Villars Night Show

Despite this adventure’s foreboding title, getting yourself lost in the tall maze-like sandstone towers and fins of the Fiery Furnace is one the more exhilarating and humbling experiences available in Arches National Park. Located on the outskirts of … Read more

After reviewing Smith’s I/O Goggle, I searched out another product from the brand’s environmentally friendly Evolve line of helmets. During my testings in Colorado at the beginning of the season, I had the unfortunate luck of being able put the Tranport in an extreme situation that helped prove the helmet’s sturdy design.

Situated under the railway lines at London Bridge station, the Arch hosts London’s premier bouldering experience. It offers four rooms of unadulterated free climbing, with overhangs, traverse walls and routes for every standard of climber. Most distinctively, the Arch has an upward sloping tunnel with some routes requiring the climber to be upside down for the duration. This is a great place to try out the sport, given that no equipment is necessary. However, due its prime location and ease of use, The Arch can get extremely busy in the evenings. We would recommend the early morning “hangover cure climb” (often accompanied by a cup of tea/coffee), with doors opening at 6.30am on weekday mornings.

Location: 6 Bermondsey Street, SE1 2ER

Faction announced at ISPO in February that they have formed a partnership with Candide Thovex, one of the most talented and successful skiers to come out of France since Jean Claude Killy.

Candide, who won the Freeride World Tour in 2010 with a 1st place finish in Chamonix, has been in dozens of films including Candide Kamera, Candide Kamera 2 and Mind The Gap. Add this to three X-Games gold medals, eight freeride competition medals including Red Bull’s Linecatcher, as well as a gold medal in the Big Air at The Gravity Games, and it seems Faction have pulled off a master-stroke by securing such a name to their ranks.

Every season a series of ‘must get’ products emerge from the looms of the top adventure brands around the world. This winter, Patagonia has placed a major focus on its new line of breathable and waterproof shells, teaming up Gore-Tex to ensure that the quality of their garments stay at the top-end of adventure apparel and manufacturing ethics.

We caught up with Great British 1500m runner and Olympic hopeful James Brewer. Here are his thoughts on the Olympics, being chased by dogs and the ultimate lap of honour.

UPDATE: Race now discontinued – The Scotsman article This report is posted on behalf of Lawrence Friell who with his partner Charlie Sproson won the Score Class at the Highlander Mountain Marathon … Read more

When it comes to eyewear, maximizing performance and style is essential. Based out of California, Electric Visual are a team of innovators, investing in the production of sunglasses and snow goggles. As one of the brands at the forefront of optics design, Electric bring together the latest and greatest high performance technology with unique designs that reflect the youthful and fun spirit of today’s adventurers.

After testing The Agent 100 for a couple of weeks, I was lucky enough to try out Faction’s The Prodigy skis over a weekend in Switzerland which saw Verbier receive … Read more

The Saucony website claims that the ProGrid Kinvara 2 are designed to give you exactly, and only, what you need; something which is evident when you first pick them up weighing in at only 7.7oz. The upper part of the shoe is made from a mono-filament mesh which, although appearing very flimsy, remained undamaged when put through the test on numerous muddy runs on the moors of Scotland and on the tarmac of London. Despite first impressions, the material is relentless enough to prevent stray stones, pebbles and mud from getting into the shoe. The sole is made from an ultra-light durable foam and its shape creates a lower heel to toe ratio which sways toward the barefoot genre of running.

Having spent a considerable number of seasons off-piste and in the park whilst wearing racing boots, my shins were slowly being shot to pieces. Tired of post-ski hobbling, I vowed … Read more

Mine-heaps and tollgates are what the average tourist would remember from the Mpumalanga province in the Northern parts of South Africa, but there certainly is more to it. The ‘Highveld’ (translated as Highfield), as this part of the Rainbow Nation is locally known, plays host to a different kind of beauty than what you would find in the more commercial Southern parts. Those seeking adventure while experiencing the true African wildlife are sure to be pleased on the relatively new Num-Num trail near Machadodorp, Mpumalanga.

After making the transition from wearing gloves to mittens four years ago I haven’t once looked back. During this season in the US I got hold of a pair of Swany America’s environmentally friendly Eco-Mitt, a mitt that incorporates their Eco-Circle shell and insulation technology. At an affordable $60, the Eco-Mitt to the test to see whether Swany could match the performance credentials of my other mitts with their eco offering.

As Canada’s third largest city, Vancouver has a problem that often goes unreported – homelessness. At the end of January, I made a pilgrimage to the headquarters of Arc’teryx in the city … Read more

History and guide to Steamboat, Colorado in the Rockies of the USA. Skiing in Steamboat offers some of the best snow conditions in North America.

If you’re one of those video addicts who spends hours wandering through YouTube and Vimeo looking for adventure films, momentous soundtracks, the 2012 Sheffield Adventure Film Festival is your fix.

Last season we reviewed Sweet Protection’s unique, full-body Saviour Suit, setting a high standard for our future baselayer evaluations. At the beginning of this season I started doing some research to find other baselayers that made similar claims of performance excellence, deciding upon US-based Polarmax, an environmentally conscious brand with some neat threads to match.

Smith Optics has become well established as one of the market leaders in mountain accessories. As a number of brands jostle for the leading stake in optic design, Smith have done well not only to develop the features of it’s signature goggles, but also to innovate on the environmental side of manufacturing. Being part of the Evolve range, the I/O is composed of some bio-based Pearlthane and recycled urethane materials including on the environmental side of manufacturing. Beyond these ecological credentials, the Smith I/O makes for a high performance product, so combining the potentials of responsible retail and design.

The New Balance 749 has a discreet label inside the shoe which says ‘Made in the UK’. In these days of austerity, with all the naysayers decrying the ability of British manufacturing, if I was New Balance I would be shouting this fact from the rooftops.