same was the screw does on a screw gate. When the user squeezes the green pressure points on the gate the karabiner can then be opened. Simple concept, very easy to use, and very innovative. Really liked the karabiners, they felt very solid and the Magnetron system was very easy to use! 10/10 for something new!

I needed a replacement for my Leki Makalu's that broke last winter, my brother assured me that the Black Diamond poles were the way to go. So I stumped up for a set of contour elliptic shocks.

When they arrived the first thing I liked was the shape of the grip - it was comfy and well shaped. The grip also extends down the shaft of the pole incase you prefer to grip further down. The poles are light, but don't feel flimsy like some lightweight poles do, they feel solid, and this leads to increased confidence in the poles when relying on them in deep snow.

The locking system on the poles is far superior to the twist lock system used by other companies like Leki. The poles easily slide out and lock into position, and more importantly they remain locked in position when you apply a lot of pressure, something I was sure would not be the case! The built in straps are also very comfortable, meaning they are comfy to use all day.

Overall these are great poles, much better than the lightweight Leki poles, and I definitely won't go back to twist lock poles ever!

£550.....no matter what I think of this jacket the price tag will remain in my head....£550.

Ignoring the fact that I would never buy this jacket for the ridiculous amount of money they are charging for it, below are my first impressions of the worlds most expensive hard shell jacket....

Material: Proshell gortex gives this jacket plenty of waterproofing, waterproof zips throughout make sure that no water will seep in. A removable snow skirt means that the jacket can be customised to your specific trip.

Cut and function: the jacket features a number of articulated sleeves and specific cuts and lengths to mean that you get great freedom of movement when wearing it. The sizing is off, if you are L you will need XL in this jacket, unless you prefer your hard shell in a tight fit (not sure why you would though?). The hood is very adjustable making it easy to wear it over a helmet or not.

Anything else cool?: Not really.

Overall; Mammut are having a laugh with this jacket, I mean I thought the Gipfelgrat was expensive at nearly £400 but this jacket is £550, that is more expensive that Arcteryx, Mountain Equipment or any other brand, the worst thing is that there is nothing (in my opinion that sets this jacket apart from the other high end hard shells out there. The jacket is distinctly uninspiring, the colour scheme is cool yes, the jacket is well built yes, but the price tag is bordering on hillarious, I mean you could buy 2 mountain equipment Kongurs for that price, and still have change? C'mon Mammut......what are you playing at???

After the OutDoor show 2011 I was keen to get one of these to test. Thanks to my friends at the Outdoors Company I was able to get one of these for a few weeks to test.

The version I got was the GC (geocache) version, however I am going to ignore the geocaching functionality of this unit as it is not something that interests me in a GPS, but I will add that if you are into geocaching (I'm not) there are a lot of features on this GPS that you will enjoy!

Right so the unit; it's well built, and substantial feeling when you hold it. The loop on the bottom I mentioned in my first impression review below, but it is a very useful feature, and I immediately added a cord lanyard onto it to make sure I didn't lose it. But I really like the feel of the unit.

When you switch it on you are met by a nice looking menu screen that, (in contrast to the etrex 10) is in full colour. The unit is easy to understand, I like to gauge ease of use based on what I can pick up instantly without having to consult the manual, and in this case I was able to pick up everything I wanted from the set without needing the manual at all.

The unit acquired a fix quickly, and maintained this fix both in dense wooded areas and also inside buildings which is unusual for a GPS.

However when looking at this unit I had to compare it to the eTrex 10 that I was testing at the same time. The eTrex 10 uses both GLONASS and GPS - something that the Magellan does not do. Because of this the eTrex is quicker to get a fix, and maintains the fix to a higher accuracy for longer than the Magellan. Aside from this both units function in the same way, accept that the Magellan has a colour screen and the eTrex is monochrome.

To get back to the Magellan, I like it, it's a nice GPS unit and definitely worth considering if you are looking for a basic GPS that doesn't have OS mapping. The eTrex 10 is also worth looking at, but the Magellan has a few features including the geocaching functionality for which it was designed that might make it better than the eTrex 10.

I replaced my aged Scarpa Mantas back in May with a pair of La Sportive Trango S Evos, which are superb. The comfort of these boots is beyond words. They are just as at home on grade III scrambles as on gentle walks in the Peak District. However, as these are a B1 boot, they are not suitable for winter mountaineering; so i had a problem. I have massive feet. So finding a pair of winter boots that fitted me properly was a challenge. However, after a bit of internet research, i found Outside in Hathersage stocked my size in all the boots i was looking at. I dropped in on a day off from work and got sized. I tried Asolo AFS8000, Scarpa Vegas, La Sportive Nepal Extremes, Scarpa Phantom Guides, Scarpa Mont Blancs and the brand new Mammut Nordwand TL.


The AFS8000s were too small and i couldnt get my foot in the shell with the inner boot on, so they were crossed off. The Vegas were stupidly cumbersome and heavy, so they were crossed off. The Nepals didnt fit my foot shape due to them being very narrow at the back. The Guides werent as confortable as i'd hoped and for the price i wanted a pair i immediately liked. The Nordwands were amazing; comfy, supportive and good looking. But due to the price, the were crossed off the list. Which left me with one of my favourites from the off, the Mont Blanc . They were supportive, comfy, very agile and not at all cumbersome, plus; i love the orange. They are a brilliant boot and at £360 RRP, rather pricey. So having found them cheaper elsewhere after buying them, Outside refunded me the difference. The experience of boot shopping there was very good, the staff were so professional and had great knowledge.

The boot is really comfy, and despite the lack of flex in a B3 boot I had no problems with comfort all day long, these are definitely worth considering if you are looking for some new B3's for this winter!

The other unit that caught my eye on the Garmin stand at the OutDoor show 2011(and OutDoor industry award stand) was the Garmin Montana. The Montana is another big daddy unit and comes in 3 versions (600, 650 and 650T) each with slightly different features. The Montana has a massive 4 inch colour touchscreen. The top version is the 650T, which includes a 5meg camera and 100k topographic mapping. It can be expanded to include 1:25k mapping, and is waterproof to IPX7. However at £500+ this is not a cheap option! And when you consider that £500 does not include any 1:25k mapping it starts to look like a very pricey option, especially when units like the Airo A25 are now dropping in price. Despite the price I did like this unit, it felt incredibly solid, the touchscreen was easy to use, and despite the glare from the sun outside, the screen was very clear thanks to the sunlight readable screen. Overall, if you have he money then this unit is great, however not many people would spent £500 on a GPS set!

GPS technology has rapidly increased over the last 2 years, with the introduction of more and more phones that feature GPS, the outdoor industry has seen massive strides taken in the outdoor GPS handset category. Memory Map have always been at the forefront of electronic mapping, with their software arguably being the most popular and most advanced out there. It is therefore perhaps not surprising that they have ventured into the GPS handset market and produced their own range of handsets that not only integrate with existing maps but also come pre-loaded with 1:50k maps. In this category it is certainly up against some tough competition with units like the Garmin eTrex 30, Dakota and Montana, Satmap Active 10, and other high end sets. So how does the Adventurer 2800 compare?

First things first, straight out of the box this unit feels great. It's solid feeling - the kind of unit you want to take out into the mountains with you. It's also very light (135g with battery), so the unit isn't a huge amount of extra weight to carry. Switching the unit on reveals the vibrant high resolution screen. It displays the maps with beautiful clarity, if you look at other units available it's easy to see why the Adventurer really dwarfs the competition. Below are the stats compared to a couple of other units:

Adventurer: 96,000 pixels, (400 x 240)
Garmin Dakota: 38,400 pixels (240 x 160)
Satmap Active 10: 76,800 (320 x 240)

Looking at the above you can clearly the see the adventurer boasts a far superior screen, and it really does show when looking at maps especially zoomed in. So far so good!

Onto the technical side of things, the adventurer comes with a couple of options for maps, you can buy the unit with either 1:50k national parks or 1:50k entire UK (for a small price difference). In addition to this if you own memory map and have your own maps you can add them on as well on the MicroSD (various sizes available) expansion card. For me this meant I could have 1:25k detail as well, which is a real bonus. The maps are really clear and detailed and show all the data on a 1:25k map not just vector mapping details that are found on some mapping systems. The GPS antennae is very powerful, gaining a fix quickly and efficiently. It maintains this fix even in thickly wooded areas, and inside. I compared the speed of the fix against my Garmin eTrex 10, and the eTrex was faster, however not by much, and considering the Adventurer is able to acquire the fix and place your position on a 1:25k map, it's worth waiting the extra minute!

The touchscreen is easy to use, but does require a bit more effort if wearing gloves, this could be an issue in colder conditions, however you can buy "e-tip" gloves (various shops and brands that mean operation even with gloves on is easy.

Overall I love this unit, it's great value, it's easy to use, its powerful and quick to get a fix, and worth the money bigtime especially if you have Memory Map already and want to use existing map

And for my 150th review :)....

I bought my Kongur MRT jacket 2 years ago to replace my Millet K jacket as my primary hard shell jacket. I recently managed to aqquire a pair of the matching salopettes to test...

The salopettes are built in the same way as the jacket - tough! The proshell gortex is reinforced in a number of different places to add durability and comfort. The knees, backside and ankles are all reinforced to add extra protection when climbing or moving through rocky areas that could rip or tear. The storm flap on the front adds an extra layer of protection to prevent water intruding on your dryness.

Worth mentioning that you may need to get a size above normal, I'm normally XL and needed XXL in these, definitley try them on first!

Another neat feature of these salopettes is the 3m reflective detailing which echoes that of the jacket. It looks good and really does make a difference in low visibility. The salopettes feature internal gaiters which are useful to keep the snow out (even over a normal gaiter), and they also have full length zips to help get them on over the top of boots. The braces keep the salopettes in position, even when moving around a lot over the day. A pull aside system makes answering the call of nature an easy matter even when fully dressed!

The negative thing about these salopettes is the price, at an eye watering £290 they are the top TOP end of pricing for waterproof trousers, and whilst they are excellent, I'm not sure £290 represents a fair price!

In terms of cooking with the Jetboil a lot of people have said you are fairly limited in what you can cook. You can cook any kind of ration pack style meals. This just involves rolling the meal up and cramming it into the cup! Other than that anything that you would cook on a hob you can cook on the PCS. Which is ideal for short term expeditions.

The Jetboil is very well thought out, after you have finished cooking there is a plastic cover to protect you from burns while you are eating. There is also a sewn handle on the companion cup so you can move around while the stove is cooking.

In additional to being quite stable when fitted with the stabiliser kit, the stove is also fairly windproof, and is fitted with a small piezo electric igniter meaning there is no need to fiddle with matches in poor conditions.

Drawbacks? Well I'm yet to find one, however I have enjoyed shooting down some common Jetboil gripes lately which I thought I'd share....




Moan: "You can't cook big meals like you can with other stoves"
Owning: Purchase the 1.5 Pot, or purchase the stabiliser kit and a mess tin so that you can switch to that when you are out for longer

Moan: "The cartridges are so small"
Owning: Purchase a bigger screw seal canister....Idiot

Moan: "You have to hold it while it's cooking"
Owning: Put it down? Or better still buy the stabiliser kit and put it down


. . . You get the idea, any other gripes feel free to email me for an owning...


In addition to the various components in the GCS and PCS, there are a number of other accessories to customise your Jetboil kit:

Coffee press (£17.50)- turn you Jetboil into a coffee brewer
Frying pan (£44.99)- Fluxring frying pan, for efficient frying of tasty goodness
Hanging kit (£27.50)- a kit for handing your jetboil when big wall climbing, snow holing or whatever other use you could think of!
Jetboil cutlery (£13.50)- Highly temperature resistant nylon cutlery, light and tough, personally I'll stick with my titanium spork!
Additional coloured sleeves for companion mug are also available for further customising of your set (£5.99)


All in all you can't go wrong with a Jetboil, brilliant, customisable, efficient, not overly cheap but consider it an investment! RRP is £85, but browse around and you can get one for around £60! Stabiliser kit around £17.50 is also a must have!

Of this there is no doubt, but is it any good? I've had one of these for a while now, so I thought I might as well review it!

Now for those are you who aren't familiar with the Jetboil, let me explain;

The Jetboil is an ultra efficient, lightweight, cooking system. The stove is designed to take up as little space as possible in a rucksack by storage for all the components (including the gas canister) being inside the cooking pot. At the moment there are 3 Jetboil systems on the market;

Jetboil PCS (Personal Cooking System)
Jetboil GCS (Group Cooking System)
Jetboil Helios

The PCS and GCS are designed to be modular, by this I mean if you purchase a PCS, you can buy additional components to have a GCS as well. The main difference between the GCS and PCS is the type of pot used for cooking. The PCS uses a 1 litre companion mug, where as the GCS uses a 1.5 litre cooking pot. Both systems uses the same burner self igniting burner system which is compatible with screw top canisters. The GCS also features a stabiliser kit so that the unit can be a standalone stove and will have additional stability on the floor rather than just the base of the gas canister. Essentially though if you buy a Jetboil PCS, you can buy a stabiliser kit and a 1.5 litre pot and have a GCS as an additional option.


I bought this stove to use when I am short expeditions. It appealed to me because it was efficient, light and easy to use. My stove combination consists of the Jetboil PCS and the stabiliser set, along with a gas canister this weights in at 670g. The addition of the stabiliser kit means my stove is more "team friendly". Without the stabiliser the Jetboil can only be used the jetboil accessories, by carrying the stabiliser kit I can share cooking with other team members as the kit converts the stove into a more universal setup


I did a quick test to check the units specs listed on the website:
The stove should be able to boil water in 2minutes (0.5L), and boil around 12 litres per 100g canister. I bought a new canister and boiled as many 0.5L cups as possible, whilst averaging out the time taken on each. The average time taken to boil 0.5L of water was 1min 53.4secs, and I got 17 Litres of water from a single canister. Personally I think this is excellent for a small canister. All Jetboil pans use Jetboils patented Fluxring technology to increase efficiency, it functions in the same way a radiator works, by providing a larger surface area to heat up while cooking, as a pose to the flat bottom of a pan or mess tin. The same system is used on the 1.5L pot, 1L mug, and Frying pan.

The Petzl Meteor III is a helmet that seems to have become synomymous with hardcore climbers and mountaineering instructors, but why? What makes this helmet better that the others? And more importantly why is it £70; much more than other high end helmets. Well luckily a friend still hasn't picked his up from my house where it's sat for ages, so in order to discover why it's so good, I thought I would leave my trusty Grivel salamander in the locker and spend my 4 hour climbing session today wearing the Meteor.
The helmet itself is very ventilated; perhaps one of the reasons it's so popular with world class climbers and instructors. The helmet comes in one size (53-61cm),

and is easily adjusted via the clips at the back. Personally I found these buckles dig into the bag of my head a little bit when first putting the helmet on, however it's fine after that. The shape of the helmet is odd, it comes down very low on the forehead (lower than I would normally have my helmet). The thing with this helmet is that when you are wearing it you feel cool, you feel like a real pro. Perhaps it's because of the helmets reputation for being used by the pro's, or perhaps it's because is does actually look pretty cool when it's on. I did also find it keeps my head nice and cool. In the past I had found other Petzl helmets make my head sweat because of the daft foam they insist in padding out the front of the helmet with. The Meteor III however has foam inside more like cycle helmet foam, and at 235g it's incredibly light. I wore it the whole 4 hours with no problems, and barely noticed I had it on!

So in summary.....yeah its cool, and if you can pick it up on offer, definately worth getting, £70 is a bit steep, but it will keep your head nice and cool - a rarity in climbing helmets!

I spent a long time looking at different knifes to take over as my primary Bushcraft knife. I was looking for a knife that was comfortable to use, featuring some serration on the blade, and was a good price. I came across the Ultimate Knife at the Outdoor 2011 and was immediately impressed. When the knife was released a couple of months after the show I bought one immediately.

The grip of the knife is ideal, really comfortable to hold, especially when exerting pressure, this excels over some knifes that I have previously owned which can be painful to use when applying force, this is not an issue with the ultimate knife and it can be comfortably held (without slippage) all day long.

The blade is excellent, a balance of straight and serrated blade, meaning you can use it for all manner of bush craft and survival applications, including effectively cutting rope, something which a straight blade alone often struggles with. The blade is also well balanced with the handle and can easily and comfortably carry out any application you require. There is also a solid pommel at the base meaning hammering pegs etc is easily accomplished. There is also a survival whistle built into the cord on the handle of knife, nice little add on.

The knife alone would be well worth the money, however it comes with a unique sheath that features some nifty add ons; a fire steel, (The fire steel locks into the sheath and the striker notch is on the knife), a sharpened is built into the sheath meaning you can sharpen the knife without the need for additional tools. The sheath combined with the knife provides a very useful set of tools included with only one item, something that is very useful for any survivalist or instructor.

Overall I love this knife, I think it is a brilliant knife that has built well thought out, and expertly built by Gerber. The extra tools included with the knife are not a gimmick and are very useful in a number of practical situations. It is comfortable to hold even when applying pressure. Great knife, great price, great features, what more could you want!

I always use Tech Wash when cleaning my technical garments, afterwards they always seem to have renewed waterproofing, with the water beading on the top rather than being absorbed into it! It's not cheap but you can wash several garments at once, and you do get plenty of washes out of a bottle. Really effective product!

From the start I will say that this tent is not portable in the slightest, the smallest model could be carried by a team, however the larger models can't be moved without a team to carry them between them. They are also very expensive, (upwards of £2000) so these are not an investment to be taken lightly.

I see these tents as the ultimate wilderness experience tent, we use them within outdoor education to create the feeling of being "out there", they are not a tent for high mountain base camps - they are not built for it!

Right now with the bad things out of the way.....these tents are amazing. They are easy to pitch with each model being provided with a template of where to pre-place pegs, meaning the tent can then be easily put up with a team (for the bigger sizes). The space inside is immense, and in terms of an outdoor classroom young people really get a kick out of being in there. The tentipi is designed in such a way that you can build a fire inside the tent, and open the chimney to allow smoke to escape - brilliant idea.

The quality of the tent is very high, as you would expect from a £2000 tent! But really, the quality is amazing, and well worth the money, they will certainly last a long time! This is not a tent to invest in if you are a mountaineer looking for a base camp tent, but if you are a teacher, bushcraft instructor, outdoor teacher, then these tents are well worth considering for use as a outdoor classroom providing the wilderness experience!

I first saw the x-series set at Outdoor 2011, straight away I was hooked on the idea! I bought the full set recently and have found them incredibly easy to use, and useful! The set is designed to provide you with a bowl, plate, mug, and cup that fold down to thin discs that can be stored flat. An additional useful feature is the hard surface on the back that can be used as chopping board.

The sizes of each are listed below:

X-Plate 23 mm / 3.5 cm 1170 ml / 140 gms
X-Bowl 15 mm / 5.5 cm 650 ml / 80 gms
X-Mug 11 mm / 7.5 cm 480 ml / 60 gms
X-Cup 65 mm / 6.5 cm 250 ml / 45 gms

The bowl is an excellent size for cereal, boil in the bag, curry or anything else you want. The mug and cup are useful to carry in a brew kit, and the plate is a useful all round piece of gear!

Overall these are uber cool, and just such a brilliant idea, cookware gets an upgrade!

The Turbo is a similar option to the DMM revolution, and Petzl Laser. A non express, simple, yet strong and lightweight option. The revolution comes in different sizes and at a very respectable price; can be picked up even cheaper if you look around a bit! The lack of express handle does mean (like other screws the same) that they take a little longer to place, especially if you are in a tight situation and want get in straight away.

The different lengths (13cm, 16cm, 19cm and 22cm) mean that you can pick up a collection to cover a wide range of placements, especially since you can often pick them up in sets of 3 for an excellent price.

Overall great basic ice screws, at a great price, and with the build quality you would expect from Black Diamond.

I have 2 pairs of these and have used them extensively all over the place! They are a great sock on their own, what I particularly like is the fact that they come quite high up the calf. This means should your foot plunge into a dreaded Kinder Scout peat bog over the ankle, your foot will avoid the “over the boot” misery many of us have experienced, and keep your foot dry! I tend to wear these with a second pair of socks underneath, this keeps my foot comfortable, dry and warm, whilst protecting against blisters. Again they have a bit of a rustle due to the waterproofing, however they are great socks and really do what they say on the tin with regards to waterproofing so can’t complain about a bit of noise when putting them on!

So overall what would I say about Sealskinz? Great products, and they keep you dry. Certainly at £20 per pair the socks are not cheap, but they are an ideal piece of kit to keep feet dry on those naff days on the hill and certainly worth investing in! The gloves at £25 are excellent, and better/cheaper than other gloves out there that claim to do the same thing.

This has been a faithful companion of mine for a number of years now, and has accompanied me all over the place. It is comfortable, waterproof, and cozy. It also comes in tactical olive green for military use. The hat itself does tend to rustle a little bit, I imagine this is due to the waterproof layer including in the hat. I have never liked wearing a hat on the hill, but this one is ideal for me, keeps my head dry and warm all day!

The first piece of kit we will look at are the Sealskinz Ultra grip glove (approx £25). These gloves appealed to me as they were a close fitting, waterproof glove. Useful for maintaining dexterity, whilst remaining warm when wet. I have used these now in Scottish and Welsh winter, high altitude climbing in Morocco, glacier work in Iceland, climbing gritstone HS 4b at Windgather, and many more trips, and can honestly say these bad boys live up to their reputation. They are comfortable and warm, but close fitting enough that tying knots, boot laces and other tasks is simple and doesn’t require them to be taken off. They are also thin enough that they can be worn under a larger pair too. As for the waterproofing on the gloves, you can test this for yourself, stick a small bit of tissue paper in the glove, submerge your hand in a sink full of water, then check the tissue. For me this test left a piece of bone dry tissue!

Memory Map has been a stable part of the outdoors for me for a long time. The fact is I have always enjoyed being able to plan my route before a trip, and review it after. With Memory Map you can do just that; in addition to printing off maps, drawing on routes, making calculations about distances, heights, timings etc. All in all its a useful piece of software for just about everything to do with planning a trip. The maps are available in 1:25 and 1:50, as well as aerial shots.

Memory Map also features a 3D view which, as well as being a great planning aid, can be an amazing education tool for young people first learning about OS maps, no more drawing contours on your knuckles! The system can also link up with GPS set and download waypoints from your planned route into your GPS set, useful for keeping yourself on route during the day.

Price; this is the main issue with Memory Map. It is not cheap, this is perhaps an understatement, if you want a 1:50k CD of all the national parks, you are looking at around £30 - a good price to get all of the UK national parks in 1:50 scale mapping....however if you want 1:25k of a single area for example Snowdonia, this will set you back £100. So for a £100 an area, Memory Map is very expensive indeed. Something to bare in mind...

Overall it really is great software, but at the price they charge it really is just a little bit too much

When the MSR pocket rocket first emerged on to the market, everyone was surprised at how much power could be generated by such a small unit. There are now a number of stoves out there with higher and more consistent outputs, but not that rival the pocket rocket in terms of price point. If we take for example the Soto Micro Regulator, arguably one of the most sleek, lightweight and consistent stoves out there, and compare it to the pocket rocket we see the following:

MSR: Output: 8,200 BTU, Weight: 86g, Price: from £24
Soto: Output: 11,000 BTU, Weight: 73g, Price: from £75

From the above data we can see the Soto is more powerful and lighter, but also £50 cheaper. On this basis I would possibly go for the MSR over the Soto, since for £50 the difference in power and weight it not a big deal for me.

With the above I was trying to illustrate that although the Pocket Rocket has been around a while it is still powerful, it's still light, and in terms of value for money it is unbeatable, at £25 the pocket rock is incredible value and provides a lightweight, powerful solution. It's not the lightest, nor the most powerful or efficient, but it's still an excellent unit and well worth looking into!

Petzl recently updated their Quark axe, and the result is the Quark 2011, an axe that, in my opinion is far superior to the previous model.

The 2011 version features a number of new features over the older version, it is lighter (550g compared to 645g), it comes with Petzl's trigrest triggers - a removal flip down trigger the can be easily adjusted to suit. The axe can also be stripped down easily to make a sleeker, more lightweight model by removing the adze, trigrest, and griprest. (see second product image).

I personally love the new quark, its comfortable to use, the trig and grip rests mean I can adjust to get the perfect fit, the grip is not too slim making it easy to hold. It's lightweight, and its weighted well making each swing as balanced as possible.

Overall I really like the new quark, it's a good update on the previous quark, and an excellent high end technical tool.

.....with enough time and effort you can convince this trigger to fit onto most ice axes....the question is why should you bother then the Petzl trigrest is a lot more comfortable and easy to fit?

It's ok, feels a bit cheap and can be a real pain in the backside to fit onto your axes, you really do need patience.

The lightline is another example of Mountain Equipment's commitment to quality, but at an affordable price. The lightline is a comfortable, warm down jacket. It features a down filled hood to keep your head as warm as the rest of you. The water resistant outer protects you from the worst of the rain, albeit it isn't completely water proof.

The sizing is good with XL being more or less what I would expect, the XXL is a big size, meaning if you are normally XL you could get everything on underneath and still have space, so perhaps consider a size up, depending on what you plan to use it for. Definitely one of those jackets you need to try on first though! The jacket comes in a collection of colours too...

As with all down jackets you can pack it into a stuff sack, providing maximum warmth for a minimum weight and space. If you look around you can pick these up for a really good price (as low as £120!), making it arguably the best value down jacket out there!

Overall, if you are after a down jacket, you owe it to yourself to at least try this jacket on!

In line with other companies; grivel, crux etc Podsac have produced their own lightweight alpine pack - and it's a real cracker.

Its a lightweight pack that has been specifically designed to be at home in the alpine environment. Its functional, fairly water resistant and it can be stripped down to suit your needs i.e. take off the lid, straps, frame etc...

"Fabric: 210D Cordura Ripstop, 420D Ballistic Cordura. Roll top closure provides weather resistance and gives secure closure when the lid is stripped. Tapered profile allows good freedom of movement and easy packing. Extendable/quick release lid with internal and external pockets. Thermoformed back panel with closed cell foam shed snow and does not absorb water. Removable internal framesheet and alloy stave for support. Removable load bearing hip belt with gear loops for racking. Internal light grey PU coating increases weather resistance and aids viewing of contents. Ice axe/walking pole/ski pole carrying system. External wand pockets constructed from ultra-tough leno mesh. Rope carrying loop. Front and rear haul loops. Internal pocket and hose outlet for hydration system. Seams triple stitched and bound. Internally bar tracked stress points. Size A - Designed to fit females and small males. Size B - Designed to fit medium/large male"

The pack really does have an immense amount of space, you simply don't expect to have so much space in a pack that appears so small. It fits everything I need for winter climbing, rack, rope, axes, plus it can fit in bivi kit; sleeping bag, stove etc, which I feel illustrates the size of the bag!

Overall I really like this bag, well worth considering if you are looking for a new pack - it's not cheap but it is high quality!

Having looked around for some new salopettes, I came across the high end Paramo Aspira. The first thing I would say about these is they are a high salopette and not simply a trouser with braces, on this basis if you don't like high salopettes these are not for you!

However if you want a tough, bombproof workhorse that will keep you try in the harsh conditions of a sodden Scottish winter belay, then these are you salopettes! The salopettes are toughened in all the right places; around the ankles, knees, backside, the knees even have removable padded inserts which provide additional protection where you need it. The full length zips on the sides mean they can easily be put on whilst keeping your boots on, or can be unzipped for ventilation. The drop seat and zip fly mean that if you feel the call of nature (even with a harness on) then these salopettes are equipped to deal with that! There is also a belt at waist height along with toggles at various places, meaning that you can adjust the salopettes to fit snuggly and comfortably if you prefer.

Overall these are a brilliant salopette, very well designed, padding where it matters, and very well thought out to provide the protection needed when winter climbing.

Fed up of getting a poor nights sleep everytime I spend a night bivi'ing or in a tent. So I invested in a good mat and chose the Therm-a-rest Trail light. The trail light receives favourable reviews from many people, and came at a weight and cost that I approved of.

The mat is a good length and depth, and is very comfortable to lay on. It comes with a free stuff sack which is a great size (not one of these daft stuff sacks that is only just big enough!). The mat self inflates nearly all the way, and then I can blow into it to complete the inflation.

All in all I'm very happy with this, it's comfortable, a great price and easy to inflate, and put away.

Rockfax guidebooks are brilliant, whilst some prefer the old sketched, vague and traditional guidebooks, I prefer a modernised approach, and Rockfax is nothing if not modern. The high quality topo's indicate routes and grades in an easy to understand way, while the descriptions explain the route clearly and concisely.

Northern Limestone covers a huge area of crags, including the Peak District where I climb most, it has maps to the crags, along with top routes, tick boxes to indicate routes you have done, along with other all sorted information, making this an excellent guidebook for a beautiful place to climb.

The alpine essentials DVD is the 2nd in a collection of DVD's produced by the MLTE provide information for those ventured into the mountains.

This DVD focuses on alpine climbing, the story of the story follows 2 climbers undertaking an alpine trip. They go through planning, preparation and then undertake the trip. The story is followed up by a series of chapters covering the skills shown in the story. These include excellent chapters on equipment, and technical aspects like crevasse rescue. The chapters cover in depth the skills required to undertake an alpine climbing expedition.

Personally I found this DVD excellent when venturing out, and just for general interest. This can be supplemented by other books including the MLTE winter skills book. Overall excellent tool for learning or teaching.

This is the 3rd in a series of instructional DVD's produced by the MLTE to provide instruction for people looking to venture into the hills.

This DVD focuses on the aspects of Hillwalking. I personally find this DVD excellent for teaching, because the "story" at the start and the technical chapters allow me to set a scene, then focus on the individual skills used throughout the story.

The chapters cover a wide range of topics that are useful for those people wishing to teach skills or learn skills. The illustrations, diagrams and commentary really do provide an excellent learning aid, that you can watch again, and supplement with the "Hillwalking" book.

The winter essentials DVD follows on from the highly successful series of MLTE books. The DVD is in 2 parts; the first part is a story following a day out with 2 climbers, they go through the stages of planning and executing a trip, and overcoming problems during the trip. The 2nd part of the DVD is a series of technical chapters, going through skills like self arrest, belays etc in a lot of detail. These technical chapters are ideal if you are new to winter mountaineering and are perhaps heading on a course and looking to learn a few skills beforehand to get the most out of it.

Overall a great DVD and useful for those people who are teaching new skills to others, or looking to learn some skills themselves.

The etrex is one of the units stereo typically associated with GPS handsets. The etrex is a basic and cheap navigator designed to provide location information, as well as details like speed, height, time to a waypoint, details of the track followed, etc.

The etrex can be a little sluggish to find it's location, meaning it is often a good idea to boot it up a few minutes before you plan to leave, as it struggles to get a fix when moving (if you didn't get one at the start). Once a fix is obtained it can maintain it effectively however.

The unit can track where you been, which is useful if conditions get worse and you need to backtrack along a known (safe) route. You can also add waypoints from a computer software (like Memory Map), and upload these to the unit, the database of waypoints the unit can hold is limited, however you can change them and tailor them to a given trip.

The new etrex 10 was released recently and is a much upgraded version of this unit, so much so it makes this look like an antique, however due to this, the etrex can be found at very cheap prices, and would make an excellent addition to any mountain goers kit.

The etrex is one of the units stereo typically associated with GPS handsets. The etrex is a basic and cheap navigator designed to provide location information, as well as details like speed, height, time to a waypoint, details of the track followed, etc.

The etrex can be a little sluggish to find it's location, meaning it is often a good idea to boot it up a few minutes before you plan to leave, as it struggles to get a fix when moving (if you didn't get one at the start). Once a fix is obtained it can maintain it effectively however.

The unit can track where you been, which is useful if conditions get worse and you need to backtrack along a known (safe) route. You can also add waypoints from a computer software (like Memory Map), and upload these to the unit, the database of waypoints the unit can hold is limited, however you can change them and tailor them to a given trip.

The new etrex 10 was released recently and is a much upgraded version of this unit, so much so it makes this look like an antique, however due to this, the etrex can be found at very cheap prices, and would make an excellent addition to any mountain goers kit.

.....useless for outdoor activities. The reason? It doesn't display Lat and Long. It seems pointless that Garmin would invent a GPS unit that doesn't display any basic units of position. The unit merely tracks your position and provides a track like many other GPS units do, however in an emergency you would be unable to provide a location to help emergency services find you.

Which is I guess why this unit is designed to be a training partner for a runner! However reviewing this from a purely outdoors point of view, do not buy this, go for the similar (but much more expensive) Foretrex series GPS.

The MLTE training books have been a stable fixture on my shelf for some time now. While doing my ML and SPA I found myself daily referring to both "Hillwalking" and "Rock Climbing" for answers to nagging questions in my head. "Winter Climbing" is an excellent reference point for winter mountaineering of all types. All 3 books are well written, and full of useful guides, diagrams and information. In my opinion these books are ideal for outdoor instructors working towards qualifications, or just climbers who want a good reference guide. The MLTE also produced a DVD with all the diagrams from "Hillwalking" in order for instructors to use them in training. Each book is broken down into logical chapters, and covers all the aspects of the MLTE mountain qualifications as shown below:

Hillwalking: Mountain Leader Summer (ML-S) and Walking Group Leader (WGL)
Rock Climbing: Single Pitch Award (SPA) and Mountain Instructor Award (MIA)
Winter Skills: Mountain Leader Winter (ML-W) and Mountain Instructor Certificate (MIC)

The winter skills book is a great book for those wanting to learn new skills in winter mountaineering. This book has a wide range of topics which will provide you with detailed answers to any questions you have to do with winter climbing and walking. This textbook covers content all the way up to MIC (Mountain Instructor Certificate) the highest UK qualification in Mountaineering. Because of this the content is quite technical in parts, however this can be great for those wishing to learn advanced skills, or improve on existing skills.

The MLTE training books have been a stable fixture on my shelf for some time now. While doing my ML and SPA I found myself daily referring to both "Hillwalking" and "Rock Climbing" for answers to nagging questions in my head. "Winter Climbing" is an excellent reference point for winter mountaineering of all types. All 3 books are well written, and full of useful guides, diagrams and information. In my opinion these books are ideal for outdoor instructors working towards qualifications, or just climbers who want a good reference guide. The MLTE also produced a DVD with all the diagrams from "Hillwalking" in order for instructors to use them in training. Each book is broken down into logical chapters, and covers all the aspects of the MLTE mountain qualifications as shown below:

Hillwalking: Mountain Leader Summer (ML-S) and Walking Group Leader (WGL)
Rock Climbing: Single Pitch Award (SPA) and Mountain Instructor Award (MIA)
Winter Skills: Mountain Leader Winter (ML-W) and Mountain Instructor Certificate (MIC)

Rock Climbing is the standard guide for those people undertaking the Single Pitch Award climbing instructor qualification and the Mountain Instructors Award. The guide is well written and comprehensive, providing detailed information and diagrams on everything to do with climbing. The range of content is excellent, and I still find myself frequently referring back to the book whenever I have a question I can't answer. This is a great guide for those people looking to learn new skills in rock climbing.

The MLTE training books have been a stable fixture on my shelf for some time now. While doing my ML and SPA I found myself daily referring to both "Hillwalking" and "Rock Climbing" for answers to nagging questions in my head. "Winter Climbing" is an excellent reference point for winter mountaineering of all types. All 3 books are well written, and full of useful guides, diagrams and information. In my opinion these books are ideal for outdoor instructors working towards qualifications, or just climbers who want a good reference guide. The MLTE also produced a DVD with all the diagrams from "Hillwalking" in order for instructors to use them in training. Each book is broken down into logical chapters, and covers all the aspects of the MLTE mountain qualifications as shown below:

Hillwalking: Mountain Leader Summer (ML-S) and Walking Group Leader (WGL)
Rock Climbing: Single Pitch Award (SPA) and Mountain Instructor Award (MIA)
Winter Skills: Mountain Leader Winter (ML-W) and Mountain Instructor Certificate (MIC)


Hillwalking in particular was very useful to me during the time I worked towards my Mountain Leader and I can whole heartedly recommend it, not just for any aspirant mountain leaders but for anyone looking to learn new skills and have a great reference guide. The diagrams are easy to follow and it covers a wide range of topics from equipment, to emergencies, rope work to weather.

Great book, definitely worth investing in.

Montane are a brilliant company who make tough, reliable, solid gear. To that end, the Terra XT pant are a testament to Montane's commitment to excellence.

First off the trousers are a brilliant fit, many companies insist on making the largest size in their gear (XL or XXL), for those people who have a tiny waist, newsflash! 32 inch waist is NOT XXL, Montane understand this and to that end the sizing on these trousers is spot on, (sizing chart available on the website).

The trousers feel great, the cordura reinforcements are in all the right places, the fabric is not restrictive at all and allows for great freedom of movement. The insulation in the trousers is enough to keep you warm in the cold, but not so much that you will overheat when exerting yourself.

The 3M reflective detailing on the sides is a nice touch, and a good addition to any mountain trouser. The trousers feature a 3/4 length zip which is great for ventilation or as an aid to getting the trousers on or off over the top of boots.

The Montane Terra XT have been described as "Pant perfection", and never before has a truer word been spoken, these trousers are perfect, I couldn't find anything wrong with them at all, the fit, the materials, the features, everything is ideal. I have had so many pairs of trousers over the years, mountain equipment, techincals, berghaus, and others, but non of them compare to these trousers, and having managed to pick them up for £50 (half price) I am even more happy, as I would willing have parted with £100 for them!

Excellent - just excellent! If you are looking for an awesome winter trouser, invest!

I'd been looking for a comfortable balaclava for a while, and eventually settled on the ME version, I wasn't disappointed.

The fit is really good as doesn't feel restrictive at all. The warm ears are a real bonus in the winter and really do provide relief from those cutting winds. The balaclava is light enough (and thin enough) to be worn comfortably under a helmet without feeling like you are an astronaut, the flat seams don't rub on you at all.

Most importantly it is warm and provides much needed protection from the elements when sat lonely and cold on a 4 pitch belay in the middle of nowhere waiting for your partner to get a move on!

The phantom is an extremely light screw (or snap) gate karabiner. The karabiner is very lightweight, yet very strong, because of this they are ideal for belays or alpine use where weight is an issue.

The size of this karabiner can be its not ideal for much else, the gate opening isn't massive meaning it's not the karabiner of choice for belay plates and the size can make them a little bit fiddly.

Overall, very small, but the lightweight nature of this karabiner makes it useful for belays.

The phantom is an extremely light snap (or screw) gate karabiner. The size and multi colour options of this karabiner make it ideal for racking cams. The colour allows easy identification of the cam size you want, even muddled amongst other gear on your harness, the lightness of the karabiner mean you are not encumbering yourself anymore than need be, and the smooth action with rope groove make it ideal for clipping the rope.

The phantom is made using I beam construction meaning it is as light as possible, whilst remaining strong, the phantom can also be bought in multi coloured packs of 5 at a discount meaning the cost involved with decking out your cams is reduced. Speaking of cost, they can be quite pricey...look around for offers.

Overall a great little lightweight biner ideal for racking cams (or anything else).

The boa is a brilliant karabiner, it's well build, has a smooth locking action, is available with different locking options and (most importantly) it's massive! The size of this karabiner has come in handy many times in my climbing life, and I currently have 3 of them on my rack. They are ideal for any number of things, but for building belays the size of them makes the karabiner invaluable.

The current boa features an I beam construction which is lighter than the previous boa, but still provides that reassuring strength you get with DMM kit. Both the current version and the previous boa, and both strong and reliable pieces of kit, and anyone who doesn't have one on their rack should really think about investing, they can be picked up at good prices in sales UK (and world) wide, so get yourself a boa, you will not be disapointed!

....it would be my Gerber. The suspension is head and shoulders above other multi-tools in my opinion, it's lightweight, strong, and most importantly very well priced (can be picked up for as little as £25!).

The knife comes with a collection of blades all of which lock into place with a simple locking system, to unlock simple push the small switch down whilst closing the blade. This is particularly appealing to me, since when I was younger I closed a penknife on my finger by accident....

The needle nose pliers are useful for just about everything; from bending pegs back into shape, to helping build electric circuits. The tool also comes with a durable pouch which can be belt mounted vertically or horizontally to suit your personal preference.

The unfolding action is smooth and easy, the blades are all super tough and can take a real pounding, and overall this is a great piece of kit at a very reasonable price!

The karakorum are a good, tough, mountaineering salopette. They feel tough, and are reinforced in the important areas; ankles, knees, backside, providing extra strength where it is needed. The salopette braces are comfy and easy to adjust, and there is also an internal gaiter to keep the snow at bay!

One issue with these is the sizing - it's terrible, extra large is not extra large at all, they are substantially smaller than you would expect for a hardshell salopette, so if you plan on buying these, try them on, or consider a size bigger than you would normally have!

However despite the sizing these are an excellent salopette, well built, tough, designed well, and a good alternative to gortex or eVent.

The GSB Manta are the latest version of Scarpa's popular Manta boots. The GSB version was designed specifically to join with Grivel GSB crampons (GSB -Grivel Scarpa Binding). The new manta itself it well designed, the introduction of a rubber rand around the boot provides additional support, and a more flexible ankle unit provides additional flexibility where it's needed. The boot looks incredible, and is a real improvement on the original manta.

Despite the boot being a GSB boot, I would recommend against using GSB crampons. The reason for this is that have been a number of reports (some I have heard first hand) of the front of the boot showing extensive signs of wear, because of the nature of the GSB unit the small hook on the front of the crampon slides into a slot on the front of the boot, signs of wear after a short period of time would indicate that these are not the best if you are planning to use these for winter climbing/walking, as this would exacerbate the wear on the front of the boot.

All in all the new Manta is awesome, just don't use GSB crampons!

Luck shined on me in the recent round of UKClimbing.com competitions and I won a £75 Soto stove - a good early Christmas present! The stove was couriered over to me and arrived on the 22nd December.

The Soto Micro Regulator stove comes highly recommended from a number of companies, websites and bloggers, so I was happy to get my hands on one for free!

So what is so special about it? Well the Micro Regulator Stove (here on MRS) is designed to provide a constant output regardless of the internal pressure of the fuel. What this means is that the stove will provide a constant output in the cold (or hot), making it ideal for alpine climbing or expeditions. Sounding good so far huh? At 73g the stove is very light indeed, and comes with a small duffle bag to carry it in. The stove uses

standard screw fix gas canisters, which come in various sizes allowing you to carry as little as you need. On to the stove itself; the arms of the stove fold away to make it slim for storage, I found these a little fiddly initially and they could come undone, however I would put this more down me not being used to it as I don't have these problems any more. The MRS has a stealth igniter making it easy to light. The output is controlled by the small adjuster (also folds away) on the side. It is a very powerful little stove, quickly and efficiently boiling water, ensuring that making brews and boil in the bag meals is a simple and quick affair. At £75 the MRS is not cheap, but so far I have been very impressed with, and the ability of the stove to perform at a consistent level regardless of temperature is something that interests me a great deal.

...but overall, great stove, little on the expensive side, but worth it if you want an uber lightweight, consistent and powerful stove that won't let you down!

A little while back I reviewed Mountain Equipment winter sleeping bags (here). Recently decided that my life was lacking a warm sleeping bag, especially when I lay frozen in a tent in the backside of beyond assessing a DofE group. So I took my own advice and opted for the ME Titan 850. I will only be providing a short first impressions review today, but will give a more in depth analysis when I have used it for a bit longer!

First impression; wow. The feel of the bag is great, the lining is soft, making it comfortable to lay in, the outside feels tough, and it is light for a -12 comfort sleeping bag. The sleeping bag comes in a standard and long length which is ideal for me since I often find that at 6ft2 I'm slightly too tall for some bags, so nice to see that there is a longer bag out there! The sleeping bag includes both a stuff sack and a mesh storage bag so you can keep it uncompressed when it's not in use.


The Titan 850 was featured at the OutDoor show, as it is the first sleeping bag to adopt the "down codex" a system of ensuring that down used in equipment was sourced ethically, ensuring high standards of animal welfare, and environmental friendly production.

The titan is a 4 season sleeping bag, rated down to a comfort temperature of -12, with an extreme temperature of -31. Coupled with the water repellant finish to the sleeping bag , this makes the bag ideal for winter camping, mountaineering and bivying. It comes in at a reasonable 1.5kg, giving it a good warmth to weight ratio.

I will post a more in depth review when I have had this bag out in the field for a bit longer!

Overall nothing more to say about this bag other than it is an excellent bag, at a great price, and definitely worth considering if you are looking for a 4 season bag!

"Out with the old in with the new". When I saw Garmin's new range of GPS sets at the OutDoor show, I was in 2 minds; happy that Garmin were looking to improve on the already excellent eTrex systems, but worried that nothing could measure up in terms of simplicity, value and function. However from what I saw at the show I was impressed enough to get one.

At around £100 the etrex is cheaper than it's Magellan equivalent, and with a similar level of functionality. The box comes with a USB cable, and manual in the box, along with the unit. First things first, the unit is light, and comfortable to hold, the buttons on the sides are simple and labelled, the small joystick on the front is a new addition from the old etrex. The unit feels rugged, solid feel, rubberised sides, just the kind of feel you want in an outdoor unit. The batteries are easily inserted by means of a small D ring on the rear of the unit, rotating it pops the battery compartment open. 2 AA batteries later the unit was on, and acquiring satellites.


The unit acquired a 4m fix very quickly, and after a couple of minutes updated this to a 2m fix. On the previous etrex I always found it seemed to take an eternity to get a fix from cold, but with this unit it was quick and efficient. The menu system is simple and easy to navigate, the buttons on the side can be used to scroll up and down if needed, however the joystick on the front can be used to scroll through the menu, and by pressing it you can select the highlighted option. There are a number of options that I personally won't use, fishing, moon and sun etc. However after 5minutes I had the unit configured to British National Grid, the datum's are selected automatically which is useful if you are new to GPS sets. The Map screen is initially blank and only begins to be useful when you are moving, as you move your track is recorded, you can then add waypoints along the route, zoom in or out with the side keys, or move around with the joystick.


In addition the unit has a backlight, which is activated by holding the power button, a pack including a case and belt clip can also be purchased for those who are looking for a more stylish way to carry the unit. The etrex 10 is completely waterproof and dustproof to IPX7 standards.

One new feature of the etrex 10,20 and 30, is that it boasts the fact that it is the only GPS set on the market that can connect to GLONASS and GPS at the same time, decreasing the time it takes to get a fix. For those who don't know, GLONASS is the Russian Federations answer to GPS, which will provide a collection of satellites that can be used by the Russians in a time of war (when GPS is restricted to US use only). Garmin states that by using both systems simultaneously the speed of a fix is increased by 20%.


The only down side about this unit is that it is not capable of accepting expansion maps, however this is not something I care about - if I did I would have bought the etrex 20 or 30

The cirque is a curved style walking axe. The rubberised grip means it is easy to hold onto while swinging and cutting steps. It comes in a variety of sizes meaning it is easy to select the length correct for you.

It is also lightweight and therefore easy to carry all day without problems. It also comes with a simple leash which can be removed if required.

Price wise the cirque varies in price, but can be picked up at a bargain price making it an excellent choice for a first time buyer.

The alpine gaiter is part of a collection of gaiters produced by Mountain Equipment to cater to different needs or different users. The alpine gaiter is a tough, waterproof gaiter, with a reinforced lower leg for use with crampons.

Unlike many gaiters the Alpine gaiter comes in 3 sizes rather than the "one size fits all" that some gaiters out there have. The underfoot strap is also replaceable meaning if you break it the gaiter can easily be fixed to fight another day.

However they do cost £45 retail, (available for less if you look around) so they are certainly not a cheap option, but they do represent a quality investment.

The F1 series from Coleman was designed to be a simple, powerful but lightweight collection of stoves for lightweight backpacking. The spirit is constructed from "advanced materials" according the website, this is a reference to the shock/heat resistant PEEK plastic that can withstand temperatures from -60 to +320ºC! Which is impressive, and perhaps one way they have managed to keep the weight down. It has folding arms, and is very high power which caters to the backpacking market by making it easy to stow and good to cook food quickly.

Weighing 108g the stove might also appeal to adventure racers as well as the lightweight packing crew, and at sub £20 it will appeal to anyone looking for a great stove, thats lightweight, and powerful, but don't want to splash out on a pocket rocket!

Overall I like the F1, it has good power output, it's light, easy to use, and most of all it makes my brew quickly :)

If you prefer solid gates, then these are a good value, strong option. Whether you are using them for belays, racking gear or quickdraws, the Aero is a great value option with the strength and build quality you expect from DMM. They can be picked up at a decent price making them an even more attractive option, especially if you are building a rack on a budget. I use Aero's for racking my wires and find they are an excellent biner.

The revolution is a similar option to Black Diamonds Turbo screw. A non express, simple, yet strong and lightweight option. The revolution comes in different sizes and at a very respectable price; can be picked up even cheaper if you look around a bit! The lack of express handle does mean (like other screws the same) that they take a little longer to place, especially if you are in a tight situation and want get in straight away.

The different lengths (10cm, 13cm 17cm and 22cm) mean that you can pick up a collection to cover a wide range of placements, especially since you can often pick them up in sets of 3 for an excellent price.

Overall great basic ice screws, at a great price, and with the build quality you would expect from DMM.

The dragon is DMM's latest cam, having been a fan of the 4cu and 3cu for a while now, I definitely considered the dragon's worth a look.

The build quality of the dragon cam is truly excellent, it feels solid and well built, it's the kind of thing you want to be putting into the rock to keep you safe, in the past I've felt some cam's can feel a bit flimsy, but not the dragon cam.

They are very lightweight, and whilst comparable to the BD camelot, or WC helium, I believe far superior in terms of the smooth action and annodising for recognition. There are 8 sizes which cover a large range of sizes, and an extendable sling makes them easy to place to reduce friction.

Overall, solid, well built, and smooth, make these the kind of protection that give me confidence when I am climbing.

The shadow is very lighweight (43g), despite this it remains incredibly strong (24kn). It is available in a screwgate and a quickdraw so the lightness and strength can be replicated in a number of formats. An anti snag clean nose means that the rope doesn't get caught when clipping and unclipping. DMM have also given this karabiner a broad base, meaning it is ideal for racking wires, hexes and anything else on.

Overall a great lightweight karabiner, well built, well designed, and a good price.

These karabiners are cheap and effective, they come in a variety of colours which makes them great for colour coding cam's with, allowing you easily identify the cam you want by the colour of karabiner on your harness (and just for the aesthetic appeal!). They are light and strong, making them ideal for building quickdraws, using in belays, or just for racking gear on. The price of these karabiners is the truly brilliant thing, they retail around £3.50 but can be found for much less in many shops, or as factory seconds.

Excellent biner at an excellent price

I liked the original belay master, so this is a good update to an already excellent piece of kit. The I beam construction means the karabiner is much lighter (karabiner is called the fatboy slim and can be bought separately without the notch for the belay clip). The clip on the karabiner closes when the gate is done up thus preventing it from come undone, but also importantly being a good visual aid to check the karabiner is done up, this is particularly useful in outdoor education where young people are constantly clipping and unclipping themselves from the rope, it means the instructor can effectively and quickly check whether the karabiners of the group are done up if it is a busy session.

Personally with belay masters and similar karabiners, I do find them a bit tricky to tie off, so don't use them, however for people starting out, or safety conscious people, or for use in centres, this karabiner setup is ideal

The belay master 2 doesn't add a great deal to the original model, however the I beam construction does make it lighter, whilst maintaining the quality and strength DMM are famous for.

The oxygen karabiners are very solid feeling, giving a feeling of security which personally I find lacking with tiny wiregate karabiners! The keylock is anti snag, meaning that the rope won't get caught when you are trying to remove it from the biner. These karabiners come in both curved and straight gate, which is good if you are looking to build some quickdraws. The price is also excellent, and they can be picked up for bargain prices as low as £3 if you look around!

Overall these are a great, well built, and solid karabiner, with a simple anti snag nose to add to the ease of use. If I had to say a general negative (about all solid gate karabiners), they do suffer from gate chatter which some people find un-nerving, for me it's not a problem, but something worth baring in mind.

The express sling is a standard quickdraw tape, as with anything made by zero G they represent good quality, but also excellent price point. These can be picked up for as little as £1, which is ideal if you are looking to build a rack on a budget. The rubber stopper in one end helps prevent the karabiner from rotating. These are quite chunky, so not ideal if you are looking to go lightweight. But for beginners and people looking to build a rack cheaply, look no further!

The kongur is Mountain Equipment's top end jacket, providing the maximum amount of features and quality compared to the others in the range (Ogre, Morpheus, etc). The Kongur is built from Proshell gortex which is lightweight yet tough. It has a storm flap covering the main zip, and waterproof pit zips. The hood is standard mountain equipment - highly adjustable, and the correct size to be able to wear with or without a helmet. The pockets are spacious and numerous (4 pockets, 2 large 2 smaller). The cut of the jacket is long making it ideal for winter mountaineering where you don't want to bend over and show that expanse of bare back because you jacket is so short! The jacket can also be adjusted at the waist and the bottom of the jacket.

Overall the build quality is excellent, the fit and cut are perfect, and the jackets pricing is high competitive considering it is on a par with other top end jackets out there costing much more. If you are looking for an even tougher version of this jacket, Mountain Equipment have produce a mountain rescue version featuring tougher fabrics and more reinforcements.

The G14 is the climbing version of the popular G series of Grivel crampons. The G10 being the walking crampon, and the G12 being the all round mountaineering version.

The G14 comes with 2 bindings to suit your needs;

Newmatic: Newmatic fitting features a black plastic front bail, and a semi step-in rear clip. This allows faster fitting of the crampon to a B2 boot. Clip on the rear relies on a stiff rubber rand at the rear of the boot. From the rear the strap goes to the front, passes through the front bail and back to the rear where it is secured to a buckle without needing to pass over the top of the boot. This system is very reliable and allows crampons to be fitted quicker, but only suitable for B2 boots and above.

Cramp-o-matic: The cramp-o-matic fitting features the same rear clip at the newmatic fitting, but features a metal front rand. This system is most suitable for B3 boots, although will fit some B2 boots if a) they are stiff enough and b) they have a big enough front rand, however in the case of B2 boots the newmatic would definately be more suitable. The system relies on a decent sized front rand on the boot, the metal front clip slots on top of the front rand, and a strip of metal with a loop on the top comes further up the boot. The rear clip locks in the same as the newmatic system, and the strap passes from the back, to the front (through the loop at the end of the metal strip), and returns to the rear. On some versions of the crampomatic the strap simply loops round the ankle, and doesnt have the front metal strip.

The G14 has vertical front points (or mono points if you want to convert), making a more suitable ice climbing crampon compared to its brother the G12. This is a great crampon with lots of adjustability but be aware if you have larger than UK size 11 feet you may need to buy the longer extension bar.

Overall great crampon, excellent build quality, good fit, everything you would expect from Grivel!

The G10 is part of a series of excellent crampons with the G10 (10 point) being ideal for walking, glacier crossing and non technical aspects of mountaineering, the G12 being a general all round mountaineering crampon, and the G14 being a more specialised climbing crampon.

The G10 has 2 binding options:

New Classic: New classic fitting system features a black plastic rear bail, and a black plastic front bail. The straps run from the rear to the front, back to the rear, and accross the front of the boot finally to secure. This will fit any B2 boots or above, it may also fit some B1 boots, however due to the range of flexibility in B1 boots it may not be suitable for some of them.

Newmatic: Newmatic fitting features a black plastic front bail, and a semi step-in rear clip. This allows faster fitting of the crampon to a B2 boot. Clip on the rear relies on a stiff rubber rand at the rear of the boot. From the rear the strap goes to the front, passes through the front bail and back to the rear where it is secured to a buckle without needing to pass over the top of the boot. This system is very reliable and allows crampons to be fitted quicker, but only suitable for B2 boots and above.

The crampon has the same excellent build as the others in the series, the bindings fit well to most boots, and can also be fitted with a flexi bar to fit on to more flexible boots. The front points are short and definitely not the correct crampon to be using for any kind of climbing. However for glacier crossing, and non technical winter days, the G10 is an ideal crampon.

Having now managed to get my hands on one of these to try, I can offer some more detailed insight. Firstly and most importantly the sizing is terrible! I own the Mammut Extreme Ultimate windstopper, which was the previous version of the "extreme series", in size XL this jacket is almost a perfect fit (if anything slightly too big). On this basis I thought I would try the XL in the gipfelgrat, however I was disappointed to find that I couldn't even get the jacket zipped up, the fact that there is such a difference in sizing between 2 very similar jackets made by the same company is a cause for concern for me, especially in a jacket costing £340+

That said that is where the bad points of this jacket end. The build quality is incredible; the Polartec Neoshell fabric is encased in a tough outer cover giving the jacket a tough windstopper feel, while being completely waterproof. The hood is well designed and well fitted, and can easily fit a helmet underneath. A full length waterproof zip up the middle ensures that the jacket remains weather tight.

I should say at this point if you are looking for a lightweight alpine style jacket, then this is not a good choice for you. The jacket is heavyweight and build for toughness not weight saving. And the pricing of the jacket is reflective of the high costs!

Overall this is an incredible jacket for those people (with plenty of money to throw around!) looking for a top notch, bombproof shell jacket.

An excellent approach shoe, the rubber on the soles is high quality, and good enough to be used for low grade climbs. The shoe has a heel cage at the back that provides great support when walking in with a large pack. The shoe is comfortable and well fitted, I had to go half a size smaller than I would usually have in a shoe (I had 10.5 and I'm usually 11), so definitely worth trying these on rather than buying them online. The shoe also looks great, I know aesthetics isn't necessarily something all climbers look for in their gear, but damn! these look good!

On the down side they are rather expensive, and having been around a couple of years now, they just haven't come down in price at all!

I really love this jacket, it fits very well, one thing I am tired about is companies making jackets where "XXXL" fits a barbie doll. The sizing is very accurate. The jacket works well as a shell layer for winter climbing, hiking, or general mountaineering. The windstopper fabric completely and effectively blocks out the wind. In terms of waterproofing the jacket is "resistant to rainfall", but definitely not waterproof. There is excellent ventilation with pit zips spanning the whole length of the jacket. The hood is an excellent size and you can easily fit a helmet underneath. One of the things about the jacket is that it doesn't have a draw cord at the bottom so it can't be adjusted to fit as easily as some windstoppers on the market.

Well there isn't much new here! It's a lighter Reverso4. For those of you who don't know the Reverso 3 is an excellent plate, and the Reverso4 is a new version of that!

On the Reverso3

"I owned the previous Reverso and really liked it, except for the horror of having to release it in guide mode under load (very difficult). The Reverso3 has address this issue by creating a small hole in the bottom, this allows you to use a karabiner as a lever to release the slack. Overall the Reverso3 is a great belay plate, the guide mode is good, it is smooth to abseil with, and most of all it works well with all rope diameters (I used a 10.5mm and a 8.1mm). "

The Reverso4 is basically the above but 25% lighter!

So having visited Magellan the next stop was Garmin and their new eTrex revamp. The eTrex has been a stable GPS in terms of sales and popularity for some time, most likely due to it's ease of use and cost (the eTrex basic model can be picked up for around £50). However Garmin obviously decided it was time for a change around, so their new eTrex series was created. There are 3 models; 10 (£100) ,20 (£130) and 30 (£150). All models have the same interface which consists of a small scroll stick in the top right, and a number of buttons on the sides which control various functions. They all also feature waterproofing up to IPX7 and have a 2.2 inch screen. The pricing is very good, and with only a 33% difference between the top and bottom model's it would definitely be worth considering getting the eTrex 30 for the additional features. The eTrex 10 is a basic model featuring no maps, the 20 comes with a colour screen and expandable memory to allow new maps to be added. The 30 comes with a barometric altimeter for more accurate height readings, a worldwide basemap and a 3 axis compass, as well as wireless sharing for sharing routes between other compatible units. Overall I really liked these units, they were a good size, had good features, good ease of use, and most importantly the price point was excellent (much cheaper than the Magellan units). It should be pointed out however that the Magellan sets include maps where the Garmin sets do not, so factoring in the cost of expanding the maps brings the costs up to around equal. The new eTrex series will be appearing in the UK soon!

The eXplorist series are Magellan's latest GPS handsets, as well as being available to view and trial at the Magellan stand it was possible to borrow one and test it out. The eXplorist series comes in several models; GC, 310, 510, 610, and 710. All the models

have a loop at the bottom to attach a lanyard (useful feature), waterproof to IPX standards, and include some maps (varies depending on model.

The GC version is designed for Geocaching, and comes with a preloaded database of 1000's of Geocaches. It also comes with a 30 day premium trial on Geocaching.com. It can hold around 10,000 Geocaches. However it does not come with any maps included. The 310 and 510 include world mapping (roads, river, some relief shading, land use worldwide), however the 510 has a larger 3 inch touch screen, and a 3.2 mp camera built in. The 610 and 710 are the 'big daddy's' of the series and both include topographic "summit series" mapping. The summit series mapping is 1:50,000 and includes all the detail you would expect from a map of that scale. The 710 includes turn by turn navigation (US only at moment).

So all in all I liked the eXplorist series, the signal was very constant (even inside the centre), navigation was simple enough using the buttons, I would imagine the touchscreen versions with larger screens would have been even easier to use! Overall, good range of GPS sets, some good features, and the price point is also pretty good.

This boot was nominated for an OutDoor industry award, and when holding it I can see why! The boot is very well designed and includes an integrated gaiter similar to that in the Scarpa Phantom. It has a strap around the top of the boot to give addition security, a diagonal waterproof zip, and loops inside the boot to aid with putting it on. Of course these are first impressions, but to me the boot felt like an excellent B3 mountaineering boot, however I expect the price tag will reflect the quality of the build! But overall I really liked the Nordwand TL and hopefully will get chance to try them on at some point in the not too distant future!

he jacket is one of the first to use the new Polartec Neoshell fabric, I was very impressed with the demo going on at the Polartec stand, which showed the waterproofness and breathability of the fabric. The jacket itself feels incredible; the fabric feels tough and is exactly what I expect from a softshell jacket. There are 2 large front pockets that are high enough up that wearing a rucksack shouldn't reduce the effectiveness of the pockets for hand warming. All the zips in the jacket are waterproof. At nearly 800g this jacket is by no means a lighweight option, however it is my idea of what a perfect softshell should be, and if the claims Polartec have made about Neoshell turn out to be true then this jacket could represent my dream of a perfect jacket! At £390 this jacket is very expensive, but compared to Arcteryx for example...this is fast becoming the standard price tag for high end technical jackets.

The helmet itself is very ventilated; perhaps one of the reasons it's so popular with world class climbers and instructors. The helmet comes in one size (53-61cm),
and is easily adjusted via the clips at the back. Personally I found these buckles dig into the bag of my head a little bit when first putting the helmet on, however it's fine after that. The shape of the helmet is odd, it comes down very low on the forehead (lower than I would normally have my helmet). The thing with this helmet is that when you are wearing it you feel cool, you feel like a real pro. Perhaps it's because of the helmets reputation for being used by the pro's, or perhaps it's because is does actually look pretty cool when it's on. I did also find it keeps my head nice and cool. In the past I had found other Petzl helmets make my head sweat because of the daft foam they insist in padding out the front of the helmet with. The Meteor III+ however has foam inside more like cycle helmet foam, and at 235g it's incredibly light. I wore it the whole 4 hours with no problems, and barely noticed I had it on!

So in summary.....yeah its cool, and if you can pick it up on offer, definately worth getting, £70 is a bit steep, but it will keep your head nice and cool - a rarity in climbing helmets!

These gloves are ideal for protecting yourself from a hot sun whilst retaining functionality, dexerity and grip. Ideal for ropework, climbing, skiing and more, they fit very well. The mesh back makes them cool to wear over long periods. The front rubber front ensures excellent grip no matter what you are doing.

Available in full finger and fingerless, I would definately recomend these to anyone looking for lightweight gloves to protect against the elements while retaining normal movement in the hands

I have to say my first impression is "solid". They feel great, one problem for me with lightweight screwgates has been that they don't feel strong enough. This karabiner is billed my Stubai as being one of the lightest screwgates out there. At 60g there are several lighter than it, the DMM Phantom, and Black Diamond vaporlock to name 2. However having held both of them neither feel as good as the Stubai Atomy. Stubai themselves have been a company I have never seen much of, they aren't widely available in the UK, however in Europe they are much bigger, and with products like the Atomy it's easy to say why. Stubai make the point that they could have made this karabiner lighter:

"We could have gone even lighter with an aluminium castor, but we couldn’t compromise on the top performance of brass"

The Atomy is also much stronger in tests that the lighter karabiners out there, making it a good choice for people like me who enjoy having lighter kit, but also enjoy the reassurance of strong kit! The Atomy has an anti snag nose, a smooth screwgate action, and is anodised red (which just looks cool!).

Technical data:

Breaking strain 26 kN / 8 kN / 10 kN
Gate clearance 16 mm
Exterior dimensions 101 x 54 mm
Weight 60 g
Tested to Norm CE EN 12275, EN 362, UIAA 121

The Ange Finesse is Petzl's latest innovation in climbing hardware. The Ange is Petzl's latest karabiner, and is combined with the Finesse; a 10 mm wide Dyneema® sling. The Ange comes in 2 different sizes the Ange "S" (Small) and the Ange "L" (Large). The different karabiners can be combined with the Finesse to provide a quickdraw tailored to your needs as a climbing. For example:

Ange S on top and bottom, combined with the Finesse sling would provided minimalist weight

Ange S on top and Ange L on bottom with the Finesse sling would provide a good balance of weight and functionality, as the Ange L on the rope end would provide maximum gate opening size.


Ange L on top and bottom, combined with the Finesse sling would provide maximum usability with the large gate opening sizes.

However at a price of over £110 for a set of 5 these are not cheap! But are they worth the money? I guess time and a day at the crag will tell! One thing that strikes me about these quickdraws is that considering how light they are (63g each) they feel quite substantial. The gate opens very wide due to the single strand/post gate, and it has a gate opening size of 23mm (Ange S). The Ange Finesse has some other good features; A small groove in the karabiners keeps the sling in the correct position, Petzl's MonoFil Keylock ensures snag free clipping, and the rubber clip at the rope end ensures the karabiner stays in the correct position.

The Ange S (28g) is not the lightest karabiner out there, is it 2g heavier than the DMM phantom (26g), 5g heavier than the Camo Nano (23g), however the clean nose, and snag free clipping does make it a smarter choice than both of the above.

Overall, the Ange Finesse seems to be very well designed and built

As helmets go this one looks cool, it feels like on the head too which a real bonus. Personally I found it didnt fit my head too well (perhaps its too big!), even when adjusted it still wasnt that comfortable on my head, so definatly worth trying it on before buying it, don't buy blindly over the net because it looks cool!

This jacket, whilst this is not one of Mountain Equipments current season jackets, the Kaniq can be picked up at a bargain price from many retailers. The Kaniq provides exceptional warmth, coupled with the waterproofing of a hardshell, effectively providing a jacket that is ideal for cold temperatures, where precipitation is an issue. The hood has Mountain Equipments usual excellent design, being fully helmet compatible and adjustable, along with a wired hood.

What I really like about this jacket is the current price: Around £170-200

Whereas:
Arcteryx's Fission SV (very similar spec) - £400+,

This is a both a postive for Mountain Equipment - providing a great jacket at a great price, and a negative for Arcteryx for providing a similar jacket at over twice the price

Overall, brilliant jacket, no negatives

The dragonfly series from Mountain Equipment are very good tents. The material is lightweight and keeps you dry, the 2XT provides plenty of space both inside the tent and in the porch (for kit). In my experience the tent stands up very well to the wind, the geodesic design gives the tent excelent stability. It it relatively easy to pitch, and the inner can be left inside to facilitate more rapid pitching in poor conditions. For the strength and space you get it is also relatively lightweight.

These drysacks are not only very waterproof but the valve means they are an effective volume reduced also. I personally have a couple of these, and find they are especially good when compressing something like a down jacket, the valve means you can remove the air from the sack and really reduce the amount of space that the jacket takes up in a rucksack or other bag, ideal on expeditions where space is an issue. They are also made of substantial material and feel very solid, not paper thin!

They are a bit on the pricey side though!

This is an ideal rope in situations where you might need a confidence rope or simple belay. The rope is light enough to be carried in a rucksack all day as an emergency back up. The 30m length is ideal for easy scrambles, while not encumbering the user too much. The price is right too!

The camp rockstar is not my idea of the best helmet out there, it looks ugly for starters, I think part of the problem with people not wearing helmets is due to climbers being more concerned with their image than safety, therefore having a helmet that doesn't all that attractive isn't going to help!

Personally I find the helmet makes my head sweat, is generally not that comfortable to wear, fits quite small (I have to have it on the biggest sizing to wear it). It is also not very cheap given that the RRP is £42, for that money you could buy some like a Black Diamond half dome or Petzl Elios. The adjustment system is also not that good; you have to physically pull the back apart like a baseball cap. In one way I guess no moving parts makes this good, however I could imagine over time this becomes loose and insecure.

It is however lightweight.....

Overall, not my cup of tea, but it's an ok helmet for centres etc.

The photon screwgate is another good zero G product, and as with all zero G products it provides good quality and good value. The photon is a bit more substantial than zero G's other karabiner (the neutron), there are bit better built and don't have the rattle on the gate that the neutron do. Overall, good karabiner, good price - keep your eye open for deals!

These quickdraws are good quality and affordable value, they are very similar to the whild country oxgyen quickdraw - but much cheaper! They are slightly heavier than some quickdraws out there, however they would be great for someone looking to get a rack together on a budget. For the price you really can't complain - and they can often be found with food offers on packs of 5.

The Atom is a basic HMS karabiner, providing space for clove hitches. An ideal karabiner for a beginner looking to build a rack on a budget. The karabiner is light, but the gate is slightly less solid than other screwgates, and there is a bit of rattle in the gate.

The Zero G neutron follows all of zero G gear providing good quality gear at affordable prices The neutron is a good quality screwgate at a decent price. They are light, and useful for building belays. The gate does not feel as solid as other screwgates out there - little bit of a rattle.

Overall; great karabiner at a good price, ideal for beginners starting a rack.

This jacket is awesome, and certainly on a par with the best jackets out there on the market at present. The materials are high quality, the zips have taped seams throughout. The hood is excellent and has plenty of space for a helmet. One thing I do find on this jacket is it comes a bit short, worth trying this on before buying don't buy it blindly over the net!

By issue with this jacket is this. As Arcteryx's top of the line hardshell its coming in with an asking price of £400. Millet's K expert comes in at £390 RRP, Mountain Equipments Kongur is £280 and the MRT version is £320, when they are just as good if not better. I would argue that non of the jackets listed above are any better than each other, so the prices should be equal to reflect that. I believe (certainly with Arcteryx) there is an element of "paying for the name"

Overall, brilliant jacket, well built and designed, if a little short. But look around at other jackets of similar spec as the cost involved with the Alpha LT is £80 more than some jackets of similar spec.

This is truly a great piece of work. The pro shell is exceptionally light and breathable but can keep out the storms no problem. The hood is very good, and allows you go get a helmet under comfortably and still adjust it. What I like about this jacket are the reinforced sections throughout, the K jacket was originally called because the "k" applied to the Kevlar weave that was used to reinforce sections of the jacket. This gives the jacket toughness throughout where it is needed. The pockets are also huge allowing for plenty of stuff to be stowed away during days out.

My issue with this jacket is the same as my problem with Arcteryx's Alpha LT.....COST. Why is this jacket retailing at more than Mountain Equipments Kongur MRT. Both jackets are very similar spec, same materials used throughout, yet the Millet offering is trying for an RRP of £390, whereas the ME goes in at £320. Whilst I think both jackets are on a par, I would not pay more than the Kongur MRT retail price of £320 for the K expert on principle, since it is essentially the same - luckily I picked mine up for sub £300 back in the day!

Overall, amazing jacket, but I gave it a 3/5 for value since it £400 is just too much.

This jacket has some good points and some bad points.

Good points: the fabric feels tough and substanial. Previous Hyvent jackets I have had just feel like a carrier bag, however this one feels a lot more beefed up and tough. The hood is detachable which is useful to minimise weight when needed. The storm flap over the zip means no water sneaks in, and the pit zips keep you cool when needed.

Bad points: sizing; I'm not sure what north face thing "large" is, but clearly it's not actually large. Make sure you get a size bigger is this jacket. Also the sleeves are very short no matter what size you get so be careful! It is also a very short jacket, you don't have extra space to cover your backside if needed.

Overall I think my score of 3/5 is an accurate reflection of this jacket, its ok, and leaps and bounds above other Hyvent jackets, however its not "brilliant" jacket.

The DMM 4cu is my favourite cam to date. I have a full set of these and they have not let me down once in the time I've had them. They have a smooth trigger action, as well pre drilled holes in the trigger bar to allow cord to be placed in a U shape configuration. This basically means if you are an idiot (like me) and frequently place the cams too deep into a crack, you can use a nutkey to pull the cord back, which will pull the trigger back and thus release the cam.

There are plenty of sizes available to allow customisation of your rack prior to climb, and the large range means there will be a cam to fit all shapes and sizes of cracks!

Price wise these are very reasonable, and can generally be found throughout the UK on good deals for sets of 3.

Overall, great value, great quality, good range of sizes, and overall a high quality piece of kit that won't let you down!

The Metolius freenut is an innovative nutkey - provided you with a nutkey that has a built in karabiner to clip it to your harness, save's having to carry it on a seperate karabiner. The freenut also has a slightly weighted end, which is ideal for knocking stuck gear out of place!

I recently thought I would get a decent pair of sunglasses, since for the amount of time I spend with them on, they would more than pay for themselves. After trying a number on I settled on the Straight Jacket. I have to say they are incredibly comfortable, the polarised lenses really do work keeping the sun out of my eyes all day. I quite often forget I am wearing them. One thing I have always thought important about sunglasses are how they feel on the top of your head - and these feel great!

I should stress however that Oakley glasses vary in size a great deal between the models, so definately try a few pairs before settling on one set!

These karabiners are really annoying. I got one with my BD hex's, and made the mistake of trying to use it for racking them on. Since the oval shape is symetrical you can't tell which end is which. This has lead to me more than once opening the gate only to drop half my hexes by accident. Seriously, do yourself a favour and buy a normal wiregate to rack gear on!

These karabiners look really cool; building on the other mammut karabiners out there. The gate is almost like a twisted wiregate, they are very light due to the I beam construction. They aren't that cheap however, so if you are looking to keep costs down I would look elsewhere. However if you are looking for something that looks a bit different and keeps the weight down, definately consider these.

The Aero is DMM's replacement for the old truscrew. Weight wise they are very competitive with other karabiners in the market. The cost is also good value for what you get. They are well made and substantial feeling. Good quality D shape biner at a good price

the Aero HMS is your standard sized HMS. Built well as with all DMM products, it can comfortably fit 2 clove hitches on making it ideal for setting up belays. It is a decent price for a well made karabiner, worthwhile if you are just building a new rack and what a good quality HMS or 2.

The BD camelots are a good camming device, with a range of sizes from very small up to collosal! This means you can buy sizes that really link to what you will use them for. For me, I have 4 mid sized ones for use on single pitch grit. As a single stem cam they used to dominate the market in terms of quality, however more manufacturers are coming out with new models now so there is competition out there. They have a smooth action, and the trigger bar is textured to allow easy grip.

The black diamond icon, is a good headtorch, providing good illumination and decent battery life. The LED's on the side provide close range illumination, while the main beam provides illumination at distance. The ability to switch between these 2 functions is useful, as it means if you are leading a group in the dark for example for you can use the full beam, alternatively if you are in the middle and reading your map you can use the LED's.

The Tikka 2 is a great backup torch for use on night navigation, caving, or just in the tent or at home. It has great battery life, and provides good illumination. A variety of settings are also available to ensure the user gets the right setting for what they are doing.

Truth be told I have never used this for Via Feratta, however I have used it as a scrambing rope due to its ideal size and weight. It is very flexible making tying knots in it very easy. At 9.4mm for a single rope, it is very lightweight (59g per metre) making it ideal for via feratta or scrambling.

These are solid quickdraws, but as with all solid gate snapgates come with the "gate chatter" when they knock against objects. Overall these are a well built quickdraw coming in 10cm, 18cm and 24cm sizes for varying types of route.

As snapgates go, the technology has moved on, leaving lighter karabiners the option of choice for climbers. Solid gates are often replaced with wiregates. This karabiner is well made and of good quality, and if you prefer solid gate snapgate karabiners then this is your choice. But in comparison to other snapgates on the market, this is heavier.

Simple, light, small screwgate. Ideal for building belays, due to the size of the karabiner only a single clove hitch can fit on to the karabiner.

The nuptse vest is an excellent down gillet. The vest has all the same features of the Nuptse jacket except for a hood. The vest includes fleece pockets for warmth, an internal pocket, and comfortable fit. The vest can also be packed away in to the internal pocket, allowing it to be stored in a small state and put in a rucksack, or even used as a pillow!

Overall; great down gillet!

Here in the UK the North Face has recieved a bit of stick for becoming an overly comercialised brand, often worn by people who know nothing about the outdoors, and the most action their jacket will see is walking down the high street!

However the Nuptse jacket is an example of why that bad press is unfounded, the jacket is brilliant, and provides a great level of warmth to weight. It is a comfortable fit, it does have a hood that packs away into the neck, however this is not a brilliant addition! The pockets are fleece lined making them feel incredibly warm when you put your hands in. The drawcord at the bottom of the jacket ensures a good fit!

Overall, great down jacket, good warmth and comfort.

I've been looking for a decent pair of walking boots for some time. At present I have B2 and B3 boots, but no B1 walking boots for scrambling etc. I have looked and tried on a number of boots, but non I have tried looked good enough or fitted well enough to justify splashing the cash. I liked the look of the Salomon Quest 4D, and they fitted well too, but they didn't have that something extra I like to have with anything I buy. While shopping recently I clocked a pair of cool looking boots. These turned out to be Adidas Terrex GTX hi FM. I instantly liked the look of these boots, and whats more I'm sure I recognised the shape as being the same as the Salomon Quest I had tried on before. A quick chat with the guy in the shop revealed they were in fact the same boot (albeit with some reworking by Adidas), as Adidas and Salomon were owned by the same parent company. So now I was very interested, a boot that had already fitted well, but a cooler looking version, and at half price (£59.99) I invested. They look awesome, they fit brilliantly, and more importantly they shatter the stereotype that many of us have that sports companies like Adidas can't make outdoor kit. Indeed the emergence of sports companies making gear, is part of an ongoing trend started by Nike with their ACG (All Condition Gear). Looks like Adidas has hopped on the band wagon, and I am very impressed! Over the last few weeks I have really put these through their paces, they have remained waterproof in deep Peak District bogs, and downpours in the mountains. The gortex makes sure my foot stays dry, and can still breath. The sole is grippy and ideal, especially when scrambling. Whilst scrambling I have found the flexibility of the boot really allows me to move smoothly.

Overall, these boots are brilliant, well worth the money, and they look awesome too! Great boot, great value!

The unbottle is a great hydration unit. It can be either stashed inside a bag, or alternatively can be attached to a rucksack using the clips it comes with. The valve on the unbottle is Camelbak's Big Bite valve, it has a small yellow lever to shut off flow when it is not been used, this prevents any leakage. The best thing I have found about the unbottle is the insulation it gives, on a hot day, there is nothing better than being able to drink ice cold water from your bag! This is something the unbottle does well!

Overall, slightly more expensive than a standard hydration system, but definately worth the extra money!

As bouldering mats go, you can't really say fairer that the Phud. You get a good quality bouldering mat, for a good price. It is quite a firm pad, however it provides a good landing, and is ideal for protecting those bad landings, and the plus side is you don't have to break the bank to afford it!

A set of 4 varied size pouches for storing....whatever really. These are really useful for seperating kit inside your bag. Using them for brew kits, important documents, cooking kit, whatever you want.

Theres 4 of them, ripstop water resistant material, all for a tenner. Can't really argue!

This sleeping bag is one of (if not THE) best sleeping bag out there at the moment. It is incredible warm even in the coldest of conditions, the baffle is ideal for "snuggling down" and keeping the cold out. The hood is adjustable and comfortable.. The bags sharks tail bottom allows for some movement of the feet whilst sleeping. The ultrasoft lining really is comfortable, makes hunkering down in a snowhole as comfortable as is possible! Speaking of which....the Drilite loft outer is water resistant enough to keep out snow and rain whilst bivi'ing out. The sleeping bag comes with a stuffsack for carrying it, and with a mesh sack for storage to avoid compressing the down too much. There is also an XL version for taller people wishing to own one of these.

There is of course the drawback of cost....at £320 this bag is not cheap, it is however worthwhile if you want quality, you can spend less however you will not find a product this good for that cost.

Overall; incredible 4 season sleeping bag, ideally suited to cold nights out, but comes at a cost (one that I personally think is worthwhile!)

The titanium spork is an excellent bit of kit, after breaking plenty of plastic utensils in my time, this one is a welcome relief! Not brilliant for cooking as it heats up too much, but very good to eat with, and the fact that it doesnt break....is a bonus!

Lightweight, durable, and a good addition to a cooking kit. The 'blade' is a little blunt but useable.

The XL spork is slightly bigger than the standard spork allowing you to cook better with its longer reach and bigger spoon. Useful addition to a cooking kit.

The unit itself is a palm top computer which has been ruggedized to protect it against the elements. It is waterproof, dustproof, temperature resistant, humidity proof and drop proof. What this basically means is that this unit can take anything the mountains can throw at it. But let’s take a look at those protective features (because for £600 let’s face it this needs to be something special!) The unit is completely submersible in water, and completely dust proof. So basically you could throw it in the sea then bury it in sand and it would still function 100%. It can withstand up to 95% humidity for 48 hours, and can withstand a 1.5 metre drop onto concrete. . . 26 times before showing any damage that effected its function. The reason this unit is built like a tank is that it has been designed to meet US military standards for “in the field” gear, and is used by a number of military units.



So with that boring load out the way you are probably wondering “how does this help me in the mountains?”. The unit is equipped with a high power GPS antenna so it is able to pinpoint your location very accurately and very quickly. But what truly sets this unit apart from other GPS sets is that Memory Map Navigator software can be installed on the unit. Combined with the GPS receiver this means that the unit can pinpoint your location on an OS 1:25000 map to within 50cm! Is this just another company making a wild statement that the gear doesn’t actually back up? I took to the mountains to find out. In order to test the units bold claims about accuracy I headed to “the horns” of Snowdon. Armed with a map and compass I accurately used a compass bearing and pacing to locate 18 small features including ring contours, finger contours and stream junctions. Now bearing in mind some of these features were as low as 4 metres the handset needed to be spot on in identifying them. The handset accurately identified all of the features I looked for. In addition it functioned perfectly in the driving rain through into the night.

Another feature which makes this unit truly excellent is that you can exchange data between the handset and your computer. This means you can plan routes on you laptop and upload them, or download your route for a day and check how far you went and where you went. The unit really comes into its own for instructors who work with DofE groups for example. The unit can have groups routes uploaded to it, meaning you can plan you day to meet up and supervise the group.



The A25 is also armed with a number of different bits of software that can help the user be in the field for extended periods. The unit can function as a phone when you insert a SIM card. It can also connect to the internet to receive email via outlook express or any web based mail system such as hotmail, although this is based on a GPRS internet system which is not overly quick so downloading attachments could take a while. The unit also has word, excel, powerpoint and several other programs which allow the user to write and review documents.

All in all the advantages of this unit are obvious, but what about the drawbacks?

The battery life of the unit when using the GPS all day can be as low as 12 hours. This is not ideal if you plan multiday trips and want to rely on it. Personally I use this unit to confirm my location and then switch it off if I plan on using it for days at a time. The one advantage is it does come with a car charger which can quickly charge the unit from a cigarette lighter.

The stylus used to navigate the unit is quite fiddly with gloves on, and typing cannot be done without the stylus. The unit is touch screen and can be operated with hands, but this is not ideal for people with big hands like me!

Accessing the back of the unit to get the memory card or SIM card can only be done by means of a tiny screwdriver. This is a pain if the unit freezes up (only happened to me once) and you need to remove the battery.

All in all what you have to ask yourself is what are you looking for from your GPS. If you are looking for a GPS that locates you on an OS map, that’s tough enough for the outdoors your options are quite limited. The A25 represents a small computer which functions as both a PDA a GPS and a phone. The other option is the Satmap Active 10, a cheaper unit that functions in much the same way, it does not have memory map but its own OS 1:25k maps. It claims to be weather proof and is substantially cheaper that the A25 (at £379). But in my opinion the A25 represents the ultimate tool for DofE workers and people who use memory map as their primary mapping software. The unit is robust, east to use, and has a wide variety of features.

The Garmin Geko series are very basic GPS units designed to provide functionality, whilst being affordable. I carry a Geko in my first aid kit as an emergency unit. The unit has a very basic interface, featuring simple design, easy to use tools, and a variety of options to customise each screen. The unit can track; speed, distance, time, bearing, altitude, location (both lat/long and many other worldwide national grids), and many more. It can also track where you have been, this allows you to backtrack to previous locations in the event of a whiteout or other emergency.

The downsides to this unit are that it does often take quite a while to get warmed up, this is not a huge issue especially if you have time, the other downside is the accuracy, whilst this is again not a huge issue, the unit will quite often be accurate only to around 10m, in an emergency this is not an issue as rescuers would easily find you, however for navigational purposes there are much more accurate units.

Overall; cheap, useful, reliable, worth getting if you want a low cost GPS unit that has basic functionality.

The Macpac microlight was a solution to a problem for me; I wanted a small, light, 1 person tent for short expeditions where I was with a group. Firstly this tent is very light (not the lightest tent out there but still light). It was an inner and fly sheet (these can be left attached for ease of pitching). Pitching takes only around 3 minutes, since all you have to do is push the 1 pole through the tent, then peg it out. Size wise, I'm 6"2 and I'm just about small enough to be comfortable, any taller than that you would risk feet touching the end! Also there isn't alot of room for kit, so stashing your bag in the decent sized porch is reccomended.

The only problem I have found with this tent (and perhaps this is just me pushing the limits of what the tent is capable of) is the tents stability in the wind. Due to the design of the tent it must be pitched into the wind ensuring that the minimum surface area is hit by the wind. The problem occurs if the wind swings round over night the tent goes from small profile to big sail getting battered by the wind, as a result I have had some uncomfortable nights in this tent. However I have awoken to find much bigger and stronger tents damaged where mine is fine, so in that regard it seems to hold its own even in strong wind. The poles do flex in the wind meaning that although the space inside the tent shrinks, the poles always return to shape.

Overall; Easy and quick to pitch, lightweight, not as strong in wind as it could be, however it does hold its own in the wind, it is also a reasonable price for such a lightweight and well built tent. Worth getting if you are after a light and strong tent.

When I wanted a new set of poles, I decided that the mantra of "buy cheap buy twice" was appropriate. So I settled on the Leki Makalu Titanium Ultralite (thermolite) - which is a stupidly long name for starters! At £80 a pair they certainly were not cheap, and to be honest they haven't been that good either! Aside from the low weight I haven't found much else to be good about these.

Firstly the lower section of one of my poles broke on a recent winter climbing trip (during the walk in), which has a bit of a shocker given they were supposed to be titanium and very strong.

Secondly the locking system is appalling, and at least one time every trip will jam, or not lock in place. In Wales last week I had to spend 40minutes with a multitool trying to unjam the locking system that had got stuck.

Thirdly, the leashes are useless, if you adjust them at the start of the day, 5 minutes later they will be loose again, therefore putting any pressure on them is pointless, as the leash buckles just don't seem to hold any weight.

Overall: Don't spend any money on these, spend the same on something with a fliclock.

The Zero G wires are a very simple, good value set of wires. For only £49 for a full set 1-11, you get a well built, anodised set of wires. They have a curved shape meaning good placement and points of contact in a variety of cracks. The range of sizes you get 1-11 are varied, the first 4 sizes are essentially micro wires, and the larger sizes are just slightly bigger than a large size DMM wallnut. So an interesting range as they start smaller and finish larger in terms of sizing that other 1-11 wire sets.

If you are new to climbing and building a rack on a budget, or just looking for a good value second set of wires, then these are a great buy!

The Mountain Equipment wet and dry bag is an excellent kit bag, whether in the boot of the car or the back of a mule. It has a waterproof section inside the main back that can be used to stash wet equipment. The bag is made of heavy duty canvas type material, and heavy duty zips. The bag also features detachable rucksack straps, and a heavy duty reinforced nylon bottom. My bag has served me loyally throughout the 7 years I have had it and has been on tough treks throughout the world, with no signs of wear/tear or damage.

Great bag, also available in varied sizes.

The spirit is a good shoe (I have the velcro version), good sole, decent fit. What I would say about these shoes is that they don't stretch very much, so don't rely on them stretching to fit your foot better.

The Aero Quickdraw is a good quality, good value runner. Ideal for a starter rack. The main issue with these is because they are solid gate they are slightly more heavy than a wire gate runner, and the weight difference over 8 quickdraws can be significant. They also suffer from the gate chatter which is synonymous with solid gate karabiners, although how much of a difference this makes is questionable.

Overall, good runner for the price

Decent compass, decent price, got me through ML assesment!