~ Gear reviews ~
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.
Sealskinz waterproof socks review
When I rowed across the Atlantic in 2017, I wore these with the Vivobarefoot Ultra III aqua shoes listed below and had nice, dry feet even when it’s cold (and it does get cold at night when you first start in Europe).
Nowadays, I still use the same pair for mountain biking, riding my motorbike (to keep my feet dry), but not for hiking as they cause my feet to sweat excessively when walking in them (they’re really good at retaining warmth but not very breathable given they’re designed to keep your feet dry).
Topeak Versacage (bottle cage for carrying expedition gear)
The Versacage set come with 3 of Topeak’s excellent versamounts to attach to the frame or forks to hold the cage in place, and as you can see – it holds a 1.5-litre water bottle without any problems. I’ve cycled over 500 miles across Estonia in 2022 without any problems from either one of them
Fix Plus straps
I’ve been using Fixplus straps since I started bikepacking in 2022 and now swear by them!
They come in many sizes and can be used to secure all kinds of items to the bike, or for holding heavy things together.
They work by having a small amount of stretch in the belt (but nowhere near enough to make it snap), which then pulls back against what you’re holding once you’ve found the correct hole for the belt.
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.
Aeropress Portable Travel Coffee Press
It’s not easy making coffee when you’re out on an adventure, but the other team members will be your best friends if you do so, or it’ll enhance your enjoyment of a solo endeavour.
JBL tune 115BT wireless headphones
They’re not waterproof and don’t claim to be, however they handle my sweaty heads for many months without complaint.
They’re highly affordable, coming in at under £40 (especially when compared to big brand name wireless in-ear headphones) and the sound quality is superb. I particularly like listening to podcasts and audio books when I head out on the gravel bike after a long day on the computer.
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: