After a year living, training, and racing in Newton’s top neutral racer it’s hard to find fault with a great shoe. For running marathons, these are a trainer shoe to run in.

Polartec, known for its outdoor gear designed for extreme conditions, has for the past twenty years supported hundreds of adventurous outdoor expeditions. This they have done by providing grants through their international programme, Polartec® Challenge. Applications for these prestigious grants are now open for 2012.

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.

For any visitor to Cape Town, a pilgrimage to the the top of Table Mountain is a must-do during a stay in the Mother City of South Africa. The main … Read more

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.

Last September I took delivery of a Yeti 575, as the name would suggest it’s a 5.75’’ travel trail bike. Kitted up with Fox Float forks, an RP23 rear shock, a mix of Sram X9 and X7 running gear, some DT Swiss hoops and Truvative components. Win.

Secret Compass are a young tour operator that pioneer expeditionary trips around the world. With 2012 departure dates set for trips to Mexico, South Sudan, Afganistan, Ethiopia, Sri Lanka, founders Levison Wood and Tom Bodkin are working on new itineraries in Madagascar, the Congo, Argentina, Iraq and Brazil. As such as young company, Secret Compass are in a great position to refresh adventure touring and create demanding adventures with team action. One of Secret Compass’ focuses is to find trips that have a historical relevance, particularly within exploratory myths. Their tour in South Sudan follows the footsteps of one famous explorer, Samuel Baker.

Here are some edits from this summer’s whitewater exploits – enjoy. 2011 Whitewater Grand Prix by Tribe Rider MF Nooksack Canyon by The Bomb Flow Riders of the Year  II … Read more

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.

Mawgan Porth is a small village on the north coast of Cornwall, 6 miles up the coast from Newquay. It’s great place for those who want to stay at one of the quieter beach spots, whilst maintaining quick access to renowned UK surf breaks such as Watergate Bay and Constantine.

However, not everyone in the industry has subscribed to heavily reduced, high impact trips.. G Adventures was one of the first companies to bring sustainable tourism into the crowded holiday market, offering “adventure-craving travellers an alternative to the resorts, cruises and motorcoach tours”: holidays which take travellers off the beaten track for a genuine glimpse of the lives of the country’s inhabitants, and which are focused on ethical behaviour and serving the communities they visit.

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.

I write, I photograph and I guide. These are my chosen activities and I do them because they make my life meaningful. I also do them because I believe that … Read more

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.

In August, I linked up with a group of Clif Bar employees on a fundraising ride for their Climate Ride California. After meeting at the Clif-owned Velo Vino tasting room in St. … Read more

Thursday night saw the London premiere of All.I.Can, a film by Sherpas Cinema and sponsored by numerous adventure brands including Arc’teryx and The North Face. The film has been two years in the making … Read more

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

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.

The final Great Swim Series event of the year took place on a beautifully sunny September day in Strathclyde National Park. Scotland’s usual cold weather kindly abated for the weekend, making for a spectacular swim and an enjoyable day for the nearly 2,000 participants and their supporters.

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