~ Gear reviews ~
Rab Neutrino down jacket review
The Rab Neutrino Jacket is a high-performance insulated down jacket designed for mountaineering, cold-weather expeditions, and general winter use.
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Whilst it has since been replaced by the ‘Sirac’ trekking backpack, the Atlas 65 backpack made by Lowe Alpine, stands out as an exceptional choice for adventurers embarking on multi-day treks,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 review
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.
Rab Baltoro softshell gloves
The Baltoro Gloves by Rab are a reliable companion for alpine climbers, mountaineers and winter cyclists (like fatbikers) facing cold, dry conditions.
Wild Country Rock protection Set 1-8
This set of Wild Country Rocks stands as the cornerstone of any climbing rack, forming a fundamental component alongside quick draws, slings, and karabiners to create a versatile starter rack. A must-have for trad leaders, these Rocks come in sizes 1-8, featuring a user-friendly colour-coded and anodised design.
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.
Grivel Ascender / descender - left and right hand
The Ascender Descender by Grivel is offered in both a left and right-hand version (as you can see here) and represents quite the innovation in climbing gear, offering the versatility of functioning as both an ascender and an abseiling device.
DMM Fly (Adze) Ice Axe
Whilst it’s only been used on some light chalk practice, the DMM fly ice axe is presented as a versatile, well-balanced tool that caters to the demands of various climbing environments, from steep ice to traditional mountaineering terrain.
Key features highlighted include the ergonomic rubber handle, designed for comfort and insulation in wet or dry conditions.
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.
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.
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: