The Montane Slipstream GL Jacket shares a common thread with the first ‘old favourite’ review in that this too is a pertex garment. As you may have gathered in the previous blog I’m quite a fan of this brilliant windproof material. Essentially the Slipstream jacket is an ultra-light, single-layer windshirt made with the very lightest pertex available: Pertex Quantum Gossamer-Light. Montane, like Rab, are a British company which designs in the UK but manufacturers abroad. They have an established reputation with outdoor professionals and their products are deservingly popular with mountain rescue teams, the emergency services and the military. Montane specialises in windshells, softshells, hard-shells and pertex and pile garments.

If you’re looking to stay warm and dry warm and dry on the bike throughout the season, Nikwax must be the best bang-for-buck purchase. The Nikwax waterproofing system is trialled; cleaning, … 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.

Patagonia has been manufacturing high quality apparel for nearly 40 years and as one of the founding members of the 1% For the Planet, they have gained a reputation as pioneers within ethical adventure retail. Over the years the brand has developed to market its products to skiers, mountaineers, hikers, climbers, and more recently, surfers. As a product that matches the demands of all of these sports, the Patagonia Down Sweater is a prime example of a neat interaction between design innovation and ethical manufacturing.

Osprey’s Kode 22, Kode 30 and Kode 38 backpack collection solidifies the brand’s place in backcountry sports. While the Kode 30 seems to be the more popular version in the … Read more

In 2010, Columbia released their first trail running line that included the Ravenous trail shoe, a range of technical apparel and the robust Mobex back. The Mobex soon won acclaim … Read more

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

As one of Scandinavia’s top outdoor and equipment manufacturers, Haglöfs hold nothing back with their sleeping bag range. I’ve been using the Zensor Nordic Winter over the season and have been amazed by just how comfortable and warm it has been. Suitable to a -20 degrees Celsius, The Zensor has held up well in -10 at Ben Alder Bothy. However, to work out why this Haglöfs bag is so comfy, a further analysis of the product’s features is needed.

Aware of the amount of cyclo-tourists taking to the roads,Wild Country developed the Duolite Tourer specifically designed to match the demands of this pursuit. Even with a large porch space and roomy interior, the tent collapses into a bundle that can be fitted inside a pannier-sized package weighing 2.95kg. Although other bicycle touring tents are lighter and bigger, few come at the amazingly cheap price of £175.

Norrona have been developing outdoor garments with a Norwegian twist since 1929. Known for their innovation, with products like Europe’s first Gore-Tex jacket in 1977, to base layers for Everest expeditions, Norrona have established themselves as a premier adventure brand.

Now incredibly technical and developed, it’s hard to imagine Suunto products in 1936 when Tuomas Vohlonen began to engineer more accurate methods of constructing compass needles. 75 years later, Suunto have moulded a brand committed to the design and manufacture of leading precision instruments for sports, incorporating new technologies that are now standard features in the industry.

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.

Over the last three decades Outdoor Research have developed a selection of core adventure products, moulding the brand’s ethic to meet conditions experienced top-end adventures. Motivated by the ambition to … Read more

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.

Since their formation in 1996, Skins have fronted the development of compression sports products. Now market leaders in this field, Skins set themselves apart from other undergarment competitors with their … Read more

The Smartwool PhD light sock is manufactured from Merino wool and uses SmartWool’s 4-Degree Fit System, which puts more cushioning where it’s needed for skiing and ski mountaineering. While any pair … Read more

In late November I headed out with Olly Worsley and Will Ross to the Scottish Highlands to do some winter walking. We caught the 0821 train from Glasgow on Friday morning, … Read more

When planning a trek in the Børgefjell National Park, the main criteria was to get reliable and lightweight gear that could cope with the wild weather that the park gets … Read more