The Lowe Alpine Powerstretch Balaclava is a garment that, like the baselayer I reviewed in the last blog, is a humble but mighty tool. Now that Lowe Alpine have discontinued their line of accessories to focus on backpacks, this little number could be a lasting relic from the brand’s tactical armoury. I however am unconcerned by how it looks as I’m a fully signed up member of the balaclava fan club. In my opinion balaclavas are one the most under-rated and overlooked pieces of outdoor equipment that everyone should own.

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.

Most of us do our sports during the day, spending evenings to resting or relaxing with friends – usually anything other than getting our heart rates up with some exercise. Word is out that there are countless new nightclubs that few are aware of. It might not be the typical dance scene that you expect it to be. Ladies, gentlemen, and especially those adrenaline-seeking freaks, I bring you the Petzl Myo RXP; a headlamp that will bring light to your darkness, show these new “nightclubs” and unlock these long-hidden nocturnal instincts inside of us all.

For those who relish the more unusual and obscure adventure trips,  a visit to the shrinking Aral Sea is well worth the journey. Labelled as the ‘biggest man-made disaster’ in … Read more

When I was asked to review Marmot’s Sawtooth sleeping bag I jumped at the chance, Marmot has a reputation of producing some of the world’s finest down sleeping bags. I wasn’t going to be disappointed with the Sawtooth, a down sleeping bag rated to have a lower comfort of -9oC. Marketed as an all-rounder I felt sure the Sawtooth would be great for a Scandinavian Spring/Autumn bag and equally at home for Scottish winters.

Mountain Safety Research (MSR) describe the 4-season Asgard tent as “the most liveable, 2-person expedition shelter we’ve ever made”. In order to assess this claim and put the tent through some rigorous testing, Christian Hacking and I took the Asgard to Switzerland.

A quick word one of Marmot’s patented technologies here, the MemBrain Strata. This is Marmot’s very own waterproof material, similar to Mountain Hardwear’s Conduit DT (dry touch) comparison. Marmot’s fabric has come up with some impressive figures: at 20,000mm in waterproof performance and 20,000 gr it is comparable to the more widely known Gore-Tex fabrics. Another note-worthy feature of MemBrain Strata is the fabric has “micro inorganic particles” impregnated on the inside of the laminate. Putting
technical jargon to one side this basically means the inside of the jacket has a dry feeling when wet on the outside, so avoiding that clammy feeling of waterproofs of old. This allows for greater comfort when wearing just a T-shirt or less under the jacket.

Svalbard is an archipelago in the Arctic, located in between northern Norway and the North Pole at 90 degrees north. The island plays host to a wealth of breeding sea birds, marine mammals and of course the infamous polar bear. Spending time in the area is inherently dangerous, but as mere visitors to the area we have to take every precaution against the native dangers.

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.

To me the key performance indicator of a tent is that it keeps me dry. The biggest test of this: 2 days of near continuous rain in Slovenia, the tent passed. After a brutal night of rain I woke, and in my usual wet routine, got dressed in the tent into my cycling kit. This requires some contortion due to the tents compact size but is possible. With waterproofs on and kit packed into dry bags I dived out and was able to drop the tent in 2 minutes. Pannier on and I hit the road.

As I worked my way into the heart east Africa in July this year I was utterly alone, with little knowledge about the country, its people or even the value of its currency. What I did know though, was that I had to remain flexible to an array of different situations and possibilities, ranging from the wickedly awesome to the wildly uncomfortable.

Jinja is a small, vibrant town located in the South East of Uganda, around 50 miles from the capital, Kampala. Due to its proximity to the Nile River at the … Read more

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

Having relied on Salomon products for freestyle skiing because of their reliability and quality, I was curious as to whether their footwear could achieve similar results. Selecting the XA Pro 3D Ultra 2. The trip would take me through a number of different environments, ranging from cities to arid steppe and snow-covered mountains to endless desert – a bunch of conditions that I thought the ‘run-hike’ model would really enjoy.

I’ll start by stating that I’ve a fair bit of experience with lightweight packs having run numerous mountain marathons over the past 10 years and gravitated gradually towards lighter and … Read more

As technology takes a greater hold on the way we run our lives, it’s no surprise that adventure brands are jumping on the digital band wagon to enhance user experience. To bring their adventure software in line with established platforms from other watch manufacturers, Suunto released Movescount, their version of performance tracking. As well as updating training data features, Suunto introduced a neat social networking element to enhance the Movescount product. Here I’ll outline some of the key features, and guide you through the process of setting up an account.

The Suunto T6d is described by the manufacturer as a ‘sports laboratory on your wrist’ and it’s an apt description for a watch that is compatible with a variety of … Read more

After reviewing the Cita Bra earlier this month, I headed out with another recent addition to Arc’teryx’s trail running line. The new running legging, the Cita 3/4 tight, extends the brand’s focus on breathability for high intensity exercise. With this feature in mind I looked at the product’s general ability in handling a warm and heated environment – conditions at distance from Arc’teryx’s alpine heritage. Of course comfort would come into play as I assessed the material’s limits in the summer season.

Vivobarefoot and its parent company Terra Plana offer a range of ‘barefoot’ shoes that cover everything from smart office wear to serious athletic shoes. Barefoot footwear bases itself on the idea … Read more

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.