As enthusiastic Scottish river and sea kayakers, my friends and I decided to embark on a trip to sunnier climes. We island hopped around the Ionian Sea for 6 days in sea kayaks, taking pleasure in one of the quietest and undeveloped parts of central Europe’s coastline.

Founded in 1942 in Sweden, Thule are the favoured accessories brand by a number of car manufactures. As well as having their own adventure team, Thule are also revered for their styling products which are nows the hallmark of any weekend adventurer. The brand’s collection caters caters for summer and winter adventure pursuits, covering carriers for snowsports, watersports and cycling.

TORQ are a UK-based fitness consultancy that specialise in training and nutrition. Owing to the success of their performance coaching which started in 1999, TORQ moved into performance products to complement their existing services.

Annency-based Salomon are a sports equipment brand who were primarily known for their skis. Recently, the French company has expanded its range to provide mountain gear for all seasons. They are focussed on maintaining the environment by reducing their carbon foot print and reliance on non-renewable materials.

Last weekend I completed the second iteration of Rat Race Adventure Sports’ ‘Scotland Coast to Coast’ race. This one day epic traverses 105 miles across Scotland on foot, bike and kayak.

Colorado-based Osprey have been designing packs for the outdoors since 1974.  Maintaining a strong commitment to the environment, they support a number of North American conservation organization and even sew the 7 … Read more

The Isle of Arran lies in the Firth of Clyde, nestled on the west coast of the Scotland. Often described as a “Scotland in Miniature”, Arran’s geography mirrors the Scottish … Read more

The right of public access to the wilderness, or more commonly ‘the right to roam’ is a confusing part of the law in many countries. This guide intends to eradicate the penumbra of doubt and clarify your right to enjoy the environment in Northern Europe.

Haglöfs are recent nominees of Sweden’s ‘Fashion Export of The Year Award’ and as Scandinavia’s biggest outdoor equipment manufacturer they’ve got a reputation for pushing out top gear. Catering to the demands of discerning outdoors experts, Haglöfs have garnered a reputation for innovative, timeless design and a strong commitment to sustaining the environment their products are designed to be used within.

As an advancement from the 2010 release of the Ravenous, the Drainmaker adds a unique and specific shoe to Columbia’s footwear collection. Check out the video below to see a demo of the product.

Cascade Designs rose to prominence with the now ubiquitous Therm-a-Rest in 1971.  Their initial success with Therm-a-Rest prompted the development of further brands including MSR, Platypus and SealLine – a growth … Read more

DaKine is derived from the Hawaiian Pidgin word meaning “the best”. Founded in 1979 in Hawaii, DaKine were primarily innovators in surfing technology. They are now a worldwide brand specialising in backpacks, apparel and accessories for men, women and children.

Founded in 2004, POC are a young Swedish company who started out specialising in snow sports protection. They have now seamlessly segued into three main areas: snowsports, cycling and eyewear. Pushing environmental awareness, POC’s ‘Bug Series’ is an innovative range of protective gear of which 1% of each purchase is donated to an project in the Amazon Rainforest.

For those wanting to upgrade an ageing D-SLR, or even make the jump from a compact digital, the Nikon D5000 is an ideal choice for the aspiring amateur photographer. With … Read more

Ortovox have been developing mountain safety equipment since 1976.  The Ortovox Kodiak shovel is their premier snow shovel; an essential piece of kit in the arsenal of any budding backcountry … Read more

An avalanche transceiver is an essential piece of gear for the advanced skier. Since 1972 Pieps, Austrian snow safety specialists, have been working on products that increase survival rates in avalanches since 1972. Their main products include probes, shovels and backpacks, essential gear for off-piste junkies.

The North Face have been producing gear for adventuring since 1966. A consistent seller in recent years for the Californian company has been the Crimptastic Hybrid Jacket.

GoPro are a San Diego based company whose big break came with the GoPro HD Hero in late 2009. It revolutionised the way people record their sporting endeavours and for many, the GoPro HD Hero is the default choice.

Haglöfs is Scandinavia’s biggest outdoor equipment manufacturer, and gear like the Actives Zip Top is the what their reputation is built on. They focus on sustainable manufacturing, with this garment being made entirely from recycled fabrics. The Actives is a multipurpose base layer, witha 2 fabric construction, providing warmth and excellent moisture wicking properties.

The Smartwool PhD light sock is manufactured from Merino wool and utilizes SmartWool’s 4-Degree Fit System, which puts more cushioning where it’s needed for skiing and ski mountaineering. While any pair of socks will wear out in time, Smartwool have managed an ethical portfolio to defend that fresh pair feel.