Waterproof, washable, fabric maps This is an unbiased review by our Gear Editor Chris Townsend, which SplashMaps have supported with sponsorship. A map you can scrunch up and stuff in your pocket, wear round your neck, and stick in the…
New hillwalking boots suitable for winter This is an unbiased review by our Gear Editor Chris Townsend, which Keen have supported with sponsorship. Keen says it’s latest European-made boot is ‘our most technical backpacking boot yet’. The Karraig is certainly…
A comfortable summer tee-shirt Swedish company Klättermusen makes a range of top-quality outdoor clothing that’s not yet very well known in Britain. Recently I’ve been trying a few of their items. The first one is the Vee Tee, described as…
Lightweight summer base layer Smartwool’s latest tee-shirt, new for this summer, comes with the option of different graphics printed on the front as well as different colours. The one I’ve been testing has the same graphic as in the picture…
Comfortable hiking underwear Over the years I’ve tried many different underpants for warm weather walking and never found a pair that was really comfortable even for a day out, never mind one that stayed that way for several days wear…
An unusual lightweight waterproof jacket Columbia launched their first OutDry jacket three years ago and the unusual concept has slowly been gaining acceptance. OutDry turns the design of rainwear inside out, with the waterproof layer and the taped seams on…
A functional lightweight headlamp The Edelrid Cometalite is a lightweight (94 grams with batteries) and compact headlamp that’s easy to use. There are two LEDs, red and white, and power output is 40-165 lumens, depending on the mode, with burn…
New walker’s socks in different weights Sock specialist HJ Hall has launched a new range of walking socks for 2019 called ProTrek. For the last few months I’ve been trying a couple of pairs, the Adventure Hike and the Mountain…
A Warm Synthetic Insulated Jacket Recent years have seen a move to insulated jackets with increased breathability so they are comfortable when moving even if that’s at the expense of windproofing. This jacket from Mammut is one of the best…
Warm and windproof ultralight gloves Sometimes a product comes along that really surprises me. That’s the case with the ultralight Rab Xenon gloves as they’re far warmer than I expected them to be. They weigh just 69 grams for a…
An unusual ultralight nesting cook set and stove Pots and mugs are simple items. Not in the case of Soto’s Thermostack Cook Set Combo though. This neat little set of three nesting cups, as Soto calls them, is surprisingly complex…
Shaped insoles for comfort and stability The insoles that come with most boots and shoes are soft, flexible and unsupportive. They also tend to collapse and flatten quickly. Replacing them with a better quality pair that actually supports the foot…