~ Gear reviews ~
Montane Icarus lightweight down jacket
The Montane Icarus jacket boasts versatility and comfort, making it a good choice for a range of outdoor adventures in various conditions.
MSR Groundhog Tent Stakes review
The MSR Groundhog Tent Stakes are a type of tent peg designed for use in a variety of ground conditions, including rocky or hard-packed soil due to their strength. These stakes are lightweight, durable, and provide excellent holding power, making them a popular choice among backpackers, campers, and other outdoor enthusiasts.
Lowe Alpine Atlas 65 trekking backpack review
Whilst it has since been replaced by the ‘Sirac’ trekking backpack, the Atlas 65 backpack made by Lowe Alpine, stands out as an exceptional choice for adventurers embarking on multi-day treks, world travel, or extended remote expeditions.
La Sportiva Nepal Cube GTX mountaineering boots
The iconic La Sportiva Nepal Cube GTX mountaineering boots are high-performance boots designed for technical alpine climbing and mountaineering in cold and harsh environments.
Grangers 2-in-1 cleaner and waterproofer
This 2-in-1 cleaner and waterproofer by Grangers offers a convenient solution for cleaning and reproofing your outdoor gear, addressing the challenge we all face in preserving waterproofness and maintaining fabric performance.
Insta 360 X3 action camera and invisible selfie stick
The Insta360 X3 is a fantastic camera for adventurers venturing into the natural world, whether conquering the vast Atlantic Ocean during a rowing expedition, tackling rugged trails and deserts in multi-day endeavours, or pushing boundaries in gruelling bikepacking races.
Garmin Fenix 5x multisport watch
The Garmin Fenix 5X is a high-end, multi-sport GPS watch with advanced features for outdoor and fitness activities that you’ll probably see on just about every athlete in adventure these days!
Petzl Actik headtorch review
My track record with headtorches hasn’t been a great so far, with 2 Black Diamond headtorches stopped working annoyingly, however I’ve always had good experiences with Petzl for the last decade since starting out with their entry-level Tikka.
The Actik headtorch features a maximum brightness of 350 lumens (compared to the Tikka’s 300 lumens), which is more than enough for most expeditions. It also has a wide beam mode for when you need the extra light, and a red-light mode, which helps preserve night vision and is useful for reading maps or navigating in low-light conditions.
Wedze G500 winter sports goggles (from Decathlon)
Needing a new set of goggles for winter fatbiking adventures, I found these in a Decathlon store, and found them to be exactly what I needed at a decent price.
They are certified as 100% anti-UV, (meeting the EN-174 safety standard), effectively shielding the eyes from harmful UV rays and glare – which means everything has a slightly pinkish hue, however this doesn’t seem to affect my depth perception (even at night). This is particularly crucial during activities in snow where the brightness can be vast even on overcast days.
Black Diamond ATC-XP Belay device
Having dropped my original belay device on the Matterhorn, I was after a new one – and the ATC-XP by Black Diamond certainly delivers!
Distinguishing itself with high-friction grooves, the ATC-XP offers an impressive grip and stopping power in its friction mode. Additionally, a machined window within the device contributes to its lighter weight, resulting in the ATC-XP weighing just 64 grams.
Black Diamond express ice screw – 16 centimetres
The Express Ice Screw stands out as a specialised and indispensable climbing tool explicitly crafted for ice climbing and mountaineering. Vital for creating secure anchor points within ice, these screws serve as crucial safeguards for climbers and teams while navigating frozen terrains.
Specifically, the Black Diamond Express Ice Screw in its 16-centimetre iteration garners acclaim for its performance, user-friendly design, and exceptional durability.
Grivel G-Zero ski-touring mountaineering ice axe (size 58cm)
Needing an ice axe to take on Mont Blanc and a load of other peaks I had my eye on, the Grivel G-Zero stood out as a lightweight ice axe explicitly crafted for beginners planning their first ski-touring and mountaineering endeavours.
Tailored to meet the demands of climbers and skiers navigating various alpine terrains like glaciers, couloirs, and ski descents, it's a versatile tool renowned for its reliability and efficiency in winter expeditions.
Grivel G12 New Classic ice crampons
The Grivel G12 New Classic ice crampons are a dependable choice for mountaineers navigating icy, snowy terrain, and were my choice to get me to the summit of Mont Blanc in 2016!
Specifically designed to offer traction and stability, these crampons are essential gear for ice climbers and mountaineers. Their reputation stems from durability, user-friendly design, and compatibility with B3 boots.
Montane Ice Melt Thermal Gloves
The Montane Ice Melt Thermal Gloves proving to be great companions in extreme cold weather, such as winter fatbiking in the Baltics!
Their design, tailored for demanding mountaineering terrains, but have a useful second utility when it comes to gripping handlebars when the temperature is -10. The durable softshell outer fabric, coupled with a waterproof feature, shielded hands against biting winds and icy conditions, offering really good protection without compromising on breathability.
Gerber recon multicoloured mini torch review
The Gerber Recon Torch is a compact and powerful flashlight designed for outdoor enthusiasts and tactical professionals. It is built with high-quality materials and features an innovative design that provides excellent performance and durability.
The Recon Torch is made with aircraft-grade aluminium that is lightweight and durable, and it is equipped with a powerful LED bulb that provides a maximum output of 22 lumens. The light has three different modes – high, low, and strobe – which can be easily adjusted with a simple click of the tail cap switch.
Anker PowerCore 10,000mAh Power bank
This power bank is relatively lightweight (for its size to storage ratio), is robust and packs a good few phone and bike light charges in on one single charge! It’s compatible with current models of iPhone, carries 10,000 Milliamp Hours of charge and is quite light at around 180 grams.
Whether you're a seasoned climber seeking new mountains to conquer, an endurance runner craving the rush of Marathon des Sables, or a bikepacker in search of the perfect mult-day route, we've got you covered.
Check out our curated collection of articles, categorised to ensure you find the gear that speaks to the adventure you’re seeking to complete: